Little Black Bugs In My House

Having little black bugs in your house is never a fun situation. Once you see them, it’s hard to not notice them out of the corner of your eye. Since so many different species of bugs live in New Jersey it’s hard to know which ones you have in your home. Your skin is most certainly crawling just thinking about bugs, but it’s important to know what you’re up against.

We’ve come up with a list of some common little black bugs and how to get rid of them.

Suspect #1: Fleas

If you find yourself thinking, “What are these little black bugs in my house”—it could be fleas. Fleas are hard to catch and even harder to kill. And they reproduce FAST. Fleas need blood in order to reproduce and once they have that meal they will mate and lay eggs. Surprisingly, the eggs can hatch within a day or ten at the max. This starts the process of a flea lifecycle as it continues from larva to pupa and adult all within the span of a month.

Fleas are teeny tiny but that doesn’t stop them from causing big issues for your pets. If you see your fur baby scratching a lot that is a sign you have a flea problem.

The first obvious place they could be is on Fido, but there are other places they may hide out. Fleas can also live in your carpets, furniture, and pet beds where they are most likely to catch a meal. So what if you don’t have pets? Can you still have a flea problem? Absolutely. Unfortunately, that could also mean that you have a rodent issue. Fleas need a living host in order to survive and love mice and rats. Fun Fact: This is exactly how the Black Plague started.

So, how do you get rid of them? Well, the first step is to treat your pet. Be sure to reach out to your veterinarian to determine the best options. You also need to treat your home to be sure you get rid of these little black bugs in your house for good. Fleas spread some nasty diseases to humans through infected animals. If you find it’s too big of a job for you to get rid of these little black bugs in your house, experts are ready to help.

Suspect #2: Ants

Ants have a bad reputation, but they are incredibly fascinating. That doesn’t mean you want these little black bugs in your house. They are just doing what the rest of us are doing…trying to survive by finding food and shelter. And your home gives them just that.

Ants are very social with each other and work hard for their colonies. Most will stay outdoors but there are some species of ants that thrive indoors. Carpenter ants for example are little black bugs in your house that like using the wood within the walls and window seals to build their nest. Other types find their way in by a trail of spills on the floor or something sweet left out in the open.

Many people think that they are going to get rid of their ant problem by just killing the ones they see trailing through their homes, however, that isn’t the case. Those ants came from somewhere, and more will return.

The best way to get rid of ants is to treat them with a slow-acting treatment where the ants in your house take the treatment back to the colony so that the whole colony is destroyed.

Are you still finding bites on your skin and have ruled out fleas? You may have bed bugs. These pests are little black bugs in your house that like to hide out in your beds, sofas, and other cushioned furniture. Bed bugs are stealthy suckers and stay well hidden. If you think you see dirt on your sheets or mattresses, watch out. That actually could be the feces of your bed bug problem.

Bed bugs are little black bugs in your house that look like coffee grounds. They seek out a primary blood source from animals and humans but will also feed on skin cells. If you are getting a lot of bites, especially at night, start stripping your bedding and look at your mattresses carefully for any bugs. Make sure to also look for their skins, excrement, and casings. Baseboards and underneath furniture are good areas to check as well as any luggage if you have traveled recently.

If you figure out that bed bugs are the little black bugs in your house, you will need to have your home treated as soon as you can. There are many ways to treat bed bugs depending on your wants and needs. By not treating it quickly, bed bugs will become an infestation.

Suspect #4: Weevil

Another possibility could be weevils. They are going to be the little black bugs in your house who like to go after grains and rice. Unlike ants, they aren’t going to just take off with entire pieces of your food, but they will make holes within your grains. If you see this breadcrumb (pun intended) you just might have weevils in your home.

Weevils have an interesting look about them with their long snouts. They use this to bore into things to either eat or lay their eggs. You probably could do without hearing this little tidbit, but what makes these holes a little bit worse is that they aren’t just doing it for sustenance. They use the grains as a place to lay their eggs. Ewww. Once the egg hatches, the weevil larvae will then have something to snack on until they are large enough to make their way into the world.

So what can you do to keep these bugs from snacking on your carbs? Get rid of anything in your kitchen that isn’t sealed up. You don’t want to take a chance of these little black bugs in your house sticking around.

The next step is to disinfect anything else in your kitchen like cans, plates, cups, etc. with soapy water. Then you need to have your home treated by a professional so that your kitchen doesn’t become infested with these creatures again.

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