Cowleys Shares the Essential Role of Pest Professionals During National Pest Management Month

April is National Pest Management Month, an annual public observance recognized by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), that commends the professional pest control industry and its professionals for their commitment to protecting public health, food, and property from the diseases and destruction of pests.

As we all spend more time at home, we encourage you to begin proper pest-proofing around your environment to ward off any potential pest infestations. With the help of the NPMA, Cowleys Pest Services has identified the top pests and tips for keeping them out of your home this spring: 

• Rodents are known for spreading diseases and bacteria such as Salmonella and hantavirus and can enter a home through unsealed cracks and crevices.
• Breakdown and remove cardboard boxes that may be piling up from home deliveries as these offer a nesting site for rodents. 
• Mosquitoes become active and their eggs will begin to hatch as soon as the weather rises above 50 degrees. These pests can spread deadly diseases such as eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), dengue, and West Nile virus. 
• Keep mosquito populations down by eliminating standing water around the home.
• Ants pose a threat to human health by spreading bacteria, like Salmonella, to food and can easily become a nuisance around the house once inside. One-by-one this pest will march into your kitchen looking for leftover crumbs. 
• Ant infestations can be avoided by reducing messes on kitchen counters and by sealing cracks that lead into your home. 
• Cockroaches are known to be filthy insects that spread illness and trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. 
• You can keep these pests out by keeping your kitchen clean of food debris and by regularly disposing of trash. 
• Termites cause $5 billion in damage every year in the U.S. by chewing through all areas of a home. 
• Practicing proper ventilation in crawl spaces, attics, and basements are one way to reduce termite swarms. It is also recommended that homeowners have their homes inspected for termites each year. 
• Wasps and hornets are likely to invade structures come springtime. 
• Regularly inspect greenery, porches, sheds, and other structures for signs of hives and nests from a distance, and be careful of ground nests. With the risk of having these pests swarm and sting all at once, it is best to contact a licensed pest control professional to safely remove stinging insects.