Carpenter ants have one node on their petiole and come in many varieties with different sizes and colors (tan, black and red). These ants feed on insects and insect secretions but also like sweets and many other foods. Carpenter ants hollow out dead, moist wood in trees, firewood, fence posts, and even structural framing and wood members in structures to build their nests but they do not eat the wood. Inside structures they build colonies in wall voids, foam insulation, eves, crawl spaces, behind siding, in attic insulation and many other places. Carpenter ant nests have even been found in areas where no dampness is found. Carpenter ants forage at night during the summer; however they often invade structures spring and fall looking for food sources. Many times homeowners will find these ants swarming inside, especially around lights and windows. The first step in controlling Carpenter ants is to locate the colony. Inspection is best done at night when these ants foraging activity is increased. The most common areas to inspect are areas of the structure associated with high levels of moisture. Common areas are window and door frame areas, roof line moisture spots, deck frame plates, Basement sill plates, around plumbing walls or areas where you are aware of moisture problems. Also check trees and tree stumps close to structures and landscape ties. Check tree branches and limbs touching the structure. Follow foraging Carpenter ants in order to find their nesting sites.
Spiders
The black widow spider is present across the entire United States. This spider is found outdoors in all kinds of protected areas. Around homes, it lives in garages, cellars, furniture, ventilators, rain spouts, gas and electric meters and many other undisturbed places. Like most spiders, the black widow is shy and retiring. People are bitten when they accidentally disturb a hidden spider or its web. Females are usually jet black in color. The lower side of their rounded abdomen is marked by two reddish triangles resembling an hourglass in shape. In some individuals the markings may be irregular, spot-like or even absent. The black widow’s overall length averages about 1 1/2 inches. The black widow has eight eyes in two rows, which is a common pattern in many spiders. Gravid females lay their eggs singly in a loosely woven cup of silk. The oval egg sacs are about 1/2 inch long. These egg sacs hold from 25 to 900 or more eggs, which undergo an incubation period of about 20 days. The spiderling’s usually stay near the egg sac for a few days after they emerge. Cannibalism is prevalent during this time. Eventually the surviving spiderling’s disperse by means of small silk threads. When they are about one-third grown they establish themselves in some protected place and construct loosely woven webs. The spiders usually remain in their webs for the rest of their lives. As they mature they extend their webs and capture progressively larger prey. Males eventually leave their webs to find females for mating. The females sometimes eat the males after mating; this habit is what gave the black widow their name. A black widow bite feels like a pin prick and sometimes is not even felt. Usually, a slight local swelling and two red spots surrounded by local redness indicates the location of the bite. Pain becomes intense in 1 to 3 hours and may continue for up to 48 hours. Symptoms include abdominal pains, rise in blood tremors, loss of muscle tone and vomiting. The toxin also causes breathing difficulties and sometimes unconsciousness. Mortality estimates from a black widow spider bite is less than 5 percent.
Termites
Termites are extremely important in nature. They recycle fallen trees and other materials back into the soil. Termites are needed in our environment, however, a termite cannot tell the difference between a log and a board in your home. Therefore, homeowners must understand termites and the current control methods available to them.
Bed Bugs
Adults and all nymphal stages of Cimex spp. need to take blood meals from warm-blooded hosts, which are typically humans for C. lectularius and C. hemipterus, although other mammals and birds can be utilized in the absence of a human host. Female bed bugs lay about five eggs daily throughout their adult lives in a sheltered location (mattress seams, crevices in box springs, spaces under baseboards, etc). Eggs hatch in about 4-12 days into first instar nymphs which must take a blood meal before molting to the next stage. The bugs will undergo five nymphal stages each one requiring a blood meal before molting to the next stage, with the fifth stage molting into an adult. Nymphs, although lacking wing buds, resemble smaller versions of the adults. Nymphs and adults take about 5-10 minutes to obtain a full blood meal. The adults may take several blood meals over several weeks, assuming a warm-blooded host is available. Mating occurs off the host and involves a unique form of copulation called ‘traumatic insemination’ whereby the male penetrates the female’s abdominal wall with his external genitalia and inseminates into her body cavity. Adults live 6-12 months and may survive for long periods of time without feeding.
Fleas
Fleas attack pets, man, and warm blooded animals (hosts) to feed. Fleas are small, wingless insects, which are dark in color and have strong legs that enable them to swiftly jump long distances. People often first become aware of flea infestations due to itching and annoying flea bites rather then usually spotting the pest. Bites most commonly occur in the ankles and may consist of 2 - 3 bites in a row. Dogs that are being attacked by fleas may suddenly stop and scratch excessively or bite affected areas. In severe cases, the dog may experience hair loss or skin infections. Fleas transmit disease and also tapeworms. Fleas also transmit Typhoid fever and bubonic plaque. A flea can jump 7 to 8 inches vertically and 14 - 16 inches horizontally. Fleas can live without a host for weeks. The most common fleas are the cat fleas. Fleas are attracted to body heat, movement, and carbon dioxide exhaled.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are one of the most successful animals known in the evolution of the planet. There are more then 3,500 cockroach species existing in the world. Cockroaches are classified in the insect order Blattaria. They are separated into five families based on their shared characteristics, namely, Blattidae, Blattellidae, Cryptocercidae, Polyphagidae and Blaberidae. In general, cockroaches are tropical and live outdoors. However, 25 species are found in close association with humans. Cockroaches which are in close association with humans are of public health importance because they can mechanically transmit pathogenic organisms, and are a source of powerful allergens.
