Pests to Watch Out for When Traveling

Bed bugs are pests that travel

When you’re planning a vacation, we’re guessing pest control is one of the further things from your mind. If anything, you probably think about things you can do to protect your home while you’re away. You certainly don’t think about whether pest infestations could happen to you while you’re traveling. That doesn’t even sound like it makes sense. How can you have a pest infestation if pests don’t have anywhere to infest?

Unfortunately, however, pest infestations can happen to you, even while you’re on vacation. Even worse, these pest infestations never stay a vacation problem. Instead, you’ll probably bring them home with you like a bad souvenir. In fact, some pests spread primarily via travelers. Here are four pests you need to look out for while traveling, and how to keep them from following you back home.

Bed bugs

The number one way bed bugs move into new homes is after travelers inadvertently transport them there. Bed bugs hitch rides with travelers by hiding in suitcases, luggage bags, clothing, purses and more. After sneaking inside these hiding places, the bugs remain perfectly still for extended periods of time. The bed bugs are so small, hidden, and still that travelers don’t often notice them. After taking their bags back home, the bed bugs emerge and seek more permanent residence.

Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs don’t exclusively infest “dirty” places. Unfortunately, they’re quite capable of living anywhere from a relative’s house to a car to a five star hotel. Bed bugs don’t “mean” to hitchhike with travelers; they’re simply drawn to dark, warm, hidden places. When you travel, you should always keep a close eye on all the bags you’re carrying with you. Keep them elevated, closed, and sealed whenever you aren’t using them. When you get home, consider throwing your traveling items into the dryer for 20 minutes at a high temperature.

Despite being larger and easier to spot than bed bugs, cockroaches often end up hitchhiking in very similar ways

Cockroaches

Despite being larger and easier to spot than bed bugs, cockroaches often end up hitchhiking in very similar ways. Cockroaches are naturally attracted to dark, warm, moist, and secluded areas. They’ll also sneak into food boxes or even toiletries. Like bed bugs, they will stay perfectly still after they find a good hiding place. Roaches can survive for an extended period of time without food or water. They’re also great climbers and can cling to surprisingly sheer surfaces.

Roaches can work their way into nearly any open container you leave out for them. Food packages, suitcases, clothing bags, purses, and even computer bags are all fair game. A roach can survive a surprisingly long trip until you take it back home. To avoid this, keep all travel bags closed, sealed, and elevated whenever you’re not using them. Don’t transport food with you–especially not without a proper container. If you keep your bags locked down, roaches won’t be able to come home with you.

Lice

Lice get into people’s hair after climbing into it from clothing items like hats, scarves, coats, and sweaters. They use their hook-like feet to latch onto hidden parts of clothing or other pieces of fabric until they have an opportunity to transfer. Unlike roaches or bed bugs, lices usually travel along with travelers directly on travelers. Lice can’t survive without a human host, and they can’t live for long on fabric. If you find lice near you, they’re feeding on someone close by.

Before lice climb onto you, they generally hide on clothing items where they can transfer to hosts. Hats, scarves, hoodies, and any other clothing that goes on your head is particularly vulnerable. Try to be particularly cautious about what you wear when you’re traveling. Refrain from sharing clothing items or trying on pieces of clothing you didn’t bring with you. Keep all of your clothing in sealed, closed bags when you’re not wearing it.

Ants very frequently end up where they live after hitching a ride on unsuspecting traveler’s food

Ants

It seems like ants have a nearly-supernatural ability to find food. You leave out any food for any period of time and it seems like ants are all over it. Unfortunately, this counts double when traveling. Ants very frequently end up where they live after hitching a ride on unsuspecting traveler’s food. Like bed bugs, ants weren’t even trying to hitch a ride. They just wanted the food you happened to be carrying with you!

No matter where you travel, you should assume ants are living–and looking for food–nearby! If you leave out food, ants will feed on it. When you put that food away, you may end up transporting them with you. Keep a close eye on all the food you bring with you while traveling. Keep it in sealed, airtight bags whenever you’re not eating it. Clean up crumbs and other food debris whenever you make it. Throw out food wrappers and other garbage as soon as you’re finished with them.

 

Traveling makes everyone a little more vulnerable to pests, just like it makes everyone more likely to catch a cold. Just like you can bolster your immune system, however, you can take precautions to prevent pests from traveling with you. Practice the pest control tips we’ve shared while traveling, and you can have a pest-free* vacation.

