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Wanna know a little more about bugs?

Flying/Stinging

Household

Outdoor Invaders

Rodents

Wood Destroyers

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Common Outdoor Invaders
Earwig
	(Length: 3/4" to 1 1/2") Earwigs were named by a superstition that the insect would crawl purposely into the ears of sleeping people. More easily recognized by its forceps-like tail appendage, the earwig is a major garden pest, as well as an annoying household pest. It is one of the few insects that take care of its young. Earwigs feed on green plants, and other vegetation, and do little damage indoors. The pinch of their forceps is neither painful nor poisonous, but does an effective "scare" job.
House Cricket
	(Length: 3/4") The tan house cricket is found in warm, damp, dark places such as shrubs, grass, basements or crawl spaces. Active mostly at night, they will eat almost anything they can chew from rugs to drapes, and they usually enter a building from harborage right outside.
Millipede
	(Length: 1" – 1 1/2") Brownish and worm-like in appearance with many body segments, millipedes have two pairs of legs on each segment. They typically live outside in moist vegetation, leaf litter and mulch and feed upon decaying organic wood and plant matter. When conditions are right, migrations can occur and large numbers will find there way inside homes trough cracks and crevices. When disturbed, they curl up like a watch spring.
Centipede
	(Length: 1" – 2") The color of the centipede varies depending on the species, but most are brown to orange brown with many body segments. Unlike millipedes, centipedes only have one pair of legs per segment. They usually live outdoors in dark, moist areas and are seldom seen inside homes, except for the house centipede which is recognized by its extremely long legs. The house centipede is usually found where dampness occurs. They are nocturnal and when disturbed move swiftly towards darkened hiding places.
Clover Mite
	(Length: 1/30”) A tiny reddish brown mite with very long front legs, it feeds on grasses and weeds. Migration into homes is common in the early Spring and late Winter. Large numbers can be very annoying and, when crushed, leave red stains. Heavily fertilized lawns provide succulent growth for clover mites and support high populations.
Pill Bug
	(Length: 1/4” – 3/8”) These crustaceans are found in lawn turf, under leaves, or other moist areas of decaying vegetable matter. Extremes of wet, dry, or hot weather drive them inside, where they do no damage but are an annoyance. Pill bugs roll into a ball or “pill” when they are disturbed. The sow bug is unable to roll into a ball.
Sow Bug
	(Length: 1/4” – 3/8”) These crustaceans are found in lawn turf, under leaves, or other moist areas of decaying vegetable matter. Extremes of wet, dry, or hot weather drive them inside, where they do no damage but are an annoyance. Pill bugs roll into a ball or “pill” when they are disturbed. The sow bug is unable to roll into a ball.
Asian Ladybug
	(Length: 3/8”) This beetle is a beneficial insect due to its predatory control of aphids, scale insects and other shrubbery pests. However, they make a nuisance of themselves by invading homes in large numbers to over-winter. They normally enter on the southern or western exposure of your home and spend the winter in attics, wall voids and under siding. On warm sunny days, they come out of these hiding places and gather around windows.
Boxelder Bug
	(Length: 1/2”) The boxelder bug is black with 3 longitudinal red lines on its back. It feeds on boxelder, maple and some fruit trees. In buildings, it is an over-wintering insect and may be found in large numbers.
[Close Outdoor Invaders]

