Random Truly Strange Infestations That Could Be Taking Over Your House Right Now (12 items)

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  (#1) Spider

  • Araneae

  Spiders are often found indoors, but a few horror stories really stand out. For proof, look no further than the Torsts and their "spider house" of terror.

  The Missouri couple bought a home in Weldon Spring country club in 2007. But they soon noticed a huge spider problem. And these weren't just any spiders – the house was infested with over 6,000 brown recluses, which can be quite dangerous. The Torsts weren't able to stay, and eventually had to tent the house. They then sued the company that sold the house, for pretty obvious reasons.
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  (#11) Gecko

  • Gekkonidae

  While having a few geckos around your house doesn't sound like a huge deal, a whole lot of them can be a nightmare. In the United States, gecko infestations are not uncommon in Texas and other southern states, and they can get pretty out of hand. But one writer really got to know what a gecko infestation is like while he was staying in Panama.

  Karl Rover was staying at his stepson's place in Panama City, when he first ran across the geckos. He didn't mind them – until he moved into his own house, and found out his new pad was infested with the things. Their poop was everywhere, they'd get stuck in insect traps, and were constant underfoot. They were also incredibly loud, making it difficult for him to sleep. Ultimately, though, Rover decided he'd just have to live with them.
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  (#4) Giant Snails

  An infestation of this magnitude could only happen in Florida. Giant snails began showing up in the southern part of the state in 2011, seemingly out of nowhere. One particular small neighborhood, Davie, was hit hard in some truly gruesome ways. 

  These snails eat plants, but they also eat plaster and stucco in order to replenish their shells. As you might guess, that made them an absolute menace to houses. People found their walls damaged and their yards destroyed by the massive creatures, which can grow to over eight inches in size. The snails also carry parasites that cause meningitis, and one resident's German Shepherd was infected.

  Hundreds of snails have been removed from Davie, and the infestation seems to be under control. But this is one of the most invasive snail species in the world, so it may only be a matter of time before they pop up somewhere else.
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  (#5) Garter snake

  • Thamnophis

  Buying your dream home is usually cause for celebration. Unfortunately for one family, the celebration was short-lived. When Angie Whitley and her family moved into their new Minnesota home, they thought everything was perfect – until Whitley brought her first box to her bedroom and found a snake. At first, she thought it was a fluke. But six months later, she'd found about 95 snakes inside the house, and hundreds more outside. Even some of the exterminators who came to help acknowledged that it was a very extreme snake infestation. 

  How did it happen? Pest experts told Whitley there was a garter snake nest somewhere under the foundation. The newly hatched snakes came into the home because it was warmer and more comfortable. The infestation has cost the family thousands of dollars in failed attempts to rid the place of them.
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  (#2) House centipede

  • Scutigera coleoptrata

  If you've never heard of house centipedes before, get ready to feel creeped out. These nocturnal animals like cool damp places to live, like your bathroom. They can administer venom through their legs, smell really bad, and live for up to seven years. They also have so many legs you won't know where to look.

  These guys live in lots of houses, but one city in particular becomes infested with them pretty much every year: Montreal. Hundreds of them pop up each spring and summer, and they're hard to get rid of, since they live in tiny cracks and dark basements. Even professionals struggle to exterminate them.
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  (#10) Gypsy Moths

  Connecticut, Massachusetts, and other northern states have a serious problem with gypsy moths. Residents can't kill the caterpillars or the moths fast enough, and the little guys can cause some serious damage due to their tendency to destroy wood. 

  Ledyard, CT, is one particular area that is heavily infested, as Lorraine Healy will readily attest. She had to cut down multiple trees that were getting chewed on by moths, since they posed a danger of falling. But after paying thousands of dollars to have the trees removed, Healy woke up one morning to find her yard and home completely covered with caterpillars.

  Healy says the infestation is under control for now, but she takes yearly precautions to make sure they don't return. Other people haven't been so lucky, and continue to struggle with swarms of moths.

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