Within our lifetime, we encounter different house pests that affect our comfort in various ways. Carpenter ants and termites destroy wood, wasps deliver painful stings, while silverfish destroy clothes. Here are some common household pests you should know.
These large black or red ants are widespread in forested areas across the world. They are known as carpenter ants because they create a home inside wood but don’t feed on it. If you have an infestation, you will see several worker ants around small openings on the wood surface. At the bottom of the wood, you will notice tiny sawdust shavings, body parts and different debris. The tunnels inside the wood usually appear smooth and clean.
This eight-legged arachnid is one to fear thanks to its extremely venomous nature. The black widow spider is black with a red hourglass shape on its abdomen. These spiders may come into your home for habitat and to also feed on insects, ants and other pests. Black widow spiders can also spin webs in tall grass, wood and debris. To keep the spiders out of your home, clear all the grass, bushes, and check under logs and debris around your home. After a bite, adults may experience muscle pains, nausea, and paralysis that hinders effective breathing.
Termites can chew through wooden houses, logs, pool liners, insulation and shrubs. These tiny insects can cost you hundreds of dollars if not eliminated quickly. In spring, winged termites or swarmers appear and mate, before starting new colonies. However, while these winged termites will not cause damage, they may indicate an infestation of an entire colony.
If you notice swarmers emerging from your foundation or under your porch, there a chance that you have termites in your home. Other signs include fine mud tubes along the surfaces in your basement or fine tunnels inside wooden structures.
Wasps deliver some of the most painful stings which may be fatal for anyone with a wasp’s venom allergy. These flying insects vary in appearance from yellow-striped blacks, greens and metallic blues. Usually, wasps create their nests in eaves, soffits and gutters, and frequent open garbage, spilled drinks, flowers, and plants. Generally, most wasps attack when provoked, which makes them dangerous to have around.
Silverfish have a teardrop-shaped body with a silver color and are commonly in old books, clothing, wallpaper and cardboard's. They thrive in damp environments and feed on any food to get their sugar. The best way to avoid silverfish infestation is to keep your house clean by vacuuming, cleaning regularly and covering food. Eliminating moisture and sealing cracks is also useful in reducing their numbers.
Professional pest control for your home, school or commercial building is an effective and affordable way to manage common pests. For more information on how to protect your loves ones from pests, contact SaveHaven Pest Control a licensed pest control company today.