The Importance of Pest Management...

Happy Monday everyone! I'd like to share a quick (and unfortunate) story with you guys from my weekend. It really hit home just how important pest management is. I hope none of you ever experience this...

I went out to dinner to a favorite spot with some friends. It was the kind of place where the owner knows your face. Dinner was off to an amazing start! Drinks and appetizers were all delicious as usual. I ordered the seared yellow fin tuna. My first bite - amazing. The second...even better...when all of a sudden, a roach crawled out from under my tuna steak and flipped itself over on my plate. My face went white as I watched the roach's legs squirm on my plate in a struggle to flip itself over. I get the chills just writing about it. I was totally paralyzed. One of my friends saw my face and came over to pick up my plate and deliver it to the waiter. Mortified - the waiter came over...then the owner. I had to excuse myself because I was pretty upset. While I was gone, the owner sat at our table and apologized and tried to assure us that this has never happened before and would never happen again. Of course, no one finished their dinner and the offer for a new set of entrees was refused. As was desert. We still had bottles of wine on the table so we sat around for a few minutes. Our entire check was comped...but there is nothing that that restaurant owner can do to erase that image from our minds. Nor can he stop us from telling the story over and over again to everyone we know.

So, needless to say, while I have always appreciated what the pest management industry does to ensure the success of the many other industries that rely on it, it was certainly renewed on this evening.

PS - When I went looking for the above image of a roach using google images, a plethora of stories similar to my own came up. SCARY! Do you dare to find out what some other people have experienced...? Is there a story about your favorite restaurant?

April is National Pest Control Month

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) celebrates April as National Pest Management Month, an observance that has been taking place for more than 30 years. In honor of National Pest Management Month this year, the NPMA is raising public awareness about the risks posed by household pests and encouraging homeowners to take proactive steps to prevent pest infestations in their homes and properties.

“When most people think of pests, they likely think of the ‘ick-factor’ associated with an infestation, but few people consider the serious health and property threats that pests like termites, mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents and stinging insects can pose,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the NPMA.

Some pests, including termites, rodents and ants can cause costly damage to the structure of a home. Termites and carpenter ants have the ability to chew through wood beams, walls, floors and even wallpaper. Rodents can spark house fires if they gnaw through electrical wiring or build nests close to heat sources.

Other pests, like cockroaches, mosquitoes and stinging insects pose health threats to humans. Cockroach allergens are known to trigger asthmas attacks, especially in children. Mosquitoes, meanwhile, can carry West Nile virus and stinging insects send more than half a million people to the emergency room every year.

“During National Pest Management Month, the NPMA encourages homeowners to learn more about pest management and to take steps to prevent infestations before they occur,” says Henriksen. “Pest pressure increases significantly in spring and summer, which is why simple measures like sealing cracks and crevices around the home, keeping kitchen counters and floors clean and free of crumbs, sealing garbage cans and eliminating sources of still-standing water on your property now can go a long way in preventing pests from making a home in yours.”

If you think you may have pest threats around your home or business, please call today at 888-612-2847 for your FREE inspection or visit http://www.horizonpestcontrol.com/