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What Are Some Common Household Pests?

It’s almost an everyday thing to see common household pests in your home. They come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Homeowners know the stress of having to contain and clean their mess in their home.

The best way to take charge of pest control is to learn more about the pests themselves. You no longer have to deal with these annoying pests if you know more about reducing their numbers. Here are some of the most common pests and some ways to prevent them.

Cockroaches

Among all the common household pests, cockroaches are the most stubborn and hazardous. They can quickly multiply, which makes it harder to get rid of them. Cockroaches carry about 33 different kinds of bacteria and can also carry parasitic worms.

It’s possible to get diseases such as salmonella, hepatitis virus, and many more. Their discarded husks can trigger asthmatic and allergic reactions. A great way to reduce cockroaches is by reducing water and placing traps all around the house.

Mice/Rats

Rodents such as mice and rats are bigger, which means they can do more damage to your belongings. They can also make a lot of noise through your walls and ceilings. Rodents may leave plenty of bite marks on your belongings and leave behind some droppings.

These common pests can travel to many places before ending up in your home, like the trash and sewers. They can pass diseases like typhus, ratbite fever, and salmonella. The best way to catch them is by placing traps around the house and closing up ways they can enter through.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are one of the tiniest household pests. You can find them in the crevices and corners of upholstered furniture and mattresses. These nest parasites are wingless insects that can feed on mammals, birds, and people.

Bed bugs like to feed on us since we don’t have many skin layers that protect our blood. It’s hard to notice them on your mattress until you start seeing the bite marks. Start using hot water to clean your bed sheets and blankets to get rid of bed bugs.

Termites

These small bugs are famous for their antics in attacking all the lumber in your home. They can destroy and rip through your floors, walls, wallpapers, furniture, and so on. You can see these small, winged insects during spring or fall.

Termites can cause a lot of structural damage in a few minutes. Check for any cracked paint, wood that sounds hollow, and mud tubes in wooden beams. To lessen your termite problems, try to reduce moisture problems and remove any food sources in and out of the house.

Beetles

Beetles have over 350,000 species all over the globe. You can find them in many colors and a huge scale of sizes with a common round shape. Most beetles won’t do any harm, but some may bite you and damage the structures of your home.

Most beetles get attracted by cloth, furniture, wood, grains, and fabrics. Beetle removal is easy to do since all you need is a vacuum in the area.

You can also control your beetle issues by controlling your home’s moisture levels. Placing shades on your lights also prevents beetles from getting attracted to them.

Mosquitos

Mosquitos are one of the most annoying and dangerous pests in your home. You can mostly find them outdoors, but many tend to sneak their way indoors. Their high-pitched whine and sting can cause plenty of annoyance and itch.

These pests are famous for spreading diseases like the Zika virus, dengue, and the West Nile virus. Avoid leaving stagnant water in and outside your home to avoid making a breeding ground for mosquitos. Try adding a fine mesh to act as a screen on your doors and windows.

Ants

Ants are popular for finding ways to reach small crumbs of food in your home. They are a small yet mighty insect that can be difficult to remove. Some ants are harmless, but other ants can give a painful bite.

Ants are usually the number one for property damage and food contamination. It’s time to start being more diligent in cleaning food spills and your containers. It would be best if you also sealed all the cracks in your home to reduce access opportunities.

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies love ripe, rotting, and dying produce and fruit. They also enjoy all your fermented drinks, such as liquors, wines, and beer. One of the biggest problems with fruit flies is their contamination speed.

Fruit fly females can lay about 500 eggs, which can hatch in about 24 to 30 hours. They love breeding in garbage disposals, drains, mop buckets, and garbage bins. Keeping fruit flies away is not a one-time task; you need to consistently clean and reduce your home’s humidity.

Spiders

There are two types of spiders you can find in your home, either poisonous or domestic spiders. Many spiders in your house can’t harm you and can be a house helper with getting rid of other insects. However, there’s a chance that a poisonous spider enters your home like a Black Recluse spider or Hobo spider.

One of the biggest annoyances with house spiders is getting out of hand with their wastes and webs. Spiders get attracted to moisture, so it’s common to see them in basements and crawl spaces. Some can also live in air vents, attics, and at the corner of high ceiling rooms.

It’s easy to keep spiders under control. Start by sealing up all the cracks in your home with a silicone-based caulk. Remove all the eggs, webs, and spiders with a vacuum.

The best way to control pests, especially spiders, is to call a professional pest control service. Consider Altus Pest Control to help you get rid of household pests. They can also make recommendations and suggest ways to help reduce them in the future.

What Are Some Common Household Pests? 

Reduce their numbers now that you know more about common household pests. From cockroaches to spiders, call professional pest control services to handle them.

Reduce the chances of getting illness by learning more about household pests! Take a look at our other guides if you want to know more about reducing pests and problems.