What Are Those Bugs in Your Basement?

Bugs in your basement

Bugs LOVE a basement. They’re dark, quiet, warm, and usually pretty humid to boot. If you have a bug infestation in your home, chances are they’re hanging out downstairs. Basements are a little spooky even under better circumstances, so we’re guessing you’re not terribly pleased to hear this.

There’s more bad news. Some bugs like basements more than others. The ones that really like basements are some of the freakiest-looking bugs around. Before you burn your house down, however, consider: these bugs are mostly terrifying because you don’t understand them. They aren’t the most dangerous pests in Michigan, or the scariest, or even the most stubborn. They’re just the freakiest ones that are here. This is everything you need to know about the monsters in your basement. The more you know, the less afraid you’ll be (we hope).

Earwigs

earwigWe’ll grant you: earwigs look like they crawled directly out of a nightmare. They’re about two inches long, with dark brown, reddish bodies, creepy light orange extremities… and GIANT PINCERS ON THEIR BACKSIDES. Earwigs are actually harmless to humans (and definitely don’t crawl into people’s ears) but… yeah, we get why you’d want to give them a wide berth. These insects love basements because they’re attracted to darkness and humidity. They feed on decaying plant material and sometimes hunt other insects.

Earwigs can’t fly or climb very well, so if they entered your home, they did it from the ground level. They usually find cracks near window wells and frames, or cracks in the foundation of the home. Earwigs often end up behind wallpaper or crammed into basement insulation after they sneak through low gaps. If you have earwigs in your home, it’s probably because your basement has a humidity problem. Consider investing in a dehumidifier and look for leaks.  

Silverfish

silverfishSilverfish are those tiny, silver-grey insects that really look more like shrimp than fish or bugs. Their long, thin bodies wiggle back and forth when they crawl, making it look like they’re swimming. “Silver” because of the color. “Fish” because of what they look like. Like earwigs, silverfish love moisture. They’re also attracted to warm and dark places where they can move around without being bothered. Silverfish are nocturnal, so chances are you’ll only see them at night.

Silverfish eat the starch naturally found in materials like paper, cotton, glue, carpeting, and other common household materials. They may also destroy clothing. Silverfish make use of their tiny size and thinness to get into homes. Usually, they sneak through narrow gaps in baseboards or flooring. They may even live inside walls if they can find a wide enough pathway. Humidity control is important for controlling silverfish, as is temperature control. Silverfish need temperatures of over 60℉ to breed.

Pillbugs

pillbugPillbugs are very small, black bugs that are about as wide as they are long. Their backs are made up of seven overlapping, segmented plates that look hard and shiny, like a beetle’s shell. Pillbugs roll into a ball to protect themselves when threatened. These “bugs” (they’re actually related to crabs!) are a common sight in gardens. They consume decaying vegetable matter beneath the top layer of soil. Most pillbugs live bury themselves several inches under soil, because they’re very temperature sensitive.

Pillbugs can’t climb sheer surfaces, so they only enter basements via the ground level of the home. Usually, they’ll find gaps under the soil, around baseboards, foundations, or siding. Once inside, pillbugs generally cover themselves by hiding under furniture, boxes, or other clutter. Pillbugs can only survive in a basement if they have a source of moisture. Check for plumbing leaks, condensation, or puddling, especially around corners and the bottom of the wall.

House Centipedes

house centipedeIf basement pests are monsters, then you probably think of this guy as the “big bad”. House centipedes are inch long, tan-yellow bugs with very long longs. Those legs enable the bug to move very quickly, often in a rapid, darting motion. House centipedes are nocturnal predators that use their speed and venom-injecting claws to hunt other insects. These centipedes are capable of using these claws to “sting” humans too. The venom injected isn’t serious, but it hurts like a bee sting would.

House centipedes commonly follow their prey into homes through gaps near windows or cracks in the flooring or siding. Once they’re inside, they spend their days hiding and their nights hunting. Like most of the pests on this list, house centipedes love moist environments. Check for leaks and puddles in your basement, and consider a dehumidifier. Patching gaps may help with the humidity problem and deprive bugs of their access points at the same time.

