House Ants

Over 20 species of ants (approx. 1/16" - 1/4" long) may invade structures from their nests outside. Ants may nest in soil, in wood, under concrete areas, in walls or in cabinets. The workers vary in size and may forage long distances for food and water. Ants may contaminate foods by their presence. Ant nests must be eliminated to give effective control.

Mosquito

Mosquitoes (approx. 1/4" long) breed in stagnant water, where the eggs hatch into larvae. In the U.S. adult mosquitoes of some species can transmit encephalitis to people. Mosquito control is usually a community and public health project, but around homes, eliminate items that may collect and hold water and change the water in bird baths every two days.

If mosquitoes are bothersome at backyard events, personal repellents are the best solution. Bug "zappers" attract few mosquitoes but are effective at capturing other types of flying insects. Keep "zappers" away from areas of activity, such as the deck or swimming pool.

Spiders

Black Widow Spider (approx. 1/2" long) Jet black and shiny, a black widow spider usually has a distinctive red mark or marks under the abdomen. It makes an irregular web in dark places such as foundations, air vents, shrubs and woodpiles, often at ground level. Black widows are one of the poisonous spiders found in North America and occur in all 48 states from Mexico to Canada.

• The black widow spider is widely feared because its bite results in severe pain that may take several days to subside. Such bites are rarely fatal but small children and elderly persons are at risk.
• This spider is uniformly shiny black in color and has a large spherical abdomen. The key identifying character is the red hourglass-shaped mark on the underside of her abdomen.
  
• Bites most frequently occur when people are picking up an item under which the spider is hiding or put on a shoe into the spider has crawled. Many bites are reported in outhouses where the black widow likes to spin her web below the toilet seat. (Be sure to check carefully before sitting down!)
• Bites can be avoided by wearing heavy gloves when moving items stored for long periods outside, in garages, in basements, or in warehouses. Shoes should be stored inside shoe boxes or shaken vigorously prior to wearing. When webs are visible, inspect carefully before putting your hand down under an object.
• Black widows prefer to construct their webs in secluded, protected sites where insects are more likely to show up. Such sites are common in items stored haphazardly in garages or outside. Such clutter creates innumerable spaces suitable for spider harborages. Keeping boxes and objects stored neatly and away from ways is one step to minimize these spiders in or around a home.
• Control is best left to a professional company like Terminix. If numerous spiders are encountered, they can be removed using a shop vac, but care must be taken when opening the vacuum to kill the spiders.

Brown Recluse Spider (approx. 1/2" long) Light brown or gray brown, with a violin shaped mark on its back, this spider is often called the "fiddle backed" spider. It lives like a recluse in a small web in dark corners, running to hide when disturbed. The bite usually results in an ulcerous sore, that may become serious if bacterial infection occurs because of lack of medical attention.

• The brown recluse spider is often called the "violin" spider or "fiddleback" spider because of the distinctive fiddle-shaped marking on top of its cephalothorax (head end to which the legs are attached). A further identifying character is the fact that this spider has only six eyes, instead of eight, and these are arranged in three pairs of two eyes at the front of the head.
• This spider is feared because its bite can result in open, ulcerating sores. Left untreated, such bites often become infected and significant tissue necrosis can occur. It is always best if someone thinks they may have a spider bite that he or she seek medical attention, preferably from a dermatologist. This is especially true in areas where brown recluse spiders are common.
• Like most spiders, the brown recluse spider does not seek to bite people... the bite is usually accidental. The spider crawls into a shoe, into clothing or into a bed and a person then puts on the clothing or lies on the spider in bed. The spider being trapped has only one defense and that is to bite. Unfortunately, the bite of this spider produces a nasty result in people.
• If a home has experienced brown recluse spiders, the occupants can reduce the chances of a bites by following the recommendations below:

1. Clothing can be stored in sealed plastic bags inside drawers or inside plastic storage compartments hanging in closets. Shoes should be stored inside plastic shoe boxes.
2. Clothes which have been left on the floor, in a clothing basket, or are otherwise exposed should always be shaken well and inspected before putting them on. Avoid keeping clothing on floors.
3. Beds should be moved out so they do not touch walls or curtains. Bed skirts around the box springs of beds should be removed from beds, and bedspreads that come near or touch the floor should not be used. These items allow spiders easy access to climb onto the bed.
4. Persons living in infested homes should get into the habit of inspecting bedding prior to climbing in to go to sleep.

