Can Dogs Detect Different Types Of Pests?

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Can Dogs Detect Different Types Of Pests?

Dog

It is a well-known truth that dogs have a great sense of smell and hence used to detect explosives and drugs. But did you know that they can identify pests too? Most breeds of dogs have much more receptors in their nose than humans, and that makes it possible for them to distinguish even the smallest difference in smell irrespective of rain, mud or snow. Utilising this a leading professional pest control company is training dogs to sniff out pests that are in residential, commercial or other such types of buildings. Read more here at www.westernexterminator.com/bed-bugs/canine-bed-bug-detection/.
Many are sceptical about the use of canines for pest detection. But when trained, a dog can more accurately detect infestations than humans. Moreover, since these pests are not very visible to human eye, dogs with their sense of smell can find them. Listed below are some of the infestations that canines can detect.

Bed bug: This is a widespread infestation in places where there are many visitors. These bed bugs are usually found in hotels, schools or sometimes at home too. These pests are on the beds and suck the blood of the victim when they are sleeping and cause itchy red skin. This irritation on the skin can lead to a sleepless night. It is best to consult a professional pest control company to control the spread and infestation. The area has to be surveyed using monitoring devices or have dogs survey the area to find hidden bugs in the bed. There are studies which state that a trained dog can detect with high accuracy but also depends on the training provided.

Dogs

Termite detection: Detecting a termite can be done using many methods, many pest control professionals use termite monitoring stations to find and treat those infestations. Dogs like German shepherd and beagles can be trained to detect these termites. Moreover, a study was conducted to determine if the canines can differentiate between wood with infestation currently and previously infested material and they were able to distinguish them. It was also found that they can separate the termites from cockroaches and carpenter ants with great ease. Another interesting study was about the success rate of finding termites when there were 40 or more they could see infestations more than 90% of the time.

Mosquito detection: During dry seasons the mosquito population reduces as there are no open water bodies to lay their eggs when the rains return these thrive due to the presence of water. Some researchers tried to restrict the population during the dry season so that they do not flourish in the rainy season. But it was difficult to find their infestations and hence could not be controlled. All that changed when a German shepherd dog with its sense of smell was used to sniff those larvae out. This dog was trained to sniff out a type of grass which contained vetiver oil which is released by these mosquitoes when they hide in the dry season. The dog was then used to find these hidden places and then destroy the infestation.
Pest management companies are continually finding innovative ways to manage pests and using canine is one such method.

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