Creepy Crawlies in October

October is well known for the celebration of Halloween. Whilst you can enjoy witches, ghosts and ghouls knocking at your door for sweets and chocolate, we can guarantee that you would typically not enjoy the sight of our top October pests in your home. We have a list below of the types of pests that are prevalent at this time of year;

Bed Bugs-

What they look like

• Adult bedbugs are brown in colour & red after a blood meal, typically the size of an apple seed, flat bodies.

What to look out for

• Blood spots on bedding, shed skin shells, bites to the skin, musty smell.

Where in the house you will find them

• Typically, the bedroom as they locate themselves near a blood meal, check mattress, bed frames, any second hand soft furniture. They are most active at night, so your bed is the perfect spot.

How to prevent them

• Usually bedbugs enter your home through secondhand furniture or luggage that has been in contact with an infestation. Cleanliness does not affect the presence of bedbugs. Best practice is to thoroughly check any furniture of luggage for any signs of bedbugs and where possible, wash clothes/bedding at high temperatures and use a tumble dryer to dry them.

Carpet Beetles-

What they look like

• Adults are typically oval shaped, hard shelled bodies with wings. Tend to be brownish/black in appearance. Very small in size.

What to look out for

• Holes in rugs, carpets and even furniture. Some reports of health risks-rashes and breathing issues.

Where in the house you will find them

• Carpet beetles can be found anywhere in the home. When the weather turns colder, they look for warm locations to lay their eggs. They can fly so can enter you home that way or clinging to your clothes or a pet’s fur.

How to prevent them

• Regularly hoovering your home can help prevent infestations growing. Best practice is to keep vigilant. If you think you have an infestation, then we would suggest you call in a professional to deal with the problem.

German Cockroaches-

What they look like

• Adults tend to be around ½ inch long, varying colours from light brown to black, 2 long antennae.

What to look out for

• Cockroaches are very resilient and can survive for long periods of time without food or water. They will eat anything. Look our for droppings, disturbed food sources, egg casings and a musky odour.

Where in the house you will find them

• Typically, you would find these pests in the kitchen or bathroom. They require water to survive and both locations offer warmth, food and water sources.

How to prevent them

• Keep all food in sealed containers, do not leave food on the side, regularly clean, always clean up any spillages immediately, empty rubbish bins regularly.

If you think you have any of these pests residing in your home, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. We can help get you pest free!