|

|
Questions?
Search 'Bugs
|
|
|
Household
Pests
-
Insects, spiders and other arthropods found in
homes -
|
Summary: Most
bugs found in homes don't actually damage the
structure or pose any real health threat but are
just more of a nuisance than anything else. Some,
however, can cause
structural damage, bite
or sting, or create
unhealthy conditions. See details below.
Jack
DeAngelis, PhD
OSU
Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
my resume
|
|
|
Identifying household pests
There are
only a few insects, spiders, and mites that are
normally found inside homes. These are the so-called
household pests. Certain ants, beetles,
true bugs, cockroaches, flies,
mites, silverfish, and springtails
(collembola) are the most commonly reported.
Household
pests differ by region - what's common in one area
may not be so common in another region of the
country - but the following represent the majority
of questions we get through our bug
id service.
|
 |
ants feeding at a bait
station
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use the links
below to find color photos and drawings, life
history information, and where needed, how to safely
manage these pests.
|
|
Common household pests
|

|
|
Other pest categories
-
Pests
That Damage Homes including termites,
carpenter ants, powderpost beetles, wood
boring bees, and others.
-
Pests
That Bite or Sting including bed bugs,
biting mites, fleas, lice, ticks, wasps,
spiders, and others.
Household insecticides
Question:
Can I safely use insecticides indoors?
Yes and no.
First, there is almost no reason to apply
insecticides indoors. Most insecticides available to
homeowners as aerosol sprays are messy and not very
effective, and you should not apply conventional
insecticides in a kitchen where food can be
contaminated.
Recently,
however, new botanical
(plant-based) insecticides have been
introduced into the homeowner market that can be
safely used indoors especially those botanical
products that do not contain petroleum distillate
and are labeled exempt from EPA registration. While
I still hesitate to recommend insecticides for
routine indoor use, if you want to use an
insecticide use one of these safer alternatives (see
Using Botanical
Insecticides).
Why
Mothballs Should NOT Be Used
What
are Uninvited Houseguests?
Do
Electronic/Ultrasonic Pest "Repellers" Work?
|
|
Still
Have A Question or Need a Bug Id? ... Click
Here
|
|
'Bugs Needs Your Support!
If our information is useful
help us
maintain and grow 'Bugs. Visit our Support
Page or shop at
Amazon, one of our favorite affiliates. Amazon
is not just books and Kindles, they even have bug
stuff!
|
|
|
Don't forget to bookmark us for next time - press ctrl-D in most
browsers.
|
|
|
|
Mission: To provide accurate, up-to-date and
unbiased information for solving common insect and
mite problems around your home, business and landscape
using least-toxic methods.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD,
, email:
[email protected]
Please see the Disclaimer
statements as well.
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2004-...
LivingWithBugs, LLC. All rights reserved.
|