Wood Destroyers
Carpenter Bee
	(Length: 3/4" – 1") These large dark bees that resemble bumble bees are often seen hovering around the eaves of a house, wooden fences or the underside of deck in the late spring. They bore round holes into wood to nest. They will nest in a wide range of woods, but prefer weathered and unpainted wood. Typically they do not cause serious structural damage unless a large number of bees are involved over a long period of time. Male carpenter bees tend to be territorial and can become aggressive towards humans by hovering close by. But this is merely a show as they have no stinger.
Drywood Swarmer
	(Length: about 3/16") These brown flying insects, identified by 3 darker veins on the front edge of their wings, swarm in late Spring and early Summer. Presence of straight antennae and only two distinct body segments differentiate them from flying ants.
Drywood Termite
	(Length: Up to 1/2") This termite species does not live in the ground, but lives inside wood. They are most likely to be found in humid, coastal areas. Their colonies are much smaller than subterranean termites, and infestations found in wood are usually confined to a small area. One sign of a drywood colony is the presence of fecal pellets, often found in piles like tiny stones. Drywood termites push out these pellets through small "kick-out" holes they make. The holes are later resealed.
Formosan Subterranean Termite
	(Length: About 1/2") Like subterranean termites, Formosan termites feed on cellulose material (i.e. wood), but they are more aggressive and attack wood at a much faster rate. They nest in the ground but can also live in aerial "carton" nests they make from chewed wood, soil, saliva and fecal matter. A Formosan termite colony is significantly larger than that of the subterranean termite, and can cause significantly more damage in a shorter period of time.
Subterranean Termite Swarmer
	(Length: 1/2") These dark brown to black winged insects are the male and female reproductives. They emerge from the colony in a dark cloud at least once per year. Their short flight drops them to the ground where they then seek the proper conditions for the king and queen to start a small brood chamber in the soil. The swarmers are often confused with winged ants. The major visible differences are the waist (pinched in the ant, broad in the termite), the antenna (elbowed in the ant, straight in the termite) and the wings (two different sizes in the ant, all the same size in the termite).
Subterranean Termite
	(Length: 1/8" – 3/8") These are social insects living in colonies in the soil. The colony is made up of workers, soldiers and reproductives. Subterranean Termite colonies feed on wood or other cellulose material such as paper, cardboard and fiberboard. They do excessive damage in the U.S. every year. Workers are blind and cream colored, entering homes while foraging for food, through cracks as small as 1/64". The workers return to feed the other members of the colony on a regular basis. Winged reproductives (swarmers) are dark, and many lose their wings shortly after their swarming flight.
Old House Borer
	(Length: 1/2" – 3/4") This is a member of the group known as "long-horned beetles". Eggs are laid in crevices of the bark of cut logs. The whitish larva live 3-5 years or more, eating through the wood. During quiet times, their feeding may be heard as clicking and rasping sounds. Adults leave infested wood through oval holes about 1/4" in diameter.
Powder Post Beetle
	(Length: 1/8" – 1/4") Adults are reddish brown to black and very slender. The Powder Post Beetle damages seasoned hardwoods such as flooring, furniture and structural woods. The larva, living in and eating the wood, can take up to four years to develop. Their presence is often indicated by piles of fine dust and by small exit holes in the wood. Control requires treatment by fumigation or replacement of the infested wood.
[Close Wood Destroyers]

Rodents
House Mouse
	(Length: 2" – 4" head to tail) Light brown or light grey in color, the house mouse is small and slender with large ears and small eyes. They have a keen sense of hearing, taste, smell and touch. While they are mostly active at night they can be seen during the day searching for food. Although they usually feed on cereal grains, they will eat almost anything. They nest within structures or burrows and establish a "territory" near food sources, generally 10 to 30 feet from their nest. The house mouse is a prolific breeder.
Roof Rat
	(Length: 7" – 8" head to tail) Black or brown in color, the roof rat is slender with a tail that is usually longer than the combined length of its head and body. They are nocturnal and prefer to forage for food above ground in elevated areas indoors and outdoors. They are excellent climbers and often use trees and utility lines to reach food and enter buildings. They are a plant and animal eater, but are very fond of fruit, especially oranges. They nest inside and under buildings, or in piles of rubbish or wood. These rats are more often found along the coast.
Norway Rat
	(Length 16” head to tail) Also called the Wharf Rat, this rat is the largest of the urban rat species. It can be distinguished from the roof rat by its grayer coloration and a tail that is shorter than its body. It commonly nests in the soil, creating a system of burrows.
[Close Rodents]

