COMMON PESTS IN NEW YORK:
COMMON COCKROACHES IN NEW YORK:
• German Cockroach
• American Cockroach
• Oriental Cockroach
• Brown-Banded Cockroach
BED BUGS
COMMON RODENTS IN NEW YORK:
• Norway Rat
• Roof Rat/Black Rat
• House Mouse
• Deer Mice
COMMON ANTS IN NEW YORK:
• Carpenter Ant
• Pavement ant
• Odorous House Ant
• Crazy Ant
• Field Ant
• Big Headed Ant
• Little black ant
• Thief Ant
• Acrobat ant
• Honey Pot Ant
COMMON FLIES IN NEW YORK:
• House Fly
• Horse Fly
• Bluebottle Fly-Blow Fly
• Cluster Fly
• Face Fly
• Flesh Fly
• Stable Fly

COMMON FRUIT FLIES IN NEW YORK:
• Drain Flies/Moth fly
• Fruit fly
• Phorid fly
• Vinegar fly
• Fungus gnat
• Cheese Skipper
COMMON MOSQUITOS IN NEW YORK:
• House Mosquitoes/Culex
• Yellow Fever Mosquitoes (Aedes mosquito)
• Common Malaria Mosquito/Anopheles mosquito
WASPS
SPIDERS
COMMON CRAWLING PESTS IN NEW YORK:
• Silver Fish
• Earwigs
• Centipedes
• Melipides
COMMON PESTS IN STORRED PRODUCTS:
MOTHS:
• Almond Moth
• Indian Meal Moth
• Mediterranean Flour Moth
• Tobacco Moth
BEETLES:
• Rust-red Flour or Flour Beetle
• Cigarette Beetle
• Drugstore Beetle
• Flat Grain Beetle
• Fur Beetle or Carpet Beetle
• Golden Spider Beetle
• Lesser Grain Beetle
• Larder Beetle
• Lesser Mealworm or Litter Beetle
• Merchant Grain Beetle
• Rove Beetle
• Saw Toothed Grain Beetle
• Shiny spider Beetle
• Warehouse Beetle
• Grain Borer
WEEVILS:
• Bean Weevil
• Coffee Bean Weevil
• Granary Weevil
• Maize Weevil
• Rice Weevil
• Booklice/Psocids
MITES:
• Cheese Mite
• Flour Mite/Grain Mite
• Furniture Mite
COMMON BLOOD FEDERS IN NEW YORK:
• Bed Bugs
• Fleas

Cockroaches/Blattodea
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattodea, are considered one of the most successful groups of animals and they are among the most common of insects. They are the most successful ancient insect on the planet. Fossil evidence indicates that cockroaches have been on earth approximately 320 million years. Cockroaches are “living fossils”. This means that their basic shape and appearance has not changed for millions of years. Fossil remains of cockroaches have been dated before the appearance of the Dinosaurs and appear virtually identical to cockroaches we find today. Cockroaches will eat anything and can survive absolutely anywhere other than the Polar Regions and above 2,000 meters in elevation. Some can live without water, can fly, are the fastest insect and can survive high levels of radiation. About 4,600 species of cockroaches exist worldwide, 69 species found in the United States. In the New York State, only four species are common pests in structures. These are the German, Brown-banded, Oriental, and American cockroaches.
German Cockroach 134352242
Description:
German Cockroach (Blatella Germanica) is the most common cockroach found in kitchens in homes and food service establishments. Large numbers can be found clustering together under stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers, and in wall and cabinet voids. German cockroaches usually prefer a moist environment with a relatively high degree of warmth. German cockroaches spend about 75% of their lives in hiding. Enabled by a body that’s smaller than other species, the ability and inclination to hide in tiny spaces is one reason why the German cockroach has been so successful at living with humans. Coming out of hiding to feed or to mate can be dangerous, so it’s usually done in darkness. When the roaches leave their hiding spots, they only go as far as they need to find food and mates. Their hiding places are usually within 10 feet of their food source.
Appearance:
Adult German cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8 inch long and tan to light brown. Although they have fully developed wings, they do not fly. Nymphs are similar in appearance to adults except that they are smaller and lack wings. The German cockroach is best identified by its small size and by two dark parallel lines running from the back of the head to the wings.
Lifecycle:
After mating, the female cockroaches produce an egg capsule containing 30-40 eggs. 1-2 days before the eggs hatch, the female drops the capsule in a sheltered area. The development time from egg to adult takes about 100 days. The female will produce about 3-4 egg capsules in her lifetime which is about 100-200 days. In one year over 10,000 descendants can be produced, assuming two generations per year. Because of the high rate of reproduction, in very short order, the home or apartment can be totally infested with thousands of cockroaches.
