How to Get Rid of the Most Common Pests in Homes

When the chilly winds of fall arrive, outside bugs will scramble inside. Having creepy, crawly insects try and find shelter inside your house can be an unsettling thought. Here we’ll cover the most common pests in homes and how to get rid of them.

What are the most common indoor pests?

Ants

A line of ants marching across your kitchen counter can make you uneasy. Ants tend to crawl inside when it’s either hot and dry or cold and wet outside and can be drawn inside because of a food source- fruits, sweets, and crumbs.

Two common types of ants are garden ants and carpenter ants.

Garden ants are usually glossy black colored and are 5-7 mm in length. They normally nest outside and in the ground. Although they don’t do much damage to your house, they can be a nuisance to have.

Carpenter ants are typically reddish-black and 5/8 inch in length. These ants like to nest inside various wood structures and can enter your home through damaged or cracked surfaces. They can be very damaging to your house as they tend to dig tunnels through the wood and grow their nest.

Repair holes and gaps around windows and under doors to keep ants out. Be sure to wipe food prep areas frequently to avoid crumbs attracting ants.

Beetles

Beetles are one of the common pests in homes. A frequently sighted beetle inside homes is carpet beetles.

Carpet beetles prefer to live in storage areas, wool clothing, carpeting, and in dark corners of drawers and closets. However, they can find their way into the kitchen and into flours, cornmeal, and breakfast cereal containers. Talk about a morning wake-up call!

Centipedes

This long, multi-legged insect looks especially creepy, scampering across the floor. Yikes! Centipedes like to feast on other insects like spiders, silverfish, and cockroaches, so if you see them inside, take note.

Centipedes usually hang out near storage boxes, floor drains, and cracks in concrete. They prefer any nook and cranny that is damp and cool.

Wasps and Hornets 

Wasps and hornets usually don’t set up shop in your home’s interior. But they may get inside your walls, in your attic, or find their way under your roof.

Watch for insects flying toward and away from your roofline. It may be a sign of a wasp or hornet nest inside.

Locating the nest can be difficult. If necessary, contact a professional exterminator.

Also, contact your local animal control if you stumble upon a honeybee nest.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches. Ugh! They spread bacteria and breed rapidly. They can even trigger allergies or asthma in some people. No wonder it’s one of the least favorite home invaders!

They hang out anywhere where there’s warmth, clutter, or an ample supply of food and water.

Cockroaches like to contaminate food and destroy paper. The bathroom or kitchen area is where you will most likely find cockroaches because of the warmth those areas provide.

Mosquitoes

These pests often fly inside when someone opens the door to the outside. Mosquitoes will bite to make a meal of human or animal blood.

Their bites cause itchiness, but they may also pose a health problem causing diseases like the West Nile virus or the Zika virus. So, keep the doors closed and put the screens on screened-in windows when possible.

Flies

Nothing is more annoying than a fly buzzing around the house. No matter the fly species- housefly, gnat, or fruit fly- these flying pests often carry diseases.

These little guys can sneak in through open doors or windows, so be careful when entering or exiting! Likewise, to mosquitoes, try to have screens on your windows to prevent them from entering.

Typically, flies can be lingering on a sunny windowsill or by a light fixture. Or you can find them around sink drains and garbage cans.

Keep your garbage clean to prevent their presence, as flies will try to breed inside.

 

Spiders

Watch for spiders near windows and in the corners of rooms since that’s normally how they enter your home. Be sure to eliminate other common pests in your home since that’s their food supply, and they are drawn to where other insects live.

Some spiders like moist and humid environments, so try using a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity in your home.

How can I get rid of indoor and outdoor spiders?

Easily fix your spider problem with Wet & Forget’s Miss Muffet’s Revenge. Just one spray of Miss Muffet’s Revenge Spider Killer stops spiders in their tracks. And, it keeps them away for up to a year!

How to apply Miss Muffet’s Revenge:

To eliminate spiders indoors:

1. Spray a 4-inch band of Miss Muffet’s Revenge around interior walls until slightly wet.
2. Let treated surfaces dry. Sweep away any cobwebs with a broom.

To eliminate spiders around the exterior of your home:

1. Spray a 12-inch band of Miss Muffet’s Revenge around your home’s foundation. Spray surfaces until slightly wet.
2. For best results, apply the product when the weather is dry and there are no rain chances in the forecast.
3. Then, let treated surfaces dry. Sweep away any cobwebs with a broom.
4. Reapply as needed throughout the season.

Nix your spider problems for good with Miss Muffet’s Revenge Perimeter and Indoor Spider Killer.

How do pests get inside? How do I prevent it?

Home repair expert Danny Lipford says there are four home access points that should be sealed before the onset of winter. Danny mentions:

Roofs: “Your roof should be inspected yearly to check for broken or missing shingles, damaged downspouts, and chimney boot disrepair.” Try to inspect your roof at least once a season to ensure no seasonal damage has compromised your roof.

Foundations: Now, walk around your home and “look for cracks, chips, and openings that could lead to the residence.” If you do notice any, patch up the possible entry points to keep common pests and rodents out of your home.

Air Conditioners: “If you have a whole-house air conditioner unit sitting outside your home with a hose entering through a side wall, make sure the hose is not threadbare or torn.” Double-check to see that the hose access point is sealed and not worn to the point where small critters could enter.

Doors and Windows: “Make sure all windows and doors are properly sealed. Replace worn weather stripping around the door frames to keep out unwanted pests and cold air.” Not only will resealing or replacing the stripping keep the bugs away, but it’ll also help insulate your house.

Knowing more about the most common pests in homes and how they make their way in will help you keep them outside where they belong! In the comments below, let us know your personal experience dealing with these common pests in homes.