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ants
***Please
click thumbnails on left to see larger photo.*** |
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crazy
ant
IMPORTANCE:
Workers feed on household
food and infest greenhouses; have been known to collect seeds from seed
beds.
HABITS:
Capable
of extremely rapid and erratic movement; highly adaptable to many
environments.
Life
Cycle:
Continuous
breeding colonies.
Size:
Worker are
1/10 - 1/8 inch (2.33 - 3 mm) in length.
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fire
ant
Importance:
While it's
painful sting makes it a pest to humans and livestock: it is an important
Predator of other ants.
Habits:
Ground nest are more flattened out than imported fire ants; not as aggressive
as other fire ants.
Life
Cycle: Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
Workers are 1/10 - 1/5 inch (2.4 - 6 mm) in length.
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ghost
ant
Importance:
A pest in the kitchen.
Habits:
A semi-tropical species occurring in southern Florida; may occur in
heated buildings in northern areas.
Life
cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies
Size:
Workers
are 1/20th of an inch (1.3 - 1.5 mm) in length.
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imported
fire ant
Importance:
An aggressive species that
imparts a severe sting
with allergic reactions in some individuals.
Habits:
Prefers to nest in open, sunny areas.
Life
cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies of up to
200,000 individuals.
Size:
1/8 to 1/4 inch
(3.3 - 6.4 mm) in length.
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leaf
cutting ant
IMPORTANCE:
May invade homes for cereals; cause crop losses by cutting leaves for
vegetation.
HABITS:
Carry leaf pieces above their heads to nest.
LIFE
CYCLES:
Continuous breeding colonies.
SIZE:
1/16 - 1/2 inch (1.5
- 12 mm) in length.
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little
fire ant
Importance:
Contaminates food and delivers a painful sting.
Habits:
Moves very slowly: very sensitive to cold.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
Workers are 1/6 inch (1.5 mm) in length.
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odorous
house ant
Importance:
Common house invading pest; produces a fowl odor when crushed.
Habits:
Workers forage day and night; usually invades homes
during rainy weather.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies when located
in homes.
Size:
Workers are
1/11 - 1/8 inch (2.4 - 3.25 mm) in length.
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pavement
ant
Importance:
Invades the home for food throughout the year.
Habits:
A slow moving ant that nest outdoors; but will nest in homes near the
heat source during cold months.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
1/10 - 1/8 inch (2.5 - 3 mm) long.
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pharaoh
ant
Importance:
Infests all areas of a building where food is commonly found; can transmit
diseases to humans; difficult to eradicate.
Habits:
Nest throughout buildings; quickly finds food uncovered for
only a short time.
Life
Cycles: Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
Workers are approximately 1/2 inch (2 mm) in length.
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southern
fire ant
Importance:
It's painful sting makes it a pest
to humans and livestock; will
enter homes in search of food.
Habits:
Nests have several low mounds scattered over large areas: attacks food, vegetables,
guards, aphids, and mealy bugs on ornamental
plants.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
Worker are 1/16 to 1/4 inch (1.6
- 5.86 mm) in length.
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thief
ant
Importance:
Feeds upon small dead mammals
and may spread disease to human
food; also attacks young poultry chicks.
Habits:
Often lives in association with other ants and may actually be
beneficial to man by eating the immature forms of the host and
species; attracted to greasy foods.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous breeding colonies.
Size:
Workers are 1/16 inch (1.3 - 3.8 mm) in length.
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bees
& flies
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bumble
bee
Importance:
Can be annoying to people; but beneficial to man as they
pollinate certain crops.
Habits:
Dense black hair with areas of orange or bright yellow; they are social,
but colonies never get very large; bumble bees of ten prefer to
nest in old mattresses.
Life
Cycle: Queen
lay eggs in the spring; three weeks for the first worker to
mature.
Size:
Approximately 1/2 - 3/4 inch (12.7 - 20 mm) in length.
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carpenter
bee
Importance:
weakens structural timbers: streaking unpainted
surfaces: human annoyance.
Habits:
Entrance hole is detected by large amounts of sawdust below area being
drilled.
Life
Cycles: Varies with each species; adults overwinters.
