Everybody will spot a bug in their home at one point or another, but it might be difficult to identify some common household bugs without a list to refer to. Equipping yourself with information about unwanted pests can prepare you for the inevitable.
Below, we will outline the steps to determine what pests are living in your home and how to prevent an infestation.
Steps in Household Bug Identification
The National Pest Management Association outlines an integrated pest management system that gives property owners a long-term pest control strategy. The strategy uses biological control, habitat manipulation, and resistant varieties. The goal of the IPM is to avoid using pesticides unless nothing else works.
Using our five-step method, you should be able to identify the pests that are attempting to move into your home and learn to control them.
Note the Prominent Characteristics of the Pest
Take note of pests’ size, color, markings, and mobility. Some pests fly, while others walk, hop, or slither. You might see pests in various life stages, and many look different if they haven’t reached adulthood.
Check Our Pest Library
At Phenom Pest Protection we provide an extensive pest library that includes the common pests you could see in your Baltimore, MD home or business.
Learn about the Pest
To understand why a pest is in your home, learn about its characteristics. Some want a dry place to live, while others might have wandered into your home by accident. Before you try to kill any pests, learn about what happens when they die. For example, if you kill a stink bug, they emit a strong odor.
Begin Using Control and Prevention Measures
Unfortunately, by the time property owners recognize they may have a pest problem, the infestation has already occurred.
You can still take steps to remove opportunities for more pests to enter your home. Some examples include repairing holes in window screens and filling cracks in exterior walls.
Contact Pest Control Professionals
The experts at Phenom Pest Protection know how to remove bugs using IPM treatment methods. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.
Common Household Bugs
Homeowners report seeing several types of common household bugs in Baltimore, MD.
- Ants: These small crawling bugs have segmented bodies. They leave a trail of pheromones to tell other ants where food is.
- Beetles: Beetles often have hard shells with wings along with well-developed antennae and noticeable mouthparts. Light attracts them and some live in water.
- Bed Bugs: Bed bug infestations happen in mattresses, bed linens, and upholstered furniture. They feed on human blood, so signs of bed bugs include small bites that show up after waking.
- Bees, Hornets, and Wasps: Stinging pests often make nests in the eaves of homes.
- Centipedes and Millipedes: These insects are not dangerous, but they can infest a home.
- Cockroaches: They enter homes to find food sources. They are usually brown, with six legs, and long antennae.
- Earwigs: Earwigs have brown, segmented bodies with pinchers at their back end. They move quickly and eat decaying vegetation.
- Mosquitoes: These little pests bite humans and can spread disease. Phenom offers mosquito control in Baltimore that’s safe and effective against these dangerous insects.
- Spiders: Most household spiders are harmless, but a few have dangerous bites. Spiders have eight legs, segmented bodies, and several pairs of eyes.
- Flies: Flies have two wings, land often, and spread disease.
- Lice: Lice shows up as little bugs living in human hair. They jump from person to person, so they are “contagious.”
- Stink Bugs: Stink bugs are a mottled brown color and have shield-shaped bodies with long antennae.
- Silverfish and Firebrats: They are tear-drop shaped, with long barbs on their back ends. They like dark, damp areas like basements.
- Ticks and Fleas: Both ticks and fleas spread disease by biting their hosts. Fleas are small and wingless, while ticks look like sunflower seeds with eight legs.
The Bottom Line: Pest Prevention and Protection
The best way to protect your home from bugs is through proper prevention. Keep your home clean by securing food, removing clutter, and clearing debris from the outside of your home.
For household bug identification, contact Phenom Pest Protection today for a thorough inspection and personalized pest control plan!
