Termites

Termites are a group of insect that mostly feed on dead plant materials, with the ability to digest cellulose. Subterranean termites, the most destructive wooden pest in the world, build their colonies in the soil and usually work their way above ground to reach wood or any other cellulose source. In search for food, subterranean termites will forage into homes from below the ground level right up to the highest point of the roof thrust. Over time, termite damage can become significant on door frames, kitchen cabinets, staircase and wooden flooring.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are a high risk pest to have in your premise. They carry a range of serious illnesses, including salmonella food poisoning, dysentery, diphtheria, gastroenteritis and typhoid. Furthermore, cockroaches have been identified as a major source of powerful allergens, often the cause of asthma, allergies and eczema, especially in urban areas. The health risk is particularly high in homes with children, the elderly or those fighting illnesses.
Beyond the health risks, cockroaches are a distasteful pest to have in your premise. They are not only a disturbing sight, they cause contamination and can produce an obnoxious odour that taints food and objects which they come in contact with. If the conditions are good, and temperatures sufficient, as is the case all around the year in most parts of India, cockroaches can breed rapidly. They are highly resilient and have developed resistances to a number of insecticides. A quick response is therefore essential to ensure that cockroach infestations do not go out of control or spread to neighbouring properties. A quick response at the very first sign of an infestation is essential to control cockroaches in your property and to stop the spread of this pest to your neighbours.

Mosquitos

At best, mosquitoes can be a real nuisance, leaving itching bite marks and keeping us awake at night. The irritation caused by the bites can be quite distressing particularly for children. At worst, mosquitoes transmit a range potentially fatal diseases. In India, the most prominent diseases spread by mosquitoes are malaria, dengue and Chikungunya as well as Japanese B encephalitis.
The risk of mosquito-borne diseases is especially high in humid areas. In the more arid regions of India, mosquito infestation commonly peaks during and after the annual monsoon rainfalls. In the more tropic and humid regions, the peak of mosquito activity normally falls into the summers when high temperatures fasten the reproductive cycle of mosquitoes.

• Mosquitoes have been in existance since the dinosaur era which is 400 million years ago.
• They are found close to still water, where their larvae feed and develope.
• They seem to be attracted to dark colours.
• Mosquitoes will normally bite you at dawn or dusk – mostly nocturnal. That’s when their internal clocks tell them it is feeding time.
• Mosquitoes are attracted to heat and they find lactic acid alluring thus would tend to bite people who had just exercised.
• Bigger people tend to attract more mosquitoes because they produce higher Carbon Dioxide and lactic acid.

Rats

Rats cause a lot of damage. As the teeth of rodents continue to grow over their lifetime, they need to gnaw on hard substances such as lead and plastic pipes, insulation material and electric wiring. This habit increases the risk of short circuits and fires. In addition to this, they transmit a number of dangerous diseases such as Salmonella, Leptospirosis (Weil's disease), Tuberculosis and even tape worms.
Rats cause a lot of contamination. One single rat equals more than 25000 droppings per year, which contain allergens that can cause acute allergic reactions. Rats introduce secondary pests. Rats are also known to introduce other pests, such as fleas, mites and ticks into the premise, causing additional damage. It is extremely serious if rats are getting into your home even if they are not entering a direct living area. Any rat problem inside the home must be treated urgently. Rats in the garden and other external areas can also be a high risk, particularly in areas used by children or pets. The larger rat species such as bandicoot rats can also damage plants with extensive burrowing activities. It is important to get rid of rats in the garden to reduce the risk of them trying to enter the home. Special care is needed for properties with integral garages or with dog or cat flaps as rats can use these to get into the home.

Ants

Ants are incredibly capable and intelligent creatures. Though harmless, they can be a nuisance when they get into your home or business premises. Their complex and cooperative societies allow them to survive and thrive in conditions that would be otherwise challenging to us. Here are some interesting facts that you may want to know about this small but amazing pest.

• The total weight of all the ants in the world is the same, if not larger than all humans added together.
• Ants are capable of carrying objects 50 times their own body weight with their mandibles.
• Ants communicate and cooperate by using pheromones that can alert others to danger or lead them to a promising food source.
• Foraging worker ants can travel up to 200 metres from their nest and find their way back to the colony by following scent trails left by others.
• Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the dinosaur period between 110 and 130 million years ago.
• Ants can survive underwater for 24 hours.
• Ants belong to the insect order Hymenoptera. They are close relatives of bees and wasps.
• Each colony can hold up to half a million ants. They can all get up and go very quickly if the colony is threatened.
• Worker ants can live for up to 7 years, while a queen can live for up to 15 years

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are a significant problem in India and around the world. They are easily spread and difficult to treat resulting in a rapid growth in the number of bed bug outbreaks. The key to beating this problem is to raise awareness of what to look for and to ensure bed bugs are dealt with quickly once discovered.Bed bugs feed on the blood of humans and other mammals. While it is possible for bedbugs to transmit disease, in India it is very rare. Instead, the primary concern is the irritation and distress caused by bed bug bites.Adult Bed bugs are 5mm long. Before feeding they are a flattened oval shape and light brown, but become rounder and darker after feeding.
They come out at night and are attracted to the warmth of our bodies and carbon dioxide in our breath. They are usually found in bedrooms and hide in cracks and crevices during the daytime.Bed bugs usually enter a property by being carried on clothing or inside furniture. The most common places for Bed bug infestations are hotels, cinemas, lodges, auditoriums, and overnight buses.Bed bug bites are unlikely to wake the victim. They can occur anywhere on the body but are often close to blood vessels near the skin. A single Bed bug may bite more than once around the same area.

Flies

Flies can be a nuisance when buzzing around your premise, particularly if in large numbers. However, some species of fly also pose health risks to humans. House flies transmit a wide range of diseases including salmonella, dysentery, tuberculosis, cholera and parasitic worms. In India, there is a high risk of disease transmission through flies. During emergency situations, when hygiene conditions are less than optimal, flies often are the main reason for cholera and dysentery epidemics. But even under normal conditions, children and elderly are at a greater risk of conducting more common diseases such as salmonella food poisoning from fly contaminated food.
Flies spread diseases because of their breeding and feeding habits. Bacteria from where the fly usually feed on would get stuck on their mouth parts and footpads eventually spreading onto places they land on. Imagine if it’s exposed food that you are about to eat.