Ants

All ants are members of the scientific order of insects called "Hymenoptera" which means membranous wing. Wasps, hornets and bees are also members of this order. There are many thousands of types of ants, yet they share many common characteristics. All ants are members of the scientific family of insects called Formicidae. Members of this family live in colonies with one to many queens, immatures, many sterile workers and occasionally males. The workers are wingless and characterized by elbowed antennae and either one or two raised bumps on the petiole of the abdomen. Only ants have these raised bumps on the petiole.

Ant colonies can be found outdoors, indoors, in walls, under wood, slabs and many other places. The worker ants maintain their developed structures which are known as "nests". Nests protect the ants against their enemies, against weather, and are the most often found close to water and food sources. Ant swarms are confused many times with termites. Some Ants, such as the Carpenter ants, nest in wood by digging out a cavity in the wood. This cavity is known as a nest gallery. Ants can not eat and digest wood as termites can because they can not digest cellulous. Some ant species will eat a wide variety of foods, while other ants limit what they eat. Food preferences can change depending on the specific needs of the colony. Worker ants will forage for food and bring back proteins for the queen or queens during periods of high egg production, then switch back to sugars or greases while maintaining the colony. Once a food source is found, they will lay down a hormone called a pheromone to serve as a chemical trail so that other ants can find their way to and from the food source to the nest.

Ants play a major role in the formation of topsoil. Ants affect the soil through soil movement, soil aeration and nutrient cycling. In the construction of their nests, soil from deeper levels is brought to the surface, thus bringing the nutrients back to the soil surface. The nest, with its many tunnels and chambers, allows good aeration of the soil. The tunnels also aid in water movement into the soil. Ants also collect large quantities of food during their foraging activity. This underground storage of large quantities of organic materials may help fertilize the soil, in addition to feeding future generations of ants.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are 1/8" to 3/16th"long with a brown to black body and lighter colored legs. There are two nodes on the pedicel. The narrow, parallel furrows on the head and thorax easily identify the pavement ant. These ants nest in soil beneath stones, pavement or slabs. Occasionally they will build their nests in walls, under floors or in insulation. Pavement ant colonies produce swarms from out-of-door nests in the spring, but continually when within the structure. They prefer meat or grease, but also feed on dead insects, seeds and sweet products.

Little Black Ants

Little black ants are jet black in color and the workers are 1/16th inch in length. The petiole has two nodes. The antennas end in a three-segmented club. Nests may be located in the soil, rotten wood, woodwork or masonry of houses and buildings. The colony produces swarms from late spring to early fall. These ants feed on dead insects, honeydew sweets, meats, bread, grease, oils, vegetables and fruits.

Odorous House Ant

The worker ants of the Odorous house ant are brown to black and 1/8" long. The petiole has only one segment with a small node hidden by the abdomen. The best identifying mark for this ant is the "rancid better" smell of crushed ants. These ants often nest outdoors under stones and logs. They also nest indoors in walls and floor voids, especially around heat sources. The Odorous house ants usually mate in May through mid July and seldom swarm. The females mate in the colony, and produce new colonies by budding off the original colony. Each nest will have several egg-laying females. These ants prefer sweets but will feed on honeydew and almost any household food if found. They may invade houses and buildings during rainy weather in search of food.

Large Yellow Ant

Large yellow ants range in size from ¼ inch to 3/16th inch in length. These ants are pale yellow to yellow-red and have a single node on their petiole. Large yellow ants are referred to many times as "citronella ants" because they have a lemony smell when crushed. Nests may be in the soil under cover, in rotting wood or foundation walls. Nests are usually underground, although, and the ants only come to the surface at swarming time. Large yellow ants swarm in the early spring. When a colony is under a heated slab or floor, winter swarms may occur. These ants may push soil out of basement cracks giving the homeowner a thought that they may have termites. Yellow ants prefer sweets and tend aphids for the honeydew.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are very small. Workers are 1/16th inch long and yellow to light brown to red. The petiole has two nodes. Nesting sites are usually in very hard to reach areas. Common nesting sites include, but are not limited to, warm wall voids, sub floor areas, wall voids, attics, cracks, crevices, and behind baseboards. These ants do not swarm. Female Pharaoh Ants mate in the nest, and new colonies are formed by budding. This means part of the original colony moves with a young queen to a new nesting site. Mating may occur at any time during the year. Pharaoh ants seem to prefer meats and grease but will eat almost anything, including insects, sugar syrups, fruit juices, etc.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants have one node on their petiole and come in many varieties with different sizes and colors (tan, black and red). These ants feed on insects and insect secretions but also like sweets and many other foods. Carpenter ants hollow out dead, moist wood in trees, firewood, fence posts, and even structural framing and wood members in structures to build their nests but they do not eat the wood. Inside structures they build colonies in wall voids, foam insulation, eves, crawl spaces, behind siding, in attic insulation and many other places. Carpenter ant nests have even been found in areas where no dampness is found. Carpenter ants forage at night during the summer; however they often invade structures spring and fall looking for food sources. Many times homeowners will find these ants swarming inside, especially around lights and windows. The first step in controlling Carpenter ants is to locate the colony. Inspection is best done at night when these ants foraging activity is increased. The most common areas to inspect are areas of the structure associated with high levels of moisture. Common areas are window and door frame areas, roof line moisture spots, deck frame plates, Basement sill plates, around plumbing walls or areas where you are aware of moisture problems. Also check trees and tree stumps close to structures and landscape ties. Check tree branches and limbs touching the structure. Follow foraging Carpenter ants in order to find their nesting sites.

Baiting

The most effective method for controlling ants is by baiting. Foraging ants will take the baits back to the colony where it will eventually kill the queen(s). Attempt to locate the nesting site before disturbing the ant's activity. Place the bait down along or close to the trail way and observe the ants as they trail back to the nesting site. A trial and error approach may be needed in order to find baits which the ants prefer. If the actual nest can be located insecticides may be applied directly into the nest to eliminate the nest. Contact your Gotcha! Pest Control Specialist for more information on which control methods and baits may be best for your home or establishment.

