Your Home’s Mold Can Attract Bugs

by Kevin Smith Author

Have you ever noticed how whenever you see bugs in your home, you find mold somewhere? Maybe you’ve spotted mold and later discovered an insect infestation too. Bugs and mold seem to coexist, and sometimes you won’t have one without the other. Their friendly relationship indicates that they both thrive in the same environmental conditions. But if their attraction flourishes inside your home, it could mean bad things for you.

Mold attracts bugs. There’s no way around that. Apart from the environment in which they thrive, mold also provides a desirable food source for some bugs. Controlling the moisture levels in your home is the best way to prevent mold growth and thereby attract bugs. The desert heat in New Mexico can bring out some nasty critters. And when they seek out moisture, you might need a mold inspection in Roswell to prevent them from finding it in your home.

Environmental Conditions

Both mold and bugs are invasive species in your home, and they both thrived in the same warmer, wet environmental conditions. And like any living organism, both invaders need water and nourishment to survive. But what do they eat and where do they get it? Mold, for one, feeds on many things. Any substance with a porous material has roots that mold will dig into and nest. That means your fridge, pantries, drawers, cupboards, and wall/ceiling joints are fair game.

Not all bugs are the same, however. Not all bugs flock to mold. But the ones that do will feed on many different things as well. Not only will they eat the mold itself, but they’ll eat whatever the mold finds in your fridge and pantries and drawers and cupboards. By default, if mold grows in your pantry and overtakes some food in there, these bugs head for the mold and thus the food that’s everywhere in the pantry.

What Bugs Does Mold Attract?

While not every bug comes looking for mold, the ones that do are still invasive pests that can cause damage. The most common among them are cockroaches and termites. Cockroaches can survive by eating paper, which mold breaks down and more digestible for them. Mold also breaks down wooden materials as well, which is good news for termites. But what actually attracts termites is mold’s mycotoxins and odors.

Other bugs include the appropriately named mold mites, the kissing cousins of dust mites. Not only do they eat mold, but their setae hairs break off in the air and can cause allergic reactions. And because mold breaks down paper materials, it also attracts booklice. While they destroy books, you’ll also find them behind wallpaper. You may also see foreign grain beetles, who typically like older homes with high humidity levels and new homes with freshly wet lumber and building materials.

If you suspect you have an infestation of bugs due to mold, contact a specialist for mold inspection in Roswell immediately, as well as pest control services.