Many exterminating services offer eradication of pests in all major pest groups, although some only specialize in the removal of pests that belong to specific groups. Not having pests removed from a home or business could result in severe structural damage, and might ultimately ruin the structure. Another good reason for having pests removed is that they can transmit diseases through bites and stings, and feces and urine contamination.
The most common kind of pests that exterminating services get rid of are insects. Carpenter ants and cockroaches are two typical insects that exterminating services eliminate. Bees and spiders may also have to be eradicated because of their ability to sting. When a homeowner starts to find a lot of insect carcasses on windowsills and in shelf crevices, extermination may be necessary to get rid of infestation.
During the spring, termite colonies may take over and do permanent damage to a structure. A homeowner may find mud tunnels, which termites build to use as shelter and for moving around through the wood part of a structure. He or she may also find sawdust-like grains that indicate part of the adjacent wood has been hollowed out. In those cases, the homeowner will most likely need to use exterminating services to be able to save the structure.
Exterminating services also take care of rat, and more commonly, mice infestations. Some of them also rid homes, industrial sites, and outlying buildings of wildlife pests like opossums, raccoons, and bats. These animals can enter the recesses of buildings to set up housekeeping. Most of these larger kinds of pests will chew on just about anything, including furniture and electrical wiring.
Larger kinds of pests can also be a serious health threat. The feces and urine of rock rats carry germs that can cause diseases in humans as serious as the bubonic plague. If people living or working in a structure are bit by opossums, raccoons, or bats, there is a possibility they could contract rabies, a serious disease that requires a series of painful shots. Some of these pests can also carry ticks. If a tick bites a human, he or she could contract Lyme disease.
When the need for exterminating services arises, it is a good idea to shop around to make sure a company is trustworthy and reliable. Any company that claims it can get rid of your pest problem forever, with one treatment, could very well be a fly-by-night operation, as pest infestations are quite likely to reoccur without periodic preventive measures. A homeowner has the option to check out any extermination services company he or she is considering with their local Better Business Bureau, and he or she can always ask the companies it is considering for references. A reputable company generally offers a written contract for ongoing preventive pest control services and guarantees its work. The better exterminating companies also tend to carry liability insurance to cover any damage they might do to your structure during their work.