We live in the land of opportunity, right? Everyone has an equal chance to start their own business and fulfill their version of the American dream. Anyone whom is thinking about going into business has their version of ‘the list’. It’s the list of things to take into consideration. Things such as perspective revenue, building rent, advertising, supplies, employees, employee costs, profit and loss ratios and possibly a few other things. These are all great concerns for any new business owner and prospective entrepreneur. Large companies have this same list of concerns when they consider expansion or relocation. With so much to think about, don’t forget a crucial part of business, pest control.
Many people think of common pests, like rodents and insects when they consider pest control. But, they are missing another costly and damaging concern for business owners, pest birds. You see, birds in the area can be destructive when they decide to roost at your business. They don’t realize that they aren’t welcome guests. They really do think that you built that roof just for them to sit on and visit with each other. Or how about that really nice canopy over your entrance and exits doors? Yes, they do think that you made that just for them to make their nests in and to raise their young ones. Never once do they give a thought to their presence being detrimental to your business and your building.
These pests can actually transmit diseases. Common birds and their droppings can transmit over 60 diseases. Some examples of transmissible bird diseases that are associated with house sparrows, starlings, geese and pigeons are:
- Histoplasmosis- respiratory disease that results from fungus growing in dried bird droppings which can be fatal.
- E. Coli- This can be found in the droppings of birds that have feed on cattle manure that contained E. Coli.
- Candidiasis- Yeast or fungus infection that is spread by pigeons. This disease can affect the skin, mouth, respiratory system, and the intestines and urogenital tract.
- Salmonellosis- This is often presented as ‘food poisoning’ and is traced back to pigeons, sparrows and starlings. The bacteria for this disease is often found in the droppings of these birds. Dust from the droppings becomes airborne finds its way into the kitchens of restaurants through air vents and eventually settles onto food and food surfaces where it finds its way into customer’s stomachs.
- Cryptococcosis Illness- caused by the yeast found in the intestinal tract of pigeons and starlings. It begins as a pulmonary disease and can later affect the central nervous system.
- St. Louis Encephalitis- This diseases causes inflammation of the nervous system with symptoms including drowsiness, headache and fever. It is spread by mosquitoes which have previously fed on infected birds that carried the Group B virus responsible for this disease.
Pest bird control is a necessity for business owners. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that birds are no big deal. Contact the commercial pest control experts here at Action Pest Control and let us take care of some of things on your ‘list’.