Houses, yards, and businesses are not the only locations that need pest control. Bug problems can also occur in cars, which are far from impenetrable to pests. Open doors and windows can easily enable a bug to get inside a car. Other bugs can come up from beneath the car or squeeze under the hood and gain access to your car through vents. Still, other bugs might come in as hitchhikers, stuck to your clothing or bags.

These are some of the most common pests that get into cars and what you can do if you notice they have invaded your vehicle.

Types of Pests in Cars

Oftentimes, when pests get into a car, it can be a single fly, mosquito, or stinging insect that comes in through an open window while you are driving. You can generally swat this single pest or usher it back out again to fix your bug problem, but other pest challenges can be more extensive and difficult to manage. These pests include:

• Ants – Ants will go anywhere they can find food and a whole trail of them will follow. If you eat in your car or have spilled a drink, ants could easily climb up the wheels and into your vehicle’s interior. This can happen in a matter of hours and the best way to prevent it is to regularly vacuum your car and use a carpet cleaner if you spill any liquids.
• Spiders – Spiders are more common in cars that do not frequently mov since they can build their webs in the wheel wells which are relatively well protected, and then could crawl up into your car. You are only likely to have a couple of spiders at a time and unless you simultaneously have another pest problem, spiders are likely to quickly move out on their own due to a shortage of food. You can reduce the chance of a spider problem in your car by driving your car at least every few days and knocking spider webs off if you see them building up around your wheels.
• Wasps – Wasps are attracted to the heat of cars, particularly in later months of the year when temperatures begin to cool off and wasps are looking for locations to overwinter. Wasps are only likely to build a nest in your car if you do not drive for an extended period, but a single wasp that gets in can still be an alarming event while you are driving. Driving regularly or keeping your car covered or in an enclosed space if you are not driving for extended periods will help deter wasps.
• Cockroaches – Like ants, roaches will snack on any food that they can find in your car. Keeping your car clean is the best way to prevent roaches. You can also avoid parking near any areas where roaches may be active, such as by trash cans or dumpsters, since these are often hotspots for cockroaches.
• Carpet Beetles – Carpet beetles may get into your car by hitching rides on your clothing. Once inside, they will infest non-synthetic carpet and upholstery and begin chewing through them to leave damaging holes. They can also consume hair that may have collected in your car over time. You can often get rid of carpet beetles by vacuuming car seats and floorboards and going over upholstery with a steam cleaner if additional cleaning is necessary, paying special attention to the nooks and dark spaces in the process.

While cars may provide a good short term shelter and food source for bugs, they are often not ideal long term habitats and many infestations will move on by themselves after a little cleaning.

if you have pests in your car that do not seem to go away despite your efforts or have a pest problem in your home that is carrying over into your car, pest treatments from ExtermPRO can help. We provide pest control in Gainesville and all throughout the surrounding region for all of these common car pests and more to keep all of your property pest free. Contact us to learn more and get a free quote.