Habits:
Cockroaches will eat virtually any item that has nutritional value. This includes dog food, any human food items and even soap and glues. The German cockroach has been identified as a trigger of asthma for sensitive individuals especially children. Exposure to cockroach fecal material, saliva and body fragments can trigger an asthma attack. Cockroaches have been shown to carry bacteria on their bodies and are potential sources of salmonella food poisoning. Different forms of gastroenteritis (food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, and other illnesses) appear to be the principal diseases transmitted by German cockroaches. The organisms causing these diseases are carried on the legs and bodies of cockroaches and are deposited on food and utensils as the cockroaches forage. Cockroach excrement and cast skins also contain a number of allergens to which many people exhibit allergic responses, such as skin rashes, watery eyes and sneezing, congestion of nasal passages, and more.
American Cockroach 157328108
Description:
American cockroaches (Periplaneta Americana) are often called water bugs. The American cockroach is the largest of the species common to the New York State. This species often becomes abundant in commercial establishments and is most common in the basements and steam tunnels of restaurants, bakeries, food-processing facilities, and grocery stores. American cockroaches look to enter structures through sewage and plumbing systems.
Appearance:
Adults are approximately 1-1/2 inches long and reddish brown, with fully developed wings that cover the entire length of the abdomen. Both male and female are fully winged. The wings of the male extend slightly beyond the tip of the abdomen, while those of the female are about the same length as the abdomen
Lifecycle:
American cockroaches have three developmental stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The eggs are laid in capsules that are dark brown, symmetrically shaped, and about 5/16 inch long. The female drops her egg capsule within a day after it is formed. She often drops it in a suitable location near a food source or in a protected area. Each capsule averages 14 to 16 eggs. Usually one capsule is produced each week and is often glued to a hidden surface with secretions from the female’s mouth. Each female produces from 15 to 90 egg capsules. The number of offspring per year averages 800. Under ideal conditions an adult female can live up to 15 months, males for a somewhat shorter period. Nevertheless, large populations can develop under favorable conditions.
Habits:
American cockroaches are capable of flying .The American cockroach can be identified by its large size and reddish brown color with faded yellow edges on the thorax. Indoors, the nymphs and adults are usually found in dark, warm and moist areas of basements and crawl spaces, and all around bathtubs, clothes hampers, floor drains, pipe chases, and sewers. They are also common around the manholes of sewers, and on the undersides of metal covers over large sump pumps. This cockroach is often associated with steam heat tunnels. It has also been observed migrating from one building to another during warm months. American cockroaches feed on a variety of foods, with an apparent preference for decaying organic matter. The adults can survive two or three months without food but only about a month without water.
Oriental Cockroaches 65698645
Description:
Oriental cockroaches (Blatta orientalis) are often called water bugs because of their preference for dark, damp, and cool areas such as those under sinks and washing machines, and in basements. This species, which is less wary and more sluggish than the others, is of concern because it often travels through sewer pipes and lives on filth. The oriental cockroach tends to travel somewhat more slowly than other species. They are active year-round.
Appearance:
Adult Oriental cockroaches are about one inch in length. Both male and female adults are very dark brown, nearly black their bodies usually have a somewhat greasy sheen. Females have small, functionless, rudimentary wing pads and broader, heavier bodies. Males have wings that cover only about three-quarters of their abdomen. Males are apparently unable to fly.
Lifecycle:
The Oriental cockroach has three developmental stages egg, nymph, and adult. Eggs are laid in capsules, which the female carries for about 30 hours and then drops onto a protected surface near a food supply. The female does not glue the egg capsule to the surface. Females produce an average of eight capsules, each containing 16 eggs that hatch in about 60 days under room temperature conditions. The life span of an adult female is 5 to 26 weeks with approximately 200 offspring. Unlike the other house-infesting species, the Oriental cockroach generally has a seasonal developmental cycle. The peak number of adults usually appears in late spring or early summer. By late summer and early fall, this number has become quite low, owing to natural mortality and the hatching of nymphs. Nymphs and adults have similar habits and are found with decaying organic matter indoors and outdoors.
