A pest control professional is constantly on the lookout for the harborage points of pests. They know that this is one of the three major keys to eliminating any infestation. Knock out the nest and you knock out the problem. In some cases it is very obvious such as a mouse hole chewed in the baseboard. Other times it is only after extensive detective work you may find the colony living in a very remote or hidden area of the home. A good percentage of the time however even the best technician won’t be able to find the spot that a pest calls home.
Insects can live almost anywhere
Listen to any bug guy who’s been on the job for even a short time and you’ll hear they’ve made some surprising finds. Roaches in safes, whole ant colonies in a box of envelopes, mice in a cars dash and the list gets longer with each year’s experience. The ability of pests to adapt to their surroundings is amazing. Bugs don’t seem to care where they call home just as long as the home they choose fits their needs.
Picky pests prefer
Knowing what kind of insect or rodent you’re dealing with will go a long way to help you find the nest. If you have roof rats obviously you won’t take too much time searching the basement for your problem. German roaches have high moisture needs so I’d say that rules out the coat closet. If you can identify your pest you can eliminate many places from your search which can save you time and money but nothings absolute in the pest control world. That’s a lesson rookie techs learn pretty fast as well but even after many years it’ll fool even the older vets.
Micro enviorments
For bugs that don’t normally live indoors or in situations where conditions aren’t the best, bugs adapt. An American roach isn’t going to give up and die just because he finds himself in a school library. How much drier can it get? It’ll just search out moisture perhaps on the window sill where condensation may accrue or hold up in the stainless steel shell of the water fountain. Fire ants are not known to nest frequently inside but I often get calls where people are being stung while inside. Many times the nest can be found in expansion joints in the garage or in the wall where a cable or wire comes in. While these are not common, the area chosen in these circumstances at least offers something the pest needs. It may curtail colony size or pest activity but insects will make do until things change or they are forced to move.
Expect the unexpected
Traditional nesting sites are almost always the first areas to check but often along the way you’ll find your nest in a surprising spot. Where you and I may think is impossible for a bug to live is so often perfect for them. What fools us the most is the entry hole, either we can’t see it or just don’t believe any creature could ever fit in something so tiny. We may also think of a wall as being solid and don’t realize it opens up into a vast cavern that can house so many bugs. Whether by necessity or choice a colony will move into a variety of places and make the best of it if it’s not already perfect. As long as food and water is available the nest site can be anywhere.
Don’t limit your search to eye level or be afraid to stick your head into some undesirable locations. A good flashlight is a must and having an idea of your targets preferences will help you tremendously. When you finally locate the enemies HQ you can rest assured that your diligence will pay off in quick elimination and relief.
