American Cockroaches

 American cockroach (Blattaria: Blattidae, Periplaneta americana) adults are 1 and 1/2 inches long and are reddish brown and have a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head. When disturbed, may run rapidly and adults may fly. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that they are wingless.

American cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 84 degrees Fahrenheit and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material.

Females produce egg cases and carry them protruding from the tip of the abdomen for about two days. Egg cases are then generally placed on a surface in a hidden location. Egg cases are 3/8 inch long, brown, and purse shaped. Immature cockroaches emerge from egg cases in 6 to 8 weeks and require 6 to 12 months to mature. Adult cockroaches can live up to one year.

Photo © Pioneer Pest Managment 4119 Brick Schoolhouse Road Hamlin, NY

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Argentine Ants



Photo © Geek On The Run Technology Services Long Island, NY

This light to dark brown ant, about one-tenth inch long; antenna has 12 segments. The Argentine ant is readily adaptable and can nest in a great variety of situations. Colonies are massive, and may contain hundreds of queens, nests are usually located in moist soil, next to or under buildings, along sidewalks, or beneath boards. They travel in trails, forage day and night. This ant can eat almost anything but prefers sweets. It has no important natural enemy in the United States.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

 Asian Lady Beetle



Photo by Scott Bauer.

Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis
The Asian lady beetle is a common and widespread wintertime household pest across most of the United States. Large numbers of these insects invade homes during the fall and remain active over the winter, especially in late winter when temperatures warm and days get longer. Ladybugs do not feed and cannot reproduce indoors; they have not multiplied indoors although it must seem that way to homeowners who have been inundated with them.

When lady beetles stranded indoors for the winter are emerging from inside house walls, there is no control option more practical or effective than repeated vacuuming. Spraying insecticides has little or no effect. However, one alternative for homeowners unable/unwilling to pursue wintertime ladybug control via vacuuming is the use of lady beetle traps as indoor collecting devices.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Australian Cockroaches



Photo © Allpet Roaches

Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiea fabricius)

The Australian cockroach closely resembles the American cockroach , but can be separated from it by its slightly smaller size , about 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 inches long and the wings of both sexes cover the abdomen. The Australian cockroach life cycle requires about one year from egg to adult. This world-wide species has become established in the southern U.S. and in many greenhouses. In the United States, it is most abundant in Florida and the coastal southern states, and in California it ranges as far north as San Francisco. It lives outdoors around the perimeter of houses and is the most prevalent cockroach outdoors in south Florida. Australian cockroaches are prevalent in leaf litter, in and around shrubs, flowers and trees, tree holes, wood piles, garages, crawl spaces, attics, and greenhouses. It is a pest when it enters homes where it may eat holes in clothing and feed upon book covers. It is apparently more vegetarian than the other cockroaches.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Baldfaced Hornets


 

The Bald faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) are black and white, 5/8 to 3/4 of an inch long and are actually a yellowjacket.

Its nest is a gray "paper" envelope with several layers of combs inside. A mature nest is bigger than a basketball, but pear-shaped, with the larger end at the top and an entrance hole near the bottom.
A single, over-wintering queen begins building the nest in the spring. She lays eggs and tends the first batch of larvae that develop into workers. These workers tend new larvae and expand the nest throughout the summer. A mature colony can have several hundred workers by the end of the summer. In fall, workers die and next year's queens find over-wintering sites.
Baldfaced hornets are beneficial, capturing insects (often including other yellowjackets) to feed to their larvae. Though larger than other yellowjackets, Baldfaced hornets are generally more docile. But they can become aggressive and will sting when their nest is disturbed or threatened.
A Baldfaced nest is usually constructed high in a tree. In these cases the nest is best left alone. In fact, Baldfaced hornet nests are often first noticed in fall when leaves drop, exposing the nest. By this time the hornets are dead or dying, and the nest will not be reused.
Occasionally you will find a Baldfaced nest built on the side of a building, in low shrubbery, or even in an attic or shed. Nests in these sites will probably need to be eliminated.

