Pests are often associated with dirty living spaces, but that is not always the case. Many pests enter homes when in search of a warm place to live, or they are brought in accidentally. The cause of the infestation depends on the species involved and the entry point that the animals use.
Here’s a list of common household pests, where they typically come from, and what you can do to avoid them in the future. If you need help pest-proofing the house, contact Pest Control Bolton or another professional in your area.
Mice
Mice enter homes when in search of food and shelter. These little critters can tell that the home’s interior is more comfortable, and they can smell that there is food indoors. To get inside, mice typically crawl under doors and squeeze themselves through wall vents, cracks in the siding, and gaps along the edges of the soffits. Once indoors, they usually hide within wall voids, floor voids, and quiet, enclosed areas.
If you want to avoid mice, move things away from the outer walls of the home and seal every possible entry point. Put door sweeps on the bottoms of your doors and cover vents with a quarter-inch mesh. Stuff other holes with steel wool and put screens in your windows. Indoors, be sure to keep food in sealed containers and keep the house clean.
Rats
Rats are very similar to mice, but they usually get into the house by digging their way through the foundation. Inspect your foundation for cracks and seal any you find with epoxy. Secure your windows with screens and cover all your vents with mesh. For added protection, dig a trench around your foundation and install a 16-gauge, galvanized steel mesh onto the sides of the home. This will prevent any rats from digging through.
Because rats are wild animals that come from the outdoors, you can reduce your likelihood of getting them by removing food sources from the yard. Pick up all your fallen fruit, avoid feeding the birds, and clean up after every meal outside. Use lidded garbage cans.
Ants
Garden ants make their nests in the soil, so they usually only come indoors when looking for food. To avoid them, put door sweeps on your doors to the outside and keep your floors clean so that the pests cannot smell anything.
Carpenter ants, which are much larger than garden ants, are attracted to moist, decaying wood. Dehumidify your home and maintain your deck outside to reduce your chances of getting these bugs. If you notice that ants are coming in and out of the walls, contact a pest control company immediately.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are attracted to filth, but these bugs are happy to live anywhere there is food. These pests are common in restaurants and high rises. They get around by crawling through the walls, and If you have cockroaches, keeping the house clean won’t get rid of them. These pests will continue to thrive off microscopic bits of grease and moisture.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs differ from most pests because they feed only on blood. These are tiny bugs that move very slowly. They can crawl through the walls of apartment buildings but usually get around by clinging to fabrics. People usually get bed bugs after staying in a hotel or using shared laundry services. Libraries, lecture halls, movie theatres, and public transit buses are also prone to bed bugs.
If you want to avoid these bugs, scrutinize your belongings after staying in a hotel. Check your clothing and luggage before bringing them home, and don’t leave your clothes at the laundromat – fold your laundry at home. Contact a pest control company as soon as you notice bite marks on your skin or suspect that there are bugs in your bed.
Centipedes
Centipedes are horrifying insects that usually get inside by slithering through window wells and openings on the side of the house. These bugs are carnivores that love humid homes where they can find other bugs to eat. To avoid them, dehumidify your home and fix all leaky faucets. Always run the bathroom fan when taking a shower and move vegetation away from the walls of the home. Add weatherstripping to the bottoms of your doors and fix cracks in the walls with epoxy or caulking. If there are other bugs in your house, get rid of them as soon as you can.
Spiders
Like centipedes, spiders are attracted to homes where they can find other bugs to eat. Web-building spiders tend to set up shop near windows, doors, and light fixtures where insects will fly in. Check that your window screens are in good shape and avoid leaving lights on near your windows and doors. Anything that attracts flies will attract spiders. So, keep the house clean and seal the entry points that could bring insects indoors.