 

We hope this blog helps you feel less afraid of venturing into the dark abyss that is your basement at night. Even if it doesn’t, however, at least now you can take action? Remember: your basement is your turf, not those bug’s. Even if house centipedes are just about the scariest things ever.

If you ever decide you need a little help with your basement monster slaying, feel free to call Griffin Pest Control anytime. We’re always happy to lend you our sword.

How Can I Tell If I Have a Pest Infestation?

Signs You Have a Pest Infestation

Every pest infestation leaves behind some sign of the pest’s presence. Look for grime or other buildups on walls, smeared droppings, or bite damage on fabric and paper. See if you can smell strange odors in your basement, attic, or crawlspace. Check pest-prone areas consistently to look for changes.

If you can learn to identify pest infestations quickly, you can take action to remove them sooner. The sooner you can remove pest infestations, the lower the chance that they’ll do permanent damage… or spread. If you’re worried you have a pest infestation, look for any of the following four signs. The sooner you find evidence like this, the sooner you can take the next steps:

Old wall with smudged buildup in the lower corner - Signs you have a pest infestation

Grimy Buildup

Whatever pest infestation you have, they’re making a mess somewhere. Bugs, rodents, spiders, and beetles all prefer dark, enclosed, humid places, so start your search in the basement or attic. Look high-and-low, in corners, under furniture, along the edges of the walls, and near window frames. You might find grease stains, crumbs or other food remains, dirt smudges or even discarded hair.

Rodents, in particular, tend to familiarize themselves with set routes and then stick to them, so look for trails of grease or grime where their bodies may have rubbed off against the walls. If your floors or sills are dusty, look for trails left behind by pests moving around. Early signs like these are often subtle, so look closely, be patient, and believe yourself. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Clump of rat hair - signs you have a pest infestation

Droppings

It turns outs pests don’t practice great hygiene. There’s a reason they’re called “pests”, after all, and it isn’t because they’re fun to have around. Pests leave behind their waste just like everything else. Look for small droppings around the same pest-attractive areas you search for less conclusive evidence.

The type of dropping you may find will help you determine the kind of infestation you have. Rodent droppings are spindly or conical and solid. They’ll be small and may not look or smell like much of anything. Insect droppings are even smaller, but may also include shed or discarded skin, wings, or body parts. It’s tough to be a bug. Obviously, spiders make webs to catch prey. They tend to know their stuff when it comes to pest-catching, so anywhere you find webs, look for ways other pests may be getting in nearby.

Woman wearing clothes pin on her nose so she won't have to smell - signs you have a pest infestation

Smells

Pests can produce a wide variety of smells, and pretty much all of them are unpleasant. All kinds of pests, including ants, beetles, rodents, or other bugs often carry off food to enjoy in a secluded place. The problem is, sometimes they don’t finish their meal and it begins to rot. If you smell rotting food and you can’t find it, it could be that a pest carried a piece of fruit into your walls.

Pests may also bite through food packaging in an attempt to get at its contents, breaking an airtight seal and exposing perishable foods. If you smell particularly foul odors, it’s possible that your pests are dying in their hiding places or walls and then rotting. Of course, their droppings often smell, too. If you’ve got a strange scent in your house that you can’t quite place, and it’s definitely not pleasant, an infestation could be the problem.

Torn fabric - signs you have a pest infestation

Fabric Damage

Unfortunately, moths aren’t the only pests who damage fabric and clothing. Different kinds of beetles, ants, rodents and bugs also feed on or at least chew through vulnerable fabric. Look for small holes or tears on clothing, drapes, carpeting, furniture, and any other fabric-based stuff you may have. It may not seem particularly appealing to us, but pests don’t mind the taste of underwear one bit.

When we say “fabric damage,” we don’t just mean bite marks, either. Like anything else they’re around, pests can make fabric dirty. Look for smudges of dirt, grease, grime, or droppings on your fabric. These dirty patches may be very small, but they could get big too. Look at freshly washed and dried clothing especially. See if your fresh laundry gets dirty or damaged before you even have a chance to wear it.

