Don't Let The Pests In Brentwood Destroy Your Business

The Pests That Invade Brentwood Businesses

Where do we start? Many insects, bugs, multi-legged critters, rodents, and wild animals get into commercial environments. There are many ways they can do this. 

Flyers: Some pests buzz around near entranceways and fly right into your business, uninvited. These flying pests can also enter through unprotected windows and doors or pester your employees and customers in outdoor areas. Houseflies, mosquitoes, carpet beetles, phorid flies, cluster flies, clothes moths, and wasps are examples of pests that do this.  

Crawlers: Some pests creep through your lawn, creep around in your landscaping, and keep on creeping right into your business through tiny cracks, gaps, and holes. Centipedes, cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, and millipedes are some of the many pests that do this. 

Tunnelers: Some pests damage your property by creating tunnels into wood. Carpenter bees create circular tunnels, lay their eggs, and raise their young. Carpenter ants make galleries in wood and establish nests. Mice and rats may tunnel through wood sole plates because they sense warm air or the scent of food. Termites are unique in this group, as they don't tunnel through your wood; they eat it. These are just some of the many pests that damage wood. 

Hitchhikers: Some pests can hitch a ride right into your business. Stored product pests lay their eggs in stored food, and the eggs are carried right into your business. Cockroaches and other pests may hide in furniture, electronics, and other items you bring into your business from another location. Bed bugs are the worst because they can ride in bags, luggage, briefcases, and clothing.

Parasites: Some pests hide outside in moist, shaded areas and wait for dogs and cats to pass by. While technically a form of hitchhiking pest, they deserve a category of their own as they are strongly associated with domesticated animals. Dog kennels, pet shops, apartments, senior living centers, and other businesses with dogs or cats might need protection from these pests that take animals as hosts.  

It can be hard to keep pests out of your business because there are many ways they get in. Your commercial specialist considers pest routes, nesting, and habitat preferences to stop pests in their tracks.

All The Ways Pests Can Damage A Business

We've touched on some of the problems pests present, but it is a big topic, as you can imagine. We often think of pests as a nuisance and boy can they be a nuisance! But they have the potential to be more. Here are some basic facts you should know about pest threats.   

• Pests that damage wood can cause a lot of damage, over time, and the cost of repairs can eat into your equity.
• Some pests can damage clothing, furniture, paper products, and other materials. These pests are not only a threat to your belongings but present a threat to your customer's stored items.
• Infested products can become contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli, and other microorganisms and lead to a product recall.
• Some pests spread diseases. According to the CDC, Lyme disease cases have doubled since 1991. Lyme disease isn't the only disease on the rise, as bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas have doubled in the United States since 2004, increasing pest-borne disease cases across the board. It should come as no surprise that pest control litigation is also rising.
• Dirty pests can cause you to fail a health inspection and ultimately lead to the closure of your business.  
• Some pests bite or sting. These pests can drive customers (and employees) away from your business. Bites and stings may also lead to dangerous symptoms if an individual has an insect allergy.

We can't tell you how much of a threat pests can be to you, your employees, customers, or your bottom line. All we can say for sure is that you're better off without pests in your business. Let's look at steps to reduce the risk of pest infestations, property damage, and pest-borne sickness.

Pest-Prevention Tips For Businesses

There are many ways you and your staff can prevent pests from getting inside. It begins on the outside of your business. Start by considering what attracts them.

• Many bugs are attracted to moisture. Water is a building block of life, and some pests need moisture to stay hydrated. When you clean gutters, trim landscaping, remove unnecessary plants, and take other steps to reduce perimeter moisture, you deter pests.
• Containers of water offer a drinking source for some pests and a breeding site for others. Remove any objects that capture rainwater. 
• Insects are attracted to light. When you keep lights on at night, insects take notice. A simple fix is to replace exterior white lights with lights that cast yellow light. Insects can perceive yellow light and are not attracted to it.
• Flowering weeds can attract pests. We don't have to tell you that bees and wasps eat nectar, but do you know that ants, mosquitoes, and many other pests are attracted to nectar as well. When you address lawn weeds, you reduce this attractive food source.
• The scent of rotting organic matter can attract some pests from a distance. Trash management and general sanitation can significantly reduce pest populations around your business.
• Rodents love seeds, nuts, and fruit. Bird feeders and trees that produce nuts and fruits leave food sources on the ground for rodents to eat. We recommend moving bird feeders away from your exterior and that you stay on top of cleaning up nuts and fruits.
• Bugs can attract bugs. It is a bug-eat-bug world out there. If you have leaf litter, stacked wood, or some other organic hiding place for bugs, you'll attract bugs and the bugs that eat them. Yard work helps to reduce bugs, both alive and dead. 
• Some pests create a food source for other pests. When insects come to damage your plants, they can leave a sweet food source that will attract other pests. It is called honeydew. One pest that is particularly fond of honeydew is the carpenter ant. So, while aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects damage your plants, carpenter ants could be damaging your property. Address plant-damaging pests quickly to remove a food source.

Pests can come onto your property even if you don't have any attractants. Along with removing attractants, you need to address pest routes.

• Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
• Trim landscape vegetation away from exterior walls.
• Put wire mesh in downspouts to prevent pests from gaining access to your roof.
• Use a caulking gun to seal gaps around pipes and wire conduits and fill in holes and gaps.
• Replace damaged weatherstripping, door sweeps, and screens.
• Make sure ventilation covers are not damaged.

It is a lot of work to address attractants and block routes that pests can take to get into your business, but it is well worth the effort. Plus, it offers all-natural and long-lasting protection.

How To Make Sure Pests Stay Away From Your Business

It pays to have a licensed service professional deal with pests. We hope you'll consider All-American Pest Control for commercial pest control service in Brentwood. Our trained and experienced service professionals understand the pests that threaten your business and counteract their ability to get inside. Some methods we use are simple. Removing spider webs, as an example, has the potential to remove spider egg sacs with hundreds of eggs in them. Doing this goes a long way toward keeping spiders out. But, most of the time, pest control isn't simple. Our service team members use the science of pest management to disrupt pest development, breeding, and nesting in clever ways, often combining treatments to save you money. We call this 5-Star Business Care. Reach out to us today to learn how we can customize this commercial service program to meet your specific needs and budget. Our friendly team has the training, experience, and professionalism to give you the best service possible.

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