22 Common Household Pests, Bugs & Insects

Table of Contents:

What is a common household pest?

Depending on the area that you live in there may be a variety of different types of bugs and pests that you may find in your home. Some of the most common Household Pests and critters include:

• Ants

Ants are by far one of the most common household pests. Because these critters live in large colonies there is no chance you will find just one ant in your home. Instead, you will usually find dozens if not hundreds of these little critters infiltrating your kitchen, garden, and home.

• Termites

Termites are not only common but also quite destructive as they feed on wood. This could mean serious problems if your home suffers from a termite infestation. A professional exterminator is usually necessary if you want to get rid of these small insects.

• Flies

Flies are probably the most common flying bugs that you will find in your home. Usually, they breed in rotten food or garbage, so if you are not careful you may have a full-on infestation in your hands within a few days. These pests can also carry a variety of diseases which is one of the most important reasons to get rid of them.

• Rodents

Rodents, such as rats or mice may enter your home through holes and cracks on the floor, walls, or foundation. Often, they can carry diseases and cause damage to your property by chewing through your cables, walls, or insulation.

• Mosquitos

Arguably the most annoying pest, mosquitos are always around during the summer but can also be found lurking around year-round. They can often carry many viruses such as malaria, yellow fever, or the Zika virus, so don’t let their small size full you into thinking they are harmless.

• Cockroaches

Cockroaches tend to lurk in the dark behind sinks, stoves, and refrigerators. They can also be found in floor drains and can even infest your furniture. Usually, when you locate one cockroach many more will appear after, so getting an exterminator ahead of time is a good idea.

What are the 4 main types of pests?

Pests are often categorized into four types. These mainly relate to their biological categorization rather than the damage they can cause to your home. The four main types of pests you may encounter in your home are:

• Vertebrate Pests – these have a backbone, rodents, reptiles, birds and other mammals would fall under this category.
• Invertebrate Pests – no backbone, most common examples include insects, arachnoids, and ticks.
• Weeds – these are normally plants whose seeds were transferred to your home by the wind or by flying creatures. Usually, they are not harmful.
• Fungi, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms belong in their category and are considered to be pests.

What are the five types of pests?

The five types of pests that you will most commonly find in your home may vary based on your location. Still, it is fair to say that they will most likely fall under one of the following categories or types.

1. Hymenopterans

Hymenopterans include all wasps, bees, and ants that you may find in your home. There are over 130,000 species that fall under this category; therefore, it is fairly certain that you will encounter one of these species in your home.

1. Cockroaches

These insects can cause massive infestations in a home and often require professional extermination. Cockroaches can carry many different diseases and can infest all parts of your home including the plumbing system and furniture you own.

1. Fleas

Fleas are parasites that survive by feeding on the blood of mammals. Especially if you have pets you will need to be careful to not bring any of these pests into your home. Depending on the level of the infestation getting rid of fleas may be easy or hard.

1. Flies

Flies are winged insects that can carry a variety of different diseases. They tend to breed in the garbage or rotten food items so keeping your space clean can be extremely important if you want to avoid an infestation.

1. Myriapods

Myriapoda is the biological name for all arthropods including arachnids, millipedes, centipedes, and other such insects and creatures. Some of these pests can be relatively harmless while others may be dangerous. The species of myriapods in your area will help define how careful you should be with these pests.

Which insect is a pest?

Insects have existed for millions of years and they can often be an important part of our ecosystems. Insects are partly responsible for keeping pest populations under control. The classifications of insects vary based on their behaviors and characteristic and while we may be partially annoyed at some of these insects, the reality is without them our ecosystems would die. For example, without bees’ pollination of many flowers and plants would be nearly impossible, bees are an essential part of our ecosystem and therefore are considered to be very beneficial to humankind.

In stark contrast actual pests are destructive organisms, they can attach crops and cause harm to humans. Such pests include cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, lice, and termites. Generally, pests are hindering crops and can carry diseases for this reason pest infestations need to be kept under control.

Insects are normally categorized into types insect pests and beneficial insects. Insect pests are those whose behavior hinders crop production, while beneficial insects help keep pests under control and can pollinate flowers. Normally pests are either vertebrates, plants, or invertebrates, while insects are anthropoids. This means that their body structure usually is characterized by a division of the head, thorax, abdomen, antennae, and 6 legs. At times they may also have a pair of wings.

