Why do Spiders, Centipedes and Earwigs Love the Bathroom so Much?

You know that moment when you’re in the shower, mid-shampoo and you look up to see that creepy crawly just hanging out on the wall of your shower. A quick debate runs through your head: Should I move? Yes, move. Wait, no. Hold still, maybe it won’t notice me. I’ll quickly get the shampoo out of my hair and everything will be fine. After “calmly” talking yourself through that situation, you start to wonder why insects seem so determined to ruin your shower. The simple truth is that living in your bathroom makes for a pretty easy life for spiders and other bugs.

What Makes the Bathroom so Enticing for Bugs?

Bathrooms are magnets that attract a variety of creepy, crawly pests because they provide an ideal environment for a couple of reasons.

  1. Hair, mildew, mold provide unlimited food sources, yummy!
  2. Soaps made from fats are another delicious food source.
  3. Pipes provide excellent travel paths.
  4. Plumbing leaks and dampness provide the moisture needed to survive.
  5. Cracks and crevices offer hiding places and places to establish nests.
  6. The high humidity and moisture environment is desirable.

Which Bugs are Most Common?

According to Operations Managers at Batzner Pest Control, these are the most common bugs they come across in the bathroom.

  1. Centipedes: The main reason centipedes are present in bathrooms is for the availability of other insects to feed on.
  2. Earwigs: Drawn to bathrooms because they prefer damp, dark environments.
  3. Springtails: They thrive in high humidity and will feed on whatever is available.
  4. Silverfish: They prefer dampness, but their nocturnal habits keep their pest profile low.

Why is it so Hard to Control Bathroom Pests?

Eliminating bugs in the bathroom can be a challenging task. And darn it, if there’s one thing you deserve at the end of the day, it’s a peaceful shower without being traumatized by the possibility of unwanted company. Do-it-yourself treatments only provide temporary solutions to the problem, and they don’t tackle pests at the source. The best way to remove insects from your bathroom starts with a call to Batzner Pest Control at 866-591-3519 or by contacting us online. We’ll identify and eliminate the problem, so you can get back to enjoying your personal space without unwanted company.

5 Tips to Prevent Fall Invaders, Including Spiders, Centipedes and Earwigs

Those of us in the pest control industry consider occasional invaders to be some of the creepiest of the crawlies. You’ve probably seen them scurrying across your bathroom or living room floor at one time or another. Most commonly, occasional invaders include centipedes, millipedes, earwigs and Asian lady beetles, among others.

These pests are referred to as occasional, or fall, invaders because they sporadically enter homes or businesses through cracks or crevices, most commonly in the fall. They’ll usually seek shelter indoors when the weather becomes too hostile outside for them to survive. You’ll typically find them by themselves or in small numbers near food sources, in basements, or other cool, damp places.

Occasional invaders aren’t necessarily a health or structural concern, however, they are definitely nuisance bugs; biting, pinching, eating houseplants, damaging fabrics. The main concern for a home or business owner may be food contamination, so be sure to take proper precautions if you believe one of these pests has taken up residence in your food.

Here are Batzner’s five tips to prevent occasional invaders:

  1. Caulking and sealing entry points such as windows and doors. This eliminates some of the most common entry points for occasional invaders.
  2. Don’t forget to vacuum! You can use your vacuum in two capacities here: to clean up any dead bugs which may be attractive to pests, or to clean up any occasional invaders you spot in your home. Just be sure to clean out the vacuum right away!
  3. Make your landscaping less pest friendly. Remove leaf piles, overgrown bushes or trees, and mulch around the perimeter of your home. These are great places for these pests to live.
  4. Repair screens on windows and doors. Similar to caulking and sealing, these are also common entry points for occasional invaders, so it’s a good idea to make sure there is no damage to your screens.
  5. Seal all food containers. It seems obvious, but if a pest has no access to food, they are less likely to stay.
  6. If you believe you’ve spotted some of these occasional invaders, utilize the prevention tips above to limit the infestation. However, if you’re continually noticing these pests, it’s a good idea to consider Batzner’s year-round pestfree 365 program to keep pests at bay.

Call Batzner at 866-591-3519 or fill out a form online for more information today!