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Copyright © 2002 Bad Dog Bugs: All rights reserved. Revised:
August 17, 2007
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Bugs seem to be a way of life, but they don't have to be! With
over 45 years in the Termite and Pest Control industry, Bad Dog
Pest Control is here to help you make the right decision
in caring for your home against general household insects, termites, and
rodents. At Bad Dog Pest Control our highly trained professionals
know where the bugs hide, what their eating habits are, and how to get rid of
them. |
Our Technicians are fully qualified to service your home or business in
all areas of Pest Control, and your satisfaction is our main goal. Our
promise to you is that if your bugs come back, so do we!
PESTS:
 | Termites |
| Spiders |
| Roaches |
| Crickets |
| Waterbugs |
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| Mice |
| Rats |
| Ticks |
| Fleas |
| Weevils |
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| Bees |
| Hornets |
| Wasps |
| Ants |
| etc., etc, etc. |
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Ants
| Ants are social insects. They live in colonies and have a caste
system consisting of
a) Queen - lays the eggs
b) Workers - tend the young, build and repair the nest, forage for
food and defend the colony from invaders
c) immatures
d) males - these are "produced" at times for mating with
reproductive females
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| Ants are related to wasps and bees. They have a pinched waist and
elbowed antennae. They also may have a modified ovipositor, or
stinger. The stinger is attached to a poison gland and can allow the
ant to inject venom. Ants will use the stinger in defense of the
colony.
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| Ants are primarily beneficial insects - they help to recycle
decaying organic matter. Ants also feed on pest insects. |
Some of their species include:
Carpenter Ants
| Carpenter ants are fairly large ants ranging from ¼ to ¾ of an
inch in length. They can be colored black, red or a mixture of the
two.
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| This ant specie nests primarily under rocks, in tree holes or in
insect-damaged wood. Carpenter ants create smooth galleries in wood
that has been damaged by fungi or insects.
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| A carpenter ant colony may have several satellite nests consisting
of workers, mature larvae, pupae and winged alates. New colonies are
formed by nuptial flights. |
Crazy Ants
| Crazy ants are small, blackish ants. They have very long legs and
antennae. These ants are often seen running about in an erratic
manner, giving them the name "crazy ant".
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| Colonies of crazy ants can be small or large and contain multiple
queens.
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| Crazy ants will produce new colonies by budding or mating swarms. |
Fire Ants
| Red imported fire ants are a reddish to blackish color. They have
two nodes and have 10-segmented antennae with the last two segments
forming a club.
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| Fire ants are very aggressive; they are very protective against any
perceived threat to their colony and will out compete any other ant
specie for food.
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| Fire ants have multiple queen colonies, which causes mounds to be
more numerous and closer together. |
Odorous House Ants
| Odorous house ants are brown or black in color. They have
12-segmented antennae and one node that is almost hidden by part of
the abdomen.
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| Colonies have multiple queens and can be located underground of
above ground. Outside, these ants will nest in soil often below stones
or boards, or in piles of debris or firewood.
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| Odorous house ants usually move inside after it rains since the rain
limits their food supply outside. |
Pharaoh Ants
| Pharaoh ants are small ants with a yellowish-red color. The queen is
larger and reddish-brown color.
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| This species of ant will place its nest just about anywhere. They
will nest in any crack that is suitable to their needs. They prefer to
be near a water source. They have also been found behind baseboards,
under carpet, in planters and in electrical outlets. Nests may also be
located outside in piles of debris, under shingles of roofs or in
house gutters.
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| Pharaoh ants forage most actively at night. They will lay down a
pheromone trail from their nest to a food source so that other ants
from the same colony can also exploit the food source. These ants will
travel along pipes and wiring that are located in walls to obtain
access to different rooms.
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| Pharaoh ant colonies have multiple queens and new colonies are
formed by budding. Budding is when groups of workers take eggs, larvae
and pupae to a new location. |
Bees & Wasps
| Bees and wasps are actually beneficial social insects
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| Bees have fuzzy / hairy bodies; wasps don't. Bees feed on pollen and
nectar from flowers. Wasps usually feed on other insects or spiders.
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| Bees can only sting one time because they have a barbed stinger,
which pulls out the stinger, poison gland and guts. Wasps are able to
sting repeatedly since they do not have a barbed stinger. |
Some of their species include:
Carpenter Bees
| These bees are large and often confused with bumble bees. Bumble
bees are fuzzy with yellow and black coloration. Carpenter bees have a
fuzzy head and thorax that are colored yellow and black
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| These bees are solitary and create their nest in wood.