Information Courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Bed Bugs


The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius Linnaeus) probably received its name from its close association with human bedding. Bed bugs often seek refuge in bedding during the day and feed on the bed's occupants at night. These insects are known by several names: wall louse, house bug, mahogany flat, red coat, and crimson ramblers, to name a few.

While bed bugs feed primarily on humans, they also feed on other mammals, poultry, and other birds. Their host range is confused by the fact that the insect family Cimicidae, of which the common bed bug is a member, has several closely related species with similar habits and appearance. Among those reported in New Mexico are the western bat bug (Cimex pilosellus Horvath) and the swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius Horvath). While these insects prefer other hosts, they can, when stressed, feed on humans.

It has never been proven that bed bugs are disease carriers in the United States. They are spread mainly by clothing and baggage of travelers and visitors, secondhand beds, bedding materials, furniture, and laundry.

The mature bed bug is a brown- to mahogany-colored, wingless insect. Its size depends on how recently it has eaten a blood meal. An unfed bed bug is between 1/4 and 3/8 inches long. The upper surface of its body has a papery, crinkly, flimsy appearance. When engorged with blood, its body becomes elongated and swollen, and its color changes from brown to dull red. The color, size, and shape change from an unfed to a full bug is remarkable.

Bed bug eggs are white and about 1/3-inch long. Under favorable conditions the female bed bug lays about 200 eggs at the rate of 3 or 4 per day. Eggs have a sticky coating and stick to objects where they are laid. It usually takes the eggs 6 to 17 days to hatch, and the newly emerged nymphs will feed immediately. A bed bug goes through five molts (shedding of its skin) before it reaches maturity. Depending on environmental factors and the availability of food, there can be considerable variation in developmental rate. Bed bugs may live for several weeks to several months without feeding, depending on temperature.

A bed bug generally feeds at night, but if it is hungry and the area has a dim light, it may feed during the day. A bed bug generally pierces the skin of humans as they sleep. It injects a fluid into the human skin to aid in obtaining blood. Often this fluid causes a welt on the skin that becomes irritated, inflamed, and itchy. If left undisturbed, a full-grown bed bug becomes engorged with blood in 3 to 5 minutes. It then crawls into hiding, remaining there for several days to digest its meal. When hunger returns, the bug emerges from hiding and seeks another blood meal.

Heavily used hiding places are evident by black or brown spots of dried blood excrement on the surfaces where the bugs rest. Eggs, egg shells, and cast skins may be found near these places. Usually there is an offensive odor where bed bugs are numerous. In early infestations the bed bugs are found only about the tufts, seams, and folds of mattresses and daybed covers; later they spread to cracks and crevices in the bedsteads. If allowed to multiply, they establish themselves behind baseboards, window and door casings, pictures, and moldings, and in furniture, loosened wallpaper, and cracks in plaster and partitions.

L.M. English, Extension Entomologist College of Agriculture and Home Economics New Mexico State University

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Black Widow Spiders




Photographer: Ronald F. Billings, Texas Forest Service

Black Widow Spiders Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius)
Northern Widow Spider Latrodectus variolus (Walckenaer)

Spring and summer is when you find an over abundance of spiders around the house. In many instances, at least one of these spiders can be identified as the black widow . The black widow spider is present in every state in the union and is found in Canada and South America. The males and females are distinctly different in appearance.

The female is shiny black with a bright red hourglass shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen. A mature female, with legs extended, is up to two inches long with the abdomen ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. The male is much smaller with its overall length less than one inch. It is usually lighter than the female in overall color and has light streaks on his abdomen.

The web on this species is also distinctive. The strands of silk run in many directions so the web appears as a concentration of irregularly arranged threads. The silk strand of the web is considerably heavier and stronger than those of other species that form similarly shaped webs. The female hangs upside down in the web such that the red hourglass faces up. The egg sacs, which contain up to several hundred eggs, are most frequently encountered from May to October. The female typically stays with and guards the sac until the eggs hatch. The young spiderlings remain inside the sac for several days subsequent to hatching. Within a few days after emergence, the spiderlings release strands of silk out into the breeze and are carried off into a new territory. Most of these flights occur during the early fall months.

