Pest Detection

Published on 2/1/2023
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Hello once again. So, last time we spoke about how to help prevent your storage unit from becoming infiltrated with pests, this time we will talk about some pest types, and how to spot the signs of their arrival. Storage units typically attract and house bedbugs, mice, and everyone’s favorite, cockroaches. So, I know that you are very excited about the prospects of these guys; I mean, who would not want some extra pals to hang out with?

Getting started we will speak about bedbugs. These fellas are very friendly. They just love to snuggle up next to someone who’s trying to get some sleep, and really make a feast. When inspecting your unit, to see if you have been infiltrated, check for rusty or dark spots on walls and materials. These spots can be the unfortunate remnants of excrement. Other signs or indicators are musty  odors or locating eggs or their sheds. Always inspect your unit, and your belongings before storing them. It is a good idea to look up pictures of their signs as they can be quite small and hard to distinguish.

Moving along to another common problem is mice. Here the signs of a problem can be a little bit more obvious. The droppings are easily observed, and they will chew holes in things, thus causing noticeable damage. You can also sometimes get a glimpse of them as they scurry about trying to evade your presence. A big deal here is to make sure not to store food in your unit and try to pack items in plastic as much as you can.

Now time for cockroaches to come to the forefront of our discussion. With these guys we have several things to keep an eye out for. As with all the above, check for droppings, these aren’t as big as a mouse, but more noticeable than that of bedbugs. Next, is shed skins, and eggs. Roach eggs are in capsules, which can have as many as 30 of the little guys. There is also a chance for smear marks, as they can leave brown odd shaped smears on horizontal surfaces. As with bedbugs, make sure to inspect your items before storing them to ensure that you did not accidentally bring them along.

To wrap up this segment, just make sure to check your unit before storing anything as well as your items. This just covers a few pests, there are unfortunately many others that can cause a lot of issues. If you see something, make sure to do your research and handle it appropriately.