Nobody wants bugs in their homes. Bugs can contaminate food, bite people and pets, and generally creep you out, too. So what can you do about the many varieties of bugs that are native to the state of New York, particularly in the Hudson Valley area. The good news is most pests will stay outdoors. Occasionally, though, they can make their way indoors. To avoid the frustration and surprise of finding pests in your home, it’s important to know how to protect your home from the most common ones! The pest experts at Garrie Pest Control are here to share everything you need to know about the four most common pests in the great state of New York.
Pests in New York
1. Cockroaches
Infamously gross and hardy, cockroaches are tough to kill. You could squish every roach that you see, but what can you do about the elusive nests of cockroaches that may be living in your cabinets, walls, or attic?
The key to cockroach control is preventing cockroach invasions in the first place. Seal up cracks in doors, windows, and walls, keep your home clean, and try to avoid eating outside of the kitchen or dining room. Also, make sure you keep your food tightly sealed away in airtight containers. If cockroaches access your food supply, they can spread incredibly dangerous diseases.
2. Bed Bugs
Some of the most difficult bugs to kill, bed bugs spread like a disease, latching onto a single person and spreading across entire homes, neighborhoods, and even cities. Bed bugs hide in mattresses, closets, baseboards, and other areas where they can form tiny but highly populated nests. They’re infamous for biting humans at night, feeding on their blood.
Bed bugs are difficult to kill, often requiring the use of heat treatments that essentially cook them to death, including their eggs. You must kill bed bug eggs if you hope to eliminate the infestation. This is why most other methods that target adult bed bugs just don’t work. It’s best to enlist the help of a bed bug control expert.
3. Termites
These dangerous pests are infamous for being costly. The very word “termite” should send a shudder down every homeowner’s spine. They eat dead plant matter, which often consists of building materials in homes, like wooden frames, cabinets, flooring, and furniture. New York homes commonly deal with termites, making it important to put prevention in place all year long.
If you notice deep grooves or holes in wood, your home may have termites. Always contact a termite control professional as soon as possible to begin termite intervention. As some of the most costly and destructive bugs on earth, professional termite prevention should be at the top of your priority list as a homeowner!
4. Pantry Pests
Like roaches, pantry beetles are hungry for just about anything you’ll take home to them. Sadly, their home may happen to be your kitchen pantry, hence the name of this common New York beetle. Pantry beetles are incredibly destructive to human food sources, and can often infect flour mills and grocery stores. This sadly means that you may take a pantry beetle infestation home with you.
Try to keep all food stored in airtight containers, especially sugary and flour-based foods that pantry beetles love. If you notice these food-eating pests in your home, it’s smart to get advice from your local pantry pest control experts.
Pest Prevention for New Yorkers
At Garrie Pest Control, we know that no homeowner wants to have pests in their home. We are proud to work with homeowners in the Hudson Valley and Peekskill NY area to customize pest control plans that keep homes pest-free year-round. To learn more, contact us today to get started!