Development from egg to adult may take from two to four months or more. A female may live a year or more after maturity. Males are sometimes killed by the female soon after mating, thus the name "widow" is attached to the spider.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Book Lice


 

Booklice belong to a group of insects collectively called psocids. The psocids are small, soft-bodied insects, most of which are less than one-eighth of an inch long. They are both winged and wingless. Psocids have chewing mouthparts.

The majority of psocids are outdoor species with well developed wings. They are most commonly found on bark or foliage of trees and shrubs. These psocids are frequently called "barklice." Most of the species found in buildings are wingless. Because they are often found among books or papers, they are called booklice. The term "lice" in the names is somewhat misleading because none of these insects are parasites and few of them have a louselike appearance. Psocids feed on molds, fungi, cereals, pollen, fragments of dead insects, or other similar materials. They cause little loss by actually eating foodstuffs since they do feed chiefly on mold. At times they may become extremely abundant and spread through an entire building. In such situations they may contaminate foods and materials to the point the goods must be discarded. Damage to books may be more direct. They eat the starch sizing in the bindings of books and along the edges of pages.

The eggs of psocids are laid singly or in clusters and are often covered with silken webs or debris. Most species pass through six nymphal stages. The entire life span from egg to adult is between thirty and sixty days.

Reduction of moisture to eliminate formation of mold is a very effective method for controlling booklice. Infested furniture, bedding, or other movable furnishings should be thoroughly cleaned and aired.

Source: ©University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Bottle Flies



Include a number of species including the common bluebottle fly, Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus) the green bottlefly, Phaenicia sericata (Meigen) and others. Adult flies are metallic blue, green, copper or black colored flies that otherwise resemble house flies in appearance.
Other Calliphoridae include the black blow fly, Phormia regina (Meigen), and the cluster fly, Pollenia rudis (Fabricius). Larvae of cluster flies parasitize earth worms. Adult flies hibernate in homes. Species of the family, Sarcophagidae, are also found in association with carrion and excrement, although some feed on decaying vegetation or are parasitic.

One example of this family is the flesh fly, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis Fallen (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). Adults are similar to blow flies but are patterned a checkerboard (tessellated) of gray and black on the abdomen. The hair on the last antennal segment (arista) is bear or less feathery than those of Calliphoridae.
Female flies lay eggs on or near suitable habitats. Tiny maggots hatch from eggs in 6 to 48 hours.

Photo © General Exterminating, Inc.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Boxelder Bugs


 

The boxelder bug, Boisea trivittatis, formerly Leptocorouos trivittatis, is a true bug, of the order Hemiptera, which means half-winged. Most Hemiptera are "good bugs" that is, predators such as Aquatic Bugs, Damsel Bugs, Ambush Bugs, Assassin Bugs, etc. The boxelder bugs are sort of in the middle. They do very little damage to the trees they attack, but at certain times of the year they can become a nuisance. Boxelder bugs develop by gradual metamorphosis, from egg, to nymph, then to adult.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

 Brown Bat



Photo © United Exterminating Company

Brown bats, gentle and intelligent animals, ordinarily have but one pup per year. Bats suckle their young, just like other mammals. They are successful, helpful animals, usually very unobtrusive. Most people don't realize it, but the air is alive with bats every evening, even in the winter. The echo location skills of insect-eating bats are legend. They can fly and avoid obstacles that you and I can't even see. They can overtake, capture and eat insects on the wing. The brown bat scoops them up in a pocket of his wings and pops them into his mouth without missing a wingbeat. The brown bat is not “blind” either - they can actually see quite well. It's just that since they hunt insects at night, they use their own sonar for the chore.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Brown Cockroach


 