 

If you find any of these four signs during your inspection, give us a call. We’ll use the info you helpfully provide to figure exactly what kinds of pest infestation you’re dealing with, where they’re coming from, and how we can keep them out. We know we can take care of your problem quickly and effectively, because we’ve done it countless times before. Happy hunting!

Why Do Boxelder Bugs Come Back in Spring?

Boxelder Bug swarm on wood

Starting in early spring, boxelders re-emerge from their overwintering sites to feed and mate. The bugs re-appear so quickly every spring because they often find their overwintering sites around homes and neighborhoods. Adult boxelders begin reproducing immediately after they wake up from winter dormancy, triggering population growth all season long.

Although “boxelder season” is generally considered to be fall, you may find boxelders are equally prevalent in spring. You probably find them a little too prevalent. Unfortunately, if you have boxelders in spring, you’ll probably have them in fall… and next spring. Fortunately, you don’t have to have them in either season! By learning about why boxelders come out in spring, you can learn to keep them away from your home for good. Here’s what you should know about the other boxelder season, and what you can do about it:

boxelder bug

Why They’re Back

Technically, it would be more accurate to say they never left! During the winter, boxelder bugs sneak into the nooks and crannies of homes, where they can stay safe and warm while they hibernate. Unfortunately, boxelders are great at getting into walls, attics, basements, crawl spaces, or floorboards. Once inside, boxelders hunker down in out-of-the-way places and stay there all winter. They’re so quiet and un-intrusive, you may forget they’re there!

Unfortunately, even if you forget about them, the boxelders are still there. In spring, boxelders wake up waiting two things: food and… uh… companionship. Boxelders mate in early spring, so their offspring will be ready to survive when next winter rolls around. Thing is, boxelder bugs have to get busy to… get busy, which means they come out in force looking for places to eat and court mates. Honestly, their spring behavior isn’t all that different from ours.

Boxelder bugs entering home through a gap

Where They’re Coming From

(Cue the horror movie music) The bugs are coming from inside the house! Any adult boxelder bugs you see this spring hibernated through the winter. Unfortunately, if you see some boxelders hanging around your place, it’s probably because they spent all winter squatting. Don’t feel bad about it–it’s more common than you’d think.

Boxelder bugs exploit even the tiniest breaches in a home’s defenses. They’ll crawl through floor cracks, squeeze through insulation, or creep under gaps in a window frame. Look in dark, warm, humid, hidden spaces. You might find them under boxes, in walls or insulation, near corners, or on window frames. 

Boxelder tree seeds

What They’re Looking For

Like we said above, when boxelders wake up they’re looking for food and mates. They’re interested in food first (priorities). Boxelder bugs got their name from their affinity for boxelder trees and other trees in the acer family, but they’re not picky. They’ll will eat just about anything, especially in early spring when they’re at their hungriest. They cling to trees, leaves, developing seedlings, or low vegetation.

After mating, boxelders want to find a place to lay eggs. The best places to lay eggs are places where the newly hatched offspring will have a plentiful food source readily available. Acer trees like boxelder, ash, and maple trees satisfy every one of the boxelder home requirements, which is why they’re so particularly appealing to the lazy little bugs.

A stack of window screens

How We Can Stop Them

It’s tough to stop boxelder bugs in spring, after they’ve already infested your home or surroundings. There are a few ways you could make your yard or building less attractive to them, however. First, perform regular lawn maintenance. Mow your lawn, trim your hedges, make sure branches or leaves don’t touch the home. If you have an acer tree, clear seed droppings regularly. If your problem is really bad, you may consider having the tree removed.

Inside, you could vacuum, sweep, and clean boxelder bug-prone spaces frequently. Vacuum the bugs up directly when you encounter them. Boxelders don’t hatch eggs inside homes, so you don’t have to worry about that. Look for places where they might be getting free food and moisture. Seal up cracks in the floor, insulation, or foundation. Consider replacing window screens annually.

