The History Of Pest Control Has Been Recorded As Far Back As The 25th Century BC
Humans have had a love hate relationship with insects over the course of history. Many insects haven't always been "pests". In fact, some species have served as a food source for humans, while others have been valuable as pollinators for crops. So, when did the idea of pest control actually begin? People didn't always have a can of Raid to ward off the creepy crawlies, because bugs weren't always our enemies. Read on to learn more about the history of pest control to today's concept of a bug free home.
The History Of Bugs And People
The ancient Babylonians worshipped a winged fly-like spirit known as the god of pestilence. It was the first historical mention of humans and insects together. This gave us insight into that ancient cultures knew that insects were related to disease long before germs, bacteria and viruses were discovered.
A stone tablet was discovered carved by a Sumerian doctor who prescribed a sulfur treatment to patients for an itchy condition translated into what was determined to be chigger bites.
The Old Testament in the Bible has several mentions of insects, and the ancient Romans were known to have strict sanitation practices when handling water and food. However, when what is known as the dark ages came around in 400 AD, most of these practices were abandoned.
Early Exterminators
As the rise of the Middle Ages came about, the idea of pest control started to emerge, especially regarding the extermination of rodents. People were known to use homemade chemicals and extracts from plants in order to kill rodents.
Attention to any kind of public health didn't emerge until the bubonic plague had wiped out a large portion of the population in Europe and Asia. As a result, Queen Elizabeth I put forth regulations whereby public spaces were to be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. Insects at this time became associated with uncleanliness, garbage and disease. Barbers were employed to pick out lice and other insects out of human hair when performing haircuts.
In the late 1800's, people employed as "rat catchers" would use different techniques involving chemicals and dogs to catch and kill rat infestations in various towns all across Europe. The first pest control company was founded in 1695 and was called Tiffon and Son. The knowledge of controlling rodents and other pest across Europe soon found its way over to the Americas as people started to moving to the colonies.
Insecticides In The History Of Pest Control
History indicates the use of many different chemical based compounds thousands of years ago mainly to control rat populations. Something called "red squill" was used during the first millennium in order to control rats. Later arsenic was developed as an effective control technique. In the 1800's copper and nicotine were used as effective means to deter many types of insects.
Compared to chemical treatments today, the first pesticides were incredibly toxic and required large quantities to be administered in order to kill insect and rodent infestations. Scientific developments during World War 2 brought about chemical pest control treatments that were significantly more safer for humans. The popular chemical pesticide DDT was developed around this time.
As regulations became increasingly important, the FDA became more involved with approving pesticide compounds. As a result, professional pest control companies, such as Super D Pest Control, were required to be licensed and certified to use these pesticides as part of their business operations in the United States. Government regulations on pesticides have brought us to where we are today in the history of pest control. Nowadays, we are seeing the development of environmentally friendly initiatives, integrated pest management, and the use of much safer types of chemicals as part of the modern 21st century set of tools used by pest control experts across the globe.
We Can Help Control Pests Carefully And Effectively
When it comes to effective pest control services where the health and safety of your family are placed at the highest level, Super D Pest Control can help provide a custom pest control maintenance plan specifically for your home. Call us at (727) 433-5310 today to schedule a free assessment of your home or contact us on our website below.
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