When it comes to home care or house-hunting, pest infestations are often the last things on our mind. Common questions that shoot through our minds are: is the roof leaky? Is there mould? Are the walls crack-free? Is the ceiling sagging? But pests are quite easily forgotten.

Don’t be caught out. Make sure you check the house thoroughly for sneaky critters or you could be paying for this through your ears later on.

Although pests may be very good at hiding themselves, the tell-tale signs they leave behind are easily spotted.

Not too sure what to look out for? Don’t worry; we’ve got your back.

Here are 8 key warning signs of pest infestations:

 

1. Droppings

Rodents aren’t the only ones that leave behind droppings – cockroaches do as well. As gross as it may be, if you examine the dropping and do some Googling into it, you should be able to identify what pest you’re dealing with purely from the dropping.

Certain droppings contain illness and disease, so rather leave the clean-up of these droppings to your local pest controllers.

 

2. Gnawed furniture or items

Rodents love to gnaw on things and this is classic evidence of an infestation – unless you have a teething toddler. Gnaw marks can be found on wires, boxes, furniture, packaging, containers, etc. Gnawed and unprotected wires are very dangerous as these can cause electrical shorts and fires. If you come across gnawed wires, have them taken care of as soon as possible to protect your home.

 

3. Nests or nest material

Rats, mice and other larger pests will use whatever they can get their claws on to make a nest, from paper and fabric, to organic waste and carpeting. Shredded paper is a key indicator of rodents. Nests can often be found under/behind/in appliances, cabinets, drawers, ceilings and other undisturbed areas. If you do come across a nest, don’t disturb it as this will send the critters scattering in every direction. Rather call on the experts to handle them.

 

4. Wings or shed skins

Certain pests, such as termites, bed bugs and cockroaches, shed their wings or skin. Keep a look out for this as it is often a first sign of infestation and should be inspected right away.

 

5. Unusual sounds and smells

Pests give off certain sounds and smells that are quite characteristic and recognisable to the trained pest controller. For us rookies, sounds you can listen out for that indicate rodents and larger insects are squeaking, scurrying and scratching on walls, ceilings and under your floors. Also, make sure you remove garbage from your home before it starts to smell as this will attract pests.

 

6. Holes in wood and sawdust

Small holes or burrows in walls, floors and other wooden areas of your home are a dead giveaway of a WDO (wood destroying organism) infestation. Other tell-tale signs include wood that sounds hollow when you tap on it, sagging floors and little piles of sawdust.

If not taken care of swiftly, WDO’s can cause serious damage and leave your home structurally unsafe.

 

7. Dried blood spots

If you’re squeamish, we advise you skip this point…

As bed bugs feed on their victim, they leave behind tiny flecks of bloody faeces. If you come across small red or dark brown spots on your bedding, then you’re probably due for a visit from the pest controllers to inspect your home and remove those blood-sucking bugs.

 

8. Pests in food

Food pests include rates, mice, cockroaches, beetles, ants and flies. These pests gain access to your food and either eat it or contaminate it, forcing you to throw out the food. What a waste!

These pests like to target stored grain (like flour), dried fruit and meat, cereal, sweets and cheese. A common sign that you have food pests is larvae, pupae or webs on food packaging or shelves. Another key sign is holes in your food’s packaging.

 

Have you spotted any of these signs?

At the first sign of infestation, contact your local pest controllers to get rid of the pests in an efficient and safe manner. Get this done quickly to prevent the critters from spreading throughout your entire home and property.

Bugs & Sparks can eradicate your home’s infestations quickly and effectively. They will inspect your home to correctly identify the pests and determine the best course of action for removal. Instead of taking matters into your own hands by using harmful store-bought products, rather trust the experts to keep your home pest-free.

 

Get in touch today:

Tel: 087 700 4673

Office Cell: 084 409 0183

Street Address: Netcash Building, 64 Parklands Main Road, Parklands, 7441