Pests are attracted to homes because they offer the resources they require to survive and thrive. Our homes provide an ideal space for pests by sheltering them from various elements and factors including predators and harsh weather conditions. Preventing pests from entering your home by eliminating items that attract them can reduce the likelihood of a pest infestation. In addition, limiting these resources is the first step to pest control and prevention at home.
In this article, Bingo Pest shares the 8 key attractants at home that may lead to potential pest activities and infestations
Food
Like humans, most pests feed on food to survive. Pests such as ants, cockroaches and rodents are attracted to homes due to the readily available food sources, which may include crumbs and spilled food. In fact, these pests feed on a wide variety of food including sweets, greasy food items, cereals, nuts and fruits.
When pests land on the food we eat, they contaminate them and make it unsafe for consumption. These pests including cockroaches and rats can spread bacteria and diseases that can result in food poisoning symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea. In serious cases, it may even lead to death. Therefore, it is critical to prevent pest infestations and protect your food from potential contamination. The following tips help keep your home safe and away from pests:
Store food by using airtight containers help to keep pests out
Clean up food debris and spills that might attract pests
Dispose of food debris in sinks after washing
Wash appliances and cutleries immediately after use
Keep kitchen clean and dry to reduce pest activities
Moisture
Pests including termites, cockroaches and rodents are attracted to moisture sources. These can include leaky pipes or damp areas in the home. Additionally, mould thrives in moist environments. The growth of mould also encourages booklice infestations as these pesky creatures feed on them. Furthermore, mosquitoes are attracted to lay eggs in standing water. When these eggs hatch and turn into adult mosquitoes, they start spreading deadly diseases such as Dengue and Zika. Therefore, repairing leaks and keeping areas dry can make your home less susceptible to pest infestations. Here are some tips to keep your home dry:
Invest in a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture in the air
Ventilate rooms and toilets after use
Keep cabinets under the sinks dry by conducting frequent checks for leaky pipes
Clutter
Besides food and water, pests are attracted to places that are dark, where they can hide, rest and nest. Common household pests such as cockroaches, rodents, spiders and lizards are attracted to clutter areas at home. Typically, cluttered areas can be a magnet for pests as they offer dark and enclosed spaces, allowing pests to shelter their young, as well as to hide from predators and harsh weather conditions. In addition, pests such as birds and rodents can use clutter as nesting materials. These materials can include cardboard boxes, cotton pads, tissue, paper and more! Therefore, it is essential to reduce clutter and keep your home clean and organised to help reduce the likelihood of pest infestations.
Warmth
Pests are attracted to warm areas in a house because most of them, mostly insects, are unable to generate their own body heat. Hence, they are drawn to warm spots at home for survival and reproduction. Examples of warm areas found at home include:
Near lights
Behind or under appliances including refrigerators and washing machines
Near electronics such as televisions
Areas that are warm offer a cosy and comfortable environment for pests to harbour and hide. Moreover, many pests including rodents and mosquitoes reproduce more quickly in warm environments. Warmer temperatures offer an ideal opportunity to speed up their reproductive cycles, allowing them to produce more offspring in a short period of time. Hence, it is critical to keep your home cool and well-ventilated to keep pests away.
Waste and Trash
Leaving your waste and trash uncleared can attract pests such as flies, rodents, cockroaches and ants. Decomposing food waste and decaying matter in trash can produce a strong odour to attract pests. Even if the trash is not visible, pests can detect and be drawn to the area. This is also why trash cans, rubbish chutes and bin centres can be the start of major pest problems at residential and commercial buildings.
Dealing with pest infestations arising from waste and trash can be annoying and even dangerous. Therefore, cultivating good trash disposal habits and practices at home can help keep pests at bay. Examples include:
Using heavy duty trash bags to prevent tears and leakages
Bring out trash regularly and do not keep them overnight
Use bins with lids to keep pests away from garbage
Wash and clean bins regularly
Wood
While wood might not be the obvious choice of food, some pests including termites, wood borers and carpenters are able to chew through wood. These pests, especially so for termites, cause serious damages to the structure of buildings. For termites, they are extremely fond of the cellulose material found in wood, paper and fibre. This is extremely concerning as wood makes up most part of a home including false ceiling, roof, partitions and beams.
It is difficult to detect a termite infestation and when signs surface, certain damages might have already been done. Therefore, conducting frequent pest inspections in homes can help to detect early signs of any pest infestation. Taking proactive actions can help bring the level of infestation under control within a short period of time.
Blood
Human blood is a food source to pests such as bed bugs, fleas and mosquitoes. While some of these blood-feeding pests cause a nuisance with their itchy bites, some of them carry and transmit harmful diseases. Blood is a source of nutrition for many pests, providing them with the energy and nutrients they need to survive. However, some of these blood-feeding pests including bed bugs and mosquitoes also require blood for reproduction. For example, a blood meal is necessary for female mosquitoes to develop eggs and reproduce. Learn where mosquitoes are commonly found at home and how to get rid of them.
Gaps, Cracks and Crevices
Pests can be attracted to homes because they offer easy entry points and hiding spots. Gaps in doors and windows, cracks on the walls and holes in screens can provide pests with a convenient way to enter your home. However, the tiniest cracks and crevices on walls and built-in carpentry can act as a perfect hiding spot for flexible and tiny pests such as bed bugs, ants and cockroaches. Therefore, it is essential to seal up any cracks or openings, not only to prevent pests from entering, but also reduce potential hiding and harbouring spots for pests.
When engaging a pest control service, it is important to choose a company with specialists who are able to identify and provide suggestions in sealing up of entry points. Find out how to select the best pest control company in Singapore.
Insects
Household pests including spiders and lizards may be attracted to your house due to the abundance of insects, alive or dead. These pests feed on insects to survive and are often known as insect predators. Even though these insect-eating pests can be useful for controlling other insect populations in your home, they may also in return, cause other pest infestations. Hence, it helps and is crucial to engage a proper pest control specialist to get rid of the different types of pests and their population.
Pest Control Company in Singapore
Besides offering professional pest control services in Singapore targeting the various pests including ants, cockroaches, rodents, flies and mosquitoes, Bingo Pest works with home and business owners to identify potential pest harbourage areas and breeding grounds. We offer value-added services on top of our regular pest management treatments including a complimentary visual pest inspection, pest identification and offering housekeeping tips to prevent pests on your property. Our specialists are skilfully trained to get rid of pests and the root source of any pest infestation with the highest level of service standards. Contact us at 65179989 to learn more about the pest control services we offer and how we can help resolve your pest issues.
