An unwanted visitor in the form of a cockroach or a mouse can make your home feel a lot less comfortable. But do you know which pests are most likely to invade your home’s region? As you might expect, cities in the Northeastern United States encounter much different pests than those on the West Coast, and pests in the South and Midwest are a different beast entirely (no pun intended). Here’s a quick overview of what pests you might find in different regions across the United States.
Let’s start with the Northeast. In cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, rats and insects are most commonly seen. New York has a particularly large population of bed bugs, while recent studies have shown that ants eat 2,100 pounds of food annually from trash and streets in NYC. The Big Apple’s cockroach problems, meanwhile, are mostly the result of German and American varieties of cockroach, with at least five other species making an occasional appearance in the city.
The Midwestern cities of Chicago and Detroit also have similar rat and insect problems as the Northeast, with Chicago having an especially notable bedbug problem. Down south, however, residents are much more likely to encounter mosquitoes, scorpions, or even feral cats and armadillos. Mosquitoes are especially drawn to the humid conditions in the southern states; luckily, the varieties of mosquitoes present are largely harmless, with only a few reported cases of mosquito-borne diseases having been contracted.
On the West Coast, rats are once again prevalent, and this time, they’re joined by bed bugs, termites, moths, cockroaches, and several other insects that thrive in warm, urban environments. Interestingly, Seattle also experiences slug infestations in addition to the same insect infestations that plague other major cities; these slugs are occasionally endemic in the Seattle area, and they can cause great harm to agriculture and private gardens.
Facing pests is an unpleasant situation; however, by knowing what pests are common in your area, you can be better prepared to deal with them. Don’t let these pests “bug” you!
