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TwitThisInsect Identification Answers and Guide
Pest #1: CARPENTER ANTCourtesy National Pest Management Association
Red, black, or a combination of these colors, carpenter ants nest within excavated wood outdoors, but can enter your home through crevices near doors, windows, or via wet, decayed wood. Once inside, these insects can pose a threat to your home during their nest building. Ants require water for survival, so keep your property free of standing water and possible sources of avoidable moisture.
Pest #2: TERMITESCourtesy National Pest Management Association
Termites live underground in colonies and favor standing water as a means of tunneling their way into your home. These destructive pests require contact with soil and use their saw-like jaws to demolish wood, making them a dangerous threat to home and building owners.
Pest #3: GERMAN COCKROACH
Courtesy National Pest Management Association
This small species of cockroaches is the nation's most common. These reddish brown bugs pick up and spread germs as they travel, contaminating food. Eliminating possible points of entry, placing sticky traps and a keeping a clean home can help prevent an infestation.
Pest #4: DEER TICK
Photo by James Gathany
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sometimes referred to as black-legged ticks, these blood-sucking parasites are responsible for transmitting Lyme disease to humans. Ticks can find their way from their wooded habitats to your home either by latching onto you or your pets. They are particularly fond of the borders between brushy, wooded areas and trails.
Pest #5: BEDBUG
Photo by Piotr Naskrecki
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Bedbugs like to make their homes in beds but they are also comfortable hiding out in your luggage, wallpaper, furniture coverings and crevices. Ranging from mahogany to red, bedbugs come out at night to eat and can best be spotted with a flashlight. Professional pest control services are necessary to rule out and eliminate infestations.
Pest #6: BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This arachnid enjoys hiding out in your home's darkest, smallest spaces. These nocturnal creatures end up in homes as a consequence of artificial light, which attracts their prey. This species of spider does not bite intentionally, but its bite is more hazardous to children. If you suspect your child may have been bitten, contact your pediatrician or hospital.
Pest #7: DUST MITE
Courtesy Electron Microscopy and Audio Visual Unit of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
One of the greatest contributors to home allergens, microscopic dust mites feed on shed flakes of human skin and are most comfortable in home environments. Thought to be responsible for asthma, dust mites can also cause allergic reactions like wheezing and itching. Invisible to the naked eye, dust mites can be controlled through chemical and sanitation efforts.
Pest #8: HOUSE CENTIPEDE
Photo by Dr. Gary Alpert
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centipedes can grow up to 2 inches long -- and can be easily identified by the fifteen pairs of legs that help them scurry in and out of hiding. The centipede favors a damp habitat and is commonly found in basements. Because they breed in hard-to-reach places, they are difficult to exterminate. Reducing moisture and setting sticky traps are the most relied-upon control options.
Pest #9: FLEA
Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Small and agile, fleas are parasites that will attack dogs, cats, people, and many other warm-blooded creatures. Capable of jumping 200 times their body length, fleas are best controlled with insecticides for the home and your pets. Bites can be treated with over-the-counter anti-itch medications.
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