Unfortunately for business owners and the economy in general, many businesses have had to close or severely alter how they operate during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic to help flatten the curve and stop the spread of the virus.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the presence of pests. They’re still out there, still trying to get into our homes and businesses. And just because a business is temporarily closed doesn’t mean it’s vacant. Modern Pest is here to help!
Pest Control Remains Essential
The pest control industry was declared essential by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 19, 2020 because it provides services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and businesses.
At Modern Pest, we agree that pest control is an essential service. A world without pest control would have more disease, more food shortages and hunger, and uncontrollable living conditions. So how could pests affect your business during the new normal, and how can Modern help you get through it?
You’ve got enough to worry about. Let Modern get rid of the pests.
Call us today at 1-800-323-7378.
How Are Closed Businesses Affected?
Many businesses had to suddenly close their doors when stay-at-home orders were issued. This means that important sanitation steps may have been missed. Restaurants are especially vulnerable to this because of food and food waste like grease being overlooked. Offices have similar issues due to food at people’s desks and in break rooms. In addition to food and water, pests also search for warmth and shelter inside structures.
What Pests Should You Look Out For?
Some of the most common pests businesses will have to deal with during the pandemic are rats, mice, cockroaches, and flies.
Mice
- Mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime.
- Mice are rodents, which means “to gnaw”, and they chew on objects to help keep their teeth short and sharp. This includes pipes, furniture, wood molding, plastic, aluminum, and electrical wiring.
- It’s estimated that mice cause up to 20 percent of undetermined fires in the United States each year. This causes millions of dollars in structural damage annually.
- Mice usually keep to the shadows and covered, safe spaces. But with no people around, they’ll venture into more areas and do more damage.
- Because they leave their waste everywhere they go, mice can contaminate food and surfaces in a small amount of time.
- Mice reproduce very quickly. A single female can produce up to eight litters per year with an average of six pups per litter. Infestations happen fast.
Rats
- Rats can fit through a hole the size of a quarter.
- Rats are also rodents and like mice, they chew on objects such as pipes, furniture, wood molding, plastic, aluminum, and electrical wiring to help keep their teeth short and sharp.
- Rats are used to abundant food trash from humans, and those resources are no longer there.
- Famed rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan said that as normal food sources like public trash bins and restaurant dumpsters become depleted, rat colonies will begin to fight over whatever food is left. They’re even kill and eat other rats for survival.
- When usual food sources are gone, rats will start to seek out other options, such as inside businesses like restaurants and offices.
- While there’s no evidence rats can become infected with COVID-19, Dr. Corrigan does worry that rats could become a vector for the virus by scurrying through sewer pipes full of human waste and carrying it indoors.
Cockroaches
- Cockroaches can access a structure by crawling through small holes and cracks around doors and windows and by hitching rides on bags, packages, and other things brought inside.
- German cockroaches carry pathogens that can cause food poisoning and dysentery.
- Infestations can quickly become severe because cockroaches reproduce rapidly.
- They lay up to 40 eggs at a time, which mature in about two months.
Flies
- Flies will get in through small holes and gaps in doors and windows.
- They feed on garbage and sewage and pick up germs like E. coli and Salmonella.
- They spread these pathogens to your employees and clients by contaminating food and water.
- Drain and fruit fly populations will quickly multiply if gone unchecked
Damage from pests can be unexpected and costly. Don’t be caught off-guard.
Call Modern today at 1-800-323-7378.
The Modern Solution
Since pest control is an essential service, Modern Pest is open for business even when you can’t be. Letting pest control issues get out of control during a pandemic is a threat to public health, food supplies, and infrastructure, not to mention your bottom line. Modern Pest is still performing our pest control services and adapting to the constantly changing world of COVID-19. Whether it’s our traditional Integrated Pest Management-based ecocare program customized to your business or our 24/7 Anticimex SMART technology, Modern has you covered.
OutSMART the Virus
Modern’s Anticimex SMART technology is an intelligent, low-touch, 24-hour pest monitoring system for your business that gives you peace of mind when you can’t be there. It also monitors the hard to reach areas you don’t frequent anyway. Modern’s proprietary Anticimex SMART technology communicates directly with our offices when there is pest activity from mice, rats, cockroaches, or moths. That way, our Service Professionals only come out when it’s absolutely necessary. You have enough to deal with, let Modern worry about the pests.