The average American home has between 32 and 211 species of pest in it at any given time. While this sounds like a scary amount, most of us never even notice or know that they are there.
There are some common pests that we are aware of, though. These are the ones that are either big enough or annoying enough to notice.
Keep reading for the 9 most common pests in your home and how to prevent them from becoming a problem.
1. Flies
You’re trying to eat, and you keep having to swat away the flies as the dive bomb you and your food. Did you know that flies aren’t just annoying, but they are dangerous too?
Their tiny little bodies carry over 100 pathogens. They can contaminate your food and give you food poisoning, cholera, meningitis, and gastric upset.
Prevention
Stop flies from invading by limiting their access to your home. If you want to leave your doors or windows open, then have a screen covering them.
Keep your garbage covered and secured. You’ll also want to clean the surfaces of your home. Don’t leave any food laying out open and uncovered.
2. Bed Bugs
These creepy crawling little pests will make your skin crawl just thinking about them. They are about the size of an apple seed and a reddish brown.
These bugs love the nestle down in your bedding, towels, anything fabric. They will wait until you’re near and then feed on you. You’ll need to stay up late to catch them though as they are nocturnal.
Prevention
The best way to prevent bed bugs is to prevent them from coming into your home in the first place. This means vacuuming your suitcases after travel. You should also wash all fabric items that you brought with you.
Check your sheets for blood spots. You should also be careful of any second-hand furniture you decide to buy.
3. Ants
Six different types of ants are commonly found in the United States. While they vary in size and color, they all have one thing in common; they are a nuisance.
They typically have an elongated body with a triangle head and six skinny legs. Two antennae come out of their head that they use for navigating and communicating.
If you see one, there are hundreds if not thousands of his brothers shortly behind him. You will most often find ants in your kitchen and bathroom since they are attracted to food and moisture.
Prevention
You can prevent ants from taking over your home by eliminating any standing water. You should also cut the plants around your home back, so they are not touching your house.
Since ants are so small, you’ll want to seal up any cracks or tiny openings on the outside of your home. These are how they get into your home when searching for food.
Cinnamon and peppermint repel ants so if you start to see them around you home spray these two as oil to repel the scouts.
4. Wasps and Bees
There is a delicate balance you need to have when it comes to the flying pests around your home. Both bees and wasps provide valuable services. Bees pollinate the local flora. While wasps help control the other insects.
The problem is that wasps tend to become aggressive and territorial. You don’t need wasp guardsmen at your front door preventing people from entering your home.
You will know you have a wasp, bee, yellowjacket, or hornet problem by walking around your home and looking for their nests. They are typically attached to awnings, poles, overhangs, or fences.
Prevention
The first thing you’ll want to do is remove any available food sources. This could be pet food you left out, picnic scraps, garbage bins, or a compost pile.
Anything sugary can also attract them. So pick up any fruit juice, cans of soda, or fallen fruit around your trees.
If you do notice wasps, avoid trying to swat them. This will trigger a release of their stress hormone and will call the other wasps to the first one’s rescue.
5. Termites
This bug is known as the silent destroyer of homes. They can take over all of the wood in your home without you ever knowing.
Spring is when they become the most active and scout for new locations to take over. Five main types of termites plague American homes.
You want to keep an eye out for bubbling or cracked paint. You will also find the discarded wings of the explorers around your home and on windowsills. You can even knock on wood around your home and see if it sounds hollow.
Prevention
The smartest course of action is to set up a regular protection plan with a local pest control company. But you can also take some steps to make your home less appealing to termites.
Be diligent about getting rid of moisture in and around your home. Direct water away and take care of any standing water issues.
6. Mice
They seem so cute, right? But the only mice you should want in your home are the ones on tv or kept as pets.
The mice that are pests spread disease and contaminate your food. They will also leave their waste everywhere.
They are pro climbers, so you need to mice proof your home from ground level up to the roof. You’ll know you have a mouse problem if you see their waste or chew marks around your home.
Prevention
To avoid having mice take over your home, be sure to store all of your food in heavy plastic containers. Never leave food sitting out.
If you have fruit trees in your yard, be sure to collect any fruit that falls.
Look for holes in your foundation and around the eaves. Fill them with plaster, steel wool, caulk, or cement. Mice also don’t like the smell of peppermint, so plant it around your home.
7. Cockroaches
This is one of the worst and most dangerous infestations you can deal with. They carry at least 33 different types of bacteria, including salmonella and E. Coli.
If you see one in your home during the day, you can be positive that there are more hiding away in your home. They are naturally nocturnal and elusive, so if they are out during the day, you’ve got a serious infestation on your hands.
Prevention
The first step to avoiding a roach problem is to keep your home clean. Remove any trace of food and water that could attract them.
Then you need to seal up your home. Check all of the weather stripping around your windows and doors. You’ll also want to be careful about bringing cardboard boxes into your home.
8. Fleas
Fleas are a nightmare for anyone with a pet. These tiny pests thrive in fabric, the carpet, and on your pet. Sometimes, they even come after humans.
Once in your home, they begin to lay eggs quickly, and in thirty days you have a whole new crop of fleas to start the cycle over again.
You’ll have a losing battle trying to catch and squish them. Instead, you’ll need some strong chemicals and a lot of cleaning to get them out of your home. If you can’t get rid of them with over the counter treatments, then you will need to use professional exterminators like these services in Chino.
Prevention
Preventing fleas from coming into your home is the best way to avoid an infestation. Put your pets on a consistent flea prevention medication schedule. This could be drops, pills, collars, or a topical.
If your pets go out in your yard, then schedule a pest control company to come out and regularly spray your yard. This will make your home, yard, and pet uninhabitable for fleas.
9. Spiders
There are many different types of spiders that you will find in and around your home. Some are more harmless than others. In general, though, the majority of spiders have an unfair reputation, and they are more of a nuisance than an actual threat.
Spiders around the outside of your home can be beneficial as they help control the population of other pests.
Prevention
If spiders bother you, then there are a few steps you can take. Seal up any cracks or gaps in your home. You can also spray to keep the pests spiders feed 1on down.
If you find webs or eggs in your home, the best way to remove them is with a vacuum.
Prevent Common Pests in Your Home
When it comes to dealing with pests in your home, the best thing you can do is prevent them from getting in. This will stop them before they have a chance to settle in and make your home their home.
Keep an eye out for these common pests, and if you see any signs or trace of them, act fast. The sooner you combat them, the less likely you will have an infestation on your hands.
For more home care advice, be sure to check out our blog.