7 Most Common Home Pests In Canada

7 Most Common Home Pests In Canada

 

Nobody wishes to live in a home full of pests. However, these pests don’t care about your wishes and will still attempt to invade your home. Therefore, you should know the kind of pests likely to target your home in Canada and master how to prevent them.

 

This article details seven of the most common pests that attack homes in Canada and how to prevent them from infesting your home. Let’s dive into it.

 

1.    Bed Bugs

 

At the top of our list are bed bugs. These tiny parasitic insects are popular in Canada, with Toronto being one of the cities where they thrive the most. Bed bugs feed on human blood and typically attack at night. They reside in mattresses, sofas, electrical outlets, baseboards, etc.

Bed bugs are not physically dangerous to humans. Their bites are harmless. However, they cause psychological distress for humans, including stress, sleepless nights, anxiety, and even depression. One of the best ways to know that you have a bed bug problem is when you awake with strange marks on your body.

 

How To Avoid Bed Bug Infestation

• Carefully examine clothes and bedding materials before bringing them into your home.
• Thoroughly inspect and even treat second-hand furniture before taking them into your home.
• Make use of a protective cover for your mattresses and box springs. It helps to eliminate their hiding spots.
• Eliminate clutter in your home to limit their hiding spots
• Vacuum your home frequently.

 

2.    Ants

Ants are prevalent during the spring and summer months. These pests can crawl into your home through the tiniest cracks and search for food. This makes the kitchens prime locations for their operations. Once they mark your home as a food source, they tend to set up their nests in the ground near your house, under your sidewalk, or maybe even within your house if they find a good spot.

 

Generally, ants, especially those found in Canadian homes, are not harmful to humans. Their occasional bites can be painful and may lead to itchy skin, but nothing life-threatening. However, some ants spread specific diseases, such as the Pharaoh ant.

 

The most significant effects of a typical ant infestation are irritation, stress, and property damage for some ants. Carpenter ants are prime examples of ants that can damage your home. This type of ants will destroy the wood in your home to construct their nests. Ants may also chew on electric cables and insulation.

 

How To Avoid An Ant Infestation

• Eliminate food spills
• Store your food, especially the ones attractive to ants, in air-tight containers
• Don’t leave crumbs lying around.
• Take care of your surroundings.

 

3.    Cockroaches

There are about 4000 species of cockroaches. Out of this, only about 30 species will be found in homes as pests, and in Canada, the German cockroach is one of the most common. Generally, the cockroaches that infest homes are usually either light brown or dark in color.

 

Cockroaches are generally nocturnal, meaning they are active at night while sleeping during the day. Like many other pests, cockroaches are typically drawn to food sources in your home. This causes them to reside in your kitchen or areas close to the kitchen.  Cockroaches are scavengers and omnivores, meaning they will eat virtually anything, including glue, leather, soap, toothpaste, fabric, etc.

 

Cockroaches do not bite or affect the structure of your home. However, they can contaminate food and surfaces, thereby spreading diseases. When they walk over food items or other surfaces with their body, they could deposit bacteria that they have gathered from roaming in garbage and sewers. Cockroaches are very nasty pests, and keeping them out of your home may be challenging. They are also quite resilient and will survive for weeks without food or water.

 

How To Prevent Cockroaches From Infesting Your Home

• Limit the possibility of accessing food scraps and garbage
• Seal your pantries and kitchen cabinet
• Clean your dishes, or soak them in soap and water once you are done eating.
• Ensure that your cupboards are dry
• Clean and vacuum your home regularly
• Seal up openings into your home.

 

4.    Mice

Mice are pests that most homeowners dread because of their destructiveness, but they are common in Canada. In Ontario, the house mouse is the most common specie that invades homes.  Mice are highly adaptable pests that can inhabit all manner of spaces and places. They can squeeze through impossibly tiny holes and are very good at avoiding human beings. They are also primarily active at night and can hide in the oddest places.

 

Mice have multiple dangerous effects on the human population. Firstly they can contaminate your food by transmitting viruses and diseases. The deer mice, another common specie in Canada, can carry a rare respiratory disease that is very dangerous to humans.  Mice also eat through your food supply and storage with reckless abandon. Furthermore, mice can cause structural damage to your home by gnawing at cables, wood, etc. They can also destroy clothing materials and other valuable resources either by chewing on them or with their feces.

