Pests and Common Bugs in the Kitchen

Common Kitchen Bugs & Insects

For most of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home, filled with love and delicious food. While the appetizing aromas that come from this room can bring together the closest of family and friends, people are not always the only ones that you might find gathering in the kitchen. Pests – including ants, cockroaches, rodents, house flies, fruit flies and pantry pests – can all be found in this part of the house. Learning how to get rid of insects in the kitchen is key to your family’s health and safety.

These pesky invaders include:

Ants | Cockroaches | Rodents | Flies

Why Insects and Bugs are Attracted to the Kitchen

Bugs love kitchens because they provide three of the essential elements that pests need to survive: food, water and shelter. When the temperature drops, the kitchen becomes a particularly attractive harborage site for pests seeking shelter and sustenance. The abundance of food and moisture in this household area, coupled with the warmth provided by cooking appliances, helps make pests feel right at home in the kitchen. Additionally, cluttered cabinets and trash serve as ideal nesting sites for rodents. Similar to bathrooms, leaky faucets or refrigeration appliances can cause moisture to accumulate, only further beckoning insects to the kitchen.

Tips to Prevent Common Kitchen Insects

The key to keeping pests out of the kitchen is to eliminate their access to food and water sources, which they need to survive. This can be done by practicing excellent sanitation in the kitchen. First, make sure to wipe up all crumbs and spills on the floor, kitchen counters, cabinets and refrigerator in a timely manner. While a few crumbs on the floor from that chocolate chip cookie may not seem like a big deal, it serves as a delicious feast for an army of ants or family of mice.

Some other prevention tips include regularly discarding trash in sealed receptacles and using airtight containers to store food. When purchasing food, pay attention to expiration dates and opt for products that come in sealed packaging. Keep the kitchen sink clean and free of excess moisture by routinely running the garbage disposal and avoiding leaving dishes piled up for long periods of time. Additionally, fix leaking pipes and unclog any backed-up drains to further avoid troublesome moisture buildup.

To prevent kitchen bugs from gaining access to the home in the first place, seal any cracks or crevices around the exterior of the home with a silicone-based caulk, steel wool or a combination of both. Also, repair damaged screens and install door sweeps.

Threats Posed by Kitchen Bugs

The insects known to infest kitchens can contaminate food and cause serious health issues if left untreated. House flies have been known to transmit over 100 different pathogens, including typhoid, salmonellosis and tuberculosis. Rodents are particularly troublesome, as they can spread disease, bring fleas into a household, and their urine can trigger allergic reactions in children. Cockroaches, arguably the kings of the kitchen, can trigger allergic reactions while also spreading seven human pathogens, six parasitic worms and 33 different kinds of bacteria.

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