Common Household Perimeter Pests and their Control

Sowbugs and Pillbugs

Sowbugs and pillbugs are not really "bugs." They're not even insects, in fact. They're crustaceans. They require a high moisture level and breathe through gill-like structures.

Control of sowbugs and pillbugs is mainly accomplished non-chemically, by cleaning up decaying organic matter and correcting excessive moisture situations.

Centipedes and Millipedes

Like sowbugs and pillbugs, centipedes and millipedes are not insects. There are many species of these creatures. Some require high mosture levels, but others are comfortable in dry areas. Most centipedes and millipedes are harmless, but a few species can inflict stings. Control is primarily non-chemical, with insecticide treatment as an adjunct in cases of serious infestations.

Earwigs

Earwigs are small insects who survive primarily as scavengers who eat dead plant and animal matter. Despite their scary appearance and prominent pincers are their abdomens, they are harmless. Control is accomplished primarily through non-chemical means, with exterior insecticide treatments as an adjunct.

Silverfish and Firebrats

Together known as "bristletails," silverfish and firebrats can be very difficult to exterminate once they enter a building. Silverfish prefer moist environments such as damp basements, pipe chases, and water-damaged wood; while firebrats prefer dry, hot environments such as furnace rooms and dry attics in the summer. Control may involve non-chemical methods as well as treatment with dessicants, residual insecticides, and sticky traps.

Crickets

There are many species of crickets, almost all of which are primarily nocturnal and prefer dark, secluded environments. Generally speaking, they only become a problem when they enter homes, often taking up residence under decks, in crawl spaces, and in basements. Treatment typically involves the use of sticky traps to rapidly reduce populations, and the use of interior and/or exterior insecticides or baits to maintain control.

Ticks

Ticks are parasitic arachnids who feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. Some species, such as the deer tick (shown on the right), have been implicated in the transmission of serious diseases including Lyme disease, human granulocytic and monocytic ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, relapsing fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, tularemia, Q fever, and tick paralysis.

Control measures for ticks are highly individual based on the tick specie and the environmental factors accompanying a particular infestation.