The three most common arthropod pests within San Antonio homes are the same pests that frequently infest structures in in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle and most other cities in the country. No matter where you go in the US, ants, cockroaches and flies are usually the three most commonly encountered indoor insect pests, but the species belonging to each of these arthropod groups differ tremendously from state-to-state. For example, San Antonio and Newark are both located in a broad geographic zone where termite pest activity within homes is labeled as “moderate to heavy.” However, only one termite species is considered a threat to structures in Newark, while San Antonio is home to nine highly destructive termite species. Compared to most US cities, San Antonio is home to a large number of arthropod pest species that infest homes, and insect pest activity in the city cannot be well defined by only three representative groups of insects, each of which is comprised of numerous pest species.
Insect pests generally favor high-moisture environments, especially cockroaches, ants, termites and fruit flies. Therefore, insect pests tend to congregate in areas of a home where moisture levels are high. Since arthropod pests have an instinct for self preservation just like all organisms, they have evolved to hide in dark indoor locations where they are not likely to be seen by their human cohabitants. Arthropod pests that have evolved to rely on humans for their own survival are also capable of complex processing, which is necessary to insects that naturally dwell within complex man made structures that do not resemble the layout of any sort of natural habitat. The domestic German and brown-banded cockroach species both maintain an indoor habitat in order to scavenge for human food sources, while outdoor spiders and scorpions often invade homes accidentally. This is why spiders tend to be readily spotted within open areas of homes, while roaches and bed bugs instinctively gravitate toward indoor hiding spots that are unique to man made environments.
Have been boldy approached by a cockroach indoors?