Habits:
Oriental cockroaches prefer dark, moist areas such as under porches, sewers, drains, crawl spaces, dark, damp basements, and floor drains. They can be found outdoors in abandoned cisterns and water valve pits; in yards; beneath leaves; in bark mulch around shrubs, flowers, and foundations; in dumps, stone walls, and crawl spaces; and in garbage and trash dumps and trash chutes. Both nymphs and adults are sluggish and are usually situated at or below ground level indoors. They are seldom found on walls, in high cupboards, or in the upper floors of buildings. At times large numbers occur in one great mass around leaks in the basement or crawl space areas of homes. Oriental cockroaches are generally found outdoors during warm weather, but in periods of drought there may be considerable movement into structures, apparently in search of higher humidity. They may enter the home in food packages and laundry, or merely come in under the door or through air ducts, garbage chutes, or ventilators. Oriental cockroaches can be harder to get rid of than other roaches. Any area that has a high humidity and a cool temperature should be examined. Crawl spaces, basements, and kitchen and bathroom plumbing can be inspected for dead roaches, egg cases, and fecal smears. Also, any spider webs in these locations can be inspected for cockroach remains.
Brown-Banded Cockroach wikipedia
Description:
Brown-Banded Cockroach (Supella Longipalpa) both adults and nymphs can be distinguished by the two brownish, broad -bands across the body at the base of the abdomen and at mid-abdomen. Both males and females are quite active; adult males fly readily when disturbed.
Appearance:
Male and female brown-banded cockroaches are about 1/2 inch long and light brown, with fully developed wings.
Lifecycle:
The brown-banded cockroach has three developmental stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Eggs are laid in capsules, which the female carries for about 30 hours before she fastens it on walls, ceilings, and in protected and hidden areas. During her adult life a female produces about 14 egg capsules, each containing an average of 13 eggs. The length of the egg stage varies from 37 to 103 days, depending on temperature. The nymphal stage ranges from 8 to 31 weeks. A female adult has a life span of 13 to 45 weeks; each female produces about 600 descendants per year.
Habits:
Brown-banded cockroaches prefer warm and dry locations, such as near refrigerator motor housings, on the upper walls of cabinets, and inside pantries, closets, dressers, and furniture in general. They can also be found behind picture frames and beneath tables and chairs, and inside clocks, radios, light switch plates, door frames, and dressers. It is common to find them hiding nearer the ceiling than the floor and away from water sources. They live exclusively indoors. Brown Banded Cockroaches can be found in homes, apartments, hotels and offices. They are often transported in furniture and will quickly infest an entire building.

Bed Bugs 392776186
Bed bugs are parasitic insects of the cimicid family that feed exclusively on blood. The common bed bugs are the best known as they prefer to feed on human blood. The name "bed bug" derives from the preferred habitat of warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other areas around the house. Bed bugs are mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed.
A number of adverse health effects may result from bed bug bites, including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors. Certain signs and symptoms suggest the presence of bed bugs and finding the adult insects confirms the diagnosis. Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years. They are potential to contaminate food with bacteria and other disease-producing organisms.
Description:
Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on blood . Although the common bed bug prefers feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents. It has done so since ancient times; bed bugs are mentioned in medieval European texts and classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle.
Appearance:
Adult bed bugs are about 3/16” long and reddish-brown, with oval-shaped, flattened bodies. The immature bed bugs (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, and they don’t jump like fleas do but they can crawl rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.
Lifecycle:
Adult females lay their eggs in secluded places, depositing 1, 2 or more eggs per day, potentially hundreds during their lifetime. The eggs are tiny (about the size of a dust spec), whitish and hard to see without magnification, especially on light-colored surfaces. When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to surfaces. At room temperatures, bed bug eggs hatch in about a week. Newly emerged nymphs are straw-colored and no bigger than a pinhead. As bed bugs grow they molt, shedding their skin five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive molt. Adult females also must feed in order to lay eggs. Under favorable conditions (70-80°F), the bugs can mature fully in as little as a month, producing multiple generations per year. Cooler temperatures or limited access to blood prolong the development time.
Habits:
Bed bugs are very resilient. Nymphs and adults can persist months without feeding which is unusual for most insects. The ability to survive without a blood meal is longer at cooler temperatures potentially up to a year or longer at 55°F or less. In temperature-controlled buildings, a more typical duration is about 2 to 6 months. Consequently, it is usually impractical to leave buildings unoccupied in hopes of ‘starving out’ an infestation. When infested dwellings such as apartments are vacated, bed bugs often disperse to nearby units, or reduce their activity until the unit is reoccupied.
Bed bugs are active mainly at night. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be hatched and un-hatched eggs, the tannish shed skins of maturing nymphs, and the bugs themselves. Another possible sign are rusty or reddish smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushed engorged bed bugs. Although it’s often stated that bed bugs have a telltale buggy odor, the smell is seldom evident except in extreme infestations and should not be relied upon for detection. Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed, but if necessary will crawl several feet to obtain a meal. Initially the bugs tend to be situated around sleeping areas, i.e., beds, couches and recliners. If infestations are allowed to persist, they also may disperse to other locations within the dwelling making elimination more difficult. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places.

