Weather changes cause increase in calls for various species

By

June 23, 2023

Mel Whitson, Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products

Mel Whitson, Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products

As temperatures rise and rainfall increases in many areas, PMPs should be on the lookout for an increase in calls for various species of flies, fleas and ticks. The house fly (Musca domestica), for example, is known to spread more than 100 pathogens and can cause food safety violations. Check garbage and refuse areas, and spots where manure or decaying organic material are found to get to the source.

Flea populations, meanwhile, threaten pets and humans alike. They also carry diseases, such as flea-borne typhus or cat scratch disease. Places to check for flea infestations include pet bedding; floor cracks and crevices; or deep in carpets, upholstery and drapes. Make sure to check for possible animal harboring spots in chimneys, crawlspaces and wall voids. Outdoors, check for potentially abandoned animal nests and burrows.

Ticks are another warm-weather culprit. They have prolonged feeding behaviors that make them excellent vectors of many different diseases, including Lyme disease. Check bordering wooded areas, tall grass areas, under ground cover, in leaf litter, around stone walls and woodpiles, and around bodies of water.

About the Author

Avatar photo

Senior Field Technical Service Manager, Zoëcon Professional Products

Leave A Comment

Comments are closed.