Size:
Adults are
1/4 - 3/4 inch (6-23 mm) or larger.
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honey
bee
Importance:
Defend themselves and nests by stinging; about 50 people a year die in
the United States from these stings: otherwise a very beneficial
incest.
Habits:
Frequents ornamental, fruit and vegetable flowers for nectar and
pollen; extremely important pollinator of many crops.
Life
Cycles:
Continuous Breeding colonies.
Size:
Worker are
2/5 - 3/5 inch ( 11-15 mm) in length.
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wasp
Importance:
Stings to protect itself and its nest; nests are annoying when
built on or near doors; important predator of other insects
and spiders.
Habits:
Hovers around doors, windows, structures, ornamental plants , wood piles
, etc., searching for prey.
Life
Cycles: Female overwinters; often
builds nest in company of other females.
Size:
Extreme variation in size according to Species.
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yellow
jacket
Importance:
Stings to protect itself or it's nest; important predator of
other insects and spiders.
Habits:
Nests above or below ground depending upon
species; mature female species overwinters.
Life
Cycles:
Mature female begins colony by herself and
produces workers who assumes workload.
Size:
Adults up to 1 2/5 inches (35 mm) in length.
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fruit
fly
Importance:
Important pest of fruit and uncooked food.
Habits:
Fruit flies occur all over the world; able to penetrate small mesh
screens; attach to overripe or fermenting fruit and vegetables.
Life
Cycles:
Eggs hatch in about 30 hours; larval
stage in about 5 or 6 days.
Size:
Adults are 1/8 inch ( 3 mm) in length.
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house
fly
IMPORTANCE:
The house fly is a carrier of bacteria, protozoans and helminth
eggs; serves as an immediate host in the life cycle of
parasitic helminth worms .
HABITS:
Worldwide distribution; the favorite breeding place is horse
manure; will also breed in human excrement and other animal manures.
LIFE
CYCLES:
The eggs hatch in 12 - 24 hours; larva stage 4 - 8 days;
pupal stage 4 - 5 days.
SIZE:
Adult are 1/6 to 3/10 inch (4 - 7.6 mm) in length.
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humpback
fly
importance:
Annoy
people with their presence.
habits:
Easily recognized
by their humpback appearance: Fairly common in many areas, but are especially
found around decaying vegetation.
life
cycles
size:
Adults are 1/20 to 1/6 inch (1.3 - 4.6 mm) in length.
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stable
fly
importance:
The stable fly is a mechanical distributor of many animal and
human diseases; It is also the intermediate host of the nematode worm.
habits:
It is a vicious biter and it attacks man as well as domestic and wild
animals; the loss of blood can affect milk production and beef
production in cattle and can even cause death.
life
cycles: Eggs
hatch in 2 - 5 days; larvae mature in 2 - 3 weeks; pupil stage 6 - 20
days.
size:
Adult is 1/4 - 3/8 inch (6 - 9 mm) in length
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beetles
Top |
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confused
flour beetle
importance:
Cause great damage to cereal products.
habits:
Leave disagreeable
taste and odor to flour; adults will migrate though kitchen.
life
cycles:
Breed throughout the year with adults living 3 years or more.
size:
Adults are 1/8 inch (3.2 mm); larvae are 1/4 inch (6.4 mm).
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drugstore
beetle
importance:
Infests a wide variety of foods including most dried vegetables and
animal materials; both adults and larvae are involved in causing damage.
habits:
A very serious pest of books and manuscripts; it has ever been known to penetrate
tin foil and thin lead sheets.
life
cycles;
7 months from egg to adult.
size:
Adult is 1/10
inch ( 2 - 3 mm) in length.
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granary
weevil
importance:
An important grain pest in the United States.
habits:
Larvae spends entire stage inside kernel of grain.
life
cycles:
4 - 7 weeks from egg to adult; adult lives 7 - 8 months.
size:
Adult is 1/8 - 3/16 inch (3 - 5 mm) in length.
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lesser
grain borer
importance:
One of the most destructive of the grain infesting beetles.
habits:
Larvae and adults both feed on grain, wood, and paper. An odor is usually
associated with an infestation.
life
cycles:
One generation per month under favorable conditions.
size:
Adult is 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) in length.
