Insects
We've all dealt with insects in the home before, whether an ant infestation in the kitchen, bed bugs on sheets, or a spider in the bathroom. Insects have a bad rap, and most people would rather not have them in their home, from merely an aesthetic standpoint and the potential for deadly bites or stings. But did you know insects can actually transmit diseases, too?
Stinging insects are dangerous and, unfortunately, they have a tendency to get into homes. If you are dealing with an insect infestation, call Wildlife X Team® at (817) 431-3007 today to get rid of your insect problem quickly and effectively!
Common Insects & Problems
In order to be classified as an "insect", a creature must have six legs, an exoskeleton, a three-segment body and antennae. Some insects, like spiders, are colloquially known as insects, though they are technically members of another order. Learn more below about some common insects and why they are an issue in your homes:
Spiders
Often the most disliked of all insects and near the top on many people's list of biggest fears, spiders are technically of the order Arachnida (they have eight legs as opposed to six), but are referred to as insects. They're certainly a nuisance when they get into homes, and certain types of spiders, like black widows or brown recluse, are poisonous and potentially fatal to humans and pets.
Mosquitoes
Another extremely disliked creature, mosquitoes are tiny, buzzing fliers that feed on blood of animals and humans, leaving an itchy, irritable bump in their wake. The mosquito's piercing apparatus is called a proboscis, and male mosquitoes actually do not have enough strength in theirs to pierce skin, so if you got a bite from a mosquito, it was from a female. In additon to just being a nuisance, mosquitoes are also vectors for extremely fatal diseases like West Nile Virus, Zika, and malaria, to name a few.
Bed Bugs
With widespread distribution throughout the world and the country, bed bugs are around 1/4" long, flat and longer once they've been feeding. Bed bugs are red/rust colored. They feed on blood, preferably of humans, but they will also feed on blood of pets like dogs and cats, and also birds or rodents. Infamous for their capacity to spread quickly, bed bugs are actually fairly slow to reproduce. Their eggs take nearly two months to hatch, so if there's a big boom of bed bugs in your home, they've been there at least that long.
Ticks
Ticks are another member of the Arachnida order (relatives of spiders). Like bed bugs, ticks survive by feeding on the blood of hosts, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. Many tick bites are not cause for concern, but like mosquitoes, ticks can carry a host of diseases that you do not want to contract, like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Getting Rid of Insects
Insects are drawn to bodies of water and dark, isolated places to hide. This can often include inside homes, so it's important to contact the professional insect technicians at Wildlife X Team® today to help you locate all insects and prevent any future insect issues.
How to Prevent Insects
- Try not to have open water, they shelter near water
- Eliminate open entries: Make sure your door and window screens don't have any holes in them.
- Keep your home open: Try not to provide nooks and crannies for the insects to hide in