Feb 3, 2016, 14:12 PM by Fred Speer

We may not want to admit it, but pests are as much a part of the fabric of a home as are furniture and drapes. That’s not to say your home is infested with destructive termites or disease-transmitting cockroaches. However, a recent study from North Carolina State University tells us we are definitely not alone.

The study evaluated the biodiversity of arthropods in homes, and found that humans share their residences with more than 500 different kinds of arthropods – various insects, spiders, mites, centipedes, and others

Dr. Matt Bertone, an entomologist with the North Carolina State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic and a researcher on the study, says homeowners think their living spaces are sterile environments, but that is not always the case.

“Our homes host far more biodiversity than most people would expect,” Dr. Bertone told the Entomological Society of America’s Entomology Today website. “We share our space with many different species, most of which are benign. The fact that you don’t know they’re there only highlights how little we interact with them.”

Researchers went room to room in homes to collect living and dead arthropods for the survey. In all, they found 579 different arthropod morphospecies (animal types that are easily separable by morphological differences) from a total of 304 different families.

On average, homes in the study played host to nearly 100 different arthropod species belonging to between 24 and 128 distinct families. What pests topped the charts when it came to infesting homes? According to the study, the five most commonly encountered pests were:

1. Flies
2. Spiders
3. Beetles
4. Ants
5. Book lice

While the number of creeping, crawling, and flying pests may appear threatening, the reality is that most of these pests are merely wanderers who inadvertently gain access to home interiors through an open window or door or on cut flowers or plants. They don’t constitute a full-fledged infestation.

Another point researchers wanted to emphasize was that most of these unwanted pests are not equipped to live indoors, and that they die off fairly quickly. To read the report, visit http://bit.ly/20CB2oQ

For pests such as mice, bed bugs, or cockroaches that do decide your home is a suitable place for an extended stay, the residential pest management experts at Clark Pest Control have proven solutions that will give them the boot and then keep them away.

If you’re having a problem with pests in your home, call or text the Clark Man at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or send an email to clarkcares@clarkpest.com. One of our pest experts will follow up to answer any questions you may have. 

Until next time, I’m the Clark Man, and thanks for helping me keep unwanted pests out of your home.