At Kunz Pest Solutions, it is our goal to provide our customers and greater community with information about the insects, spiders and rodents of our area. These animals come in a great number of forms; some as pests, some as mild nuisances, and a large number as beneficial organisms. Not all insects are equal, as some are crucial for our survival. As such, it is really important to be able to distinguish the difference.
Just like in real estate, pest control fundamentals have a lot to do with "location, location location." An anthill in your backyard is rarely a concern for the occupants of your home, while a colony of ants living around your kitchen sink and pantry can really upset the typical functions of your household. Similarly, a wasp nest in the eaves above your doorway can be a hazard to people entering and exiting the house, while bees pollinating flowers in the garden will allow your plants to produce fruit and are generally harmless.
Other times, even when an insect may fill a niche within the ecosystem, certain insect species are a problem for humans, no matter where they occur. Fleas and Mosquitoes can range from being a nuisance, to potentially transmitting a wide range of deadly pathogens and diseases. In fact, Mosquitoes are often cited as being responsible for more yearly deaths than any other animal (CDC). Of course, because we live in Washington State, this is not as significant of an issue with the absence of Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, among others. Fleas caused some of the largest scale and most fatal sicknesses among humans by vectoring the Black Death and Bubonic Plagues throughout much of Asia and Europe in the 6th and 14th century. Modern medicine and higher standards of sanitation have ensured that these diseases are mitigated and effectively prevented.
Pest control has come a very long way in the past several decades. A new appreciation for environmental well-being was instilled in the industry over time. The book "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson has at least contributed significantly to the awareness of this and other industries to try to find the balance between human lifestyle, and environmental stewardship. Since the book was first published in the 1960s, legislation has transitioned pest control away from the laissez-faire attitude of killing all bugs by any means necessary, to understanding the importance of utilizing proper and regulated control methods that use the safest and least amount of chemical necessary in order to resolve an issue. Suffice to say, tactful methods have replaced the practice of the "mosquito man" fogging DDT into the streets for children to run through (EWG). The EPA banned the use of DDT and similar chemicals, and established laws and rules for how chemicals are to be handled and applied.
It is easy to forget that pest control is not all about applying chemicals to make the bugs go away. It is also about preventing them from becoming a problem in the first place before they cause damage. A term that is used often by pest control operators is 'conducive conditions'. Conducive conditions can be defined as an environmental aspect that is attractive to pests, and provides a habitat for them to thrive. This is typically at the expense of the human resident. Pest issues are heavily correlated to the quantity and severity of the conducive conditions around a home. To remedy conducive conditions, eliminating these attractive forces and entryways into your home will make significant improvements with the volume of pests you will experience. A perimeter spray treatment is definitely helpful to keep the hazardous insects out of the house, but without also removing the conducive conditions, typical treatments become less effective. We do not subscribe to the "spray and pray" techniques that other pest control companies have learned to embrace.
The plan for the 'Pest Files' is to culture a substantive resource so that our customers and the general public can become familiar with these creatures that bother us. In 'knowing thine enemy', we can determine what species need to be controlled and how best to do so. The information presented in each report that we post is responsibly researched, and updated as the science and our technique evolves.
If you would like to learn more about our methods of insect and rodent control, feel free to contact us by navigating our website.
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