The 6th June 2018 marks the second World Pest Day. It was created to build awareness around the importance of pest control to protect food, homes, families, lives and businesses. The day is being kick started in Portugal this year in conjunction with the Global Summit of Pest Management Services for Public Health and Food Safety with support from CPCA, along with The Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA), FAOPMA (Australasia) and NPMA (USA).
Every day, pest control professionals are working to protect people and properties from the potential diseases and damage caused by pests. World Pest Day is an opportunity to reflect on the variety of pests that can affect us, and to help raise awareness of the possible health risks associated with pests such as rodents, mosquitoes and flies.
The pest threat from mosquitoes
Due to the diseases they spread, it is estimated that mosquitoes are responsible for causing 1 million deaths each year, making them the world’s deadliest insect. UK mosquitoes, although giving painful bites do not spread diseases such as Malaria or Zika. Culex pipiens – the above ground mosquitoes (that you’ll find breeding in standing water in water butts, watering cans & ponds) and Culex pipiens f. molestus (the Underground or Tube mosquitoes, who have adapted to living in this network of warm, dark tunnels under the city) are painful irritations, but in other countries they are a serious issue.
We are an active supporter of the charity Malaria No More UK, aiming to end malaria in our lifetime. Rentokil colleagues have raised funds through bake sales, marathons, bungy jumps, cycle events and mountain climbs, to support Malaria No More UK in helping communities around the world with preventing the diseases spread by mosquitoes.
Rodent-borne diseases
Rats and mice, have adapted very well to the human environment and can thrive in urban environments such as towns and cities. Their potential to contaminate what we eat and drink, as well as the places we live and work, poses significant risks to our health. Rodents can carry a varirty of rodent-borne diseases such as Salmonellosis and the Hantavirus. Our RADAR mouse trap and PestConnect offer pest control solutions for commercial companies, providing effective pest monitoring and control 24/7, helping to mitigate the risk from rats and mice.
House fly transmitted diseases
House flies are also within the list of pests responsible for spreading diseases. These insects are known to transmit over 200 different pathogens, leading to spread of at least 65 different diseases, according to The World Health Organization. They are known to spread pathogens such as Salmonella and E.Coli. This can be a big concern for businesses, particularly those operating within the food industry where food safety is of the utmost importance.
Lumnia electric fly killers have been developed with an innovative patented LED technology to hygienically reduce the risk of contamination from flies. By utilising LED bulbs, Lumnia is able to provide a more effective fly control by attracting flies from a greater distance whilst using less power than traditional electric fly killers.
Rentokil have been providing innovative pest control solutions in the UK for over 90 years helping to protect homes and businesses alike from an array of different species of pests. We are proud to help support the initiative of World Pest Day to highlight the importance of pest control.
If you are looking for professional advice, services and solutions to protect your home or business from pests, contact the experts at Rentokil today.
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