Is it because of the weather? Or because they are attracted to food or water?
Understanding the underlying reason that you have insects inside your home is without a doubt the most important question, because it helps to pinpoint the location of the source of the problem. Unfortunately, it is also the most misunderstood, and therefore, incorrectly answered question.
Food, Water, and Harborage are absolutely necessary for all living creatures, and are (fairly) well understood by most. Opportunity, (an available route of entry into your home), is another important factor overlooked or ignored by many home builders. Because of the number of species and situations the above factors must be discussed on an insect-by-insect basis.
Temperature, however, is another absolutely essential factor that is almost always overlooked, and misunderstood. Unlike mammals who are warm-blooded (endothermic), all insects are exothermic (cold-blooded).
Exothermic means that insect eggs, larvae, and adults must get the heat energy essential for every phase of their life from another heat source. Below 50 F. Degrees insect eggs cannot hatch, larvae cannot grow, and adults cannot move. At 60 F larvae develop very slowly and insect adults reproduce very slowly. At 80 F expect insects to develop and reproduce logarithmically compared to 60 F. So… Why does this mean they are in my house? EXAMPLES:
Ants: Q. Where is it near 80 F in Illinois in March?
- Under the concrete adjoining your home (front, garage, patio entries), and inside the window frames, that the sun hits. Also, it is artificially warm near heat supply ducts buried in soil under concrete slabs, and near warm appliances.
My 30 day guarantee ran out and now I have ants in a different place! Did the pesticide lose strength? A. Probably, but more likely it’s because the sun is now hitting another area of the house. (TIP: Bargain for a 6-9 month warranty. FVEPC’s warranty is 9 months)
Bedbugs: Q. Where is it near 80 F?
- In the bed you sleep in, (while you are in it), in electrical switches and outlets with loose connections. Also, close to the ceiling (curtain rods) in some very warm rooms, and near heat supply ducts that are near the bed. Remember, both heat and food (blood) are essential to bedbugs. 4 months in a 65 degree bedroom = a bed full of bugs… 4 months at 80 degrees = a house full.
Stink bugs: it is warm inside fireplaces with open or leaky dampers. It is also warm near canned lights. (Hibernating pests don’t need food or water.)