The World’s Worst Pests

Apart from just being unhygienic, annoying and troublesome, pests can be very dangerous, even deadly as well. Being able to identify pests is vital so that you can take appropriate action, should you unfortunately encounter them. We list some of the worst pests in the world and some tips on how to prevent them.

Cotton Whitefly

Cotton whiteflies can be found everywhere in the world except Antarctica. These plant pests have a small, fluffy yellow body and white wings with a waxy dust powder. Their eggs are laid under the surface of leaves, where they grow into crawlers, nymphs, pupa and eventually into an adult cotton whitefly. They can live up to 100+ days in the winter. Quick prevention tip: Use neem oil on plants to prevent whiteflies from spreading. Perfume-free insecticidal soap can be diluted with water and sprayed onto plants to control this pest.

Mosquitos

Mosquitoes are the carriers of diseases like the West Nile virus, Zika and Malaria among others which are deadly viruses. Said to cause about a million deaths every year, mosquitoes are arguably the most dangerous pests in the world. Quick prevention tip: Citronella candles help keep mosquitoes at bay. Apply a mosquito repellant to prevent bites or a little lavender oil, rubbed on exposed skin does this too.

Fleas

We covered some information on fleas in our 3-part pest prevalence series.
These parasites can spread really fast as they lay about 2000 eggs in their life span of up to a year, depending on whether the flea has a host or not. Quick prevention tip: If you have pets, make sure that they’re treated for any fleas. Wash clothes and linen. Vacuum floor rugs and treat with pesticide every once in a while.

Bed Bugs

These blood suckers are commonly found in the crevices and small crack of beds which tend to be warm, dark then prevents the host from feeling anything as it draws the blood. Bed bugs do not transmit any diseases but their bites leave behind very itchy red welts. Quick prevention tip: Keep you space clean and keeping the temperatures low also helps. Upon returning from travels, make sure that you vacuum your luggage and wash your clothes.

Cockroaches

We also covered some facts about one of the most known, but equally annoying pests, cockroaches, in our 3-part pest prevalence series and we concluded that these invaders love dirt. It is said that they have been around since the time of dinosaurs and that there more 4, 300 known species across the world. They can thrive in just about any environment and will eat just about anything. They can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes and can survive for months without food or water and even though they gravitate towards warm climate, they can withstand freezing temperatures. Quick prevention tip: Make sure that there is no dirty dishes left in the sink or crumbs laying on the floor and that there is no food that has been left out on the counter. Cockroaches thrive in moist environments so make sure you fix any leaky pipes underneath a bathroom or kitchen sink and dry your damp bathmat on the floor.

Conclusion

While we covered only some of the worst insects in the world, we cannot stress enough the importance of a hygienic environment to keep pests at bay. Get advice from us by contacting 0860 10 11 80 or dropping us a line on info@steiner.co.za.