Very often, unless trained in the pest control industry, we struggle in identifying locations with pest activities or areas where pests hide and nest. Rentokil shares where are the key risk areas we must look out and list the top eight pest hideouts we should check for presence of pest infestation.
Drains, sewers and piping
Some scenarios we find familiar by walking past a drain or lifting the manhole and grease interceptors, and a bunch of huge cockroaches just scurrying around. Yes, these are common pest hideouts as pests swim through place to place and find another habitat for resting and food. One reason why they are attracted to such poor sanitising condition locations is the presence of water and moisture they can feed. Some pests can survive under water within a time span of 30 to 40 minutes before surfacing again, and they can sweep to their next target. In fact, drains tend to contain stagnant water and are often neglected resulting in mosquito breeding. Hence, it is important to ensure mosquito treatment is delivered to the drains, especially if your home or work premise is located in high-risk location for example high dengue cases.
Roof, ceiling and attic
Unless we are acrobatic-trained, natural climbers and trekking enthusiasts, we do not have much visibility and presence at the rooftop, ceiling and attics. However, they do invite pests such as rats that can climb, balance on thin bars or beams and ability to handle with heights around tight spaces. Rats are flexible enough to squeeze through corners and gaps and make themselves comfortable along the narrow crawl spaces. Of course, there are also other flying pest species including bees, wasps, hornets and birds that can land on the rooftop and build their nest comfortably. Finally, as the ceiling, roofs and attics are typically built from wood, there is also a risk of termite infestation where wood and water (coming from rain and any water leaks through defects) attract subterranean termites. In severe cases, there are incidences of structure weakening resulting in a collapsed ceiling.
Garbage bin and waste centers
Garbage, trash, food scrapes and remains, decaying or decomposed insects and matter including droppings and faeces are some favorite food choices among pests with poor hygiene such as cockroaches and rats. This is especially when wastes are managed poorly including the following:
- Spilled or dropped onto the floor and surfaces
- Debris, residues and remains not cleared away
- Not disposing the trash or waste promptly
- Poorly secure trash bags that allows pests to enter
- Bins without a lid that attracts pests with odour
The foul smell also attracts flies including houseflies and fruit flies, and once they land and make themselves comfortable these waste and grime. With capable scent detector capabilities even miles away, flies will breed and reproduce the larvae and pupae, and hence it is important to ensure adequate and diligent housekeeping and proper waste management. More importantly, is to assure adequate traps and residual spray around the area to prevent pests from escalating.
Bedding, curtains and carpets
Bed bugs share the same joy as us in making themselves at home on our bed, including the bedsheets, mattresses and pillows. Not because of how their pest name suggests, but bed bugs seek host by detecting body warmth among humans for their blood supply. This also explains why we tend to see them near hosting sites including lodging, hotel rooms, transportation and entertainment venues. Hence, keeping themselves safe and warm among rug, curtain, carpet and furnishing is what they do before coming out at night for their food source. Tips: remember to get rid of bed bugs once you detect any potential signs of bed bug infestation. This is because they spread and reproduce quickly.
Find out more about Rentokil Bed Bug Enhancement Programme today
Ticks is another pest that favors these cozy locations and seeks blood for their survival. They typically latch on pets because of the warmth they get from the fur. Hence, they lurk around carpets and rugs in your home. Ticks are outdoor pests that are found among grass, trees and shrubs commonly. However, they are cross infestation driven through carry-on mode through yourself or your pests. It is critical to treat tick infestation quickly because they can reproduce among those warm and moist areas while causing bites, skin rashes and infection among dogs and humans. Some of the diseases that they are capable of spreading include the tapeworms, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. However, ticks are different from fleas in terms of their lifespan, body build and mode of hosting and reproduction.
For more information on managing ticks and fleas, you may read further from the Complete Guide for Ticks and Fleas Control.
Cabinets and storeroom
Cabinets, drawers, cupboards and storerooms do not seem to serve the function of storing items, food supplies, large bulky items, but also pests. Very often, these storages are house to pests because of the following they can benefit from:
- Poorly stored food either in compromised-storage containers or bags that becomes food source for pests
- Water leaks and spills from the defective pipes and drainage system that is built within kitchen cabinets
- Humidity and moisture build up with poor or no ventilation
- Cracks and crevices that allow pests to slip in from other locations
- Piles of cartons, boxes, junks, stash of papers and magazines that become a perfect natural habitat for pests
- Undisturbed or intervened spaces for housekeeping and pest control that allows pests to breed
- Items comprising of cellulose, books, glue, papers (can be text books or magazines) and photos that silverfish are attracted to
In addition, cabinets located in the kitchen is a food paradise for most pests. These include cockroaches, ants and rats. Besides the availability of various food ingredients, the kitchen also has a presence of waste and trash. Pests are attracted to both decaying matter and the bad odour, while appliances including refrigerator, oven and stove provide warmth and comfort.
Bathroom and balconies
One thing that is common between the bathroom and balcony in a home is the provision of wet surfaces and ample of water and puddles that pests seek. Firstly, shower, hand and face washing activities cause water spills and drips on the bathroom floor. Regular washing activities without keeping the environment dry results in standing water for pest infestation to trigger. Secondly, some bathrooms have poor ventilation that causes damp conditions and high humidity. Pest such as silverfish favors an environment and actually feeds on fungi and mold that is coming from humid conditions.
Mosquitoes also enjoy busking in both of these locations due to factors including:
- Presence of receptacles that allow opportunities for mosquitoes to breed. Common items including pails, containers, collected water among gaps, gulley and potted trays.
