Wednesday, October 17, 2018

THE TOP FIVE CREEPIEST, CRAWLIEST, SCARIEST PESTS

Be on the Lookout This Halloween

Vampires, ghosts, goblins and witches are usually recognized as the scariest creatures creeping around on Halloween. While these horrors are just make believe, there are actually some very real terrors that might be lurking in your own backyard. With Halloween season just around the corner, Hughes Exterminators has prepared a list of the top five creepiest, crawliest, scariest pests guaranteed to send chills down anyone’s spine.

“Halloween is the perfect time of year to think about some of the scariest pests out there – which may be someone’s worst nightmare,” said Charlie Jones, Hughes pest expert. “While many may have heard the “horror stories” about these pests, most may not fully understand the very real dangers these creepy creatures pose.”

Flesh Flies: Flesh flies are most often found breeding in and feeding on decaying material or feces but some species will actually lay their eggs in the open wounds of mammals – including humans, hence the name flesh flies. A typically meal consists of decaying flesh, dead insects, excrement, crabs, snails and spiders.

Bats: Historically associated with vampires, only one species of this creepy flier actually feeds off of blood. While there is very little danger of encountering one of these vampire bats, other species can be quite scary if they invade your home. They can also transmit several diseases including rabies.

Earwigs: The name earwig literally means “ear creature” and is derived from the ancient superstition that these pests would crawl into ears and bore holes into the brain. While this may not be true, these creepy pests do have scary, claw-like forceps on their abdomen. They use them as weapons for protection and for capturing prey.

Black Widows: Who isn’t “creeped out” after walking into a spider web? The black widow spider is one that is very easy to recognize. The female has a distinct black abdomen, with a red or orange hourglass shaped mark, while the males are normally brown in color. If bit by this creepy insect, swelling and redness may occur, as well as a very sharp pain which may require medical attention. Be sure to avoid these spiders if you see them.

Bed Bugs: Vampires might not be running around biting humans for their blood, but one notorious pest certainly is – Bed bugs! The size of an apple seed, these bloodsuckers typically come out at night to feed on their unsuspecting victims. Bed bugs do not spread disease but they may leave behind itchy, painful welts on their victims. If left untreated, bed bugs can be a recurring nightmare since they can live for more than a year without food and survive a wide range of extreme temperatures.