You probably never give it a thought, but you have neighbors living closer to you than you think. In fact, they could be right there in the walls of your home. Creepy crawlies love that moist, dark space, so it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of tiny home invaders that can cause damage to your house. Here are three creepy crawlies to look out for in your home.
Ant Invasion
Image via Flickr by Fyn Kynd
Ants often move into walls and other indoor spaces because they find a plentiful source of food there, as well as moisture and more protection than if they were living outdoors. Of course, it also gives them easier access to the interior of your home, through gaps and cracks in the structure that lead directly inside. As well as being a general nuisance, some ants, such as carpenter ants, will damage any wood surrounding their nest. Carpenter ants can be black, red, or dark brown in color. Several species exist in the U.S. If left untreated, an infestation can become serious. Signs that you have carpenter ants are piles of fine-sawdust like material where they have been tunneling through the wood and rustling sounds in the walls when they are moving around.
Termite Invasion
Termites cause billions of dollars of damage to U.S. homes every year. You certainly don’t want these creepy crawlies hiding in your walls. The good news is that if you catch the signs early enough, you can call in pest control before the termites take over. Flying termites, also known as swarmers, look like winged ants, and the two are often confused. The most common signs of termite damage are small piles of sawdust-like grains, mud tubes in cracks and gaps, and hollow tunnels bored through the wood. You may also notice piles of fallen wings on window sills or in corners.
Roach Invasion
Cockroaches like to live in moist, dark spaces, which makes your wall cavities a perfect environment. American roaches have a brownish-orange, shiny body and wings. The male has larger wings, which makes the body appear longer. The most obvious signs that you have a roach invasion is that you see the roaches. You may also notice roach droppings, which have the appearance of small grains of pepper. Roaches are prolific breeders, which is bad news if you don’t get your infestation under control as soon as possible. You may also see roach egg casings which look like a small brown tube. They may be empty or may contain 20-40 eggs. Roaches can lay up to 90 egg casings during their lifetime.
If you see signs of any of these pests in your home, you should call a professional pest control company as soon as possible. You may not be able to manage these types of infestation by yourself, and if you try to and are unsuccessful, you could end up with thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home.
