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Ants
Ants are small insects ranging in color from red to brown to black and are one of the most common household pests. They are social insects that live in colonies and are distinguished by their bodies which are made up of three sections- head, thorax, and abdomen. Ants forage for food inside homes and buildings and build nests behind moldings, baseboards, countertops, and similar places.
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Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny, nocturnal insects that are flat and reddish in color and often infest furniture crevices, mattresses and other belongings during the day and come out at night to feed on human and animal blood. These nighttime pests are exceptional breeders and can heavily infest a home or commercial lodging before they are detected. Signs of bed bugs include blood spots on bed linens, tiny red welts on a person’s skin upon waking and dark areas on bed frames and other furnishing indicating droppings.
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Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are larger ants then pavement or fire ants and can be found nesting in wood and timber. They are often black in color but can be brown or red and typically reside outdoors. Satellite nests of these pests are frequently located inside of buildings and begin to "wake up" and become more active in the winter months. Signs of carpenter ant infestations include visibly seeing them and small piles of sawdust that are created during their nest building activities.
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Cockroaches
Cockroaches, also simply known as roaches, are foraging insects commonly found in homes and apartments as well as commercial facilities. These pests are mainly active at night and range in color from light brown to dark black. Cockroaches prefer dark, undisturbed places close to food and water such as kitchens and bathrooms. Signs of cockroaches include discarded shell casings from recently hatched eggs, cockroach droppings or specks that look like ground pepper. The most obvious sign is actually seeing cockroaches but unfortunately that tends to only happen when they’ve severely infested a property.
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Fleas
Fleas are tiny insects, dark brown to black in color and predominantly found on cats, dogs and other animals. They are wingless, hard-bodied pests that excel in jumping and tend to be a greater nuisance during the summer months when they enter homes and residential dwellings via their animal host. Signs of fleas include bites usually around a person’s ankles or lower legs as well as observing them jumping on furniture or in a pet’s coat.
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Rodents
The most common rodent found invading homes and buildings is the house mouse. The house mouse is light brown to gray and color and can slip through cracks as small as 1/4” inch wide. They are often found in areas containing food but do build nests in storage areas. Other common rodents that are likely to invade include rats, squirrels and voles as well as other pests that have two growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by continuous gnawing. Signs of a mouse infestation include droppings, nests, chewed electrical wires as well as activity in walls especially at night.
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Silverfish
Silverfish are wingless insects that appear shiny silver in color and have a tapered shape that is narrower towards the rear. These pests have three diverging bristles at the tail end and are known for the ability to run fast. They are often found feeding on paper products and prefer dark, damp living conditions. Signs of silverfish infestations include holes in paper products such as wallpaper and books, yellow stains on clothes or curtains and visibly seeing them in.
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Spiders
The house spider is not an insect but an arachnid and can vary in color from yellowish brown to dark gray. They are predatory creatures often catching insects in their webs and while they are considered beneficial to help control the insect populations around homes and businesses can be considered a nuisance pest. Signs of house spider infestations typically include the actual spotting of these pests as well as their webs.
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Termites
Subterranean termites are small, pale winged insects that live in colonies underground and are known to cause severe damage to wooden structures. A termite colony can consist of several hundred to several million termites. The soft bodied pests work as a highly organized unit to provide cellulose rich food for the entire colony. Wood and wood products are the most common sources and that’s why homes and buildings are highly susceptible to termite infestations. Signs of termites include swarming insects around your property, mud tunnels as well as small holes in wood and sheetrock.
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