• To minimize infestations of brown recluse spiders, these recommendations should be followed:

1. All boxes stored in an attic, basement, and the garage will need to be inspected for spiders. This is an extremely important step in controlling the brown recluse spiders because boxes are a very attractive harborage for this spider.
2. Boxes should always be moved from attics and basements to a garage or outside to be inspected. It is easier to inspect boxes there, and if a spider manages to crawl out of the box, it will be easier to deal with in a garage or outside. Any person moving or going through boxes should wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid accidental bites. A vacuum device should be kept handy to quickly remove spiders as they are encountered.
3. All items in a box need to be removed and opened or unfolded to check for spiders. After careful examination, the items can be replaced in the old, now spider free box or into a new box.
4. All corners and cracks of boxes should be taped to prevent spiders from re-entering the box.
5. Straighten up clutter in a basement and the garage. Do not store any items in a crawlspace. Brown recluse spiders like to harbor in clutter. Straightening or removing items reduces the potential harborages for spiders as well as for the insects they prey upon.
6. New infestations will generally come from the exterior of the building. All items lying on the ground, such as piles of lumber and other debris, should be removed from the property.
7. Firewood piles should be moved as far from a home as possible and stored off the ground and covered with plastic to keep it dry.
8. Heavy vegetation such as ivy and other ground covers should be cut as least 18 inches away from the building foundation.
9. Branches of trees and shrubs touching the house should be cut back away from the roof and walls of the building.
10. Brown recluse spiders and their prey are more likely to live in poorly ventilated attics and crawlspaces. Installing numerous soffit vents, together with ridge vents, make the best ventilating systems for attics. The roof areas above small enclosed porches, carports, and breezeways also would benefit from installation of ventilation. Foundation vents installed one per 25 linear feet of building foundation are necessary for ventilating crawlspace areas.
11. Any crack in the exterior of a building through which spiders could enter should be sealed to prevent spiders from entering . These cracks should be sealed AFTER they are treated by your Terminix service professional. It is especially important to seal the cracks located under the eaves where the soffit area meets the wall. Brown recluse spiders generally enter the attic through these cracks. Foundation vents and soffit vents should be tight fitting and be equipped with screening.
12. Buildings with brick veneer often have weep holes to allow moisture to exit from behind the veneer. These weep holes cannot be sealed, but small pieces of screening can be inserted into the weep holes to prevent spiders and other pests from entering. Screens designed for this purpose may be available commercially.
13. It is also important to seal cracks around pipes, wires, and cables leading up into the structure from the crawlspace or basement and down from the attic. Also seal cracks around vents and light fixtures in the ceiling. These steps help prevent spiders from entering from the attic, crawlspace, or basement.

• Total elimination of brown recluse spiders from an infested home is often impossible, especially in older homes. Still, the numbers of spiders seen and encountered can be minimized greatly when the right procedures are employed. Such services are best left to the experience of a professional company

Fleas and Ticks

Fleas (1/32" - 1/16" long) are tiny, hard-bodied, wingless insects with a flattened body and legs adapted for jumping. Varying from brown to black in color, fleas live on the blood of animals, birds and humans. Fleas can cause considerable irritation to pets and subsequently to people when fleas begin breeding in carpets and rugs where pets rest or sleep.

