BLOG

What are the Hardest Household Pests to Get Rid Of in Illinois?

Pest control is important for maintaining proper care of one’s home and health. Pests can cause damage ranging from destroying various parts of your property to even spreading deadly diseases to you or members of your family. Did you know an average person spends $3,000 in repair costs as a result of termite infestations alone?…

Posted on Thursday, October 24th, 2024.

Pest control is important for maintaining proper care of one’s home and health. Pests can cause damage ranging from destroying various parts of your property to even spreading deadly diseases to you or members of your family. Did you know an average person spends $3,000 in repair costs as a result of termite infestations alone? There are many reasons why some pests are harder to control than others; they can range from resistance to pesticides to having the ability to hide in small places. Today, as a pest control service professional in Illinois, I will discuss some of the pests that are the hardest to get rid of in our state and why. 

Top 5 Hardest Pests to Control in Illinois and Their Impact on Homes

  • Termites Control in Illinois:

Termites are insects that feed on wood for nutrition, specifically on the cellulose contained in the wood. In the process of consuming various kinds of wood, they can  cause immense damage to one’s property (StaySafe). Termites damage about 600,000 homes in the US each year, home owners spend about $5 billion annually to repair damages and control infestations (TodaysHomeOwner.com). It is clear that termites are a major issue when it comes to protecting one’s property, however, why are they so difficult to control?

Why Are Termites So Difficult to Manage?

One reason is that termites are incredibly good at hiding (Forterra). They rarely ever come out in the open as a result of them being blind and heavily relying on a sense of touch. Instead they build tunnels through various parts of the house, residing deep within the walls when constructing them, making them incredibly difficult to detect. Another unique aspect of termites is that even after mass extermination of termites is done, even if one is alive, the entire colony could restart. This is because the king and queen termites emit chemicals that prevent other members of the colony from growing. If the king or the queen termite dies, the chemicals are gone and one worker can grow and take their place. 

  • Roach Control in Illinois: 

Cockroaches are another type of creature that are hard to get rid of. While we all hate having them in our homes because they gross us out, there are more serious drawbacks when it comes to cockroaches invading your property. 

Cockroaches carry with them 33 different kinds of bacteria, such as salmonella, potentially spreading diseases to members of your household via food surfaces. They can also cause asthma attacks in people who are sensitive to cockroach antigens by leaving debris such as body parts or shells around. They can also cause harm to younger children who spend their time indoors (NCHH).

Why Are Cockroaches So Difficult to Manage?

Like termites, there are many reasons why cockroaches are hard to eliminate. One reason is that they can withstand weight up to 900 times their body weight, which means that one hit from a piece of paper or even one stomp may not do the trick. They are also incredibly fast, being able to travel up to 3 mph. Another reason is that female cockroaches don’t always need males to reproduce, they are able to reproduce themselves through a process known as parthenogenesis (Holistic). 

  • Bedbugs Control in Illinois

I’m sure you know when you go to bed to not let the bedbugs bite, but you may not know the consequences of the bite. Yes, bedbugs are a type of insect that commonly enter people’s homes and cause a great number of problems. Their bites can cause allergic reactions, mental health issues such as anxiety, and even infections such as lymphangitis. 

Why Are Bed Bugs So Difficult to Manage?

One of the reasons that they are difficult to find and get rid of is that they hide during the day and when it is nighttime, they avoid places with movement and light. When they are biting humans, humans are not disturbed by them at the moment since they release a natural anesthetic through their saliva which in turn numbs the pain (PSU). Due to their size, they are also able to walk around in cracks and crevices, under carpets, etc (BBC). 

  • Rodents Control Services Near You in Illinois:

Rodents such as mice and rats are also difficult to get rid of. Mice and rats tend to enter people most of the time during the fall and winter months due to the colder weather. The colder weather means lack of food and shelter outside and due to this they enter people’s homes. They are dangerous for many reasons, one of which is that they gnaw on various pieces of furniture in the house, causing damage to property, and they carry with them various diseases such as salmonella and hantavirus. 

