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- Is It Normal To See More Bugs Right After A Treatment?
September 21, 2022
You spent money on professional pest control only to find that your pest problem has gotten worse- not better. Is that normal? In the simplest terms, that answer is yes but before you question the effectiveness of home pest control services altogether, there’s more to this explanation. Read on to discover why property owners might see an increase in pest activity right after treatment and what to do if it happens to you.
Yes, it’s normal to see more bugs after you’ve had your home treated
Oftentimes when homeowners call Arrow Pest Control about a pest problem in their home, they don’t realize the handful of bugs they’ve been seeing is part of a larger (sometimes much larger) infestation. As is often the case, there are simply more bugs hiding inside the home than foraging out in the open. When a pest control service is completed, it’s not attracting more bugs but rather driving the ones that are hiding out into the open to escape the product applied. Of course, the treatment used will stop them, it just might take longer than you anticipate.
How some insect control products work
And speaking of products, some of the materials we use while highly effective, aren’t necessarily immediate. That’s intentional though. At Arrow, our pest control specialists use a combination of products and materials in order to achieve the best results. Sometimes those results are brought to fruition by using residual products. Said products are designed to be effective for extended periods of time and to interact with as many pests as possible to ensure the entire colony, nest, or infestation is eradicated and not just the foragers out and about. Conversely, we may use a nonresidual application that is effective immediately.
The way we eliminate termites is a great example of a residual treatment. By applying the Termidor® liquid termite treatment to the soil, we’re allowing worker termites to come into contact with the product without dying straight away. Instead, they carry it back to the colony and spread the material with other members they come into contact with. By transferring the material from their bodies to the rest of the colony, it ensures that every single member of a termite colony is targeted and eradicated including the queen. If she’s not around to reproduce, there’s no chance of that colony becoming active again.
What to do if you’re still seeing bugs several days out
co*ckroaches, ants, and other bugs may continue to show up and wander about your home for a period of days after treatment. This is completely normal. If you’re still seeing pest activity beyond several days after treatment, you should reach out to your pest control company to make them aware and let them advise you of the next steps.
Of course, if you have any concerns at any point during the process, contact your pest control team without delay.
Why it’s important to choose a reliable pest control company
When it comes to having your home treated for pests, you want to make sure the company you hire is reputable, reliable, and committed to protecting your home and family.
At Arrow Pest Control, we offer home pest control services that are designed to eliminate existing pests and prevent new activity from occurring. We accomplish this by providing seasonal pest control services and free emergency service all year round! If a pest problem arises in between scheduled visits, all you have to do is give us a call and we’ll come out to treat it right away.
Sign up for ongoing home pest control with the NJ pest control experts today!
If you’re interested in signing up for service, please consider Arrow Pest Control! We’ve been providing residential pest control in Paramus, Montclair, Edison, and Englishtown as well as throughout our multi-county service area since 1973 and have earned an excellent reputation (check out our Google reviews)! Compare our home pest control plans below or simply give us a call!
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FAQs
Hence, seeing more pests after pest control service is normal as they come out and die. This can happen for a period of time after service, depending on how often you have service and how heavy the bug pressure is around your home and yard.
Is it normal to see bugs after pest control? ›
It's completely normal to see ants, spiders, and co*ckroaches come out in abundance after your first treatment. In addition, some treatment products are specifically designed to work slowly. Ants and co*ckroaches are both treated with such products.
How long after pest control should bugs be gone? ›
How long it will take for the bugs to become eradicated depends on what is being treated. Sometimes, the results are immediate. Sometimes, they're not. For example, in the case of rodents or co*ckroaches, the results will take a little longer, anywhere from a day or two, to two weeks.
Is it normal to still see bed bugs after treatment? ›
Bed bugs may have lived through the treatment or were not quite dead (“walking dead”). It is possible that during the application the bugs were not exposed to enough chemical or heat, causing the customer to find them 7 to 10 days after the treatment was completed.
