Most insect pests prefer to establish nesting sites, or “harborages” in conditions that are dark, moist, and located near accessible food sources. This is why insect pests are often found in wall voids, ceiling voids, crowded storage rooms, attics, cupboards, shoes, basements and cellars. In addition to these areas, many people have noticed insect pests like ants and bed bugs crawling in and out of wall outlets, light fixtures, and electronic devices, which do not seem like the most inviting areas for insects to set up camp. However, a surprisingly large number of arthropod pests are known for causing short-circuits, black-outs, malfunctions and costly damage by nesting in pad-mounted transformers, traffic light control boxes, irrigation control boxes, heating and air conditioning units, and telecommunications equipment.
In Arizona, crazy ants, odorous house ants, acrobat ants, and other ant pests frequently crawl into electronic devices like TVs, video game consoles and laptops. Once inside, ants may chew on wiring and/or damage important components, which can lead to equipment malfunctions, or worse. Even if ants do not tamper with internal parts, dead specimens can accumulate on the hardware and insulation, which usually renders devices non-functional. Luckily, pest control professionals can prevent such damage from occurring by applying granular insecticides or specialized fumigants within the internal compartments of electronic devices. These remedies are specifically designed to eliminate ant pests that nest in electronic devices. In addition to ants, wasps and bees are known to establish sizable nests within electronic utility houses. Careful aerosol insecticide applications can eradicate bee and wasp nests in equipment houses, but black widow infestations are more challenging. In Arizona, western black widows and other spider species often invade equipment houses below homes where they construct numerous webs that gradually collect dirt, dead insects and other debris that can lead to malfunctions and even fires. These infestations are exceptionally difficult to treat, as spiders do not absorb insecticide as readily as insects do, and equipment houses are often difficult to access.
Have you ever found bugs crawling into your computer?
