When Online Pest-Killing Guides Aren’t Reliable Resources to Lean on

Picture this: It's 2:00 AM on a hot sweltering day, and you've had a rude awakening from strange noises in your house.  Rodents? Restless feathered uninvited "guests"? Or creeping crawlers you might feel moving on your floor or see creeping up the walls and ceilings. You've been awake all night, but now it's become unbearable. Obviously, you can't just call "1-800-HELP-ME-SLEEP" at that hour, nor will anyone pick up at "1-888-RID MY PEST".

So, what do you do in desperation?

DIY Pest-killing Guides

Most people in your position would probably take a few sleeping pills, CBD or earplugs in and hope to deal with the problem in the morning. And when morning comes, you'll likely try a DIY solution first. You'll want to get a sense of what you're dealing with, before calling out the professional hit squad. You'll search for:

• Where (attic, bathroom, kitchen, walls etc.) the pesky creatures are

• The type of noises you're hearing - squeaking, crawling, scratching

• Telltale signs you're seeing - droppings, gnawing marks

• Whether there are signs of the breeding - nests, eggs, cocoons, baby sounds

After doing some research you'll likely feel confident that you're well informed now, and able to rid yourself of the troublemakers. Thanks to everything your online guides have told you, you now have an action plan that'll assure you a good night's sleep once more.

Many in your situation might be inclined to take a trip to the nearest home improvement store and follow the online playbook to terminate the pesky creatures - whatever they might be. You'll buy some pest-busting solutions. Perhaps what you've learned may indicate you need traps. Maybe the solution points to bait. Or it might be just a matter of spraying the suspected area with powerful pest-eliminating aerosol or solutions.

You'll follow your online DIY guide and set, lay, spray, sprinkle or aim as best you can. It may or may not resolve the problem to your fullest satisfaction. And if it has resolved the problem - by likely killing or exterminating the source of your restless nights - you'll enjoy blissful sleep once again. But there's one very pressing question that DIY nuisance busting guides might not address:

Was it justified for you to go on an indiscriminate killing spree?

And before you answer: Absolutely! Stop a while and consider your response first. Remember, not all unwanted guests seek refuge in our homes to make life difficult for us. Many of them are simply acting on natural impulses. It's a matter of survival for them.

The Moral Dilemma of Killing Pesky Visitors

DIY guides may be convenient resources to get a hold of, but they are not always the right resources to use. In fact, because they are so easy to access and the advice so quick to implement, they might do more harm than good when followed. And here's why:

Many individuals, companies and groups with an agenda often publish and support these DIY guides. They'll typically provide you with just enough information to hook you on to their product or service, but they will never highlight the down-sides to doing what they recommend.

So, you might ask, what's wrong with that if it helps exterminate the pesky visitors? Why should you care about anyone else's agenda if it helps you with yours - which is about getting a good night's rest?

Well, why not consider the moral side to that agenda.

• Many DIY sprays, baits and pellets, intended to eliminate pests, also cause untold harm to the environment

• When used by untrained users (such as DIY'ers), the substances land in places where they weren't supposed to - like on a neighbor's lawn or backyard, or in the kitchen sink instead of under the kitchen counter

• DIY pest-busting guides don't usually come with stark warnings and labels on self-harm. For example, if you spread bait in the basement, insects and rodents can track the substance throughout the house, even in your pantry and on the kitchen counter, and you'll likely never be aware of it  

Unless you singularly focus on getting a good night's sleep, considering the morality of these other aspects of your dilemma will keep you awake at night too. In some instances, the advice provided may even include the use of non-FDA approved solutions. And even though the game plan might suggest that you'll be using eco-friendly, "organic" solutions, that might not be entirely the case!

But there's one moral imperative that trumps all these other "negatives": Should you really kill, harm or exterminate the "pest" you are going after?

• What if the pest isn't the one you thought it is?

• Can you DIY solution guarantee that only the rat or mouse you are targeting will be the target of your "hit" - and not a squirrel or chipmunk?

• Have you taken steps to protect endangered species and exotic birds and other pets from becoming inadvertent targets?

While your DIY guide solution may look and feel like it is addressing your immediate problem of uninvited "guests" in your attic or your chimney, the reality might not be that pleasant. The unintended consequences and blowback are very real.

Caution Before Action

Before you go online and consult online guides for killing pests & bed bugs, make sure you understand the risks in following their DIY advice. And where such guides recommend using specific products, consider the broader fallout from such advice. Most importantly, before you spring into action, it pays to stop and learn more about the agendas that your "trusty guide" might have: Is it to buy sponsored baits, traps and sprays? Or perhaps it's about hiring a "recommended" exterminator.

An ounce of caution, before action, could very well save many an innocent rodent or bird from elimination or extermination. Such collateral damage might even include your house pets or household plants and fauna. The online guides won't guide you about such possibilities either!