For business owners and warehouse managers, it’s important to be on the lookout for common pests in warehousing and storage. Why?
Warehouses are a haven for pests. Open doors and loading docks allow them easy access, frequent shipments can carry pests directly inside, and warehouse space gives pests lots of places to hide. In addition, the goods stored in a warehouse can attract pests—a big problem in industries like food processing.
Warehouse pest infestations can quickly threaten your business. Pests can contaminate products and equipment, damage structures, and cause health and safety risks to workers.
To prevent a serious pest infestation, make sure to stay alert for the following common warehouse pests.
Most Common Warehouse & Storage Pests
As we mentioned above, warehouses are particularly susceptible to pest invasions. Here are the most common pests we see in warehouses and storage.
Rodents
Rodents are some of the most common—and destructive—pests in warehouses. They can enter through cracks and crevices the size of a dime, quickly establishing a population.
This type of pest poses a number of serious problems: rodents leave behind droppings that contaminate any surface touched and they spread disease, threatening the health and safety of workers and visitors. What’s more, rodents can cause extensive damage, chewing through goods, packaging, wiring, and the building structure itself.
Flies
Flies are especially common in warehouse and storage settings. Open doors allow flies to come in freely. Once inside, flies often lay their eggs inside drains, garbage bins, and recycling bins. A large fly population can irritate employees and even contaminate products and equipment.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches can enter your warehouse or storage facility through the smallest of cracks. They also may even be brought in via shipment: cardboard is a favorite place for cockroaches to lay their eggs. Cockroaches reproduce quickly, eat just about anything (they’re omnivorous), and thrive in warehouses, making them a particularly troublesome pest.
This pest carries dangerous bacteria like E.coli and salmonella, making them a health hazard. What’s more, their droppings can result in contamination and unpleasant odor.
Food Storage Pests
Food storage pests—like flour beetles, Indian-meal moths, rice weevils, sawtoothed grain beetles, and others—are a big issue for many storage facilities. These pests feed on and contaminate many different products, from food products to leather articles to spices to dog food! Warehouses and storage facilities should be wary of this type of pest, which often comes in through contact with contaminated grain or nearby debris.
Stinging And Biting Insects
Mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and other stinging insects can easily swoop in through open warehouse doors. When these stinging insects build nests or hives inside, it can cause significant disruptions and health hazards (particularly for any employees allergic to bees or wasps).
Birds & Other Wildlife
Wildlife isn’t traditionally known as a pest, but they can be very problematic when they make a home inside your warehouse.
Birds, for example, often take advantage of a warehouse’s high ceilings and rafters to make their nests. Birds living in a warehouse can contaminate products with their droppings, spread disease, and disrupt business operations.
Bats, raccoons, and other wildlife can cause similar problems.
Why Proactive Pest Control Is Key
At ScherZinger Pest Control, we recommend a proactive—rather than a reactive—approach to pest control. Given that warehouses are especially vulnerable to pest problems, it’s prudent to plan ahead.
Don’t assume that warehouse employees will notice an emerging pest problem: the majority of employees will be too preoccupied with their own tasks to notice the subtle signs of an infestation. By the time the typical employee notices a pest problem, the infestation will have grown to alarming proportions.
Instead, consider an approach tailor-made for your business. ScherZinger Pest Control, for example, offers comprehensive commercial pest control solutions that include proactive monitoring, scheduled treatments, and emergency response. We design pest programs to your specific needs, budget, and pest potential.
Call ScherZinger Pest Control Today
To learn how we can help you eliminate a disruptive pest problem, contact us today. Our commercial solutions specialists are happy to discuss how to keep your warehouse pest-free.
Contact Scherzinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.