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3 Pesky Pests and How to Get Rid of Them

By Acme Homes 1-16-2023

Homes are our safe spaces. They are warm, and comfortable, and have all our favorite snacks. You work hard to make your home welcoming, but not to everyone! Here are some common pests that you may find in your home along with ways to get rid of them.

Fruit Flies

A fruit fly colony can show up in your home seemingly out of nowhere! One minute you are swatting one fly out of your face and the next, there is a half dozen more. This is because fruit fly larvae hatch within 24 hours of being laid. Which means that you must act fast to get them under control. The first measure you need to take is to prevent access to the things that are drawing them in. In this case, fruit. Store fruits in the refrigerator or in the pantry. And throw fruits away promptly once they have gone bad. If you still have some lingering flies, you can create a simple DIY trap. Take a glass, fill it halfway with vinegar, add a tablespoon of dish soap, and fill the glass the rest of the way with warm water. This will draw the flies to the liquid and trap them inside.

Weevils

A pest that is commonly seen in pantries is the weevil. Weevils are particularly annoying because they do not just feast on over ripe fruit, but they love to make a diet of your dried goods. They typically gain entrance into your home on groceries and grocery bags. They then burrow into rice bags, pasta boxes, and the like. The best thing to do once you notice weevils is to clean out your pantry and treat it with a gentle household insecticide. Throw away any open boxes of grains, pastas, and flours. Treat the pantry with insecticide. Once you have, it will be safe to restock these staples.

Ants

Tiny, resourceful, and persistent, ants can be particularly difficult to get rid of once in your home. The kitchen and bathroom are two of the most common places to find these pests since food, water, and shelter are their primary motivators. A common theme for most pest prevention is to minimize access to the things they want. In reference to ants this looks like cleaning crumbs off of counters, vacuuming and sweeping regularly, and not leaving food out in the open. As for getting rid of ants, keeping ant traps around is one of the most effective ways to eradicate them.

At the end of the day, pests are bound to show up from time to time. When these three common bugs pop in your home, you will know how to tackle them.

Acme Homes is a home builder in Snohomish, WA. We build homes that fit beautifully into the nature around them. If you are in the market for a new homie, start your search here!