The Mosquito
Houston houses over 50 species of mosquitoes and this population contributes to a large amount of mosquito-borne illnesses and diseases transferred to humans. The most dangerous type of mosquitoes in Houston are the, Aedes Aegyptii, Asian Tiger Mosquito, and the Culex Pipiens, which transmit diseases like the Zika virus, West Nile virus, yellow fever, and malaria to name a few.
Female mosquitoes are to blame for those irritating bites, as they need to feed on blood in order to develop their eggs. After mosquitoes have their blood meal, all they need is a source of water to lay their eggs in and within a few days the eggs hatch and successfully supply Houston with another 100 mosquitoes to the population. Having an abundance of bug repellant and ordering routine pest control services for mosquito control is the best our city can do to keep the population down.
The Flea
In Houston fleas are found everywhere from the yard and pets to our homes and offices, especially during the hot, humid months of Summer when they breed more than usual. A female flea begins to lay eggs within 36-48 hours after it’s first blood meal and egg cycles typically last 3-4 weeks. The grossest thing about fleas is that they transmit parasites and diseases, like plague and murine typhus, and the cat tapeworm, and they do so by biting warm blooded mammals, which leave itchy bites that can cause scarring.
A female flea lays roughly 50 eggs within 36-48 hours after it’s first blood meal and egg cycles lasts 3-4 weeks until they hatch and start to feed on warm blooded hosts. Disturbingly, fleas can also live up to more than 100 days without a blood meal if they are not disturbed. Getting the proper pest control for your home and business is crucial for keeping the flea at bay as these sneaky pests will lay their eggs in dark spaces, such as corners of rooms, cracks in floorboards, carpet, furniture, and inside walls while they wait for the perfect opportunity to jump on the next unsuspecting victim.
The Termite
Termites, like ants and bees, organize their colonies into a sort of caste system that consists of a division of male and female “worker” and “soldier” termites.When soldier termites go out in search for food and a place to build their colony, they typically choose a place that is abundant in moisture and has access to their food source, which is cellulose. With Houston being a subtropical climate, these pests rank high as a nuisance due to the humidity in the air and their ability to live almost anywhere. Termite colonies can infest any moist crevice underground or in rotting wood (like walls, floor boards, areas of your home that may have been exposed to water leaks). Termites eat moist or rotting wood, paper, cardboard, carpet and even certain types of clothes. Because they can eat a variety of items once they have a colony, they can cause extensive damage to your home and are difficult to permanently get rid of.