Spiders Voted Scariest Pest in Orkin's First-Ever 'Scariest Pest Halloween
Poll'
ATLANTA, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from Orkin's first-ever "Scariest
Pest Halloween Poll" reveal spiders, one of Halloween's quintessential icons,
are the scariest pests of 2009. According to Orkin experts, the pests people
consider (and voted) the scariest are not necessarily the most dangerous.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091027/CL99302)
From October 1 - 23, the Atlanta-based pest control leader invited people to
vote online at Halloween.Orkin.com for one of six spine-chilling pests.
Following are the scariest pest rankings and percentages from the online poll:
1. Spooky spiders (30 percent)
2. Hair-raising rodents (27 percent)
3. Creepy cockroaches (23 percent)
4. Terrifying ticks (10 percent)
5. Freaky flying/stinging insects (6 percent)
6. Menacing mosquitoes (4 percent)
Similar to plastic spider rings and cotton web decorations that run rampant
this holiday season, most of the 3,500 spider species found in the United
States - even if they bite - cause little harm to humans. However, the
following few spider species rank among the most dangerous pests in North
America because of their potentially harmful and even deadly bites:
-- Black widows
-- Brown widows
-- Brown recluses
-- Hobo spiders
According to Ron Harrison, Ph.D., technical director for Orkin, Inc., the few
dangerous spider species like the black widow and brown recluse are so well
known that people overlook the great benefit spiders provide. "Their food
sources - moths, flies, cockroaches, bees and other bugs - are the same
insects that pester us. Because of that, their presence in or around our homes
is a good indicator that we have a larger pest issue that needs attention."
Harrison does not ignore the fact that most people consider spiders scary, or
that they should protect themselves against spider bites. He offers these tips
to make homes less attractive to spiders:
-- Target their food source. Contact a licensed pest management
professional to first control the insects that are attracting spiders
to
your home.
-- Sweep, dust, clean and remove clutter to make areas uncomfortable for
spiders, which often like to hide.
-- Seal off potential entries like cracks and crevices, spaces under
doors,
holes in screens, etc.
Harrison also warns that homeowners should understand the risks posed by
rodents, cockroaches, mosquitoes, ticks and flying/stinging insects. Although
not voted the scariest, these pests are some of the world's most dangerous
because of the diseases they can carry and health threats they pose.
Following are Harrison's rankings for the most dangerous pests:
1. Blood-Suckers: Mosquitoes top Harrison's list as they pose a
significant
danger to public health throughout the world - transmitting West Nile
virus, malaria and yellow fever. Harrison warns that ticks - associated
with Colorado Tick Fever, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease
-
are actually the number one transmitter of disease in the U.S.
According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 28,000
confirmed cases of Lyme disease were reported in the U.S. in 2008.
2. Creepy Crawlers (including poll-topping spiders): In addition to
eliciting a scream, rodents can transmit numerous diseases - including
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and LCMV - through their urine, feces and
bites. Cockroaches can cause more than the chills, transferring
pathogens
from the decaying matter they live and breed in to food and
food-preparation areas. With their cast skins producing allergens,
cockroaches have been proven to cause allergic reactions and even
asthma.
3. Stingers: Some species of flying and stinging insects are known to
protect their nests aggressively and inflict painful stings on
intruders.
Stings from yellow jackets, hornets and wasps can cause swelling,
become
infected easily and also aggravate skin conditions and allergies.
According to Orkin, Halloween's cold weather often sparks an increase in
activity from the creepy crawlers, but whatever the season, people should
protect themselves and their homes from these scary and potentially dangerous
pests. For more facts about frightful pests, visit orkin.com.
About Orkin, Inc.
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin, Inc. is an industry leader in essential
pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and
insects in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Middle
East, the Caribbean and Asia. With more than 400 locations, Orkin's almost
8,000 employees serve approximately 1.7 million customers. The company serves
homeowners and numerous industries including food and beverage processing,
foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, retail, warehousing, property/facilities
management, schools and institutions. Learn more about Orkin on our Web site
at www.orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins, Inc. (NYSE:
ROL).
SOURCE Orkin, Inc.
Martha Craft of Orkin, Inc., +1-404-888-2217; or Whitney Miller of Jackson
Spalding, For Orkin, Inc., +1-404-724-2504
