| Black Carpenter Ant |
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(Length: 1/4" – 1/2")
Although the same size as Florida carpenter ants, these ants are
completely black instead of two-toned. Unlike the Florida species,
the black carpenter ant does more damage to sound, undamaged wood.
They don’t eat wood, but they hollow out "galleries" in
wood for nesting that are so smooth they appear to be finished
by sandpaper. They normally nest in dead portions of trees, stumps
or logs and invade homes in search of food. They feed on living
or dead insects and nearly all sweets, or meats inside. |
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| Argentine Ants |
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(Length: 1/11" -1/10")
These medium size ants are uniformly brown and trail in large numbers.
They compete aggressively with other ant species for food and nesting
sites and can drive most other ant species out of their territory.
Their nests have large numbers of individuals and a high percentage
of queens. Because of their aggressive nature, these ants will
develop into super-colonies in many urban situations with the colony
spread across large areas. It is not uncommon to find Argentine
ants spread across entire neighborhoods. Their nests are often
under heavy leaf litter, under wood on the ground, at the base
of trees and in planters and mulch. They prefer the outdoors, but
will enter houses looking for food, water and warmth. They particularly
like sweet foods. |
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| Crazy Ant |
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(Length: 1/12" - 1/8")
Ranging from red-brown to grayish to black, this small ant gets it
name from its characteristic erratic and rapid movement in their
search for food. They will feed on any household foods. The crazy
ant is highly adaptable and can live in both very dry and moist
habitats. They typically nest outdoors in the soil and in the cavities
of trees and shrubs, but frequently enter homes in the fall or
after a rain where they will nest in wall and floor voids especially
near hot water pipes and heaters. |
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| Florida Carpenter Ant |
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(Length: 1/4"- 1/2")
These large ants usually nest outdoors in stumps and logs in contact
with the soil and in dead tree limbs and cavities. The Florida
Carpenter Ant has a black abdomen and red head and thorax. They
also can nest in homes in wood damaged by termites, fungi and moisture.
They forage widely for food crumbs and insects as well as honeydew
produced by sap-sucking insects which attack landscape plants.
Although they don’t eat wood, the galleries they excavate
can be quite extensive. |
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| Pharaoh Ant |
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(Length: 1/12" – 1/16")
These small red to yellowish ants can be found trailing anywhere
within a structure. They can nest in wall voids, cabinets, boxes
of food and any other accessible crevices and spaces. They are
known to invade sick rooms and feed on blood plasma and wound dressings.
Their colonies have multiple queens and can split into small groups,
spreading very rapidly. In sub-tropical areas pharaoh ants readily
nest outside in leaf debris found on or near structures. Re-invasion
of the structure can occur throughout warm parts of the year. |
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| Red Imported Fire Ant |
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(Length: 1/8" – 1/4")
Usually a reddish brown color, fire ants live in colonies of up to
200,000 individuals. Their mounds can be two feet high and three
feet across with as many as 50 colonies per acre. The Red Imported
Fire Ant causes damage difficult to measure in dollars. It’s
painful, burning sting results in pustules that take up to 10 days
to heal. Some people are extremely allergic to the sting, needing
fast medical attention to deal with the toxin. |
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| Odorous House Ant |
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(Length: 1/8”)
This brownish-black ant is the most common nemesis of the homeowner
in the Carolinas. Nests are usually located in a great variety
of places, both indoors and outdoors. Multiple nest sites are not
uncommon and colony sizes are large. It derives its name from the
fact that a rotten, coconut-like odor is produced when it is crushed. |
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| German Cockroach |
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(Length: 1/2" – 5/8")
This roach, with two dark vertical stripes behind the head, is found
throughout the world, thriving wherever man lives, eating the same
foods, sharing the same habitats. It is commonly found in restaurants,
kitchens and stores where food, moisture and harborage are abundant.
