Portland, Maine, is vibrant and alive. The largest city in Maine, it has charming neighborhoods, walking paths, biking trails, and beaches. The Old Port waterfront area has active fishing wharves and transformed warehouses with delightful restaurants and shops. With so many activities keeping Portland residents busy, they can easily overlook local pests that put a damper on life in the big city.
Little-Known Health Risks Associated With Pest Infestations
Occasionally homeowners will see bugs and other pests in and around their property. Everyone agrees that they can be annoying and unquestionably inconvenient, but some can be dangerous to your health. Underestimating a pest problem can bring serious health complications to you and those you love.
Why You Should Be Aware Of Dangerous Pests In Portland
There are a plethora of pests that roam around the Portland area. Identifying what pests have entered your home can help in assessing potential health risks to individuals inside.
Some pests that pose serious health risks to people and pets in Portland include:
- Ants: Pharaoh ants can cause salmonella and streptococcus pyogenes, and the thief ant carries pathogens to human food after feeding on dead rats and mice.
- Rodents: These critters carry diseases like leptospirosis, tularemia, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever. They can also trigger asthma attacks and allergies.
- Roaches: Cockroaches have spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria such as salmonella, Typhimurium, entamoeba histolytica, and the poliomyelitis virus. A cockroach's saliva, urine, and droppings carry allergens that can cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks, particularly in children.
- Mosquitoes: These blood-suckers can be vectors for diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue, encephalitis, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and Zika virus.
- Ticks: Some diseases caused by tick bites are anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, boutonneuse fever, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Don't risk a serious illness as a result of pests, instead call the professionals at Big Blue Bug Pest Solutions.
The Best Way To Eliminate Pests
As soon as you see a pest crawling up a wall, skirting around the baseboards, or peeking its pointy nose from behind your stove, it is time to call the professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions. What may start as a small problem can quickly grow out of control? If not completely removed, pests will come back over and over again.
What Everyone Ought To Know About Pest Prevention
If a pest is not looking for a blood supply, it is most likely looking for a food or moisture source. Many of the same preventative measures installed for one pest will help keep others away from your property. Exercising good sanitation inside and out and taking steps to ward off pests can help homeowners keep uninvited visitors out.
Preventative measures to incorporate inside include:
- Seal small gaps and cracks with silicone-based caulk or steel wool (for mice).
- Seal gaps near electrical sockets and switch plates.
- Seal gaps around drains or pipes coming into the home.
- Use dehumidifiers.
- Install door sweeps.
Preventative measures to incorporate outside include:
- Mow and trim lawns - remove leaf litter.
- Keep screens around windows and doors in good repair.
- Trim bushes, shrubs, trees.
- Remove areas where water pools.
- Make sure garbage bins and recycling bins have lids.
- Keep stacked firewood 20 feet from your house.
While homeowners can take steps to prevent pests from accessing their homes, the best way to prevent pest infestations is with the pest professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions. We offer residential pest control services that provide three preventative maintenance visits every year. If your pest problem comes back – so do we! Your health and peace of mind are our top priority; call us today for a free estimate.