If you end up with a pest infestation after your vacation–or any other time for that matter–call Griffin any time. We’ll figure out where your pests came from, wipe them out, and make sure they can’t bother you again. Have a great trip, and stay safe!  

 

Pest Horror Stories of Michigan

Fishing Spider

It’s Halloween, and we’re Michigan’s pest control company. You know what that means. Last year, we explored some of the most frightening, upsetting, and down-right ghoulish pests in Michigan. But that’s not spooky enough for this year! After all, who knows if you’ll even ever run into any of those pests. No, this year we wanted to focus on something a little closer to home.

These are four of the most horrifying, sickening, and spooky pest stories ever encountered in Michigan. The type of stuff that makes even our blood, with all its pest-crusading experience, run cold. Oh, and they all happened in the last eight years. Some of them are still happening. Happy Halloween!
‌

Pizza-loving Rats Overrun Redford

Just this April, residents of the Redford township had to deal with a rather specific problem: pizza-loving rats. According to the news report, a veritable rat plague descended on the Detroit suburbs. The townwide infestation grew so out of control that rats seriously damaged people’s homes. And the source of the problem? A nearby Little Caesar’s dumpster that was too small. Security footage revealed the poorly-maintained dumpster had become a rather popular hotspot for furry pizza fans.

At its worst, people actually saw large rats carrying off pizza down the streets in broad daylight! One resident said he saw swarms of rats scatter whenever he started his car in the morning. Apparently, the problem was not new; one resident had a picture of a squirrel eating pizza from 2010! The longer the problem went unaddressed, the worse it became. This rather unappetizing story just goes to show you how pest problems never stay contained. The longer they go on, the more people they’ll affect–until they’re the scourge of an entire town!
‌

Bed bugs shut down the mail

Bed bugs Shut Down the Mail

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail… but they didn’t account for bed bugs. Detroit has a history of bed bug problems. There were 605 reported bed bug infestations in Michigan’s largest city in 2017. This frightful number gave Detroit the dubious distinction of being the #3 most-infested city in the country. Believe it or not, however, the problem isn’t actually as bad as it has been. Back in 2010 (we know, not long enough ago), Detroit had a bed bug problem of literally disastrous proportions.

So just how disastrous is disastrous? Well, in 2010 entire business buildings had to be evacuated because of how infested they were. If that’s not bad enough for you? How about this: Detroit’s mail service stopped delivering mail to parts of the community. Mail carriers feared the bugs were actually sneaking into the mail in infested buildings and spreading via mail delivery. The fear is warranted: bed bugs love spreading by hitchhiking on unwitting travelers. It’s part of why they’re such a huge issue in major urban centers today.
‌

Michigan’s Monster Spider

In June 2018, workers on a boat in Elkhart (near the Michigan border) discovered their vessel had a stowaway. A… rather large stowaway. Specifically, they found a fishing spider of unusual size. It was six inches long. It was… six inches long. For reference: US dollar bills are about six inches long. An iPhone is only about five inches long. Spiders should not be six inches long. And it was on a boat.

Luckily (for these boating workers, and all of us, really) fishing spiders are harmless. They also don’t usually get that big… though, obviously, it does happen. Fishing spiders live near water so they hunt waterborne insects and sometimes even small fish. We’re… guessing that six-inch spider caught some fish. Fishing spiders catch this prey by feeling for ripples the prey makes along the water. When they sense these ripples, they race across the surface of the water to catch up to their target. Ok, that’s enough. We’re moving away from fishing spiders now. And water. Forever.
‌

Flying ants take over Michigan

Flying Ants Take Over Michigan in a Day

No, that heading is somehow not hyperbole. It just happened, in fact: we wrote about it just last month. For one day, around labor day, flying ants suddenly appear in overwhelming numbers. The frightening flying members of Formcicidae family darken windows, cover cars, and menace unsuspecting pedestrians. It happens like clockwork at almost exactly the same time every year, and with nearly the same ferocity. Even more bizarre, the ants tend to vanish just as quickly as they appeared.

Of course, as with everything else in nature, there’s an explanation. In this case, the explanation is breeding (nature has… patterns). Flying ants are the reproductive caste of ant colonies. They swarm so they can seek mates and spread out to form new colonies. Around labor day happens to be the time of year when many ants happen to swarm at once. It also always happens on a clear, sunny day when it’s not too windy. The ants seem to disappear because, for the most part, they die! Flying ants basically only live to reproduce. Again, patterns in nature.

