Common Questions — Page 37
Browse all questions alphabetically, choose a setting, or search for a common or scientific name. Each answer links to related reading so you can follow the evidence.
1460 questions · Page 37 of 41
Flies & GnatsWhy are blow flies in the house?Learn why blow flies appear inside your home, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take next.BookliceWhy are booklice found in a bed?Booklice in a bed feed on microscopic mold that grows in damp conditions. Finding them usually points to ongoing moisture or humidity in the room.Other True BugsWhy are boxelder bugs gathering around windows?Boxelder bugs gather at windows in late summer and fall because sunny windows are the warmest spots on a house and the gaps let them in.Other True BugsWhy are boxelder bugs in a house in Ontario?Boxelder bugs enter Ontario homes in autumn looking for a warm place to spend the winter, slipping through cracks on sun-warmed walls.Other True BugsWhy are boxelder bugs in the house during winter?Boxelder bugs spend winter in wall cavities. When heating warms the walls, they think it is spring and wander into living spaces.Other True BugsWhy are boxelder bugs so bad this year?Boxelder bugs seem worse some years when summer turns quickly to fall, so thousands crowd onto the same sunny walls at once looking for shelter.SpidersWhy are brown recluse reports outside its confirmed range often uncertain?Brown recluse reports outside its range usually rest on sores or quick glances, not an expert-checked spider. Most turn out to be something else.Flies & GnatsWhy are bugs coming from a sink drain?Bugs from a sink drain are breeding inside the pipe or in damp spots around it. A water-filled trap normally stops pests from the sewer.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are bugs in a rice bag?Discover why bugs appear in sealed rice bags, how to identify pantry pests, and practical steps to handle and prevent grain infestations safely.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are bugs in pasta boxes?Learn why bugs end up in pasta boxes, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take next.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are carpet beetle larvae found along baseboards?Learn why carpet beetle larvae accumulate along baseboards, how to identify them correctly, what steps to take next, and when to call a professional.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are carpet beetle larvae in a bed?Learn why carpet beetle larvae end up in beds, how to identify them, and how to get rid of them safely.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are carpet beetle larvae on a wall?Carpet beetle larvae on walls are wandering from floor-level food or coming down from hidden sources like old bird nests in the attic.Beetles & WeevilsWhy are carpet beetles on the windowsill?Adult carpet beetles head for sunny windowsills trying to get outside to feed on pollen. They are harmless, but larvae may be hiding nearby.Other True BugsWhy are chinch bugs in the house?Learn why chinch bugs wander inside homes during summer, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take outdoors.MitesWhy are cicada mites a problem in Chicago?Cicada mites surge in Chicago when periodical cicadas lay millions of eggs in twigs. When the food runs out, the mites drift down from the trees.Moths & ButterfliesWhy are clothes moths returning after adult moths are trapped?Pheromone traps catch only adult males. Larvae keep chewing fabric, and mated females have already laid eggs that hatch into a new wave.MitesWhy are clover mites entering a house in spring?Learn why clover mites enter houses in spring, how to identify them correctly, and what steps to take for removal.Flies & GnatsWhy are cluster flies in a house during winter?Learn why cluster flies appear inside houses during winter, how to identify them, and what practical steps you can take to manage them safely.Flies & GnatsWhy are cluster flies in the house?Cluster flies move into walls in late summer to spend the winter. Indoor heat wakes them early, so they wander groggily into your rooms.Flies & GnatsWhy are cluster flies suddenly appearing in the house?Cluster flies hibernate in wall cavities. Winter sun or heating wakes them early, and they crawl through gaps into the living space.AntsWhy are crazy ants found in a car?Crazy ants get into cars for the sheltered, warm spaces in body panels and the engine bay, and for sweet crumbs and soda spills inside.Flies & GnatsWhy are drain flies appearing when they are not coming from a drain?Drain flies only need a slimy wet film, which can form in AC drip pans or damp crawl spaces. Or the flies may be phorid flies or fungus gnats.EarwigsWhy are earwigs showing up after heavy rain?Discover why heavy rains drive earwigs indoors, how to identify them, and the practical steps to keep them out.Other True BugsWhy are false chinch bugs common in Tucson?False chinch bugs boom in the Tucson desert after wet, mild winters. When wild mustards dry up in spring heat, they move into irrigated yards.AntsWhy are fire ants in the house?Fire ants come indoors when drought or heavy rain makes the yard hostile. They follow moisture and food into kitchens, bathrooms and wall voids.FleasWhy are flea eggs difficult to find on a pet?Understand why flea eggs are nearly impossible to find on your cat or dog, and learn how to locate the real signs of an infestation.Flies & GnatsWhy are flesh flies in the house?Flesh flies indoors usually come from a dead animal hidden in a wall void, where a female left live maggots that later became adults.MitesWhy are flour mites in the kitchen?Flour mites thrive on stored grain when humidity is 55% to 75% and the kitchen is warm. They usually arrive inside store packaging.Flies & GnatsWhy are fruit flies attracted to me?Fruit flies follow scent plumes from your skin, breath, sweat, lotions or drinks. They do not bite. If they chase your breath, they may be fungus gnats.Flies & GnatsWhy are fruit flies gathering around a kitchen sink?Discover why small flies gather around your kitchen sink, how to identify the species, and practical ways to eliminate the breeding source.Flies & GnatsWhy are fungus gnats breeding in potting soil?Discover why fungus gnats breed in potting soil, how to identify them correctly, and practical ways to manage them at home.Flies & GnatsWhy are fungus gnats in houseplant soil?Fungus gnats live in houseplant soil that stays wet, where fungi grow and feed the larvae. Some bags of potting mix arrive with eggs already in them.MitesWhy are grain mites in dog food?Grain mites feed on the grains, fats and proteins in kibble and multiply when humidity rises above 55% in a warm home.MitesWhy are grain mites in the kitchen?An explanation of why grain mites appear in kitchen pantries, how to identify them, and what practical steps to take next.Flies & GnatsWhy are horse flies called horse flies?Horse flies got their name as major pests of horses and other large livestock. They belong to the family Tabanidae and feed by day.