Small Bugs Near Water in a Bathroom

If you've ever seen small bugs near water in a bathroom, it should come as no surprise that water and moisture attract certain insects. You may be frustrated that bugs are living rent-free in your bathroom, but prevention and pest control will help you rectify the problem.

If you find ants in your bathroom, they're most likely carpenter ants, but you can find pharaoh, Argentine and odorous house ants in your bathroom too. Carpenter ants can be up to 5/8 of an inch in length and may be black, red, brown, yellow, orange or red and black depending on the species. Pharaoh ants are about 1/8 of an inch in length, and they are yellow.

Argentine ants are up to 1/8 of an inch in length, and their color varies. They can range from dark brown to black with a shiny body. Argentine ants are very common home invaders in Southern California and throughout the Gulf Coast states.

Odorous house ants are about 1/8 of an inch in length, are brown or black and are commonly found in California and north to Washington. They are the most popular ants in the mid-South region of Arkansas and west Tennessee. You can also find them in the Midwest.

Ants like to come into the home especially during the colder months because they seek shelter, food and water. Although there are many different ant species, many of them are attracted to moist environments, which is why you may find them in your bathroom.

Ants can create nests in damp, rotting wood and can even hang out in rotting window ledges. You'll most likely find ants anywhere moisture collects in your bathroom.

There are a variety of areas that ants can enter to get into your home. Often, ants find their way in through cracks and crevices or heating and air conditioning ducts. If you see ants in your bathroom, you can do a couple of things before calling pest control. First, try to limit the amount of moisture in your bathroom and make sure you don't have any leaky faucets or water drainage issues.

When you take a shower, make sure that you use a vent fan if you have one. If you don't have a bathroom vent fan, a dehumidifier will help eradicate excess moisture. Most important, make sure all of your windows and door frames are sealed. You want to prevent ants from coming into your home because it can be difficult to get rid of them once they take over.

If you're dealing with a severe ant infestation, you need to call pest control immediately. Not only will they exterminate the ants, but they will also be able to find the source of your problem and prevent any severe damage to your home.

Drain bugs, such as drain flies, are insects that breed inside your pipes and feed on any available organic matter in your pipes. If you're dealing with drain bugs, not only do you have to worry about the bugs themselves but you also need to worry about them laying eggs in your plumbing. Although you can get rid of drain bugs by unclogging your drain with a liquid drain cleaner, you may want to hire a professional if the drain bugs keep coming back.

Something could be wrong with your pipes, and a professional will be able to better access your particular problem. Other water-loving bugs include silverfish, mold mites and the ever popular but larger cockroaches.