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At County Pest, we understand that most homeowners first think of all insects as pests, especially when the conversation involves cockroaches, ticks, mosquitoes, or termites. These species can create real risks to your health and your home, and when they are present indoors, professional action is often necessary.

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However, that is only part of the story.

 

Most insects you see around your property are actually neutral or beneficial, and many are essential to the health of our local ecosystem here in the Lehigh Valley. Beneficial insects pollinate plants, break down organic material, improve soil health, and provide food for birds, bats, and other wildlife. A strong and balanced insect population is a sign of a healthy environment.

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Insects are also incredibly abundant and diverse. Scientists estimate there are around 10 quintillion insects alive in the world at any given time. That is more insects than grains of sand on all the world’s beaches combined. Researchers have identified close to one million insect species so far, but many more likely remain undiscovered. In the United States alone, about 91,000 insect species have been documented, and Pennsylvania is home to a significant portion of that diversity.

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This is why County Pest uses Integrated Pest Management rather than a traditional big box extermination approach.

Instead of treating every insect as a problem, we start with proper identification and focus on why a pest is present in the first place. Our approach protects beneficial species while targeting only the insects that truly pose a risk to your home or health. Blanket spraying may kill everything in its path, but it rarely solves the root cause of pest issues and can harm helpful insects unnecessarily.

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If you have found an insect and are unsure what it is, you are in the right place. Submit a clear photo through our What’s This Bug form, and our team will help you identify it, explain whether it is a concern, and recommend the best next step. Sometimes treatment is needed, and sometimes the best answer is simply leaving it alone.

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Understanding what lives around your home is the first step toward smarter, more effective pest control, and County Pest is here to help.