Master’s Degreed Entomologist and Sargent Pest Solutions owner Jonathan Sargent walks through the four household changes his technicians check first when a pest-free home suddenly isn’t — plus what’s really behind most pantry pest problems.
When a home that’s never had a pest problem suddenly has a recurring one, Jonathan Sargent’s team at Sargent Pest Solutions doesn’t start with pesticide. They start with a question.
“That’s one of the things my company really focuses on — trying to figure out the why, not just show up and treat a home differently. Our technicians are trained to take a few minutes, ask a few questions, and figure out the why.” — Jonathan Sargent
As a Master’s Degreed Entomologist, Jonathan walks through the same four things with nearly every homeowner in this situation — and, sometimes, the answer isn’t pest control at all.
- Branches and Shrubs Touching the House
This is the first thing Jonathan looks at, and often the easiest to miss.
“One is tree branches, bushes, shrubs, whatever that you can trim and now they’re touching your house. A tree branch touching your roof line, touching your gutter, is a super easy access for any pests you can pick up — ants, roaches, rodents.” — Jonathan Sargent
If tree trimming has fallen behind schedule, that’s the first place to look before anything else. Interestingly, Jonathan notes the actual fix here has nothing to do with pest control: “You should really call a tree company or something like that. That’ll help solve the problem more than a pest control company.”
- A Change in Basic Sanitation
The second factor is usually something that’s changed recently around food and trash — a new puppy in the house, a trash routine that’s slipped, or food left out overnight.
“A lot of insects have some social qualities, so if they find that trash is a buffet for them, they will recruit their friends to that. Making sure the trash is picked up out of the house, away from the house, and disposed of properly is a big step.” — Jonathan Sargent
Jonathan gave a candid, specific example of how easy this is to miss without realizing it: “We have been feeding our dog at night lately and not staying up after him. So for eight hours every night, the 20 pieces of kibble that the dog didn’t eat are being left out for roaches that are nocturnal, certain ants that are nocturnal, to find and recruit their friends to.”
One related question that comes up often: is it fine to keep a household trash can in the garage rather than outside? Jonathan’s answer is straightforward — yes, as long as the trash goes out weekly and the lid closes tightly. The main risk isn’t the trash itself, it’s flies laying eggs if the lid isn’t sealed properly.
- Cardboard Stored in the Attic or Garage
The third factor is one homeowners rarely connect to pests at all: stacked cardboard, often stored ahead of an upcoming move.
“A lot of insects, silverfish, roaches, love cardboard. They like to get in between the pieces of cardboard because it’s just safe in there. So if all of a sudden you start storing cardboard — maybe you think about moving in the next six months, you start stacking cardboard in your garage or your attic — that’s a big flashing light for insects.” — Jonathan Sargent
- Exterior Lights Left On at Night
The fourth factor is a lifestyle change as simple as a porch light.
“Maybe for years you left all your lights off at night, and now you’ve got a young person in the home who’s getting home later, so you’re leaving front porch lights on, back porch lights on — and a lot of insects are attracted to that. Then they will start coming into your home.” — Jonathan Sargent
What If None of the Four Fit?
Jonathan is upfront that there isn’t always a clean answer.
“Sometimes those things don’t work out — they don’t apply to your home, and bugs are just being bugs. They’re looking for new places to live, new places to feed, and everything else, and your house is just there. There’s not always a smoking gun reason why a pest finds your home.” — Jonathan Sargent
But in his experience, one of the four usually does apply — and it tends to produce a genuine lightbulb moment once a homeowner hears it.
- Tree branches or shrubs touching the roofline or gutters
- A recent change in trash routine, food habits, or a new pet
- Cardboard newly stored in the attic or garage
- Exterior lights now being left on overnight
The Other Common Entry Point: What’s Already in the Pantry
Not every indoor pest problem starts with a change around the house — some walk in through the front door in a grocery bag. Jonathan’s team regularly deals with what the industry calls “stored product pests,” most often the Indian meal moth along with a handful of beetle species, all of which typically arrive already inside packaged grain, pasta, or cereal.
“The easiest thing to do is, as you’re shopping and you grab that box of spaghetti, kind of turn it over, look at it, make sure there’s no webbing inside the box, make sure there’s no exit holes where the bug has chewed through the cardboard.” — Jonathan Sargent
Jonathan is careful to note this isn’t just a discount-grocer problem — it can trace back to any grocery store, or further upstream to the warehouses that stock them, before the product ever reaches a shelf. A quick check of the box before it goes in the cart is the most reliable prevention available.
Ready to talk to someone about it?
Sargent Pest Solutions serves homeowners across Greenville and the Upstate. Call (864) 915-5555and we’ll help you figure out what’s actually going on.