Ticks (1/16" - 1/4" long) are dark brown or reddish brown, leathery-bodied eight legged parasites that feed on blood sucked from animals, birds, and humans. Ticks can live for months in a dormant state without food. Many serious diseases are transmitted through ticks, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, tick typhus, and relapsing fever. Ticks also may cause secondary infections, tick paralysis and other disorders.

Fleas and ticks can infest any home. They are harmful to pets and humans and can transmit diseases. Fleas carried by rats were the cause of the terrible "Black Plague" in the Middle Ages. Many people are allergic to flea and tick bites, and almost everyone experiences severe itching and painful irritation when bitten.

Controlling Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are hard to control. Here are some tips:

• Any flea and tick treatment generally involves more than one application.
• The first application reduces active fleas and ticks.
• Additional applications may be necessary for continued control as eggs hatch.
• People and pets need to stay off the lawn after each application until the lawn is dry.

Preventing Fleas and Ticks from Returning

Here's what you must do to prevent fleas and ticks from coming back:

• Have veterinarian dip all pets.
• Wash all pet bedding in hot, soapy water.
• Have a professional pest control company treat the inside of your home.

All of these actions must be completed at the same time as the lawn application to avoid reinfestation.

Facts

• Fleas are ectoparasites of animals which means they live on the outside of the body and need to feed on the blood of these animals in order to produce eggs.
• The cat flea is the species involved in most home infestations and will attack both cats and dogs. It is usually carried into the home by a pet and once inside, large populations can build up in a hurry.
• One female flea can lay about 18 eggs a day and just 20 fleas on a dog can produce 360 eggs per day and over 2000 eggs in a week. Because fleas usually feed and lay their eggs while the pet is sleeping, the pet's resting areas are where the most fleas will be found.
• Many pets acquire fleas outside in the yard. Research has demonstrated that urban wildlife, such as raccoons and opossums, are commonly responsible for introducing these insect pests onto residential properties where the pets can encounter them.
  
• Controlling a flea infestation successfully requires four steps:
  (1) Preparation for treatment,
  (2) Treatment of pets,
  (3) Treatment of the inside premises, and
  (4) treatment of flea activity sites outside..
  
• Obviously, the pet is a critical key to minimizing flea infestations and regular grooming help to limit fleas on the pet. For this reason, customers need to keep their pet groomed and treated with on-animal flea control products.
  

Step One

Any flea treatment will be less effective if the home is not prepared properly by completing the following steps.
1. Remove all items, such as toys, clothes, pet food from all floors.
2. Remove all items from under beds and in the bottom of closets.
3. Wash or replace pet bedding.
4. Vacuum all carpets and rugs thoroughly, including beneath beds and upholstered furniture.
5. Clean all wood, tile, and linoleum floors by seeping and mopping.
6. Clean concrete floors with soap and water in the garage, basement, or enclosed patio where pets rest or stay.
7. Remove all pets including birds and reptiles. Cover fish tanks with a damp towel and turn off the air pump.
8. Replace any pet bedding outdoors and make all shaded areas, crawlspaces, etc. available for treatment.
9. Arrange to be out of the home for several hours until the treatment has thoroughly dried.

Step Two

The homeowner needs to arrange for treating the pet. A number of on-animal treatment products are now available. Treatment of pets should be done under the direction of a veterinarian.

Step Three

In homes that have an active flea infestation, a residual treatment combined with an insect growth regular should be applied. This treatment is best accomplished by professional, like Terminix, using professional equipment. Efforts should be focused on the areas where pets rest or sleep. These are the sites where the most fleas will be located.

Step Four

• Outside, treatment should be applied to shaded areas and beneath shrubs and decks where pets rest or sleep. Again, a professional has the right equipment to provide this treatment effectively.
• After the home is treated, it may take up to two weeks or more before fleas are no longer seen. The reason for this is that flea pupae are unaffected by the treatment until the adult fleas emerge from their pupal cocoon. In any flea population, all stages of the flea will be present including numerous pupae. It will take several weeks for all adult fleas to emerge from these pupae and contact the treatment. This process can be speeded up by vacuuming as often as possible after the treatment because vacuuming stimulates adult fleas to emerge from their cocoons.