‍

Did you notice any other patterns in these stories? Other than the fact that they all made your skin crawl, we mean. No matter how horrifying or inexplicable the pest story may seem, there’s always an explanation. That’s how pest infestations work: there’s always a reason they happen, and there’s always a way to stop them.

If you need help stopping a pest infestation, give Griffin a call. Our experts are ready to exorcize even the most horrifying, incomprehensible, evil pest infestations. Yes, even if they somehow involve giant fishing spiders. We’ll do it! Just… try not to get giant fishing spiders. For us.

Why Flying Ants Show Up in Fall

Flying ants on a blade of grass

Every year around Labor Day, swarms of flying ants begin appearing all over west Michigan in huge droves. For the next couple days, they’re flying around everywhere. You might even remember the infamous “flying ant day” of 2017, when the swarms descended on Detroit. Then, as mysteriously as the ants appear, they seem to vanish without a trace.

What are these winged ants, exactly? Where did they come from? Where do they go after they’re done darting around all over the place? Most importantly, are they going to try to infest your home this fall? Here’s everything you should know about the enigmatic winged ants you’re seeing this September.

What are they?

The flying ants that you’re seeing right now are the reproductive swarmer (or alate) variety of yard ants. Yard ants are related to carpenter ants, but they nest in the ground instead of chewing through wood. Swarmers are around ¼ to ⅜” long, look reddish brown, and have a hump between their heads and thoraxes. They look like normal ants in every way, except that they have wings. Swarmer wings are clear and translucent. They fold behind the ants’ backs when the ants aren’t flying.

There are more than 50 different species of common yard ant native to Michigan. The ant swarms you’re seeing represent many different types of species that all become active this time of year. Different swarms come out at different times, which is why it seems like the swarming doesn’t stop for days. You’ll often notice swarms seem to gather or even collide in midair and then begin moving as a group.

why do flying ants show up in Michigan every fall around Labor day?

Why are they here?

Flying ants exist for one reason: to reproduce. Alates spend most of spring and summer inside their ant colonies, where they’re fed by workers. In late summer and under the right conditions, they fly out of the nest to seek mates. The ants require high temperatures and humidity and clear, sunny weather without much wind to begin swarming. They’re particularly prone to begin their swarming on the first clear day after several days of rain.

Most yard ant species reproduce around late summer because that’s when their ideal swarming conditions happen. Ants also tend to begin reproducing in late summer to prepare for winter. When conditions are just right, many different species’ will begin the mating process all at once. Although late summer reproduction is most common in Michigan, other ant species may swarm at other times of year. Some flying ants swarm in spring, fall, or even mid-summer.

What are they doing?

Flying ant swarms are either actively mating or in the process of seeking out mates. Flying ants mate in midair in a process called “nuptial flight.” On “flying ant day,” unfertilized flying queen ants (sometimes called “princesses”) leave their colonies and begin secreting attraction pheromones. Male and female alates purposely fly away from their nests to help ensure outbreeding. The pheromones secreted by princesses attract nearby male reproductives (sometimes called “drones”).

Princesses actually often fly away from males, forcing them to pursue her in order to mate. The swarms you see are groups of male drones pursuing one of these princesses. Mating itself occurs very quickly and in midair. Male drones die very soon after mating. The fertilized female will fly to the ground and begin making a new nest. Soon after, she will lose her wings and begin laying eggs. The first of these eggs will hatch into workers, who will lay the foundations for a new colony.

are flying ants dangerous?

Are they dangerous?

No. Swarms only have mating on their mind. They won’t bite, sting, or attack you. Swarming ants aren’t aggressive, territorial, or defensive in any way. Even if swarms appear to be flying right at you, it’s only because they’re pursuing a princess. Swarms are more-or-less totally uninterested in people, though they may congregate on human structures. Swarmers may also accidentally flutter into buildings through openings like cracks and crevices.

Yard ants can’t make their nests indoors. To form a nest, a fertilized queen must dig into soil. Queens may build their nests near your home, however. Often, ants build their colony sites near human structures because of the natural cover they provide. Queens are particularly vulnerable when they start building nests, so they may seek cover and darkness near your home. When yard ants establish colonies near you, you may encounter their foraging workers inside your home. These workers aren’t dangerous, either, but they could be annoying.

‌

Despite how frightening it can seem, swarming season is nothing to worry about. Flying ants aren’t dangerous, and they’ll die off and disappear very soon. If you’re very bothered by ant swarms this year, we recommend staying inside whenever possible while swarms are active. Luckily, you won’t have to wait long until they pass.

