Offices are curated with productivity in mind. The typical workspace has an abundance of computers, neutral colors, florescent lighting, and little cups filled with ballpoint pens. A space like this is great for getting those daily tasks done, but the motivation quickly comes to a halt when there’s an annoying pest invading the office.
This isn’t about your coworker who never seems to take a hint about not starting a conversation when you’re in the middle of a major project. We’re talking about the creepy-crawly type of pest that spreads bacteria and infests our spaces. But what types of pests would want to invade an office? Let’s take a journey through the office to see which critters typically invade this setting and learn how to prevent office pests from ruining your work day.
Ants
Ants aren’t just after our picnics: they feel right at home in an office too! They’re attracted to all kinds of food and often invade places with opened food or uncleaned spills. Ants prefer food with high levels of protein or sugar because these give them plenty of energy to continue caring for their colonies. Any food that’s left out in the break room or at people’s desks — especially those leftover donuts — is very appealing to ants.
Ants can invade buildings through the smallest of gaps because — well, they’re small themselves. The typical entry points for worker ants include cracks, gaps, loose window seals, and old baseboards. Once they’re inside, ants leave a trail of pheromones (scent chemicals) to lead the rest of their colony to their safe food source. The larger their colony grows, the more determined ants are to gather enough food to feed everyone. If you start seeing ants in your office, just remember: where there’s a few ants, many more are nearby!
Flies
That annoying fly that keeps buzzing around your head while you’re trying to type? It’s not always a coincidence. If you notice more than one fly zooming around the office, it could be the result of an adult fly laying eggs somewhere indoors. Flies place their eggs on food sources to give their hatched larvae an immediate food source. Their idea of “food” is much grosser than ours, though. Flies usually lay their eggs in trash, rotten fruit, spoiled food, and dirty dishes.
Fruit flies and moth flies are two of the most common flies we see in offices. This is because small flies often go unnoticed for long enough to reproduce multiple times. Flies generally like water, so they try to stay in areas with excessive moisture. They also favor dirty sink drains and cleaning equipment, hence why you might see more flies in the bathrooms and kitchen areas within the office. You don’t want these pests walking all over your food after exploring these areas: flies spread dangerous pathogens from the trash they previously lived in!
Roaches
That’s right: one of the most vile pests in existence is also a common office pest. What fun (not really)! These other pests like moisture, but roaches need it to survive. They’re usually seen in sinks, drains, pipes, and sewers. They move from place to place through isolated spaces, like cracks and wall voids. Roaches try to avoid lights and humans at all costs, so an infestation easily goes unnoticed until their numbers are too large to contain.
Since roaches are nocturnal, they’re more active when the office is dark and empty. Like ants, roaches are drawn to any type of available food source, though they’re less picky than ants. They emerge from their hiding places, like inside outlets and behind copy machines, to scavenge for any food that will sustain their groups. Roaches are very social pests, so where there’s one, there are many more creepily crawling nearby.
Rodents
Between the boxes of printer paper and the standard office snacks, it’s no wonder that rodents find a lot to love in an office. They’re after three things: food, water, and shelter. All three are easily found in an office, so rodents are happy to stay year-round. They favor warm shelters — especially in the winter — and usually hide in wall voids, dumpsters, and idle boxes. When they feel safe, rodents start reproducing and average 5 to 9 litters a year.
Rodents love trash and building materials, so a messy office is perfect for them. Clutter is a welcome sight to rodents, especially when it involves cardboard boxes and paper that can be used for nest materials. But rodents aren’t very neat guests, so you’ll know if you have an infestation on your hands. Rodents produce over 50 droppings a day and chew on just about everything in sight. They even create a fire hazard by chewing on wires (especially concealed wires), so you don’t want them anywhere near the expensive office equipment.
Spiders
Spiders love dark and warm spaces, but they love being near insects more. And if a place — such as an office — has both, any invading spiders will never want to leave. They prefer dark, isolated spaces that give them free access to insects without putting the spiders in the middle of a busy space. Spiders are like rodents in that they prefer cluttered spaces to neat ones because they have far more hiding places to choose from.
When spiders feel safe, they start producing eggs — and you don’t want spider eggs anywhere near the office. Any spider webs in the space should be removed immediately. Some spiders claim old webs as their own, so keeping the office web-free deters them from hanging out (literally). But if you find any spiders hiding in the space, use caution. Certain species bite when threatened, with the brown recluse and black widow being two of the most dangerous. If you or anyone else is bitten by one of these spiders, please seek medical attention immediately.
File These Office Pests Under “Prevented”
Of course, there are other critters that can invade an office. The most important takeaway from this blog is to stay vigilant against any type of pest, not just these five. You don’t have to disrupt your schedule to perform a full inspection of your office (unless you need something to take your mind off of your usual tasks). The key is to keep the office — or, at least, your own space — as neat as possible.
The most efficient ways to prevent pests from invading your office are:
- Throw trash away. Sounds simple, but keeping all trash in an actual trash can makes a huge difference in preventing pests. Make sure all discarded paper, food scraps, and general garbage are off the surfaces and in a trash can that’s emptied weekly.
- Clean up after your lunch. Whether you eat in the break room or at your desk, take care of the space when you’re finished eating. Throw all trash away, wipe up spills and crumbs, and put leftovers in the fridge.
- Sanitize your desk. This one isn’t just great for preventing pests, it’s also important in preventing yourself from catching that infamous office cold! On a regular basis (we recommend once a week), wipe down your desk space with an antibacterial wipe or spray.
- Reduce the general clutter. It’s tough to control the clutter of the whole office when there are multiple people who work there, so it’s all about the little things. Recycle unnecessary boxes, keep extra supplies organized, and clear the counters of random clutter.
- Ensure there aren’t any leaks. You don’t have to get under the sink to know if there’s a problem. As you go about your business, just keep an eye out for extra moisture or standing water around any sinks and drains.
- Look out for any new pest issues. A random fly buzzing around the office isn’t much cause for concern, but seeing more than one bug of the same type? That’s an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. Watch out for any signs of a pest issue, such as droppings, eggs, chew marks, and multiple live or dead pests.
Romney’s Services Are An Office Essential
Since pests don’t only invade our homes, pest control isn’t just for residences! At Romney Pest Control, our licensed technicians are committed to eliminating pests from houses and businesses alike. We begin every service with a full inspection to find all signs of pest activity, then use our observations to create a treatment plan that’s customized to solve each issue. Our team targets current pests and prevents future ones from causing the same problems later. We deliver long-term solutions, not temporary fixes. We look forward to protecting your home or business from problematic pests, so contact us today for a free quote on our thorough services!
Citations
Common office building pests and how to prevent them. (2023, December 20). Insectek. Retrieved August 2, 2024, from https://www.insectekpest.com/blog/common-office-building-pests-and-how-to-prevent-them/
Crespo, H. (n.d.). Common pests to find in your office. Presto Pest Control. Available at https://www.prestopestcontrol.com/blog/common-pests-to-find-in-your-office/ (Accessed on August 2, 2024).
Harney, C. (2022, November 7). 6 pests you may find in your office. Pointe Pest Control. Available at https://www.pointepestcontrol.net/6-pests-you-may-find-in-your-office/ (Accessed on August 2, 2024).