Brown cockroach (Periplaneta brunnea burmeister)

The Brown cockroach is often mistaken for an American cockroach . The adult is reddish-brown, but is somewhat darker in color. It is 1¼-1½ inch long. The Brown cockroach was first reported in the United States in 1907 in Illinois, but is well established in numerous states throughout the Southeast. While its distribution has grown, it is still confined to the southeastern states. The Brown cockroach occurs mainly outdoors, under the bark of trees and in sewers.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Brown Dog Tick



Adult Male (left) and Female (right)
Photo ©University of California Department of Entomology

The Brown dog tick is associated with domestic dogs, their kennels, runs, and houses. When ticks are not on a dog, they hide in cracks and crevices, often in great numbers. In the United States, brown dog ticks rarely bite people. However, houses with brown dog tick infestations may become overrun with them. It is most numerous in the southern and southwestern states and in California. The brown dog tick is a hard tick that spends all its life cycle in and near the living quarters of its host. Engorged females drop off and crawl into cracks and crevices to lay eggs. Larvae and nymphs also hide in such places and come out only when ready to feed. Dog kennels, runs,and houses may shelter hundreds of hiding ticks.

Adult males are reddish-brown, 1/12 to 1/8 inch long. Adult unengorged females resemble males. Engorged adult females may be 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. Females have gray-blue to olive bodies. The nymphs resemble adult females, but are smaller. The larvae resemble small nymphs, but have six legs. The eggs, laid in groups of thousands, show a whitish spot just before hatching, but are smooth, shiny dark brown, otherwise. After laying eggs, the shriveled female dies.

Under ideal conditions the life cycle may be completed in about two months, however, under normal conditions, with a host present, there are usually 3 to 4 generations per year. Because larval and nymphal stages can live two months without feeding, and adults can live at least eight months with no host, infestations can persist long after dogs leave the premises.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Brown Recluse


 

Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa) 

Soft-bodied, yellowish-tan to dark brown, the brown recluse is about ¼ to ½-inch long and have long, delicate gray to dark brown legs covered with short, dark hairs. They have 3 pairs of eyes arranged in a semicircle on the front of the head. The recluse also has a violin-shaped marking behind the eyes. The neck of the violin points away from the head toward the abdomen.

Brown recluse spiders are most active at night and prefer dark, undisturbed areas. Like the black widow, the brown recluse is not aggressive but will bite if disturbed. Bites are rarely fatal but do require immediate attention by a physician.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Brown Widow Spiders 


Photo ©F.J. Santana

Brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus)
Distribution Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.

Because they vary from light tan to dark brown or almost black, with variable markings of black, white, yellow, orange, or brown on the back of their abdomens, brown widows are not as easy to recognize. The underside of the abdomen, if you can see it, contains the characteristic hourglass marking. Unlike the black widow, the hourglass is orange to yellow orange in color.
Its egg sac is very different from those of the other widow spiders. Instead of the smooth white to tan surface, the outside of the egg sac is covered with pointed projections giving it the appearance of a globe with many pointed protuberances on its surface. It has also been described as tufted or fluffy looking.
Source:Philip G. Koehler Sarasota County Cooperative Extension Service.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Brown-Banded Cockroaches


 

The adults are rather small cockroaches about 5/8 inch long. The adult male is slender in appearance with its wings extending beyond the tip of the abdomen. Adult females have shorter wings that expose a considerable portion of their broad abdomens. They have two light yellow or cream-colored bands across their backs. These bands tend to be hidden by the wings in the adults.

The life cycle of the brown-banded cockroach takes from 95-276 days, with an average of 161 days. It prefers temperatures over 80°F; temperatures below 75°F retard its development. The egg capsule is yellowish or reddish/brown in color and is 3/16 inches in length. The female carries the egg capsule for 24 to 36 hours and then attaches it to some object. Egg capsules may be glued to desks, tables and other furniture, and even in bedding. This habit of hiding capsules in furniture probably accounts for its spread.

