A close look at what causes insect infestation

Seeing the occasional ant or fly is no big deal. Spotting a possible insect infestation, however is a huge deal. So what causes insect infestations?

Homes are the perfect shelter and habitat for a certain animal — homo sapiens. Unfortunately, they can also be the perfect shelter and habitat for insects. Seeing the occasional ant or fly is no big deal. Spotting a possible insect infestation, however is a huge deal. So what causes insect infestations?

Leafy green shrubbery can really make your landscape pop. But trees and shrubs are literally crawling with ants and other bugs.

• If their limbs and leaves are touching your house, they form a perfect bridge for them to cross (as well as contributing to moisture problems, which can lead to bug-luring rot).

Just as branches can act like insect bridges, siding that touches the soil is also conducive to bugs.

• The soil’s moisture can be absorbed by the siding, further inviting carpenter and moisture ants and even termites into your home.

A foundation not only holds your house up and keeps the soil at bay, it also keeps out insects and rodents.

• A crack in the foundation itself or a gap between the foundation and siding can let air, moisture — and bugs — creep into the house’s structure, an invisible problem on the inside, until an infestation occurs so badly it spills into sight.

Insects need moisture, food and shelter to thrive, and rain gutters offer all three.

• When gutters get clogged with filthy water, leaves and debris – within millimetres of the roof – they become like Petri dishes.
• When the overflow water cascades down sidings, increasing the chances the siding becomes wet and rotten, it will further attract insects en masse.

Rainwater that doesn’t run away from your house may pool at the foundation, adding to the problems of moisture in your basement, which further sets the stage for an insect infestation.

• If your downspouts are defective, they may be making your drainage problems worse.

Decks add fair-weather living space, and sheds are perfect for keeping bikes and tools in order. But if they’re made of wood and are attached to your house, they’re likely a conduit for insect infestation.

• Make sure your deck is properly built with bug-resistant pressure-treated wood. If possible, place sheds across the yard from your home.

A cliché says cleanliness is next to godliness. Well, if not godliness at least next to happiness for the homeowner.

• Keeping a kitchen’s foodstuffs, shelves, surfaces and appliances as neat and tidy as possible will help keep pests away.
• Same for bathrooms and laundry areas – keeping them dry and grime-free will reduce the chances of insect infestation.