Insects are hugely annoying pests and, unfortunately, there are many different types that are quite common in households across the country. Nobody likes to open up their cupboards to see ants scurrying away (or worse – cockroaches!). You don’t want your bowl of fruit to end up housing a swarm of fruit flies. And what about the more dangerous insects, like weevils or germ-filled flies?
For your peace of mind, it is vital that you find any and all insects taking up residence in your household – and have them destroyed immediately. There are many services available to you should you decide to hire exterminators to control the pest situation. Read on to identify several common household insects, and then work hard to get them out of your house!
1. Silverfish
Silverfish are tiny insects known for their distinctive shiny silver coat (hence the name) – and their liking for eating through different types of paper and glue. This makes them hugely harmful to any books, magazines, boxes, and other possessions made of paper or cardboard. If you have a book collection that you are proud of, you will have to make doubly sure that silverfish are removed from your home.
These insects are somewhat tricky to get rid of, but either you – or some exterminators – can remove them using various traps. You can also make them less likely to show up in your home by storing items in plastic boxes and keeping newspapers and other such items from piling up.
2. Bed bugs
Just the thought of bed bugs is enough to make you shudder. Well, there’s a good reason for that! Bed bugs are common household insects that live in your sheets and pillowcases and feast on you while you sleep. There’s nothing to like about these insects and the sooner they’re gone, the better. Take special care to wash and dry your bedding on a heated cycle (or throw it all out and purchase new bedding). You may have to also invest in a new mattress.
Additionally, calling exterminators can move the process along, leaving you bed bug free in less time. For a good night’s sleep, get the bed bugs removed from your home as soon as possible.
3. Ants
Come spring or summer time, there are sure to be ants in your home. No matter how securely you seal up the sugar or package food, ants almost always find their way into your kitchen (or other areas of your home). While regular field ants aren’t a huge health or safety concern, they are certainly annoying and more than a little icky.
Ridding your house of these common household insects is a difficult proposition at times, but there are certainly traps you can set and measures you can take to discourage them from coming to your home en force. Make sure your windows and doors are sealed and keep food off counters. Sweep and vacuum floors regularly as well.
4. Flies
While perhaps not as harmful as they once were, houseflies can still carry a tremendous amount of germs on their bodies. That’s definitely not something you want on your counters, tables, or food! While keeping a fly swatter handy is a great way to keep the fly population at bay, you’ll probably also want to set out traps (because fly carcasses landing who knows where isn’t the greatest thing for your home).
Another type of fly – the fruit fly – can turn your delicious fruit into something almost unrecognizable. Again, traps are quite easy to make for these pesky invaders. Some vinegar and sugar (accessible to the flies through a paper cone into a canning jar) should cut the fruit fly population down considerably. You may also want to store any loose fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator for the time being as well.
5. Cockroaches
Few things can make people shudder faster than the sight – or even just the thought – of a cockroach. Cockroaches are notoriously associated with all things dirty and grimy (though the fact that they’re in your home – if they are – does not mean that you have a filthy home). Cockroaches are incredibly hard to kill or even catch so if you find some in your house, it’s probably best to call an exterminator. These common household insects carry diseases and can spoil food, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Rid your home of them as soon as possible!
6. Weevils
These bugs can ruin your dry goods – things like rice, flour, and sugar – in less than no time. If you find that your kitchen has a weevil infestation, it probably came from a grocery store. Don’t waste any time to destroying the weevils that you find. Also, you’ll want to throw away any dry goods that contain weevils – and any other dry goods that are not sealed and may have been exposed to the containment. It will probably feel awful to throw away so much seemingly good food. But it’s better to spend some extra money on some more flour than to become sick from eating weevil-infested foods.