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long
horned beetle
importance:
Cause cosmetic and structural damage to wood.
habits:
Several species infest wood; the old house borer is used as an example;
difficult to detect, the larvae makes a clicking and rasping sound in
the wood.
life
cycles:
Larvae live 3 - 8 years
size:
1/2 - 3/4 inch (13 - 19 mm) in length.
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rice
weevil
importance:
One of the most serious stored grain pests in the world.
habits:
Larvae spreads entire stage inside kernel of grain; adults can fly and
are attracted to light.
life
cycles:
4 - 7 weeks from egg to adult; adults live 4 - 5 weeks.
size:
Adult is 1/10 inch (2 - 3 mm) in length.
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saw-toothed
grain beetle
importance:
Widespread, this insect infests almost all stored food products.
habits:
Swiftly spreads to all available food; can become extremely abundant.
life
cycles:
Six to seven generations a year, but adults can live a year or longer.
size:
Adult is 1/10 inch ( 2.5 mm) in length.
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roaches
Top |
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American
cockroach
importance:
Destroys food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and
may spread disease.
habits:
Commonly in sewers and basements, particularly around pipes, in grocery
stores, and where food is stored and prepared; during the summer, yards
and alley ways may be infested.
life
cycles:
Averages 450 days from egg to adult.
size:
Adult 11/2 inches (38 mm) in length.
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Australian
cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Abundant outdoors and in greenhouses, also enters home where it is
called a palmetto bug, more vegetarian than other roaches; does not
tolerate cold weather well.
life
cycles:
Takes about 1 year from egg to adult.
size:
Adult is about 11/4 - 13/8 inches (32 - 35 mm) in
length.
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brown
banded cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Prefers to live in appliance motors, furniture and closets, particularly
in high places such as shelves and picture frames; dislikes light, not
normally seen in the day.
life
cycles:
Average about 161 days from egg to adult.
size:
Adult is about 5/8 inch (16 mm) in length.
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brown
cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Occurs indoors as well as outdoors under the bark of trees and in
sewers; often mistaken for the American Cockroach which is lighter in color.
life
cycles:
Requires about 339 - 351 days from egg to adult
size:
Adult is 11/4 - 11/2 inches (32 - 38 mm) in
length.
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German
roach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Hides in dark sheltered places during the day, feeds at night; prefers
damp warm places; usually found in kitchen and bathroom; can heavily
infest cruise and naval ships.
life
cycles:
Can be completed in 3 months; some females may live more than 200
days.
size:
Adult is 5/8 inch (16 mm) in length.
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oriental
cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Travels in sewers and lives on filth; enters home through food packages
or laundry, or through air-ducts; prefers starchy foods.
life
cycles:
One generation a year; adults appear in early summer.
size:
Adult is 1 inch (25 mm) in length.
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smoky
brown cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Abundant outdoors and is found outdoors in leaf litter, tree holes, wood
piles, crawl spaces, attics of houses, etc.; can also survive in sewers;
requires liquid water every 2 - 3 days.
life
cycles:
Requires about 320 days from egg to adult.
size:
Adult is 11/4 - 13/8 inch (32 - 35 mm) in length.
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Surinam
cockroach
importance:
Destroys
food, damages fabrics, and other materials; leaves filth and may spread
disease.
habits:
Hide during the day in soil of potted plants and in greenhouses, in
holes and crevices of buildings; emerges at night to feed on plant
stems.
life
cycles:
Average 162 - 219 days from egg to adult.
size:
Adult is 3/4 inch ( 19 mm) in length.
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Cuban cockroach
Description:
The Cuban cockroach is about 3/4" long as
an adult. Males and females are pale-green, whereas the nymphs are dark-
brown. It is an outdoors, tropical species that usually is not
found north of Florida. Adults are attracted to light and are adept
fliers. |
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rodents
Top |
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house
mouse
importance:
Great destroyers of stored products, either by feeding or contamination
from droppings; repulsive to many people; may transmit disease.
habits:
Mice are nibblers that feed many times at many places; usually active at
dusk and just before dawn.
life
cycles:
Reach maturity in about 6 months; live about one year.
size:
Adult is about 31/2 inches (89 mm) from nose to tail.
