7 Consequences of a Pest Invasion

7 Consequences of a Pest Invasion

A pest infestation of any kind is not a good time. You would be very hard-pressed to find someone who says, “You know how I want to spend my week? Solving a pest invasion!” We spend so much time keeping a clean home and keeping our food stored in airtight containers that finding a colony of insects in our houses feels like a slap in the face. But besides the general frustration that comes with a pest invasion, there are more specific consequences to this experience. You could honestly make a case for each one being the worst, but none of these consequences are fun things to have or go through. 

House Damage

Common Culprits: carpenter ants, carpenter bees, rodents, termites

This is one of the most clear consequences of them all because the evidence is very obvious, especially with a larger infestation. Damage to a home or the amenities and furniture within it is a common result of prolonged invasions, and it can mean anything from a ruined chair to the actual walls now having gaping holes. Some common pests specifically look for weathered or moist wood to invade, especially after a major storm. If the wood deep inside the house or on the exterior is invaded by wood-boring pests, it can mean a good chunk of money and time to repair. Some homeowners insurance plans do not cover termite damage, which is just a cherry on top of an already awful sundae. The damage done by termites and carpenter ants is very comparable, save for the fact that termites actually eat the wood and carpenter ants just hollow it out for their tunnels. This whole issue is especially frustrating due to the hidden nature of these pests’ home; they can go unnoticed for weeks or even months if they are deep enough within the house. 

Other features of the home can be easily damaged by pests, either because it’s their planned target or because they moved on from their initial entry point. The wiring and insulation are also common chew toys for pests, which is a major headache for homeowners even after the pests are gone. It can also be a health hazard if the insulation is carried outside of the interior or if the wiring sparks. Long story short, any kind of internal house damage sustained by a group of invading pests is an expensive headache that you want to avoid as much as possible. 

The damage done by a pest infestation does not have to just mean the house itself. It can also involve the furniture and belongings within it that are now covered in holes, droppings, skin castes, bacteria, or all of the above. One of the most damage-prone pests is the bed bug. The most obvious damage they deal to us is through bites, which turn red and itchy. But they also deface the mattresses, chairs, couches, wallpaper, and other soft materials they invade. The blood, skin castes, and droppings are enough to make anyone want to throw the ruined material in a dumpster as far from home as possible. It is actually a good idea to dispose of the affected material or furniture in a safe way if it is damaged enough, but no matter where the bed bugs are, pest control is a must-have for dangerous pests like these. 

Garden Damage

Common Culprits: aphids, crickets, grasshoppers, spider mites, squash bugs, whiteflies

This is along the same lines as the aforementioned house damage, but with less stakes. Garden pests are one of the most dreaded parts of every spring and summer for avid growers, and the more experienced ones have their own routines for preventing the pests from ruining their beautiful garden. Many pests can be considered garden pests in a way due to their plant-centered diets. But when the plants begin to look like Swiss cheese and none of the younger greens seem to be growing at all, it is a clear sign that pests have set up shop in the yard. While a couple of leaf-munching insects are not detrimental to the garden, a whole family of them can mean the end of the line for some plants this year.

There are a couple different ways that a pest invasion can ruin a garden. One is by stunting the growth of the plants, causing them to wilt and eventually die if the pests are not removed soon. Aphids are one of the main problems here because, besides their diet of plant juices, the honeydew they leave behind eventually hinders the plant growth and could lead to mold forming. Spider mites, whiteflies, and squash bugs are also major garden pests that feed upon the vital juices from plants. Since they invade in big groups and only grow with time, a young plant can lose its juice pretty quickly and be left without nutrients to help it live and grow. 

The other major problem from a garden pest invasion is most of the leaves having holes. This comes as a result of pests, many of whom cannot fly or do anything besides crawl, living on the leaves and constantly eating them until there is not much left. The primary perpetrators for this are slugs, caterpillars, and sawflies, but many other pests could be to blame if they happen to camp out on the actual plants. Some pests, like beetles, may use the garden as their first stop before invading the house for shelter and food. Gardens and plants are lively additions to any yard, but a pest invasion can end the fun before you know it. 

