Fall is in the air. Store shelves are bursting with bags of candy. The pumpkin spice latte is back at Starbucks. Halloween is right around the corner. This time of year, movie theaters and TV channels love to show scary movies. However, here at Scherzinger Pest Control, we know that fact can be way scarier than fiction… especially when it comes to insects. Here are some frightfully scary bug facts to send a tingle up your spine.
Warning: Don’t read before bed!
#1 – We’re outnumbered!
That’s right, according to the Smithsonian, there are more than 200 million insects for each human!
#2 – They’re right in our backyard… or house!
While places like Australia and South American boast some pretty terrifying creepy crawlies, Ohio has it’s fair share of shudder worthy insects including the “assassin bug.”
This bug uses its beak to stab bugs to death before snacking on them. Yum! It can also give humans a pretty painful bite thanks to the aforementioned beak.
Curious what other strange creatures are lurking in Ohio? Check out these 5 creepy insects.
#3 – They think we’re tasty!
Certain bugs, including bed bugs, mosquitoes, and the kissing bug, feed on the blood of mammals, including humans. Yep, they’re like real life vampires.
In addition to feeding on us, some blood suckers may leave behind dangerous illnesses. For example, the kissing bug may carry a parasite that causes Chagas disease and mosquitoes may carry the Zika virus.
#4 – They’re excellent hiders!
Did your mom assure you there were no monsters under the bed? Unfortunately, she may have been wrong…. Bed bugs are phenomenal hiders and can hide themselves away in a variety of unexpected places including under your bed, in library books, and in electrical outlets.
Here are a few more bed bug hiding places.
#5 – They carry germs!
Okay, this may sound like something a fussy mom would say but it’s true. Some bugs, take the cockroach for instance, are loaded with germs that can be pretty darn dangers. In fact, it’s believed that roaches can transmit a slew of diseases including dysentery, leprosy, typhoid fever, and cholera.
#6 – They can grow to epic proportions!
Perhaps thinking that most bugs are relatively small helps you sleep at night. Unfortunately, there are some pretty massive insects out there.
According to Mother Nature Network, one of the world’s largest insects is the titan beetle which makes its home in the Amazon rainforest; it can grow up to 6.5 inches long!
And don’t even get us started on giant spiders….
One of the world’s largest spiders, the Goliath Birdeater, can weight up to 6 ounces and has a leg span of approximately 11 inches (BBC, 2016). Yes, you read that right.
#7 – They can live inside us!
Certain bugs, like the bot fly, start their lives out inside the flesh of a mammal such as a horse… or a human! That’s right, there are certain species of bot flies that use us as their breeding ground.
Is your skin crawling yet? Happy Halloween from ScherZinger Pest Control!
Oh, and if your home is playing host to any of these ghoulish creatures, we can help. Contact ScherZinger today for a consultation.
ScherZinger Pest Control is a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.