COMMON ANTS FOUND INSIDE HOMES

Carpenter ants invade homes and build their nests in dead, damp, hollow wood. Larger than the average household ant, they are 5/8 and can be identified by worker ants or swarmers (winged ants which can often be mistaken for termites). Carpenter ants are usually red, black or a combination of both. They can give a painful bite when disturbed. They can also cause structural damage to your home. Controlling them often requires the help of a professional.

Odorous house ants get their name from the odor they emit when crushed. Indoors, they are usually found near moisture and prefer sweet things to eat. You may see worker ants or swarmers (winged ants) in your home. They do not bite, sting or cause structural damage, and are primarily a nuisance. These ants are much smaller than a carpenter ant and range in size from 1/16″ – 1/8″. They are usually brown or black in color.

Pharaoh ants feed on almost any type of food, even toothpaste and shoe polish. They do not sting or swarm, and rarely cause structural damage. They can, however, spread very quickly and are difficult to treat. They can spread diseases and are of particular concern for hospitals. Pharaoh ants are 1/16″ in size and their bodies are usually pale, varying from yellow to red with their abdomen often darker to black.

COMMON ANTS FOUND OUTSIDE HOMES

FIRE ANTS

The most common, bothersome outdoor ants are fire ants. Fire ants will sting anything that comes in their way or disrupts their mound, including children and pets. For more information on fire ants, visit our fire ants information page.

Another common outdoor species is crazy ants, a relatively new invasive outdoor ant in the U.S. They get their name from their fast-moving erratic behavior. They are typically found in the Gulf Coast region and southeastern U.S., and prefer warm temperatures and humidity, which means they do not prefer to be inside cool homes.

CRAZY ANTS

Crazy ants have multiple queens and hundreds of thousands of individuals, which make for very large colonies. Their colonies are found under and around rocks, leaf litter, the base of trees and naturally shaded areas. They can monopolize food sources – causing them to drive out fire ants and other insects, which can impact the ecosystem. Crazy ants will bite, but their bite is not as painful as the sting of a fire ant. They range in size from 1/16 1/8 and are typically brown or black. They often require the expertise of a pest control professional to treat them.

BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS

Black widow spiders get their name from the popular belief that the female spiders eat males after mating, although this rarely happens. They can be identified by their shiny black bodies, which include a bright red, hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of their abdomen. They range from 1½ to 1¾ inches in length, and can be found throughout the U.S.

BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS

Brown recluse spiders are known for the brown violin marking on their backs, and they range in color from light brown to dark brown. With eight legs, they have round bodies and are typically ¼ to ½ inch long. They can be found in the central Midwest, from Ohio to Nebraska, and in the south from Texas to Georgia.

If there was a prize for the most disgusting pest, the cockroach would win.

Cockroaches are typically dark brown in color and as long as 1-inches in length. They are a common pest in homes from Florida to California, where they delight in feasting on improperly bagged household trash and leftover pet food.

The most common types of cockroaches in the U.S. are the American and German cockroach. The American cockroach is brown to reddish brown with a maximum size of 2.1 inches. The German cockroach is pale brown and about inch in size.

To help keep your home pest free, make sure all garbage bags and trash cans are tightly sealed to eliminate food sources. Pick up or cover uneaten pet food or store until next meal time.

Let HomeTeam perform a thorough inspection of your home and perimeter and identify potential entry points as well as harborage areas. Our technicians will treat live infestations and recommend a pest management plan to keep your home pest-free.

House flies get their name from being the most common type of fly found in homes throughout the U.S. With small, oval, dark grey colored bodies, they have four longitudinal dark lines on their back. They are typically inch in size and have only one pair of wings.

House flies are known for transmitting diseases with their feet, as they congregate and breed in decaying food and matter. Remove trash regularly and use well-sealed garbage receptacles to get rid of house flies around waste bins.

For more information, please visit www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/flies/house-flies.

Hercules Beetles

The Hercules beetle is the largest and strongest of the scarab beetle family, measuring from 1 to six inches. They are typically green, gray or tan-colored with black or brown spots. Adult males have two large horns for defense – one on the head and one on the thorax. Female beetles do not have horns. Some species can be found in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, from New York, Illinois and Indiana, and from Florida to the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Texas. The beetle roams forest floors, feeding on rotten fruit and the bark of ash trees.

For more information, please visit www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/hercules/hercules.htm.

Fleas are small, reddish-brown, wingless insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. Not only are they a source of irritation, but can carry and spread disease. Controlling fleas is a large annual expense for some pet owners. But even when you have no pets, structures can still become infested. Animals such as bats, rats and raccoons can reside in structures and might be the source of the problem.

