The best way to avoid insect pest infestations is to keep indoor living conditions as inhospitable to insects as possible. It is well known that cockroaches and flies thrive within unsanitary environments where food and garbage is abundant. Spiders and bed bugs often become numerous within homes where large amounts of clutter provide the pests with easily accessible hiding spots. Most insect pests, including termites, ants, silverfish, crickets and cockroaches, require high-moisture conditions in order to survive, which is why insect pest infestations are often associated with indoor moisture problems caused by plumbing leaks, defective ventilation or improper rainwater drainage systems. However, insect pests frequently infest well-sanitized homes where clutter is lacking, and although insect pests generally congregate in moist indoor areas, indoor moisture is not always what motivates insect pests to invade homes. In many infestation cases, a thorough indoor and outdoor inspection by a pest control professional is necessary to pinpoint the precise indoor materials or conditions that attract insect pests into homes.
It is well known that food debris that collects beneath appliances, on dirty dishes, and in overful wastebaskets attract insect pests into homes, but birdseed and pet food also serve to attract insect pests, particularly pantry pests, cockroaches, and silverfish. The Indian meal moth is the most commonly encountered pantry pest within homes, and their favorite food is birdseed, but they will also feed on pet food. In fact, birdseed and dog food products in grocery stores may already be infested with Indian meal moths, and indoor infestations frequently start after residents unknowingly bring infested products into their home. Drain fly and phorid fly infestations are usually associated with indoor drains that are rarely used, such as drains in sinks, tubs and toilets within guest bedrooms. When pipes are not regularly flushed with water, these flies may begin to breed on drain scum, and they have even been known to emerge from toilets that have not been flushed for long periods of time. In some cases, drain fly pest issues can be remedied simply by flushing toilets or running hot water down long unused pipes, but drains may have to be thoroughly cleaned of scum in order to rid drain flies from homes. More serious drain fly infestations may be caused by broken pipes or septic tank defects that require costly repairs.
Have you ever experienced fly pest issues that were associated with plumbing?