Bees & Wasps

As a rule, bees and wasps are beneficial insects and are unaware of the activities of man. At times, although, the nesting habits of these insects may be in close proximity to a home, or even in a home, as to cause problems. For some individuals, the consequences of a bee or wasp sting may be serious, resulting in a severe reaction or even death.

Bees and wasps are either social or solitary insects. Social insects live in groups and colonies. Solitary insects do not live in groups. Solitary wasps (mud daubers, cicada killers, etc.) are not extremely aggressive and generally will not sting unless handled. Social wasps (yellow jackets, hornets, paper wasps) and social bees (honey bees) may readily sting to protect their nests and themselves.

Wasps can be distinguished from bees as follows: Bees appear to have hairy bodies whereas wasps appear to have smooth bodies. Wasps feed primarily on protein such as spiders and insects: bees feed on and give their young pollen, nectar and in some cases honey.

Wasps, because of their food preferences, exhibit scavenging behavior and are more of a nuisance to man. Wasps, mainly the social species, annoy us during outings and barbecues, competing with us for our food and soft drinks.

Yellow jackets, hornets and paper wasps construct nests made of paper. The nest of a paper wasp consists of one layer of open cells. They are often build in shaded, protected areas, like underneath eaves, in vents, behind window shutters and vents, attics and even trees and shrubs. The nests of the yellow jacket, bald-faced hornet and European hornet are composed of multiple layers of cells which are enclosed in a paper envelope. The cells cannot be observed from the outside. Yellow jacket nests may be found in the ground, inside a building or in a tree. Hornets nests are generally found in trees or shrubs but may be build on the outside of structures.

If you are stung by a bee or wasp and you encounter unusual swelling or irritation, or if these symptoms occur some distance away from the sting site, you should contact a physician immediately. Severe reactions from bee and wasp stings are rare but may include an increased heart rate; rapid, shallow, or labored breathing; or even shock. Such reactions are life-threatening and require immediate medical treatment. People allergic to bee and wasp venom can buy sting kits by prescription at most pharmacies.

Bumblebees

Bumble bees usually nest in cavities below ground, like rodent burrows, or they can be found above ground in trash piles, lumber piles, wall voids, etc. Nests are started in the spring by single fertilized females. Each bee builds a large irregular cell of wax and pollen and stocks it with pollen and nectar. Several eggs are laid in the cell; the female then enlarges it and supplies the young with additional food. She speeds the development of her eggs and young by incubating them. They become workers when mature and take over the tasks of pollen and nectar collecting, feeding young, and other nest duties. Honey and pollen may be stored in vacated cells. Nests rarely have more then a hundred workers at a time. Only future queens survive the winter by hibernating in the ground. Bumblebees are very important pollinators of many flowers. The sting of a bumblebee is very painful at the sting site, and is followed by local swelling and irritation. The intense pain doesn't last long, and the swelling disappears after several hours. Itching and mild irritation may persist for a few days. If you are stung and your reaction includes unusual swelling

Honeybees

Honey bee colonies have 20,000 - 80,000 individuals. These colonies are raised for honey and beeswax, and are essential for pollination of crops. The honey bees' stinger has barbs which allow the stinger and the poison sac to remain in the targets skin, etc. Unlike wasps, honey bees can only sting once.

Honeybees are also beneficial and in most instances should not be harmed. Sometimes, however, these bees can become a serious problem when they find an opening to enter and build their nests, such as in wall voids of structures, eves, chimney and attic void area, etc. The nest can survive year round if well protected. The nests are made of wax cells that may contain many pounds of honey. While alive, they have a built in cooling source. By fanning their wings they keep the wax from melting. If the bees and colony are killed this wax will begin to melt causing the honey to seep out. This may cause damage and will attract other insects. Removal of the nest and cleanup of the nesting cavity by a professional is highly advised when dealing with this type of problem.

Mud Dauber Wasps

Mud Dauber wasps are black wasps with a long thin waist and are not social wasps. They are not very aggressive wasps and very rarely sting people. Their nests, sometimes, are built in close proximity to people and their structures. This wasp constructs brood chambers from mud on the sites of buildings and homes. The wasp stings and paralyzes spiders, lays an egg on them, and seals them inside the chambers. The wasp larva hatches and feeds on the spiders. An emergence hole in the mud means that the wasp has emerged from the chamber.

Cicada Killer

The Cicada killer is a very large wasp measuring 1 9/16th inch in length. It has a black abdomen with pale yellow markings on the last three abdominal segments. Adults are seen in late July and August. This was gets its name from the fact that it uses cicadas as food for its young. Cicadas are large insects that are sometimes called "Locusts". Cicada killers are solitary Wasps. Even though there may be many of these wasps flying over a lawn or hillside they do not nest together. Each female digs her own burrows. Burrows may be up to 10 inches deep and may extend another 6 inches horizontally. These burrows have piles of dirt piled up at their entrance. The full grown larvae hibernate in these burrows, pupate inn the spring and emerge the following summer as adults.

While cicada killers are beneficial in reducing cicada populations, they can cause lawn damage and are frightening to many people because of their large size and massive populations. Cicada killers can sting but fortunately only do so when strongly provoked.

Paper Wasps

Paper wasps are usually yellow with brown, black, yellow or red markings. These wasps are aggressive and readily sting. Paper wasp nests are made of a papery material that is shaped like an inverted umbrella. These nests usually have a single comb with as many as 250 or so wasps within the nests. Nests are often built under eaves, behind window shutters or on branches of shrubs. Homes and buildings with shake type siding and roofing shingles also attract these wasps and their nest building practices. The eggs are laid in a cell; the larvae hatch and are fed by the wasps. These wasps generally forage for caterpillars and other small insects to feed the larvae.

Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are generally small wasps with black and yellow stripes and about ¾ to 1 inch in length. These wasps are social insects that live in colonies containing thousands of individuals. Colonies are usually started by a single queen in the early spring, and are very small for the first couple of months. By midsummer, a colony located on or near a house is usually large enough to become a nuisance or even a health threat. These wasps will aggressively attack when their nest is disturbed, and can inflict painful stings. Unlike the honeybee, which stings only one time and then dies, a single yellow jacket can sting many times. Yellow jackets are scavengers and can be beneficial when located in a wooded are or in a field. Colonies located in or near the home, however, can pose a threat to the persons living in the house. When this situation is discovered, the colony or colonies should be eliminated. Because of the danger involved in treating these nests, as well as hornet nests, only a professional such as Gotcha! Pest Control Specialists should attempt to treat them. Should a colony be discovered, contact your Gotcha! Pest Control Specialist for assistance.

Yellow jackets prefer to locate their nests in the ground, usually in an old rodent burrow or similar hole. This Wasp also commonly locates its nest inside the walls of a building by entering through cracks or holes in the outside walls.

Tips for control include: The following precautions should be taken to prevent accidental stings: When working in a garden or flowerbed, be aware of the numerous wasps flying into and away from a single point in the garden or to a hole in the side of the house. This will usually indicate where a colony might be located. Be careful when using powered lawn equipment, such as edgers, trimmers and mowers. Loud, vibrating noises disturb yellow jackets and may send them into an attacking frenzy. Stay away from yellow jacket nests once you know where they are located. If yellow jackets are seen entering and exiting a wall, DO NOT seal or plug the hole. You will force the wasps to find another way out. Sometimes they might actually eat through an interior wall or ceiling and enter the house.

Centipedes & Millipedes

Warm, wet weather always encourages the activity of several moisture loving creatures, including millipedes, or thousand feet worms, and their relatives, the centipede. At times millipedes become so abundant that they cover surface areas as they enter homes and other buildings. Millipedes are cylindrical, segmented, worm like creatures, with two pairs of legs on each body segment, except for the last three, which have only one pair. Over 1000 species occur in the United States. Their activity is encouraged by wet conditions and the overuse of mulches around structures and homes.

Centipedes are related to millipedes and are also worm-like in form, but they differ in having flattened bodies and only one pair of legs on each body segment. They also possess a pair of poison claws or legs just behind the head which are used to paralyze their prey which are usually other small insects or animals. Most centipedes are beneficial, yet the large species found in tropic areas can reach a length of up to 18 inches and inflict a painful bite.

Millipede eggs are deposited in masses in the soil. Young millipedes have fewer segments then the adults, but they add segments at each molt of the outer shell or exoskeleton. Molting occurs 7-10 times before maturity. Young millipedes mature the second year after hatching. Some millipede species live for several years. Similarly, centipedes molt several times, adding legs and body segments with each molt.

Millipedes feed on organic matter, including decayed plant material such as leaves and wood, and occasionally, living plant roots and rootlets, and developing fruit such as melons with a preference for cantaloupes and cucumbers. Affected plants may wilt and die and melons may develop rots caused by bacteria or fungi which are introduced by millipede feeding. When millipedes are abundant in mulches and liter in landscape plantings around homes and structures they often enter through cracks and crevices. Once inside, they usually die unless the areas they enter are very moist. Entry into homes and structures is most common after heavy spring rains saturate the soil and drive millipedes to higher ground. Millipedes also enter homes and structures in the fall, when they seek hibernation sites. Centipedes can be found outdoors, often under stones, boards, wood piles and other misc. ground coverings. They also live under leaf litter and other organic matter. Occasionally these outdoor species invade homes and structures where they are a nuisance, yet are not destructive.

There are several things that can be done to control and prevent millipede problems. Reducing mulch thickness around the home or structure, reduce watering schedules, and pulling mulch away from plants to allow them to dry all will help control millipede feeding and reproduction. To prevent millipedes from entering homes and structures be sure that screens are tight, that moisture holding debris in window wells is eliminated, and that mulches around ornamental plantings are at least 6 to 8 inches away from the foundation.

If centipedes become a continued problem inside a structure then their may be another insect problem present since insects are a primary food source for centipedes. If centipedes are common indoors, look for insects such as cockroaches, flies, boxelder bugs, elm leaf beetles and other general insects. Controlling these insects may be the key to eliminating the centipede problem. Removing the mulch adjacent to the foundation or occasionally allowing it to dry out should also help reduce centipede activity.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the most successful animals known in the evolution of the planet. There are more then 3,500 cockroach species existing in the world. Cockroaches are classified in the insect order Blattaria. They are separated into five families based on their shared characteristics, namely, Blattidae, Blattellidae, Cryptocercidae, Polyphagidae and Blaberidae. In general, cockroaches are tropical and live outdoors. However, 25 species are found in close association with humans. Cockroaches which are in close association with humans are of public health importance because they can mechanically transmit pathogenic organisms, and are a source of powerful allergens.

German Cockroach

The German cockroach is worldwide in distribution. It is the most prevalent species in and around homes, apartments, supermarkets, food processing plants and restaurants. Many homes and business establishments become infested with German cockroaches when they are introduced in infested cartons, foodstuffs and other materials. The German cockroach is about 5/8 inch/16 mm in length, brown in color, with two dark longitudinal streaks on the pronotum. The male is light brown and somewhat boat-shaped. The female is slightly darker in color with a broader and rounded posterior. German cockroaches breed throughout the year indoors, yet favors a humid environment and an average temperature of about 70 degrees F/21 degrees C. The German cockroach produces more eggs per capsule then other pest cockroach species. In addition their young also complete their growth in a shorter period of time. Female German cockroaches carry their egg capsules until they are ready to hatch. The number of eggs in an egg capsule is generally 30 - 40.

