- Many homes host unwanted “housemates,” from ants to rodents and insects, often drawn by food, warmth, and hidden spaces.
- Rats and bed bugs can seriously affect comfort and health—damaging property, disturbing sleep, and causing itchy bites.
- Even less obvious pests like dust mites may worsen allergies and asthma, while cockroaches and webs from spiders can add stress and disgust.
Besides humans, almost every home ends up sharing space with other living creatures—animals that come in looking for food or because they have started to treat the house as their own habitat.
Not all of these visitors are welcome. Nuisance animals such as insects and rodents often become household pests. Ants are a classic example: these tiny insects can easily “discover” a home simply by detecting food left on the dining table.
Once ants pick up a food scent, they tend to return whenever the aroma reaches their radar. In many cases, entire colonies even establish nests in small cracks and gaps around the house.
But ants are far from the only household pest. Citing BBC Wildlife Magazine, here are several other common culprits that residents often encounter indoors.
1. House Rats
Rats are widely seen as filthy animals that typically live in sewers or near garbage. In some situations, however, they enter homes in search of food or a warmer place to stay. Rats usually slip in quietly through small gaps, then nest behind walls or in cluttered basements.
Their presence can be deeply disturbing for residents. Rats may damage household items ranging from plastic materials and electrical cables to paper. Their movement can also be noisy, especially at night. And if they show up near food, many people find it nauseating.
Their presence is particularly serious because this insect can suck blood after biting humans during sleep, leaving itchy bite marks. These bites may trigger severe headaches. If left unmanaged, they can also multiply.
2. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are pests commonly found in mattresses. Because beds are used daily by household members, they can also become an ideal hiding and breeding place for these tiny insects.
Their presence is particularly serious because this insect can suck blood after biting humans during sleep, leaving itchy bite marks. These bites may trigger severe headaches. If left unmanaged, they can also multiply.
3. Spiders
Spiders may be among the least stressful household “guests”—except for people who are afraid of them. Spiders rarely bite humans and generally prefer to hide in quiet corners or along ceilings, where they wait for insects to catch as prey.
Still, their webs can be annoying. Cobwebs stuck to different corners of the house may disrupt the look and cleanliness of a room.
This animal is mainly active at night and hides in cracks and warm spaces, making it difficult to detect. Adding to the alarm, cockroaches can also fly—making them even more frightening for some residents.
Although dust mites are not dangerous for most people, their droppings can trigger allergies and asthma. Their presence is almost impossible to detect without a microscope, which is why they can become a “hidden companion” that quietly persists in many homes.
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