Swarms may be more-or-less unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean ant infestations must be. If you have an ant problem in your home, give Griffin a call any time. We’ll find out why you have ants, where they’re coming from, and how to stop them.

The Most Common Pest Problems in Michigan

The Most Common Pest Infestations in Michigan

Every human-populated region on earth deals with its own host of pest problems, and Michigan is no exception. Many of the same features that make Michigan so great–our forests, our interconnected metro areas, our proximity to water–also bring pests from far and wide. Some of these pests comprise a serious, long-lasting threat to the health of the local ecosystem. Some are just out to ruin your day.

We’ve talked at length about the first variety before, so now we’re covering the problems a bit closer to home. These are the four varieties of pest that you’re most likely to encounter in your home. Chances are, you’ve dealt with at least one of these ne’er-do-wells before–even if you didn’t realize it. Here are the Michigan pest “usual suspects”, and how to keep them from bothering you.

Stink bugs

stink bugThe brown marmorated stink bug is Michigan’s newest nemesis, but it’s more-than made up for lost time. The stinky pests are mostly a problem for farmers, since they’re notorious for eating crops. They really only bother households during the fall and spring, when they’re either looking to get warm or trying to get back outside. Even if they infest homes, they don’t reproduce indoors, inflict property damage, or eat human food or fabrics. If you’ve never had them before, you’d be forgiven for thinking stink bugs don’t sound like “pests” at all!

Then you remember what they’re called. When crushed, threatened, or congregated, stink bugs secrete a gross-smelling liquid from specialized glands. The more of it there is, the stronger the smell. Stink bugs often congregate around sunny perches by the hundreds. The best way to deal with stink bugs is by vacuuming them up and throwing out the vacuum bag. Afterward, wipe down surfaces stink bugs walked over to remove the scent and pheromones they may have left behind.

Rodents

rodentsAdmittedly, mice and rats aren’t just the among the most common of pests in Michigan. Anywhere people live, chances are mice and rats are scampering around trying to live alongside them. They’ve been at it long enough, in fact, that rodents have evolved into the ultimate human-home infiltrators. Mice and rats use their sense of smell and amazing ability to sense minute air currents to find ways into homes. They don’t need to find much either; mice and rats can squeeze through unbelievably tiny openings.

Mice and rats may live in your home all year, but they’re particularly prevalent in early to mid fall. As soon as they sense the season begin to change, they’ll start looking for a warm shelter. Rodents use small openings around foundations, utility lines, or window and door frames to get into homes. Finding cracks and gaps like these and sealing them up is the best way to prevent future rodent problems today.

Carpenter ants

carpenter antsDespite being equally prevalent, carpenter ants are often mistaken for their cousins the sugar, pavement, or field ants. Unfortunately, though carpenter ants may look like their less-distressing cousins, they don’t behave like them at all. Most ants may be content to pursue your home’s food, but carpenter ants have another prize in mind: your home itself. Specifically, the wood your home is made of. Carpenter ants are second only to termites in terms of their wood-destroying, property-damaging potential.

Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat the wood they destroy. Instead, they simply tunnel through it to build their ever-expanding colonies. The ants infest wood that’s moist and easy to bore through, so the best way to prevent them is moisture control. Ensure your plumbing isn’t leaking and your attic, basement, and crawl spaces aren’t too humid. Dispose of any water-damaged wood as soon as you find it, so that carpenter ants won’t.

Bed bugs

bed bugsAs we’ve explained before, everyone’s least-favorite bedfellows have had quite the renaissance in recent years. After developing resistances to the chemicals used to kill them, bed bugs began repopulating at a startling rate. Even worse, the bed bugs’ natural inclination to hide in cramped, dark, and warm places means they are nature’s ultimate hitchhiker. Before we knew what hit us, Americans had transported bed bugs all over the country by plane, train, and automobile. Unfortunately, Michigan wasn’t spared even a little.

Contrary to name and reputation, bed bugs don’t just infest beds. Instead, they gravitate toward any location that’s dark, sheltered, cramped, warm, and near food. It just so happens that beds tend to satisfy those requirements–you’re the food! Find bed bugs by looking for bloody or dark patches on sheets and linens. Prevent them by changing and washing your sheets frequently, and by thoroughly inspecting luggage you bring into your home.