Brown-Banded Cockroach

The brown-banded cockroach commonly hides in cupboards, pantries, closet shelves, behind pictures and picture frames, and other areas throughout the home and prefer high locations. The brown-banded cockroach is similar to the German cockroach in some respects but may be distinguished from it by the following general characteristics:

1. The brown-banded cockroach lacks the two dark stripes on the thorax found on the German cockroach.
2. The wings are twice-banded with brownish yellow stripes.
3. The egg capsules are smaller then the German cockroach, being about 3/16 inches and having about half as many eggs.

Brown-banded cockroaches are active and will fly readily when disturbed. The egg capsule of the brown-banded cockroach is yellowish or reddish brown in color and is 3/16 inches in length. The female carries the egg capsule for 24 to 36 hours and then attaches it to some object. There may be up to 18 eggs in each egg capsule.

Oriental Cockroach

Like other cockroach species, Oriental cockroaches undergo a gradual metamorphosis with three distinct stages, including egg, nymph and adult. The female Oriental cockroach produces an egg capsule which is blackish-brown in color. About 16 eggs are laid in the egg capsule arranged in two rows of eight eggs each. The average number of eggs hatching is 14. The female may deposit up to 18 egg capsules, with an average of eight egg capsules per female. The female Oriental cockroach has a much lower potential for producing offspring when compared to the female German cockroach or brown-banded cockroach. Generally egg capsules are deposited in places where food is readily available. Eggs hatch in about two months after they have been deposited. Newly emerged nymphs are very light, but later change to a reddish-to blackish-brown color. Male and female Oriental cockroaches have different wing formations. Males have well developed brown-black wings which cover about 75 percent of their abdomen. The shiny black female has rudimentary wing stubs with definite venation. Adult female Oriental cockroaches may live from 34 to 181 days on average. Oriental cockroaches are omnivorous, but they prefer to feed on starchy foods. They are less wary and more sluggish than other cockroaches. The ideal temperature for the Oriental cockroach is about 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They are typically found in dark, damp basements, crawlspaces, areas between the soil and foundation, underneath sidewalks, in sewer pipes, floor drains and many other cool, moist places.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting cockroaches being 1 ½ inches long with fully developed reddish brown wings and light markings on the thorax. The American cockroach is commonly found in sewers and basements, particularly around pipes. The American cockroach is found most commonly in restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and where food is prepared and stored. In warm months, especially in the summer, alley ways and yards may become heavily infested. American cockroaches can take flight and have been recorded capable of long flights. The female will not drop her egg capsule as soon as it is formed and will carry it for a few hours or days before depositing it. Egg capsules are often glued to surfaces when deposited. The American cockroach female does not drop her egg capsule indiscriminately, but will usually hide them with great care in crevices, or bury them in softwood or workable material. The number of egg capsules produced by the female is from around six to fourteen, with about 16 eggs in each capsule placed in two parallel rows. Newly emerged nymphs will molt 13 times before reaching maturity.

European Earwig

European earwigs are often considered to be general household pests because of the large numbers that can accumulate when they seek shelter in homes and buildings. They are scavengers, and normally feed on decaying plant and animal matter. Earwigs will feed on living plant matter, as well, but they rarely cause serious damage to plants.

Adult European earwigs have a long, dark red, flattened body about five-eighths of an inch long, with pale, yellow-brown legs. Earwig adults have forcep-like cerci (appendages at the end of the abdomen) that differ in form between sexes. Adult male cerci are curved, whereas, female cerci are straight.

The European earwig undergoes a gradual metamorphosis, and normally has four or five instar stages. Eggs are deposited in an underground chamber, and are guarded by the female until they hatch. The female continues to watch over her young until the nymphs reach the third or fourth instar stage, when they begin to forage without returning to their nest.

European earwigs over winter as adults. Earwigs feed nocturnally, and can cause slug-like damage to plant leaves, flowers, fruits and vegetables. However, this damage can be differentiated from slug damage by the absence of the slimy trails slugs leave behind.

Fleas

Fleas attack pets, man, and warm blooded animals (hosts) to feed. Fleas are small, wingless insects, which are dark in color and have strong legs that enable them to swiftly jump long distances. People often first become aware of flea infestations due to itching and annoying flea bites rather then usually spotting the pest. Bites most commonly occur in the ankles and may consist of 2 - 3 bites in a row. Dogs that are being attacked by fleas may suddenly stop and scratch excessively or bite affected areas. In severe cases, the dog may experience hair loss or skin infections. Fleas transmit disease and also tapeworms. Fleas also transmit Typhoid fever and bubonic plaque. A flea can jump 7 to 8 inches vertically and 14 - 16 inches horizontally. Fleas can live without a host for weeks. The most common fleas are the cat fleas. Fleas are attracted to body heat, movement, and carbon dioxide exhaled.

Fleas go through three stages before they become adults (egg, larva, and pupa). It can take from 30 days to one year to complete this cycle. The immature stages are most commonly found in areas where the host animal rests and visits frequently. Eggs are laid on the animal and generally fall off and land on surfaces like carpet and other surfaces. Larvae emerge from the eggs and feed on organic debris and adult flea feces in the carpet areas and other surfaces. The adult flea is the only stage mainly found on the animal. Adult fleas will live for 7 to 10 days on average and the females will lay around 150 eggs during that time span.

There are many important factors to consider when trying to control and eliminate flea infestations. Contact your area pest control company for details on control measures and also check with your vet for treatment options and methods available for your pets.

Flies

Drain Flies

Drain flies are the most commonly encountered fly or gnat in commercial establishments. They are approximately 1/10" long, and have long hairs on their wings and bodies, giving them a fuzzy appearance. Wings are held roof-like over the body when the fly is at rest.

Normally the time required to complete the life cycle is 2 - 3 weeks. The eggs are deposited near the surface of organic materials such as around drains, bathtub drains, sewage plants and water traps in plumbing fixtures.

Adults are not strong fliers and can be observed most of the time running or walking on walls. However, they can be carried by wind currents.

As with most flies, the key to obtaining control of drain flies is to eliminate the breeding source. Areas where there are accumulations of organic debris or fermenting foods must be cleaned thoroughly.

