How Do Bugs Get in the House? 5 Things to Look For

In this blog, we’ll show you some common bugs found in homes and why they end up there. We hope it helps you prevent and remove those unwanted pests living in your home rent-free.

Is It Normal to Have Bugs in the House?

In some senses, yes – it’s normal to have bugs in the house. Small insects will be inside virtually every home on Earth. And it’s not always a bad thing to have bugs around your property! Some bugs contribute to positive health by spreading microbial diversity.

However, if you are noticing big bugs or seeing them pop up in large amounts, that can obviously start affecting your day-to-day life. That’s when you have to say no more and take action to remove these bugs and learn how to best prevent them from coming back.

How Do You Keep Bugs Out of Your House?

Bugs and other home pests don’t enter your home for no reason. Your home may attract pests due to food, shelter, or a place to nest. In order to avoid pests in the home, we recommend the following:

  • Limit open food sources inside your house by keeping counters clear of crumbs, closing food containers, and cleaning dirty dishes
  • Do not have standing water inside or around your house
  • Fix leaky pipes
  • Make sure to have screens on windows and doors
  • Close off any cracks or unregulated entry points for pests
  • Use chimney caps and door sweeps
  • Maintain your yard and compost areas
  • Store trash properly
  • Schedule regular pest control maintenance
  • Avoid damp firewood, cardboard boxes, and other enticing nesting material

While some of these seem intuitive, most homeowners don’t perform correct bug prevention methods until an issue arises. People often don’t realize how easily pests can get into the home. Even exhaust fans, dryer vents, and small rips in window screens can allow pests into the home. Establishing the best pest prevention practices for your home and regularly practicing them will keep you from needing to take further action.

Read More: How Do I Prepare for Pest Control Treatment?

5 Signs of Bugs in Your Home

There are times when you may have common house insects appear throughout your home. Noticing certain signs can help you recognize this and stop an even worse pest infestation in the making:

1. Lots of Spiders or Ladybugs

Spiders and ladybugs are both significant predators of many of the common household bugs that will infest your home. While you might think of spiders as a pest, it is likely that there are bigger issues on the horizon if you don’t take action soon.

2. Tapping Sounds Coming From Your Walls

This typically indicates termites hitting their heads against the wall. By the time you have enough of them to hear these sounds, they have likely already established large colonies within your walls. Find out about pest control services immediately if you hear these tapping sounds repeatedly.

3. Mud Tubes and Wood-Colored Pellets

Before you’ve got entire colonies burrowing in your walls, here are a couple of visible signs you’ve got termites present in your home. The mud tubes on your external walls are built to protect colonies of termites as they burrow further into your walls. If you see them on any walls in your home, this is an immediate sign of invasion.

Additionally, if there are tiny wood-colored pellets around your home, these are termite droppings. Also known as frass, these are less nefarious on their own but a significant indicator that termites are at least exploring your house.

4. Anthills Outside of Your Home

Ants are one of the most common bugs in homes, and their presence is almost always related to food and water. Crumbs, open packages, and stagnant water are especially enticing to these scavengers. If the outside environment leaves them wanting food or water, they will nest around your home to take yours and bring it back to their colony. 

An anthill outside might be a sign of one growing inside your walls, which could be a big problem. Either way, you don’t want the problem to escalate, so it’s time to take action when you see an anthill outside your home.

5. Tracks and Markings in Your Home

Many insects and pests move along the same path to and from their nest and can leave claw marks, grease marks, or bite marks as they travel. Cockroaches will leave reddish-brown streaks, and while insect markings are not as easy to spot as mice or rats, they will often leave marks on white walls, carpets, or appliances. Check for damage to plants and fabric, as bugs might lay eggs or feed on these as well.

Published On: August 20, 2021
Updated On: April 4, 2023

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