5 Common Apartment Pests (and Tips for Getting Rid of Them)

Apartment buildings can be an ideal place for pests looking for shelter and food. No matter the size of your apartment, pests can easily find their way in and cause a disturbance. Many pests can attack your apartment, but there are five common ones. Here are the five common apartment pests and how you can get rid of them.

1. Ants

Ants are the most common pests you will find in apartments. Given their wide range of species, ants can be found almost everywhere. You will find them indoors looking for food containers or crumbs left unattended. They often use pheromone trails and follow each other to sources of food.

In terms of their shape and size, ants are tiny insects that can be difficult to spot. You might not easily notice one or two ants on your kitchen floor. However, it is easy to identify a line of ants heading to a bowl of pet food or a sugar spill. Their lack of aggressiveness makes it more challenging to notice.

2. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are very common in apartments. In most cases, cockroaches thrive in urban centers where they have easy access to underground tunnels and plenty of apartment buildings. They find their way into apartments in search of food and shelter. Without proper prevention methods, cockroaches can be quite a nuisance.

One of the most common species of these pests is German cockroaches. They have a unique pair of brown stripes running the length of their wings. Cockroaches mostly thrive in warm temperatures, with cold weather proving to be problematic for them. Therefore, the months of summer are when your apartment is at a high risk of cockroach invasions.

3. Indian Meal Moths

These are also one of the common apartment pests. Indian meal moths mainly affect stored food products. If left alone, these insects can cause a lot of damage in the apartment—they have larvae that can contaminate pounds of stored dry food. Furthermore, the adult moths lay lots of eggs inside boxes or bags of dry food, such as cereal and flour. When the eggs mature and hatch, the larvae consume the food and emerge as adults. This cycle continues until the stored food is fully contaminated.

An Indian meal moth infestation can spread quickly and cause significant damage. Keep in mind that moths are structurally tiny and can hide in the smallest of places. One way you can manage these pests is by thoroughly cleaning every crevice and crack in jars, cans, and pots, and discarding any infected food. By doing so, you will help keep Indian meal moths at bay.

4. Rodents

These are one of the common and unpleasant pests found in apartments. They are noisy, fast, and can cause significant damage. Rodents can spread disease and cause damage to your furniture and walls. Rats and mice are good at chewing through hard materials, making it difficult to get rid of them once they’re inside the house.

The common places rodents tend to hide include under furniture, behind refrigerators, inside cabinets, among other dark places. These pests can contaminate food by chewing through plastic bags and cardboard boxes. Besides, they can ruin furniture and destroy wiring in walls.

5. Spiders

Spiders are found in apartments and homes all over the world. They are terrifying arachnids that actually cause less damage compared to the other four. Even though spiders can bite, and a few of them are poisonous, most spiders are harmless. In fact, most spiders tend to stay away from humans to protect themselves — that’s why you will find them cluttered high up in walls where you can’t easily reach.

Spiders use their webs to catch prey, meaning they are more likely to live near the entrance points. Given that spiders feed on other pests to survive, they can help control the pest population. However, having these pests in your apartment is not a good idea, and you should get rid of them.

Tips for Getting Rid of Pests

There are several ways you can get rid of pests; here are some of them.

Use Insecticides

One way you can get rid of pests is using Insecticides. Apply the insecticide in areas where pests tend to hide. These areas include under furniture, behind the refrigerator, dark corners, and even the attic.

Keep Floors Clean

Always vacuum the floor. No matter the kind of floor design you have, always sweep, vacuum, and mop as regularly as possible. It is important to clean dust and crumbs that can accumulate around furniture, against walls, and behind clutter.

Seal Foods Tightly

The way you store food will go a long way in controlling pests like the Indian meal moth. Avoid purchasing food with damaged or dusty packaging. Furthermore, you should store dry foods in metal or glass containers that can seal tightly. This will help keep pests out and save your food from potential infestation.

Get Rid of Any Clutter

Accumulating dust in cluttered areas can attract rodents and insects. Dusty areas are idle hiding places for pests. Therefore, it is important to eliminate any dirt in your apartment and ensure it is always clean.