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| They create the galleries by chewing through the wood with their
mandibles. The carpenter bee will place "bee bread", a mix
of pollen and nectar, in the gallery and then lay an egg. Once the egg
hatches, the larvae will feed on the bee bread. |
Honey Bees
| Honey bees are very important in pollination of crops.
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| Honey bees are social insects that live in colonies. There is a
queen that is responsible for producing eggs. The worker caste is made
up of sterile females who build and repair the nest, forage for food
and tend to the young. Males are called drones and are produced for
mating with reproductive females.
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| Honey bees are small and fuzzy. They are usually yellow and black
striped. |
Paper Wasps
| Paper wasps receive their name from the paper-like nest they build.
These nests can be found under the eaves of houses, under branches of
trees and shrubs, under decks or inside pipes.
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| Paper wasps do not have a caste system with a sterile worker class.
There is one dominant female, which lays eggs, and the others tend to
the young. The dominant female is usually the nest initiator.
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| This species of wasps is variable in color. They can be brown,
black, orange or yellow. In addition, their bodies may or may not have
stripes. |
Yellowjackets
| Yellowjackets can nest in wall voids, attics, in trees and shrubs,
or in the ground.
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| They are social insects. They have a worker caste that cares for the
young and forages for food.
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| Adult yellowjackets will feed on fruit and nectar from plants while
the larvae are fed insects or carrion. |
Cockroaches
| Cockroaches have been on earth for a very long time - somewhere
around 350 million years! There are a variety of species, they're very
adaptable and reproduce very fast.
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| Most species prefer to live in moist, dark places.
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| Cockroaches are omnivorous, which means that they tend to eat
whatever they can find. This is one reason why they have become so
successful.
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| Cockroaches produce egg cases, or oothecae, for their young to
mature in. Once the eggs inside the egg case hatch, the young
cockroaches (nymphs) will break open the egg case and emerge. |
Some of their species include:
Brown-banded Cockroaches
| Brown-banded cockroaches are usually found in homes and commercial
establishment such as office buildings. They like high locations
(shelves, behind pictures, etc.).
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| Tan in color. They have a yellowish stripe on their pronotum - the
shield-like plate that covers the head (if you are looking down on the
cockroach
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| Brown-bandeds will fly when they are disturbed.
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| These cockroaches like environments with a temperature around 80°F.
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| They are able to produce offspring year round indoors. The females
attach their egg cases (ootheca) on walls or ceilings. Brown-banded
cockroach ootheca hold between 12-20 cockroaches. |
German Cockroaches
| Most commonly found in homes and commercial establishments. They are
usually detected in kitchens, bathrooms or areas with daily access to
water.
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| Small in size, tan in color and have two longitudinal black stripes
on their pronotum - the shield-like plate that covers the head (if you
are looking down on the cockroach
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| They enjoy humid environments with a temperature around 70°F.
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| They are able to produce offspring year round indoors. These females
actually carry the egg case (ootheca) with them until a few hours
before the nymphal cockroaches are ready to emerge. Each German
cockroach ootheca holds between 25-40 cockroaches. |
Smoky Brown Cockroaches
| Smoky brown cockroaches are a dark reddish-brown or mahogany color.
They do not have any yellowish or tan markings on the pronotum.
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| The nymphs are black with white markings in early stages and then
become reddish-brown as they mature.
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| These cockroaches can be located in treeholes, building gutters,
soffits in houses or mulch beds. Smoky browns are generally an outside
inhabiting species, but indoors are frequently found in attics.
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| Female Smoky browns drop their ootheca (egg case) and cover it with
fecal material or debris to camouflage. The egg case holds around 18
nymphs. |
American Cockroaches
| Often called "Palmetto Bugs", these are large cockroaches
with a reddish-brown coloring. They have yellowish-tan markings on
their pronotum - the shield-like plate that covers the head (if you
are looking down on the cockroach).
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| The nymphs, or baby cockroaches, are also a reddish-brown color.
Oothecae (egg case) are often glued to a surface and hold 6-14 nymphs.
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| Tend to move into the home when the conditions outside become
unfavorable (extreme temperatures, excessive rain, etc.). |
Isopods
| Isopods are often called pillbugs, sowbugs or roly-polys. These
occasional pests are actually crustaceans and are more closely related
to lobster, crab and shrimp than insects!
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| Their bodies are oval and flat on the bottom, but convex on the top.