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Norway
rat
importance:
Great
destroyers of stored products, either by feeding or contamination from
droppings; repulsive to many people; may transmit disease.
habits:
These rats are burrowers and often dig in rubbish; more aggressive than
roof rats and will drive them from shared territory; tail shorter
than head and body combined.
life
cycles:
Reach maturity in 3 - 5 months; live about one year.
size:
Adult is 6 - 8 inches (154 - 204 mm) from nose to tip of tail.
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roof
rat
importance:
Great
destroyers of stored products, either by feeding or contamination from
droppings; repulsive to many people; may transmit disease.
habits:
Active climbers who prefer to nest off the ground; tail longer than head
and body combined.
life
cycles:
Reach maturity in 3 - 5 months; live about one year.
size:
Adult is 7 - 10 inches (175 - 254 mm) in length from nose to tip of
tail.
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DIAGRAM:
This is a diagram that can be used to distinguish the different
species of rodents!
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spiders
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black
widow
importance:
Venom produces pain, muscle cramps, nausea, difficulty in breathing and
other symptoms; possible death if treatment is not prompt; save spider
for ID.
habits:
Nest in sheltered places; feeds on insects and other arthropods; will
bite people and animals when disturbed; prefers dark, undisturbed
places.
life
cycles:
Eggs laid in late spring: 2 - 3 months from nymph to adult.
size:
11/2 inches (38 mm) with legs extended.
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brown
recluse
importance:
Bite causes blister with intense pain; wound sloughs tissue down to
bone; seek medical attentions immediately; save spider for ID.
habits:
Nest in sheltered places; feeds on insects and other arthropods; will
bite people and animals when disturbed; sanitation and entry denial is
key to control.
life
cycles:
One generation per year; life cycle is 11/2 - 2 years.
size:
1/4 - 1/2 inch (6.4 - 12.7 mm) in length.
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brown
widow
importance:
Venom produces pain, muscle cramps, nausea, difficulty in breathing and
other symptoms; possible death if treatment is not prompt; save spider
for ID.
habits:
Nest in sheltered places; feeds on insects and other arthropods; will
bite people and animals when disturbed; lives on buildings in well-lit
buildings.
life
cycles:
Eggs laid in early spring; 2 -3 months from nymph to adult.
size:
11/2 inches (38 mm) in length with legs extended.
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red
widow
importance:
Venom produces pain, muscle cramps, nausea, difficulty in breathing and
other symptoms; possible death if treatment is not prompt; save spider
for ID.
habits:
Nest in sheltered places; feeds on insects and other arthropods; will
bite people and animals when disturbed; only found in sand - pine scrub
associates.
life
cycles: Eggs
laid in early spring; 2 -3 months from nymph to adult.
size:
11/2
inches (38 mm) in length with legs extended.
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TermitesTop
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Termite Swarmers and Flying Ants are often mistaken for each other.
However there are several notable differences: |
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Flying Ants
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Swarming Termites
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Formosan
subterranean termite
importance:
A recent invader to the U.S.; one of the most destructive termite
species in the world.
habits:
Builds large carton nests; has many more soldiers in colony than other subterranean
termites; very aggressive, will attack anything used to probe colony.
life
cycles:
Continuous breeding cycle.
size:
Reproductive 1/2 - 1/5 inch (12 - 15 mm) in length.
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native
subterranean termite
importance:
Major wood insect pest in the United States.
habits:
Nests in soil (some aerial colonies); uses earthen tubes to reach wood
above ground level; has a worker caste.
life
cycles:
Continuous breeding cycle
size:
Soldiers: 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) Reproductives: 1/2 inch (12.8 mm).
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various
pests
Top |
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American
house dust mite
importance:
Attacks humans in absence of normal hosts like birds, rodents, or
insects; "imaginary infestations" cause PCO's no end of
problems.
habits:
Thousands of species are found on everything from furniture, to food, to
animals, and animals.
life
cycles:
Varies with species, but averages 2 - 3 weeks from egg to adult.
size:
1/32 of an inch(0.8 mm) or less.
