10 Weird House Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them

For many people, finding a spider in your home is one of the worst experiences imaginable.

But, when you stop and think about it, house spiders, while creepy, are more of a help than a hindrance. Having one or two little spiders in your house can keep flies and even disease-carrying mosquitoes at bay.

So, while no one particularly enjoys finding a spider on their ceiling, there are much worse creepy crawlers out there.

Don’t believe us?

Here are ten of the worst house bugs you could find in your home — and how to get rid of them forever!

1. Bedbugs

The worst monsters don’t live under your bed — they live in it.

Strip your bed of everything and place the linins into a heavy-duty garbage bag. Then, you need to wash everything with very hot water for at least a half an hour and dry everything on high heat for another half hour.

While your linens are in the wash spray down your entire bedroom with a pesticide. Wait the recommended amount of time for the pesticides to work, then vacuum the room.

Be sure to empty out the vacuum cleaner outside into a heavy-duty garbage bag. This will prevent any remaining bedbugs from infesting the rest of your home.

Like bedbugs, termites can pose a serious risk if left to their own devices. To learn more about the dangers click here.

2. Carpet Beetles

These nasty, furry little creatures are harmless — when they’re fully grown.

Baby carpet beetles can wreak havoc on your home. Carpet beetle larvae can eat through carpeting, curtains, books, upholstery — pretty much any soft surface in your home.

While the larvae are tough to spot, the adult beetles aren’t, and as soon as you see one you need to act.

Dust and vacuum your entire home and wash any free hanging cloth items such as blankets and clothes.

Finally, treat carpeted areas with pesticides or diatomaceous earth to get rid of any remaining larvae.

3. Cockroaches

Once cockroaches decide to move into your home, it can be tough to get them to leave.

Because cockroaches are such a big problem in the US, there are hundreds of products available to help you get rid of them once and for all.

First, treat the outside of your house with insecticides to keep new cockroaches from getting in.

Clean any area where you’ve spotted roaches and treat the area with insecticides. Then, set up a few traps such as roach motels to get rid of any remaining roaches.

The trick to getting rid of cockroaches is to keep your guard up, even after you think they’re gone. These are creatures that could survive a nuclear holocaust, after all. They’re tougher than they look.

Keep food sealed away and clean up immediately after meals. You should also take out the trash at least once a day to prevent new roaches from taking an interest in your home.

4. Drain Flies

What makes these little flies extra gross is the fact that they live off the gunk and sludge trapped in your sink and shower drain.

The good news is that because they rely on dirty drains, you can get rid of them without having to tear apart your house.

If a sink or tub in your house is draining slow, that means there’s a clog, which is probably where the flies are coming from.

Snake the drain to remove most of the clog. Then pour an enzyme cleaner down the drain to get rid of any remnants and remaining eggs.

Finally, as an extra precaution, pour a little bleach down the other drains in your house to prevent new flies from taking up residence in them.

5. Dust Mites

Dust mites, like death, taxes, and bacteria, are unavoidable.

These microscopic creepy-crawlers are everywhere but don’t panic, aside from being an allergen, they’re virtually harmless.

And while dust mites are safe, most people aren’t too keen on the idea of tiny bugs crawling all over their homes.

The bad news is you will never be able to completely free your house of dust mites. But, you can keep their population down by cleaning your home often.

6. Fruit Flies

It’s happened to everyone. You leave some produce on your counter in the morning, and by dinnertime, your kitchen has been overtaken by teeny tiny flying pests.

The biggest problem with fruit flies is how fast they reproduce. It only takes 24 hours for their larvae to hatch and start running amok.

While storing fresh produce in a decorative bowl may help your kitchen look magazine ready, it’s a surefire way to attract fruit flies.

Start by cutting off their supply by making sure you seal up or store all your food in the fridge. Then wash any dishes, cookware, or cutting boards that may be sitting out.

Take out any trash and recycling that may be in your kitchen as it may contain eggs and larvae. If your kitchen garbage and recycling bins do not have lids, you should upgrade to ones that do to keep new flies from getting into food waste.

Finally, you can get rid of any remaining flies by setting a trap.

Fill a small glass with half a cup of apple cider vinegar, and two tablespoons of dish soap. Then add some hot water from the sink, the goal is to create a layer of bubbles that will trap the flies.

Refresh the bubble layer every few hours until all flies are gone.

7. Odorous House Ant

What sets these ants apart from regular house ants is the nasty rotten-coconut smell they emit after they’re crushed.

First, it’s important to remember that no matter how tempting it may be, you should not squish these ants. They’re called odorous for a reason.

Like with cockroaches, you’ll want to treat the outside of your home to prevent new ants from coming in. Then, make sure to clean up, seal, and store all food the ants may be able to get into.

Wipe down any areas where you’ve seen ants to destroy their trails and treat the areas with pesticide and set up traps to kill any stragglers.

8. Silverfish

Silverfish get their name because they look like tiny silver fish. While they can be a bit dazzling to look at, they can be disastrous if not dealt with fast.

Like carpet bug larvae, silverfish will eat through pretty much anything they encounter.

You can get rid of them by treating your home with insecticides. But, once they’re gone, you should take preventative measures to make sure they never come back.

Get rid of any loose stacks of paper materials such as junk mail or cardboard boxes. Then, store any extra clothing or blankets in plastic sealable bins or bags.

Finally, you should transfer any foods stored in paper or cardboard packages, like oatmeal, into plastic bins.

9. Stinkbugs

The good news about stinkbugs is that they seldom venture inside. But, during colder seasons or heavy rains, these smelly pests will seek shelter indoors.

Stinkbugs will not emit their foul stench unless you disturb them. So, like odorous ants, you shouldn’t step on them.

If you find a few stinkbugs in your home, bust out your handy vacuum and suck them up. Remember to empty your vacuum cleaner outside immediately after you deal with any stink bugs.

10. Weevils

Weevils weasel their way into your home by hitching a ride on your groceries. And once they’re in, you can kiss the entire contents of your pantry goodbye.

The good news is that weevils won’t stray much farther than your pantry. The bad news is that the only way to get rid of them is by getting rid of everything in your pantry.

Even if you think a package impenetrable, weevils can lay eggs in packaging and labels.

Toss everything into a heavy-duty garbage bag to make sure the weevils don’t find their way anywhere else in your home.

Once your pantry is empty, treat the area with an insecticide before restocking.

Dealing with House Bugs

These house bugs aren’t just gross, they can pose a risk to you, your family, and your home. So, if you’ve noticed that any of these bugs have decided to take up residence in your house, you need to act immediately.

Looking for more life tips, tricks, and facts? We have dozens of articles to help you deal with all the weird stuff life can throw at you. Visit us today!

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