What is a Carpenter Ant?

(1/4" - 1/2" long) Nesting in damp locations, carpenter ants prefer to excavate wood that has been damaged by water. From their nests in the beams, floors or walls, they scavenge the house for food crumbs and insects. Carpenter ants may occur in several colors, although the most important species are black.

One of the largest members of the ant family, carpenter ants take their name from their habit of chewing passageways (called "galleries") inside wood. They live in these galleries and make excursions, most often at night, to hunt for food and water. These ants often set up satellite colonies inside homes from parent colonies located outside in a tree or landscape timber.

Where You'll Find Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants love damp climates and moist areas – damp wood, any dark void, a few morsels of food. Places that get a lot of rain are especially susceptible. So are homes built in heavily wooded areas or in low, shady places where the ground stays damp. In your home, you're likely to find carpenter ants nesting around a sink in the kitchen or bathroom. Maybe even around plumbing leaks, clogged gutters and downspouts.

A clean house is no guarantee. When carpenter ants move in, the first thing they do is look for food. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood. They search for syrup, honey, jelly, meat, fruit, grease, fat, and other domestic foods. If these favorites are not available in your home, the ants will feed on dead or living insects or any other type of organic matter.

To construct their galleries, carpenter ants tear bits of wood and place them outside the nest. These sawdust-looking piles, called frass, may be the first visible sign that carpenter ants are present. Left unchecked for a period of time, these galleries can become quite large. While the primary nest is found in damp wood, carpenter ants establish many satellite colonies. This makes them difficult to control, especially since colonies may be found in any dark void- hollow curtain rods, hollow-core doors, ceilings, dead wall space, etc.

Carpenter ants mature in about two months and immediately start enlarging the nest. First year broods are small, with only 10 to 20 workers. But in a few years, when the colony has thousands of workers, small tunnels become major expressways connecting many hidden galleries. You may not be aware that a strong colony is firmly entrenched in your home until it is too late.

Telltale Signs of Carpenter Ants

• Trails of workers around the kitchen, pantry, and other areas where food is stored
• Sawdust-like material that workers kick out of their nests during excavation
• Listen for ant sounds in the quiet of the night. When the ants are chewing, or simply moving around in the nest, they make a sound like rustling cellophane.

If you see or hear any of these signs, you may have carpenter ants.

The experts at Terminix tell us you need to have a well-constructed plan for dealing with carpenter ants. If you suspect carpenter ants have invaded your home, it's best to seek immediate treatment. Professionals make a thorough inspection of your home, inside and out. Depending on your home's construction and the location of the main nest and satellite colonies, these professionals will use a variety of methods to treat the problem. These might include crack and crevice treatment, inner wall treatments, or even fumigation.

Reinfestation by Carpenter Ants

Reinfestation by carpenter ants is a constant threat. Only regular inspections and preventive service can keep them out.

Nesting Sites of Carpenter Ants

• Dead limbs of living trees
• Under attic insulation.
• Hollow trees
• Roofs
• Interior wall voids
• Hollow core doors
• Under exterior siding
• Ceilings
• Supports in crawl space
• Exterior wall voids
• Stumps
• Wood pile
• Sill plates
• Between insulation and subfloors
• Roots of dead trees

Points of Entry for Carpenter Ants

• Clogged drains and gutters
• Fencing next to home
• Wiring entrances
• Edges of fireplace brick
• Window casings
• Door frames
• Vines and plants touching home
• Edges of siding
• Mulch around home
• Crawl space vent
• Plumbing
• Wood in contact with soil