The following steps should be implemented in order to obtain control of these flies. These sanitation procedures are the key, as with most fly control programs, to creating a pro-active drain fly control program.

1) Garbage Handling: Whenever possible, garbage dumpsters should be located away from the structure. These areas should be cleaned regularly to remove food debris accumulations around the compactor and dumpster pads. Trash and garbage receptacles used within the building should be emptied daily and cleaned with detergent and water at least twice a week. Keep all trash chutes free of food debris on a regular basis and make sure all residues are removed.
2) Drain Cleaning Procedures: Organic debris can accumulate in floor drains. Drain flies may be found in the slime layers around the lips of the drains. Establish a routine program using Bioremediation techniques for cleaning drains and floor junctures. The bioremediation solution KB-4F is designed to digest the fats, oils, grease, starches and sugars which are the cause of organic buildup in drain lines, and turn them into water. KB-4F will control the odors associated with built up organic material as well.
3) Mop & Broom Handling: Mops and brooms can retain food particles inn them. All mops and brooms heads should be cleaned thoroughly before returning them to the storage location. In order to allow mops and brooms to dry thoroughly they should be mounted on a wall rack system.
4) Exclusion: During warm weather it is very important to keep doors closed when they are not in use. Place fine meshed screens on windows which are left open for ventilation purposes. Always consider installing air door screens on doors which open for long periods of time.
5) Contact your Gotcha! Pest Control Specialist for more information on which control methods are best for your establishment.

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are the most commonly encountered small fly or gnat found in homes and one of the most common in commercial establishments. Fruit flies are approximately 1/8" long, have bright red eyes, and their body is tan in color. The abdomen may appear dark or black striped.

The female fruit fly will lay approximately 500 eggs in her lifetime. These eggs are deposited near the surface of fermenting materials such as fruit, dirty trash containers, decaying organic matter which is trapped under kitchen equipment or in the slime found in drains. Other areas where they may breed include, but are not limited to: refrigerator and air conditioner condensation pans, dirty mops and brooms and the accumulation of organic debris underneath floor tiles. Under ideal environmental conditions the fruit fly can go from egg to adult stage in eight to nine days.

The adult fruit flies are strong fliers and may appear in areas which are far from their breeding source, sometimes hundreds of feet. During warm weather, they may enter and invade structures from the outdoors.

As with most fly control programs, the key to control are to eliminate the breeding source. Areas where there are accumulations of organic debris or fermenting foods must be cleaned.

The following steps should be implemented in order to obtain control of these flies. These sanitation procedures are the key, as with most fly control programs, to creating a pro-active fruit fly control program.

1 Garbage Handling: Whenever possible, garbage dumpsters should be located away from the structure. These areas should be cleaned regularly to remove food debris accumulations around the compactor and dumpster pads. Trash and garbage receptacles used within the building should be emptied daily and cleaned with detergent and water at least twice a week. Keep all trash chutes free of food debris on a regular basis and make sure all residues are removed.
2 Drain Cleaning Procedures: Organic debris can accumulate in floor drains. Fruit flies may be found in the slime layers around the lips of the drains. Establish a routine program for cleaning drains and drain/floor junctures.
3 Mop & Broom Handling: Mops and brooms can retain food particles inn them. All mops and brooms heads should be cleaned thoroughly before returning them to the storage location. In order to allow mops and brooms to dry thoroughly they should be mounted on a wall rack system.
4 Equipment Cleaning: Floors underneath equipment must be thoroughly cleaned. Any cracks in tiles and floor grouting should be sealed promptly. Clean inside equipment as well. Equipment such as juice machines and garbage disposals may have spills inside them. The interior of this equipment must be thoroughly cleaned.
5 Recycling Procedures: Do not let aluminum cans or bottles with pop syrup or other food residues sit in recycling bins for long periods of time. These containers may serve as sources for fruit fly infestations. Clean these containers on a regular basis. Empty at least twice a week or more.
6 Exclusion: During warm weather it is very important to keep doors closed when they are not in use. Place fine meshed screens on windows which are left open for ventilation purposes. Always consider installing air door screens on doors which open for long periods of time.
7 Additional Control Procedures: Jar traps, light traps and glue traps with vinegar can be useful in capturing fruit flies. Pyrethrin based space sprays may also be used when food and food contact surfaces are not exposed. Contact your Gotcha! Pest Control Specialist for more information on which control methods are best for your establishment.

House Flies

House flies are the most common fly found in homes, restaurants and other structures. Adult house flies can lay their eggs in manure, garbage or decaying meat. The can readily breed in fresh and wet incinerated garbage but not in scattered, dry garbage. It is possible to have as many as 800 - 900 fly pupas developing from one ounce of manure.

The house fly passes through four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva or maggot, pupa and adult. The entire life cycle can be completed in 7 - 10 days under ideal environmental conditions. Adult females can lay as many as 2,700 eggs in 30 days but on average this number is much smaller 300 - 900 in 5 or 6 different batches. The eggs, which are laid singly, but often appear in clusters, hatch in 6 to 24 hours. The maggot remains in the breeding media for 4 - 10 days, feeding and growing. In wet breeding areas, the full grown larvae climb to the surface or sides of the breeding media before pupating. In some cases the larva have crawled a considerable distance from the breeding source in order to pupate. The Pupal stage lasts for 3 - 6 days. The adult female is ready to lay eggs in 20 - 22 days after emerging and continues to lay eggs for about one month. Adult flies live 30 - 60 days on average in warm months. In colder Northern areas, some adults may survive indoors for several months.

Eggs: House fly eggs are white, elongate and about 1/20" long.

Larva: The larva is also referred to as a maggot. When it emerges from the egg it is transparent in color. As it grows it takes on a creamy white color. Maggots have no legs and are somewhat carrot shaped. The maggot has two small openings used for breathing which are located at the hind end. They are about 2/5" long.