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bed
bug
importance:
Lives primarily on human blood; bites may produce nervous reaction.
habits:
Bed Bugs are nocturnal feeders and hide during the day in cracks and
crevices.
life
cycles:
About 35 - 48 days from egg to adult.
size:
The adult is about 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) on length.
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body
louse
importance:
Body lice affect man by biting and transmission of various disease
organisms.
habits:
The body louse lives in creases in clothing; the head louse lives
primarily on the head; the crab louse lives primarily on the courser
hairs of the pubic region.
life
cycles:
The entire life cycle from egg to adult may be as little as 2 - 3 weeks.
size:
About 1/10 - 1/8 inch (2.3 - 3.7 mm) long.
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brown
dog tick
importance:
Primarily a pest of dogs; a vector of piroplasmosis.
habits:
Eggs are deposited in crack and crevices in kennels and houses, or
behind pictures on walls.
life
cycles:
The entire life cycle from egg to adult may be completed in 2 months or
less.
size:
The size varies depending on the amount of engorgement.
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cat
flea
importance:
Bites can cause intense itching and secondary infection on humans and
pets; may also transmit disease.
habits:
Larva usually found in "hot spots" which a pet frequents; has
the ability to stay in pupil case until potential host returns to the
premises.
life
cycles:
14 - 20 days from larva to adult.
size:
Adults are 1/25 - 4/25 (1 - 4 mm) long.
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centipede
importance:
Live outdoors in damp areas; one species (the house centipede) lives
both outdoors and indoors; annoying to homeowners.
habits:
Likes damp areas in and around the home; moves very quickly.
life
cycles:
Live approximately 3 years.
size:
Varies according to species; some reach 8 inches (20 mm).
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millipede
importance:
Mostly a problem in the fall when they invade homes in search of
hibernation sites.
habits:
Feed on decaying vegetable matter; usually found under stones, mulch,
etc., where there is high humidity.
life
cycles:
Lives several years; varies according to species.
size:
1 - 11/2 inches (25 - 38 mm) in length.
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earwig
importance:
Becomes a serious pest when seeking shelter in homes and other
buildings.
habits:
Active at night; normally feeds on green plants but may eat almost
anything; frequents dark, moist areas.
life
cycles:
60 days from egg to adult.
size:
1/2 - 1 inch (12.7 - 25 mm) in length.
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silverfish
importance:
House infesting insects that feed on flour and starch; some can digest
cellulose; they are pests of paper.
habits:
Worldwide distribution: they prefer warm moist places; eggs soft and
white, then turn light brown.
life
cycles:
Eggs hatch in 19 - 43 days; nymphal stage takes 90 - 120 days; adults
may live for 3 years.
size:
Adults are approximately 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) in length.
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firebrat
importance:
House
infesting insects that feed on flour and starch; some can digest
cellulose; they are pests of paper.
habits:
Worldwide
distribution: they prefer warm moist places; eggs soft and white, then
turn light brown.
life
cycles: Eggs
hatch in 19 - 43 days; nymphal stage takes 90 - 120 days; adults may
live for 3 years.
size:
Adults
are approximately 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) in length.
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Indian
meal moth
importance:
Destructive pest of stored fruits and grains.
habits:
The webbing and frass make food repulsive.
life
cycles:
Up to 5 generations per year.
size:
Adult is 5/8 inch (16 mm) in length.
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field
cricket
importance:
Sometimes nuisances in buildings; may also damage fabrics and other
materials; chirping sound may annoy people.
habits:
Often attracted to lights in Buildings; attracted to stains on clothing
and fabric.
life
cycles:
House Cricket - 38 - 45 weeks, 1 generation/year; Field Cricket - 78 -
90 days, 1 -3 generations/year
size:
Between 1/2 - 1 inch (12.7 - 25.4 mm) in length.
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pill
bug
importance:
Seldom a problem in the home as they dry out quickly and die.
habits:
Mostly active at night; live in areas of high humidity; found under
trash, mulch, boards, decaying vegetation, etc.
life
cycles:
2 - 3 generations per year.
size:
Usually less than 3/4 inch
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