- Presence of plants and flowers with carbon dioxide that mosquitoes can detect
- Openings through windows and ventilators that mosquitoes can fly in easily
- Lack of protection such as proofing like insect screens, mesh, patching of holes etc.
- Absence of mosquito traps that can lure and trap adult mosquitoes indoors and outdoors
Find out how you can protect your family from mosquitoes’ bites with the new and innovative mosquito traps, the In2care, especially in the daytime where Aedes Mosquitoes are most active during this period.
Trees and shady garden
Outdoor is actually a high-risk environment. It is vulnerable and susceptible to a wide range of pests. They ranging from ants, cockroaches, termites, mosquitoes, rats and even snakes, birds, bees and midges.
Firstly, mosquitoes are naturally present in high vegetation conditions. They track lactic acid and warmth from humans and carbon dioxides emitted from the plants. In addition, they can find opportunities for breeding among those uncleaned receptacles lying around in the garden and car pouch. Secondly, termite infestation starts from the outside as well where rotten and decayed logs, woods and timber can be infested with termites and colonies can spread inwards to a home. Thirdly, some environments could have the presence of snakes as they travel and land in your garden. They seek shelter and shade from grass patches and shrubs and especially if your garden does not have an adequate landscaping programme.
Finally, flying pests can nest on your trees. These includes bees, wasps and hornets or birds that turn up because of food sources they can find in your outdoors. It is important to ensure a sound outdoor pest control because most infestation in your home is a result of pest entry.
Basement and underground
Pest can live and travel anywhere, from outdoors, in rooms and storages, among wet puddles, the rooftop and even underground. It is common for pests to live underground for a few reasons. For example, rats dig burrows and hide deep within for resting and storing their food supplies. Subterranean termites build their colony underground and travel through mud tubes to transport food to their members. Basements at home are usually dark, warm and humid. Such conditions are a perfect environment for pests as a habitat. They are also neglected without much maintenance, housekeeping and lack in detecting any pest presence of early signs of pest infestation. Basements with connecting pipes may accumulated leaks that result in standing water or damaging wood flooring. The dampness and moisture may promote a termite infestation.
Pest elimination programme
Remove all food sources and water supply
One way to eliminate pests is to stop providing pests basic needs, which is food and water. Water is a common survivor need for all pests. These include the spills, leaks and any small standing water, pest meals on the other differ. For instance, termites feed on wood and cellulose, while ants love sugary and greasy treats. Some pests that are less choosy feeds on decaying matter, trash, and dead insects or carcass. For the more intimidating pests such as mosquitoes and bed bugs, they require our blood for their protein intake and reproduction function. Start to plan your home cleaning regime and clear away possible food residues and water for pests, and at the same time, organise your storeroom and kitchen to declutter and prevent hiding opportunities.
Hire a pest control specialist to control the population
In fact, there are times where it makes more sense in terms of cost efficiency and time convenience when you hire professional pest control to perform the job for you. This is because individuals needs professional training to deliver precise, targeted and effective treatments to resolve the problem. You may end up paying more in terms of different baits, gels and sprays, or spending more time resolving the infestation to no avail. For some infestation such as termite problem, termite treatment is an elaborate process where you require specific tools, equipment, dilution rate and active ingredient to get rid of termites.
Effective pest control is also about eliminating pests in all life stages to prevent them from developing into an adult. For example, mosquito control is not just about removing the adult mosquitoes we can spot. It also includes removal of their larvae during the mosquito breeding process. Bed bugs on the other hand require treatments on a weekly interval and covering up to three treatments. This covers their reproduction timeline at every stage.
Do not let off guard against pest recurrence
As pests can come by anytime for various reasons, it is important to keep vigilant against pests. Start by inspecting your home and monitoring the efficacy and population level. We are not trained to perform professional pest inspection; however, we can take notice of unusual pest signs and infestation symptoms. By engaging pest control specialists, they can perform a more accurate and robust pest monitoring effort. These include looking at pest trend analysis, environment and risks factors and state of infestation level. On a commercial level, the specialist will deliver a detailed pest reporting and audit compliance support. This includes reporting all activities, and viewing all online history and recommendations 24/7.
To battle against dengue fever, every home individual can monitor the current condition by checking for mosquito breeding sites, removing any receptacles and constantly checking on dengue clusters in Singapore. With these information and dengue cases monitored proactively, we can take mosquito prevention efforts. This helps prevent ourselves falling into victims contracting this deadly disease.
Essential FAQ Guides
Pest eradication can be tricky especially when the situation is not within our control. Firstly, some pest types are complex, intelligent or nocturnal including termites, tats and bed bugs. This means we will face challenges where termites are buried underground, or rats smart enough to escape from our lure and trap and visibility challenges such as bed bugs when they surface at night. Secondly, there are some pest treatments that are not easily obtained from retail stores or off-the-shelf. Examples include termiticide applicators and the active ingredient, or rodent control with a sensing detector for eating activities. Thirdly, most pesticides for home use have compromised efficacy and dilution rate to ensure safe use for individual use. Finally, we could be using the incorrect solution to eradicate the problem thus resulting in recurring infestation.
Rentokil Initial has developed a series of useful essential pest control guide. They include information relating to pest facts, infestation signs, pest prevention tips and pest control solutions for different pest problems.
- What you need to know about integrated pest control?
- When do you need to start engaging termite control?
- How much does it cost to engage pest control services?
- When are mosquitoes most active that you need to be wary?
- Why is switching to contactless pest control essential?
- Dengue Fever in Singapore – How do you eliminate mosquitoes?
- Which essential questions to ask a pest control company?
Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for pest control services today.
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