Generally speaking, suburbia offers space, excellent breeding grounds, and plenty of food and water. And we’re not talking specifically human needs here: bugs also thrive in suburban homes exactly because of these conditions. There are many types of bugs that can be found- research has found hundreds of insect species in suburban home environments- but many of those are there in very small numbers, or appear periodically. Overall, however, there’s a variety of common bugs that appear in almost every part of the US. Let’s take a look at these:
Ants
Ants are one of the greatest pest control problems, and can be difficult to control. They enter through the tiniest of cracks seeking food,water, warmth, shelter, or a refuge from dry hot weather or flooded conditions. On average, only about 10-15% of the ants from the colony are away from the nest foraging for food or water. Ants are smart and are extremely dedicated to the hive, performing Herculean tasks to gather food and discover water sources.
Cockroaches
German cockroaches are very commonly found in suburban homes, and are the most widespread of all cockroaches in the United States. They’re brown to dark brown in color, and have two distinct parallel bands running the length of their pronotum, or the area before the wings. Under ideal conditions, it’s been estimated that one female German roach can be the cause of a population explosion of over 1 million. German roaches prefer areas near food, moisture, and warmth, and they often litter food or food products with their feces and defensive secretions. They also physically carry and often harbor pathogenic organisms, and in some cases may cause severe allergic reactions.
Fleas
Fleas are biting insects and the only stage of flea that feeds on blood. They may be found on pets throughout the year, but numbers tend to increase dramatically during spring and summer. Once fleas infest a home, control will require a vigilant program that includes cleaning and treating infested areas indoors, eliminating fleas on pets, and cleaning up and/or treating shaded outdoor locations in warmer months.
Spiders
Spiders as a species are predators and are poisonous, but very few pose any danger to humans. As predators, spiders are beneficial as they feed on a wide variety of insects that we also consider to be pests. They also tend to generally shy away from humans. Only a few species of spiders have the ability to bite and harm people. The other types of spiders are either too small to bite, or their poison is too weak to harm humans.
Termites
Subterranean termites are common in throughout the country, and wreak the most costly havoc of all the common suburban-home bugs. In most cases, these termites require contact with the soil, which provides optimal temperatures and moisture for their survival. Subterranean termites use mud tubes to connect their underground nests to above ground food sources. The presence of mud tubes on home surfaces near the ground and large swarms of flying termites and are the two most noticeable signs of subterranean termite infestations. It’s important to note that termites often do most of their damage before they’re seen in large numbers, which is why it’s crucial to deal with them as soon as they’re detected.