Populations build rapidly from egg capsules being produced about
every 20-25 days. Each capsule contains about 35 eggs, the young
maturing in about 100 days. German roaches contaminate food, leave
stains, create foul odors and carry disease organisms. They hide
during the day, closely packed in small cracks and crevices near
food and water. |
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| Brown Banded Cockroach |
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(Length: 1/2"- 5/8")
The Brown Banded Cockroach is easily recognized by alternating light
and dark bands across its back. About the same size as the German
roach, but not as dependent on moisture, it can be found anywhere
in the structure. The Brown Banded roach doesn’t multiply
as fast as the German, but is considered harder to control because
they tend to be scattered all over the structure. It shows a preference
for warmer areas over 80 degrees. Often found high on walls, in
picture frames, behind molding, near appliance motors, in light
switches, closets and furniture. |
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| Smokybrown Cockroach |
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(Length: 1" – 1 1/4")
The Smokybrown Cockroach is uniform in color, typically brownish
black and very shiny. They are good flyers and are attracted to
lights at night. Found in warm, dark, moist areas such as tree
holes, ivies, mulch, woodpiles and soffits/eaves of attics with
moisture problems, they are very mobile. The Smokybrown Cockroach
has the reputation of being the most difficult to control because
it is so active and has many habitat preferences. Very thorough
methods and persistence are required for effective control. They
are most common in North Florida and Georgia. |
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| Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach |
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(Length 3/4” – 1”)
This outdoor dwelling roach is a trim, chestnut brown insect that
breeds in hollow trees, under loose bark, in wood piles and crevices
in rural buildings. The male is attracted to light and may fly
into structures. |
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| Silverfish |
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(Length: 1/3" – 1/2")
These slender, wingless insects are common in homes. The are shiny
and silver or pearl-gray in color with three long tail-like appendages
and two long antennae. They may cause damage by eating foods, cloth
or other items high in protein, sugar or starch. They eat cereals,
moist wheat flour, paper on which there is glue or paste, book
bindings, wallpaper, starch in clothes and linens. They will breed
in bookcases, storage boxes and linen closets. They thrive in moist
hot areas from the attic to the crawl space. |
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| Flea |
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(Length: 1/32" – 1/16")
Fleas are small, hard-bodied, wingless insects with a flattened body
and legs adapted for jumping on to a host. The cat flea, most commonly
encountered in Florida, seeds mammals for the blood meal needed
to sustain them. They can be a direct health hazard, transmitting
disease and tapeworm. Humans are often attacked when other food
sources aren’t available. Their bite leaves a red, itchy
spot on the skin. Their saliva is irritating to the host, causing
dermatitis and hair loss in allergic animals. |
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| Tick |
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(Length: 1/16" – 1/2")
The tick is an eight-legged relative of the spider. It must feed
three times before hiding and producing up to 3000 eggs in a crack
or crevice. The tick can live without food for up to 200 days,
waiting for a host, usually a dog, to supply a blood meal. Many
serious diseases can be transmitted through ticks: Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever, Typhus, Lyme Disease, Relapsing Tick Fever and other
disorders. |
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| Widow Spider |
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(Length: 1 1/2" long)
The Southern Black Widow is glossy black with a red hourglass marking
on the underside of its abdomen. The female is much larger and
more distinctly marked than the male. It makes a strong, sticky
irregular web in protected areas where prey is likely to wander
in and be trapped. Foundations, vents, shrubs and wood piles at
ground level are common habitats. Their poisonous venom can cause
concern for small children and older or infirm persons. Medical
attention should be sought if bitten. |
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| Brown Recluse Spider |
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(Length: 1/4" – 1/2")
The brown recluse is a brownish spider with a distinctive violin-shaped
mark behind its eyes, which has earned it the name "fiddle-backed" spider.
It is found in undisturbed areas such as sheds, garages and dark
closets. Garments left hanging for some time are favorite spots.
Their bite causes a severe systemic reaction and an ulcerous sore
with requires extensive medical attention. |
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| Clothes Moth |
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(Length: up to 1/2")
These are small yellowish or brownish moths. Larvae spin a silken
tube or case which they drag around themselves to protect them
from the environment and their natural enemies. Eggs are laid on
products the larva will consume such as: wool, feathers, fur, hair,
animal and fish meals and milk powders. Adults do not feed on fabrics.
Only the larvae damage household goods. They are not attracted
to light, preferring dark, protected areas. Cedar closets will
not prevent them from entering. |
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