Brown-banded cockroaches are abundant in the southern, midwest, and northeastern states. They are mainly a temperate pest thriving in heated buildings despite cold winters. Brown-banded cockroaches are found in homes, apartments, hotels, and hospitals. They are less frequently found in stores restaurants and kitchens. They are frequently transported in furniture and will spread rapidly through an entire building. Brown-banded cockroaches are generally found on ceilings, high on walls, behind picture frames, and near motors of refrigerators and other appliances. They are also found in light switches, closets and furniture. These cockroaches dislike light and are not normally seen during the day.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Bumble Bee
Large black bees with hairy abdomens

 

Bumble bees are very similar in appearance to carpenter bees however, they are more closely related to honey bees in their habits. Each bumble bee nest has one queen. The queen is about the same size as the average carpenter bee, about 3/4 inch long, while the brood are smaller, about 3/8 to 1/2 inch long. Their nests are much smaller than most honey bee nests, with an average of 200 bumble bees to a nest.

Bumble bee nests are built in hollow voids in the ground or hollow trees. Occasionally they will nest in wall voids or crawl spaces in houses. Many times their nests will be found under sheds and in agricultural buildings. Each nest is started by the queen in the Spring and is only used for one season. Like other bees the females are the only ones with stingers. They rarely attack or sting unless they are prevoked or they sense their nest is in danger. They are a very beneficial insect in that they pollinate many flowers and other plants. They should not be killed unless their nests are situated where they pose a human threat.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Camel Crickets



Photo © University of Arkansas

There are several species of crickets which go by the name "camel cricket" because of their slightly humpbacked appearance. Their long legs sometimes give them a spider-like appearance. Most species of camel crickets are of no consequence, but one species, Tachycines asynamorous, frequently becomes a nuisance indoors. This species is also known as the "greenhouse stone cricket" because it is frequently found in greenhouses. Unlike most cricket species, camel crickets do not "chirp". If you are hearing chirping sounds, then you likely have field crickets, which can be controlled in the same manner, as outlined below. Outdoors, camel crickets are most commonly found in the soil, under stones and logs, or in stacks of firewood. Areas overgrown with vegetation, such as ivy and other ground covers, provide excellent hiding places (harborages). Camel crickets pass the winter as immatures (nymphs) or adults. In early spring, the females begin to lay eggs in the soil. A few weeks later, the nymphs hatch from these eggs. Nymphs looks almost identical to the adult, except that they are smaller.

Camel crickets become a problem when we have extremes in weather conditions, i.e, excessive rainfall or extended periods of hot, dry weather. Like many insect pests, camel crickets are attracted to harborage sites, i.e., cool, moist areas in and around the home. The crickets often invade storage buildings, crawlspaces, basements, garages and indoor areas where moisture may be a problem (e.g., bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.). Although they are mostly a nuisance pest, they can damage stored items, such as garments and linens packed in boxes in a garage or basement if the problem goes unchecked for some time and the crickets cannot find suitable food.

Reference
North Carolina Extension Service

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Carpenter Ants



Photo © Geek On The Run Technology Services Long Island, NY

Click here for photo Carpenter Ants ©Herman Moxey Fidelity Exterminating

Click here for photo Carpenter Ant Queen ©Robert G. Bellinger, Clemson University Carpenter Ant (Camponotus)
These ants are large. They are a nuisance by their presence when found in parts of the home such as the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and other quarters. They do not eat wood, but remove quantities of it to expand their nest size, sometimes causing structural damage. Winged males are smaller than winged queens. Wingless queens measure 5/8 inch, winged queens 3/4 inch, large major workers 1/2 inch, and small minor workers 1/4 inch. Workers have some brown on them, while queens are black. Workers have large heads and a small thorax, while adult swarmers have a smaller head and large thorax. The petiole has one node and the profile of the thorax has an evenly rounded upper surface (workers only).

