Pest Prevention is better than Cure
Unwelcome visitors such as flies, fleas, cockroaches and rats can put
your family’s health at risk and cause untold damage to the structure of your
home and your belongings. Although getting rid of pests may seem simple in the
pesticide isle of the supermarket, you really need a trained eye and expertise
in pest behaviour to get to the root of the problem.
Not all of us are aware of the dangers and risks associated with a
pest-infested home. And often we simply turn a blind eye towards at the sight
of unwanted creepy-crawlies in the hope that they will go away by themselves.
These days, it’s highly unlikely that any home is 100% pest-free,
especially during winter. For example, flea activity is known to peak when
humans head inside and turn on their heaters during the colder months. Thanks
to cosy conditions created by pets and people staying indoors and offering a
ready meal, fleas are given the perfect environment to thrive in during winter.
Flea cocoons can lie dormant during summer when there are no animals or humans
in the house to supply them with food, and can then spring to life once the
weather changes and we start spending more time indoors.
Fleas most often bite people around the legs and ankles, usually with 2
or 3 bites in a row. Flea bites are felt immediately and can be sore or
irritable for as much as a week. Babies and children are at higher risk from
being bitten by fleas particularly when playing on the floor. They also tend to
be more sensitive than adults to flea bites.
As far as removing fleas from your home is concerned, simply vacuuming
will not combat the problem, as the fleas jump to avoid the vacuum-cleaner.
However, good housekeeping does have a role to play in preventing their presence
as flea-larvae feed on organic matter in carpets or bedding. Whilst DIY flea
control products can be effective in getting rid of fleas, an established flea
infestation would require professional treatment.
Rodents – especially rats and mice – also appear to be more prevalent
in the colder months as they seek refuge indoors, looking for both shelter and
food. Rodents are known to spread serious infections such as Salmonella, Weil's
disease, E.coli, Tuberculosis and Hantavirus by leaving infected urine or
faeces in places with which people are likely to have contact, such as kitchen
counters, food preparation areas and storage areas and rubbish bins. They also
gnaw continually to keep their permanently-growing incisors in check, and this
can be extremely damaging to the structure and wiring of your home.
Kill a Bug JSA believes that effective pest control is always a
partnership between the client and the pest control operator. Good housekeeping
is an essential component of effective pest control, as eliminating the sources
of food and nesting materials is the first step in controlling pests. The DIY
pesticide route is usually a short term measure, as effective pest control is a
highly technical process which requires the expertise of professionals.
Kill a Bug JSA finds and treats the source of the problem, rather than
just the symptoms. “We use an integrated approach, based on the biology of the
specific pest. The pesticides used by Kill a Bug JSA are all approved by the
local Department of Agriculture hence bio-degradable and target specific, which means they are more
effective and have minimal to no secondary effects,”. Getting to the root of
the problem is what our technicians are trained to do. “Our approach is to always restore the
balance in the environment and use the quickest, most effective method to eliminate
pest infestations,”.
For more information on residential pest control solutions from Kill a Bug JSA or to arrange a free pest control survey of your home, contact Kill a Bug JSA on 071 607 0813 or email kabjsa@telkomsa.net
