Potted Plants

When bringing potted plants inside for the winter, watch out for hitchhiking pests lurking in the leaves and soil. Check all plants thoroughly—paying special attention to the underside of leaves, the bottom of the pot, and the soil surface—before bringing them into your house.​

White Light

If you’re constantly visited by swarms of moths, beetles, or other night-time insects, the problem is likely white outdoor lighting. Insects that fly at night use the moon for navigation, and are often confused by white artificial light. The solution is simple: switch your white outdoor bulbs to yellow ones instead. Insects do not see yellow the way we do, and they’ll will pass by without trying to get inside your house.

Brown Paper Bags

A pile of paper grocery bags stored underneath your kitchen sink, tucked next to the refrigerator, or piled up in the corner is like a beckoning call to cockroaches. These critters love to hide, eat, and lay eggs in the creases of paper bags, especially if the pile is thick. Oftentimes roaches enter the home because their eggs are already on the paper, but they may also stumble across the bags when searching for water. ​

Leaks in Plumbing

 Bugs get thirsty too, and they're unlikely to resist the temptation of dripping water. Cockroaches, centipedes, and silverfish especially crave a watery hideaway, and they will seek out any slow drip under your kitchen or bathroom sink, refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, or toilet. Always fix leaks right away, and check under your sinks monthly to catch plumbing failures before they become a pest problem.

Backyard Debris

 Does your yard have overgrown shrubs, piles of fallen leaves, stacks of firewood, or forgotten kiddy pools or toys? Backyard debris is a favourite hiding place for spiders, beetles, fleas, earwigs, centipedes, and other creepy-crawlers. Once these pests have set up housekeeping in the backyard, they’re just a hop, skip, and a jump away from entering your home. Keep your outdoor area free of debris, and never leave pools of standing water in the yard.

Cracks and Openings

 Spiders and insects can squeeze through astonishingly small openings, like rips in a window screen or gaps between a door and its frame. Check your home annually for cracks or gaps near windows, doors, pet doors, and chimneys. Secure any openings to prevent an unwanted infestation.

Overripe Fruit

 Have you ever spotted a solitary fruit fly early in the morning, and then come home later to find a cloud of them over the banana bowl? Fruit fly eggs can hatch in as little as 24 hours, so a small infestation will rapidly multiply. These tiny insects are powerfully attracted to decaying fruit, and they’re able to enter your home through any small opening.

Grains in the Cupboard

 Pesky pantry moths and their maggot-like larvae love grains. They often catch a ride to your home via groceries, including flour, cereal, pasta, and pet kibble. Once inside, they quickly reproduce, and can chew their way into cardboard food boxes to feed on their contents. Prevent an infestation by storing grain products in airtight jars or bottles, keeping rice and other grains in the fridge or freezer.

Organic Mulch or Compost

 Your garden loves a healthy application of organic mulch or compost, but these materials attract a wide range of pests. Piling compost or mulch up against the foundation of your home is like setting out a welcome sign to spiders and insects, including termites.

Once they’re in close enough proximity to sense water and other food sources inside your home, they are bound and determined to find their way in through an opening. 

Second-hand Furniture

 You probably thought that second-hand armchair was a steal—until you discovered that it brought bedbugs, spiders, or other unwanted creepy-crawlers into your home. Before buying used furniture at a garage sale or thrift store, inspect it carefully for any sign of insects, eggs, droppings, or other tell tale pest markings.

Don’t forget to look underneath the furniture and inside all drawers as well. 

Trash

One person's trash items become a tempting treasure for pests. The enticing 'fragrance' they emit serves as an irresistible invitation to flies, rodents, roaches, and various other unwelcome visitors. Once they identify your property as a five-star dining establishment, they become regular patrons, leaving behind messes and potentially transmitting bacteria and diseases.

Ensure that your outdoor trash is securely bagged and housed in a can or bin equipped with a snug-fitting, pest-resistant lid. This principle extends to the trash inside your home as well. 

Other things that attract pests

•  Bird Seed

• Pet Food

• Stagnant Water

• Spilled food / drinks

• Dirty Dishes

• Clogged Gutters

• Over grown Lawn

• Firewood

• Paper / Carton