Common Household Pests
Bed Bug
	(Length: 1/8" -3/16") In reading about bed bugs, you'll find that can be difficult to exterminate. Getting rid of bed bugs requires persistence. They can fit into extremely small cracks and are therefore near impossible to locate. The fact that they rarely come out in the daytime adds to the difficulty. If you suspect you have bed bugs, your best bet is to contact a professional and let them do their job. Exterminating bed bugs yourself can be extremely frustrating, and more often than not, unsuccessful. The fact is, bed bugs can cause health risks in sensitive people. Don't mess around, get rid of your bed bugs as soon as possible.
Argentine Ants
	(Length: 1/11" -1/10") These medium size ants are uniformly brown and trail in large numbers. They compete aggressively with other ant species for food and nesting sites and can drive most other ant species out of their territory. Their nests have large numbers of individuals and a high percentage of queens. Because of their aggressive nature, these ants will develop into super-colonies in many urban situations with the colony spread across large areas. It is not uncommon to find Argentine ants spread across entire neighborhoods. Their nests are often under heavy leaf litter, under wood on the ground, at the base of trees and in planters and mulch. They prefer the outdoors, but will enter houses looking for food, water and warmth. They particularly like sweet foods.
Red Imported Fire Ant
	(Length: 1/8" – 1/4") Usually a reddish brown color, fire ants live in colonies of up to 200,000 individuals. Their mounds can be two feet high and three feet across with as many as 50 colonies per acre. The Red Imported Fire Ant causes damage difficult to measure in dollars. It’s painful, burning sting results in pustules that take up to 10 days to heal. Some people are extremely allergic to the sting, needing fast medical attention to deal with the toxin.
Pharaoh Ant
	(Length: 1/12" – 1/16") These small red to yellowish ants can be found trailing anywhere within a structure. They can nest in wall voids, cabinets, boxes of food and any other accessible crevices and spaces. They are known to invade sick rooms and feed on blood plasma and wound dressings. Their colonies have multiple queens and can split into small groups, spreading very rapidly. In sub-tropical areas pharaoh ants readily nest outside in leaf debris found on or near structures. Re-invasion of the structure can occur throughout warm parts of the year.
Crazy Ant
	(Length: 1/12" - 1/8") Ranging from red-brown to grayish to black, this small ant gets it name from its characteristic erratic and rapid movement in their search for food. They will feed on any household foods. The crazy ant is highly adaptable and can live in both very dry and moist habitats. They typically nest outdoors in the soil and in the cavities of trees and shrubs, but frequently enter homes in the fall or after a rain where they will nest in wall and floor voids especially near hot water pipes and heaters.
Florida Carpenter Ant
	(Length: 1/4"- 1/2") These large ants usually nest outdoors in stumps and logs in contact with the soil and in dead tree limbs and cavities. The Florida Carpenter Ant has a black abdomen and red head and thorax. They also can nest in homes in wood damaged by termites, fungi and moisture. They forage widely for food crumbs and insects as well as honeydew produced by sap-sucking insects which attack landscape plants. Although they don’t eat wood, the galleries they excavate can be quite extensive.
Black Carpenter Ant
	(Length: 1/4" – 1/2") Although the same size as Florida carpenter ants, these ants are completely black instead of two-toned. Unlike the Florida species, the black carpenter ant does more damage to sound, undamaged wood. They don’t eat wood, but they hollow out "galleries" in wood for nesting that are so smooth they appear to be finished by sandpaper. They normally nest in dead portions of trees, stumps or logs and invade homes in search of food. They feed on living or dead insects and nearly all sweets, or meats inside.
Odorous House Ant
	(Length: 1/8”) This brownish-black ant is the most common nemesis of the homeowner in the Carolinas. Nests are usually located in a great variety of places, both indoors and outdoors. Multiple nest sites are not uncommon and colony sizes are large. It derives its name from the fact that a rotten, coconut-like odor is produced when it is crushed.
Silverfish
	(Length: 1/3" – 1/2") These slender, wingless insects are common in homes. The are shiny and silver or pearl-gray in color with three long tail-like appendages and two long antennae. They may cause damage by eating foods, cloth or other items high in protein, sugar or starch. They eat cereals, moist wheat flour, paper on which there is glue or paste, book bindings, wallpaper, starch in clothes and linens. They will breed in bookcases, storage boxes and linen closets. They thrive in moist hot areas from the attic to the crawl space.
Smokybrown Cockroach
	(Length: 1" – 1 1/4") The Smokybrown Cockroach is uniform in color, typically brownish black and very shiny. They are good flyers and are attracted to lights at night. Found in warm, dark, moist areas such as tree holes, ivies, mulch, woodpiles and soffits/eaves of attics with moisture problems, they are very mobile. The Smokybrown Cockroach has the reputation of being the most difficult to control because it is so active and has many habitat preferences. Very thorough methods and persistence are required for effective control. They are most common in North Florida and Georgia.
Brown Banded Cockroach
	(Length: 1/2"- 5/8") The Brown Banded Cockroach is easily recognized by alternating light and dark bands across its back. About the same size as the German roach, but not as dependent on moisture, it can be found anywhere in the structure. The Brown Banded roach doesn’t multiply as fast as the German, but is considered harder to control because they tend to be scattered all over the structure. It shows a preference for warmer areas over 80 degrees. Often found high on walls, in picture frames, behind molding, near appliance motors, in light switches, closets and furniture.
Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach
	(Length 3/4” – 1”) This outdoor dwelling roach is a trim, chestnut brown insect that breeds in hollow trees, under loose bark, in wood piles and crevices in rural buildings. The male is attracted to light and may fly into structures.
German Cockroach
	(Length: 1/2" – 5/8") This roach, with two dark vertical stripes behind the head, is found throughout the world, thriving wherever man lives, eating the same foods, sharing the same habitats. It is commonly found in restaurants, kitchens and stores where food, moisture and harborage are abundant. Populations build rapidly from egg capsules being produced about every 20-25 days. Each capsule contains about 35 eggs, the young maturing in about 100 days. German roaches contaminate food, leave stains, create foul odors and carry disease organisms. They hide during the day, closely packed in small cracks and crevices near food and water.
Widow Spider
	(Length: 1 1/2" long) The Southern Black Widow is glossy black with a red hourglass marking on the underside of its abdomen. The female is much larger and more distinctly marked than the male. It makes a strong, sticky irregular web in protected areas where prey is likely to wander in and be trapped. Foundations, vents, shrubs and wood piles at ground level are common habitats. Their poisonous venom can cause concern for small children and older or infirm persons. Medical attention should be sought if bitten.
Brown Recluse Spider
	(Length: 1/4" – 1/2") The brown recluse is a brownish spider with a distinctive violin-shaped mark behind its eyes, which has earned it the name "fiddle-backed" spider. It is found in undisturbed areas such as sheds, garages and dark closets. Garments left hanging for some time are favorite spots. Their bite causes a severe systemic reaction and an ulcerous sore with requires extensive medical attention.
Flea
	(Length: 1/32" – 1/16") Fleas are small, hard-bodied, wingless insects with a flattened body and legs adapted for jumping on to a host. The cat flea, most commonly encountered in Florida, seeds mammals for the blood meal needed to sustain them. They can be a direct health hazard, transmitting disease and tapeworm. Humans are often attacked when other food sources aren’t available. Their bite leaves a red, itchy spot on the skin. Their saliva is irritating to the host, causing dermatitis and hair loss in allergic animals.
Tick
	(Length: 1/16" – 1/2") The tick is an eight-legged relative of the spider. It must feed three times before hiding and producing up to 3000 eggs in a crack or crevice. The tick can live without food for up to 200 days, waiting for a host, usually a dog, to supply a blood meal. Many serious diseases can be transmitted through ticks: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Typhus, Lyme Disease, Relapsing Tick Fever and other disorders.
Clothes Moth
	(Length: up to 1/2") These are small yellowish or brownish moths. Larvae spin a silken tube or case which they drag around themselves to protect them from the environment and their natural enemies. Eggs are laid on products the larva will consume such as: wool, feathers, fur, hair, animal and fish meals and milk powders. Adults do not feed on fabrics. Only the larvae damage household goods. They are not attracted to light, preferring dark, protected areas. Cedar closets will not prevent them from entering.
[Close Household Pests]

