If you're looking to buy a new home, you must ensure the property is pest-free first. Although a professional will be able to assess the building and grounds for insect activity during a home inspection, you should also be on the lookout for some typical Long Island, NY, pests when touring various locations.

What Pests Might You Find in Long Island?

1. Cockroaches

New York is home to four species of cockroaches: Brown-banded, Oriental, American, or German. These nocturnal insects are typically around an inch long and have six legs and two sets of wings.

Cockroaches love moisture, warmth, and food, and they often live in basements, garages, under fridges, and inside floor drains. These bugs can also expose your family to E. Coli, Salmonella, and other diseases, so schedule a home inspection to ensure your future home is free of them.

2. Bed Bugs

While bed bugs are more active at night, they can bite humans and draw blood at any hour. Unfortunately, they can be hard to see, as baby bed bugs are around the size of a poppy seed, and adult ones only get as large as an apple seed.

Bed bugs thrive in unsanitary conditions, but they can also infest clean homes with minimal furniture and debris. To prevent their itchy bites or potential infections due to scratching, search for bed bugs in dark places, including where the mattress meets the wall and in the creases of lampshades.

3. Centipedes

House centipedes are yellow, tan, or brown, and they sometimes have stripes. While some have only 15 pairs of legs and can be as small as a grain of rice, larger varieties can be up to several inches long with up to 177 pairs of legs. These bugs often reside in damp, cool places, such as bathrooms and basements.

This species isn't dangerous to people, but you'll still want to ensure your future home is free of these fast and creepy crawlers before moving in.

 

If you’re ready to schedule a home inspection, contact New Home Inspectors in Huntington Station, NY, to set up an appointment. These experts offer property condition assessments to residents throughout Long Island, including renovation specialists, investors, and homebuyers. Visit them online to learn more about their services, or call (631) 368-1800 to learn more about how they can help you sell or maintain a property.