How Do Pests Enter Homes

Pests enter homes in various ways but the most common way pests enter your home is through small cracks, holes, or crevices in your foundation, as well as around doorways and windows. Window and door screens with holes or tears in them can also allow insects to enter your home. Rats can squeeze through holes no larger than a quarter or .96 inches and mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime or .25 inches.

Tree branches that touch houses can act as bridges for rodents and insects to enter homes. Roof vents with torn screens can let pests into your attic and the same goes for vents on lower levels of your home, such as crawl space vents. Some insects, such as cockroaches can enter homes through drains in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, as they can live in sewers that connect to pipes in homes.

Another way roaches and bed bugs enter homes is by hitchhiking in paper bags, cardboard boxes, clothing, purses, electronic devices, and backpacks. Some food insects, such as weevils, beetles, and moths may be present in dry goods that you purchase at the local supermarket. Bulk dry goods are also susceptible to food insects at processing plants or in compromised containers on grocery store shelves. Dry goods that sit in dark pantries most of the year and are only used on holidays or special occasions make a great place for meal moths to lay their eggs. Food beetles can burrow their way into paper bags that items such as flour are sold in and lay eggs. Some insects can enter your home in plant containers that are brought in from outdoors and some insects may be living in trees and greenery that you bring in your home for the holidays.

If you’re seeing unwanted insects and bugs in your South Florida home and need help getting them under control, contact your reliable local pest control experts – Petri Pest Control Services. Our technicians are standing by ready to help!