What is a pest?

WHAT IS A PEST?

Meriram-Webster defines a “pest” as follows:
1: an epidemic disease associated with high mortality; specifically: plague.
2: something resembling a pest in destructiveness; especially: a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (such as agriculture or livestock production)
3: one that pesters or annoys: nuisance.

Here at Exodus, we go by the term: “the pest is in the eye of the beholder”, which means everyone will have different ideas and tolerances as to what a pest is to them. 

One customer may consider a few carpenter ants no big deal, while another will say “no way, not in my house” to just one ant! Besides being gross to look at, carpenter ants can be very destructive to your home. Much like termites and powder post beetles, they are considered a top wood destroying insect.

Bees and wasps get a lot of attention in this regard. Some may realize that honey bees and numerous other stinging insects are very important pollinators, while others are less tolerant because they may be allergic to the stings of bees or wasps.

Everyone can agree that mosquitoes qualify as pests as they fit all three of Merriam-Webster’s definitions; they are disease vectors, destructive and they certainly are an annoyance and nuisance!

Wildlife like squirrels, raccoons, birds, deer and even rabbits are nice to look at and have their place in nature. But, if they invade your home or property they too can be classified as a pest. Deer and rabbits eat vegetation, squirrels nest in eaves and carry fleas and disease, raccoons can be very destructive and can carry rabies and raccoon roundworm in their poop, and even birds can carry mites and disease if they nest in vents or eaves! 

While most would agree bedbugs are a pest, here at Exodus we see a small, but growing percentage of infestations where the occupants take a nonchalant attitude towards bedbugs. It is hard to think anyone could get used to having bedbugs, but it appears some do. Bedbugs, however, continue to be a growing segment of the pest control industry as we explore new methods to prevent and protect from acquiring this blood feeding insect. 

So, as you can see there are two sides to every story, or in this case, every insect, rodent and form of wildlife. But remember, if it’s a pest to you, we are here. Call the experts at Exodus for professional consultation on how to deal with your “pest” problem!