Insects are a natural part of our ecosystem, and they play an important role in the balance of nature. However, when they invade our homes, they become a nuisance, and in some cases, they can even be harmful. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common house insects in the house and the problems they can cause.
Insects seek food, water and shelter. They will move into your home if these needs are met. Ants, cockroaches, earwigs, flies, centipedes, silverfish and spiders are common household pests. Let’s see how to keep your home free of insects.
As with many other things in life, when it comes to keeping your home free of insects and pests, it is better to have a prevention strategy in place than to wait for an infestation to occur. Each of the following pests can appear at different times of the year, and some are more problematic than others.
Common Household Pests to Watch For
As homeowners, we do our best to keep our homes clean and tidy. However, no matter how much we try, it’s inevitable that we will encounter various insects in our homes. Some of these insects are harmless, while others can pose a threat to our health and home. In this article, we will be discussing the most common house insects in the house, including cockroaches, flies, spiders, bees, and termites, and how to keep them at bay.
The following is a brief list of natural products that are easy to obtain and use to keep your home free of insects.
Ants
Ants are notorious for finding the smallest scraps of food that have not been properly preserved. there are more than 800 species of ants in the United States, but the most common type of ants that you will find in a household are: Fire Ants, Pharaoh Ants, Argentine Ants, Pavement Ants, Thief Ants, Carpenter Ants and Odorous House Ants. You have to worry more about some species than others. For example, fire ants contain high toxins and some people are allergic to fire ants to the point that they can cause immediate death.
Carpenter ants are the pests that do the most material damage to your property. It’s possible that the insects are drawn to your property because you don’t regularly clean the area around the perimeter. After an infestation has been established, the pests will immediately begin their work. They will gnaw through the wooden components of your home and hollow them down, which will eventually compromise the structure’s structural stability.
Argentine ants don’t present a direct hazard to human health; however, they have the potential to contaminate food and release a musty stench when crushed.
Cockroaches
The cockroach is probably the most hated and feared household insect of all time. Its name alone conjures up images of filth. Cockroaches can get into even the cleanest of homes. Cockroaches are one of the most common insects found in homes. They are attracted to warm, moist environments and can survive on just about any type of food.
Cockroaches can be carriers of disease and can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. To prevent cockroach infestations, it’s important to keep your home clean and free of clutter. Make sure to seal any cracks or gaps in your walls or floors, and store your food in airtight containers. If you do have a cockroach infestation, it’s best to call a professional exterminator.
Flies
If there’s one thing that can ruin a pleasant evening indoors, it’s the appearance of flies. They are unpleasant, annoying and disease carriers. Flies are another common household insect that can be a nuisance. They are attracted to garbage, decaying matter, and other sources of food.
Flies can spread disease and bacteria, and they can contaminate your food. To keep flies at bay, make sure to keep your kitchen clean and free of food debris. Seal your garbage cans tightly and dispose of your trash regularly. You can also use screens on your windows and doors to prevent flies from entering your home.
Spiders
They feed on insects that can damage plants. They are not welcome indoors, although they are useful outdoors. Spiders are not insects, but they are still a common household pest. While most spiders are harmless, some species can be venomous and pose a danger to humans. Spiders are attracted to dark, quiet places, and they like to hide in corners and crevices. To prevent spider infestations, it’s important to keep your home clean and clutter-free. You can also use spider repellents or traps to keep them at bay.
Bees
The spiritual significance of a bee in the home is good fortune, prosperity, and charma in honey represents excellent health; but it represent a threat to kids with allergies. Even without allergies, nobody enjoys the sting of a bee. Bees are important pollinators, but they can also be a nuisance when they build their nests in and around our homes. While most bees are harmless, some people are allergic to their venom and can have a severe reaction if stung. If you find a bee nest on your property, it’s best to call a professional beekeeper or pest control company to remove it safely.
Termites
Termites are one of the most destructive household pests. They feed on wood, and if left untreated, they can cause significant damage to your home. Termites are often hard to detect, and by the time you notice them, they may have already caused significant damage. To prevent termite infestations, it’s important to keep your home dry and well-ventilated. Make sure to repair any leaks or moisture problems in your home, and keep your gutters and downspouts clean and free of debris. If you suspect you have a termite infestation, it’s best to call a professional pest control company.
Tips For Keeping Insects Out Of The House
There’s no reason to share your home with unwanted insects. Here are five simple steps to keep your home pest-free:
1. Look For Signs of Insect Presence
To keep your home free of insects, watch for signs that indicate their presence. For example, if you see a single cockroach or ant in your home, you should consider calling a pest control company to make sure you don’t have an infestation and put preventative measures in place.
