Common Pests
Flies
It has been documented that the fly transmits deadly diseases such as typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, yaws, anthrax, leprosy and tuberculosis just to name a few. In many instances, flies are the indirect cause of low cattle weight and poultry death. Blow flies are often metallic in appearance, with feathery hairs on the terminal antennal. They are attracted to decaying meat and are typically the first organisms to come into contact with dead animals. The meat of dead animals is essential for larval survival and growth. They are also attracted to plants that give off the smell of rotting meat
Housefly Usually gray, less than 4 to 7.5 mm long with four black stripes on the thorax, they Indoors, they rest on floors, walls and ceilings during the day. Outdoors, they will rest on plants, the ground, fence wires, garbage cans, etc. Wide variety of food, including human food, animal food and carcasses, garbage and excrement.
Spiders
Spiders are arachnids, not insects. Other members of the arachnid family include scorpions, mites, ticks and harvestmen.
There are around 40000 different species of spider. Most spiders make silk which they use to create spider webs and capture prey. Below the eyes on head end of a spider's cephalothorax are two small jaws (chelicerae) that end in fangs. Venom (poison) is produced in glands behind the jaws and empties along ducts in the fangs to paralyze or kill prey. Relatively few spiders bite people because they are not able to pierce the skin with their fangs. The majority of those spiders that can bite people have venom that is harmless to people. Two notable exceptions in the United States are the Brown Recluse, and the Black Widow..
Wasp & Bees
There are over 100,000 species of wasp. Two common types of wasp are the yellowjacket wasp and the hornet. Most wasp species are 'parasitic' which means they use the venom from their stings to paralyze pray and lay their eggs within the host, so larvae will hatch. Wasps can build their nests in a variety of places but they usually pick sunny areas, in holes underground along riverbanks, or attached to the side of walls and trees, or underneath floors, wasp can be agitated and dangerous near nests. Bees sting as a form of aggression when they feel threatened or if they feel there is a threat to their hive or colony. They also tend to be more aggressive in hot climate.
Mosquitos
Mosquitoes hibernate. They are cold-blooded and prefer temperatures over 80 degrees. At temperatures less than 50 degrees, they shut down for the winter.Sweat helps mosquitoes choose their victims.Mosquitoes can smell human breath. They have receptors on their antennae that detect the carbon dioxide released when we exhale. Body heat marks the target. The bumps from mosquito bites are caused by saliva. Malaria is caused by a parasite that lives in mosquitoes. West Nile virus came to the U.S. in 1999 from mosquitos. Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest “animal” in the world.
House Centipede easy
Centipedes belong to class of Chilopoda. The name centipede, which means “100 legs,” can be somewhat misleading: centipedes may have anywhere from 15 to 177 pairs of legs. The heads of centipedes have a pair of long and sensitive antennae. They have small mouths and have large, clawlike structures that contain a venom gland. Adult centipedes hide in moist, dark and secluded areas during winter. They place eggs in dampened soil during summer or spring. As centipedes become adults, they grow a complete set of legs and extra segments. Most centipedes live for more than a year and some up to six years. Centipedes may enter houses and buildings, but they do not roam during daytime. They hide in damp areas around bathrooms, closets, basements and other sites typically infested by pests.
Crickets
Cricket is an insect that belongs to the order Orthoptera. Size of crickets depends on the species. They are usually 1 to 2 inches long. There are over 900 species of crickets that are divided in couple of groups, based on their morphology and type of habitat. Crickets have one pair of one inch long antennas, called feelers. Antennas can detect movement of the prey and facilitate finding of food. Crickets lay eggs in autumn. Eggs remain incubated during the cold winter period and hatch at the beginning of spring. Crickets have incomplete metamorphosis which consists of three developmental stages: egg, nymph and adult insect.
Ticks
There are many different types of ticks in the United States, some of which are capable of transmitting infections.The risk of developing infections depends upon the geographic location, season of the year, type of tick, and, for Lyme disease, how long the tick was attached to the skin. Ticks found on pets or people require cautious and thorough removal. Ticks should be grasped behind the head by tweezers and pulled slowly away from the host’s skin. Common problem ticks include the American dog tick, deer or blacklegged tick and lone star tick. They are often found near wooded and highly vegetated areas. Some species require moisture to survive. Females and males of most species feed on blood of mammals, birds and reptiles. Each tick species does have a preferred host, although most ticks will feed on whatever blood is available to them.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects up to 4 to 5 mm long or the size of an apple seed. Swollen and reddish after a blood meal. Bed bugs only feed on blood. Under cool conditions, bed bugs have been able to survive up to a year without a meal. They prefer to be more active at night when the host is asleep. Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in gyms, offices, stores, hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.Once indoors, they can be very difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist. It is possible that Bed Bugs can carry diseases, however, they are not known to transmit diseases to people however, people have various responses to Bed Bug Bites.
