Occasional Invaders

Every now and then, you may find that your home has been overcome by what we refer to as occasional invaders. Don’t panic. Most of these pests are primarily nuisances that wander inside by accident and cannot reproduce indoors. Braman can help you control them.

If you hear a chirping sound in your home, the house cricket is the most likely culprit. House crickets are tan in color with a dark band on the head. You may also see field crickets, which are solid brown or black, or even camel crickets which are humpbacked and leggy. Besides seeing one of these types of pests, the most obvious sign of an infestation is the loud sound the males make by rubbing their wings together to attract females. Braman can help if you have a larger infestation issue.

The name of the earwig is almost as frightening as its pincers, but it’s actually based in superstition. An old European myth suggested these bugs could tunnel in through ear canals and into brain cavities while people slept, but it has no basis in reality. Despite the fact that earwigs don’t pose any threat to humans, they can produce a foul-smelling liquid as a self-defense mechanism and can pinch with their pincers when mishandled. They spend most of their time hiding in mulch and under stones, where they may originate before coming indoors. Braman has the ability to help remove earwigs in home or business sites.

Before dealing with a ground beetle infestation, it’s important to note that the term is a catch-all referring to more than 2,000 species in North America. Most of these pests spend their time on the ground, feeding on insects and plant seeds. Contact Braman for identification as well as an effective plan to prevent them from entering your home.

Springtails are numerous and found throughout the United States and prefer very moist conditions. They do not pose any threat to people or pets and are not known to spread disease, but their presence can be unsightly and can be indicative of moisture issues in your home. They can jump and are often mistaken for fleas. Braman can help you identify these areas of moisture and remove the infestation. Exclusion is key for long-lasting control.

Pillbugs are actually terrestrial crustaceans known for their ability to roll into a ball. They have seven pairs of legs and look heavily armored. Pillbugs will come indoors and gravitate towards moisture, so fix exclusion issues like cracks around basement windows to prevent their entry. You may also find sowbugs, which have a similar look to a pillbug, but with a pair of tail-like appendages that project outward from the rear of the body. If you want to know how to get rid of pillbugs or sowbugs that have already infested your home, start by vacuuming the area. If the problem persists, contact Braman.

Millipedes are worm-like creatures with numerous legs. They feed on detritus, dead insects and decaying plants. Some species can give off a foul-smelling fluid that can be toxic to small animals and pets and can cause blisters or discoloration of skin for some people. Like most occasional invaders, they move indoors when outdoor conditions are not favorable so proper sealing is necessary for prevention. Braman can help you deal with larger infestations.

Clover mites are tiny, about the size of a pinhead with a reddish-brown coloring. Their activity increases in the cooler, early spring months and they are known for eating hundreds of different plant species. The best way to prevent their entry to your home is to patch up cracks and gaps and to clear all vegetation around the border of your home (and use gravel or rock for a vegetation-free band). Braman can help stop their entry indoors.

Wolf spiders look more frightening than they actually are. They are stout-bodied running spiders that grapple prey without the use of webs. Wolf spiders may enter your home or facility in search of prey and might stay once they make themselves at home. Since they tend to feed on a variety of insects, having wolf spiders may indicate other pest issues in your facility. For individual spiders, you can catch them using glue traps, but contact Braman if you think you have a much larger infestation.