Firebrats

Where Firebrats Tend to Live

Firebrats inhabit extremely warm areas in walls and appliances. They flock to heat sources like ovens, water heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces. Focus inspections around appliances measuring 150°F or hotter where minuscule gaps allow firebrat entry. Kitchens and laundries offer ideal temperature and humidity levels.

Inside walls, firebrats occupy voids containing wires or pipes emitting warmth. Their flattened bodies enable access to the tightest spaces containing heat and starches. Tiny cracks around appliances provide ingress for these persistent pests.

What Firebrats Consume

Firebrats feast upon starch-rich items like cereal, pasta, baking ingredients, wallpaper paste, book bindings, or glue. Their specialized mouthparts allow efficient consumption of starchy foods high in carbohydrates.

Look for small holes or grazing damage on susceptible items stored around appliances. Also, inspect walls near heat sources for firebrat tunneling damage. Monitoring helps catch infestations before extensive destruction occurs inside walls or pantries.

Sealing Up Access Points

Preventing firebrat entry involves meticulously sealing potential ingress points with caulk. Apply caulk or expanding foam:

• In gaps around ovens, water heaters, furnace vents, fireplace frames, etc.

• Along tiny crevices where appliances meet walls

• Around pipe or wire penetrations

Caulking cuts off access to voids offering heat and starch. Routinely inspect appliances for new openings permitting pest entry. Having a sealed barrier is key to firebrat prevention.

More Firebrat Prevention & Control Strategies

• Allow appliances to fully cool before cleaning to avoid driving firebrats deeper inside

• Install door sweeps underneath rooms housing infested appliances

• Monitor population spikes with pheromone traps or monitors

• Contact pest control experts for severe infestations or nests inside walls

With proactive measures, homeowners can avoid destructive firebrat situations. However, heavy infestations may require working with professional exterminators equipped to fully eliminate firebrat ingress points and nesting areas. The pest control specialists at BREDA Pest Management have extensive experience in eliminating unwanted firebrats. Contact us today to schedule an inspection!