Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Dangerous Nashville Pests?

Pest control in your home can often times produce more questions than answers. When the homeowner doesn't understand exactly what rats, mice and insects do they will often overlook danger signs and shrug off a problem until it gets completely out of hand. Below are some common questions that a lot of homeowners have. Getting the right information is an important step in making your home safe for your family and pets.

1. True or False. Brown recluse spiders are aggressive. False. It is no secret that the brown recluse spider is venomous, however, the reputation that it has gained for seeking out people to bite is completely untrue. This spider is happiest being left alone. This spider is normally found outside well away from people but it will occasionally live inside sheds, garages or in your home and set up shop in areas where you tend to not frequent such as stored boxes or clothing. Bites occur only when the spider feels cornered or threatened.

2. Are mouse traps a good solution to get rid of mice? No. The sad but very real truth is that you may congratulate yourself on being a worthy adversary to the few mice that you might catch around your house but the truth is that where there is one, there may be hundreds. Mice breed very quickly and it is impossible to effectively eliminate an infestation with a few traps. More often than not, your typical homeowner probably isn't using the traps correctly anyway.

3. True or False. You can get rid of bed bugs by throwing away the infested mattresses. False. The bed bug gets its name because it does love to hide out in mattresses and wait for you to fall asleep so that it can feed on your blood without being disturbed. Gross, right? You can throw that mattress out and buy a new one but chances are by the time you even know that you have bed bugs the little pests have also moved into your closet, your clothes, your furniture and your pet's bedding. Even though they do feast on their host's blood, these pests are not known to spread disease but a run in with them can cause mental trauma and rob you of peace of mind. Trying to eradicate bed bugs yourself can be very dangerous. The treatments necessary to eradicate these bugs should only be preformed by a professional.

4. What are some signs of a termite infestation? There is a reason that termites are widely known as the silent destroyer. You are probably not going to know that you have been infested until they have already done a significant amount of damage in your home. The subterranean termite creeps slowly into your home through a series of tunnels underground and into cracks in your foundation or wood exposed to the soil. Then they quietly feast away on walls, beams, drywall and anything else they can get their mandibles in. Look for damage that looks very much like water damage on walls or ceilings as well as visible holes or tunnels through beams and trim. Termites can cause the structure of your home to become unstable. Left untreated a home could actually collapse over time due to termite damage.

5. Name two possible Mosquito borne illnesses. More than just a summer itch-causing menace, the mosquito can effectively spread disease from animal to human and human to human as well. These pests have even been known to carry the West Nile Virus. Symptoms include fever, head and body aches, rashes, and swollen lymph glands. Though rare, severe symptoms include disorientation, tremors, convulsions and even coma. Another well publicized disease is malaria which can also be transmitted by the bite of a mosquito from an infected person to a non-infected person. With so many people traveling these days, there has been an increase of malaria on U.S. soil. Symptoms include severe chills, fever, sweating, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. Untreated, malaria can be fatal. Both of these illnesses are preventable by making sure that you take the proper precautions when outside. Repellent and properly covering your skin can go a long way in prevention.