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Summer is the primetime for pet pests such as fleas, ticks,  and mosquitoes. Although animals tend to view pests as merely annoyances, they can pose substantial health risks to both the pets and their owners, warns the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

“These pests are known to transmit some potentially serious diseases like West Nile Virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease to animals and their human family,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Dogs can also contract heartworm disease ...

People are continually on the lookout for ways to safeguard their family’s health at home. However, some of the most likely sources of danger may not be the first that come to mind. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) warns that rodents, cockroaches and stinging insects pose serious, but often hidden, health risks when they infest a home.

“Many people think pests are just an annoyance and often forget that there are real health dangers associated with the presence of these pests in and around ...

Spring and summer are prime seasons for tick infestations, and with both humans and pets spending more time outdoors, there is an increased chance of being bitten and bringing the ticks indoors. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) reminds everyone, especially pet owners, to be extremely vigilant against ticks in the warmer months.

“Ticks are more than just a nuisance,” says Jim Fredericks, technical services director for NPMA. “Of the more than 800 tick species, about 100 spread bacteria that can cause ...

Cockroaches live in a wide range of environments around the world. These pest species prefer warm conditions and thus are commonly found in the buildings of densely populated cities and also in the southern United States. In fact, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports that 78 to 98 percent of urban homes have cockroaches – with as many as 900 to 330,000 cockroaches per home!

Cockroaches are most active when the temperature is greater than 70 degrees Fahrenheit and they thrive in ...

Bed bugs remain a problematic pest across the United States. In fact, one out of five Americans has had a bed bug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bed bugs. Reflecting the increasing problem with bed bugs, a survey of pest management professionals found that prior to 2000 only 25 percent had encountered bed bug infestations, but in 2013 an amazing 99.6 percent of U.S. based professional pest management companies encountered bed bug infestations. Bed bugs are found in places, ...

The summer months, while the most enjoyable time of the year for many people, also bring the risk of painful insect stings from bees, wasps and yellowjackets as humans and insects spend more time together in the great outdoors. The most serious sting-related reactions come from insects that belong to the Apidae family honey bees and bumble bees) or Vespidae family , yellow hornets, white faced hornets, and paper wasps).

In general, these insects tend to sting people or animals when they ...