During Spooky Season, almost everyone enjoys a good story about creepy creatures and gruesome ghouls - but sometimes, the most terrifying tales are rooted in truth. In pest control, we see a lot of pretty scary stuff, so in honor of Halloween, here are some frightening facts about very real things that go bump in the night.
Some species of cockroach can live without their heads for several weeks, and even then, dehydration is usually what finally does them in.- Real-life vampires: Bed bugs are nocturnal, coming out at night to feed on human blood while we sleep - but even scarier than that is how quickly they reproduce.
- As a general rule, spiders suck the blood or "juices" from their prey using special digestive fluids.
- Mosquitoes can drink up to three times their body weight in blood (about 1.6 million gallons of human blood per year).
- The praying mantis is known for cannibalism, especially the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate after (or during) mating.
- Some cockroaches can crawl at speeds over 3 miles per hour, which just about equates to a human moving at 200 miles per hour.
- Zombie ants are real: The fungus Ophiocordyceps takes over the ant's central nervous system, blocking signals from the brain and essentially taking control.
Rats have in fact been documented emerging from sewers through toilets.- Ticks secrete small amounts of anesthetic in their saliva, so their victims don't feel a thing.
- Female mice can have up to 15 litters per year, with an average litter size of about 10-12 babies - now that's some scary math.
How to Keep the Creepy Crawlers at Bay this Halloween
- During any holiday, check your decorations for signs of pest activity like chewing or droppings. When it's time to put them away again, pack them in sealed bins as opposed to cardboard boxes and store the bins off of the floor if possible.
- We know you worked hard on your jack-o-lanterns, but it's best to dispose of pumpkins and other organic decor as soon as possible after the holiday. The moisture and scent from these items as they begin to decay can attract a variety of pests like rodents, ants, flies, and beetles.
- Store candy in sealed containers and make sure wrappers are disposed of properly and not left around the house - easier said than done if you have kids, but important nonetheless!
- When handing out candy, try not to keep the door open for too long at a time.
Some other tips that apply all year long:
- Seal cracks and crevices around your foundation and openings around utility lines
- Make sure doors and windows close securely and screens are intact
- Clean contact surfaces regularly
- Keep your yard manicured and free of leaf litter and other debris
- Trim branches and other vegetation back from your home
- Repair leaky plumbing and keep basements and attics dry and well ventilated
We wish you a fun and safe Halloween - and should you find that something has possessed your pad, the Burgess Pest team is here to exorcise it. No tricks, just the treat of a pest-free home.
