There are many types of pests that can infest your home. Basically, any critter that lives outdoors poses the possibility of taking up residence indoors resulting in an infestation before you know it. Cockroaches, rodents, and termites are just a few of the more common pests that can wreak havoc in your home.

Signs of a termite infestation

Termites leave very distinct signs that they have infested an area. Not only visible signs but audio signs as well. Termites are very noisy as they eat and nest in wood.

Swarmers, also known as reproductives, are young female and male winged termites. In the springtime, after the last freeze, swarmers will emerge from their nest to mate and search for a new location to start a colony, which typically includes our homes. The first sign and often the only outwardly visible sign of a termite problem is seeing their discarded wings near window sills and doors.

As termites chew into dry wood they usually leave a thin veneer, which may appear blistered or dark and breaks through easily when pressed upon with just a light touch. Subteranean Termites the most destructive termite species, build mud tubes to provide moisture while they travel between their colony and food source. Mud tubes are most often found near the home’s foundation.

Signs of a cockroach infestation

Cockroaches come in a variety of species and are perhaps one of the most disturbing insects that can be found crawling around in your home. They are extremely invasive and will get into any exposed food item. They are nocturnal pests that like to stay hidden during the day, so it’s easy to miss the signs that they’ve moved into your home. To catch an infestation be aware of the early signs.

An obvious sign of an infestation is seeing live cockroaches inside your home. Cockroaches are most active at night, so you may see them scurry as you turn on the lights in a dark room. Seeing them during the day is a sign that their dark hiding places are getting overcrowded and they’ve been forced out into the open. These insects also produce an unpleasant odor that may be noticeable if a lot of them are present. If your house starts to have an unusual distinct odor and you can’t figure out where the smell is coming from, it may be cockroaches.

You may notice oval dark brown or black objects in a roach-infested area. These are egg sacks and can be fairly large (even bigger than some roaches) as they hold many eggs and may be found in secluded areas around your home, like behind your furniture or inside your pantry.

Feces left behind by cockroaches is probably the most obvious sign they’ve taken up residence inside your home as they leave their droppings everywhere they go. Their feces can look like coffee grounds, or black pepper depending on the species. You may find their feces in any part of your home where roaches are active.

Signs of a rodent infestation

Mice and rats are commonly found indoors as they seek out food left behind by you and your pets. The obvious signs that a rodent infestation has occurred will be trails of feces they’ve left behind. It’s likely you’ll see this sign before you even see a rodent as they tend to be nocturnal and can hide virtually anywhere, only coming out to seek food or shelter.

You also may notice chew marks on food containers in your pantry such as boxes or bags that contain food. Mice and rats can easily chew through hard plastic and even wood to access food that is within a container. You will sometimes hear them scurrying around inside your walls or ceiling if you’ve got a lot of rodent activity in your home.

If you suspect your home or office has been infested with any of these pests, the experienced professionals at Eagle Pest Control are available to do a thorough inspection and discuss treatment options.

Sources

This Old House
PestWorld.org