Flying / Stinging Insects
Honeybees
	(Length: 1/2") These "hairy" bees have yellow and dark brown coloring and thick bodies. They are not aggressive and will leave people alone if not provoked, but they are defensive and will attack anything that threatens the colony or individual. They forage on pollen and nectar from which they produce honey to feed the colony. Honeybees usually nest inside cavities in trees, but will also nest in gaps beneath rock formations. Their stings can be painful and can cause a serious reaction (anaphylactic shock) to allergic individuals.
Paper Wasps
	(Length: 1/2 - 3/4") Can be found in a variety of colors from reddish brown to dark red to orange with varying bright stripes of yellow and red. Paper wasps are predators and feed on insects, spiders and caterpillars. They build nests of paper-like cells that are usually attached to the underside of a support (i.e. an eave, window, etc.) and hang down. They are very protective of their nests and will defend against invaders with a painful sting.
Yellow Jackets
	(Length: 5/8" – 1") Often confused with honey bees due to their yellow and black markings, they can be distinguished from bees by their thin waists. Yellow jackets are social insects and will aggressively defend their nests, which are typically located in the ground. They prey on a variety of insects, and also forage on foods people eat, especially sweets and meat. Their stings can be painful and can cause a serious reaction to allergic individuals.
[Close Flying / Stinging Pests]