Revealing the Truth Behind Four Pest Removal Myths

Since the beginning of households, household pests have been attracted to places where people eat, drink and stay warm. It’s simple. People + home = food, water, and shelter for bugs. Rodents have coexisted alongside humans so long that Norway rats no longer exist in the wild. Most pests can subsist on very little water and food; you probably won’t even notice the deficit until you find ants foraging in your kitchen or mouse droppings in your pantry. So, in the ongoing humans vs. pests battle, humans have come to believe some pretty silly things about pest control that are now ingrained in our collective consciousness as fact, when most of these methods are merely myths.

The science is not always behind our beliefs about pests

The way we understand pests relates to our often-misunderstood view of the world we live in. In Aristotle’s day, the philosopher hypothesized that through “spontaneous generation,” animals somehow merely manifested from certain forms of matter. For example, if you saw ants around a honey spill or mice in the barley bin, that’s where these pests came from. The most amazing thing about the theory of spontaneous generation? People believed it until 1859 when Louis Pasteur, the father of modern hygiene, isolated different substances turning Aristotle’s theory on its head.

Pest Removal Myths

Myth 1 – Out of sight, out of mind

If you had bugs or rodents, you’d see them, right? Not necessarily. Household pests tend to hide out. Rodents can squeeze through tiny holes in your foundation through vents and other entryways. Mice and rats can take up residence in your walls or attic, start families and attract feasting insects such as cockroaches and flies to your home. The occasional moth that you see near your pantry is actually the adult stage of eggs laid in your dry goods such as the flour.

Myth 2 – Put food away, pests will go too

Sounds good. Put away food, pests will go other places to find food. But here’s the thing – you can’t just hide food behind cupboard doors and hope pests don’t find it because they will, unless you take precautions to store flour, sugar, and other dry goods including pet foods in metal, glass, or hard plastic containers (which don’t offer a guarantee either). Rodents can chew through plastic and paper bags as well as boxes.

Myth 3 – Hot peppers get rid of pests

Humans not wanting to use chemicals to resolve pest issues often turn to natural alternatives to eliminate pests. Some people believe that capsaicin, the substance that gives chili peppers their heat works to deter pests from their original target but they will just move on to other food sources within your home. Insects perceive capsaicin as an actual heat source and just relocate to cooler areas.

Myth 4 – Ultrasonic devices questionable

On the same wavelength as red peppers, more humans are looking for non-chemical solutions to pest issues. For a while, ultrasonic devices flooded the pest control market. The effectiveness of these devices on pests is questionable. Unless you just want to drive your dog crazy, ultrasonic devices don’t work on pests the same way different frequencies might on your dog. While pests might detect ultrasonic frequencies, they simply don’t head for the hills in response to them, as advertised.

How Hulett can Help Keep Your Home Pest Free

Because South Florida is home to many household pests, including structural damaging termites, it is important for proactive homeowners to get on board with a professional pest control company in order to prevent and monitor pest-prone areas, year-round. Hulett’s Healthy Home programs act to create a pest barrier around your property to safeguard against intruders. With 50 years of experience across South Florida, our entomologist-trained technicians are experienced and ready to help you. Contact us to schedule a free pest inspection or schedule one online. Take the myth out of pest control for your home. Just call Hulett!