Carpenter ants normally build their nests in hollow trees, logs, posts, landscaping timbers and wood used in homes and other structures. Unlike termites, they do not feed on wood but merely use it as a place in which to build a nest. They prefer moist or partially decayed wood, frequently entering existing cavities or void areas through cracks and crevices.

The ants usually cut galleries with the grain of the wood, following the softer parts. They leave the harder wood as walls separating the tunnels. They cut openings in these walls to interconnect the galleries. Access to the outside may be through natural openings, or the ants may cut openings where none exist naturally.

Occupied galleries are kept immaculate. Shredded wood fragments from the excavations are carried from the nest and deposited outside. Cone-shaped piles of these fragments sometimes build up beneath the “windows” or other nest openings. The piles may also contain inedible parts of insects from their diet, bits of sand or soil, dead ant bodies from the colony, and gener-al debris. This “sawdust” or “frass” is not always visible, because ants may dispose of it in hollow parts of trees, void areas in structures, or unused galleries in the nest.

Carpenter ants become pests when they nest in one of the voids or damp areas in human construction, or when they forage for food in our houses. Usually, an infestation occurs when all or part of an existing colony moves into a house from outside. Ants can enter when tree branches or utility lines contact a structure; through cracks and crevices around windows and in foundation walls; through ventilation openings in the attic; and through foundation heating or air conditioning ducts.

They usually nest in wood that is very moist or previously damaged by water or termites. A colony develops best in wood with moisture content above 12 to 15 percent. This requires the wood to be wet by rain, leaks, condensation or high continuous relative humidity.
Carpenter ants can an do travel up to 100 yards from there nest site.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central. 

Carpenter Bees
Large, black bees with yellow markings


Photo © United Exterminating Company

In the late-spring and early summer, homeowners often notice large, black bees hovering around the outside of their homes. These are probably carpenter bees searching for mates and favorable sites to construct their nests.
Male Valley carpenter bee, varipuncla Patton
Male carpenter bees are quite aggressive, often hovering in front of people who are around the nests. The males are quite harmless, however, since they lack stingers. Female carpenter bees can inflict a painful sting but seldom will unless they are handled or molested. Carpenter bees resemble bumble bees, but the upper surface of their abdomen is bare and shiny black; bumble bees however, have a hairy abdomen with at least some yellow markings.

Source: University of Kentucky Entomology
Pictures © United Exterminating.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Case-Bearing Moth


Larval Case Photo ©Elland, W. Yorks

CASE-BEARING MOTH

So named because the larvae carry their pupal cases about as they feed and travel, case-bearing moths are much less likely to be found in your home than the Common Clothes moth.
Look for the faint, dark smudges on the wings of the adult. The wings have a very slight, darker, dusky appearance, compared with the clothes moth, giving it a slightly dull appearance. The eggs are visible only under a low-power microscope. The larva of the Case-Bearing moth is much more easily identified because of their cases, open on one end, and dragged about, wherever they go. The larvae only expose the first few segments, staying within their case for protection.

The larvae never leave their cases, and when ready to pupate, will seal off both ends of the case, and when the adult finally emerges, they cut through the end of the thin silken case. The Case-bearing moth is usually found around carpets and heavy woolen draperies. Case-bearing clothes moths are not that economically important, certainly not as much as the common clothes moth.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Centipede



Photo ©University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

Centipedes have pair of poison claws behind the head and use the poison to paralyze their prey, usually small insects. However, the jaws of centipedes are weak and can rarely penetrate human skin. The rare individuals who are bitten may experience localized swelling and pain no worse than a bee sting.

The house centipede is found throughout the United States. This centipede can be found outside under stones, boards, or sticks or beneath moist leaf litter and other organic matter. When disturbed, centipedes move swiftly toward darkened hiding places. When they are found in homes, they are often found in moist basements, damp closets and in bathrooms. Centipedes require moist habitats. If they are plentiful, there may be an underlying moisture problem that should be corrected. Usually, the best thing is an exterminator.

Information courtesy of IPCO pest and insect information central.

Cicadas