We all have to deal with household bugs at some point in our lives. However, there are some of these bugs that like to share our homes with us more than others. Let’s take a look at some of the most common household bugs in Florida, where you’ll find them, and what signs to look for.
Ants
Oh boy, don’t get us started on ants. These small guys can easily find their way into any house. They look for places that provide them with moisture and a food source to call their home. This makes our homes the perfect place for ants to move into, and they are a difficult tenant to evict.
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Kitchen
There are three main types of ants that you may find in your kitchen. These include the Odorous House Ant, Argentine Ant, and Pavement Ant. All of these are attracted to the abundant food source and high moisture that our kitchens provide. Paired with the easy access behind cabinets or walls it’s no surprise that the kitchen is such a common place to find these pests.
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Bathroom
Another common place that we find ants is in bathrooms. Typically, these are a different type of ant than we see in kitchens. Most likely you will be dealing with either Pharaoh Ants or Carpenter Ants. Pharaoh Ants prefer warm, humid environments with plenty of access to water. They make homes in your walls or behind baseboards. Carpenter Ants on the other hand are drawn to wet wood. This again makes our bathroom the perfect place to call home. Water from our showers and sinks can cause damage to the wood framing members behind our walls or under our floors. Carpenter ants will quickly take up residence if given this opportunity.
Bedbugs
Bedbugs are another unfortunately difficult pest to deal with. They like to catch rides from one household or location to another. These small insects go unnoticed until they’ve become an infestation. They are drawn to the CO2 we omit as we breathe. And come out to have a snack on our dead skin cells. We know, it sounds like it’s something out of a horror film, but it’s a reality that many Americans face.
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Bedroom
Of course, the most common place to find bedbugs is in our bedrooms. We typically start to notice an infestation when we begin waking up with red bite marks on our bodies. This is because as we sleep and breathe, that CO2 is attracting bedbugs to us. As they feed on dead skin cells, they bite us as well. This leaves small red marks across your body and a problem that needs to be addressed and quickly.
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Living Room
Although bedbugs are most commonly found in the bedroom they can live on any soft surface. This means that another common place to find them is on our couches. We spend a significant amount of time there and leave a large amount of skin cells behind that can feed an infestation. Regular cleaning can help reduce the attraction of bedbugs. However, treatment is best left to the professionals.
Flies
Although we are used to flies attacking the family picnic, they can also become a huge nuisance in our homes. There are several different types of flies that we may find inside our home, but House Flies and Fruit Flies are the most common. Typically, these are black, brown, or yellow and feed on a variety of foods we have in our home. They multiply quickly making containment even more difficult.
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Kitchen
Our kitchens again are the perfect breeding ground for flies. Old fruit on our counters tends to attract Fruit Flies. The trash we left in the can from the night before attracts House Flies. Once flies have made their way in, they can be very difficult to eliminate. Regular cleaning and proper storage of food can help reduce the attraction of flies. Regularly taking out trash so any larvae don’t have time to hatch can help to contain a problem. Oftentimes though, to really get rid of them professional treatment is needed.
Cockroaches
Just the sight of a cockroach is enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone. These resilient pests are hard to eliminate. They also happen to be one of the most common insects in both households and restaurants.
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Bathroom
Cockroaches are commonly found in bathrooms. These common household bugs frequently live in sewers and drains. They can then easily follow these drain lines into our homes, typically finding themselves in a warm, moist bathroom. This environment creates the perfect home for cockroaches. Cleaning drains routinely and periodically running water in less used fixtures can help eliminate this access point.
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Kitchen
Cockroaches are one of the most common insects aside from ants that we find in the kitchen. Kitchen cabinets provide a great hiding place along with the food and moisture that these insects are attracted to. You can find plenty of at home pesticides, but cockroach infestations are notoriously hard to deal with. This is why as with any infestation it is best to allow the professionals to come in and fully address your problem.
Although knowing the most common household bugs in Florida can help you know what you’re dealing with these problems are usually best left to the us. Give us a call and let us help you figure out not only what type of household bug you’re dealing with but what the best treatment plan is. These problems don’t go away on their own, and at home options are rarely effective long term. Don’t waste your time fighting a losing battle when help is right around the corner.
