Top 12 Common Household Pests: Identification, Prevention, and Control
Having pests in your home can be annoying, damaging, and in some cases even dangerous. Identifying the type of pest is the first step towards getting rid of them. Here is an overview of some of the most common household pests, signs of an infestation, why they may be attracted to your home, and how to treat an infestation.
How to Tell if You Have Pests
Some signs that you may have unwelcome household pests include:
- Visible bugs crawling on floors, walls, furniture etc.
- Small droppings or fecal smears
- Chewing or scratching noises in walls and floors
- Damage to food packaging or clothing
- Allergic reactions
- Odors from pest secretions or decaying nesting materials
- Wasp nests forming on the eaves of the house
If you spot any of these signs, inspect further and identify the pest so that targeted treatment can begin. Unwanted pests should not be tolerated inside a home due to the extensive damage and health risks they pose through contamination and disease transmission.
What Attracts Pests Into Homes
Pests invade living spaces in search of basic needs like food, water, shelter for nesting, and warmth. Common household conditions that can attract annoying pests include:
- Access points like cracks and crevices
- Food debris that isn’t cleaned up
- Moisture from leaks, flooding, or condensation
- Warm spots for nesting like attics and wall voids
- Wooden structures that termites and ants can tunnel through
Sealing up the home through repairs and removing attractants is key to preventing future invasions once an infestation is cleared.
12 Common Household Pests in Australia
1. Ants
Ants invade homes in search of food and shelter. They leave a visible trail of tiny ants marching to and from the nest. Odorous house ants emit a rotten coconut smell when crushed. Ant infestation poses contamination risks more than structural damage. Treatment involves sealing entry points, removing food sources, and applying ant bait/spray.
2. Cockroaches
Cockroaches feed on scraps and garbage and leave droppings everywhere, causing filth and posing health risks. They contaminate food with bacteria and can trigger allergies and asthma. Treatment involves sanitising the home kitchen counter, using gel bait, growth regulators, and spraying potential hiding spots and hard to reach areas.
3. Mice & Rats
Mice and rats invade homes searching for food and nesting sites. They chew through everything and contaminate surfaces with urine and feces. Rodents can cause structural damage and transmit common diseases. Treatment involves sealing up the home, setting humane traps, and laying down rodenticide as a last resort if infestation is severe.
4. Spiders
They prey on other insects that invade the home. Most household varieties are harmless but Redback and Funnel Web spider bites can pose medical risks. Non-chemical spider control involves vacuuming webs and sealing up entry points. Pesticide sprays can kill creepy crawlies but don’t deter future ones from entering.
5. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs feed on human blood at night. They hide in dark crevices of beds and furniture during the day. Bed bug bites cause red, itchy welts. Bed bug infestation can spread quickly and are difficult to treat. Treatment requires hot steam cleaning, encasement of mattresses, and crack & crevice chemical treatment.
6. Termites
Subterranean termites eat cellulose material causing serious structural damage to wood. Telltale signs of termite infestation are mud tunnels over walls and swarmers emerging inside. They work hidden and damage continues unseen until it can destabilise the building. Treatment requires specialised termite barriers, chemical soil treatment, and wood repairs.
7. Bees & Wasps
Stinging pests like bees and wasps build nests on structures, usually under eaves. They will sting to defend territory which poses medical risks. Treatment involves safely removing nests and installing screens over gaps to deter future nesting. Traps baited with attractants can also help.
8. Silverfish
These small scaly-winged pests eat starches in paper, glue, fabrics, and cereals. They indicate excess humidity and can damage valuables stored in attics and basements. Treatment involves dehumidification measures, sealing entry points, and applying insecticidal dusts in their path.
9. Textile Pests
Varied carpet beetles, moths, and weevings consume household goods containing wool, hair, fur, feathers, or bristles. They damage carpets, clothing, taxidermy & curios. Treatment involves freezing/heating infested items to kill all life stages and reducing indoor humidity below 55%.
10. Fleas & Ticks
Fleas and ticks infest homes by clinging onto people and pets. They feed on animal and human blood and can transmit illnesses. Treatment involves applying targeted spot-on medication to pets, thoroughly vacuuming homes, washing pet bedding, and treating yards.
11. Mosquitoes
They enter homes through open windows or doors. Only female mosquitoes bite, feeding on blood to produce eggs. Mosquito bites cause red, swollen itchy welts. They can transmit sickness through their bites. To treat a mosquito infestation, eliminate standing water breeding sites, install window screens, use citronella candles, bug zappers, and apply an insect growth regulator.
12. Birds
Birds like pigeons, starlings and sparrows attempt to nest inside roofs and eaves causing noise issues and mess from droppings. Bird mites can bite humans causing itchy welts. Removing bird bath, nests, installing spikes/netting, and sealing off indoor entry points can deter birds from nesting in a building.
Conclusion
Prevention is the best cure against common household bugs. Identifying and excluding conditions that attract pests will help deter most infestations. But even with high sanitation standards, the occasional rogue pest can still sneak in through tiny cracks. Catching and treating infestations early using humane or chemical means can nip the problem before it gets out of hand.
In case of severe, persistent common pest problems, calling a professional pest control service may be warranted.
