If there’s one thing pests love to do it’s make themselves as inconspicuous as possible and live quietly alongside us without us noticing them. Our homes provide all the essentials for pests, by way of food, shelter and water and the bugs and other creepy crawlies are going to start looking for a way inside as we enter fall. To keep the pests outside of your home, here are five surprising places where pests might be hiding!
1. Inside Outlets
It’s not the first place you’d think to look, but small creatures like bed bugs, ants or beetles will make nests behind the plastic covers of outlets. A dusty, fine substance coming from the crevices and perimeter of the outlet is a sign of infestation and an almost definitive probability you’ve got more pests nearby. Be sure to check all of the outlets in the room if you find evidence in just one of them.
2. In Electronics
Gaming consoles, TV accessories, computers and other electronic items are warm and cozy for critters like cockroaches to make homes in. Our electronic devices are dark and heated and provide good shelter for these kinds of bugs. They can also clog up fans, ruin the inner workings of the electronics and pose a potential risk for fires. Try to dust and inspect electronic devices as part of your seasonal cleaning!
3. Down the Drains
If you’ve ever dealt with a fruit fly invasion, you know how annoying and difficult they can be to get rid of entirely. Save yourself some hassle and make sure your drains, including in your laundry room, are clean and debris-free to prevent fruit and drain fly breeding grounds. A drain you might not consider a drain at first is inside your dishwasher! Be sure to give your dishwasher a scrub to prevent pests from trying to make a home in the humidity.
4. In the Car
There are lots of hiding places in a car, including under the hood, seats or in the trunk. The glove compartment, underneath the dashboard and even inside the headlights are places where you might find unwanted critters too. Cars provide warmth and darkness, perfect for pests like spiders, beetles, cockroaches and mice. Pests can do a lot of damage to your vehicle by chewing through wires or upholstery and should be dealt with soon once you find evidence, such as droppings or a musty odour.
5. In Insulation
Where we have some exposed insulation, such as in attics, basements or garages, is the perfect place for pests to overwinter. Pests such as squirrels, mice, birds, bats and numerous types of bugs will hide out in the cozy insulation and potentially chew through it to access other areas of your home for food and water. For a pest-resistant aid that’s nontoxic to humans, you can treat your insulation with boric acid to fight against things like silverfish, termites, ants or roaches.
There are plenty of other places to keep an eye on for pest activity, but if you’re facing the reality of a pest infestation, you don’t have to face it alone. We have decades of experience in safely and properly removing pests from your home and we’d love to get you started on a plan to make your home pest-free. Give us a call at 403.363.1666 to book your consultation today! Visit our website for more information on our services or contact us via our online form.
