Bugs are everywhere. Studies have shown that the average acre of land contains more than 100 million living organisms, the majority of which are bugs. These creatures are important for the natural environment, but they can become problematic when they invade peopleโs homes and infiltrate their food, bedding, and furniture.
In order to stop a bug invasion before it begins, itโs useful to know about the most common bugs in Massachusetts and how they decide where to live and what to eat.
Hereโs an overview of the most common bugs that could invade your home and what you can do to keep them at bay.
Overview of Common Bugs in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is home to almost1,300 unique species of bugs, many of which find human homes to be ideal places to stay. The most common among these are bees, wasps, hornets, ants, spiders, and cockroaches.
The flying insects can become problematic due to the nests or hives they build, which can block gutters or pose a threat to people in the area โ especially those who are allergic.
While honeybees are essential to a thriving ecosystem and should be relocated by an expert, wasps and hornets require a different approach to keeping them away from the home.
Carpenter ants make their homes in woody surfaces, including your home’s wood framing. Given enough time, they can cause substantial damage that is expensive, time-consuming, and complicated to fix.
The notorious cockroach is probably the pest that comes to mind when most people think of an infestation in their home, and for good reason.
Cockroaches are notoriously difficult to get rid of, and they require expert intervention to stop an outbreak. In fact, Massachusetts is home to some of the nationโs most cockroach-infested cities based on statistical surveys.
These are just a few of the many potential invaders who can threaten the peace and cleanliness of your home.
Identification and Signs of Infestation
Identifying pests is the first step in creating an effective plan to eliminate them. Hornets, wasps, and bees are the easiest to identify because they create visible hives.
These flying insects are looking for small, tight gaps, such as cracks between gutters or in-house siding. This secure area provides a safe location to establish the root of a hive, after which they can expand their home.
Carpenter ants are looking for soft wood that is easy to chew. If you notice holes in the woody surfaces of your home or streaks across wooden dรฉcor, you could be facing an invasion of carpenter ants.
They are much larger than regular ants, with a thick, heart-shaped head.ย If you have cockroaches in your home, youโll probably know when your food items begin to sport holes in the packaging.
Many people find a living cockroach (or hear them in dark places) before they find droppings or molted shells. Their oval-shaped bodies and shielded heads make their brown shells shiny in the light.
Prevention and Control Measures
Keeping bugs out of your home requires tailored methods suited to each insectโs habits. Flying insects will choose other locations if you seal gaps and cracks in your home to prevent them from gaining a foothold for their hives.
As an added benefit, this also makes your structure more difficult to invade, so roaches, spiders, ants, and more will also have to work harder to find a vulnerability.
When attempting to stop carpenter ants, the best strategy is to remove safe spaces for their colony to live. Most carpenter ants donโt venture far from their home, so eliminating piles of wood or dead tree debris near your home can force them to leave before they reach your building.
Cockroach control comes down to good hygiene and food preservation. These bugs are in it for the meal, so sealing your food inside glass containers and keeping your living area free of crumbs and trash is the fastest way to eliminate their food source.
Proactive prevention is the most important step in sealing your home against pest invaders and preventing them from gaining a foothold. However, bugs are small and adaptable, so it is important to work with professionals for the most comprehensive protection.
Stop Invaders Before They Multiply
A proactive homeowner is best poised to deal with a problem if one does occur. Hiring trained pest control experts can improve the effectiveness of pest treatments and stop bugs from making your home their own.
The experts at Spartan Animal & Pest Control have years of experience tackling Massachusettsโ most common bugs. Contact Spartan to share the details of your current situation and get help from experts to keep your home bug-free.
