10 Common Insects Found in Kansas City, MO Homes and How to Deal with Them
We all see various free-loading bugs in our homes from time to time. Some are seasonal, some just got lost and some want to try to make your home their home. If you live in Kansas City, MO, you should know about the top bugs that want to make it into your home, so you know how to keep them out.
The Usual Suspects
Ants
Ants are everywhere, no matter where you go. Inside, outside-there are no escaping ants. You find the large black ones or those pesky little ones that seem to come out of nowhere and never stop coming. While there are many kinds of these crawlers, Kansas City sees carpenter ants, acrobat ants, pavement ants and odorous ants the most.
These bugs mostly try to take over your bathroom, kitchen and patio and garden areas. Kansas City sees humid summers that these insects love, and the winters are mild, so they don't have to worry about the frost. This means year-round ant-sized fun for everyone in Kansas City.
Flies
Flies are the worst. The buzzing , the zipping into everything and the fact that they always land on the TV during your favorite show all make these flying insects no fun. Kansas City has quite a few types for your swatter to handle. You will find fruit flies, sewer flies, fungus gnats and phorid flies all within the area.
Silver Fish
A huge nuisance is silver fish. They aren't dangerous to humans but can damage your things if you have an infestation. They love boxes, books, photos, furniture, paper and carpet, so there are plenty of hidey holes for these guys. The worst thing is they could get into your pantry items, so you do not want them in your home.
Ticks and Fleas
If you are a pet owner, you know fleas and ticks are everywhere. But specific to Kansas City are the lone star tick, brown dog tick, black-legged tick and the American dog tick. Always check yourself and your pets when coming back in from any outdoor activity.
Mosquitos
Mosquitos are the insects most dangerous to humans and are at their peak during the summer. Not only can they spread disease to people, but they can infect dogs with parasitic heartworms. These are the ones you want to stay away from the most.
More Advanced Insects
Bugs That Sting
This category is one no one wants to be a part of or see in their home. All the bugs that want to sting you could try to break into your place if you don't take preventative measures. In Kansas City, you have to watch out for Carpenter bees, wasps, hornets, Yellow Jackets and Cicada Killers. That all sounds way too Hunger Games for any person to want to deal with.
Seasonal Insects
We have bugs that love to swoop in, annoy us, leave, then repeat. Kansas City has its own seasonal warriors. Cluster flies, lady beetles, ground beetles, clover mites and boxelder bugs all try to make it in your home when the weather changes from summer to fall. They aren't harmful to humans, just rather annoying to find inside.
Moths, Weevils, and Beetles
Also known as pantry pests, weevils, beetles and moths tend to nest in the dry goods kept in the pantry. While they don't bite you or destroy your home, they infest your food, which can be expensive.
How to Deal With These Insects
Check the Windows and Doors
With most bugs, when it comes to getting inside your home, they look for holes around windows and doors and openings in screens. Regular maintenance of your home will take care of these problems. You should check your windows to help keep your electric bills lower anyway, but it keeps the bugs out.
Keep Your Yard Water-Free
Most of these insects like standing water. If it rains, storms or you had a water fight in the yard, do a search to make sure there isn't any standing water. Turn over pots and tip chairs to eliminate that possibility.
Take Care of Your Yard
Yard maintenance will help keep insects away. Some bugs, like mosquitos and ticks, like taller grass blades to hide in. Mow your yard whenever it gets too tall to keep the bugs away. Don't forget to trim bushes or trees and weed areas your mower can't reach.
Call for Backup
If you have done everything and still have a problem with insects, it might be time to call in help. Even a free consultation could point you in the right direction or shed light on something you may have overlooked in your yard.
No one buys a home and hopes it brings in the bugs. Insects are outside nuisances and should stay that way. The first step in keeping them out of your home is to know what you are looking for. Residents of Kansas City, MO, can do their part in keeping the creatures outside if they check the nooks and crannies and take care of their yard.
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