PEST LIBRARY
ANTS
House ants’ bodies are normally brown or black and are approximately 1/16 – 1/8 inch in length. Their antennae have 12 segments and are without a club (the thicker, base segment of the antenna).
Often house ants are considered more of a nuisance pest. They do not appear to cause too much harm and are usually considered extremely annoying and perhaps even embarrassing to find in your home. However, while foraging for food and water, it is possible for house ants to contaminate food, potentially posing a risk to the health and well-being of you and your family.
BED BUGS
Bed bugs are parasitic insects that are notorious for keeping people up at night with the itchy bumps their bites leave behind. They are found throughout the United States and can strike at any time of year, though infestations are most common in the fall.
COCKROACHES
American Cockroaches - American cockroaches are the largest of the home-infesting roaches found in homes and businesses across the United States, typically measuring between 1-1/2 to 2 inches in length. Unlike German cockroaches, American cockroaches have wings and are capable of flight, although they rarely do so. They are reddish-brown in appearance with a small section of brown or yellow behind their head.
Brown Banded Cockroaches - Brown-banded cockroaches are named for the tan bands formed across their wings. This banding is found on these roaches regardless of their age and is thus noticeable on adults, young cockroaches, and even nymphs. Female and male adult brown-banded cockroaches have slightly different appearances. Males grow to be about 1/2 of an inch in length, are brown, and have fully developed wings that allow them to fly. Females are shorter with a stockier body shape. Females have wings, but they are not fully developed for flight.
German Cockroaches - Also known as waterbugs, German cockroaches are one of the most common species of cockroaches found in the United States. These roaches grow to 1/2 to 5/8 inches in length. A German cockroach is tan to light brown in color with dark parallel lines running from the back of its head to its wings. Despite the fact that German cockroaches have wings, they are flightless. However, they are still adept climbers and can get onto tables, counters, and pantries by climbing on walls and ceilings.
Oriental Cockroaches - The Oriental cockroach is a large cockroach species that is commonly found across many parts of the country. Oriental roaches are an occasional invader and will enter homes and businesses from the outside in search of food and water.
Like other roach species, they are often found in areas with moisture problems such as inside damp basements, under sinks, in washing machines, in utility rooms, and in bathrooms. Adult Oriental cockroaches grow up to one inch in length and are shiny with a dark brown color. Females have a wide body and short wings, while males have a narrow body and longer wings. Despite their wings, neither the male nor female can fly.
CRANE FLIES
Crane flies are common summer pests found in Texas. You’ve probably seen jumbo-sized mosquitoes with very long legs that clumsily fly around, sometimes even bumping right into you. But, these aren’t dangerous disease-spreading mosquitoes at all. Crane flies are harmless, non-biting pests that do not live in homes or infest and destroy human-made structures.
MOSQUITOES
Southern House Mosquitoes - Medium-sized mosquitoes with brown coloration on their backs, and white bands across their abdomens. They typically grow to about 1/6 of an inch long. Despite their name, they are found across the nation, though they are more heavily concentrated in southern states, as well as Hawaii. Southern house mosquitoes are common in yards during summer months when high heat and humidity create favorable conditions for them to breed and search for food.
Yellow Fever Mosquitoes - Typically 1/4-3/8 of an inch long, adorned with black and white scales on their abdomens. They have red bellies and two sets of identical wings. While both male and female mosquitoes feed on plants using their long needle or proboscis that serves as their mouth, only female mosquitoes actually bite. This is because the female needs to get the protein from animal blood to produce her eggs.
Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Get their name for their distinctive black and white striped pattern. Asian tiger mosquitoes grow to about 1/8 inch, with long, segmented bodies and one pair of wings. While their bite may not be as outwardly scary as the tiger’s, the effects it carries are no less vicious. This species is capable of spreading many harmful diseases.
Despite the name, Asian tiger mosquitoes are common in yards across the United States and are particularly concentrated in southern states. This mosquito is not native to the United States. It came over from Southeast Asia during the 19th century in imported tire casings.
RODENTS
Rodents - Rodents are mammals and are prolific breeders. More than 1,500 species live throughout the world. Many species of rodents live well away from people, while others have learned to live near us, becoming common unwanted visitors in our yards and sometimes our homes.
SPIDERS
Spiders - One of the most prevalent and recognizable pests that invade our properties. A type of arachnid, spiders have two body segments ( a combined head, thorax, and abdomen), eight legs, and usually between six and eight eyes.
Spiders are predators, and some spiders hunt prey by creating a web from the silk they produce, while other spiders chase down and capture their prey. Whether they hunt with a web or not, all spiders produce silk; those spiders that don’t build webs use it to do things like line burrows, wrap up prey, or as a climbing rope.
Termites
Termites - Subterranean termites build their nests deep within the ground in damp soil. They have high moisture needs and require contact with the soil to survive. Subterranean termites prefer to feed on decaying or water-damaged wood. These termites do not live inside the wood they are feeding on.
Drywood termites have lower moisture needs than subterranean termites and prefer to feed on dry wood. They nest inside the wooden structures they are feeding on and don't require contact with the soil to survive. They feed more slowly than subterranean termites but much more efficiently, leaving only a thin outer shell by the time they are finished.
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