Moving can be a difficult transition for everyone living under your roof. Everyone, that is, except the pests you are living with. If you think that moving will move you away from your pest problem, think again! They will have no problem hitching a ride with you to pester you in a whole new environment! That is, unless you are sure to thoroughly check your old and new home for pests before moving. Here are a couple of common household pests and what you can do to get these unwanted guests to buzz off once and for all (or, lets face it, after a few repeated treatments).
Ants
Let’s start with a couple of the least horrifying pests. Sound good? OK, so starting with ants. They don’t seem too horrifying, at least, at first. Seeing a few of them outside, being good little worker ants, it’s easy to charmed by their human-reminiscent abilities to communicate and work together. However, what they are communicating about is where the food is, and the food is at your place. Also, some types of ants bite, and some people can become hypersensitive to these bites, just like with wasp or bee stings. Furthermore, their bites carry germs which can be harmful to you and your family.
Most ants eat nectar, honey, or meat. They need a balance of carbohydrates and protein. While most ants live in the soil, some, such as carpenter ants, live in dead wood (lumber). Certain species can overrun kitchens, pantries, and pet food areas. They are also attracted to water and dampness, so your bathroom isn’t safe either.
Extermination
Luckily, ants can often be exterminated without the use of harmful pesticides, especially if the infestation is minor. First, make sure your honey, jelly, fruit, meat, and other food products are sealed. As I had pets in my house, I didn’t want to use any pesticides that would be harmful to them or the members of my household. Diatomaceous earth is an all-natural product that I used, and after a couple of applications, the ants went marching one by one out of my life! Simply sprinkle lines of it in areas where you’ve spotted ants and around doors or where they could have entered your home. You can also use this product for eliminating thatching ant nests, however, it is recommended that you follow them outdoors to find other nests. Please make sure you get the food-grade diatomaceous earth and not the pool-grade kind; pool-grade diatomaceous earth is harmful and should never be used indoors or around the home for pest control. You can also use food-grade diatomaceous earth on termites, snails, flies, maggots and slugs.
Mice
Another cute pest that somehow immediately loses its cuteness once it’s in your home; mice enter buildings through tiny openings. They have poor eyesight, are active in the evening, and live in well-hidden spaces between ceilings and floors. There are usually about 6 mice to a litter, and females can produce as many as ten litters per year. They make their nests out of soft types of materials, and as many as 3 females may use the same nest. They usually nest in insulation in attics, around stoves, and under refrigerators.
Extermination
First of all, you need to get rid of the food that is attracting the rodents in the first place. Once a constant food source has been detected, rodents will leave pheromone trails for their family members to follow. It’s like what people say when they are throwing a party: “If there’s food, people will come.” Same goes for mice. Abundant food supplies also speed up their reproductive cycle, so, Mickey and Minnie won’t be a duo for long. The most common rodent attractant in urban locations, ironically, is wild bird seed, so don’t expect the visiting Tweeties you feed to deter any Minnies! Mice are also attracted to grass seed, pet food, and improperly stored human food.
Next, you need to eradicate the route(s) rodents are taking to enter your home. Block any gaps around pipes, paying special attention pipes under the kitchen skink, bathrooms, laundry room and hot water tank. After you have eliminated the food, and the routes of entry, you are ready to eliminate the rodents. If you don’t take these steps first, the rodents will prefer their original food source to the traps, and you will have a hard time getting rid of them. Mouse traps are generally accepted as an effective solution that isn’t harmful to humans. Having traps isn’t enough, however; when it comes to mouse traps, the place is the thing that will catch the king (just a weak allusion to Hamlet; there are no mice kings)—so make sure you set your traps in areas where there is heavy mouse activity. Put them in places where you have found the most droppings, along the walls, and in corners of rooms they’ve been seen most. If you find the idea of collecting mouse corpses more abhorrent than finding live ones, there are humane alternatives to the poison, electric and glue traps. Though they don’t guarantee the safety of the mouse after it has left your home, these traps will simply close a door once the mouse has entered, allowing you to free it into the wild.
Do you think there might be other creepy, crawly, or slimy squatters in your home? Check out our other articles on household pests for more information.
