Government Offices Pest Control

City halls, public schools, courthouses, municipal offices, national parks, community centers, police stations, and all other governmental facilities have a vested interest in eliminating unwanted insects, mammals, and wildlife. Due to their official nature, these facilities find their mission undermined when ants swarm over surfaces, rats skitter down halls, or pigeons cover awnings and sidewalks with droppings. Unfortunately, no facility is entirely immune to pests, and instituting government pest control is important for reasons beyond mere appearance. The risk of negative impacts to public health and potential regulatory violations also matters. 

Fortunately, Smithereen Pest Management Services has more than a century of experience in dealing with invasive creatures. With our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, we can effectively implement pest control for libraries, pest control for city halls, pest control for courthouses, and more!  

Common Pests in Government Buildings  

Different pests thrive in different contexts, and if you find yourself needing courthouse, office, or public work facilities pest control, you likely are dealing with a small number of potential creatures.  

Rodents 

One of the most common pests encountered in government buildings is rodents, which most typically includes mice and rats. Hardy and resourceful, rodents can nest anywhere that they find shelter, and the bigger the facility, the more easily that multiple colonies can spring up. Additionally, rodents require easy access to food and water. Since government buildings often have substantial foot traffic, rodents usually find substantial sustenance. 

Cockroaches 

Cockroaches are similarly resilient, being able to grow to full adulthood in about a month, live on an omnivorous diet, and even survive up to a week without a head. One of the few insects that can survive in the Arctic, they thrive in a wide variety of environments — including virtually all governmental facilities. 

Ants 

In most circumstances, ants are merely irritating, but their presence indicates a degree of untidiness and filth. Unfortunately, ant colonies are extremely difficult to eradicate without professional help, and once they are established, they can plague a facility for extended periods. 

Mosquitos 

Mosquitoes require heat and water in order reproduce. Government buildings may not seem as though they could offer adequate conditions for the flourishing of these biting insects, but individual mosquitoes start breeding with 28 hours of hatching, can produce up to 10 broods in their lifetimes, and produce eggs that hatch within one to three days after being laid. Often all that they need to gain a foothold is unnoticed standing water caused by broken or incorrectly placed irrigation. 

Flies 

Flies may not have the reputation of doing as much damage to people as mosquitoes, but they’re just as irritating. What’s more, they can prove more of a public-health risk, which we will discuss in greater detail in the next section. In short, the presence of flies in particular — and of any established pest in general — communicates that a governmental building is dirty, unhealthy, worn down, and unsafe. These are exactly the sorts of impressions that official facilities should want to avoid. 

How do Pests Affect Public Health?  

Most public servants understand the negative image imparted by the presence of pests. Putting pest control protocols into practice makes sense from a public-relations perspective. However, it’s equally important when considering the very real risk to public health.  

When discussing how disease factors and pests interact, the CDC states that “health concerns include asthma episodes triggered by exposure to dust mites, cockroaches, pets, and rodents. The existence of cockroaches, rats, and mice mean that they can also be vectors for significant problems that affect health and well-being. They are capable of transmitting diseases to humans.” 

Claiming that pest-borne illnesses are a serious problem isn’t hyperbole. Consider the diseases that the common pests we listed above can spread: 

• Rodents: According to the CDC, rodents can spread nearly a dozen diseases, some of which are life threatening. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome can cause acute shock and kidney failure. Leptospirosis often leads to meningitis, liver failure, and respiratory problems.  
• Cockroaches: While cockroaches can spread many different kinds of bacteria, the main public-health risk that they pose is the exacerbation of asthma symptoms. The National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study (NCICAS) discovered that cockroaches were a strong allergic trigger to many susceptible children. 
• Ants: It’s true that most ants don’t spread disease. However, there’s one species that does cause illness: the Pharaoh ant. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most common species. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences noted, “The Pharaoh ant is a major indoor pest in the United States. The ant has the ability to survive most conventional household pest control treatments and to establish colonies throughout a building. … In ant-infested hospitals, burn victims and newborns are subjected to increased risk because the Pharaoh ant can transmit over a dozen pathogens.” 
• Mosquitoes: A scourge in the developing world, the humble mosquito is responsible for countless deaths. It also spreads horrible illnesses in more established nations, some of which include multiple strains of encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Zika virus. 
• Flies: The humble housefly doesn’t just annoy. According to PennState Extension, “they are suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans.”  Actually, though, that number had to be revised upward when a 2017 study in Scientific Reports found even more types of bacteria spread by flies. 

Dangers of Pest Infestations in Government Buildings  

By now, the dangers of not mitigating pests in a government facility should be obvious. They damage your institution’s image and pose a real risk to your constituents. If you’re in a decision-making capacity for any of the below groups, you should consider contracting with a reliable pest-control professional immediately: 

• City halls  
• Public work facilities  
• Public schools  
• Social service buildings  
• Community centers  
• Courthouses  
• Post Offices  

Smithereen Pest Management Services is just the professional you need. Smithereen was one of the first pest control companies to implement the Integrated Pest Management philosophy and we have been living that strategy for over 20 years. 

IPM should be the foundation for any service implemented in government environments: from city halls to public libraries, fire stations, and park districts; Smithereen’s trained technicians and experienced management staff will support any type of unique need. Smithereen has extensive experience working with government contracts and we are staffed and equipped to deliver the necessary service the way YOU want it.