An infestation of any sort can be incredibly problematic. Insects, however, often cause itchy, painful bites and can be far more than a mere nuisance. Some bugs are even known to carry and transmit harmful diseases. No matter what type of six-legged pest has set up camp in your home, knowing how to get rid of bugs in the house is essential. Following are a few, simple strategies that you can put to use right now.
Identify The Problem
Although all insects share a few key similarities, they can also be vastly different from one to the next. Some insects are far more resilient than others, and some pose a greater threat. More importantly, each treatment and intervention is often specific to an individual insect type. For instance, strategies for deterring or eliminating ants won’t prove as effective for bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, or mosquitoes. Once you have accurately identified your problem, you can start targeting needs-specific solutions.
Address The Entry Point
If you are dealing with an ant, hornet, or mosquito infestation, you probably have one or two entry points that are allowing these insects in. These are bugs that thrive naturally in the outdoors and thus, even after you have eliminated the problem in your home, you will still need to practice good prevention. This means getting rid of viable food and water sources and shoring vulnerable entry points up. You can replace damaged or missing window and door screens, seal off cracked or punctured drywall, and address nests that are near windows and doors among other things. If it isn’t convenient for outside bugs to get into your home and if there aren’t readily habitable conditions waiting for them, most outside insects will pass over the space in pursuit of better quarters.
Prevention should also include efforts to make the outdoor areas less habitable. For instance, if you live in a region that’s prone to mosquito infestations, get rid of any standing bodies of water or properly cover them. Open ponds and other stagnant pools create the ideal breeding grounds for many different insect types. If termites are naturally abundant in your region, get rid of any dead and rotting tree stumps, would mulch, and other organic, wood cellulose-based debris in your yard.
Know When To Call Professionals In
At-home treatments for insects can be effective in some instances. To ensure the overall efficacy of self-managed treatments, however, property owners must know the correct strategies for breaking breeding cycles. This is because many store-bought chemicals are only meant to kill adult bugs that are of reproducing age. They do not always kill eggs or live larvae. As such, it often takes several, impeccably timed treatments to truly eliminate any major infestation. This is true with many insect types.
There is also the question of whether or not efforts to remove insect infestations actually require the use of strong chemicals that may be potentially toxic to humans as well. In many instances, pest control professionals can leverage tactics that are both environmentally-friendly, and safe for humans. Learning more about what your full range of options includes is a great way to identify the best treatment plan for your circumstances, your household, and ultimately your budget.