 

How To Prevent Mice Infestation in Canada

• Seal all the holes or entrances into your home.
• Clear up food sources within and around your home.
• Keep your home clean.
• Get a cat. Not only does a cat hunt down mice, but its smell also serves as a deterrent to them.
• Don’t leave your doors open for an extended period.
• Make sure your trash cans are closed
• Clean your surroundings.

5.    Raccoons

 

Raccoons are scavengers that move around at night. They are pretty popular in parts of Canada, especially Toronto, so much so that they have been called the unofficial mascot for Toronto. These animals can be spotted digging through your garbage and get aggressive if they are scared or startled. Furthermore, raccoons can attempt to live in your home or shed, destroying things in a bit to build a nest.

Raccoons can also be dangerous because they transmit diseases such as roundworms. They are also known to be carriers of the rabies virus.

 

How To Avoid Raccoons in Your Home in Canada

• Raccoons are fans of dark and lonely locations. Therefore, you can prevent them from moving into your private space by leaving your lights on.
• Limit their access to your garbage as this will discourage them from visiting your home.
• Ensure that your roofs are not fragile or cracked. Weak and broken roofs allow for easy entry.

 

6.    Earwigs

Earwigs have a strange look with their long antenna attached to their elongated, flat body. They also have very distinct cerci- a pair of claw-like appendages at their back.

 

Generally, earwigs are not harmful to human beings. However, they are not pleasant to the eyes, and an infestation can cause irritation and stress. They live in damp or cool places in the afternoon while they feed and become active at night. Generally, earwigs feed on decaying vegetables, caterpillars, dead insects, etc.  Lastly, earwigs mostly visit your home during summer when searching for an excellent place to shelter.

How To Prevent an Infestation

• Properly maintain your garden and remove damaged produces that they may feed on
• Get rid of organic matter and similar objects that may serve as shelter for earwigs around your house.
• Repair broken water system
• Fix cracks in your walls and foundation.

 

7.    Wasps

There are about 500 species of wasps in Canada, making them one of the top pests in the nation. Wasps are social creatures that exist in colonies that can contain as many as 15000 members. The most common pests wasps in Canada are yellow jackets, hornets, mud daubers, and paper wasps. Each of them has its unique nests and its preferred way of infestation. For instance, mud daubers build their nests from mud in sheltered areas, and they are usually solitary.

On the other hand, paper wasps build single-layered nests from plants and attach them to fences, doors, and window frames. These nests can contain about 300 paper wasps.

 

Wasps that constitute pests primarily feed on human food, especially beverage and those found in the garbage. Trash cans attract them, and they take an interest in sweeteners such as glucose, sucralose, sucrose, etc. Additionally, they feed on insects, so when there is exposed food, they will also be present since insects are attracted to abandoned food.

 

How To Prevent a Wasp Invasion in Canada

• Seal up entry points into your home
• Repair your door and window screens.
• Limit food sources
• Clean up food spills properly.
• Get rid of other insects such as flies, spiders, and ants
• Cover your garbage bags and trash cans properly
• Get rid of possible nesting sites
• Get rid of unused wasp nests.

 

How To Eliminate Pests in Canada When They Have Infested Your Home

The best thing is to prevent a pest infestation by taking all the abovementioned precautions. The good news is that you can still rid your home of these pests, even if you already have an infestation problem, by hiring professionals such as Provincial Pest Control.

 

Indeed, some DIY (do-it-yourself) methods exist to eliminate pests. However, most of these pests are stubborn, and it will take professional help or supervision to get rid of them completely. At Provincial Pest Control, we not only ensure that you get rid of these pests, we guarantee that they stay out.

 

FREE Pest Inspection in Canada

Are you noticing signs of pests, like droppings, bite marks, or disruptions, but you are unsure what pests you are dealing with or whether you have an infestation? Don’t worry; we have you covered.

 

Provincial Pest Control offers a FREE pest inspection in Canada that investigates your home for over 30 pests and gives you the best course of action to exterminate them.