Occasional Invader Identification

What are occasional invaders?

Sporadically entering into our homes, garages, and sheds, occasional invaders are those pests that seem to pop up at the most inopportune times. They are pests that we typically pay no attention to when they are outside living in our yards and gardens, yet we definitely notice their presence when they are in our homes.

Occasional invaders are moisture-seeking pests that move indoors, usually to get away from unsuitable weather outside like dry, hot conditions. Examples of insects that occasionally invade our Northern California homes include:

• Earwigs
• Centipedes
• Crickets
• Millipedes
• Silverfish
• Sowbugs

Are occasional invaders dangerous?

While occasional invaders are annoying to deal with and have the potential to pop into your home at any point during the year, they aren’t dangerous. These insects don’t pose any significant threats to people.

Some problems occasional invaders may cause when in our homes include feeding on fabrics, contaminating pantry items, and staining walls or floors with their excrement.

The simple truth is that while occasional pests may not cause considerable threats to people or our properties, they also don’t belong in our homes and should never be ignored!

Why do I have an occasional invader problem?

Unlike other pests, occasional invaders don’t move into our homes to create a nesting site or for the sole purpose of finding food. These pests move inside seeking water; houses with underlying moisture issues like leaky pipes, poorly ventilated crawl spaces or basements, and humid bathrooms or kitchens will most likely experience problems with these pests.

Where will I find occasional invaders?

Most occasional invaders usually enter structures at ground level. They move inside from their hiding spots in our gardens, flower beds, and under trash cans or potted plants through gaps that they find in our home’s exterior. The foundation, spaces under doors, openings around utilities, vents, and damaged door trim are common entry points.

Once inside your house, these pests are usually found hiding in damp, dark places. Some areas of a house where homeowners regularly come across occasional invaders include:

• Under sinks in kitchens and bathrooms
• Near tubs or showers
• In basements, crawlspaces, or closets.
• Under upholstered furniture.
• Under rugs or inside of folded bedding or linens.
• Inside boxes or other open storage containers.

In addition to moving indoors on their own, these pests also “occasionally” hitchhike their way indoors in inside of boxes, potted plants, furniture, deliveries, and other items.

How do I get rid of occasional invaders?

The best way to identify and remove occasional invaders is to partner with a professional. At Redding Spray Service, we provide our technicians with extensive training and use advanced materials and effective treatments to ensure that each of our customer’s pest control needs are solved and won’t return.

Delivering affordable solutions for pest-free living is our top priority! Serving the North State in Shasta and Tehama Counties, we are committed to helping home and business owners protect their properties from occasional invaders and other structural-invading pests. To learn more about our residential or commercial pest control services, give us a call today!

How can I prevent occasional invaders in the future?

Let’s work together to prevent occasional invaders from taking over your yard and home in the future. In combination with our pest control services, the following prevention tips will help you avoid an occasional invader infestation.

• Repair leaky pipes and fixtures either inside or outside your home.
• Make sure gutters and downspouts are working to direct water away from your foundation.
• Ensure your yard has good drainage.
• Ventilate your home’s basement or crawl space.
• Rack back mulch, leaves, weeds, and other debris from your foundation where occasional invaders like to live.
• Create a crushed rock barrier between any mulch or grass and your foundation.
• Inspect your home (especially the foundation) for cracks or other openings that could act as entry points for occasional invaders.
• Store woodpiles, trash cans, and recycling bins away from the outside of your home because occasional invaders like to hide under them.
• Regularly pick up and relocate potted plants to ensure excess moisture doesn’t build up underneath them.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.