by Adam Shear
WACO - Local pest control companies say they have been fielding a lot more calls recently because of the West Nile Virus spreading in Central Texas.
With 29 confirmed cases of West Nile in McLennan Co. and another 10 in Bell Co., many pest control services are seeing an increase in interested customers.
"[West Nile] is definitely mentioned on most of our phone calls," said Patrick Baldwin from Bugsdotcom in Waco. "Our phone traffic has picked up cause of that."
Bugsdotcom and Tri-County Pest Control both say many people are calling them what their businesses can do to help with the mosquitoes. Both businesses say they understand, especially considering the growing death toll from the virus in Texas.
"For the general population you're probably not going to see any of the effects, but the concern is for the 20 percent that do," said Baldwin. "It is a serious thing, when we're just an hour away from Dallas-Ft. Worth, and they've had multiple deaths, and we've had deaths here in Waco."
The Central Texas Better Business Bureau says if a person does plan to get their property treated for possible West Nile carrying mosquitoes, to make sure look out for red flags from businesses making promises they cannot keep.
"Do they make a claim of we guarantee we'll eliminate 100 percent of mosquitoes in your area? Well, that's not reasonable and not possible," said Richard Kitterman, Central Texas BBB Regional Director. "Are they willing to quote you on a price and a treatment plan without visiting your house? That's also not reasonable."
The BBB also says to ask for an inspection because many experts in the industry say the most important part of getting a property sprayed is finding the source. According to the BBB, a pest control companies cannot do an efficient job without identifying the problem first.
"A regular treatment would be going around treating the shrubs, treating the bushes where the mosquitoes are going to be, and treat the edges of a house where they are going to rest," said Baldwin. "It's Central Texas, there are bugs everywhere and you definitely want to take care of those customers."
The BBB says people interested in finding a pest control company to handle their mosquito outbreaks should search the Central Texas BBB website for accredited businesses.