They have seven pairs of legs and can be brown, red or whitish in
color.
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| Isopods like moist areas. They can be found under objects on the
ground, in leaf litter and may even bury themselves in soil. They tend
to become most active at night. Isopods consume decaying vegetable
matter and are often found in mulch beds.
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| Sowbugs have two tail-like appendages protruding from the tip of
their abdomen. Sowbugs cannot roll up into a ball when disturbed;
pillbugs can. |
Millipedes
| Millipedes have two pairs of legs for each body segment. Millipedes
are cylindrical in shape and often brown, black or yellowish in color.
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| Millipedes are generally harmless. Most will excrete a liquid that
has a bad odor if disturbed. They also tend to curl up when
frightened. Some species expel a liquid that can cause skin irritation
in humans. It is thought that this liquid is possibly toxic to small
mammals that feed on millipedes.
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| Millipedes are usually found outside where they eat decaying organic
matter. They may also feed upon roots or leaves that are on the
ground.
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| People can reduce the number of millipedes by dethatching their lawn
or removing harborage areas such as rocks, mulch beds or piles of
debris. |
Rodents
| Rodents, primarily rats and mice, are a public health threat. They
are known to carry diseases - most notably hantavirus.
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| Rodents can transmit these diseases by contaminating our food
supply. They can also damage structures through their gnawing or
chewing. Rats can chew through wood, aluminum, cement and sheet rock.
They can gnaw through plumbing pipes to gain access to water - rats
must drink water on a daily basis or obtain water through their food
source. Rats usually have a preference for certain foods, but are
provided with numerous food sources by humans
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| Rats are most active shortly after sunset and before dawn. Rats and
mice have vision that is adapted for nighttime. They are color blind,
but can differentiate between various shades. They have hairs on their
body that are attached to sensory nerves that help them to sense their
environment. Hearing is well-developed enabling rodents to hear in
sonic and ultrasonic ranges. |
Some species include:
House Mouse
| The house mouse is about five to eight inches long and has very
large, distinct ears. Their color may range from light brown to almost
black. They have a tail that is as long as the head and body combined.
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| Mice have peak activity periods right after dusk and again before
dawn. They are primarily nocturnal, but will have short periods of
feeding throughout the day.
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| The house mouse will eat all types of food. They will consume seeds,
insects, snails, carrion and worms. Mice are capable of surviving long
periods without water.
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| Mice are nearsighted and rely on their sense of smell to provide
information about their environment. Mice use urine to mark mating and
feeding areas and paths to these areas. |
Norway Rat
| The Norway rat is also called the brown rat, gray rat, sewer rat,
water rat, wharf rat and barn rat. This rat will grow up to 16 inches
from nose to tail. The tail is shorter in length than the body. These
rats are typically a grayish-brown color, but can be a blackish or
reddish-brown.
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| Norway rats will nest in burrows in the ground. Burrows that have a
smooth appearance at entrances are usually active burrows.
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| These rats often feed on grains, seeds and vegetation, but will feed
on anything provided in urban settings. These rats will also separate
undigested food particles from animal fecal material. |
Roof Rat / Black Rat
| This rat also takes the names of ship rat and house rat. They are an
arboreal, or tree-dwelling, species. Roof rats are medium sized and
around 16 inches from nose to tail. Their tail is longer than its
body. These rats are black or brown with a whitish or gray belly.
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| Roof rats tend to nest in trees and vegetation, but will also nest
in attics or wall voids. Roof rats also nest in the ground, if Norway
rats are not in the same area.
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| Roof rats will feed on snails, nuts or fruit. |
Scorpions
| Scorpions are not insects; they are arachnids along with spiders,
tick and mites. They have only two body segments-the cephalothorax and
the abdomen.
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| Scorpions have eight legs and a pair of pedipalps, or pincers. The
last segment of the tail is bulb-like with a stinger and contains
poison glands. Scorpions only usually sting when they are mishandled
or become trapped against the skin by crawling into shoes or clothing.
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| The majority of scorpions found in the United States are not very
dangerous. The extremely venomous scorpions are encountered in Africa,
India and South America.
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| Female scorpions produce live young, which crawl onto her back until
after the first molt.
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| Scorpions can usually be located under the bark of trees, in leaf
litter and woodpiles. They generally become active at night and can be
located by using a blacklight, or UV bulb. When shining a blacklight
on scorpions, they will fluoresce and glow in the light.