Pupa: The pupa is reddish-brown in color. They are barrel-shaped and about 3/8" long. Pupal cases are sometimes mistaken for American cockroach egg capsules.

Adults: The adult house fly has two wings (most adult insects have four). There are four narrow black stripes located on the thorax. The adult house fly is ¼" long.

Houseflies are a danger to the health of man and animals for the simple reason that they carry and spread disease organisms. They move from garbage and sewage to dinner plates and foodstuffs. They carry bacteria on the outside of their bodies then regurgitate saliva and deposits wastes on human food. In this comparison the cockroach is a sanitary insect.

Houseflies usually stay near their breeding sources yet it is possible they can travel many miles when carried by wind currents. Houseflies prefer to rest on corners and edges of thin objects. At night they usually rest near their food source, 5 - 15 feet off the ground.

Sanitation & Control of Houseflies:

Due to the fact that houseflies breed so rapidly, sanitation and the elimination of breeding areas needs to be considered. If breeding conditions are ideal, no amount of chemical will successfully control the population. Below we have listed some breeding areas and what you can do about them.

1) Garbage cans and dumpsters: Garbage should be picked up two to three times a week. Garbage cans should be kept clean inside. Dumpsters and compactors should be on cement pads and kept as far away from doors as possible. The areas should be cleaned regularly. Cold water washes with high pressures (700 lbs. psi) will kill fly maggots. Always keep lids on trash cans.
2) Inside food handling establishments: Clean grease and spilled food from behind equipment, etc.
3) Screen doors: Screens can be very effective in keeping flies out. Remember, although, that screens must be kept closed to work.
4) Air doors: Not as effective as screens but still effective is the air door. Air doors must be installed properly so there are no blank areas in the air curtain and the velocity must be 1,600 ft. /min. or more. Air doors must be checked periodically to make sure they are working properly.
5) Insect light traps (ILT): These are very effective tools to use once flies have entered the facility. By positioning the light so you don't attract the flies from the outside, these devices are extremely effective for several types of fly control.
6) Temperatures: Temperatures can be used to slow down fly activity. Adult egg laying activity ceases at 50 degrees F.

Lady Beetles

There are many species of ladybugs, and while we may view them as beneficial for managing harmful insects in gardens, forests and surrounding landscape, we quickly forget these benefits when the Asian lady beetle enters our homes.

The coloration of Asian lady beetles varies widely, ranging from mustard yellow to orange and deep red. The number of spots also varies from several to none.

Ladybugs do not carry diseases or sting. Ladybugs are also unable to breed or reproduce indoors. However, when large numbers begin to enter the home they will crawl on walls, windows, and many other surfaces.

Ladybugs become visible to customers twice a year. In the late summer/early fall they can be seen flying to the sides of buildings to seek out over wintering sites. Then as the temperature warms in late winter and early spring, they emerge in large numbers in search of a way outside. They are not mating, but simply seeking out suitable places to spend the winter.

Exclusion is the best policy for managing ladybugs around a structure. The best long-term strategy still involves caulking, sealing and screening. Once ladybugs are established inside of an account there are not a lot of treatment options. Your best friend for these ladybugs when you find them in the fall, winter and early spring is the vacuum cleaner. Caution should be used in their removal so as not to cause staining.

Mice & Rats

Rats and mice, in general, are found around all areas where humans dwell. Both rats and mice eat any kind of food people eat. They also contaminate 10 times as much food as they eat with urine, hair and droppings. They can carry many types of diseases including bubonic plaque, spirochetal jaundice, leptospirosis, rabies, ratbite fever, bacterial food poisoning just to name a few. Rats and mice also can cause fires by gnawing electrical wires in attics and other areas. The most common rodents around living areas are the Norway rat and house mouse.

Norway Rats

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are fairly husky, brownish rodents that weigh about 11 ounces to one pound. They are about 13 to 18 inches long including the tail which is 6 to 8 inches long on average. Norway rats prefer to eat fresh meat, fish and grain but can also survive easily on a small amount of garbage or decayed food along with an ounce of water. Their harborage areas are usually in a range of 100 - 150 feet but may exceed that area if food is scarce. Norway rats are burrowers and often dig in garbage, along foundation walls, under buildings and concrete slabs. Norway rat droppings are ¾ inch long and capsule shaped. Norway rats live for about 1 year on average and reach sexual maturity in around 3 to 5 months. Their litter varies from around 6 to 12 on average and they can have around 7 litters per year.

House Mouse

The adult house mouse (Mus musculus) is about 3 ½ inches long. The ears are moderately large and distinct. Mice are dusty gray, but some may be light brown to dark gray with the belly slightly lighter or a very light cream color. Their tail is about as long as their body and head combined (roughly 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches). An adult mouse weighs ½ to 1 ounce. The house mouse can live outdoors as a field rodent. However they should not be confused with pine mice, meadow mice, white-footed or dear mice, moles or shrews, all of which are entirely different animals. The house mouse is a prolific breeder. At 35 days of age they mature and carry embryos for 18 to 21 days. If a female aborts she can become pregnant again within 48 hours. The average litter size for the house mouse is about six. On average the house mouse can have litters every 40 to 50 days. On average mice live for 15 to 18 months, and some have been noted to live as long as six years. The house mouse eats about the same kinds of foods humans do including meats, grains cereals, seeds, fruits and vegetables. They prefer sweet liquids to water for drinking. The house mouse feeds on average 15 to 20 times a day. Their harborage areas are usually in a range of 15 to 20 feet. Once mice find a food to their liking they may avoid all other items.

Below are a few interesting physical and biological abilities mice possess:

Mice are excellent climbers and can run up almost any roughened wall without breaking stride. Mice, although preferring not to swim, can do so if needed. Mice can jump a vertical distance of 12 inches from the floor to an elevated flat surface. Mice are capable of jumping from a height of 8 feet to a floor without injury. Mice are capable of squeezing through an opening slightly larger than ¼ inch. In six months, one pair of mice can eat about 4 pounds of food and produce some 18,000 fecal droppings. Mice are not blind, but have poor vision and cannot clearly see beyond 6 inches. Mice depend on outlines, not details.

