Top 5 creepiest critters we see during spooky season
One thing we have definitely learned in all the years we’ve been in business is that every single person has their own tolerance level for certain types of pests. A pest sighting can trigger past memories or experiences that our whole body will respond to. We get it. Even for our experts, fears are very real when it comes to specific creepy crawlies.
While each season brings different types of insects, Autumn definitely has a lot going on. As temperatures drop, crops are harvested and we all start to hunker down for cooler months ahead, critters of all kinds will be doing the same thing. In this post, we want to highlight the top 5 creepiest critters we see this time of year. And who knows! With a little bit of education about these creatures, maybe we’ll help ease your fears a bit, too!
Spiders
Maybe it’s the way they move or the fact that they have two more legs than insects. Or maybe we’ve all just seen too many movies where every spider has gigantic fangs and venom and we automatically think any spider we encounter can murder us. Spiders are one of the most feared animals on the planet. But the truth is there are way scarier invertebrates than these guys.
The spiders we see most commonly are wolf spiders, cellar spiders, house spiders, daddy-long-leg spiders, and jumping spiders. None of these are deadly. Wolf spiders do get big and hairy and will bite if they are provoked or handled. But remember that everyone reacts differently to bites. Call your doctor if you’re concerned about bites.
We get calls every year from folks who find a brown spider in their house and automatically think it’s a brown recluse spider. 99 out of 100 times it’s not a brown recluse spider at all. The brown recluse spider gets its name from how it behaves. It’s reclusive. They won’t be in places that are inhabited by humans. The 1 case out of the 100 claims we hear is usually an abandoned or unoccupied home or building and we take those cases very seriously because SAFETY FIRST! No necrosis on our watch!
Rodents
Mice and rats are definitely one of the most feared creatures out there. And rightfully so! Rodents are a necessary part of nature and the food chain for wildlife. But they’re capable of spreading viruses, bacteria, fleas, ticks and can cause respiratory illness if they share residency with humans. Rodents don’t hold their bladders well. So they leave a trail of urine everywhere they crawl. You can’t see it unless you shine a UV light on suspected surfaces. But it’s there. And it can make you really sick.
Rodents are survivalists. They are excellent climbers, great swimmers, and will take advantage of human behavior. Mice can enter your home through holes in soffit vents, around cables entering the building, and through gaps the diameter of a dime. Rats only need an opening the size of a quarter to access interiors of a structure. If their skull can fit through, then the rest of their body can also fit through it.
Signs of mice include droppings, torn or chewed up packaging, greasy rub marks along their travel path, and squeaky skittering noises. SPOOKY!!!!
Centipedes
This thing has to be one of the CREEPIEST looking creatures we encounter. You may have heard people say “but they’re good. they eat other bugs.” That doesn’t make them less CREEPY!! A centipede has 15-77 pairs (always an odd number) of legs. That alone is terrifying! What other creature on Earth has that many legs besides this thing?!
Centipedes are basically almost blind and their mouths are super small, so they don’t bite. And they live in damp, dark places like under logs, in basements and occasionally your bathroom. Don’t feel bad for them!!! No. Instead of teeth, they have large CLAW-like structures that contain VENOM. This is how they attack their prey. SCARY.
Roaches
Cockroaches are universally not a fan-favorite. You probably had SOME kind of reaction to the photo above as you scrolled down. Roaches are gross, fast and they breed so rapidly, it’s a sighting you should never ignore.
Living with cockroaches can make a major negative impact on your health. So can poor sanitation practices. Cockroaches contaminate food and are vectors for tons of different bacteria and parasites. Salmonella and E.coli are two examples you have probably heard about. Restaurants and grocery stores are typically where you hear about outbreaks.
Stink Bugs
“WHAT is this alien shield bug and why is it showing up in my house all of a sudden?!” This question is super common this time of year, and usually again in the spring too. Stink bugs are not from here. They were accidentally brought here and now they invade and destroy crops and infest buildings and no one likes them. They are annoying and do absolutely STINK if you accidentally (or purposely) crush one.
Stink bugs, much like Asian beetles, cluster flies, and boxelder bugs, are classified in our industry as “overwintering pests”. In the fall when crops are harvested, these creepy critters become displaced. So they seek shelter out of the elements and fly to the nearest structures: our homes or businesses. They love to bask in the sun and will cluster together on the south and west sides of the house, where the sun hits the hardest. As temperatures drop, they crawl up underneath siding and through cracks and crevices, where they’ll hide out in a state of diapause.
So this is a bug that invades, hibernates and reanimates to haunt you in the future. Does this NOT remind you of a horror film?!?
EXTRA Spooky Goodies to Share!
Spooky Spider Cookies Recipe
We love a creative bug-themed recipe. And this one doesn’t even have real bugs in them! Check out this super simple and easy-to-follow recipe. It’s perfect for your Halloween bash this year! Send us your pictures or tag us in @rosepest1860 on Instagram so we can see!! ️️
Costume Ideas
Check out our Pinterest costume board for super creative costumes! There are so many good ones for kids AND pets!!
This pup has the right idea!!
