We all believe that we need to use cheese in our mouse trap because that is what cartoons have taught us, but is that really the truth?
And what about cats that keep our property free from rats and mice? Did Tom ever catch Jerry?
Let the myth busting begin.
1 – Cheese is the best food for mice.
This is a common myth we have all seen from Tom & Jerry, but in fact is not true. Studies have shown that mice are more attracted to foods with higher sugar content, such as peanut butter.
2 – Bedbugs only live in dirty beds
Bedbugs are attracted to places where blood is available. They can be found in any bed, regardless of its cleanliness.
3 – Cats will keep a property free from rats and mice
Yes, Tom always tried to catch Jerry…but did he ever succeed? Many people believe that using cats is a sure way of managing their rodent problem, but they don’t realize that there are a number of facts to consider. (1) Cats usually only catch rodents when they are feeling playful, (2) rodents usually operate in places that are difficult for cats to reach.
4 – You can get rid of ants with boiling water
This is a common method used to kill ants in their nests, but the effectiveness is still a bit of a question. When pouring boiling water down an ant nest, the depth of the nest really matters. Often, the boiling water is cooled by the cool soil and so does not reach the queen ant. Without killing the queen ant, she will replenish the colony that was killed by the boiling water higher up the nest.
5 – Bee’s will only attack when provoked
“If you do not mess with a bee, it will not mess with you”. Most people have heard and believe this, but in fact it is not true. All stinging insects will sting if they feel their colony is threatened, so just walking too close to a beehive/ nest could be reason enough for a bee to mess with you.
6 – Seeing cockroaches means your house is dirty
Like all insects, cockroaches need food, water, and shelter to survive. They can find all of these sources in the cleanest of houses.
7 – Daddy longleg spiders are poisonous
For years, people have believed that Daddy longleg spiders are poisonous. The truth is, they are not. There are two arachnids commonly known as Daddy longlegs. One is from the Opiliones family, and one is from the Pholcidae family and neither of them have any record of being harmful to humans.
8 – Out of sight, out of mind
People think that if they don’t see insects in their homes, they don’t have any. The truth is – insects, rodents and other pests have become ‘pros’ at hiding themselves from humans in order to survive.