Silverfish & Firebrats

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) and firebrats (Thermobia domestica) cause damage in homes by eating foods and other materials that are high in protein, sugar or starch. They feed on cereals, moist flour, any paper on which there is glue or paste, sizing in paper including wall paper and book bindings, starch in clothing and rayon fabrics.

Silverfish and firebrats are slender-bodied, about ½ of an inch in length and wingless. Their bodies are covered with scales which are a shiny silver or pearl gray for silverfish, and mottled gray for firebrats. The immature insects look like the adults but are smaller in size. They both have two long antennae on the head and three long tail-like appendages at the hind end. Silverfish and firebrats are common in houses and structures throughout the United States. Silverfish live and develop in damp, cool places, especially basements and cellars. Firebrats live and develop in hot, dark places such as around furnaces, fireplaces and in insulation around hot water or heat pipes. Both are active at night and hide during the day.

Silverfish and firebrats develop slowly under usual household conditions and produce few young. They are able to live without food for several months. The females lay eggs during all seasons in secluded places such as behind books or on closet shelves. Silverfish lay eggs singly or only a few at a time, but may deposit several batches over a period of weeks. Firebrats deposit about 50 eggs at a time, and again, may lay several batches. Eggs hatch in a few weeks and the rate of growth of the young depends on the temperature and humidity in the building. Silverfish and firebrats may reach maturity in 3 to 24 months.

Spiders

Black Widow

The black widow spider is present across the entire United States. This spider is found outdoors in all kinds of protected areas. Around homes, it lives in garages, cellars, furniture, ventilators, rain spouts, gas and electric meters and many other undisturbed places. Like most spiders, the black widow is shy and retiring. People are bitten when they accidentally disturb a hidden spider or its web. Females are usually jet black in color. The lower side of their rounded abdomen is marked by two reddish triangles resembling an hourglass in shape. In some individuals the markings may be irregular, spot-like or even absent. The black widow's overall length averages about 1 ½ inches. The black widow has eight eyes in two rows, which is a common pattern in many spiders. Gravid females lay their eggs singly in a loosely woven cup of silk. The oval egg sacs are about ½ inch long. These egg sacs hold from 25 to 900 or more eggs, which undergo an incubation period of about 20 days. The spiderling's usually stay near the egg sac for a few days after they emerge. Cannibalism is prevalent during this time. Eventually the surviving spiderling's disperse by means of small silk threads. When they are about one-third grown they establish themselves in some protected place and construct loosely woven webs. The spiders usually remain in their webs for the rest of their lives. As they mature they extend their webs and capture progressively larger prey. Males eventually leave their webs to find females for mating. The females sometimes eat the males after mating; this habit is what gave the black widow their name. A black widow bite feels like a pin prick and sometimes is not even felt. Usually, a slight local swelling and two red spots surrounded by local redness indicates the location of the bite. Pain becomes intense in 1 to 3 hours and may continue for up to 48 hours. Symptoms include abdominal pains, rise in blood tremors, loss of muscle tone and vomiting. The toxin also causes breathing difficulties and sometimes unconsciousness. Mortality estimates from a black widow spider bite is less than 5 percent.

Brown Recluse Spider

The brown recluse spider inhabits many southern and Midwest states, and it often lives around human dwellings. Brown recluse spiders are found in bathrooms, closets, under and around furniture, behind baseboards, door facings, corners and crevices along with many other protected areas. They also like cluttered cellars and garages and are most active at night. Many of the bites people have received from this spider are when they entrap the spider, such as rolling over on it when they sleep, or placing on a piece of clothing that has been undisturbed for a long period of time. The brown recluse spider is a non aggressive spider that spins a white or grayish, nondescript web. Its body and legs together cover about the same area as a quarter or half dollar, and the body is only about ¼ to ½ inch long. The coloring of the recluse varies from an orange-yellow to dark brown or almost black. The most distinguishing characteristics are the spider's eyes and back markings. It has six eyes in three pairs arranged in a semicircle on the forepart of the head. This eye pattern is uncommon in spiders and will help eliminate many species suspected to be brown recluse spiders. The eyes also form the base of a violin-shaped marking on the back. The neck of the "violin" is formed by a distinct, short, median groove. The effects of a brown recluse spider bite may be immediate or delayed, depending upon the amount of venom injected and the victim's sensitivity. The bite usually causes a stinging sensation and then intense pain. Within 24 to 36 hours a systemic reaction may occur, characterized by restlessness, fever, chills, nausea, weakness and joint pain. The bite also produces a small blister surrounded by a large congested and swollen area. The venom usually kills the affected tissue, which gradually sloughs away and exposes underlying tissues. The edges around the wound will thicken, while the exposed center fills with dense scar tissue. Healing may take 6 to 8 weeks, leaving scars of various sizes.

Stored Food Product Pests/Pantry Pests

Pantry pests include, but are not limited to Rice Weevils, Granary Weevils, Grain Moths, Grain Borers, Drugstore Beetles, Tobacco Beetles, Indian Meal Moths, Confused Flour Beetles to name a few. An infestation of a stored product pest means eliminating the source of the infestation in order to achieve control and elimination. In private residences these insects are usually brought into the home in products from the grocery store. You must check everything sealed or unsealed including cereals, spices, flour, meal, dried products, bird seed, pet food and so on. The key is to check everything and eliminate any products that show signs of infestation. It is also important to check areas where foods have been spilled for hidden debris around crack and crevice areas. Sometimes rodent problems such as mice are also a complication in the inspection process since they take food debris and hide it in other areas. Bird seen is often one of the major sources of many problems. Indian meal moths can take 25 - 135 days for moth egg-egg development cycle to occur. One moth can lay 100 - 400 eggs over a 1 - 18 day period. Anything in the pantry, kitchen and surrounding problem areas needs to be checked. If all the infested sources are not removed then the problem will continue. Moths and beetles go through a complete metamorphous…from an egg to larva to pupa, then an adult.

