Miscellaneous Invaders
Box Elder Bug – Boisea trivittata
Appearance
Box Elder bugs will be up to 1/2 inch long and will be a dark gray or black with red strips criss-crossing across the back.
Behavior
These bugs lay eggs in the spring and begin to emerge in early summer. As winter comes they will find harborage in hollowed out trees, sheds, garages, and houses. They are especially attracted to homes because the heat of the sun reflects of the surface of the house and draws these pests towards the home. They are harmless but can be a large nuisance. They feed on plants particularly Box Elder and Maple trees.
Habitat
Box Elder bugs will nest in the trees on which they normally feed. They become a nuisance when a structure is near a Box Elder or Maple Tree.
Control Advice
If they are already inside the home it will require a professional, such as Precise, to effectively control populations. Once removed from the house a perimeter barrier should be established around the home using a product with a long residual. Special attention should be given to the west and south walls where heat radiating from the sun is most intense. You can help prevent entrance into the home by: sealing any exterior cracks or entrances and checking soffits and vents for any entrance points.
Centipedes – Class Chilopoda
Appearance
Most centipedes are not much longer than two inches. The colors vary depending on species but most are brown or orange-brown. They can have both short legs and long wispy legs depending on the species.
Behavior
Centipedes will feed on other insects by hunting them down, primarily at night. Centipedes are not social insects and are rarely seen in groups. Most live outdoors, but the house centipede lives primarily indoors and is easily recognized by its long wispy legs. They have one pair of legs per body segment.
Habitat
Centipedes mostly live outdoors under pieces of wood, brick, mulch, or under any item that offers protection and shelter. They seek areas high in moisture. Centipedes that have entered the home are usually found on baseboards, or running up walls. They will often be found in the crawl space, basement, and attic.
Control Advice
A professional service, such as Precise, can establish a barrier around the home with a long residual product to prevent nesting around the home. House centipedes can also be difficult to control. In order to prevent further penetration you can: move any mulch at least 6 inches away from the foundation of the house and seal any cracks in the exterior of the home.
Clover Mites – Bryobia praetiosa
Appearance
Clover mites are extremely tiny, about the size of the head of a pin. They are bright red to reddish brown. They will leave a red spot when crushed.
Behavior
Females will deposit their eggs in bark crevices and building cracks during early summer and in the fall. Eggs laid in the summer hatch in the fall, and can move into buildings through windows and cracks on the exterior. Mites that find their way into the wall voids will lay eggs and can present a problem the next year. Clover mite invasions can be the worst after installation of new lawns.
Habitat
Outside clover mites nest in low weeds and grass near buildings. They are attracted to buildings as the temperature drops because the sun reflects of the walls on the south and west side of homes.
Control Advice
Homes with regular clover mite infestation should contact a professional such as Precise. Removing vegetation from around the home will help decrease the chances of clover mites finding their way into the home. Sealing any cracks in the exterior of the home will also prove beneficial.
Crickets – Family Gryllidae
Appearance
The size will vary depending on the species but they usually do not exceed 1-1/2 inches in length, and are generally brown or black.
Behavior
Crickets are easily recognized by the majority of people. They lay their eggs in the fall in soil, and then hatch in the spring. Male crickets sing during the summer months in order to attract females for mating. Most of their life is spent outdoors feeding on the leaves of various plants. Adult crickets are attracted to bright lights. Once inside a home they can be obnoxious because of their singing, but can also feed on clothing, carpet, and fabrics.
Habitat
Crickets are generally found in fields or in wooded areas. They seek after food sources, moisture, and shelter. Crickets will be attracted to homes and structures during the fall and throughout the summer as they seek shelter. Once near the home they will crawl through any crack or crevices and find their way into the house. They will live in heavy vegetation, piles of wood, or debris.
Control Advice
If crickets become a major issue a perimeter application of a long residual product can help decrease populations. Maintaining this barrier will help prevent pest from finding their way into the home. You can help reduce the chance of further infestation by reducing harborage from around the home such as mulch, tall weeds, and thick vegetation.
Earwigs – Order Dermaptera
Appearance
Earwigs are generally about 1 inch long and are dark brown. Their most distinguishing mark is their pinchers at the rear of its abdomen.
Behavior
Earwigs eat other insects and plant products. They will hunt and catch other insects. They nest in large groups in harborages such as tree stumps and in mulch.
Habitat
These insects nest together in moist sheltered areas. Landscape mulch and landscaped timber are their two most common harborages around homes. They will also next in cracks on the exterior of buildings.
