Separate fact from fiction with Gulf South VECTOR’s Myth vs. Fact Social Media Toolkit. This collection of ready-to-share graphics and captions addresses common misconceptions about mosquitoes, rodents, bed bugs, fire ants, spiders, flies, and other pests that can affect public health and quality of life.
Partners are encouraged to use these materials to share clear, evidence-based information, challenge ineffective pest-control practices, and guide audiences toward safer, more reliable approaches to pest and vector management. Download the graphics, pair them with the provided captions, and share them through your organization’s social media channels.
Ready-to-Share Posts & Graphics
- When posting:
- Use the #vectoroutreach hashtag
- Mention us @vectoroutreach
Feral Cats
- Suggested Post Caption
It is a common belief that outdoor and feral cats help keep rodent populations in check, but the evidence tells a different story. Effective rodent control requires more than predation alone. 🐀
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorControl #VectorOutreach
Bed Bugs
- Suggested Post Caption
Bed bugs do not discriminate. Regardless of the type of dwelling or its cleanliness, any indoor space can be home to a bed bug infestation. 🛏️
#MythVsFact #BedBugs #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Daddy Longlegs
- Suggested Post Caption
The daddy longlegs venom myth is one of the most persistent in pest control folklore, but it has no scientific basis. Neither cellar spiders nor harvestmen, both commonly called daddy longlegs, pose a meaningful threat to humans. 🕷️
#MythVsFact #SpiderMyths #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Dryer Sheets
- Suggested Post Caption
Dryer sheets may smell fresh to us, but they are not an effective deterrent for mice. Rodents are highly adaptable and quickly adjust to new smells and unfamiliar objects in their environment, making scent-based deterrents unreliable for long-term rodent control. 🐀
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Boiling Water
- Suggested Post Caption
Boiling water may seem like a simple and satisfying solution for fire ant mounds, but red imported fire ant colonies are more resilient than they appear. 🐜
#MythVsFact #FireAnts #RIFA #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Mosquito Hawks
- Suggested Post Caption
The name “mosquito hawk” suggests a natural predator of mosquitoes. However, what most people call a mosquito hawk is actually a crane fly, and they do not eat mosquitoes. 🦟
#MythVsFact #MosquitoMyths #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Ultrasonic
- Suggested Post Caption
Ultrasonic devices are widely marketed as a chemical-free solution for repelling rodents and insects, but research has consistently shown they are not an effective pest control method. 🔊
#MythVsFact #MosquitoMyths #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Baking Soda
- Suggested Post Caption
A common claim circulating online suggests that mixing baking soda with sugar or cornmeal will cause a fatal buildup of gases in rats. There is no scientific basis for this idea, and it is not a reliable method of rodent control. 🐀
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Dirty Rats
- Suggested Post Caption
Rats are highly adaptable and can thrive in a wide range of environments, not just dirty or neglected ones. 🐀
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Rats & Water
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A common belief is that rats will leave a building in search of water after consuming rodenticide, reducing the chance of dying indoors. This is a myth, and dead rodents can and do turn up inside walls, attics, and other hard-to-reach areas after treatment. 🐀
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Bag of Pennies
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The idea that hanging a bag of water with pennies will repel flies is a widely shared DIY remedy with several different explanations of how it works. To date, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. 🪰
#MythVsFact #PestManagement #FlyControl #VectorOutreach
Mint Plants
- Suggested Post Caption
Mint plants and peppermint oil are often recommended as natural rat deterrents, but there is no scientific evidence that they provide reliable or long-term rodent control. Like many scent-based deterrents, rodents can quickly adapt to new smells in their environment. 🐀🌿
#MythVsFact #RodentControl #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Citronella Candles
- Suggested Post Caption
Citronella candles are a popular backyard staple, but research suggests their effectiveness at repelling mosquitoes is limited. They may reduce mosquito activity in their immediate vicinity, but they do not provide the reliable protection of an EPA-registered repellent. 🕯️🦟
#MythVsFact #MosquitoMyths #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Bats
- Suggested Post Caption
The idea that bats will meaningfully reduce mosquitoes is a myth. Bats are opportunistic feeders that prefer larger insects, and mosquitoes make up only a small fraction of their diet under natural conditions. 🦇🦟
#MythVsFact #MosquitoMyths #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
Chrysanthemums
- Suggested Post Caption
Certain plants are often marketed as natural mosquito repellents, but the evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited. While some plants contain compounds that have repellent properties in concentrated form, simply having them in your garden is unlikely to provide meaningful protection from mosquito bites. An EPA-registered repellent remains the most reliable option. 🌸🦟
#MythVsFact #MosquitoMyths #PestManagement #VectorOutreach
