Arachnids, insects, and other arthropods account for 75 percent of animal species currently living, and more than 1 million arthropods have been documented. Considering the massive abundance of arthropods living in all terrestrial areas of the world, keeping them out of your home is an impossibility. Some arthropods maintain a damaging presence in lawn grass, others invade homes to seek out human food sources, and a surprising number of arthropod pests infest closets where they eat clothing. To put it simply, indoor human habitats are ideal habitats for many arthropod pest species as well.

A significant number of arthropod pests dwell naturally within dark and moist areas, such as tree-hollows and beneath leaf-litter and rocks. These locations are ideal for arthropods that must avoid wind currents and dry air in order to survive. However, these arthropods may prefer to dwell within similar habitats found within and around homes. For example, cockroaches and many ant species can gradually become abundant beneath landscaping ornaments, garden barriers, and decorative rock piles. Therefore, keeping lawn and garden decorations at a safe distance from doorways and foundation windows will help to prevent pests of this sort from gaining access into homes. In addition to the above mentioned decorative items, it is also important to avoid stacking firewood against a home’s exterior wall, as arthropod pests that dwell in between stacked logs often infest homes.

Outdoor vegetation also serves to attract arthropod pests onto residential properties. Keeping wild weeds and other forms of vegetation from becoming abundant around a structure’s foundation will protect your home from arthropod pest invasions. Vegetation overgrowth will trap moisture around a foundation, providing most arthropod pest species with the high-moisture and plant-rich conditions that allow them to thrive. Once arthropods gather around a foundation, they will almost certainly find a way into crawl spaces and basements. Arthropod pests, particularly termites, cockroaches and ants, can easily access a home through various entry points within a crawl space.

 

Is your home’s foundation surrounded by an abundance of vegetation?