4 House Pests You Don’t Want

The balance of the world’s ecosystems depends on the presence of critters and bugs. But, when they are in areas they shouldn’t be, like your home, they not only cause trouble by being an annoyance but also have the potential to spread diseases and seriously harm your house.

Here are some typical household pests to avoid and ways to contain them:

Cockroaches

These small bugs can spread bacteria and diseases like wildfire depending on the species. You can expose your loved ones to salmonella, coliform, staphylococcus, streptococcus, and the hepatitis virus. They can even contaminate food, ruin fabric and paper, and leave surface stains.

Cockroaches can’t be eradicated with off-the-shelf bug sprays. Hire the services of professionals like Stomp the Bug, Greensboro’s best pest control company, to deal with unwanted guests.

For future security, find and eliminate all food and water sources for the insects and any spots where they can hide. By setting traps for them, you can track when they return and manage them more promptly and successfully.

Mice

Despite not being as big as rats, mice are significantly more destructive than their size would suggest. The droppings of mice, which resemble giant coffee grounds, are a sure clue that they are in the house, even if you don’t witness them running through your house. They chew on books, pillows, and other soft objects, dropping urine and feces wherever they go.

Since mice can multiply up to 10 times a year, it’s critical to control their number as soon as possible. Whether indoors or out, keep anything they might consider food tightly concealed.

Mice can squeeze through even the smallest spaces, so it’s also crucial to repair any holes that could provide them access to your house.

Homeowners can also set up traps and use rodenticides or adhesive boards to catch and kill the mice. For best results, invest in the services of a good pest control company.

Rats

Even the bravest souls get a little queasy around rats. It’s crucial to start control procedures once you have clear evidence of them. Some indications that you may have rats include burrows in your yard or compost pile, rustling at night in your attic, and finding rat droppings.

Rats enjoy chewing on wood, wires, and food items. They can cause expensive damage and spread several illnesses to people, including typhus, salmonellosis, and rat bite fever.

In addition to eliminating their food sources, it’s also essential to be rodent-proof by involving the services of a pest control company. You can even impose preventative measures like filling openings larger than a quarter inch with steel wool or sheet metal that they can’t nibble through.

Use rat traps over poisoning them as they might die in the walls or other difficult-to-reach locations.

Termites

These tiny white, brown, or black bugs are notorious for biting the lumber used to construct houses. They can also pose a risk to books, furniture, and food items further inside the framework of a house.

The queen termite can produce thousands of eggs in a single day, causing your house to sustain increasing damage. You might have a termite infestation if you observe swarms of tiny winged insects in the spring or fall or discover tunneling, darkening, or scorching in wood.

Professional removal is necessary no matter what species of termites have infested your property. To keep termites away, place wooden furniture 12 inches above the ground and properly ventilate the building to avoid moisture retention. Choose termite-resistant timbers like cedar, redwood, and white oak.