Mice and rats are more than just a nuisance in the Inland Empire; their presence in homes and businesses poses significant health risks. Rodent infestations can lead to the spread of various diseases, contaminate food and surfaces, and trigger allergies and asthma. Understanding these dangers is crucial for protecting yourself, your family, and your customers.

Disease Transmission: A Major Concern

Rodents are known carriers of numerous pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These pathogens can be transmitted to humans through several routes:

• Contaminated Food and Water: Rodents often contaminate food and water sources with their urine, feces, and saliva. This can lead to the spread of diseases like salmonellosis (food poisoning), leptospirosis (bacterial infection), and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
• Direct Contact: Handling rodents, their droppings, or nesting materials can also lead to infection. This is particularly relevant for diseases like rat-bite fever and tularemia.
• Airborne Transmission: Dust contaminated with rodent excrement can become airborne, allowing pathogens to be inhaled. This is the primary mode of transmission for hantavirus.
• Vector Transmission: Rodents can also carry fleas, ticks, and mites, which can transmit diseases like Lyme disease, murine typhus, and rickettsialpox.

Specific Health Risks

Here are some of the key health risks associated with rodent infestations:

• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS): This severe respiratory illness is caused by hantaviruses, which are found in rodent urine, droppings, and saliva. Inhalation of contaminated dust is the primary mode of transmission. HPS can cause flu-like symptoms initially, progressing to severe respiratory distress and potentially death.
• Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection is spread through contact with water or soil contaminated with rodent urine. Symptoms can range from mild flu-like illness to severe kidney and liver damage.
• Salmonellosis: This common bacterial infection causes gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. It’s often contracted through consuming food contaminated with rodent feces.
• Rat-Bite Fever: This bacterial infection can be transmitted through bites or scratches from infected rats or through consuming food or water contaminated with rodent excrement. Symptoms include fever, rash, muscle pain, and joint pain.
• Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM): This viral infection is carried by house mice and can be transmitted through contact with their urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials. LCM can cause flu-like symptoms, neurological complications, and even meningitis.
• Plague: While less common in modern times, rodents can carry fleas that transmit the bacteria responsible for plague.
• Allergies and Asthma: Rodent droppings, urine, and shed fur contain allergens that can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. This can lead to respiratory problems, skin rashes, and eye irritation.

Risks of Rodent Infestation in Businesses

For businesses, especially those in the food service industry, rodent infestations can have devastating consequences. Contamination of food products can lead to product recalls, fines, and damage to reputation. Rodent droppings and gnaw marks on packaging can deter customers and lead to loss of business.

Prevention and Control:

The best way to mitigate these health risks is to prevent rodent infestations in the first place. Here are some key prevention strategies:

• Seal Entry Points: Seal any cracks, gaps, or holes in foundations, walls, windows, and doors.
• Maintain Cleanliness: Keep food preparation areas clean, store food in airtight containers, and dispose of garbage regularly.
• Proper Food Storage: Store pet food and other potential food sources in sealed containers.
• Landscaping Practices: Keep vegetation trimmed away from buildings and remove debris that could provide harborage for rodents.
• Professional Pest Control: If you suspect a rodent infestation, it’s crucial to contact a qualified pest control professional. They can assess the situation, identify the rodent species, and implement effective control measures.

Protecting Your Health:

Rodent infestations pose serious health risks that should not be ignored. By understanding these dangers and taking proactive prevention measures, you can protect yourself, your family, and your business from the potential consequences of rodent-borne diseases. Call Craig & Sons to schedule a free inspection of your home or office. Early intervention is key to preventing serious health issues.

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Ticks are small, parasitic arachnids that pose a significant health risk to both humans and animals. They are found throughout the Inland Empire. These tiny creatures are known to transmit various diseases, making it crucial to understand their habits, habitats, and how to prevent encounters. Craig & Sons technicians are specially trained and equipped to identify and treat tick infestations for your safety.

What are Ticks?

Ticks are not insects but belong to the arachnid family, which also includes spiders and mites. They have eight legs (six in their larval stage) and a flat, oval-shaped body. Ticks go through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. They require a blood meal at each stage to develop. Different tick species vary in size, color, and preferred hosts.

How Ticks Travel

Ticks are not capable of flying or jumping. Instead, they employ a strategy called “questing.” They climb onto low-lying vegetation, such as grass or shrubs, and extend their front legs, waiting for a host to brush by. When a host comes into contact, the tick quickly grabs on and begins searching for a suitable place to bite. Ticks can be transported long distances by migrating birds and mammals.

Where Ticks Live

Ticks thrive in wooded areas, tall grasses, brush, and leaf litter. They prefer humid environments and are often found in areas with dense vegetation that provides shade and moisture. In Southern California, ticks are commonly found in hiking trails, parks, and even suburban gardens with ample vegetation. They are most active during warmer months, but some species can remain active year-round in milder climates.