Why Are Mice & Rodents So Difficult to Exterminate?

One of the biggest reasons mice and rats are so hard to get rid of is that they are quite intelligent, they are able to process information quickly. One way this shows is in their navigational skills, they have cognitive abilities from birth in having a sense of direction, making them able to understand how to maneuver in a new environment quickly. They are also able to squeeze inside places as small as the size of a dime (EcoBlog). These are some of the reasons why rodents like mice and rats are so difficult to get rid of. 

 

Effective Strategies for Dealing with the Most Challenging Pests in Illinois

Fortunately, there are effective strategies you can use to deal with these challenging pests. 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – One of the most effective strategies is having an integrated pest management system. Integrated pest management is a type of pest control that focuses on not only eliminating the current issue of a pest infestation, but also preventing any future infestations from occurring. It integrates multiple pest control methods, not just one. It uses these methods to identify and find the pests, get rid of them, and ensure that they will not return or cause issues in the future (EPA). 

Pest Eradication Plans – Unlike Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pest eradication plans are an intensive action plan once pest infestation has already occurred. Depending on your pest & rodent problem, our highly trained technicians will implement our pest & rodent eradication intensive action plan with our environmentally safe, cost-effective, and EPA-approved methods.

Pest Control Plans – After the pest eradication measures have been implemented, depending on the magnitude of the infestation and the possibility of re-infestation, we will discuss with you the best interval time frames for pest control to give you a cost-effective, long-term solution, if needed.

Termite Inspection & Control Plans – As termites are one of the most persistent pests, talk to a termite inspection company that can first detect often undetectable termite activity in your property. If termites are present on your property, talk to a termite control company to avoid further structural damages to your property.

The Role of Seasonal Changes on Pest Populations in Illinois

While pests are a danger year round, some of them appear more frequently during certain times of the year. 

In spring, as temperatures rise and vegetation begins to bloom, pests such as ants and spider mites emerge from their winter dormancy. This is the time when they begin to reproduce rapidly, taking advantage of the newly available food sources. 

By summer, populations can explode if left unchecked, leading to significant infestation in homes.

In fall, mice & other rodents can cause a nuisance. As explained earlier, rodents such as mice and rats seek shelter during the colder months of the year for various reasons. One reason is the availability of food. Food is more scarce outside during these months and so therefore they head indoors, it is also much colder outside and therefore more difficult for rodents to stay outdoors, being indoors serves as a way for them to stay warm, it is also a place where they can build nests in places such as the attic or basement. 

Cockroaches are another example. Like rodents, they head indoors for reasons such as the warmth of the home and the availability of food and water . 

Finally, winter brings a decline in activity for most pests; however, it does not eliminate them completely. Many insects enter a dormant state or find refuge within structures where they can survive until warmer weather returns.

Don’t Wait!  Take Action Now Against the Hardest Pests to Protect Your Home!

As stated before, some pests are incredibly difficult to get rid of. If an infestation has already occurred or you are generally worried about one, feel free to contact Yosemite Pest & Rodent Solutions. We offer services for pest and rodent control in Naperville, Aurora, Glen Ellyn, Oswego, Yorkville, Wheaton  and other surrounding cities in the Chicagoland area. Our phone number is (630) 779-7674.

Yosemite Pest & Rodent Solutions, Inc.

I’m a certified licensed pest control technician in the state of Illinois since 1994. I also have a Certificate from Purdue University in Integrated Pest Management. Over the last 31 years, I worked in the pest control industry as a technician in the field and during that time I was involved in training new employee and supervising other technicians. As the owner of Yosemite Pest & Rodent Solutions, I specialize in providing pet friendly pest control in Naperville, Aurora & surrounding cities. I have a wide knowledge of insects and rodents, pesticides, and the environment. I have treated over 3000 homes and business. I love doing pest control, helping my client keeping their home pest and pesticides free.