Humans aren’t the only ones benefitting from the wide accessibility of food. Critters of all kinds arrive on wings, paws, and crawling legs to seek out whatever they can scrounge from the kitchen. Like humans, whose evolutionary adaptations enabled mass food production, these pests come equipped with all the tools for mass food consumption. They’re good at what they do, breeding quickly and making homes for themselves that prove extremely hard to uproot.
The best way to rid your home of these pests is to keep them from taking up residency in the first place. Critters use their highly developed senses to guide them to vulnerable spots in a home’s structure and food storage areas. For smart homeowners, there are numerous ways to keep kitchen pests away. Some are simple, commonplace precautions while others require the expertise of capable pest control professionals.
Below, we’ll share some of the most unwanted common kitchen guests and the threats they pose to home and health. Next, we’ll talk about pest prevention techniques, from the easiest DIY strategies to the most technical solutions.
Jim and Mike Allen established TermiGuard to provide these high-quality interventions for clients’ long-term health and homes. With decades of experience in the industry and in-depth knowledge of almost anything that could work its way into a home, TermiGuard has the personnel and expertise to provide the best pest prevention services in the South Jersey area. Read up on how to thwart the most common insects and rodents and give TermiGuard a call for information on setting up a custom, long-term pest prevention plan.
Common Kitchen Pests
Mice – Deer mice, house mice, and white-footed mice all do well to snatch up food left exposed in counters, sinks, and cupboards. They differ in size, habitat, and reproductive patterns meaning that identification is essential in case of infestation. Yet, the species’ similarities are as significant as their differences: their particular bone structure allows them all to squeeze into tiny spaces, they climb exceptionally well, and they reproduce rapidly.
Mice, especially deer mice, can carry the extremely dangerous hantavirus. The disease can spread through urine and feces and appears with flu-like symptoms that can quickly escalate into a life-threatening pulmonary syndrome. For this reason, it is essential to wear respiratory protection when handling mouse droppings.
Rats – Famous culprits of the Black Plague, rats’ reputation precedes them. While the Bubonic Plague spread through fleas on the rats’ fur, these rodents are known to carry many bacteria, viruses, and pathogens dangerous to humans. Generally larger than mice, the most common rats to pose problems in North America are the Roof rat and the Norway rat. With a highly adept sense of smell, these rats frequently find their way into kitchens, consuming food and destroying the rest with urine and feces. Rats also often gnaw on common house materials, especially wood, and leave behind large teeth marks.
Ants – Ants are, without a doubt, the best-coordinated pests you can find. They live in extraordinarily complex colonies, usually outside a home, and find their way in to haul food back to their nest. They are especially attracted to sweet smells but also love crumbs and other spills. Additionally, if they can make it into the pantry, they love grains and cereals. Once ants have made their way into a home, the best way to fight them is to cut off their entry points and identify and destroy the nest. Until this happens, there will always be five ants to replace each one you kill.
Roaches – Perhaps the most feared and hated insect in the home, cockroaches are extraordinarily hearty creatures. They can live up to a month without food, two weeks without water, and a week without their heads. Drawn to food, they can bring with them dozens of types of bacteria in addition to specific allergens known to cause reactions in humans. Cockroaches come in four main species, but like mice, the general idea is the same: prevention is the best strategy.
Flies – Anyone who keeps their compost bin in their kitchen has become acquainted with the fruit fly. Smaller than their cousins, the house flies, fruit flies are attracted to decaying foods, like vinegar, over-ripened fruit, and ferments like sourdough or kombucha. Their prominent red eyes give them away.
House flies, on the other hand, show up in more varied circumstances. They love trash and can potentially spread bacteria, fungus, and viruses from landing place to landing place. Like the other fly species, they reproduce extremely quickly, so preventing breeding and removing their breeding sites is extremely important.
Kitchen Pest Prevention
Pest prevention starts with diligence in cleaning, storing, and disposing of food that might otherwise attract all kinds of critters. Proper cleaning entails promptly doing dishes, cleaning up spills, and cleaning prep and eating surfaces. Dishes left overnight in the sink are a big no-no. Proper storage means tightly sealed containers like Tupperware or airtight plastic bags. This both reduces the risk that pests will be attracted to the food and their ability to access it. Never underestimate pests’ power to find their way into your pantry and its contents. Finally, proper food disposal means sealed trash containers frequently emptied to avoid strong smells and rotting food.
TermiGuard Kitchen Pest Prevention Programs
At TermiGuard, we’d rather help you devise a strategy for preventing pests than have to perform the more arduous, expensive task of controlling an infestation. Our 4-Step Process involves listening carefully to your specific needs and working together to devise a customized plan to keep your home occupied by only your family and welcome guests. Then, we frequently perform interior and exterior treatments that are safe for the earth, your family, and your pets. We return for periodic inspections to ensure our efforts are working properly and take unlimited, no-charge emergency callbacks should issues arise. With TermiGuard, you have a professional, reliable, and reasonable company invested in the long-term well-being of your home and family. Give us a call today for a free initial consultation.
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