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You’ve probably heard that baiting a trap with cheese is a great idea. That’s just one of many pest control myth which simply are not true. In this article we will review some of these myths and set the record straight.
Most pest control myths are passed down from generation to generation by word-of-mouth, pop culture, or a simple misunderstanding of an observation. Think about the cartoon Tom & Jerry. This show conveyed that cheese was the #1 food to attract mice to a trap. However, it’s simply not true. Yes, mice will eat cheese. In fact, they may nibble on most any kind of food. But mice like sugary or high-fat foods like seeds, chocolate or even peanut butter best.
It is a common myth that mosquitoes only bite at night. Now, most of you know better than this but still the myth remains prevalent enough. In reality, some species (like Anopheles, which spread malaria) bite at night, while others, like Aedes aegypti (think Zika, Yellow Fever or dengue), are active during the day. Weather and habitat matter more than time of day.
Only half of mosquitoes actually bite. The female mosquito bites mammals to supply the extra nutrition needed to produce eggs. Male mosquitoes eat nectar from plants and juices from fruits.
People assume that bed bugs can be detected with a quick cursory view. Even though it is true that they can often leave behind tiny stains, the fact of the matter is that they usually go undetected for months. It’s only when the infestation is really bad do you notice bites and stains on the sheets or mattress.
You can use a magnifying glass to look for them or hire a professional pest control agent to do an inspection. If you do have bed bugs, your pest control agent will be able to help get rid of them.
Again, back to the Tom & Jerry example, people believe that having a cat will keep rodents at bay. But the truth is cats are domesticated and usually only hunt for fun and on occasion. You can simply search for and find videos of cats totally ignoring a mouse or rat in someone’s home. Feral cats do hunt on the regular but you probably wouldn’t want to try to domesticate a feral cat.
