Bought our first home - and it has a BUG PROBLEM! (Roaches, ants, wasps, etc) (foundation, flea)

[the_grimace]

After wanting to buy a home for years, and actively searching for 6 months (must have looked at 60 homes at least), we just finally purchased and closed on our first home, a 116 year old two story farm home that had been updated very well throughout the years.

Well we just moved in over the past week and tonight is our second night here. Out of almost nowhere, bugs are popping out everywhere!!!! We have been finding about 15 (per day) of those medium sized black carpenter ants in the kitchen in random places one at a time (floor, counters, cabinets), I found a couple wasp nests that have apparently just formed inside windows in the last two weeks, I'm finding small beetles in the downstairs area that has carpet, (pinhead sized black beetles), and worst of all I've found TWO big cockroaches at night (about 1.5 inches, look like German, they are the dark brown color). One was on the stairs and another in the bathroom on the first floor. God knows how many else I'll find... I live in Illinois and cockroaches are pretty rare where I live... Actually seeing them in a home is very disturbing. (I've lived in dryer/warmer areas where they were common in homes and apartments, but Illinois... come on...)

The yard also apparently appears to have a heavy tick and mosquito population as my dogs have already gotten three ticks in the last 2 days, and we are noticing lots of mosquitos in the yard when outside. Our first home that we were so happy to find and successfully purchase is turning into a bug nightmare. I'm up writing this at 3AM because I'm so distraught over all these bugs that are popping out and dreading the nightmare we've gotten ourselves into.

The worst part of all of this is that we inspected and/or did a walkthrough of the home about 6 times before closing, and not a bug was seen. NOTHING! We did two viewings before making the offer, no bugs in sight at all. We came back twice after contract for home inspection and another walkthrough with a contractor for some remodeling we want to do. Home inspection was 4 hours and once again not a bug was seen. Same thing with the contractor walkthrough. Finally, we did TWO final walkthroughs once the sellers had the house cleared out and even then, NOTHING, no bugs anywhere! The sellers also had to provide a termite inspection report prior to closing and that came back clean as a whistle. We even hired a cleaning company for a deep cleaning prior to moving in and I think they said they just found one ant in the kitchen. No big deal. They were in every nook and cranny cleaning and not another bug was seen.

Now we moved in, and the bugs are pouring out... I know this post is mostly just me venting, but I'm really hoping I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill, because right now I'm being paranoid we bought some very badly infested home and we are going to have a major project on our hands getting everything cleared out. I have a pest control company coming over tomorrow to inspect and provide quotes for service once he gets a better idea of the company, but lord I hope we just have a minor one off problem that can be quickly addressed. Sorry for the long vent, just had to get this off my chest... Wish us luck in getting this taken care of...

[cargoman]

I bought my house last August. First night, I have not unpacked yet, I am lying with my head on a backpac watching TV and out of the corner of my eye I see a giant house spider heading toward me. I freaked. Three nights later, another one. Found another in the garage and a dead one in the track of the slider. I felt like you. I thought I bought a spider infested house. Come to find out this is normal and only seasonal in my area. Three months of spiders then nine months of nothing. They are effective hunters because when I say nothing I mean nothing. Perhaps it is just a seasonal peak in your area as well?

[Percentage]

If the house was unoccupied for sometime while on the market, that tends to be the case..especially after the cold season. I'd suggest hiring a pest control person to move them out immediately.

I've lived in my home for sometime now and occasionally run into spiders.

[Hollynla]

The most bugs/spiders I've ever seen in my house was the first couple of days after moving in. The previous owners had moved out the few days before we moved in so I wonder if it has something to do with their stuff being disturbed such as cleaning out closets, storage, etc. In our garage, I found a bottle of ortho max home defense that has a trigger spray. I followed the directions and sprayed it around the base on the foundation and porch. The next day I saw several dead bugs and then nothing since and it's been weeks.

Many bugs are "seasonal". The big black carpenter ants are out where I live in northern Arkansas also. They used to show up earlier in the Spring when I lived further south. Ticks are horrible right now where I live but I live in a heavily wooded area. Get something from the vet for the dogs like Frontline or Nexgard.

I would suggest either tackling the job yourself by spraying all around your house and putting pet safe baits inside or calling a professional pest control company who can come out and spray everything.

[Brian_M]

2 houses ago I bought a vacant ex-rental. Looked fine, no evidence of bugs (just means it was kept clean for showings). I wanted to do some work to it before moving in and we found the mother of all German Roach infestations.

It happens.

And you're in an old house, this is going to be a long battle seeking out and sealing the entry points. On that front, I highly suggest spending a little more money up front to buy a foam gun that allows you to use only what you need and save the rest (the normal cans are "use it all now or throw it away"). Seems like I'm forever needing to fill just one more hole in my 1930-built house.

As for the yard, mosquitoes come from standing pools of water. Get rid of those and they stop being so thick. For ticks and the rest of the yard bugs, you'll need to spray. I, like most, started out paying someone else ~ $100/month only to find that it just wasn't helping. Plus our "guy" was a slob, always dragging mud into the house, spraying/marking the walls up to 5' high, wouldn't show up when he said he would.. just everything that could go wrong, did. I do it all myself now, for about $100/YEAR and take much better care of my property. Zero bugs (at least living) seen in my house.

[LakeLifePA]

I'd be super concerned about the carpenter ants. Where they are, there's usually wood that's been water damaged. Check your kitchen over very carefully for leaks.

[phonelady61]

they have these things called mosquito dunks and we use those here in sc where I live . I learned about these after living in florida a few years . Use them they are very effective in eliminating the mosquito population .I would also use the suggestion of a foam gun my uncle has one he lives in a 105 yr old home . Also get a pest control guy out once to your house and after that do it yourself . Spray your yard after you mow it . that way everything is stirred up from the mowing and they will be out and then you can spray effectively . Good luck to you I know this can be disturbing to say the least .Also treat your dog with flea and tick control the internal pills seem to work best .

[JanND]

Extremely helpful http://www.city-data.com/forum/house...ug-spider.html

[kab0906]

A home inspection is not the same as a pest inspection.

Call in the experts.

[Joe33]

You bought a FARMHOUSE. on a farm I assume. You get bugs along with the farm.
But all it takes is call the bug control people. It will cost some but they can keep the bugs away.