There are more than 10,000 ant species that occur worldwide however only about 25 species commonly infest homes. Ants will eat practically any kind of food, but are especially attracted to sweets. Ants can live from several weeks to several years. Depending on the species, they can range in size from 1/12 to 1 inch (2 to 25 mm).
Spiders
Spider control and extermination can be a major concern for homeowners - particularly for those who live in the southwest. There are about 3,000 species of spiders throughout North America, but the good news is that only two in the southern and western United States can cause serious harm when accidentally disturbed - the black widow spider and brown recluse spider. This is why it’s particularly important to only hire well-trained spider exterminators to eliminate an infestation.
Termites
We pride ourselves on hiring the best people for pest control in Madison, Wisconsin—highly-skilled professionals who know how to carefully treat your home for pests like termites, ants, and mice. We not only address any problems you currently have, but also proactively work out the best way to protect your home in the future.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are parasites that are commonly found in sleeping areas of homes and hotels. They feed off of humans at night. During the day they live near the sleeping locations of their hosts. Beg bugs were virtually eliminated before 1995, but have since reemerged with the increase in world travel.
Fleas
Dogs and cats most often get infested with fleas through contact with other animals or by spending time outdoors. Most pets experience itching from fleas, but some sensitive animals can have more severe reactions such as hair loss, inflammation and secondary skin infections. Flea saliva can also cause anemia, dermatitis, and facilitate the transfer of tapeworms. Because of fleas’ ability to jump great heights, they are easily able to hitchhike into homes while hidden in the fur of family pets. Once inside, fleas quickly multiply and infest bedding, furniture and clothing.
Cockroaches
Adult American cockroaches average between 1.4†to 1.6†(35-41mm) in length, but they can grow to exceed 2†. American cockroaches are reddish brown in color with a yellow band that outlines the area behind their head. Both males and females have wings and can fly short distances.
Bees
Ants are close relatives of bees and wasps and can by identified by their three distinct body regions: head, thorax and abdomen, as well as antennae. (However, winged forms of ants, which leave the nest in large numbers in warm weather to mate and establish new colonies, are often mistaken for winged termites, which also leave their nests to mate and the two can be easily confused. However, shortly after their flights, both ants and termites lose their wings, so wings usually aren't present.) Ants have a narrow "waist" between the abdomen and thorax, while termite's body is not constricted and they have a broad waist. Ants also have large heads, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws.
Wasps
Paper wasps are so named because they construct nests made of a papery material, with a single upside-down layer of cells resembling an umbrella. They gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems and mix them with saliva to make a gray/brown papery material with which to construct water-resistant paper nests. Paper wasps are 3/4 to 1 inch long, with an extremely narrow abdomen and black wings. Their body color varies by species.
Ticks
Whether hiking in the woods or simply enjoying a barbeque in the park, people and animals are likely to encounter these bloodthirsty pests during the warmer months. Ticks pose a number of health threats as they can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and "tick paralysis" among others. While some symptoms can surface immediately after a tick bite, others can be difficult to recognize and many owners may not realize their pet is sick until the symptoms become severe and significant treatment is needed.
Crickets
House crickets get their common name from the fact that they often enter houses where they can survive indefinitely. This cricket species was introduced from Europe and is now found throughout the United States but primarily east of the Rocky Mountains.
Earwigs
Earwigs are slender insects that get their name from the old European myth that they crawl into people’s ears and tunnel into their brains while they are sleeping. While this superstition has no scientific backing, the pincers located on the back of an earwig’s abdomen are quite frightening to many people. There are more than 20 different earwig species occurring in the United States. The earwig is considered to be a ground insect, but when appropriate, it can easily fly. The majority of earwigs live beneath leaves and areas that contain mulch. It's important for homeowners to know that earwigs don't use their pincers to attack humans. However, if earwigs are disturbed, there is a chance that they'll latch onto skin, which can produce a mild pinch.
Mosquitoes
One of the best known summer pests, mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and have an extremely fast life cycle allowing for quick population growth. Mosquito larvae hatch within a few days and a full adult develops in 10 to 14 days from hatching.
Flies
Paper wasps prey on insects such as caterpillars, flies — and beetle larvae that are fed to their young. The wasps forage during the day and rest at night.
