No matter who you are, you are aware that pests pose a serious problem to the well-being of your home or business. As a facility manager, it is even more important to keep vigilant when it comes to pests.
Here are a few of the most harmful pests and what to expect when dealing with them.
Ants
Ants are social insects and are typically looking for shelter or something to eat. Ants love proteins and sugars, which is why many people have heard of the term sugar ants. Since they are a social insect, they live in large colonies which can number in the thousands. This means that if you see an ant, it is more than likely that there are hundreds more nearby. One of the ways to keep ants out of your building other than pest control is by keeping up with sanitation duties so that there isn't a food source for them to find.
Roaches
Few pests disgust people more than the cockroach. It could be because they are scary looking or simply the fact that the cockroaches are capable of spreading nearly 33 different kinds of bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli by picking up the germs on the spines of their legs and bodies and transporting them onto food or work surfaces. Some people are also highly allergic to them and they can cause allergic reactions such as asthma. Roaches enter sometimes through shipments of cardboard boxes from other locations and unfortunately, they are good travelers. Like with ants, good sanitation will help keep them away and an excellent pest control system if you have a problem.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are the Achilles heel of hospitality businesses because once you have them, they are extremely difficult to get rid of. The problem is that these insects tend to hitch a ride from other areas that have them and then onto the clothing of the person affected. There, they can be brought in to most any place, including hotels and motels. To get rid of them, one of the few treatments that works effectively is a heat treatment. There isn't many ways to keep them away other than keeping clutter to a minimum and a regular check of areas to ensure that there is not a problem. This will help contain it and possibly get rid of it before it gets out of hand and a heat treatment is needed.
Flies
Flies are quite annoying but actually cause health risks that far outweigh the pain in the neck of having one bothering you. Flies spread germs wherever they land—whether it be on a counter top, a work desk, or even a person's arm. They are responsible for contaminating food and transferring more than 100 pathogens, including salmonella and tuberculosis. Fly control is challenging as their larval development site must be located and eliminated. In addition to working with a pest management professional, facility managers should ensure trash is removed frequently and food areas, such as break rooms and cafeterias, are free of food debris.
Rodents
These pests, such as mice and rats, are capable of entering buildings through openings the size of a dime or quarter depending on the species. Once inside, they can destroy materials and cause structural damage by gnawing through wall boards, wood, plaster, and electrical wiring.
Read More: Help Prevent Bed Bugs
Staying on top of your preventative maintenance is an important step to staying ahead of a bug infestation. Let Maintenance Care help get you setup with the proper software to make your job easier.
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