Common Pest Myths

Complete Pest Myth Busters

Don't get tricked by a myth or joke about pests! False pest eradication ideas may lead you to make wrong pest control decisions. Let us bust the most common myths about pest eradication. Check out our myth busters and make the right decision at the right time! Contact Premier Pest Services Inc to learn more today.

Check Out Our Myth Busters

1. The best way to attract mice to a mousetrap is by using a hunk of cheese

This myth is promoted by various cartoons over the years that the best way to trap a mouse is through a big chunk of cheese. However, a mouse can be trapped with any food with high levels of sugar in it.

So, next time you can entice a mouse into a trap with bits of cereals, cookies, sugar cubes, or even peanut butter.

2. My house is clean, so it couldn't have bed bugs

This myth can make you ignorant of bed bug infestations. Bed bugs can get attracted to any place where they get a source of blood regardless of whether your house is clean or dirty.

However, a dirty household is more susceptible to bed bug infestation as the clutter shrouds the warning signs of pest infestations.

3. My cat will be all the rodent control I'll need

Your domesticated cat may not always be interested in being a pest control expert. Your cat may catch a mouse once in a while out of playing spirit. On the contrary, the mouse can be attracted by your pet's treats.

4. I don't see a pest control issue, so I don't have one

Pests like termites and carpenter ants can damage the interior spaces of your house before showing signs of infestation. You can prevent pest infestation by conducting routine pest inspections at your home.

5. I don't need technicians or store-bought sprays because I bought an ultrasonic repeller

As purported by the sellers, ultrasonic devices use ultra-high frequency sound waves to chase away all kinds of pests. However, there's little evidence to the fact that these devices can successfully eradicate pests. 

So, it's better to call pest control professionals.

6. Dryer sheets prevent the entry of mosquitoes, mice, and rodents

There's no scientific proof to support the fact that dryer sheets prevent the entry of mosquitoes, mice, and rodents. A clean residence doesn't reduce the chances of pest infestations.

7. Your neighbor’s pests will invade your home after fumigation

Pests usually die even before the fumigation comes to an end.

8. Your house has a concrete slab, therefore, will never have termites

Termites can enter even if you have a wooden framework around the slab through cracks in the concrete.

9. You only need bug spray at dawn and dusk

It's a completely wrong notion as mosquitoes can bite at any time of the day.

10. Seeing one ant indoors does not equal a full-blown infestation

Ants leave an invisible chemical trail for other ants to follow when they find a food source in your home. So, there are chances of ant colonies developing in your home.

However, most of the ants are harmless except fire ants that sting and carpenter ants that damage the wood.

11. Use boiling water to get rid of ants

Scalding hot water can kill the ants that come in contact. However, the ants deep down in the nest will be unaffected by it and can continue to reproduce.

12. Pets keep rodents away

Your pet can scare away a mouse but cannot deal with a full-blown pest infestation. It's better to consult with pest control experts for the complete eradication of pests from your property.

13. Once you get rid of bugs, they never come back to the same spot.

This is usually true for the first 6 months depending on the type of bug, but after the treatment is completely gone, the bugs can and will come back to the same spot.

14. Chalk kills ants.

The technicians at Premier Pest Services, Inc have seen and heard this for years. They have never seen it work. The chalk usually deters the ants as they do not walk through the powdery line because the chalk line does not allow the ants to follow the scent trails left by other ants. Ants will find a way around the chalk line!

15. Earwigs grow in ears.

Almost never do earwigs burrow in the ears as earwigs like moist dark places to hide during the DAY. At night, the earwigs hunt for insects and plants to eat which is when your ears are darkest.

16. Mothballs in the furniture prevent bed bugs from hanging out in the furniture.

Many studies have been conducted with mothballs and bedbugs. Many Eggs and immature bedbugs survived after 7 days in a plastic bag full of clothes and mothballs.

17. German Yellow Jackets are honeybees.

This photo should show you the difference.