Myth Busting: Pest Edition

Mouthwash kills mosquitoes. Bees only sting once. Eggshells keep pests out of your garden. We’ve heard it all! There are many things you can do as a homeowner to help pest-proof and prevent an infestation, but there is also a lot of misleading information, that frankly, just isn’t true. Our expert entomologists weigh in on a few of the claims they frequently come across, and those circulating on the internet lately.

“Mouthwash kills mosquitoes” – BUSTED!

It’s a misconception that the primary active ingredient in many types of mouthwash, eucalyptol, can kill mosquitoes. Eucalyptol is derived from eucalyptus oil, which is commonly used in botanical insect repellents. Unfortunately, you would need a much higher concentration of this than what is typically in mouthwash or other similar products to do any real mosquito extermination. This has gained so much attention on the web lately, a mouthwash company customer care agent recently commented that the company believes this would be a “misuse” of their products!

Your best defense against mosquitoes is pest prevention. Mosquitoes love moisture, and any standing water you have around your home is an invitation for them to multiply. Learn more from our Bug Basics video, and if mosquitoes are still a nuisance, HomeTeam offers mosquito treatment for your property at all our branch locations.

“Cockroaches can survive without their heads” – CONFIRMED!

We’ve all heard the age-old claim: cockroaches can survive a nuclear blast, and even an apocalypse, without their heads attached! This myth happens to be partially true. A cockroach can survive for a short period of time without its head. They breathe through small holes all over their bodies and have an open circulatory system. However, cockroaches use their head to ingest food and water, so a roach could only survive a few weeks at most without a head.

“Spiders are insects” – BUSTED!

One of the most widespread insect myths is not even an insect myth at all! Spiders are actually arachnids, which are creatures that have two body segments, eight legs, and no wings or antennae. An insect is classified by three body segments, three pairs of legs, wings, and antennae. Spiders and insects do share a commonality, though. They are both invertebrates.

“If your room is clean, you won’t have bed bugs” – BUSTED!

As long as bed bugs have a host, they’re in business. Cleanliness or how attractive a home is has nothing to do with their survival. Bed bugs can thrive practically anywhere humans do, and they are not limited to bedrooms. However, beds and bedrooms are the most common places you’ll find them. To check for bed bugs, inspect mattresses by starting at the head of the bed and working your way down, focusing on seams and tufts on the mattress. It’s important to remember that keeping your space clean and crumb-free is a smart home pest control approach as it can help prevent other pest problems.

“Bees can only sting once” – CONFIRMED, sort of.

Another partially true insect myth. Only honey bees can sting just once. Other kinds of bees, hornets, and wasps can sting as many times as they want. Not sure what a honey bee looks like? The best way to identify them is by the midsection. Honey bees have a barrel-shaped body instead of a thin middle section between the thorax and abdomen like other insects.

“If you don’t see a pest issue, you don’t need pest control” – BUSTED!

This particular myth really bugs us. Some of the worst pests you can encounter are hard to find and like to stay hidden. Take termites, for example, they feast on the inside of walls, and it is difficult to determine their presence until after they’ve done damage. Bed bugs are nocturnal and usually don’t come out at all during the day. For many common household pests, such as cockroaches and ants, if you see a few in your home, there’s a good chance there are many more. Regular pest control inspections can end up saving you a lot of time and money, and HomeTeam’s 6-Point Advantage service includes one every time we service your home!

Don’t wait to take action! We can help you control and treat your pest problem. Give us a call at 877-461-7378, or visit https://staging.pestdefense.com.