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Two pairs of wings normally present; mouth parts piercing and sucking, forming a beak, or rostrum, normally held under body. Bed-bugs cannot fly, they must crawl or be passively transported in clothing, or probably in luggage, furniture, books and other objects. Their ability to withstand many months without feeding increases their chances of surviving. Any household can be invaded by bed-bugs, but it is likely that infestation will only become established in premises with low standards of hygiene. Bed-bugs are not regarded as disease carriers, but their blood feeding can cause severe irritation in some people, resulting in loss of sleep, lack of energy and listlessness, particularly in children.
This bug is about 1/2 inch long. It is black with three red lines on the thorax, a red line along each side, and an oblique red line on each wing. Boxelder bugs normally feed on the leaves, flowers, and seed pods of the boxelder tree to silver maple. Winter brings them into houses where they hide in small cracks and crevices in walls, doors and window casings, attics, and around the foundation. On warm winter days and early spring, they sometimes appear on light painted surfaces outdoors on the south and west sides of the house, resting in the sun.
The brown recluse spider has a characteristic marking on its back in the shape of a violin. The spider is generally not aggresive toward humans; and prefers to live in undisturbed areas, including attics, wood piles and storage sheds. This pest will bite if trapped or handled.
Carpenter ants are the largest ants (6 to 10mm) and often are black, red or dark brown. The most distinctive habit of the carpenter ants is their ability to nest in wood. Galleries are excavated and the ants pile coarse sawdust at the nest openings. Unlike termites that eat wood, carpenter ants scavenge on dead insects, insect honeydew or other materials. Carpenter ants primarily nest in wood that is softened by water damage and decay. Nests that are made from damaged wood can result in further structural damage. Carpenter ants do not sting but can produce a mildly painful pinch from their jaws.
Most centipede bodies are flattened and elongated. Centipedes feed on small insects and other arthropods. Centipedes are usually much less common in homes than millipedes. However, centipedes may be far more conspicuous. Centipedes in homes are found most frequently in the morning trapped in bathtubs or wash basins. They also may be seen darting for cover when a light is turned on in a dark room. Occasionally, startled centipedes may run in the direction of the person entering the room giving the incorrect impression that the centipede is "attacking."
Adult fleas are about 1/8 inch long, wingless, and have three pairs of legs. The hind pair of legs is modified for jumping. Fleas are vertically flat like a fish, and can move easily through the hair of a host. The immature stage or larval stage of the flea looks like a small white worm with a dark head. Flea eggs are small and white. The cooler and drier fall weather brings a reduction in the number of household fleas. However, house pets usually maintain small flea populations throughout the winter, with the numbers increasing slowly in the spring and exploding in the mid-to-late summer.
The Sawtoothed grain beetle probably originated from the Americas. The species will infest cereals and a wide range of foodstuffs. They are small, active insects which readily exploit cracks and crevices where they can hide. The female Saw-toothed grain beetle lays up to 400 eggs, either singly or in small batches, at a rate of 6 - 10 per day. These are laid in, or adjacent to, a suitable food supply and at a temperature of 20 - 23'C hatch ini 8 -17 days to give flattened larvae about 0.9mm long.
Millipedes live outdoors in damp areas such as under leaves, needles and dead plant debris, or in cracks and crevices. They feed on damp and decaying vegetable matter and are beneficial as "recyclers" of organic matter. However, they become a pest when they migrate into buildings as accidental invaders. Millipedes are usally found in the garage, basement or lowest level although they may wonder into other parts of the house. They are most active at night and usually hide during the day in cracks and other moist locations.
House mice are ubiquitous and exist in all climates and are routinely found both indoors and out. Their constant gnawing, urinating, and defecating causes extensive damage. Mice average 5-6 per litter and have as many as 8 litters per year. Mice carry diseases such as Salmonella, they can also transmit a type of Leptospirosis, but not Weil's disease. Their continual dribble of urine contaminates food and feedstuffs. Being so small they are very easily carried, unnoticed, in egg boxes, food packaging, laundry baskets, etc.
Pavement ants commonly make their nests around foundations, under rocks and in cracks of sidewalks and driveways. They are small ants (2.5 to 4mm) with a dark body, pale colored legs and anntennae, and have a series of grooves on their faces. Pavement ants forage on a variety of food that includes grease, meat, small seeds and sweets.
The silverfish lives and develops in damp, cool places. Large numbers may be found in new buildings in which the newly plastered walls are still damp. This insect is slender, wingless, and their bodies are covered with scales. Adults are about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Silverfish are shiny and silver or pearl-gray in color. They have two long slender antennae attached to their heads and three long trail-like appendages at the hind end. Silverfish are active at night and hide during the day.
Yellow Jacket Wasp 12-17.5 mm in length; head, thorax, and abdomen black and yellow or white; body fairly stout; wings are smoky. Can find them in meadows, gardens, hedges and forest edges. Usually nest in the ground or at ground level in fallen logs and tree stumps. In urban settings they can also be found under stairs, in fence posts, brick walls and discarded mattresses, carpets, boxes etc. They are very aggressive and will sting repeatedly at the least provocation.
Beware of Termites