Facts

Carpenter Ants

• Are typically large ants up to 5/8-inch long; color varies from black, brown & black, red and black, to light brown depending on the species. The two most common pest species are black in color.
• Most common pest ant seen in homes throughout the northern United States from the east to west coast.
• The main colony must have a constant source of moisture to survive so it is usually located in dead wood outside, e.g., dead limbs, tree holes, stumps, landscape timbers, etc. Indoors, a main colony will have to be associated with a water leak or an overly wet, poorly ventilated crawlspace or attic.
• The main colony may establish satellite colonies that are the primary source of ant activity inside homes. These satellite colonies may be located in any suitable void, under attic insulation, etc. Colonies have even been found by Terminix professionals inside hollow doors, curtain rods, shower rods, and once inside an alarm clock!
• These ants set up trunk trails between the main colony to satellite colonies and between satellite colonies. Foraging ants can most easily be seen along these trunk trails at night when the ants are most active. Sometimes, the trunk trails occur beneath the ground following tree roots.
• Since carpenter ants may forage as far as 200 yards or further, the main colony may be located on a neighboring property.
• Carpenter ants feed on a wide variety of foods, especially other insects. The favored food of adults is the sweet honeydew produced by plant-feeding insects, such as aphids, scales, and mealybugs.
• In the spring, mature colonies produce winged reproductives, called swarmers, that fly out to start new colonies. These swarms often occur from satellite colonies within homes so a homeowner may see large flying ants in their home at night.
• Carpenter ant queens are about 3/4-inch in length while the males are smaller at 1/2-inch. The color varies depending on the species.
• Carpenter ants can be very difficult to control so most homeowners employee the services of a professional company like Terminix.

Argentine Ants

• Argentine ants are the most common invader of homes in Southern California. This ant is also very common in homes throughout most of the Gulf Coast states.
• The workers are dark brown to black and are about 1/8-inch in length. The body is often shiny in appearance.
• The colonies of Argentine ants can grow quite large containing tens of thousands of workers and numerous queens.
• Each colony will be divided into subcolonies which are located in various suitable harborages and which are connected by established trunk trails. These subcolonies will number from a few hundred to thousands of individuals.
• Subcolonies will take advantage of every available suitable site where enough protection and moisture is present. Nests may occur in the soil next to trees and shrubs and under any item in contact with the soil. Indoors, this ant will nest within wall voids, under the edge of carpeting, under attic ventilation, and behind dishwashers to name but a few sites.
• During the summer, Argentine ants aggressively forage for food during the morning , late afternoon, and evening hours. Foragers enter homes to find food and from there decide to locate a subcolony indoors.
• The food preferences are varied but the workers readily feed on the honeydew produced by aphids, scales, and mealybugs as their main source of nutrition. Insects, carrion, and similar protein foods are carried back to the nest to feed the larvae.
• In areas where the Argentine ant is a major pest, the best strategy to keep home invasions to a minimum is through a course of regular exterior inspections and service.

Pavement Ants

• Pavement ants are small (1/8-inch) ants that are regular pests of buildings throughout the northeast to the Midwestern United States. This ant is also found along the west coast from California to Washington.
• This ant derives its name for its preference of nesting in soil next to and beneath slabs, sidewalks, patios, and driveways.
• Colonies are usually easy to find due to the piles of displaced soil next to and on top of pavement.
  Indoors, pavement ants nest under the foundation and within hollow block foundation walls. Occasionally, a colony may carry soil up into a wall to form a nest. When piles of soil appear from under baseboards or on top of a basement or garage floor, it is a good sign that pavement ants may be present.
• Individual pavement colonies can often be controlled using ant baits, but perimeter inspection and treatment is commonly necessary for long term relief.