Attracting More Pests

Common Culprits: beetles, praying mantids, spiders

This consequence is going from bad to worse, except the “bad” is what was previously believed to be the “worse” in this event. As if you didn’t have enough to tackle with a normal pest infestation, the invaders accidentally brought in some more unwanted houseguests. There are plenty of beneficial critters that actually do us a favor by eating the smaller pests that plague our yards and homes. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing, as demonstrated when the beneficial creatures start to invade to get closer to the food. Spiders are a primary beneficial pest that can invade and reproduce if they have a reliable food source, like smaller insects. Certain beetles can also be insect-hungry invaders, as well as praying mantids. These are helpful qualities on paper, but it’s a whole different story when a pest infestation brings about even larger problems (literally). 

Insects can attract other pests even as a result of their own deaths or products. Many insects release pheromones when they’re dead, such as ants, and other insects who have an appetite for these pests are on the hunt for these smells. This is why it is crucial to dispose of any dead insects as soon as possible. It’s great that the pest control measures are working and your home is slowly becoming pest-free, but no one wants another pest problem as soon as the first one ends. 

Another strange way that insects attract more pests is through what they produce, like bees. If their hive is so full of wax and honey that the contents begin to drip out of the hive, other pests will be drawn to the sticky sweetness. Moths and rodents in particular seem to love these materials, and ants will go to just about anything sticky and organic. This is why, even though they are amazing pollinators, bees and their hives produce a lot more problems than benefits if they hang around for too long.

Health Concerns

Common Culprits: mosquitoes, roaches, rodents

Insects and rodents are gross by nature, and are not something we typically want in our clean homes. But besides being unclean creatures that can track in dirt and other debris from outside, pests can bring about a myriad of other health concerns that we don’t see until the invasion is much larger than we would prefer. One health consequence of pest infestations is an increase in allergy symptoms, which may seem strange but is actually very common. Cockroaches are one of the main pests to blame here, as their skin castes and feces have been shown to evoke allergies or asthma in people living around them, especially in children. 

The other health concerns linked to pest infestations are even more worrisome than allergies. Some pests have been studied to be carriers of dangerous diseases, like cockroaches and mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can carry malaria, Zika virus, and West Nile virus, while roaches carry all kinds of diseases like salmonella, cholera, typhoid fever, and even leprosy. We know how mosquitoes get infected, by drinking infected blood and passing it on through their saliva, but roaches are a whole new nightmare. They live in and consume literal garbage and waste, which is how infectious enzymes attach to their skin and legs. Rodents are similarly contaminated and carry harmful bacteria wherever they go. Since mice and rats produce so rapidly, there will be plenty of rodents around before long if the infestation is not handled. They leave urine and feces constantly wherever they wander and live, and these excrements are riddled with dangerous pathogens, including ones linked to Hantavirus. Pest invasions are not just nasty in principle, they can also have a negative physical effect on the residents of the infested home if it goes on for too long. 

Stress City

Common Culprits: bed bugs, bees, mosquitoes, spiders, wasps

This term can encompass all of the other consequences on this list, but we’re using it more specifically here. One of the stresses affiliated with a pest infestation is not feeling safe or comfortable in your own home. If you know that you have some unwanted houseguests, you may be constantly searching for signs of pests and checking every piece of food before you eat it. It is also common to experience the sensation of always feeling like there is something crawling on you, known as formication. Until every pest is gone, no piece of clothing or furniture may feel safe to use, which is definitely not what you want in your own home. 

Another point of stress can come from actually seeing the effects of pests on you or your family. Any kind of pest that inflicts a bite or sting on people is immediately a problem. Mosquitoes, bed bugs, spiders, and certain ants leave us with red, irritated bites if we happen to get too close and be appealing to them. It’s even more stressful when you can’t find the source of the problem, so you just find more bites on you that mysteriously appeared in the middle of the night.

