Surprising Facts About What Americans Fear (NAPSA)—Whenit comes to big fears, many Americans think ..small. A survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation found that homeowners rank bug infestation the third-most-feared threat, right behind fire and natural disasters. That’s not unreasonable. Ninety-five percent of homeowners said they’ve been the victim of a bug infestation. The Problem Termites alone strike five times as many U.S. homesasfire and wreak an estimated $5 billion in property damage every year. That’s more than the combined cost of destruction from tornadoes, hurricanes and windstorms. “Insects attack silently, sometimes almost invisibly, which adds to people’s concern,” said entomologist Dr. Bob Davis. “Unfortunately, by the time people realize they have a problem, the damage may already be done.” Prevention Many insect problems can be prevented before they start by following some simple steps: Keep shrubbery, firewood and lumber away from direct contact with your house. Seal cracks and holes on the outside of your home. * Keep attics, basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry. Store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly. The Professionals If you do get an infestation, get professional help. “Homeowners whotry to fix the problem themselves often end up with failure and frustration,” Dr. Davis said. “That’s because most people don’t know exactly what pest they are dealing with and how best to fight More than one in every three Americans fears termites—more than any other insect, followed by bed bugs (28 percent), bees and wasps (27 percent) and cockroaches (27 percent). it. In fact, the most technologically advanced materials are not available to the general public.” Licensed pest managementpro- fessionals have access to modern insect-fighting agents such as Termidor termiticide and are trained to handle them. Proper treatment also usually requires specific tools and tech- niques for inspecting and applying materials. About a third of respondents said calling a professional is the best way to deal with a bug infestation. That number grows considerably once self-treatment fails to solve the problem. More than 75 percent of homeowners in the survey commissioned by BASF Pest Control Solutions said they turn to pest control professionals when the do-it-yourself approachfails. Learn More For more information about identifying termites, bug infestations or preventing and eradicating insects, visit termiteinstitute.com, antinstitute.com and saveastud.com or call your local pest management professional.
