The majority of people probably aren’t too keen on creepy crawlies, bugs, and pests in their homes. They can set up homes in attics, basements, cracks in the walls and they like to invade larders and get into any open food containers.

What you may not have considered is that besides many of these pests giving you the shivers they can also be harming your health. Protecting your home from bugs and pests can also mean preventing your children or yourself from becoming ill.

Many common pests carry bacteria and pathogens which can cause several health problems. They like to get into food so pest control in the kitchen is very important. Some of these nuisances have even been shown to cause depression and anxiety too. 

Which household pests are the biggest problem?

Many different types of pests like to invade people’s homes. They range from the tiny but annoying – ants – to the potentially dangerous – rats.

Some insects and what might be considered pests help. Spiders kill flies as can ants. However, many of these pests can cause humans to become sick. Here are is a list of pests you may find in your home, depending on which region you are living in:

• Ants
• Cockroaches
• Silverfish
• Mice
• Rats
• Wasps
• Birds
• Termites
• Beetles
• Caterpillars
• Mosquitoes
• Flies
• Drain flies
• Bed bugs

While this isn’t a definitive list these are some of the pests you could quite conceivably have squatting in your home. 

How do these pests affect your health?

All pests have the potential to cause humans to become ill to varying degrees. Common black ants won’t bite you and they don’t have any diseases. They often kill and eat other small pests, however, they travel over different surfaces and can carry bacteria with them and into your food. Other pests can cause allergies such as asthma along with serious diseases. Some pests such as bats carry a huge number of viruses including the one linked to Covid. 

Pests that cause allergies

Cockroaches are one of the most common pests across the States. They live in all manner of climates and thrive around homes where there are places to shelter and food to scavenge. Unfortunately for people they also cause several allergies and reactions.

Cockroach dust is known to cause asthma and many doctors believe that it is a major cause of children developing this condition. They can also cause skin conditions, coughs, ear infections, and eye problems such as itching. They also cause other serious illnesses such as dysentery, gastroenteritis, and even the plague.

Other pests that carry allergens include:

• Dust mites – coughing, runny nose, watery eyes
• Fruit flies – respiratory problems, rashes
• Horseflies – wheezing
• Mice, rats – eczema, asthma

Apart from allergies, some other pests can cause unexpected reactions in people. 

The link between bed bugs and mental health

While it is well known that bed bugs will bite you it is not so common to understand what effect that has on people. Bed bugs are notoriously hard to get rid of so if you have them you probably need help getting rid of them. Look online for the professionals. Unfortunately, once these pests are in your home, they will remain until professionally removed. The information in this post was provided by 24hpestpros, a pest control companies in Bakersfield CA.

After you have been bitten (probably several times) by a bed bug you may experience red, raised bumps that itch intensely. Not only this but they can leave suffering from a lack of sleep and cause your stress levels to rise. Many people who have had infestations have reported symptoms including anxiety, stress, paranoia, obsessive thoughts, and depression. Many people have suffered from the same symptoms that someone with PTSD might have.