The presence of children and/or pets is also a cause for stress with a pest infestation. Their safety comes to the forefront of the equation, and it is frustrating to see them also experience bug bites or symptoms as a result. Frequent cleaning and disinfecting is often a response to an infestation, but it can be filled with more stress if there are little ones around. Also, any kind of harmful chemicals in pesticides can be a cause for stress, especially if they are used indoors. It can be better for both stress and health if only eco-friendly treatments are used that still work against the invasive pests. 

Time

Common Culprits: ants, fleas, rodents, termites

As if life wasn’t busy enough, a pest invasion definitely takes a lot of time away from things you would rather be doing. The amount of time spent monitoring and cleaning up after pests can be much higher if there are a ton of pests or if the invasion lasts a long time. If you have children involved in activities or a packed schedule on your own, taking the time to deal with a pest infestation is not in the cards unless you shuffle some things around. A pest invasion that seems to involve a whole colony, like ants and rodents, is extremely time consuming for a homeowner. Not only do you have to constantly check for new locations of the pests and clean up any deceased ones, you also have to constantly disinfect surfaces and check every snack before consumption. And for nearly invisible pests that are very noticeable when they are actually on you, like fleas, there is definitely a time commitment with eradicating every last one.

Termites are an entirely separate time-consumer, especially if they have been in the house for a little while. Termite colonies can number in the hundreds of thousands if they have time to reproduce enough, which is an absurdly high number for tiny insects. Some of the more intense infestations still require the use of heat treatments on the house for a day or so, though this is much less common than before. This means having to temporarily relocate the family, probably taking some time off of work, and checking anything wooden in the home just in case. Even smaller termite infestations are involved, as they are resistant to most of the typical pesticides (of course). There are liquid treatments specifically made for termites, as well as baits that workers bring back to the colony. While effective, these treatments ultimately take time and the family may want to relocate for a little while anyway for an attempt at a pest-free day.  

Money

Common Culprits: ants, fruit flies, roaches, rodents, termites

It seems like everything costs money to some degree, and handling a pest infestation definitely costs some pocket change. The effects of a pest infestation cost money even after you spent it. For example, any food that the pests found should be thrown out immediately. Even if one or two pests, like ants or roaches, got into a box of cereal, it is contaminated due to the harmful bacteria and potential viruses that the pests carried. This unfortunately means that you did not get your money’s worth out of the food, and will have to buy more soon. Plus, any decor or furniture that is damaged from pest droppings or dead insects will either have to be thrown out or seriously cleaned, both of which may cost more money later on.

While DIY pest control saves money on very small pest problems, there is still the cost of traps, materials, and sprays bought from the shelves of the hardware store. Cleaning supplies also cost money, and you definitely want some of these if these pests decide that your home is a great place to live for them as well. And while pest control services cost more than the store-bought solutions, they are consistently the most effective against pest invasions of all kinds. Choosing the right services also means assessing which company and plan fits in your budget. But while it may seem incredibly expensive now, it will pay off in the long run when there are no pests ruining your furniture or eating your food before you can.

Pest Control is a Problem-Solver

The most efficient way to avoid all of these issues regarding pests is to have pest control services come out at least a few times per year. Preventative treatments and maintenance work wonders against all kinds of pests, as half the battle is preventing them from invading in the first place. Our team of experienced technicians is equipped to treat multiple pests, and we are always happy to solve your pest issues whether or not the visit is scheduled. You are always welcome to contact us for more information on our EPA-approved treatments and services in order to prevent any infestations from resulting in these consequences that do not make for a fun week.

Citations

Baessler, L. (2021, July 27). Insect leaf damage: Something is eating holes in plant leaves. Gardening Know How. Available at https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/holes-in-plant-leaves.htm (Accessed on August 1, 2022).

Merchant, M. (2016, January 22). Ten top pests that can hurt your home. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Available at https://citybugs.tamu.edu/2016/01/22/ten-top-pests-that-can-hurt-your-home/ (Accessed on August 1, 2022).

Miller, L. (2022, April 5). How to get rid of the 10 worst garden insects. Family Handyman. Available at https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/10-worst-garden-insect-pests-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them/ (Accessed on August 1, 2022).