Imported Fire Ants

• The red imported fire ant was brought into this country during the 1920s and has spread to cover most of the Gulf Coast states and most of eastern Texas. It is now established north into parts of Tennessee and North Carolina.
• This reddish brown ant has many sizes of workers in the colony ranging from 1/8- to almost 3/8-inch in length. It is easily distinguished from other ants if one is unlucky enough to be stung.
• Fire ants pose a health risk to anyone venturing into areas where the ants are found. Although the vast majority of stings result only in a raised welt that may develop a white pustule, a person allergic to insect stings could experience a more serious reaction. Additionally, a person seldom receives just one sting, rather several to dozens and possibly hundreds of stings can occur quickly to a person accidentally kneeling or standing next to or on a fire ant mound.
• These ants nest in the soil and construct large mounds that are easily seen in lawns and pastures. A single lawn may contain a dozen or more mounds.
• This ant will also locate nests within landscape mulch and beneath items on the ground, such as landscape timbers. The mounds of such colonies may be shallow and poorly structured making them difficult to detect to the less experienced eye.
• Fire ants may construct mounds next to the foundation and enter homes through weep holes or other exterior cracks and holes. Once inside, workers forage in trails beneath the edge of carpeting. On occasion, the ants will bring soil up into walls or beneath first floor bathrooms and construct a nest.
• Due to the health threat posed by fire ants, it is important to take steps to control the ants around the home and in the yard.
• Over-the-counter fire ant baits can be effective if properly used, but regular reapplications are necessary because the ants readily reinvade from neighboring properties. Many homeowners employ the services of a professional, like Terminix, to provide such services.

Odorous House Ants, Crazy Ants, Ghost Ants, White-Footed Ants

• Odorous house ants are brown ants about 1/8-inch long. If crushed, the workers give off a rotten coconut odor, hence their name. They are common in California north to Washington and are the most common pest ant in the mid-south region of Arkansas and West Tennessee. They may be encountered occasionally throughout the Midwestern United States.
• Crazy ants are 1/8-inch long, black ants with extremely long legs and antennae. These ants received their name from their habit of quick zig-zag movements that seem to have to real, apparent direction. They are common in all the Gulf Coast states from Florida to Texas and can be found in parts of Arizona and in commercial buildings in a few northern cities, such as Philadelphia and New York.
• Ghost ants are tiny (< 1/16-inch), pale colored ants with a dark head and abdomen. These ants are very difficult to see unless one looks closely. This ant is now a major pest throughout most of Florida and several of the Hawaiian Islands. It occasionally is found in apartments and greenhouses in northern states.
• The white-footed ant is a black ant about 1/8-inch long. The tarsal segments at the end of all six legs are pale in color giving it its name. This ant is a serious pest in southern Florida and on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.
• All four species may develop huge colonies containing thousands of workers and numerous queens. A colony of white-footed ants can number up to one million individuals.
• All four of these ants nest outdoors under items on the ground, within landscape mulch, beneath loose bark on trees, under ground cover, in potted plants, and within piles of items, such as lumber, firewood, or bricks.
• Nests may readily be established inside homes in walls, beneath carpeting, and other suitable voids or spaces.
• All three species are difficult to control and do not feed much on ant baits. The keys to control are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly. Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move in from neighboring properties. 

Flying Ant

Flying ants (1/4" - 1/2" long) are the reproductives of the ant colonies. They look very much like swarming termites. Flying ants differ from the termite swarmer in that they have a slender pinched waist, and have two long wings with two short wings underneath. All four wings of a termite are equal in length and are twice the length of the body.

Crickets

The tan house cricket (3/4" long) is found in warm, damp, dark places such as shrubs, grass, basements or crawl spaces. Active mostly at night, they will eat almost anything they can chew, and they usually enter a building from harborages outside.

Field crickets are black or brown and can range in size from 3/8-inch to over 1-inch in length. Crickets are often attracted in large numbers to outdoor lights, and they then enter through cracks in the buildings' exterior. Changing outdoor lighting to yellow "bug" lights(domes) or sodium vapor lamps(commercial buildings) attract fewer crickets.

Removing heavy vegetation and items on the ground next to the building eliminates potential cricket harborages. Sealing exterior cracks in the building excludes them from entering. When large numbers of crickets are present, exterior treatments by a professional are often warrante