The Most Disgusting House Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them

There is truly no feeling worse than realizing that your home has been infested with bugs or critters. Bugs in one’s home can provoke fear, feel embarrassing, and cause damage to one’s home. For your peace of mind, it’s important to eradicate the creepy crawlies as soon as possible. But first, it’s best to identify them properly, know their risks, and then make an action plan. Below, we’ve created a list of the most disgusting house bugs, and the best DIY ways to get rid of them for good. (The absolute best way is to call a pest control company.)

Bed Bugs 

Of all pests, bed bug infestations are some of the worst. In the case of a bed bug infestation, it’s important to identify the problem early, as infestations spread quickly. Bed bugs can be difficult to identify, but if you think you may have a bed bug problem, it’s vital to take it seriously, and quickly!

You may realize you have a bedbug infestation from bites on your body. However, bed bug bites look like many other bites and can easily be misidentified. It’s important to look for physical signs of bed bugs (like live bed bugs, rusty or red stains from bedbugs being crushed, dark spots, and eggs and eggshells). Bed bugs like to hide near piping and seams of the mattress and in cracks on the bed frame or headboard, and among other cracks and crevices. Bed bugs are parasitic and spread quickly, so it’s important to act quickly to protect your family and pets.

To get rid of bed bugs, it is best to use an integrated pest management technique, using both chemical and non-chemical techniques. It is usually best to hire a bed bug control expert to help with bed bugs, as they are difficult to eradicate and at-home techniques can be dangerous. 

Spiders

Spiders are creepy and crawly, and like to come inside homes in search of warmth and food. Spiders do have some advantage, in that they eat other pests. However, it’s still no good to have spiders in your home. They can bite humans and carry diseases. Spiders go where small insects dwell, so if you have a spider problem, it may be linked to a larger pest problem.

There are a number of different methods one can use to get rid of spiders, including sticky traps, web removers, and pesticides. Once spiders lay eggs, it may become almost impossible to control the spread of spiders in your home. In that case, it’s important to call in a professional to help you out. 

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are creepy, unpleasant looking, and difficult to control. Cockroaches can cause health problems in humans. They can be very difficult to get rid of permanently. However, they are predictable creatures and are therefore fairly easy to control. Cockroaches are sneaky, and can enter the home without you realizing immediately. They prefer warm, moist, hidden places with adequate food. You can often find them in kitchens or near food that has been left out, near pipes and drains, and under appliances or within walls.

To get rid of cockroaches, start by cleaning your home, removing food and filth. Take away their food sources and clean or dry out their hiding spots. Next, use baits, traps, and pesticides to kill them. Moving forward, work to prevent roaches by keeping your house clean and sealing entrances to the home. 

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are, simply put, annoying. They fly around you while you’re eating, infest kitchen areas, and land on your food. They are pesky insects and make life unpleasant. Luckily, they aren’t terribly hard to control. First, keep your kitchen and pantry clean. Make sure to change out sponges and dishcloths regularly.

Fruit flies are known to breed on both of these items, but you can easily prevent this. Clean your produce and put it away. Cover anything that might attract the fruit flies. Finally, create a fruit fly trap out of apple cider vinegar and dish soap. Hopefully, they’ll be gone in no time. 

Meal Moths

Meal moths, commonly known as pantry moths, can easily infest pantry goods like flour, canned foods, and dried fruits. They also love to snack on pet food and are commonly found in stored items, like Christmas ornaments. Meal moths lay their microscopic eggs in grain products, sweet foods, and pet foods. A single moth can lay up to 400 eggs in a few weeks, and they lay more eggs in the summer. The good news is that meal moths don’t carry disease, so they pose a relatively insignificant risk to your home. However, they can cause you to have to throw out food.

The most effective ways to get rid of meal moths are pheromone traps and residual insecticidal sprays. 

Termites

Termites are perhaps one of the most destructive pests. They can cause serious structural damage to one’s home, eating away at the walls and frame of the house. Because they can be located in the framework, and often never enter one’s living space, you may not even notice that they have infested your home. If you’re a homeowner, it’s important to check your home’s foundation several times a year to check for signs of termite damage or mud tubes. You can try pressing your thumb into the wood—if it gives, you may have a termite problem.

In order to prevent termites, it’s important to have proper ventilation and sealing around one’s home. Keep wood piles away from your home, as they may attract termites. Make sure to buy treated wood. If you do identify termites in your home or around your property, act to eradicate them. The cost of pest removal will be far less expensive than paying for a new foundation for your home. One way to do this is to dig a trench around the termite area and fill it with termite insecticide. You can use repellent termiticide on wood structures like sheds, decks, and fences. You can also kill termites with heat. For severe termite infestations, be sure to call a termite professional to help you properly and permanently eradicate the pests.