Centipedes
The most effective way to prevent and get rid of millipede infestations is to reduce areas of moisture in and around your home. Consider running a dehumidifier if you have a damp basement. Keep lawns mowed so that grass does not retain moisture, and water lawns in the early morning to allow grass to dry during the day. Remove leaf piles and grass clippings. Store firewood off of the ground. The most important step in controlling millipedes and centipedes is removing or eliminating objects that provide hiding places for the pest outside the home. Eliminate trash piles, rocks, boards, leaf piles, compost piles and similar materials from the immediate vicinity around the outside of the home. Secondly, physically exclude millipedes and centipedes from entering the home where possible. Make sure doors and windows fit tightly and caulk cracks and crevices that permit their entry to the inside. Foundation cracks and any gaps just above the foundation should be carefully sealed.
Millipedes
Millipedes are sometimes called "thousand-leggers" because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 30-90+ pairs of legs, depending on the species. The leggiest is Illacme plenipes, which can have more than 333 pairs of legs.
Beetles
This is one of a very large family of beetles known as Coccinellidae, which many people refer to as “ladybugs.†Multicolored Asian lady beetles are common throughout most of the United States and parts of Canada. There are many specie, and most are beneficial insects. Plant specialists imported several species of lady beetles into the United States to control crop pests. Asian lady beetles are true beetles in the beetle family. While they are commonly called ladybugs or ladybirds, pest management professionals generally prefer to call them ladybug beetles or ladybird beetles.
Hornets
Moths
The Indian meal moth was given its name after an insect scientist found it feeding on corn meal, also known as Indian meal. From wing tip to wing tip, adult moths measure from five-eighths of an inch to three-fourths of an inch long. The Indian meal moth is most active in the afternoon and evening, and is attracted to light.
Stink Bugs
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is considered an invasive species, or a pest of foreign origin, as it was introduced to the United States from Eastern Asia in the mid-1990s. It is also referred to as the yellow-brown or East Asian stink bug. The bug was first collected in the United States in Allentown, PA in the fall of 1996, but apparently not recognized or identified until September 2001. It quickly spread east to New Jersey, then Virginia by 2004, and now southward to the North Carolina border. Today, brown marmorated stink bugs are most prevalent in the mid-Atlanta region, but they have been identified in 44 states and the District of Columbia. The bug’s native range includes China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Stinging Insects
Homeowners can keep common household pests like ants, beetles, ticks, stinging insects and occasional invaders from taking refuge in and around the home by adding a few simple tasks to their home maintenance checklist...
Springtails
This is why we treat your home’s interior during the winter time to get to bugs in places like the basement or garage. Some pests that can be active during the winter include mice, rats, spiders, lady beetles, box elder bugs, and springtails.
Aphids
Originally introduced to North American from Asia in the early 1900s, these insects were used to control aphids and scale insects on plants and crops. They do a great job at controlling those plant pests, but have now become pests themselves as they invade homes each year when crops are harvested.
Boxelder Bugs
Boxelder bugs, named for the maple and seed-bearing boxelder trees on which they feed and lay eggs during the warmer months, often become nuisances in the fall as they search for overwintering sites. They are most frequently seen congregating in warm spots before migrating indoors to overwinter in insulated cracks and crevices. During the change in season, they can become a nuisance to homeowners as they invade in large numbers.
Palmetto Bugs
The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting roaches and a major pest in the United States. It’s also commonly known as the water bug, the Bombay canary or the palmetto bug. Despite its name, the American cockroach is not native to North America. Some evidence suggested that American cockroaches were introduced via ships from Africa in the early 1600s.
Fleas infest both household pets and wild animals like opossums, raccoons and skunks. They can also be found on shoes, pant legs or blankets, which can transfer the fleas to new environments.
During construction, houses can be left unprotected to the environment until the last stages of development where siding or brickwork begins. As the earth is excavated and disturbed, so are the nests of insects and rodents.
Mice
House mice breed rapidly and can adapt quickly to changing conditions. In fact, a female house mouse can give birth to a half dozen babies every three weeks and can produce up to 35 young per year.
Rats
Fleas are the most common transmitter of the rare bubonic plague. They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through infected rats. Their saliva can cause serious flea allergy dermatitis in pets and their debris has been reported to cause similar allergic reactions in humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets, which is why active flea management is an important component of pet care. Flea bites commonly cause painful, itchy red bumps.