5 Common House Bugs in Tennessee You Need To Watch Out For

What’s one thing we all know that crosses boundaries, invades privacy, and sets up camp where they’re not welcome? Yes, you got it right. The answer is bugs.

Even though they belong outside, bugs will still most likely find their way into your living room, bathroom, and, worst of all, bedroom.

To know how to handle any bug infestations and outsmart them properly, you must be able to identify them and their habits. Bugs tend to go where it’s most convenient for them based on the prevailing climate. So, if you stay in places like Tennessee, you should be prepared for a number of critters as its geographical terrain can be quite welcoming to bugs.

To answer your question, what are some common house bugs in Tennessee? While there are hundreds of insects you can find in the South-Eastern part of the U.S., particularly Tennessee, here are the bugs you’re most likely to come across;

• Crickets
• Ladybugs
• Bedbugs
• Cockroaches
• Fireflies
• Flies
• Mosquitoes
• Ants
• Beetles
• Moths
• Spiders
• Woodlouse
• Silverfish
• Stink Bugs
• Termites
• Ticks
• Centipedes
• Wasps

Common House Bugs in Tennessee and How to Get Rid of Them

According to the U.S. Pest Protection Pest Index, bugs that find their way into your homes usually fall into three categories: threat pests, occasional invaders, uncommon occupants, or beneficial pests.

Threat pests are insects that pose hazardous health risks because they carry diseases or certain bacteria that cause infections. This includes insects like mosquitoes, cockroaches, spiders, flies, etc. On the other hand, beneficial pests like butterflies and bees are more valuable to the ecosystem.

Occasional invaders and uncommon occupants will only sometimes be found in your home. They do not invade as often as beneficial pests or threat pests. These occasional invaders and uncommon occupants include bugs like ladybugs, hornets, crickets, woodlouse, and millipedes.

Let’s look at some of these common Tennessee house bugs and how you can identify them;

1. Bed Bugs

The bed bug is one the most notorious insect pests you will find in a Tennessee home. They are difficult to eradicate and, thus, stand out in the crowd compared to other insects like flies or mosquitoes.

These little pests are only about 5 to 7 millimeters long in their adult stage. This means they are even smaller in their lymph stages, making them hard to identify and eradicate. Bed bugs are reddish-brown and leave behind a trail of rusty, pen-like dots on your sheets or couch.

When bed bugs are unfed, they are often flat and can easily crawl into crevices to hide. This makes it difficult for you to catch them. Although their bites are harmless and do not transmit diseases, they can cause rashes or trigger mild allergic reactions on your skin.

• How Do I Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs reproduce fast. This makes getting rid of them completely more challenging. You can find bed bugs near your headboards, under pillows, bed frames, and other dark areas. While they may prove difficult, you can eliminate them by treating your mattresses and beddings with aerosols and sun drying them.

This aerosol treatment, pesticides, sanitation, and sun drying will have to be repeated at least thrice a month to eliminate them. If you’re finding it too tricky, we recommend you let your local pest control service know, and they will carry out a thorough inspection and take it up from where you stopped.

2. Beetles

Beetles are occasional invaders and they come in various species, shapes, and sizes. You can easily identify them by their shell-like front wings and prominent antennae. Different beetle species feed on different food sources. Some go for stored grains, while others go for plants and wood.

Here’s a short list of some of the species of beetles that are unique to certain Tennessee areas;

• Black Beetles
• Carpet Beetles
• Drugstore Beetles
• Cigarette Beetles
• Ground Beetles
• Anobiid Powderpost Beetles
• Asian Lady Beetles

Regardless of the species, finding beetles in your home means you should be ready for them to cause damage, so they must be taken care of immediately.

• How Should You Eliminate Beetles?

As always, it is easier to keep beetles from entering your home in the first place than to get rid of them. You can prevent beetles from invading your space by sealing any open holes, crevices, or cracks you may have in your building structure.

Beetles also like to feed on foodstuff, so they might be found in areas where you usually store your food. Keep all your food, including your pet food, in tightly closed containers to prevent contamination. The beetles won’t stick around for long if they have nothing to feed on.