Why am I still seeing roaches after extermination? ›
The possibility of roaches coming back after extermination is linked to accessible food and water sources. Even after hiring a professional pest control company, if these sources persist, roaches may return. Eliminating open garbage, pet food, and other organic matter is crucial to prevent a new wave of pests.
Does pest control get rid of all bugs? ›
A: Pest control can kill all bugs depending on location, product, and the needs of the customer. We can take care of any variety of bugs out there.
How long after pest control will I see roaches? ›
You may see roaches for a week or two for slow-acting treatments until they eventually taper out. Because of their high tolerance to pesticides, products could take a few days to impact the pests. Just take some time and avoid panicking if you see any remaining roaches still living in your home.
How soon can I sleep in my house after pest control? ›
The best way to determine whether your pest control is effective is to wait at least 24 hours after your service. This will give the pesticide enough time to kill the insects. Then, wait three or four hours before going inside to evaluate whether you can go inside the house after that.
What not to do after pest control sprays? ›
After treatment, avoid mopping the areas around your skirting or kick boards for several weeks. This does not mean not mopping your floors - just avoid hard scrubbing the wall edges around the perimeter of the room.
Is it safe to stay in the house after pest control? ›
The typical time most harsher pesticide treatments need for a safe return is between 2 and 4 hours. After that time, an additional 30 minutes is recommended to let the building breathe. This should be done with windows open and fans running to allow air levels inside to return to normal.
If the bed bug treatment was conducted by using heat, you are safe to sleep in the room immediately after the room's temperature has lowered to a comfortable temperature and once a post treatment cleaning has been done.
Is it normal to find one bed bug months after treatment? ›
A bed bug showing up a month or two post-elimination is most likely a reintroduction. Studies have shown that bed bugs are highly attracted to previous harborage. In fact, repellency studies have shown some products to have repellency in clean harborages, but not on harborages with previous activity.
How many sessions does it take to get rid of bed bugs? ›
The number of treatments needed to get control is (national average) 3 to 4 treatments. The first step to treating the problem yourself is taking your bed apart. The frame should be completely deconstructed to reach all cracks and crevices. For any unreachable areas, aerosols are useful.
What smell do roaches hate? ›
Mint is a fragrance that is consistently effective in repelling roaches. Grow fresh mint plants in your home or yard or mix peppermint, winter mint, or spearmint essential oils in a spray bottle with water and spraying around baseboards, windows, and doors.
Do roaches ever fully go away? ›
An infestation, however, is when the roaches are living and completing their entire life cycles in a house. "Once they move in, they do not move back out. You either have to kill them, or live with them," Hodges says.
How many times do you have to exterminate to get rid of roaches? ›
Multiple visits are scheduled to ensure that the pests and any eggs are also exterminated. The amount of time needed to eradicate any infestation can vary depending on the severity of the infestation. For a few weeks after the treatment, it's normal to see a few roaches.
Why do I see more bugs after cleaning? ›
But why is that? Bugs are often searching for three things, food, water, and shelter. No matter how clean your home is, there are still opportunities to find what they need in your house. Bugs inside a home are not an indication of how clean or not clean your house is.
Do exterminators attract more bugs? ›
As is often the case, there are simply more bugs hiding inside the home than foraging out in the open. When a pest control service is completed, it's not attracting more bugs but rather driving the ones that are hiding out into the open to escape the product applied.
How long after pest control is it safe for humans? ›
Regardless of the type of pest treatment that was applied, a good general rule of thumb is to give pest control treatments 2-4 hours to set in and then an extra 30 min to breathe with windows open and fans on to allow fresh air to flow through before returning.
Why do bugs come out after cleaning? ›
Is your home normally cluttered until the cleaning process? The roaches are always there but you don't see them until the harsh chemicals from cleaning are driving them from their normal hiding places. The roaches are always there and you are using water to clean thereby attracting them to an easy food/water source.