We realize it can’t be comforting knowing that your home state plays host to such a rogue’s gallery. That’s why we’ve decided to end on a bit of good news. Griffin Pest Control has been fighting these common pests right here in Michigan since 1929. As you might suspect, all that practice has made us pretty darn good at it.

Next time you need help clearing out an infestation, or making sure you never get one, give Griffin a call today. We’ve helped thousands of Michigan residents before, and we’re always happy to help you too.

Preparing for Fall Pests

Preparing for fall pests

Earlier this month, we listed four of the most common pest infestations that happen in late summer. Each of these pests had something in common: they were all trying to get out of the cold. Unfortunately, these pests don’t stop trying to sneak their way to warmth just because it’s fall. In fact, they only try harder.

Fall is the perfect time for preventative pest maintenance because it’s warm enough that you can still go outside and get work done without freezing. The earlier you pest-proof your home, the fewer pests will be able to use your home as their own personal winter vacation pad. Here are four simple things you could do this fall to minimize your risk of a winter-long pest infestation. Winter is rough enough on its own!

Yard Work

doing yard work this fall will help prevent pest infestation

If your yard gets bogged down in long, dying grass, fallen leaves, or untrimmed bushes and shrubs, opportunistic pests WILL find it. It would be bad enough if hordes of pests just hung around eating your yard and making themselves a nuisance, but they won’t just stay there. When it starts getting colder, they’ll be all-too-happy to move right in.

Rake up fallen leaves to avoid having soggy piles build up in your yard. Mow your lawn short until it stops growing, and don’t forget to trim your bushes. Pests often use decorative yard plants as ladders, so it’s a good idea to keep a border of at least 3 feet between the edges of your home and plant life. As winds pick up and temperatures drop, pick up fallen debris from nearby trees and shrubs. Finally, make sure your yard isn’t absorbing too much moisture. There should never been puddles of stagnant water on your property.

Border Maintenance

reinforcing borders and other entrances to your home will help prevent pest infestation this fall

While you’re outside, take the time to walk the perimeter of your home. Look for any small cracks or gaps pests could use to get inside. These cracks won’t always look the way you’d expect. One common way pests get into homes is by crawling up utility lines like pipes and electrical wires. They follow the line and squeeze through small gaps where the utilities enter the home. Pests like spiders and cockroaches can even crawl through plumbing vents and chimneys on the roof.

First, caulk over the gaps around utility lines. Then, check each window and door frame and sill. Replace old weatherstripping, make sure doors and windows are seated correctly, and check for drafts. Window frames tend to be particularly vulnerable, so check them thoroughly and repair them as necessary. Don’t forget about windows in the basement or attic, either. Make sure you’ve got all the entrances covered–big and small, high and low–and you’ll go a long way toward a pest-free* winter.

Decluttering

cleaning up your basement can help prevent pest infestations this fall

Clutter doesn’t just help pests while they’re outside. The messier your home is, the more places pests have to hide and nest. Cluttered, junk-filled basements provide all kinds of the dark, confined, humid places that pests love, and they’re really good at seeking them out. It’s easy to let things pile up in your basement, attic, or storage place, especially in the winter. Remember, however: the longer you go without cleaning, the more comfortable pests will feel living in your home.

Everyone knows about “spring cleaning”, but no one ever talks about “fall clean up”. You should change that. Go through your basement, attic, closets, and other storage places this fall. Clean out anything you don’t need. Organize everything you’re keeping and make sure it’s in a safe, secure place. Pests are shy by necessity, so the harder it is to find shelter in your home, the less they’ll want to stay. We guess you could say you’re making your home “scary” clean!

Good Habits

Developing good anti-pest habits will help prevent infestation this fall

Probably the most important thing you can do to keep pests away is to develop some good anti-pest habits. It’s not enough to spend a couple days in fall over-preparing for pests like a student cramming the night before a test. You’ll experience much more success (and fewer pests!) if you keep up with your anti-pest regimen all fall and winter long.

First, don’t let clothes, food, boxes, or other junk pile up in your basement, mud room, or garage. Take the garbage out to the dumpster as soon as it’s full, and keep it in plastic bags. Dispose of anything pungent or compostable in the dumpster right away, instead of letting it sit in the dumpster. Get routine maintenance problems like plumbing leaks dealt with as quickly as possible. Pick up yard clutter in the snow every now and then, even if it’s cold out. Store firewood away from the house, never up against it.

 

Fall is pest season crunch time. Our rodential rivals and insectoid irritants will be doing absolutely everything they can to stay warm over the winter, so we’ve got to do everything we can to keep them out.

