mIt’s on the list of every homeowner’s worst nightmares: an infestation of bugs in your home. Especially if they’re those tiny black bugs in your house near the windows. While little black bugs may be smaller than other pests like mice and other rodents, it doesn’t mean they are easier to get rid of.
The first step in dealing with any infestation of black bugs in your house is to educate yourself on the types of bugs so you can confidently identify them. This may seem overwhelming, but there are really only six bugs that are commonly found in homes, and you almost certainly already know one or two!
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How to Identify Those Tiny Black Bugs in Your House Near Windows
Since some bugs can be harmful to humans and pets, it’s important to identify any tiny black bug in your house near windows so you know what you’re working with and how to treat them. In addition to harm inflicted on humans and pets, bugs can also destroy items like carpeting, wood, and clothing, and get into your food or trash.
If you look at color alone, it can be hard to distinguish a tiny black-and-white bug from a tiny black-and-yellow bug, especially when they are so small. To help you identify those tiny little black bugs in your house, consider the following questions.
- Color: While most bugs look black from a distance, some are brown, gray, or even red up close. Do they have more than one color? Are they bugs with stripes on the back? Tiny spotted bugs? Look at any patterns and texture of the bug in addition to the color.
- Body: How many sections does the body contain? What is the shape of the body? Is it a long black small bug? Is it a black bug with an antenna?
- Legs: How many legs does the bug have? Where are the legs positioned?
- Wings: Does the bug have wings or not?
Common Types of Black Bugs
If you’re noticing black and brown bugs in your house, they are probably one of six common offenders, each with a variety of unique species.
Tiny black bugs are often seen near windows because of how much they love warm, moist environments. With small black bugs, there are subtle differences between each kind that are worth knowing so you can properly treat them. Let’s break down each bug with a brief description, what they feed on, which environments they thrive in, and which treatments you can apply to get rid of them in your house for good.
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Mites
Mites are extremely tiny round black bugs with no wings and eight legs. While they are rarely harmful to humans other than mild irritation to the skin or allergies, black mites in the house could signal elevated moisture levels or a more significant water issue.
One of the most common types of mites is the Clover Mite. From a distance, they may look like tiny black bugs in the house and very slow moving, but up close they are actually brown or red. One of the first signs you may find from clover mites are little red marks that are left behind when they are stepped on or otherwise crushed.
Depending on the species, mites feed on plant matter, dust, or insects, and are drawn to warmth and sunshine which is why they are sometimes found on your window sill. Getting rid of mites is as simple as vacuuming them up and then immediately disposing of them in the trash.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: Most mite populations peak in the summer months, although some species like the dust mite can thrive throughout the winter in moist places of the home like mattresses and other furniture
- Environment: Most species of mites thrive in moist, warm environments
- Treatment: Vacuum the mites, immediately emptying the canister, and take out the trash
Beetles
If you have encountered tiny black beetles in your house, they are most likely carpet beetles or weevils.
Most carpet beetles are black, although some are lighter in color or spotted. This black hard-shelled bug feeds on animal products like pet hair and feathers, fibers like silk and wool, and even grains and spices.
If you have small black beetles in the house, you likely have them around furniture, rugs, baseboards, and windowsills. Regularly vacuuming can get rid of those beetles and prevent them from coming back. Another treatment option is to use vinegar or diatomaceous earth spray on your carpets, furniture, and any other problem areas.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: Adult beetles emerge in the early spring and peak in the summer months
- Environment: Beetles thrive in warm and high-humidity environments
- Treatment: Regularly vacuum your home and if they become a problem, spray around windows, carpets, and furniture with either a vinegar mixture or diatomaceous earth
Ants
Probably the most common and easily identifiable type of little black bug that you may find in your house is the ant. Ants have three sections to their bodies: head, midsection, and rear, with six legs and antennae.
Ants live and travel in groups or colonies. This means that if you see a few, you more than likely have more hidden somewhere in your home. Ants feed on old food (especially items high in sugar), grains, and other bugs, and some species of ants will burrow into the wood in your home to lay eggs and establish their colony.
Ants are one of the more difficult little bugs to get rid of on your own since to get rid of them entirely, you’ll need to fully eradicate their nest. You can try a vinegar spray or liquid bait which the ants will carry back to their colony.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: Ants winter deep in the ground or in your home
- Environment: Ants thrive in warm environments, but avoid extreme hot and cold temperatures
- Treatment: Use a vinegar solution spray or liquid bait to rid of the entire ant colony in your home
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Booklice
Despite the name, this tiny black bug in your house is not in any way related to human lice and is not harmful to humans or pets.
Booklice, also known as barkflies, are translucent little brown bugs that got their name from being found in old books. Booklice feeds on mold, fungi, and other organic matter. Since they love the warmth and high-humidity environments, you may find these tiny bugs on a windowsill, bookshelf, or indoor plant.
