We live in a world full of blood-sucking pests. Scientists estimate that the earth is home to at least 10 million insect species and more than 14,000 of them feast on blood. But what made these vampire-like pests start drinking the blood of mammals in the first place?
One theory suggests these bugs already had developed sucking mouthparts to feed on plants and one of them accidentally bit into an animal. It’s possible it had the ability to digest blood, reproduced and the rest is history.
However blood-sucking insects came about, one thing is certain: These bloodthirsty pests wreak havoc on the world. In Tennessee, the five most common blood-sucking pests are mosquitoes, lice, bedbugs, ticks, and fleas.
What Types of Bugs Suck Blood?
Even though they may seem harmless, there are plenty of bloodsucking bugs that are capable of causing more harm than you might think. Knowing which pests suck blood can help you know which measures to take to protect yourself from becoming a host. These are the most common blood-sucking pests found in the U.S. and throughout Tennessee.
Mosquitoes
We’re all familiar with mosquitoes–those irritating pests that eat you alive when you’re just trying to go for a peaceful afternoon walk. You might be surprised to find out that these little pests are the deadliest animals on earth, spreading diseases like Malaria, West Nile Virus, and Chikungunya to large segments of the population.
Lice
Lice bring back memories of childhood. When that one kid in class got infested with them and you hoped you hadn’t worn the same hat as him. These horrifying pests crawl around on peoples’ scalps, feeding on blood from their head.
Bedbugs
Bedbugs are making a comeback. It used to be cute to say “don’t let the bedbugs bite,” but with bedbug infestations up 57 percent over the last five years, the saying is becoming less and less popular. These bugs attack at night, but you usually won’t find out until morning because of their sleep inducing saliva.
Ticks
Ticks are the little creatures that latch onto you when you’ve been out hiking and forgot to wear long pants and sleeves. Be careful not to remove them with your hands or else their teeth will get caught in your skin. Instead, use tweezers, to carefully remove them.
Fleas
If you’ve ever had a pet in your home, you know about fleas all too well. These bugs consume up to 15x their own body weight every day. Though there are 2,000 species of fleas in the world, the cat flea is responsible for most incidents in the U.S.
Defeat Blood-Sucking Pests with U.S. Pest
There’s no way to completely prevent bites from blood sucking pests, but you can take steps to keep from becoming their next snack. Some easy preventative measures range from using bug spray and maintaining good hygiene. When these methods aren’t enough, the professional pest technicians at U.S. Pest can help you identify which bloodsucking pest you have in your home and develop a plan to get rid of them. From mosquitoes to bedbugs, we can help you overcome your pest problem. Schedule your free consultation today!