Bugs are everywhere. For the most part, that is a good thing. Bugs are integral to the ecosystem, from pollinating plants to serving as a food source for other animals, including birds and bats.ย However, these creepy crawlies can become a problem when they make your home their own.
Common bugs in Massachusetts, such as cockroaches and bed bugs, can quickly become an irritant and even pose a threat to human health.ย When bugs infiltrate your home, acting as quickly as possible is imperative.
The longer they have to establish their presence, the harder it is to get rid of them. That is why working with an expert pest control service right from the start is the wisest choice.
In order to know what to tell the pros when you give them a call, here are the main features of the top four bugs found in MA homes.
Identifying and Managing Cockroaches
Despite the common conception of cockroaches as little brown bugs, they can actually come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, depending on the type that has taken residence in your home.
Owners should look for insects with flat, likely glossy, oval-shaped bodies. They may be brown, black, or even reddish, but they should always have six legs and two thin and long antennae. Some can even fly, so they may have wings!
Cockroaches love the dark, so you are most likely to see them in shaded places in the home, such as the back of a cupboard or underneath the refrigerator. You may only notice them when you turn the light on, and they scatter. Look for waste and shed exoskeletons as signs that they are reproducing in your home.
Cockroaches can be dangerous for humans because they can contaminate food and spread disease. Remove crumbs and access to food, store packaged goods in glass jars, and keep areas clean to reduce the appeal of your home to these pesky disease carriers.
Dealing with Ant Infestations
Like cockroaches, ants come in many colors and sizes. Carpenter and paver ants are the most likely species to infest your home. Paver ants are small ants that are attracted to food debris in your home and will create scent lines that hundreds of their compatriots will follow to bring food back to their colony.
Carpenter ants, on the other hand, may cause permanent damage to your home by chewing through wood.ย The best way to address an ant problem is to make the home inhospitable.
Remove food sources and potential hiding spots near the home. Ants may shelter in wood piles and grass with thick thatch. Seal entry points and pay attention to where the ants are coming from so that you can create barriers or employ bait stations to discourage repeat visits.
Understanding and Controlling Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can be one of the most difficult insects to remove from a home once they become established. These flat, oval-shaped bugs are red or light brown and may even look fuzzy or hairy.
Many people do not realize they have bed bugs until they start to get itchy or find small, white eggs in their bedding and along the seams of their mattress. If you have been bitten without realizing it, you may find blood spots on your sheets.
Most bed bug infestations will require a thorough protocol, from cleaning all soft materials on high heat for at least 30 minutes (e.g., steam cleaning carpets) to performing chemical treatments of an entire room.
If you notice bed bugs, do not rush out to buy new bedding; they will likely just infest that, too. Call the experts for help because these little biters can survive for more than a year and a half without food โ you cannot wait them out.
Managing Pesky House Flies
Nothing is more annoying than sitting down to a meal and having a fly land on your freshly prepared food. House flies, which usually appear as dark black, iridescent bugs with large eyes and transparent wings, are quick and difficult to swat.
They are attracted to food, waste, and decaying organic matter. Because they land on so many objects, from piles of fecal matter to the food on your plate, flies are adept at spreading disease.
Fly traps can be a useful solution for reducing the population, but to truly get rid of flies, keep your house clean so they do not have an easily accessible food source. Professionals can help establish outdoor exclusion methods that address the root of the issue.
Keep Bugs Out of Your Home with Expert Help
Bugs can make your life more complicated and inconvenient than it has to be, but choosing an effective pest control company can make all the difference.
The experts at Spartan Animal & Pest Control can help you identify where the bugs are coming from and how to stop them โ for good. Contact Spartan to explore customized pest control solutions for the most common bugs found in Massachusetts.
