10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Common Pests

We Share Some Fun Facts About Pest

Household pests. What emotion do those words invoke in you? Fear? Stress? No matter how hard you try, you’ll never completely rid yourself of common household pests. You may have come across spiders, ants, and even mice inside the space that you’ve designated for yourself and your family. It feels somewhat like an intrusion. You want to do everything you can to get rid of these critters.

The top ten pests found in homes include:

• Cockroaches
• Termites
• Ants
• Spiders (particularly the redback and huntsmen)
• Bed bugs
• Mosquitos
• Fleas
• Mice
• Silverfish
• Houseflies

The good news is, they are often more afraid of you than you are of them. You’ve probably heard that thousands of times, but it’s true. It may ease your mind to study some fun facts about some common household pests. You may find that it’ll help you to view these creatures, not as something to fear but to learn more about.

 1. Bed bugs are lazy.

Bedbugs are lazy insect that causes insomnia for homeowners everywhere. These pesky little creatures prefer not to fly or jump. They don’t move much and can go four months without eating.

2. Fleas are tiny but strong.

These parasites which feed on human and animal blood, have the ability to pull 160,000 times their own weight.  That’s equal to a human pulling 2,679 double-decker buses. Plus,  they can also jump 30,000 times without stopping.

3. Spiders may have eight eyes, but poor eyesight.

Spiders can be scary. They have so many legs and eyes. They’re hairy and they appear to float on air. The truth is, most spiders can not see very well. They rely on other senses such as touch, vibrations, and taste to hunt.

However, there are some species such as active jumping spiders or wolf spiders who have better vision than others and use it in their hunting.

4. Ants don’t sleep.

Ants are constantly working. This is why whenever we spot one, no matter what time of the day, they’re on the move. They have specific jobs of which they divide in the colony. In addition to,  they can lift up to 50 times their body weight.  There are various species are all over the world.

5. Silverfish have weird tastes.

Silverfish enjoy common household items such as glue and wallpaper. They are also attracted to sugars, proteins, and starches. The fact that they can eat almost anything contributes to their longevity. Furthermore, they’re believed to have pre-existed dinosaurs.

6. Houseflies have fast reaction times.

We’ve all tried to swat a fly and failed. That’s because houseflies perceive time differently than humans. We see images in a certain amount of flashes per second. Humans average about 60 while flies average 250. To them, the world is moving in slow motion, giving them an excellent advantage when it comes to predators.

7. Termites have musical preferences.

Do you find that you work out harder when you’re listening to certain music? Termites can eat through wood up to two times faster when they hear rock music.

8. Mosquitos love our sweat.

When we perspire, our skin releases a chemical called octanol which alerts mosquitos that dinner’s ready. They are also attracted to certain perfumes and body lotions. The main thing that mosquitos like is body heat. The warmer you are, the more you attract.

9. Mice have big appetites and they’re incredibly organized.

Even though they’re tiny, they can eat up to 20 times per day. They set their nests near food sources. These nests are like little homes. Also, they create separate areas for toileting, eating, and sleeping.

10. We’ve got a lot of insects.

If you weighted all the insects on earth, they would outweigh all other animals. Since we have so many insects on our planet, we’ll never be completely rid of them. However, by learning more about them we can understand how best to control them and maybe even fear them less.