Control Advice
In large numbers earwigs can be extremely difficult to control. They are most effectively treated by locating and treating their harborage. A professional company, such as Precise, can effectively control large earwig populations. You can help by moving mulch away from the foundation of the house.
Millipedes – Class Dilopoda
Appearance
Millipedes will generally be 2 inches or less and are black or brown.
Behavior
Millipedes feed on decaying organic matter. They, unlike centipedes, have 2 legs per body segment. Unlike centipedes millipede populations can build to be quite large. They need moisture and will dry out if the environment is to dry. Millipedes may migrate when it is too dry, too wet, too hot, or too cold, and enter basements, ground floors, and window wells. They can be a particular problem in heavily wooded areas, or previously heavily wooded areas.
Habitat
Millipedes will most often live in decaying leaves, mulch, and under anything that offers shelter. They live in extremely moist areas, and so if they do find their way inside a home they will often dry out and dies, unless the area is moist. Basements, crawl spaces, and garages offer a suitable environment for millipedes to survive.
Control Advice
If there have been several millipedes spotted inside the home a professional, such as Precise, should be contacted to provide a treatment with a residual product. Millipedes can be extremely difficult even for a professional company to completely eliminate if they have established themselves indoors. You can prevent further infestation by: removing harborage from around home such as dead leaves or mulch, seal cracks of the exterior of the home, and keep heavy vegetation out of contact with home.
Pillbugs/Sowbugs – Class Crustacea
Appearance
Pillbugs and Sowbugs are small generally up to 1/2 inch and are gray in color.
Behavior
Pillbugs are oval shaped and roll into a ball when threatened, sowbugs do not have this ability. Pillbugs are often called roly-pollies. Both feed on decaying organic matter such as rotting leaves or plants. If populations increase in number around foundations they can become a problem. Both bugs require a large amount of moisture and will dry out if the environment is not extremely moist.
Habitat
They will most often feed underneath a protective covering such as a rock or slightly under the soil. They will often forage near the foundation of homes. They prefer any moist environment, so a leaking pipe will allow them to nest in the home in the wall voids. They will often be found underneath objects.
Control Advice
If a pillbug invasion occurs it is because the outside environment is conducive to large populations. A regular perimeter treatment with a long residual product will help form a barrier around the home. You can help decrease the chances of infestation by removing objects from around the house that are in contact with the soil such as firewood, seal any cracks on the outside of the home, and moving mulch from around the foundation.
Scorpions – Order Scorpiones
Appearance
The size varies depending on the species, but they are generally around 2 inches when fully grown. Scorpions vary in color such as yellow, blue, brown, reddish-brown, and black.
Behavior
Scorpions forage at night, seeking insects, and other arthropods. Scorpions grab their prey with front, crab-like claws and quickly sting, whipping the stinger over their back. They will sometimes find their way into homes and crawl into clothing, shoes, or a bed. Scorpions are not aggressive but when they feel threatened they will sting.
Habitat
Scorpions are most comfortable hiding during the day under rocks. They will nest in crawl spaces, attics, and garages in homes. They will find their way into homes through exterior cracks in search for food.
Control Advice
If scorpions are seen often contact a professional such as Precise so they can treat the home. To reduce scorpions eliminate piles of clutter from around the house.
Silverfish – Lepisma saccharina
Appearance
Silverfish are about 1/2 inch long and are triangular in appearance. They are a silver shiny or gray in color with scales that are often visible.
Behavior
Silverfish can be an extreme nuisance, and can be very difficult to control. They will feed on substances like flour, starch, glue, paste, textiles, papers, fungal molds, and even cellulose fibers found in plants. They will often be caught in wash basins and bathtubs in bathrooms to which they migrate from the basement or out of wall voids penetrated by pipes. Silverfish will often establish themselves in wall voids, and will show up in kitchen areas.
Habitat
Silverfish prefer temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. They will live in cracks and voids and will be found throughout the home but especially in attics, crawl spaces, and basements. Those areas tend to have the highest concentration and then they will spread to other parts of the house. Silverfish can also live in soffits, in wall voids, and behind gutters. Homes with cedar shake or wood roofs are extremely susceptible to silverfish invasion. Wood roofs tend to produce additional molds that promote silverfish infestation.
Control Advice
Silverfish are one of the most difficult pests to control, especially if the house has wooden shingles. If silverfish are regularly seen a professional, such as Precise, should be contacted.