Mice & Rats
Mice and rats are rodents, often considered pests, many of which are native wild species that lived in this region long before home and farms existed to infest. Today, many of them, including non-native species, have adapted to life alongside humans. Their presence does not necessarily equal infestation or squalor conditions, rather that food, water, and nesting sites are adequate.
Rodents have the typical large, broad, and yellow incisors, adapted for constant gnawing. These teeth continuously grow, replacing what is worn away by the gnawing of wood, plastic, and even metal. The teeth are well adapted for grains and fruits, although some rodents supplement their diet with insects and worms. With long tails, large snouts, and large external ears, these small rodents are very adaptable and prolific and can be found pretty much everywhere around the world. In New York we have 3 rat and 5 mouse species, with one invasive (but established) rat, and one native species presumed to be eliminated from the state. Rodents living close to people and in their structures are called commensal rodents. Rodents will eat anything that humans eat and they need to gnaw. It's a common part of their behavior. Rat teeth continually grow, at a rate of about five inches per year. In order to keep the length of the teeth in check, the rats chew on things to wear the teeth down, their constant gnawing behavior causes structural damage and when electrical wires are the target of their gnawing, they can start fires and damage sensitive electronic items. Both rats and mice carry diseases that are transmittable to humans. These include salmonella food poisoning, Leptospirosis, LCM, Hanta Virus and other diseases that can make people sick. Their droppings, urine and hair contaminate the environment and cause sensitive people to experience allergic reactions from these biological materials. Mice and rats contaminate stored food items with their fecal material, urine and hair.
Norway Rat 149284376
Description:
A relatively large member of the mouse family with coarse light to dark brown hair that lightens as it reaches the sides, reaching a tan on the undersides. The ears are large, rounded and naked, but shorter than the Black Rat’s. The tail is naked and shorter than the length of the body.
Appearance:
They are averaging 15.5 inches in length (not including their tail, which makes up 45% of their total length) and weighs roughly 14 ounces. Males are larger than females.
Lifecycle:
Females may come into heat every 4 or 5 days, and they may mate within a day or two after a litter is born. Breeding often peaks in spring and fall, with reproductive activity declining during the heat of summer and often stopping completely in winter, depending on habitat. These seasonal trends are most pronounced in more severe climates. The average female rat has 4 to 6 litters per year and may successfully wean 20 or more offspring annually.
Habits:
Norway Rats inhabit the same spaces humans do and pretty much anywhere that offers food and shelter. In the wild, they will occupy a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands and open fields. Crop land is preferred in the wild. Nests are made from grass, leaves, twigs, paper, or anything they can find and are often built near sources of water. Burrows are often dug for shelter and nests and can be highly complex with multiple rooms and food storage space. Rats are opportunistic foragers. They will grab and eat pretty much anything they can. Human food and trash make up a large part of their diet. In the wild they will feed on seeds, fruit, plant material, mice, birds, small lizards, insects, fish, and fungus. They prefer meat.
Roof Rat/Black Rat 148474820
Description:
A relatively large member of the mouse family and a medium-sized rat, It has fine black hair that is lighter underneath. Color patterns may exist in isolated populations or within those bred as pets. The ears are large (larger than the Norway rat), rounded and naked. The tail is naked and longer than the length of the body.
Appearance:
They are averaging 7 inches in length (not including their tail, which is always longer than their body) and weighs roughly 7 ounces. Males are larger than females. They are generally smaller than the Norway rat.

Lifecycle:
Black rats produce 5–10 young per litter, and have between 3–6 litters a year. The gestation period is about 3 weeks. It only takes between 12–16 weeks from birth for them to reach sexual maturity. The life cycle of rats is around a year to eighteen months, during which time, the female will typically breed up to six times, with the average litter being seven or eight. Breeding occurs throughout the year, but especially in the spring or autumn"
Habits:
Black rats inhabit the same spaces humans do and pretty much anywhere that offers food and shelter. High reaching places are often preferred, such as trees, attics, roofs and top floors. In the wild, they will generally stick to wooded areas. Nests are made from grass, leaves, twigs, paper, or anything they can find, usually within walls, in trees, or sometimes in burrows. Rats are opportunistic foragers. Fruits, grain and other plant material. They will also feed on insects and their larvae when available. Those that live with humans tend to feed on human food and trash as well as livestock feed.
House Mouse 220169620
Description:
A small mouse, with soft brown or black fur with lighter under parts (but not white like the Deer Mouse). The long, slender tails and large round ears do not have fur. The eyes are large, black and beady. The whiskers are long. Those that live closely alongside humans may be darker and have longer tails than wilder varieties.