One of the best ways to control fleas is by thoroughly cleaning. If you suspect you have fleas, treat your pets and clean their areas on a regular basis. Vacuuming can remove flea larvae and eggs from carpets. Be sure to clean under furniture and along walls and discard your vacuum bags.

If the problem persists contact the branch office nearest to you to find out how HomeTeam can help you control fleas in and around your home.

Scorpions are easy to identify. They have four pairs of legs and pincers that look like little lobster claws. At the end of their long tails, they have a venom bulb. Although they come in many sizes and colors, most are usually pale gold or tan in color.

With over 1,500 species worldwide, 90 scorpion species exist in the U.S. and about 50 of them are dangerous to humans. According to a survey from HomeTeam Pest Defense, 68% of homeowners say that scorpions are the scariest pests. Although they are perceived as dangerous, the Arizona Bark Scorpion is the only species with venom that is deadly enough to kill a human. The stings of other scorpions most often result in swelling, numbness or tenderness of the area. The Arizona Bark Scorpion lives in the western U.S. from southern California, through Arizona and western New Mexico. It is usually yellow-brown, straw colored and less than 3 inches long.

Scorpions are nocturnal and can be found hiding in dark places throughout the day like lumber piles, brush and debris. A scorpion’s exoskeleton contains a protein that fluoresces and glows under an ultraviolet light. Black lights are great tools for identifying scorpions at night, when they are the most active.

Like most pests, scorpions are attracted to water and warmth. If you see a scorpion in your home, proceed cautiously. You may want to consider removing it with an empty container to avoid getting stung (remember to wear protective gloves), or call a pest control professional.

Paper Wasps

Most paper wasps measure about 2 cm (¾ in) long and are black, brown, or reddish in color with yellow markings. Paper wasps will defend their nest if attacked. Adults forage for nectar, their source of energy, and for caterpillars to feed the larvae (young). They are natural enemies of many garden insect pests. The nests are constructed in protected places, such as under the eaves of buildings or in dense vegetation. Normally a colony of several to several dozen paper wasps inhabit the nest.

Wasps sting many people each year and most severe injuries occur from hypersensitivity or allergies to the venom of wasps’ sting. You can prevent wasps by sealing any empty cavities in your roof, or the siding on your home. Seek a professional if you have an infestation.

Mosquitoes pose a greater threat to man’s health than any other pest. More than 175 species exist in North America and at least 60 of those have been identified as disease carriers. Malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and most recently, West Nile virus, can be transmitted via a long beak with piercing mouthparts that feed off unsuspecting living creatures. And did you know that only the female mosquito bites!

Mosquito season is highest July through September, but can begin as early as April and their favorite biting hours are dusk and dawn.

HomeTeam can provide a thorough inspection of your home’s perimeter and identify potential breeding areas, treat live infestations and recommend a mosquito management plan to keep your home pest-free.

Contact the branch office nearest you to find out how you can help control mosquitoes in your yard.

Believe it or not, rodents occur almost everywhere outside. Many times we don’t notice them because they stay outside when food is plentiful. However, in the fall, a major source of food, plants and seeds become less available so rodents have to seek food elsewhere. Sometimes, that’s in your house or garage or attic!

Gray or dark in color, mice are usually less than two inches in length and weigh about an ounce. Mice are versatile and can fit in very small places, gaining access around cable lines, holes and even vents.

Rats are much bigger, normally gray or brown in color, and are 10 to 12 inches in length. All rodents are excellent climbers and only need a very small external opening to get inside homes and other buildings. Your garage is easily accessible through the small space between the garage door and the floor.

HomeTeam will be happy to help you rid your home, garage or attic from rats or mice. Please search for a branch near you or call us at the number above.

Contact the branch office nearest you to find out how you can help control rodents in your home.

Potter wasps get their name from their ability to create jug or pot-shaped nests from mud, in which they rear their young and house their prey. Potter wasps range in size from ⅜ to one inch long. They are predominately black with white or yellow markings. They have smooth bodies and a long constricted waist.

Wasps sting many people each year and most severe injuries occur from hypersensitivity or allergies to the venom of wasps’ sting. You can prevent wasps by sealing any empty cavities in your roof, or the siding on your home. Seek a professional if you have an infestation.

For more information, please visit entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/wasps/potter_wasps.htm.

Termites are beneficial to the environment because they break down dead trees and other plant material into substances useful to plants, but they certainly aren’t beneficial to you in your house! Many species of termites cause considerable damage to homes, furniture, and other structures, such as wood fences.

What’s worse, their destruction generally isn’t covered by most homeowners’ insurance.

Subterranean termites nest in the ground and burrow into wood, usually fallen trees and stumps. They enter wood of buildings where it comes into contact with the ground or they get in via tunnels through cracks in the foundation.

HomeTeam offers pre and post construction termite protection for homes and some buildings. See our termite control pages for more information.