Many pests are attracted to the kitchen. As an area where food is prepped, stored, and served, the kitchen has powerful forces for attracting unwanted guests. Not only are these unsanitary creatures a threat to your health, but they can also damage both your food and your home.
Kitchen pests chew through boxes, contaminate food, and even leave disgusting droppings from their visit in your pantry, your drawers, and other areas they frequent within the room. In this comprehensive article, you will learn which pests are most likely to find their way into your kitchen.
Ants
There are several species of ants that are known to have large appetites and are attracted to both the moisture and foods found in kitchens.
The three most common are Argentine ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants.
These critters typically nest in areas that contain a lot of moisture or are immediately adjacent to water sources, such as wall voids where water pipes for the home are located, beneath fixtures that have leaks, and underneath where the sink is located.
While many are attracted to sweets, others have an attraction to bread, meats, and various types of oils.
Cockroaches
Out of all of the critters that invade in the kitchen, the cockroach is the most common, annoying, and difficult to contend with.
There are a number of ways that these pests may enter the home. They may come in on boxes, inside of cartons that contain beverages, inside of grocery bags, in openings near plumbing pipes, through cracks within the foundation, and even on your pets.
These insects are attracted to just about every aspect of your kitchen. This includes heat, moisture, grease, debris from food products, pet food, pet water sources, and trash.
They are capable of multiplying extremely fast. If you discover cockroaches in your kitchen, they must be dealt with immediately to prevent creating an unsanitary environment in your home and causing health issues.
Flies
It is common to find flies in kitchens – especially fruit flies and the common household fly.
These typically enter through doors, windows, and other open areas that allow direct access to the interior of the home.
Common house flies are attracted to the moisture, smells, and foods contained within kitchens.
Fruit flies have a particular liking to a wide assortment of vegetables and fruits. You are likely to have a higher number of these insects in your kitchen if you typically leave fruits out in decorative baskets. This is especially true if those are ripe.
Flies are known for carrying a variety of diseases. These include tuberculosis, dysentery, and even typhoid. Immediate pest control actions should be taken if flies are found in the home to prevent health problems among you, your loved ones, and your pets.
Pantry Pests
There are many pantry pests that may be found in kitchens across the country. The two most common are the Indian meal moth and the merchant grain beetle. These pests will move into the pantry because it is the area where certain foods in which they have an appetite for are located.
Examples include grains, cereal products, corn, cornmeal, dried fruits, a variety of nuts, and even pet food. If you store these types of foods in your pantry, it is advised that you store in hard, air-tight containers for optimal protection.
Rodents
The next pest that is commonly attracted to the kitchen area of the home are rodents. The two most common rodents known to invade this room of the home are Norway rats and the common house mouse.
Both food and clutter attract rodents. These pests will come into small openings within floors, around pipes, walls, foundations, windows, and other areas. In fact, it is said that they are capable of squeezing into a hole the size of a quarter.
Not only will they break into food products, but they may also nest in the kitchen. Common areas include underneath the sink, on top of dishwashers, and behind stoves.
Kitchen Pest Prevention
Now that you are familiar with the various types of pests that are commonly found within the kitchen, it is time to learn a few prevention measures. In taking the steps outlined below, all of those common kitchen critters out there will lack enthusiasm when it comes to invading your kitchen:
- Immediately after preparing meals, clean up. This includes putting leftovers in tight containers, wiping down counters, and taking care of the dirty dishes.
- Sweep and mop your kitchen floor on a regular basis. Not only will this eliminate any type of food debris on the floors, it will eliminate any smell left behind by those foods. If possible, use a steam mop in order to completely sanitize the floor.
- Many pests are capable of eating through, tearing, or ripping open boxes, bags, and plastic. When you purchase food products, try to purchase those that are located in jars and/or cans. Additionally, when storing your food items, only store them in very hard containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Look at the pipes that come in from under your sink. Do you see any type of opening? If so, seal it with either caulk or foam. This will help in preventing access to your kitchen by all of those unwanted pests that are capable of squeezing through the opening.
- To prevent unwanted pests, have a professional pest control technician come in and treat the inside and outside of your home. If you discover any evidence that pests have already entered your home, deal with that right away before the problem gets worse. Again, a professional in the pest control industry will be able to assist you.
To set up a pest control treatment in your home, call us here at All Pest Exterminating for immediate assistance.