Pest Control & Extermination
Need to know what kind of bug or rodents are in your house?
Here are some tips to keep in mind when trying to identify a pest.
Cockroach
Cockroaches are commonly found in buildings and homes because they prefer warm environments close to food and water. Unfortunately, cockroaches can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks, especially in children. They can also spread nearly 33 different kinds of bacteria.
- Class: Insecta
- Family: Blattodea
- Genus: Periplaneta
- Order: Blattodea
- Subfamily: Perisphareinae
- Special: P. Americana
Ant
There are three kinds of ants in a colony: The queen, the female workers, and the males. The queen and males have wings, while the workers don’t have wings. The queen is the only ant that can lay eggs. Some queen ants can live for many years and have millions of babies. However, when the queen of the colony dies, the colony can only survive a few months. Queens are rarely replaced, and the workers are not able to reproduce.
- Class: Insecta
- Family: Formicidae
- Genus: Solenisis
- Order: Insecta
- Subfamily: Myrmicinae
- Special: S. Invicta
Tick
Ticks live in tall grass or shrubs. They do not jump or fly, Although they may drop from their perch and fall onto a host. Some species of ticks actually follow a host by foot until they can climb aboard. Ticks can live as long as 200 days without food or water, and they can live from 2 months to 2 years, depending on the species.
- Class: Arachnida
- Family: Ixodidae
- Genus: Ixodes
- Order: Ixodida
- Subfamily: Argasinae
- Special: Amblyomma Americanum
Termite
Termites are known as “Silent Destroyers” because of their ability to chew through wood, flooring, and even wallpaper undetected. There are about 2,000 known termite species in the world. Each year, termites cause more than $5 Billion in property damage. Termite colonies eat non-stop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Class: Insecta
- Family: Formosanus
- Genus: Reticulitermes
- Order: Blattodea
- Subfamily: Macrotermitinae
- Special: Formosan
Mosquito
When mosquitos find their way inside your home through an open door or window, they usually rest in the dark, hidden areas but will come out at night in search of a blood meal. Homeowners sometimes find mosquitos under sinks or in closets and laundry rooms.
- Class: Insecta
- Family: Culicidae
- Genus: Culex
- Order: Diptera
- Subfamily: Anophelinae
- Special: Aedes
Scorpion
Scorpions have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger. Since scorpions can enter structures through torn screens and holes and cracks in building exteriors, it’s equally important to seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home with caulk and repair any damaged screens.
- Class: Arachnida
- Family: Scorpionidae
- Genus: Scorpio Linnaeus
- Order: Scorpiones
- Subfamily: Chelicerata
- Special: Americana