Top Pests Threatening Businesses During COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing your business and customers to adapt to shelter-in-place and social distancing orders, pest control may be tough for you to manage right now, alongside all your other concerns. But with the reduction of human activity at your business, a larger number of pests are likely roaming more freely than usual.

While urban areas are already experiencing a notable uptick in pest activity, pests remain a threat to your operations regardless of where your business is located. Whether you have vacant rooms due to canceled travel plans, excess packaging from rapid shipping, or unrepaired cracks you haven't gotten around to fixing, you’ll want to keep an eye out for these pests on your property:

Rodents

Mice and rats are tough chewers that can fit through the smallest of spaces to find food, water and shelter. They also pose a risk to public health, as they can transmit diseases like hantavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) through their urine and droppings. Rodents can survive for 4-6 months outdoors; however, while benefiting from your property for survival, they can live for up to a year.

American Cockroaches

With a generous food supply, these pests can go from egg to adult in as few as 5 ½ months. While they normally live outdoors, these pests will venture into buildings through cracks, crevices and other entryways, in search of food and water. American cockroaches tend to forage under appliances, in drains and in kitchen cabinets to find food scraps and crumbs.

Preventing a Pest Infestation

An increase in rodent and cockroach activity around your business means it’s likely just a matter of time before they try to make their way into your facility, so you’ll want to stay prepared. Whether your business is still operating or temporarily closed, make sure you have an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan in place. This proactive approach creates a partnership between you and your pest control provider to help prevent pests from disrupting your business. Eliminating rodents and cockroaches is no one-time task, but a strong IPM plan can help deter them from your property. Remember to keep a record of any pest sightings in or around your business and report them to your pest control provider as soon as possible. Delaying pest activity reports—or not monitoring at all—can become a costly problem sooner than you think.

Pests don’t pause for health crises, so your efforts to help deter them shouldn’t either. Download our free report on cockroaches and learn everything you need to know about rodents to help keep your business protected. Also be sure to work with your pest control provider (pest control is an essential service, so Orkin can still help) to adjust your IPM plan as needed.