Silverfish
Silverfish and firebrats develop slowly under usual household conditions and produce few young. They are able to live without food for several months. The females lay eggs during all seasons in secluded places such as behind books or on closet shelves. Silverfish lay eggs singly or only a few at a time, but may deposit several batches over a period of weeks. Firebrats deposit about 50 eggs at a time, and again, may lay several batches. Eggs hatch in a few weeks and the rate of growth of the young depends on the temperature and humidity in the building. Silverfish and firebrats may reach maturity in 3 to 24 months.
Bees
Bumble bees usually nest in cavities below ground, like rodent burrows, or they can be found above ground in trash piles, lumber piles, wall voids, etc. Nests are started in the spring by single fertilized females. Each bee builds a large irregular cell of wax and pollen and stocks it with pollen and nectar. Several eggs are laid in the cell; the female then enlarges it and supplies the young with additional food. She speeds the development of her eggs and young by incubating them. They become workers when mature and take over the tasks of pollen and nectar collecting, feeding young, and other nest duties. Honey and pollen may be stored in vacated cells. Nests rarely have more then a hundred workers at a time. Only future queens survive the winter by hibernating in the ground. Bumblebees are very important pollinators of many flowers. The sting of a bumblebee is very painful at the sting site, and is followed by local swelling and irritation. The intense pain doesn’t last long, and the swelling disappears after several hours. Itching and mild irritation may persist for a few days. If you are stung and your reaction includes unusual swelling
Wasps
Wasps, because of their food preferences, exhibit scavenging behavior and are more of a nuisance to man. Wasps, mainly the social species, annoy us during outings and barbecues, competing with us for our food and soft drinks.
Earwigs
European earwigs are often considered to be general household pests because of the large numbers that can accumulate when they seek shelter in homes and buildings. They are scavengers, and normally feed on decaying plant and animal matter. Earwigs will feed on living plant matter, as well, but they rarely cause serious damage to plants.
Flies
The Drain flies are the most commonly encountered fly or gnat in commercial establishments. They are approximately 1/10†long, and have long hairs on their wings and bodies, giving them a fuzzy appearance. Wings are held roof-like over the body when the fly is at rest.
Centipedes
Centipedes are related to millipedes and are also worm-like in form, but they differ in having flattened bodies and only one pair of legs on each body segment. They also possess a pair of poison claws or legs just behind the head which are used to paralyze their prey which are usually other small insects or animals. Most centipedes are beneficial, yet the large species found in tropic areas can reach a length of up to 18 inches and inflict a painful bite.
Millipedes
Warm, wet weather always encourages the activity of several moisture loving creatures, including millipedes, or thousand feet worms, and their relatives, the centipede. At times millipedes become so abundant that they cover surface areas as they enter homes and other buildings. Millipedes are cylindrical, segmented, worm like creatures, with two pairs of legs on each body segment, except for the last three, which have only one pair. Over 1000 species occur in the United States. Their activity is encouraged by wet conditions and the overuse of mulches around structures and homes.
Beetles
The coloration of Asian lady beetles varies widely, ranging from mustard yellow to orange and deep red. The number of spots also varies from several to none.
Hornets
Yellow jackets, hornets and paper wasps construct nests made of paper. The nest of a paper wasp consists of one layer of open cells. They are often build in shaded, protected areas, like underneath eaves, in vents, behind window shutters and vents, attics and even trees and shrubs. The nests of the yellow jacket, bald-faced hornet and European hornet are composed of multiple layers of cells which are enclosed in a paper envelope. The cells cannot be observed from the outside. Yellow jacket nests may be found in the ground, inside a building or in a tree. Hornets nests are generally found in trees or shrubs but may be build on the outside of structures.
Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets prefer to locate their nests in the ground, usually in an old rodent burrow or similar hole. This Wasp also commonly locates its nest inside the walls of a building by entering through cracks or holes in the outside walls.
