Pests Need What We Need

Believe it or not, human beings have something in common with lowly pests: our life requirements. Without food, water and shelter, a human can live only a very short time and we go to nearly any means to secure these three requirements to preserve our existence.

Pests are pretty much the same. They spend their entire lives just trying to stay alive by searching for food, water and shelter … which is how they become so annoying to us. That’s right, they are looking for the same things we are!! Let’s take a look at these three requirements where pests are concerned.

Food: Pests’ food preferences are many and range from organic material to our food to filth. And they require food for fuel just like humans do — a diet of proteins, carbs and lipids in varying quantities. For example, most ants will eat just about anything. That can include other ants, dead insects, parts of dead animals, grains, fruits and vegetables.

Water: Pests can live only a limited time without water but they can fulfill their requirement for water if moist food is available. Many insects possess dedicated sensory systems that detect changes in water vapor in the air. This “sixth sense” for humidity has no direct parallels in larger land mammals such as us. But it serves the small critters well as they work to avoid desiccation and to find water.

Shelter: When the weather begins to cool, pests tend to move to warmer areas like YOUR HOUSE! This goes for insect pests as well as rodents. Insects are cold blooded, meaning that their body temperature changes with the external temperature so they are constantly seeking warm areas in which to live.

In our next blog, we’ll detail how to reduce these life requirements in your home to prevent insects!

In the meantime, if you are “bugged” by pests in your home, give us a call at 800-650-PEST today!