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| To help keep scorpions from moving into your home, remove trash,
seal cracks and crevices around doors and windows and store firewood
away from your home. |
Silverfish
| Silverfish are considered a nuisance pest. They prefer to live in
moist, dark areas.
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| Silverfish are gray or silver in color with three tail-like
appendages projecting from the tip of their abdomen. Silverfish also
have long antennae and flattened bodies. Both the adults and nymphs
lack wings.
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| Silver fish will travel long distances to locate a food source. Once
a good source of food is located, they will stay in that same area.
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| Silverfish damage is recognizable by irregular feeding marks and
sometimes the presence of scales, fecal material or yellowish stains. |
Spiders
| Spiders are arachnids and have two body segments, eight legs, no
antennae and a pair of chelicerae, or fangs.
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| Spiders are actually beneficial since they eat insects and other
arthropods
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| All spiders have poison glands, but not all of their poisons react
with our body chemistry in such a way that is detrimental to our
health. A non-poisonous spider may bite people and reddening and
swelling may occur.
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| Poisonous spiders that are located in this area are the black
widow and brown recluse. |
Black Widow Spider
| These spiders are black with red of orange markings on the underside
of the abdomen. The marking is often in the shape of an hourglass.
Females are about ½ an inch in length while males are about ¼ an
inch in length.
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| Most of the time, the female black widow will consume the male after
mating.
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| The female will create an egg sac that contains around 300-400 eggs.
She will be more likely to bite if she has just created the egg sac
since this uses a lot of her energy and she will be hungry.
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| Black widows' a venom is a neurotoxin - the venom will go into your
nervous system. Usually, there is no reaction at the site of the bite.
Fatalities from a black widow bite are rare, but small children and
the elderly are at highest risk. When first bitten, the bite may not
be noticed or feel as if you're being poked with a pin. This may be
followed by a dull pain and cramps, often in the abdomen. As symptoms
progress, one may experience sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting and
tremors. A victim may also undergo difficulty in breathing. |
Brown Recluse Spider
| Brown recluse spiders are tan with a dark brown fiddle-shaped
marking on their cephalothorax. They are fairly small spiders, only
reaching ¼ to ½ of an inch in length.
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| These spiders are typically found outside in debris, wood piles or
under bark, stones or logs. They can be located indoors, usually in
storage areas such as closets or attics.
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| Brown recluses are nocturnal. They feed upon insects that are
soft-bodied such as cockroaches, silverfish or crickets.
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| Bites to humans generally occur when a spider gets into shoes or
clothing or crawls into bedding. Brown recluse venom causes necrosis,
or tissue death, at the site of the bite. The effects are usually
localized. The initial bite is usually painless, but a burning
sensation develops at the site in about 30-60 minutes. The bite site
will begin to redden and enlarge. A blister full of pus will form in
the center of the bite. Generally within 12-24 hours after the bite
occurred, the victim will experience fever, nausea and vomiting. The
tissue around the bite is killed and secondary infection may develop. |
Termites
| Pale-colored, soft-bodied social insects with equal-sized wings.
They live primarily in underground colonies.
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| Termite colonies consist of:
- Primary reproductive } Function of reproducing and laying eggs
- Secondary
reproductive
- Soldiers - defend the colony / nest from invaders
- Workers - forage for food and feed their nutrients to the rest
of the colony
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Colony sizes are variable and can easily reach over one million
termites.
| Termites are constantly foraging for food. Workers will leave a
pheromone trail while they are foraging. This trail allows other
termites to also locate the food source.
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| Termites eat material that contains cellulose, such as wood, roots,
plant debris, paper or cardboard. Termites have protozoa in their
hindgut; it helps them to break down the cellulose into usable
nutrients. If these protozoa are removed from the digestive tract, the
termite will eventually die of starvation because it can no longer
break down the cellulose. The nutrients are passed throughout the
colony by trophallaxis - an exchange of secretions or partially
digested food between termite workers and other colony members.
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| Termites can gain entrance into a structure through any part of the
wood frame in contact with the ground, through openings in the
foundation around pipes and conduits or through cracks in the
foundation. Termites can enter through cracks that are no wider than
1/64 of an inch.
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| Subterranean termites require moisture to survive. They will create
mud tubes to obtain access to a structure that is above ground. These
tubes are created from soil cemented with secretions and fecal
material. The tubes are to protect the termites from exposure to
sunlight or dry conditions. Termites are able to survive in a
structure without contact to the ground if there is a sufficient
moisture source. |
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Bugs Know When To Walk
Away From
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BAD DOG!
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