Halloween is right around the corner, but the ghosts, zombies, and vampires aren’t the only things stirring up scares this month! There’s nothing more spooky than coming face to face with an unexpected home pest in the middle of the night.
At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we’ve faced off against all of the most daunting infestations. Here are four of the scariest home pests and some tips for spotting them early.
1. Black Widow Spiders
If you notice some cobwebs that aren’t part of your Halloween decorations, look carefully at the type of spider inside. Most spiders are harmless, and they can actually be handy for eliminating other unwanted pests. But black widow spiders have a venomous bite that can be deadly. These spiders are shy, so their bites are pretty rare. However, it is still important to know how to identify them to protect yourself, your family, and your pets.
Tell-tale signs you’ve seen a black widow include:
- Shiny black abdomen
- Smooth and hairless body
- Red hourglass or triangle shape on belly for females
- Brown coloring with red, white, or yellow markings for males
- Legs longer than body
- Tangled web in irregular shape
- Webs located in dry and dark places
- Spider hanging upside down
2. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs don’t have the same Halloween ambiance as spiders, but anyone who has encountered them knows they can be equally frightening. These creepy crawlies hide inside your mattress or sometimes even your furniture and come out at night to drink your blood. They are some of the hardest pests to exterminate, and it is best to seek professional help to ensure you have gotten rid of them for good.
Here are some signs you might have bed bugs lurking under your covers:
- Skins or shells on the edges of your mattress
- Fecal matter spotting your mattress and/or bedding
- Musty odor
- Blood stains on sheets or pajamas
- Reddish brown bugs with flat, oval shaped bodies
- Raised welts or rashes on your skin
3. Termites
Another one of the worst possible pests to encounter in your home are termites. While termites don’t bother humans, they cause enough destruction to quickly turn your home into a dilapidated haunted house! Termites eat the wood inside your walls and silently destroy your home from the inside out. There are three types of termites in the United States: subterranean, drywood, and dampwood. If you suspect you might have termites, it is important to eliminate them as soon as possible to protect your home from further damage.
Here are some warning signs that it is time to have your home inspected for termites ASAP:
- Swarms of winged insects around your home or yard
- Cracked paint
- Termite droppings
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Mud tubes on walls, beams, or crawl spaces
- Discarded wings
- Clicking or tapping noises coming from inside the walls
- Tight fitting doors and windows
4. Rats
Last but not least, rats are some of the most unpleasant home pests. All rodents pose a threat to your food and belongings, but rats are particularly smart and resilient. Sometimes you can catch rats using strategically placed snap traps and peanut butter, but in other cases you may want to call in the professionals.
Here are some danger signs that you need to evict rats from your home:
- Rat droppings (dark brown and shaped like grains of rice)
- Rub marks or smudges
- Scratching noises
- Footprints
- Rat nests
- Tears in food containers or garbage bags
We hope these tips help you identify and eliminate the four scariest home pests.
Don’t let your October get too scary! If you have spotted signs of any of these scary home pests, give us a call for help with fast and effective extermination.
If you have pest control problems distracting you from all the fall fun, count on ABC Home & Commercial Services to eliminate them for good.
