Your garage or carport is designed to provide shelter to your car, store tools, sports equipment, and anything else that needs to be packed up out of sight. It isn’t designed to serve as a home for pests.

Though the garage provides pests with the same amenities as other parts of the house, such as warmth and food, its accessibility, relative to other rooms, is what sets it apart.

Vehicles and boxes are moved in and out frequently, and garage doors can be left open – sometimes for extended periods of time – providing easy access for bugs and other small critters seeking protection from the outdoor elements.

After sneaking inside, intruders like silverfish and mice will make themselves at home in storage boxes and wall voids, while house spiders and other pests cozy up in the corners. Because the garage is generally used for housing cars or storing old sports equipment, it is typically not cleaned very often, allowing pests to hide and survive amongst the clutter.

House spiders can feed on smaller bugs, while silverfish and mice will eat food – especially dry pet food and birdseed – that is often stored in the garage.

Clark, your neighborly pest control, termite, and lawn care expert, would like to make you aware of what pests are most likely to try and make your garage or carport their home, and give you a few tips to prevent them from doing so.

• Silverfish: Known to infest almost all parts of the house, silverfish are particularly fond of garages. They either gain entry by sneaking under doors or by being brought in via infested items, like cardboard boxes. Once inside, these fast and agile pests will feed on paper items, glue, clothing, and such food items as flour, meat, and even other silverfish. An infestation can quickly grow, as females can lay up to three eggs per day, hiding them in cracks and under objects.
• Crickets: Camel crickets, named for their humpbacked appearance, will often invade structures such as garages when the weather gets too hot and dry for them. Camel crickets are also able to traverse environments by using their jumping abilities, and can wreak havoc in garages by damaging fabrics and clothing, no matter how high a shelf they are stored upon.
• Mice: These small rodents will seek shelter from harsh weather conditions (e.g., summer’s extreme temperatures and winter’s cold) in garages. They will build nests in storage boxes and wall voids, and can even sneak into cars for extra warmth. Plus, cars have an abundance of chewable items – from food crumbs to wires – which make garages even more enticing to them. Able to squeeze through holes as small as a pencil, mice can easily make a home out of any garage that is not properly sealed.
• Spiders: House spiders feed on smaller insects, and have a difficult time surviving in modern homes that employ effective pest control methods. As a result, they migrate to areas of the house that are more susceptible to pests, such as garages, in order to feed themselves. Once inside, they will get started spinning webs and laying eggs.
• Flies: You may encounter flies in the garage and other areas of your home. Flies are attracted to buildings by air currents and odors. They often will enter garages when the garage door is open. House flies can be found resting on nearly any surface, including on walls, floors, windowsills, and other various objects found in the garage.

Tips to keep pests out of your garage

Just like with other areas of the house, eliminating access points and minimizing pests’ ability to gain entry are essential to keeping both pests and their prey out of your garage.

• Install windows and doors with effective weatherstripping, and seal any cracks or holes with silicone-based caulk, steel wool (or Xcluder), or a combination of both.
• Pests are attracted to moisture, so fix any leaky pipes and use a dehumidifier if necessary.
• Good sanitation is key, as well, to preventing an infestation in the garage. Reduce clutter by organizing storage items and keeping them off the floor.
• Consider using resealable plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes whenever possible. Doing so will help get rid of any potential nesting spots for silverfish and mice.
• Routinely sweep or vacuum the garage in order to remove food crumbs, spider webs, and eggs.
• Carefully inspect items for pests before you store them in your garage.

Call or text Clark at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) if you suspect you have pests in your garage or carport. You can also send an email to clarkcares@clarkpest.com for more information.

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.