Following steps like these during your “fall cleanup” (yes, we’re making it a thing) will go a long way toward keeping even the most desperate and creative of pests out of your home. And remember, in the unfortunate event you do end up with an infestation, don’t panic! Just give Griffin a call. We’ll seal things up and get pests out.

Why Are These Pests Coming to My House?

Hand gripping cockroach outside of house

It’s true: pests are more drawn toward some houses than others. Common house pests like rodents and bugs gravitate toward houses where they can hide, feed, and stay hydrated easily. If your house is particularly old, dirty, cluttered, or humid, it’ll draw more pests than most.

Luckily, we started with the bad news. Now for the good news: no matter how “good” your house is at attracting pests, you don’t have to let them in. These are the four main reasons why any house attracts pest infestations, and what you can do about each of them:

Old houses tend to attract more pests than newer constructions - Why are these pests coming to my house?

Age

As house ages, it starts to wears down. Cracks and gaps open in wood, sealing, plaster, or insulation. Decks and siding start to peel or warp. Paint chips away, weatherproofing rubs away, screens tear. You get the idea. Wear-and-tear is natural, and bugs, rodents, and other pests can exploit it or even make it worse.

If your house is older, start looking for pest vulnerabilities around twice a year. Check on siding, weatherproofing, windows, doors, foundation, and sealing every spring. Patch up little cracks and gaps. Repair or replace damaged housing materials. Look for rotting wood or chipped paint. Pay special attention to pest-prone areas, like the basement, attic, or crawl spaces, plus window frames and utility lines. All this work may seem somewhat futile, but you’d be surprised what a little extra maintenance can do for your pest infestation. Your house is worth it!  

If you leave out food remains, pests will always find them - Why are these pests coming to my house?

Food Remains

Pests enter a house for three reasons: food, moisture, and shelter. The easier it is for them to get these three things, the more they’ll want to move in. Consequently, the best way to keep them out is depriving them of these things. The easiest thing to deprive them of is food. Most of us leave food out all over the place. We throw out leftovers, leave dishes out, leave crumbs on tables, or don’t put away snacks. While we may forget about scraps like these, pests never do.

Invest in hard plastic containers to keep pastas and cereals in. Do dishes immediately after eating, and wash down eating surfaces after meals. Seal household garbage cans and take them out frequently. Keep your dumpster away from your home or seal it off. These sound like small chores, but they can make a big difference, especially if your home is particularly prone to pest infestation.

cluttered homes are easier for pests to sneak inside than tidy ones - Why are these pests coming to my home?

Clutter

You’d think living in your home would be enough shelter for these ungrateful pests, but they want even more. Pests are surprisingly shy little buggers. Even when they’ve infiltrated your home, they’re looking for hiding places. If they can get into cardboard boxes, drawers, cabinets, piles of clothing or fabric, or any of the rest of the stuff that just sort of accumulates in your basement, they’d be thrilled.

The other reason pests like clutter is it gives them places to hook up and nest. Pests want to hide their offspring to maximize their chances of survival. When they have a good hiding place, they can foster generations of “family.” What may seem like pest infestation after pest infestation may just be Pest Attack: The Next Generation. Finding and removing eggs is an essential step toward preventing pests permanently. The fewer places they have to hide, the easier that step is.

Humid homes attract more pests than dry ones - Why are these pests coming to my home?

Humidity

All living things require water to survive. Most pests need to actually drink water, though some pests like crickets can absorb it through their bodies. Unfortunately, however, bugs need a lot of water. Humidity attracts pests because they can get all the water they need from puddling or condensation on windows or walls. Most bugs also feel a lot more comfortable in moist places, where their bodies won’t dry out as quickly.

Ultimately, humidity is probably what brings pests to your home. A dark, moist, quiet spot is prime real estate for pests looking for a place to live. Find the areas of your home that naturally get humid and consider investing in a dehumidifier. Look for places that puddle or gather condensation and keep them dry. Patch up plumbing leaks and dripping. When they run out of places to drink inside, pests will have to leave.

 

We know: pest infestations aren’t fair. They can feel like the consequence or negligence or carelessness, or even like punishments. The fact of the matter is, however, that sometimes even the most diligent homeowner might wind up with a pest infestation under the right circumstances. It’s nothing to feel guilty about.

Instead, just give Griffin a call. We can help you figure out how and why pests got in and what you can do about it. When we solve pest problems, they stay solved–no matter how big a pest magnet your house might be!