Termites
Termites live in colonies in the soil. They require moisture from the soil to survive, and can tunnel hundreds of feet to reach feeding sites. To reach food above ground, they build mud tubes to protect them from exposure to light, air and enemies. Homes constructed primarily of wood are not the only structures threatened by termite activity. Homes made from other materials may also host termite infestations, as these insects are capable of traversing through plaster, metal siding and more. Termites then feed on cabinets, floors, ceilings and wooden furniture within these homes.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are among the largest ants in the United States, ranging from 3.4 to 13 mm long. The most common color is black, but some species have reddish or yellowish coloration. Workers have large mandibles. Carpenter ants reside both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood. They cut galleries into the wood grain to form their nests and provide passageways for movement from section to section of the nest. This activity produces wood shavings mixed with parts of dead ants which provides clues to nesting locations.Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they will feed on a variety of food people eat—particularly sweets and meats. They will also feed on other insects.
Odorous house ants
An important nuisance ant, have colonies with many queens and many homes. These homes are often temporary and will be found under pieces of wood or debris in landscaping. Again, as with carpenter ants, these ants will forage on honeydew from aphids living in vegetation. They do not cause structural damage but because of the large numbers that are often present they can be particularly obnoxious to homeowners. These ants are not known to bite and they do not sting.
Pavement ants
They have many queens but these ants will nest under rocks or pavement. Homeowners are aware of these ants as they mine the sand and soil from under concrete slabs, patios, sidewalks, driveways, or in basements. Some refer to this ant as a mason ant because of its nesting behavior of moving the substrate. These ants are one size but do possess a stinger. A person is not stung easily unless the ant is caught in close circumstances such as resting an arm or leg over an infested area as in a lawn. These ants will also forage into structures on food items and will feed anything sweet or greasy. Because these ants next underground and have multiple queens, there have been problems with management.
Red Mites
There are thousands of mite species, the majority of which measure less than 1 mm in length. Like other arachnids, their bodies are comprised of the prosoma and abdomen, and mites bear four pairs of legs. Beginning as eggs, these arachnids develop through larval and pupal stages prior to full maturation. They can survive on land and in water. Although most mites are not harmful to animals, some species are parasitic in nature. Parasitic mites that attack animal hosts can cause severe skin irritation known as mange. Bird mites are similarly bothersome to poultry, while spider mites are destructive to crops. Some parasitic species are more dangerous than others, as they reside within the respiratory tracts of their hosts. Others, such as chiggers, can transfer dangerous diseases.
Fleas
Adults small, wingless, about 2.5 mm long.
Their bodies are shiny and reddish brown in color.
Covered with microscopic hair and are compressed to allow for easy movement through animal fur. Adults are parasites that draw blood from a host. Larvae feed on organic debris, particularly the feces of adult fleas, which contain undigested blood. Fleas commonly prefer to feed on hairy animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice and other domesticated or wild animals. Fleas do not have wings, although they are capable of jumping long distances. Eggs are not attached to the host. Eggs will hatch on the ground, in rugs, carpet, bedding, upholstery or cracks in the floor. Most hatch within two days. Fleas depend on a blood meal from a host to survive, so most fleas are introduced into the home via pets or other mammal hosts
Roaches
Adults can be slightly more than 50 mm (3 inches) long. Female American cockroaches make protective cases for their eggs. These cases are capsule-shaped. After forming a capsule, the roach deposits it in a warm, humid area. An average American roach egg capsule contains about 16 eggs. Both male and female American cockroaches can fly. The wings develop when the roaches become adults. American cockroaches normally live outdoors. They prefer warm, damp areas like flowerbeds, and under mulch. American cockroaches are very common in sewer systems of many American cities. American cockroaches enter homes to find water or food. They can easily pass under doors if the weather stripping is damaged. Basement windows and garages are also common entryways. When American cockroaches enter homes, they often go to bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements.
Beetles
Beetles belong to the insect order Coleoptera. This is the largest order of insects. There are more than a quarter million species of beetles in the world. In North America, scientists have identified more than 25,000 beetle species. Some beetles can become destructive pests. Carpet beetle larvae eat natural fibers and feathers. They often damage woolens and other fabrics. Other beetles, like powderpost beetles, feed on hardwoods and bamboo. These pests attack furniture and other items made of wood.Some, like the flour beetles and the grain beetles, attack food products in homes. They also damage food in production facilities and stores. Some beetles damage lawns and landscapes. Immature June beetles, called grubs, attack the roots of grass. The elm leaf beetle damages trees by eating the leaves.