Have you ever encountered an aquatic insect while chilling at your home pool? Witnessing their chaos in your kitchen or bathroom? What an irritating feeling! The presence of those invaders is never welcome.
Like most pests, water bugs pose an unbearable nuisance. Learn how to identify and get rid of water bugs to take your peaceful home back with gardening101.net.
Water Bugs – What Are They?
Overview
Water bug is a common name referring to both aquatic insects and cockroaches. While the true water bugs live in the water, such as pools and lakes, rather than in your home, roaches prefer shelter on land. The reason cockroaches are still called “water bugs” is their tendency to be in humid areas.
The most familiar types of water bugs are water boatmen and backswimmers, which can float by water surface tension and paddle through by their legs.
Regarding species of cockroach (also known as palmetto bugs), it is regular for homeowners to see Oriental, Florida wood, and the American cockroach.
What Causes Water Bugs In Your House?
Cockroaches are popular residents in households because they love food waste, dark spaces, and dampness. Therefore, the kitchen, bathroom, or humid basement are ideal indoor environments for them.
If you confront a roach companion domestically, there is likely a problem with your system of water pipes or rubbish chute.
Meanwhile, actual water bugs – known as hunters, rarely enter homes. Unlike the above scavengers, their main food source is insects and creatures hunted in the water.
These bugs tend to appear more during the summer and seldom enter your home. Porch lights usually draw their attention, so they sometimes make their entries at night.
How To Get Rid Of Water Bugs?
Once you catch sight of several water bugs crawling in your house, the matter rises. It is better to eliminate it right before they get to flourish and take over your home. Fortunately, there are some simple but workable methods to get them away.
Why is it essential to remove water bugs?
Besides the nasty impression they make from their creepy looks, there are certain harms these creatures can do to your shelter and health.
Generally, true water bugs are not dangerous, but they can bite. For instance, backswimmers will take their defense against being handled. The “water bug bite” is actually the venom injected via their legs, so their other name is toe-biters. Like a bee sting, it might leave a slight itch and swell.
In contrast, it is rare to get bitten by cockroaches. However, these true pests carry many bacteria due to their dirty living conditions.
Consequently, they pose a variety of health concerns when approaching your home stuff, including food, utensils, bathroom amenities, etc. There is a visible possibility that you and your family members get contaminated and suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, and other intestine-related problems.
How To Remove Water Bugs From Your Pool?
These freshwater insects get their feeds mostly from algae, aquatic organisms, and smaller bugs, so the first way is to cut down on their food supply.
Constantly keep your pool hygiene adequately by cleaning out underwater vegetation, removing debris, and skimming dead bugs. No more algae also mean no more place for them to lay and nurture eggs.
Another method is to balance the pool’s pH by using chemicals. You can dilute chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or even bleach to treat your pool. This is a great defender against the growth of algae/mosquitoes and the attraction of bugs. It is advisable to do it after the sun sets because the oxidation process shall go better without the impact of sun rays.
Nearby standing water sources are also an ideal moist environment for bugs. Detecting possible surroundings like flower pots, puddles, blocked ponds, etc., and removing or relocating them will help.
Remember to turn off all decorative lights at night if you do not want to invite them to drop by. Otherwise, you can install bug zappers to trick bugs and reduce their unpleasant presence.
As mentioned, a giant water bug could visit inside, while cockroaches always take pleasure in staying indoors. Rather than squishing them, you can say goodbye to those household pests with the following remedies:
- Baking Soda: Don’t you think you can deal with those undesirable guests just by this household ingredient? In this case, it is a ready but effective weapon when combined with a bit of sugar. A typical feature of natri carbonate can cause fatal dehydration in bugs. Mix, sprinkle them on their nests or most common areas, and see how it works.
- Natural essential oils: This is an eco-green option that is relatively effective in killing bugs. At the same time, the fresh smell of extracted oils from peppermint, citronella, or cedarwood can eliminate their nasty odor.
- Alcohol/Vinegar: Refer to these materials if you seek a non-chemical and cheap solution. Alcohol or vinegar can make the environment less fertile for roaches to stay and breed.
- Boric Acid: It is poisonous to water bugs once they take it in. Because bugs tend to avoid big piles, you’d better sprinkle a thin layer of boric acid powder to get higher effectiveness.
- Liquid detergent: If you find natural approaches lightly interactive to the high population of cockroaches at your home, try chemical methods. The soap in detergent shall kill bugs through the slow destruction of their exoskeleton.
- Bug Spray: This is one of the most usual methods homeowners come up with. There is a wide range of effective insecticides on the market. Shop for some products, and you can get rid of water bugs just after a few sprays.
- Cockroach Baits: If you have already detected roaches’ shelter, you might utilize baits. Either gel bait or bait station is good, or you can even combine those simultaneously to reach the best outcome. One reminder is to keep them distant from pet food and absolutely out of your children’s reach.
If you have invested both money and time in all those solutions without any result, it is high time for another hassle-free way, the professional service. With practical expertise, they can figure out the problem and offer the most workable plan.
Tips For Prevention Of Water Bugs
Prevention is better than cure. Here are some practices you can apply to prevent infestation of water bugs:
- Cleaning your house will make the game much easier. A dry and clean environment is the greatest enemy of water bugs.
- Knowing their attraction for damp places, you should get your pipes checked regularly and fix any leaks. Also, never keep standing water in the surrounding area.
Cockroaches can live for a long time without food or water. If you have a basement, try to maintain proper humidity and improve ventilation.
- Keep your food in an airtight container while cleaning up the leftovers. Ensure that your garbage cans are fully covered and emptied as frequently as possible. The less food supply, the less chance of survival.
- For water bugs in outdoor pools, it is vital to check the pool chemistry on a regular basis, especially during hot weather. Usual removal of algae and other debris or covering when not in use will bring hygienic pools.
- Blocking entries is also useful to hinder their accidental invasions. Sealing caulks, and installing anti-insect nets at doors and windows can prevent them from sneaking in.
Conclusion
If you are being stressed with the same issues, consult the above suggestions on how to get rid of water bugs from your home. In case the problem is too overwhelming to handle, don’t hesitate to contact a pest control professional to help you out.