Household pests are just that – pests! Most are annoying at worst, while some can do some serious damage. What are the most common pests in homes in the USA? What are the best methods of dealing with pests? Should you use off-the-shelf products, or is it time to call in the experts?

These are all questions that we will answer in the following article, in which we talk about the five most commonly found household pests in the UK. Let’s find out what they are!

What are the Most Common Household Pests? 

First, if you want to know more about a professional pest control outfit and what to do, we recommend checking out Majestic Pest Control. They are a prominent local business with a great reputation.

What are the most common pests in the home in the USA? Here are the top five:

1 – Cockroaches

2 – Mice

3 – Rats

4 – Termites

5 – Ants

Many people may have expected to see bed bugs on that list, but they don’t match any of the above for frequency. The problem with getting rid of pests is that each one requires a different routine – what works for cockroaches, for example, will not get rid of rats. Let’s take each of the above individually and talk about the best way to get rid of them.

Getting Rid of Cockroaches

There are many species of cockroach in the USA, and all can be found in homes. The contaminate food, make nasty stains on surfaces and are generally horrible creatures to have around the house. Many of the species can also carry bacteria that cause diseases. Despite claims to the contrary, there are no commercial sprays that can get rid of cockroaches.

You can try eliminating them by killing them when you see one and removing any water and food sources for the insects.

There are also traps you can put out that are successful to an extent. However, these methods require you to be extremely vigilant. Our suggestion should you see cockroaches around your home is to call in the professionals. They will have the right equipment, expertise and methods to catch your cockroach problem before it gets out of hand.

Eliminating Mice and Rats

Rodents are an ongoing problem in many US homes, and as mice breed around ten times a year, you have more mice to come once you have mice. Mice may be small, but they can do a lot of damage by nibbling through cables, destroying paper items and contaminating the home with their droppings and urine.

Rats are a pest that will eat your food and render what is left unusable. They also leave droppings and urine and can easily chew through electrical cables – a fire hazard that needs attending to. Rats can also carry diseases that can be dangerous to humans.

To get rid of rats, you should remove any food sources and make sure there are no gaps that the animal can get through into the house. Rats can get through a 1/4inch gap – mice a much smaller one – so great care must be taken to rodent-proof your home. You can set traps for both that can also be successful. Should you suspect you have a colony of either mice or rats, a professional pest control company is your best resort.

Dealing with Termites

If you have termites, here is our advice: get the professionals in and quickly. There are commercial products that claim to get rid of termites, but here’s the problem: the Queen termite can lay many thousands of eggs each day, so your termite colony is going to become a major problem very quickly.

Termites destroy wood – the wood that may be the very foundation and frame of your home – and cause damage to many other parts of the home. You will be surprised how quickly they can destroy large areas of wood. This can leave your property in a dangerous state.

Many people fail to realise that termites fly. If you see a large swarm of tiny flying insects – especially in spring or fall – then it may be that termites have chosen your home as theirs. There is no quick fix other than to engage the services of the professionals, as the population will expand too quickly for the DIY methods.

Make sure your home is correctly ventilated as moisture in wood draws the termites attention. Get in touch with your local pest control company right away, as things can escalate very quickly.

Ant Infestations

Ants are perhaps the ultimate example of a pest: they are annoying but not dangerous. Nevertheless, you don’t want them in your house. You can get rid of it by sweeping up ants with soapy water. However, as with termites, the problem is the sheer quantity of them. Ants form colonies of many thousands, and you have no way of keeping up with the population explosion. If you see one ant, you can be certain there are great numbers in your home.

If you talk to your local pest control service provider, they will not only set about getting rid of your current colony but will also help and advise on ant-proofing your home. They may also set up bait traps outside the building to catch the insects before they get inside.

Other Pest Problems

The above are not the only pests that can inhabit your home. Birds and squirrels may nest in parts of your home, and you may even have bats that require specialist handling. Bats are a protected animal in the USA, so you will need to call out the experts should you have them on your property.

While many household pests are simply a nuisance, some can cause disease and damage – rats and termites especially – so it is worth talking to your local pest control company and having them survey your property and advise if you have pests get them removed.