What are pests and their examples?

Pests are small organisms that do not benefit their environment but rather the destruct it. A great example of a pest is the termite. Termites do not only inhabit wood but they also feed on it by destroying it. In reality, termites are not adding to their ecosystem but rather subtracting from it. Similarly, lice or fleas have no positive effects on their environment, instead, they just feed on mammals, including humans without providing any value to their ecosystem.

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What are the most common bugs?

Many bugs can be considered common, and those common bags may vary based on the location that you are in. The species of bugs that you find around you may also vary depending on where your home is. The most common bugs are:

1. Ants

Ants are considered by many to be the most common bug that you will find in your home. In general, they are attracted to many foods that humans consume, including bread and sweets. Having a reliable water source is also important for ants which may be part of the reason they choose to inhabit the area surrounding your home. While these insects are not harmful, they can be annoying as they seem to be able to find their way into your home all the time. The best way to keep ants away is truly to keep everything as clean as possible and to keep all of your foods sealed away.

2. Spiders

Spiders are also very common house guests, and most species of spiders are not only harmless but can help keep pest populations under control. Of course, that does not necessarily mean that you will want spiders to become permanent residents in your home, especially if you live in an area where the spiders are poisonous or could be dangerous.

3. Flies

There are many different types of flies that can make their way into your home. The reality is that flies breed quite fast and can carry many diseases which is why you will want to make sure to stop any infestation before it gets too bad.

4. Crickets

Crickets will mostly live outdoors, but when they are there, you will know. These singing insects can be quite loud and while they will not frequently make their way to your home, you will want to ensure that your home is closed off and that lights are off during the night to avoid any unwanted visitors.

5. Bees and Wasps

Bees and wasps are two completely different bugs even though they look similar. Both of them will live outdoors and in general, it is only the wasps that you should be concerned with. Bees especially in the spring are quite common as they will seek to pollinate the flowers in your garden. If you have a beehive infestation you will want to get a professional remover so as to ensure that the bees are transferred from your property without being killed off.

6. Cockroaches and beetles

Cockroaches and beetles are extremely common, especially if you live in a home surrounded by nature. While it is completely normal to see some of these animals outside your home, you will want to ensure that no cockroaches make their way into your home. Cockroaches can destroy fabrics and contaminate your foods, so as much as possible try to ensure that your space is clean so as to avoid an infestation.

7. Termites

Termites are some of the most destructive little bugs that you can find in your home. If you have a termite problem you will want to deal with it swiftly, as termites can damage the internal structure of your home. This is because termites tend to feed on wood, which is one of the primary building materials in the U.S.

8. Beetles

Beetles are actually the most common insect in the outdoors. If you have a garden or live around nature you will most likely see some of these bugs around your property. Usually, beetles will not make their way into your home as they tend to live in the outdoors.

What is a common insect?

The most common insects found around a home are ants. Ants are relatively harmless and they are only visiting your property to gather resources for their colony. So long as you keep everything clean and sealed off you should be able to avoid having ants find their way into your home. There are also many natural deterrents you can use to dissuade these little insects from coming into your home.

How can I identify an insect?

Not all insects are pests, as such when you find yourself faced with a bug that you have never seen before you may begin wondering whether it is an insect or not. The easiest way of identifying insects is by asking yourself the following four questions.

1. How many legs does it have?

All insects will have six legs, if the little bug you have Infront of you has 6 legs then it might be an insect.

1. Can you see different parts of its body?

Insects have three very distinct body regions, the head, thorax, and abdomen. Many pests and other bugs do not have such body parts and therefore are not insects.

1. Does it have a pair of antennae?

If one thing is a necessity for insects it’s the antennae. There are no insects that lack this feature.

4. Does it have wings?

This is the only question that will not give you a clear answer on whether the bug in front of you is an insect. While most insects have two pairs of wings, there are others without wings. Still, this can be a distinguishing mark in some cases.

Summary

When dealing with bugs in your home you will want to know whether they are insect pests or helpful insects. Depending on the category they fall under the way that you deal with these little creatures will also be different. When needed, make sure to call on an exterminator ahead of time rather than waiting until you have a full infestation in your hands. Protecting your home from these little critters can help you avoid unnecessary damages and can protect the value of your home.