There are few things more unsettling than seeing a cockroach crawl across the floor of your home. But cockroaches aren’t just an unsightly nuisance, as they can carry serious diseases that impact humans in negative ways too. Here is some information about the diseases carried by cockroaches and how you can keep your family safe from these household pests.

Diseases Cockroaches Carry

Cockroaches are sometimes associated with dirty places, and from the deep dark corners of a home can emerge health risks to humans and pets. Cockroaches can carry various forms of bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella, streptococcus, and Staphylococcus. Through the transmission of these diseases, humans can find themselves experiencing the symptoms of food poisoning or gastroenteritis, such as stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Research has also shown that cockroaches can carry organisms that cause many different infections that make people sick, such as plague, giardia, dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever.

How Cockroaches Infect Humans

Unlike mosquitos, which are pests that actually bite humans, cockroaches transmit diseases to humans indirectly by contaminating surfaces and food sources. Cockroaches will eat pretty much anything and everything, even fecal matter. After feasting, cockroaches pass bacteria collected in their bodies on through their droppings, which can be left in food pantries and other kitchen storage areas.

Allergic Implications of Cockroaches

Not only can cockroaches transmit bacteria indirectly to humans, but they can also be triggers for symptoms of allergies and asthma. Cockroaches leave behind parts of their bodies, saliva, and feces wherever they go, which are known triggers for human symptoms. These allergens affect the human body in a similar way to dust mites and can make a home very unhospitable for allergy sufferers. Symptoms of allergies or asthma caused by a cockroach infestation include a runny nose, difficulty breathing, and watery eyes while in the home. Children are especially susceptible to these symptoms if there are cockroaches in a house.

Cockroach Control in New Jersey

At Precise Pest control, we take cockroaches very seriously and know what it takes to rid your home of cockroaches so that they never come back. Cockroaches are very persistent and resilient (they’ve been known to live for several months without any food or water!), but fortunately we have over 25 years of experience with roaches in New Jersey. You can also help prevent a cockroach infestation by keeping your kitchen free of crumbs and clutter, sealing up gaps in floors and walls, and storing leftover food in airtight containers.

Please call us to discuss your roach problem, for a free extermination estimate, and to learn about the various roach control options available, including organic pest control for households with kids and pets.

Travel is wonderful for the mind, body, and soul, and pests are probably the furthest thing from your mind during a vacation. But unfortunately, insects, rodents, and pests of all kinds exist bar beyond our backyards and all over the world.

Pests look differently and affect us differently based on where we travel, which means that you might not even be familiar with pests that live in your vacation destination. Here are some common pest-related questions that people ask while they’re on vacation and how you can avoid pests while traveling.

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If you’re like many homeowners, you don’t pay a whole lot of attention to your attic. Attics are places to store old clothes, seasonal decorations, and beloved toys that the kids have outgrown. However, poor attic ventilation is a serious problem in many Bergen County homes today and causing homeowners to endure unexpected costs and headaches.

These are the top reasons why you should make sure that your attic is adequately ventilated in the winter months. We’ll also look at possible ventilation remedies and solutions for pest control Bergen County NJ.

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With the dreary days of winter finally behind us, now is the perfect time for a picnic!

There’s just something endearingly nostalgic about packing a picnic lunch for your family or friends and enjoying a meal together in the beauty of nature. But on occasion, a few uninvited guests may find their way to your picnic too and threaten to spoil an otherwise perfect day.

Ants, mosquitoes, bees, and wasps are the most common “picnic crashers.” Ants are naturally attracted to your delicious picnic food, and stinging insects love the smell of sweet foods and drinks you’ve packed in your basket. Meanwhile, mosquitoes are especially problematic in marshy or swampy areas and are notorious for being disease-carriers.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways that you can plan ahead and prepare for pests. Here are five tips for a pest-free picnic this spring!

Scout Out a Pest-Free Area

Picking out the perfect picnic spot is half the battle when you and your crew show up at the park. Before settling down under the first shade tree you see, take a walk around the park to scope out the area and pick the most pest-free spot.

For example, to avoid mosquitoes, don’t sit right next to the pond or lake. To avoid bees and wasps, don’t set up next to large flowering plants and bushes. Make sure that you’re not setting up your picnic blanket right on top of an ant colony and that there are no insect nests hovering above you in the trees.

Keep Food Covered and Sealed

When you pack your picnic basket, make sure that all foods are put into sealed containers with lids. After you are done, re-seal those containers and don’t allow leftovers to sit out and attract pests.

And speaking of keeping things covered, it’s also not a bad idea to wear loose-fitting pants and sleeves to protect your skin from insect bites and the sun’s UV rays!

Avoid Super-Sweet Foods

Ants, bees, and wasps are attracted to sweet foods, so try to eliminate sugary foods from your picnic basket as much as possible. Unfortunately, this means sugary sodas, lemonade, pies, and cakes. Not only is this a healthy choice for your body, but you’ll also be fighting less pests during your picnic.

Picnic in the Afternoon

Insects tend to be most active right around dusk, so if possible, plan your picnic for earlier in the day. An outdoor meal around noon or sometime in the afternoon should do the trick and set your picnic up for success. If you’re not hard-set on breaking out your favorite picnic blanket, opt for seating at an elevated picnic table or inside a pavilion for fewer bugs.

Use Bug Spray, Not Perfume

Strongly scented perfumes and lotions might be pleasing to those around you, but keep in mind they tend to attract insects too. Instead, apply bug spray to all exposed areas of skin to help repel flying insects. Alternatively, you can light a citronella candle at your picnic to discourage pests from joining you.

And as spring turns into summer, keep these tips in mind for pest-free summertime barbecues too! These are helpful tips for eating outside in peace and comfort at any time of the year.

Whether you’re looking for Bergen County mosquito control services, Bergen County ant control services, or bee removal in New Jersey, keep Precise Termite & Pest Control’s contact information handy to enjoy this beautiful spring season in the great outdoors.