Does Mold Attract Bugs? 5 Bugs That Eat Mold At Commercial Properties

10/12/2020 (Permalink)

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The majority of the time that SERVPRO professionals arrive at a mold damage job, the job site is also experiencing a bug issue. The reason being is that mold and bugs thrive in the same environmental conditions. In this blog post, you will learn why mold attracts bugs. 

Environmental Conditions For Mold Growth 

Mold and bugs thrive in the same environmental conditions. Warmer, wet conditions are the known best environmental condition for mold and bugs. Mold and bugs are similar to most living organisms; they both need food and water to survive. The real questions are, do mold and bugs feed on the same things? And does mold attract bugs?

What Do Mold and Bugs Eat? 

What Does Mold Eat?

Mold mostly enjoys eating things that are made of porous materials. Porous materials make it easy for mold to grow and plant more mold spores. 

Porous materials include the following: 

1. Sponges 
2. Wood 
3. Rubber 
4. Rocks 
5. Drywall 

Porous materials are everywhere inside your home. If you’d like to know more about mold and how SERVPRO handles mold issues, check out What is Black Mold.

What Do Bugs Eat?

Since this post focuses on mold eating bugs, we will go through the types of bugs we see at mold remediation jobs. Bugs associated with active mold growth like to consume things outside of mold itself as well. The SERVPRO professionals have found bugs eating food in the pantry, organic matter, and wet drywall. Mold mites are one known type of bug with a name to reflect their relationship with mold eating. The following are other bugs that are attracted to mold: 

Bugs That Mold Attracts:

1. Mold Mites

Mold mites, are the cousins of dust mites, thrive off of mold. These bugs need a source of constant humidity and moisture to survive. Mold grows where the air is humid, making it a perfect habitat for mold mites. A mold mite is a tiny white bug consisting of long hairs known as setae. Mold mites may be hard to notice at first because they're nearly invisible to the naked eye.

2. Cockroaches 

Cockroaches survive by eating paper and easily digestible foods. Mold breaks down wet drywall, making it easier for a cockroach to digest. Mold also can break down wood, making wooden materials a delicacy meal for cockroaches. 

3. Termites

A typical mold job will consist of musty odors that attract termites. These musty odors are also known as mycotoxins or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's). The VOC’s produced by mold contribute to a termite growing appetite. Mold will also break down the wood and makes it more easily penetrable for termites. Termites will contribute to home mold growth by tunneling wood, causing it to spread.

4. Booklice

Booklice has received its name by consuming the paper of books. The mold professionals have also found these bugs in wet paper piles, behind damaged wallpaper, and around windows in a mold damage job. Mold will break down paper and cause a booklice infestation because they love to eat moldy paper.

5. Foreign Grain Beetles

The foreign grain beetle is usually found in older homes with high humidity levels. However, the SERVPRO professionals have seen these bugs to infest new homes where lumber and building materials are still wet, attracting mold growth. 

Concluding, Does Mold Attract Bugs?

Yes, mold attracts bugs. Mold and bugs seem to have an engaging relationship since mold provides excellent food sources for the different listed bugs in this post. The easiest way to prevent mold growth and the bugs is to control the amount of moisture in your commercial property. The best way to remove excess moisture is by investing in a commercial dehumidifier. If you have mold and bugs in your home, it is best to contact a professional mold remediation company like SERVPRO of Union, Towns, Fannin & Gilmer Counties. 

Call us at (706) 896-1880