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Cockroach - More than 3500 cockroach species exist worldwide including: the German cockroach, the Brown-banded cockroach, the Oriental cockroach, the American cockroach, the Smoky brown cockroach and the Wood cockroach. The German cockroach is the species most commonly found in North America.       

 

Spiders - Spiders are ancient animals with a history going back many millions of years. They have always been with us, an ancient source of fear and fascination. They are abundant and widespread and are natural  controllers of insect populations. Wherever you live, you're always close to a spider.

    

Flies - There are more than 100,000 different species of flies. They are found everywhere in the world--even in Antarctica. They belong to the order of insects called Diptera which means "two wings". Most insects have 4 wings. On the bodies of flies, however, over time, this second set of wings developed into small knobs called halteres that are located behind their main wings. These knobs help keep flies steady and balanced when they fly and make them very agile. They can maneuver themselves into intricate flight patterns, they can hover and spin, and they can even fly backwards.

 

Stored Product Pests

Stored product or pantry pests include several beetles, moths, and a mite that can infest whole grains or processed foods. Usually, the first sign of a problem is the appearance of small beetles crawling over counter tops, moths flying across rooms, or caterpillars crawling up walls or across ceilings. The solution requires finding and destroying all infested products in which these pests have developed, a general cleanup, and use of sealed storage containers to prevent recurring problems. Some stored product pests feed inside whole kernels. These include the granary weevil, rice weevil, and the Angoumois grain moth.

Control

While adults are the signs of an infestation, merely killing them is not the solution. Infested articles must be found and destroyed. Identification of the pest can provide clues on where to look but some of these insects can live on a wide range of materials.

Occasional Invaders

These pests are more of a nuisance than a matter of harm and may have only wandered inside accidentally. Some of theses pests cannot survive inside for a long period of time and may die before first being discovered. Here is a list of some of the most common pests that may find their way inside a structure.  

                           

Earwig - The name earwig comes from a superstition that these insects would enter the ears of sleeping people and bore into their brain. Their color varies from pale brown with dark markings to reddish brown to black with pale legs. They have 4 wings: front wings, leathery, short and meeting in a straight line down the back, and hind wings, membranous fan-shaped and folded under the front wings. Earwigs are nocturnal, active at night, and hide during the day in moist, shady areas. They can be found under planter boxes, stones, logs and in mulch. The earwig feeds on live or dead plants and insects.

 

Centipede - The adult is long, flattened, wormlike and can have over one hundred pairs of legs. The color is usually yellowish to dark brown and sometimes has dark stripes. Some species of the centipede can inflict a painful bite but is not lethal. All centipedes have poison jaws with which they inject to kill their prey. Most centipedes are nocturnal, coming out at night, unless disturbed. They are found in areas of high moisture such as bark, rotting logs, under stones, trash, piles of leaves and grass clippings. Centipedes are primarily carnivorous and obtain their required moisture from their prey.

 

Millipede - The adults are usually cylindrical and wormlike with up to one hundred pairs of legs. They are blackish to brownish in color but there are some that are red, orange or with mottled patterns. Adult females can lay hundreds of eggs in soil or decaying matter that will hatch in several weeks and usually reach adult maturity in a couple years. Millipedes are typically found in places with high moisture and decaying vegetation. They also feed upon the decaying organic matter such as plant material but will feed upon dead insects and are known to eat their molted skins to replace lost calcium.

 

Pillbug - The pillbug is commonly known as the "roly-poly" because of the way they roll into a tight ball when disturbed. The pillbug is not considered an insect but rather an arthropod. They are concave on top but flat underneath with 7 pairs of legs. The eggs are deposited and hatched within the pouch that is on the underside of the pillbug. The pillbug is confined to areas of high moisture because they lack a closing device for respiratory purposes and they lack an outer waxy layer on the exoskeleton to prevent water loss. The pillbug remains inactive and hidden during the day and can be found around the base of buildings, around trash, boards, rocks and other quiet areas. They feed on decaying organic matter such as plants and sometimes an occasional animal.

 

Sowbug - The sowbug, like the pillbug is classified as an arthropod. They are convex on the top of their body and flat or hollow underneath with 7 pairs of legs. The sowbug does not curl into a ball like the pillbug. Eggs are deposited and hatched within the pouch that is on the underside of the sowbug. Sowbugs are confined to areas of high moisture because they lack a closing device for respiratory purposes and they lack an outer waxy layer on the exoskeleton to prevent water loss. The sowbug remains inactive and hidden during the day to minimize water loss and can be found around the base of buildings, around trash, boards rocks and other quiet areas. They feed on decaying organic matter such as plants and sometimes an occasional animal.

 

Beetle - There are many types of beetles and some are quite colorful. They come in many sizes and shapes. Beetles are usually found outside under rocks or in trees. Many beetles will be attracted to light and are more of a nuisance than anything else. The beetle can be beneficial by feeding on insects and larvae of unwanted pests. Many people are curious about beetles and request additional information, which requires specific identification.

 

Silverfish - The silverfish is a small, soft insect without wings and usually brown or gray in color. Silverfish are nocturnal and are rarely seen by homeowners. Silverfish normally live outdoors under rocks, bark and leaf mold, in the nests of birds and mammals, and in ant and termite nests. However, many are found in houses and are considered a pest, or at least a nuisance, by homeowners. Usually they are found trapped in a bathtub, sink, or washbasin. Sanitation alone will not eliminate an infestation, although it may prevent new ones from starting. A large infestation usually means the house has been infested for some time. Silverfish can live for many months without feeding.

                    604-722-3002     778-329-3864