Myths that persist in the pest control industry

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We asked Pest Management Professional’s columnists and editorial advisory board members share myths they think persist in the pest control industry. Here are some of the experts’ responses from our February 2023 print edition.

Please take a minute to answer our latest one-question poll on this topic and let us what you’re bring to the new year: Reader poll: Which believable myths persist in the pest control industry?

PMP’s Editorial Advisory Board and Regular Contributors

Jerry Schappert, ACE:

• “When you see one cockroach, there are another 1,000 you don’t see.”
• “You’ve got to kill the queen cockroach.”
• “Bites can be used to identify said pest.”

Pete Schopen:

• “Bed bugs cannot climb smooth surfaces.”
• “Bed bugs cannot feed lying on their backs.”

Dr. Hamilton Allen

Dr. Hamilton Allen:

• “Daddy longlegs (Opiliones) are the most venomous arachnids in the world, but their mouthparts are too small to penetrate human skin.”
• “Customers must remove all dishes and clean out all cabinets/drawers to ensure effective German cockroach control.”
• “I got rid of all my pest problems with bleach and disinfectant.”

Greg Baumann: All cockroach baits can lead to resistance and become ineffective, even if cockroaches consume the bait.

Doug Foster:

• “The best trap bait for mice is cheese.”
• “I don’t need pest control because I put Osage oranges (Maclura pomifera) around the house to keep insects away.”
• “We didn’t have any problems until the neighbor moved in.”

Eric Scherzinger, Sales & Marketing Manager ScherZinger Pest Control

Eric Scherzinger: “Daddy longlegs (Opiliones) are the most dangerous spider in the world.”

Mark Sheperdigian, BCE:

• “Mouse droppings left in bait stations make those stations more attractive to mice, thereby increasing efficacy. (The truth is, removing the droppings doesn’t remove the odor of the droppings, and it is the odor that is attractive. Conversely, if the mouse that left the droppings and, presumably urine, is a dominant male, subordinate males ay avoid the station. The only way to prevent this is to thoroughly clean the station leaving no odor from the mice and no odor from the cleaners you used.)”
• “Pheromone traps for Indianmeal moths (IMM) may attract moths in from outside, where moths didn’t previously exit, resulting in an infestation.”