COMMON CRAWLING PESTS IN NEW YORK (Articles)

Description: Capable of thriving in most climates, silverfish prefer to dwell in dark, damp areas such as basements, attics, kitchens and bathrooms. They are especially attracted to paper and damp clothing. Commonly found in stored boxes in garages and sheds.   Appearance: Silverfish can be grey, brown or silver colors with scales and are wingless. They measure 12-25 mm in length, and can be characteri…

Description: The striped earwig adults are dark brown with light tan markings. The males are large and robust with stout pincers. The females are somewhat smaller and lighter in color than the males. These earwigs are in areas having sandy or clay soils, and it lives in subterranean burrows or under debris. They are usually found outdoors unless populations are large or other conditions are adverse.   App…

Description: Centipedes are sometimes called "hundred-leggers" because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 15-177 pairs of legs, depending on the species. Interestingly, centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs.   Appearance: They are yellowish to dark brown, sometimes with darker stripes or markings. They are elongated, flattened and look like worms. Thei…

Description: Millipedes are usually brown to blackish in color. The elongated body is rounded, no flattened, and they have no poison claws or legs. They usually coil up when disturbed, similar to the behavior exhibited by sowbugs or pillbugs.   Appearance: Common North American species are brownish, one to 2.5 to 4 cm long segmented, with two pair of legs per segment.   Lifecycle: Eggs are dep…