Some common urban pests such as wasps, bed bugs, ants, book lice, dust mites and spiders would normally cause nuisance to people. However, they may have certain hazards if the infestations are serious. For examples:

• Ant infestations could cause economic loss by damaging structures and stored food.
• The allergens in the excreta of dust mites could trigger allergic illness such as asthma and allergic rhinitis.

The general management methods for these urban pests are eliminating their favorable breeding conditions and excluding them form entering the premises. The basic principles include monitoring, maintaining sanitation, modifying environments and repairing structures regularly. Apply suitable and appropriate quantity of pesticides to eradicate the pests only when serious infestations occur.

Baguio provides professional pest management services including pest surveys and monitoring. Our professional technicians can explain the results of surveys and monitoring and recommend the most appropriate control measures to clients.

Key Points on Wasps Control
Wasps often found in leisure places in Hong Kong mainly are the Common Wasp (or Yellow Jacket), Vespa bicolor and the Large Brown Wasp, Vespa affinis. If disturbed, wasps would attack and sting people. Therefore, wasp control works should better be carried out by professional pest control personnel. Control measures against wasp infestations are:

1. Sanitation ------ Most pest wasps are carnivorous and feed on insects, meat remnants, etc. Proper handling of garbage and regular control on insect problems could minimize wasp infestation.
2. Inspect and repair building structures; and trim bushes regularly to prevent wasp nesting.
3. For frequently infested areas, step up inspections between winter and spring to detect and destroy any immature nests and colonies.
4. As far as possible, kill and destroy wasp colony when most of the foraging workers have returned to the nests. The more appropriate times are early morning or evening hours.

Key Points for Bed Bugs Control
Bed bugs (chinches, red coats) have two species threatening human health: Common Bed Bud, Cimex lectularius and Tropical Bed Bud, Cimex hemipterus. They usually bite and suck blood at night and make people feel itching and unable to sleep or rest well. In daytimes, bed bugs will hide in groups in crevices of beds, mattress, walls, skirting boards, ceilings and furniture; and behind wall papers, etc. Bed bugs are public health pests and key control measures include:

1. Conduct regular inspections to potential harborages in hotels, motels, restaurants, transport vehicles, etc. Infested areas could be identified with the distinct odor given off by bed bugs.
2. Maintain sanitation; and frequently wash and change beddings including bed sheets, covers, etc.
3. Repair and maintain building structures and furniture; and repair any cracks and crevices detected.
4. Apply pesticide treatments;
   1. Spray residual insecticides or dust insecticide powder to infested areas.
   2. Spray pyrethroid insecticides to kill gathered bed bugs.
   3. Retreat infested areas with insecticides two weeks and one month after the first treatment to kill newly hatched nymphs.
   4. Conduct same control measures to units or areas beneath, above and next to the infested place in order to eradicate the pest thoroughly.

Key Points for Ants Control

1. Identify the ant species to help the pest surveys and the selection of control measures.
2. Maintain sanitation:
   1. Clear clutters that ants would use as nests or harborages.
   2. Store food properly to eliminate food source for ants.
   3. Inspect and repair water pipes and faucets to eliminate water source for ants.
   4. Trim tree branches and bushes to prevent ants from using them to enter building structures.
3. Modify the physical environments: Repair and maintain building structures regularly to seal cracks and holes from which ants may enter.
4. Select appropriate pesticides: Use slow acting poisonous baits as far as possible; and apply residual insecticides as a chemical barrier to protect structures if necessary.

Key Points for Book Lice Control

1. Since book lice feed on fungal matters, the following measures to control mold growth can eliminate food source for the pest:
   1. Keep areas dry by moisture control and good ventilation.
   2. Clean wall surfaces, etc. regularly with diluted bleach water to remove mold growth.
2. Use high temperatures (e.g. generated by a hair dryer) or vacuum cleaner to remove book lice directly.
3. If necessary, spray residual insecticides to infested surfaces to kill book lice.

Key Points for Dust Mites Control
It is highly difficult to entirely eradicate dust mites. However, the following measures could keep their population, if any, at a non-hazardous level:

1. Always maintain sanitation in the environments.
2. Keep areas dry and maintain good ventilation to prevent mold growth.
3. Wash clothes and beddings more frequent and use warm water (about 60oC), if necessary.
4. Use vacuum cleaner with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to clean carpets, sofa, mattress, etc. regularly in order to prevent dust mites and their excreta from being blown in the air.
5. Supplement with chemical control, when necessary:
   1. Use fungicides to eliminate or prevent mold growth and thus rid dust mites of their food.
   2. Spray residual insecticides to structural or article surfaces to kill the mites and then vacuum clean the areas after 2 hours.
   3. Use 5% benzyl benzoate powder to treat carpets and then clean the carpets with vacuum cleaner after 12 to 24 hours.

Key Points for Spiders Control
There are not too many spider species found indoor in Hong Kong. The most scaring one may be the Large Brown House Spider, Heteropoda venatoria. It is a large indoor spider with a body length of 5cm and the distance between two feet can be 10cm. Although non-venomous, it has big teeth that could bite people if caught it in bare hands. Spider control measures include:

1. Elimination of Food Source ------ Spiders mainly feed on insects and therefore, relevant control measures against insect problems could minimize spider infestation.
2. Trim bushes and clear debris, leaves, etc. regularly in order to eliminate potential harborage for spiders.
3. Destroy habitats of spiders by removing any spider cocoon and cobweb detected.
4. Apply insecticides to kill or exclude spiders if necessary.

To learn more on Baguio Pest Control Services, please contact us.