Welcome to our pest library. Here you will learn to identify common pest and termites that may invade your home or business.
Carpenter Ants | Fleas | Ticks | Spiders | Carpenter Bees | Subterranean Termites | Drywood Termites
Carpenter Ants
Appearance: Carpenter ants are among the largest ants, ranging from 1/4- to 3/8-inch long. Most carpenter ants are black, but some have reddish or yellowish coloration.
Habitat: Found both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood.
Diet: Does not eat wood, but will feed on sweets, meats and other insects.
Other: Regardless of the age or type of construction, all buildings are vulnerable to infestation and damage by carpenter ants. They are very difficult to control since colonies can contain up to 50,000 workers.
Back To TopFleas
Appearance: Fleas are small, wingless and 1/12- to 1/6-inch long. They are covered in spines with piercing mouthparts.
Habitat: A parasite that attaches to a host.
Diet: Larvae feed on organic debris, particularly the feces of adult fleas, which contain undigested blood.
Other: Their powerful legs allow them to jump 7 to 8 inches vertically, and 14 to 16 inches horizontally. Fleas carry parasites and disease organisms to human and animal hosts.
Back To TopTicks
Appearance: Adult ticks are 1/8- to 5/8-inch long, while nymphal ticks are less than 1/16-inch. They vary in color by species.
Habitat: Often found near wooded and highly vegetated areas. Some ticks require moisture to survive.
Diet: Feed on blood of mammals, birds and reptiles.
Other: Ticks cause irritation, discomfort, and can transmit serious diseases to humans and other animals.
Back To TopSpiders
Appearance: Spiders have eight legs with no wings or antennae.
Habitat: Some spiders like moisture and are found in basements, crawl spaces and other damp parts of buildings. Others prefer dry, warm areas such as subfloor air vents, upper corners of rooms and attics.
Diet: Feed on insects.
Other: There are over 15 different types of spiders, including the Tarantula, Black Widow and the House Spider.
Back To TopCarpenter Bees
Appearance: Carpenter bees are about 1-inch long. They usually are black with some yellow and resemble bumblebees in both size and color.
Habitat: In nature, logs, dead trees and limbs are the targets for carpenter bees as nest sites. On homes, bare wood decks, fences, and window sills are usually attacked.
Diet: Like most species of bee, they mostly feed on pollen.
Other: Carpenter bees get their common name from their habit of boring into wood to make galleries for the rearing of young.
Back To TopSubterranean Termites
Appearance: Workers are approximately 1/4-inch long,
Habit: Live in colonies underground, from which they build tunnels in search of food. Subterranean Termites build mud tubes in order to reach food above the ground level. They also are dependent on moisture for survival.
Diet: Wood and other cellulose material.
Other: Subterranean termites cause 95% of all termite damage in North America. Colonies can contain up to 1 million members.
Back To TopDrywood Termites
Appearance: Drywood Termites are larger than subterranean termites, up to 1/2 inch long.
Habit: They create colonies in wood and need very little moisture.
Diet: Wood and occasionally other cellulose material.
Other: Drywood Termites cause serious damage to structures. They are not as widespread as subterranean termites
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