Termites

Termites are extremely important in nature. They recycle fallen trees and other materials back into the soil. Termites are needed in our environment, however, a termite cannot tell the difference between a log and a board in your home. Therefore, homeowners must understand termites and the current control methods available to them.

Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termite groups consist of two important types: the native eastern subterranean termites and the Formosan termite, both are native to every state except Alaska, causing more than $750,000,000 of damage each year in the United States alone. Termites, given enough time, can cause enough damage to lead to sagging floors, damaged carpets and trim, damaged wallpaper, and eventually threaten the structural integrity of your home or structure. Successful control of termites nearly always requires the services of a qualified pest control firm.

Subterranean termites are social insects that live in nests or colonies in the soil. Termite colonies can range from hundreds of thousands to millions with colonies attacking more than one structure. The members of these colonies divide their work among specialized members. The members of these colonies move in passageways that are hidden from the sun's rays and are protected from undue moisture loss. Three castes make up the termite colony (reproductives, workers, and soldiers). Reproductives can be winged (primary) or wingless (secondary). Each has the capability to produce new offspring. Primary reproductives, also called swarmers, vary in body color from coal black to pale yellow-brown. The wings are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. Termite workers are wingless, white to grayish-white, 1/4 to 3/8 inch long and make up the largest number of individuals within the colony. Soldiers resemble the workers in color and general appearance. However, they have a large, well-developed, brownish head with strong mandibles or jaws. Soldiers defend the colony against invaders which are primarily ants. Once a colony is several years old and relatively large another form of adult termite may be produced called a "swarmer". Swarmers have four wings, range in size from 3/8 to 1/4 inch, and are often brown or black in appearance. Swarmers are a colonies way of sending out new kings and queens t start colonies of their own. In the spring large numbers of swarmers can fly from a single colony. Swarmers are the most visible form of termite in and around the home. The homeowner usually realizes that they have a problem with termites when these swarmers are seen. Termite swarmers are often times confused with many ants that also swarm in the spring. If you look closely, you can see that swarming ants have elbowed antennae, a narrow waist, and front wings that are longer than the back wings. Swarming termites have straight antennae, a thick waist, and all the wings are the same length. Mature Formosan termite colonies may have millions of workers. For this reason these termites are usually the most destructive. Subterranean termites usually live underground, excavating the soil in the form of passageways to reach wood. Their passageways can be rather complex extending over 10 feet under the ground and cover more than an acre. The soil provides these termites moisture which protects them from drying and helps shield them from predators. If, however, water and wood is available from a source other than the soil, it is possible for these termites to establish a colony above the ground. This is more so the case with the Formosan termite.

Wood Boring Beetles

Wood boring beetles are second to termites in importance regarding wood destroying insects found in the home.

Lyctid Powderpost Beetles

In general, adult Lyctid beetles are 1/8 to ¼ inch long. They are slender beetles and range in color from reddish-brown to black. Lyctid beetles infest only hardwoods, such as oak. Lyctid beetles can live in wood with a wide moisture range, from a dry 8 percent to a very moist 32 percent. Only the larvae stage of this beetle damages the wood. The female lays an average of twenty to fifty eggs in crevices or on the ends of boards. When they hatch, the tiny larvae bore down into the wood. As the larvae grow, they bore to a point just underneath the surface of the wood, there they change into adults. After they change into adults, the adults cut a 1/32 to 1/16 inch circular exit hole in the surface of the wood. Usually a powdery wood dust is created by the beetle's feeding which is pushed out as the adult beetle emerges. Male and female beetles exit at the same time and mate, and a new generation of females will lay eggs again. The entire life cycle for most Lyctid beetles takes 10 to 12 months.

Anobiid Powderpost Beetles

There are more then 200 kinds of Anobiid beetles, of which very few infest wood. Most Anobiid beetles found in homes, like drugstore beetles, infest grain products. The few that do infest wood are also called Powderpost beetles or deathwatch beetles. The wood infesting anobiids range from 1/8 to ¼ inch in length. Their color ranges from reddish brown to nearly black. The body segment just behind the dead is hook like and completely covers the head when the insect is viewed from above. Anobiids can infest both hardwoods and softwoods. Only the larvae feed on the wood. They generally prefer wood in cool locations with moisture levels above 14 percent. Anobiids are the most common beetles infesting crawl spaces. Female anobiid beetles usually lay fewer then 50 eggs under wood splinters, in cracks, or in old exit holes. Like the Lyctid beetle, the small anobiid larvae bore into the wood, where they eat and develop. When the larvae change into adults, they chew round exit holes between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in diameter. The male and female emerge together and mate, and the female deposits her eggs. Though the females fly well and can lay eggs at new locations, they are most likely to lay their eggs on the board from which they emerged. Most anobiid beetles take 2 to 3 years to complete their life cycle.

Old House Borers

The old house borer belongs to a group called cerambycid beetles, which are also known as long-horned beetles. Most long-horned beetles are wood borers in the larval stage, but only the old house borer is a serious pest in homes. Adult old house borers range from 5/8 to 1 inch in length. They are brownish black in color, with many gray hairs on the head and forepart of the body. The segment just behind the head has a shiny raised bump on each side, giving it the appearance of a face. Old house borers infest softwoods, especially pine. These beetles can be found in old houses, as their name implies, but they are actually more common in newer homes. The females lay about 50 eggs in cracks and crevices in wood. The larvae penetrate the wood to feed, but they often stay near the surface of the wood. Larvae usually require 2 to 3 years to develop in wood with 15 to 25 percent moisture, but they can take as long as 15 years to develop in very dry wood. Usually, larvae become adults in the spring, but they may not emerge immediately. When they do exit, the adults cut oval holes about ¼ to 3/8 inch in diameter. Adults are normally most active in June and July.