To treat these little bugs, it’s best to address the overall humidity of your home. Use a dehumidifier, make sure your home is well-insulated, and use an air conditioner in the hot summer months. By taking steps to reduce the humidity in your home, you’ll prevent mold formation and kill off those tiny bugs.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: Booklice are most prevalent in the spring and summer, but can be found year-round
- Environment: Booklice thrive in warm, humid, and damp environments
- Treatment: Reduce the humidity in your home or try cleaning your window sills with a mild bleach solution or anti-fungal treatment
Moth Flies
Drain flies named for their tendency to live and breed in the drain of your sink and other places where water collects, are more commonly known as moth flies.
They sometimes appear like tiny black bugs with wings, although they are generally fuzzy and lighter in color when you look up close. These tiny bugs feed on organic material like compost, decaying plant material, and animal manure, and they love wet and slimy environments. Although you may find moth flies around the windows of your home, the best course of action for getting rid of them is cleaning your sink drain with boiling water.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: Adult moth flies emerge at the start of spring, and reach peak population in the middle of the summer
- Environment: Moth flies love wet, slimy environments, and are often most active at night
- Treatment: Clean sinks and drain pipes, where they live and breed, with boiling water
Gnats
If you have little black bugs with wings buzzing around your home, they are most likely gnats. Gnats are black small bugs with wings and long legs. They can be either biting or non-biting, but overall they are pretty harmless to humans.
Gnats have a life cycle of around one month and love warm, moist environments, although you can find them anywhere in the United States. Most gnats feed on organic matter like plants, overripe fruit, and compost. The best method for containing gnats is to ensure your food is stored securely in a dry place. Once you have them in your home, you can try a vinegar trap or spray.
- Location: Throughout the United States
- Season: May to June in cold weather areas
- Environment: Gnats thrive in temperatures above 70 degrees and in moist and shady areas
- Treatment: Use a vinegar trap to catch any gnats in your home, and be sure all food is contained to prevent the gnats from coming back
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How to Keep those tiny black Bugs in your house near windows Away All Year
Take preventative actions to keep bugs away all year. The tiny little black bugs in your house are attracted to two things: warmth and moisture.
Keep your home free of excess moisture by using a dehumidifier, and address any water leaks immediately. Regularly clean your home (inside and out!) by vacuuming, dusting, and keeping any compost piles far from the house. Incorporate a home maintenance checklist to keep your house in top shape and deter those tiny black bugs.
If you continue to deal with black bugs in your house despite attempts to rid them, it’s probably time to contact a professional pest control company. When left untreated, unwanted pests can lead to more serious damage and expensive fixes down the road.
Bug-Free Maintenance Checklist
Your maintenance checklist should include a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior yearly, sealing up any cracks that may allow bugs and other pests in. If you find gaps in any of the windows or doors, install weather strips or door sweeps where needed.
- Store food in airtight containers: since tiny bugs are often attracted to food and organic material, keeping your food stored in airtight containers in a dry place can prevent mold growth and unwanted bugs
- Vacuum regularly: keep the inside of your home clean by vacuuming regularly, including the insides of the windows, to prevent dust and dirt from building up and attracting black mites
- Seal any open holes or cracks: physically prevent the tiny bugs from getting into your home by sealing any visible holes or cracks. Check your foundation, siding, and window frames, and be sure to repair any holes in window screens
- Apply a perimeter treatment: apply a mild bleach solution, diatomaceous earth, or peppermint essential oil around your windows, doors, and even foundation to deter those pesky small black house bugs
When to Contact Pest Control
If you’ve identified the little black bug, applied treatments, and just aren’t getting anywhere, it’s probably time to reach out to a pest control company. The professionals have the advanced training and equipment to deal with tricky and more large-scale bug problems.
If you notice more severe signs of a bug infestation, like droppings, buckling wood floors or baseboards, or chewed-up wood, that could be a sign of something more problematic. Bigger problems like termites will require pest control. If you find that the black bugs are continually getting in through or around your windows, it might be time to schedule a window checkup to ensure they are properly sealed.
Keep Your Home Clean and Bug-Free with Windows and Doors from Minnesota Exterior
Dealing with pests like tiny black bugs in your house near the windows is never fun. Now that you know the common types of black bugs and how to identify them, get those little buggers treated. Take the steps necessary to prevent them in the future.
At Minnesota Exteriors, we want to see your home flourish, and that includes being pest and bug-free. We specialize in installing superior quality doors and windows meant to last with no gaps or cracks. New quality doors and windows leave your home protected against bugs and pests. See our products firsthand at our home remodel showroom in Osseo, Minnesota.
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