In addition to this, these little bugs are also attracted to humid places and will be drawn to your basement or garage if the environment is conducive. As such, reducing the humidity level in these areas will discourage them from setting up camp in your home.

If they still find a way to get into your house, it is best to use indoor-friendly insecticides, traps, and powders in any areas you suspect they might be in. After dousing these areas with insecticide, ensure you air the place and thoroughly clean it out to prevent future infestations.

3. Cockroaches

Whether Australian, Brown-banded, or Smoky brown, cockroaches are some of the most common pests and disgusting bugs you can find in your home. They leave nasty odors, pose health risks, and prove difficult to eradicate.

These insects like to camp in kitchens because that’s where food scraps are most likely to be found. If you have a severe infestation, you may see them between couches, cabinets, wardrobes, and other dark corners.

Cockroaches can survive for weeks without water and over a month without food. This means even if you do a deep clean, they can stick around till there are enough food scraps for them again.

• How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

Even if you have employed all the cockroach-prevention techniques you know, including keeping a tidy house and sealing up holes and cracks, a few bugs can still find a way to enter your home. If this happens, the best measure is to fumigate your house as thoroughly as possible. You can also follow up with insecticide containing boric acid, which repels roaches.

If the infestation isn’t so severe you can carry out mild fumigation yourself. All you need to do is bait the roaches first, fumigate, and then air out as thoroughly as possible before cleaning out the corners of your house afterward. However, if the infestation is severe, the best option is to call the experts and let them handle your cockroach problem without putting you, your kids, or your pets at risk.

4. Moths in Tennessee

There are different species of moths, including Brown House Moths, White-shouldered moths, and Common Clothes Moths. These insects are closely related to butterflies and can be identified by their feathered antennae and short bodies.

Moths technically do not live indoors but may occasionally find themselves trapped inside your house. This is because they are nocturnal and are primarily active at night. As you may know, moths are attracted to light and will often chase after the source of heat and light, which may be the light bulbs in or around your house. Usually, you’ll only find a few moths inside your house at a time.

However, if you do not remove the few moths you find inside, they may get comfortable and multiply. Here are some ways to avoid dealing with moth damage in your house;

• How Can You Get Rid of Moths?

Your clothes and furniture should be safe if you’re dealing with just one or two months. However, if they have begun to multiply and reproduce, you may need to completely clean, disinfect, and air out your closet, as this is where they often set up camp.

Besides your wardrobe, you can also find moths under your bed, behind curtains, or in any damp, dark areas in your home. This includes basements or attics too. If you see a moth anywhere, check if they have laid eggs in your clothes or furniture, as its larvae can be pretty destructive.

Since moths can lay multiple eggs within a short period, you may not be able to get to them in time to eradicate them all correctly. As such, it is best to contact your local pest control service to handle that.

5. Spiders

A wide variety of spiders can be found in Tennessee homes, including jumping spiders, brown recluse spiders, cellar spiders, orb spiders, black widow spiders, wolf spiders, and zipper spiders.

Not all these species of spiders are harmful. In fact, most of these arachnids are probably more scared of you than you are of them. However, it is best to avoid them all, as they can trigger nasty skin reactions. Spiders can be found inside and outside your home, feeding on smaller insects like mosquitoes, ants, and flies.

• How Can You Get Rid of Spiders?

Spiders can be difficult to eliminate because they find pretty good hiding spots behind your cabinets, small spaces, and dark corners. Some species will leave behind spiderwebs, which will give you an idea of where to focus your fumigation.

However, if the number of spiders you notice around your house increases alarmingly, call expert exterminators to fumigate your house and its surroundings. They will also help you identify the type of spiders that have invaded your home and how to prevent future infestations.

Conclusion

Tennessee has a unique climate that often attracts several house bugs, including spiders, moths, beetles, cockroaches, mosquitoes, bed bugs, crickets, and many others.

Sealing up any cracks or crevices in your walls will make it harder for these creatures to enter your home. If they do, you can lightly fumigate to ensure they are entirely eradicated or call professional exterminators.

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