When it comes to protecting your home and the family within it, you need to take every potential threat seriously. Never was there more of a threat than those so small you don’t notice them, at first. Some pests are so small you don’t see them until they have done noticeable damage to the place where you live. If we aren’t vigilant, the whole house could come crashing down around us, all at the behest of a few tiny bugs.
With this in mind, we collected the advice of some of the best pest control experts in Arizona to find out what the worst pests are.
via Patterson Custom Homes Architect: Brandon Architects Interior Designer: Blackband Design Photographer: Manolo Langis
Which Pests Do the Most Structural Damage?
Let’s get right down to business. Which pests will damage your home the most?
1 – Termites
The terrible termite takes top position for damage done. Homes up and down the states have been adversely affected by these burrowing beasts. There are more than 3,000 types of termite, and all of them are closely related to the cockroach – but with one huge difference. A termite will chew through the structure of your home while the cockroach is interested in hiding in your sewer system. HowStuffWorks estimates that termites cause around 5 billion dollars of damage to property every year. If they chew for long enough, they can bring down a whole house… don’t let it be yours.
via Patterson Custom Homes Architect: Brandon Architects Interior Designer: Blackband Design Photographer: Manolo Langis
2 – The Powderpost Beetle
The Powderpost Beetle is exactly what it sounds like. It is a beetle that chews through the timber fabric of your home, only to excrete a weird powder that looks a little like fine wood shavings. This type of pest is woodboring, similar in nature to the termite, and capable of just as much damage. They will lay their larvae deep in the wood and it will spend its growth eating its way out. Not pleasant. They are often identified via the powder that they leave behind, not to mention the nightmares given to all who know about them.
3 – Carpenter Ants
Yet another wood eating pest is the Carpenter Ant. They are commonly recognized by the black excretion they leave behind, as opposed to the powder a beetle leaves. These little black beings are larger than a termite or your average ant. They bore through any hint of rotted wood and commonly infest wooden structures – particularly in formerly forested areas. They are necessary in nature to help forests decompose dead wood, but in your home, they can weaken supporting walls and leave you at a loss.
4 – Bees
We all know that bees were recently voted the most important animal in existence – but the masonry bee is a beast unto itself. There are several types of bee which may damage your property. Some bore into wood, some bore into brick, others build their nests in your backyard and start stinging your kids. Ultimately, a beehive at home could be in your pipes, in your attic, under the paving stones… and the bigger you let it get, the worse the problem is.
via Patterson Custom Homes Architect: Brandon Architects Interior Designer: Blackband Design Photographer: Manolo Langis
One Final Request
While pests need taken care of, try calling a hive owner before you disperse the bees. We know they are vital in pollination, so it may be possible to move and preserve the hive over eradication. Try this first before you call in the big guns. If they can find the queen, the problem will remove itself. Alternatively, call the exterminator. It is likely that they have a hive owner or two in the books. Thanks to Responsible Pest Control for consulting.