2. Secure The Outside of Your Home
When dealing with a pest infestation, it is generally recommended to work from the outside in. After all, the insects came from outside. Insects can easily enter your home through a multitude of places, whether through windows, pipes, vents, roof shingles or vents.
To keep them out, you need to repair or close the access points. This may involve installing screens, plugging small cracks, sealing holes or fixing a plumbing problem.
Particularly with mosquitoes and fleas, yard upkeep can have a significant effect on pest populations. The breeding of mosquitoes requires a constant supply of water, so getting rid of any standing water in your yard is a great approach to cut down on the mosquito population.
It’s also crucial to keep the gutters and drains in good working order. To ensure their proper functioning, you should keep them clean of debris such as leaves, grass clippings, and other such things.
First, take a good, hard look at the outside of your house. Check for things like foundation cracks, loose or crumbling brick, rotten wood, and missing parts of siding. When you start to really look about your home, you could be amazed by how many different opportunities you notice.
Including caulk into your home improvement routine will allow you to fully benefit from its ability to fill gaps and cracks.
Piping for water, gas, electricity, or air conditioning is only one example of the many uses for wall penetrations. It’s important to search the entire exterior of your house for these kinds of openings, as they could be anywhere from the ground to the top of the roof.
3. Keep Your House Clean
You should vacuum regularly, seal food in containers and avoid clutter. Since pests tend to breed in dirty, unkempt, damp and dark spaces, keep the area under the bed, the refrigerator and other hard-to-reach places clean. Also be sure to take out the garbage regularly.
Keep all yor trash in the kitchen rather than having small bins around the residence. Trash should be placed in a can with a lid and emptied every night.
To keep insects out, exterior cans should have self-closing lids and you should also check for loose seals. ALL trash cans and recycling bins should be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis, at least once a week or every 2 weeks, and even more when they are frequently spilled.
If you maintain a compost pile, make sure it has a secure lid and is lined with hardwire cloth to keep bugs out. Ensure that fully composted materials are removed every two to three months.
4. Find Out Where The Insects Are Coming From
It’s important not to let your guard down and look for where insects are coming into the house. If ants or other insects are present, the first thing to do is to find out where they are coming from, so follow them until you find the point of entry.
Also, look for gaps at siding and foundation joints. Insects can enter the house through the bottom row of siding or trim because it is frequently not tightly sealed to the house. In order to fill this space, check up under this row for any gaps or weak connections and add trim, caulk, or foam. Once you have found the entry point or what attracts them, close the point or eliminate any food sources. Keep an eye out over the next few days to make sure no more insects are coming out of that area.
5. Avoid Moisture
Termites, ants, fleas, and spiders are just a few of the insects that thrive and breed well in moist environments. Your foundations can be protected from moisture, which will make it more challenging for them to procreate. To avoid luring termites, keep heaps of wood, leaves, mulch, or grass clippings away from foundations and store firewood distant from the home.
Insects love standing water and damp places. Damp places serve as breeding grounds and water sources. Inspect your home to make sure there are no plumbing problems (leaky pipes, damp walls, dripping faucets, etc.). There should be no standing water in the house for any reason. If you don’t have leaks but certain areas of the house, such as the basement or attic, are especially damp, consider using a dehumidifier.
What Natural Products Can You Use?
We recommend a list of natural products that will be very useful to keep your home free of insects.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural product for ants. In a spray bottle, combine half apple cider vinegar (although regular vinegar works just as well) and half water to repel these insects. This mixture can be sprayed around the perimeter of your home or even indoors where there are food sources.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is another effective ant repellent. When sprayed in areas where ants congregate, such as around crumb areas, they will stay away.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint repels aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fleas, flies, lice, mice and moths. There are three ways to use this oil effectively: dip cotton balls in it and hide them where insects congregate, apply the oil directly to the affected areas, or dilute it in water and spray it around the perimeter of the areas you want to protect. If diluting the oil, combine 10 drops of peppermint essential oil with 16 ounces of water in a spray bottle.
Aromatic Plants
Rosemary, basil, thyme, mint, bay leaf and lavender seeds on home windows to kill flies, moths, fleas and mosquitoes.
Spices
Spices are very useful for killing insects. Ants hate the smell of cloves, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, etc. You can put these spices near the wall or in front of the nest to eliminate them.
Expert Help is Essential
A pest infestation is a serious problem that can affect the structural integrity of your home and the health of you and your family. The best thing you can do to get rid of pests in your home quickly and effectively is to contact a pest control expert.
Regular pest control is essential to prevent unwanted insects from entering your home or office. Even if your home is the cleanest on the planet, bugs can still get in. The best way to make sure your home is pest-free is to have regular professional inspections and keep your spaces very clean with the support of dedicated deep cleaning crews.
We hope that these tips to keep your home free of insects will be useful and that you will no longer have to deal with their annoying and dangerous presence.
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