Ten Common Pests to Look Out For in Your Home

Cockroaches are very tough and breed rapidly. Not only
are they unpleasant, but they can also carry diseases like
salmonella, and exposure to cockroaches can therefore
pose health risks. They eat everything from food to paper
and fabrics, and they are most likely to be found in
bathrooms and kitchens, or anywhere warm and humid.

Cockroaches mainly come out at night and hide during the
day, and the first sign you will usually see is their
droppings. They also shed their skin, which you may spot.
They can sometimes create a strange and unpleasant
smell, especially behind appliances and under the sink.

Mice are a very common household pest. They enter the
home looking for shelter and food, and they can spread
disease and pose a health risk. They also gnaw property,
which can cause significant damage.

Mice normally come out at night and are often hard to
spot during the day. The best way to find out if you have a
mouse problem is to look out for signs. These can include
scratching noises, a strong smell from their urine,
droppings inside cupboards and along skirting, and dark
smears caused by grease marks where their bodies brush
against skirting and walls.

There are many types of woodworm, but they all do more
or less the same thing. They lay eggs in cracks in the
wood, and when the eggs hatch into larvae, these larvae
bury down into the wood and eat it. They can infest any
timber including furniture, beams and floorboards, and in
serious cases they can cause structural damage to the
timber.

The problem with woodworm is that they are very hard to
spot because the larvae are hidden inside the timber. Look
out for exit holes, tunnels made in the wood, and dust
below the wood where the adult beetles emerge. Also look
out for weak and damaged furniture and floorboards.
Addressing woodworm requires specialist wood treatment
or the help of a professional.

Rats can transmit many diseases, some of them serious,
and they can also cause damage to your property. They
present a risk of food contamination, and they can bring in
parasites, fleas, ticks and lice. All in all, you do not want
them sharing your home.

Rats are active during the night, and they can therefore
be hard to spot. Look out for signs including droppings,
which are usually found in a concentrated area, tracks and
marks left by their feet, as well as dirt and grease. Also
listen out for scratching noises from within the walls or in
the loft.

Moths cause damage to textiles and materials including
carpets, clothing, leather, curtains and upholstery. In fact,
it is the moth caterpillars that cause the damage. They
eat the fabrics for the keratin, a protein found in natural
materials.

Moths are relatively easy to get rid of, but they can cause
significant damage if left untreated. The best way to spot
a moth problem is to look out for holes in your fabrics.
Different species create different sized holes, so if you spot
anything suspicious, you may have a problem that needs
sorting out.

Bed bugs are a real pain, and they are horrible to have in
your home. They are often found in and around beds and
furniture. A bedbug infestation can be very distressing,
and their bites cause irritation and can lead to infection.
Bedbugs can arrive in your house by hitching a ride in
your luggage when you stay somewhere with an
infestation.

They can be difficult to spot because they stay hidden in
crevices and cracks, but you may spot a live one at some
point. Bedbug bites are usually the first sign of a problem,
but you may also spot dark stains on the mattress (their
excrement), or dark spots of blood. Sometimes they can
leave an unpleasant sweet smell. Bed bugs can also hitch
on clothing, as well as in your luggage. So you can pick
them up without going on holiday.

When looking for signs of bedbugs, check your bed and
bedding, as well as furniture in your home. Look in
crevices, the bed frame, carpets, between floorboards,
inside cupboards and inside cabinets.

Ants can be a real nuisance, although they don't pose
much of a health threat. However, they can go into your
food, so it is best to keep them out.

You may spot the ants themselves if you have an
infestation. Also look for holes in the soil outside your
house, which may be surrounded by piles of earth. They
use these to enter the home, so seal the holes to stop
them coming in. Fortunately, ants are relatively easy to
kill using simple solutions.

Flies present a serious health risk because they can carry
salmonella and bacteria. They can contaminate food, and
some species even bite. Small problems can soon turn into
large infestations, so always sort the problem out as soon
as possible. You will need to detect the breeding site to
get rid of an infestation, and you may need a specialist to
help with this.

Wasps are more of a problem in the summer. Their stings
are not only unpleasant but they can cause allergic
reactions, so it is best to get rid of any nests too near to
your home. Nests can be built indoors and outdoors.
Inside, you may find them in wall cavities and spaces in
the roof, or in the attic. If there are lots of wasps, there is
likely to be a nest nearby.

Nests start off small but grow large, often to the size of a
football or larger. It is therefore best to treat them as
early in the year as possible.

Flies present a serious health risk because they can carry
salmonella and bacteria. They can contaminate food, and
some species even bite. Small problems can soon turn into
large infestations, so always sort the problem out as soon
as possible. You will need to detect the breeding site to
get rid of an infestation, and you may need a specialist to
help with this.