What Ticks Eat

Ticks are obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on blood. They attach themselves to a host and use their specialized mouthparts to pierce the skin and draw blood. The feeding process can last several days, depending on the tick species and life stage. Ticks can feed on a wide range of hosts, including mammals (deer, rodents, humans, pets), birds, and reptiles. Humans are not exempt. A tick can pierce human skin and draw blood for its food.

Dangers to Humans

Ticks are vectors for several serious diseases, including:

• Lyme Disease: This bacterial infection is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (deer tick) in the eastern US and the western blacklegged tick in the western US. Symptoms can include a characteristic “bull’s-eye” rash, fever, fatigue, joint pain, and neurological problems if left untreated.
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF): This bacterial disease is transmitted by the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick, and brown dog tick. Symptoms can include fever, headache, rash, muscle pain, and nausea.
• Ehrlichiosis: This bacterial infection is transmitted by the lone star tick. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
• Anaplasmosis: This bacterial infection is transmitted by the blacklegged tick. Symptoms are similar to ehrlichiosis.

Dangers to Animals

Ticks can also transmit diseases to pets, including:

• Lyme Disease: Dogs can develop Lyme disease, which can cause joint pain, lameness, and kidney problems.
• Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis: These diseases can also affect dogs, causing similar symptoms to those seen in humans.
• Tick Paralysis: Certain tick species produce a toxin that can cause paralysis in dogs and other animals.

Prevention and Control

Preventing tick bites is the best way to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases. When spending time outdoors in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, we recommend the following precautions:

• Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to spot ticks.
• Tuck pants into socks and wear long sleeves.
• Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.  
• After spending time outdoors, perform a thorough tick check on yourself, your children, and your pets.
• Remove any attached ticks promptly using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick.   
• Consult your veterinarian about tick prevention products for your pets.

Call the Craig & Sons office at 909-335-1486 to schedule an inspection of your home or business as soon as possible. If you experience symptoms after a tick bite, consult a healthcare professional immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for preventing serious complications from tick-borne diseases.

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Mosquitoes are more than just a buzzing nuisance; their bites can be itchy, irritating, and even transmit diseases. In Southern California, the warm climate provides ideal breeding grounds for these pests, making effective mosquito control a year-round concern. If you’re wondering how to stop mosquitoes, this post outlines practical prevention strategies and control methods specific to our region.

Several mosquito species thrive in Southern California, each with its own habits and preferences. The Aedes aegypti (Yellow Fever Mosquito) is an aggressive daytime biter known for its distinctive black and white markings and is a vector for diseases like Zika, dengue fever, and chikungunya. The Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger Mosquito), also an aggressive daytime biter, is similarly a vector for dengue fever and chikungunya. It’s adaptable and can breed in very small containers of water. Culex spp. mosquitoes are typically active at dusk and dawn and are vectors for West Nile virus and other diseases.

Stopping Mosquitos at the Source

The most effective way to control mosquitoes is to eliminate their breeding sites. Mosquitoes require standing water to complete their life cycle. This means regularly emptying any containers that hold water, such as flower pots, bird baths, pet water bowls, gutters, and discarded tires. Even small amounts of water can provide breeding grounds. Maintaining swimming pools and spas through proper chlorination and upkeep is crucial. If you have a pool cover, remove standing water from it regularly. Repairing leaky faucets or pipes that could create standing water is also essential. Finally, trimming vegetation around your property to reduce shaded areas where mosquitoes can rest and ensuring proper drainage to prevent water from pooling are important steps.

Preventing Mosquito Bites

While eliminating breeding sites is crucial, protecting yourself from bites is also important. Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone according to the product label. When outdoors, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks to minimize exposed skin. Mosquitoes are typically most active at dawn and dusk, so try to limit outdoor activities during these times. Ensure that windows and doors have tight-fitting screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.  

For persistent mosquito problems, professional pest control services are often the most effective solution. Professionals have access to specialized products and techniques not available to homeowners. They can identify breeding sites you might have missed and implement targeted treatments to eliminate mosquito populations. If you are struggling with a mosquito infestation, consider contacting Craig & Sons Termite & Pest Control. Their expertise in local pest control makes them the best solution to kill mosquitos and ensure your property is protected.

Southern California’s climate presents unique challenges for mosquito control. The dry periods followed by occasional rainfall can create ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. It’s important to stay vigilant, especially after rain events, and eliminate any standing water promptly. The prevalence of swimming pools and spas in Southern California also requires extra attention. Proper maintenance and regular cleaning are crucial to prevent these features from becoming mosquito breeding grounds. When prevention isn’t enough and you need professional help, Craig & Sons Termite & Pest Control can provide effective solutions tailored to the specific mosquito species in your area. They are the best solution to kill mosquitos and implement preventative measures to keep them away.

Mosquito Exterminators

Mosquito control requires a multi-faceted approach, combining prevention strategies with personal protection measures. By eliminating breeding sites, protecting yourself from bites, and seeking professional help when necessary, you can effectively manage mosquito populations and enjoy the outdoors without the constant annoyance and health risks these pests present. Remember, for expert mosquito control in Southern California, Craig & Sons Termite & Pest Control is the best solution to kill mosquitos and keep them away. Call 909-335-1486.

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