 

Boxelder bugs are annoying and a little distressing, but they’re not dangerous. The best way to keep them away in spring is to keep them away in fall, too. Look for ways they get in and take away the things they want, and you’ll find it’s completely possible to significantly cut down or even eliminate the boxelder presence around your home.

Finally, just remember: if you’ve tried everything and you still can’t seem to deter your red-and-black nemesis, give us a call. We’ve got plenty of experience skirmishing with the vengeful “bug from beneath the basement”, and we’re happy to play your sidekick. Have a happy spring!

Why Do These Pests Keep Coming to Michigan?

Michigan river in the fall. "Why do pests love Michigan?"

Griffin Pest Control has served Michigan since 1929, and since then we’ve been kept the same pests out of homes and businesses every single year. What is it about Michigan that keeps pests like these coming back? What do they find here that they can’t get anywhere else?

Like all animals, pests adapt to survive and thrive in their environments. The pests of Michigan keep coming back because they’re literally built to get everything they need from our environment. Understanding what common pests like these need to survive can help you learn how to deprive them of it. Then, they’ll go elsewhere for food and shelter.

termite on wood

Termites

The state of Michigan is 36 million acres of land. 20 of the 36 million acres of this land are considered forest. That means Michigan is one of the most heavily forested states in the country. 8 million acres of this forest is owned and protected by the government, meaning it hasn’t been developed or harvested. It’s the largest state forest system in the country, with three national forests, three national parks, two national wildlife refuges, and 2 million acres of open hunting and fishing land.

What does all that add up to? Trees. About 11.4 billion of them. As you’re probably all-too-aware, termites eat wood. Especially natural, growing or rotting wood. Michigan’s abundant and protected forests are a paradise for hungry termites, and unfortunately, so are any nearby homes.

stink bug

Stink Bugs

Like we covered last month, stink bugs are relatively new to Michigan, but we’re included them because they’ve quickly become a problem. The main problem species is the brown marmorated stink bug. This species is native to Asia and considered invasive in the US. It was first discovered in Michigan in 2010 in Berrien County. Stink bugs are notoriously good at proliferating by hitching rides with travelers by stowing away in luggage, bags, cars, or even clothes.

Stink bugs feed primarily on vegetable, fruit, nut, and legume crops, so they’re a big problem for Michigan farmers. While they aren’t nearly unique to Michigan, our climate, farms, and ecological diversity make the state a perfect environment for stink bugs to stink up.

bedbug

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs become a problem for any area that has a highly mobile populace, an older urban infrastructure, and/or a rural and urban areas in relatively close proximity. Michigan, like many states in America, has all of these. Bed bugs are even better at hitching rides with unsuspecting travellers than even stink bugs.

As people travel into and out of Detroit and Michigan’s other major cities, they often end up carrying bed bugs in and out, too. Once they make it to the big city, bed bugs find their way into buildings by exploiting the sorts of cracks and crevices that naturally show up in older buildings. Worst of all, bed bugs can be really difficult to get rid of, because they lay tiny eggs in great numbers and reproduce quickly. A lot of the bed bugs in Detroit have been living there for hundreds of generations.

boxelder bug

Boxelder Bugs

For boxelder bugs, the motivation is right in the name. This species of true bug (boxelder bugs are not a beetle, contrary to popular belief) feed almost exclusively on acer tree species like boxelder trees, along with maple and ash trees.

As you may have guessed, Michigan has a lot of acer trees. Unlike a lot of pests, boxelders need to hibernate in the winter. Boxelder swarms happen in Michigan around fall for two reasons: one, the eggs adult boxelders hatch on acer trees hatch. Two, because boxelders need to find shelter to get through the winter. Michigan winters get cold and come fast, so boxelders get desperate, and you see a lot of them around your house.

 

Every region in the world has its own ecosystem and its own unique set of pest problems. At least the pest problems we have generally come about because of how pretty and well-preserved our state is! If you have an infestation, however, chances are you’re not thinking too much about how beautiful Michigan’s forests are.

Luckily, Michigan also has us: one of the best pest control companies in the country. The next time you have a pest problem, no matter how minor or severe, give us a call today.