Moths
The key is to check everything and eliminate any products that show signs of infestation. It is also important to check areas where foods have been spilled for hidden debris around crack and crevice areas. Sometimes rodent problems such as mice are also a complication in the inspection process since they take food debris and hide it in other areas. Bird seen is often one of the major sources of many problems. Indian meal moths can take 25 - 135 days for moth egg-egg development cycle to occur. One moth can lay 100 - 400 eggs over a 1 - 18 day period. Anything in the pantry, kitchen and surrounding problem areas needs to be checked. If all the infested sources are not removed then the problem will continue. Moths and beetles go through a complete metamorphous from an egg to larva to pupa, then an adult.
Pantry Pests
Pantry pests include, but are not limited to Rice Weevils, Granary Weevils, Grain Moths, Grain Borers, Drugstore Beetles, Tobacco Beetles, Indian Meal Moths, Confused Flour Beetles to name a few. An infestation of a stored product pest means eliminating the source of the infestation in order to achieve control and elimination. In private residences these insects are usually brought into the home in products from the grocery store. You must check everything sealed or unsealed including cereals, spices, flour, meal, dried products, bird seed, pet food and so on.
Aphids
Large yellow ants range in size from ¼ inch to 3/16th inch in length. These ants are pale yellow to yellow-red and have a single node on their petiole. Large yellow ants are referred to many times as “citronella ants†because they have a lemony smell when crushed. Nests may be in the soil under cover, in rotting wood or foundation walls. Nests are usually underground, although, and the ants only come to the surface at swarming time. Large yellow ants swarm in the early spring. When a colony is under a heated slab or floor, winter swarms may occur. These ants may push soil out of basement cracks giving the homeowner a thought that they may have termites. Yellow ants prefer sweets and tend aphids for the honeydew.
Firebrats
Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and firebrats (Thermobia domestica) cause damage in homes by eating foods and other materials that are high in protein, sugar or starch. They feed on cereals, moist flour, any paper on which there is glue or paste, sizing in paper including wall paper and book bindings, starch in clothing and rayon fabrics.
Slugs
European earwigs over winter as adults. Earwigs feed nocturnally, and can cause slug-like damage to plant leaves, flowers, fruits and vegetables. However, this damage can be differentiated from slug damage by the absence of the slimy trails slugs leave behind
Boxelder Bugs
If centipedes become a continued problem inside a structure then their may be another insect problem present since insects are a primary food source for centipedes. If centipedes are common indoors, look for insects such as cockroaches, flies, boxelder bugs, elm leaf beetles and other general insects. Controlling these insects may be the key to eliminating the centipede problem. Removing the mulch adjacent to the foundation or occasionally allowing it to dry out should also help reduce centipede activity.
The two species of bed bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cimicidae) usually implicated in human infestations are Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus. Although rare, humans may become incidental hosts of Cimex species of bats and birds.
Moles
The adult house mouse (Mus musculus) is about 3 1/2 inches long. The ears are moderately large and distinct. Mice are dusty gray, but some may be light brown to dark gray with the belly slightly lighter or a very light cream color. Their tail is about as long as their body and head combined (roughly 2 1/2 to 3 ¾ inches). An adult mouse weighs 1/2 to 1 ounce. The house mouse can live outdoors as a field rodent. However they should not be confused with pine mice, meadow mice, white-footed or dear mice, moles or shrews, all of which are entirely different animals. The house mouse is a prolific breeder. At 35 days of age they mature and carry embryos for 18 to 21 days. If a female aborts she can become pregnant again within 48 hours. The average litter size for the house mouse is about six. On average the house mouse can have litters every 40 to 50 days. On average mice live for 15 to 18 months, and some have been noted to live as long as six years. The house mouse eats about the same kinds of foods humans do including meats, grains cereals, seeds, fruits and vegetables. They prefer sweet liquids to water for drinking. The house mouse feeds on average 15 to 20 times a day. Their harborage areas are usually in a range of 15 to 20 feet. Once mice find a food to their liking they may avoid all other items.
Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are fairly husky, brownish rodents that weigh about 11 ounces to one pound. They are about 13 to 18 inches long including the tail which is 6 to 8 inches long on average. Norway rats prefer to eat fresh meat, fish and grain but can also survive easily on a small amount of garbage or decayed food along with an ounce of water. Their harborage areas are usually in a range of 100 - 150 feet but may exceed that area if food is scarce. Norway rats are burrowers and often dig in garbage, along foundation walls, under buildings and concrete slabs. Norway rat droppings are ¾ inch long and capsule shaped. Norway rats live for about 1 year on average and reach sexual maturity in around 3 to 5 months. Their litter varies from around 6 to 12 on average and they can have around 7 litters per year.
Mice
Rats and mice, in general, are found around all areas where humans dwell. Both rats and mice eat any kind of food people eat. They also contaminate 10 times as much food as they eat with urine, hair and droppings. They can carry many types of diseases including bubonic plaque, spirochetal jaundice, leptospirosis, rabies, ratbite fever, bacterial food poisoning just to name a few. Rats and mice also can cause fires by gnawing electrical wires in attics and other areas. The most common rodents around living areas are the Norway rat and house mouse.