Appearance:
They are from 2.5 to 4 inches in length (not including their tail, which can be up to half of their total length). They weigh up to 1 ounce.
Lifecycle:
Litter size average 5 with multiple litters a year. The young stay with their mother for 21 days. Mating occurs year round, but is more frequent during warmer temperatures. Wild mice tend to breed from April to September.
Habits:
Found wherever humans are, houses, barns, garages, but also fields and wooded areas. The wild variety will inhabit cracks and crevices in rocks or rock walls or dig complex tunnels in the ground. Tunnels will contain several rooms, exits and a nesting site. In homes, mice may construct nests within walls. Wild mice concentrate on seeds, roots, and other plant material. Some insects and carrion may also be eaten. Those that live with humans tend to feed on human food or trash and human made-materials. The wild variety will store food in a cache, but those that live with humans may not need to.
Deer Mice 49595143
Description:
A small mouse that is slightly smaller than the house mouse, with grayish to reddish-brown fur on top and whitish under parts. The tail is short-haired and bi-colored with darker fur on top and lighter fur underneath. The body is round and slender, with a large head and pointed snout with whiskers. The ears are large and round. The eyes are large and black. There are two forms, the woodland variety tends to have a longer body and tail as well as larger feet and ears than the prairie form.
Appearance:
They are from 4.5 to 8.5 inches in length (not including their tail, which ranges from 2 to 5 inches). They weigh up to 0.8 ounces. Males are roughly double the size of females.
Lifecycle:
Litter size averages 5 with multiple litters a year. The young stay with their mother for just over a month. Mating occurs year round, but is more frequent during warmer temperatures.
Habits:
Found in pretty much any habitat in NY, but most commonly in prairies, brush, and woodland. The prairie variety nests in burrows just below ground level. They are either dug by the mice themselves, or abandoned by other animals. The woodland variety builds theirs near the ground on stumps, in tree cavities, piles of debris, or in buildings. Woodland nests may be abandoned bird nests or made out of plant matter. They eat insects, fruits, vegetables, seeds, plants, various invertebrates, sometimes their own feces. They will often cache nuts in logs or nests for winter.

Ants
Enthusiastically social insects, ants typically live in structured nest communities that may be located underground, in ground-level mounds, or in trees. Ant communities are headed by a queen or queens, whose function in life is to lay thousands of eggs that will ensure the survival of the colony. Workers (the ants typically seen by humans) are wingless females that never reproduce, but instead forage for food, care for the queen's offspring, work on the nest, protect the community, and perform many other duties. Male ants often have only one role, mating with the queen. After they have performed this function, they may die. Ants communicate and cooperate by using chemicals that can alert others to danger or lead them to a promising food source. They typically eat nectar, seeds, fungus, or insects. However, some species have diets that are more unusual. Ants may prey on reptiles, birds, or even small mammals.
Carpenter Ants 127389809
Description:
The black carpenter ant is a common invader of homes. In their natural habitat, carpenter ants aid in the decomposition of dead, decaying trees. They normally nest in logs, stumps, and hollow trees. However, the large, dark colored workers often invade homes in search of food. These ants seldom tunnel into dry, sound wood, but they may excavate moist, rotting wood and other soft materials ,such as foamed plastic to make satellite nests. Rarely will the expansion of a nest into a building’s wooden timbers cause structural damage. Homes built in wooded areas are especially subject to infestation.
Appearance:
Workers are wingless, dark shiny brown to black in color, and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length. They may be seen crawling around inside a residence. Winged reproductive forms resemble workers in color and shape but are up to 3/4 inch long. The body is constricted between the thorax and the abdomen. The antennae are elbowed. The front wing of a reproductive ant is longer than the hind wing.
Lifecycle:
A carpenter ant colony has one wingless queen and many sterile, wingless, female workers. It also has white, legless larvae and, at certain times, winged females and males. The eggs are white and the pupae cocoons are tan. Usually, a colony does not produce winged males and queens until it is several years old and has about 2,000 to 3,000 workers. A new queen lays fifteen to twenty eggs, which produce the first brood of offspring. The whitish, soft-bodied, legless larvae later become the sterile female workers. Development from egg to worker requires a minimum of about 60 days. The workers of the first brood are small because they are nourished only from food reserves that are stored in the queen’s body. Once these workers become adults, the queen’s only function is to lay eggs. The adult workers forage for food, enlarge the nest, and feed and care for the queen and subsequent larvae
Habits:
Approximately 200 to 400 winged ants develop in the summer, remain in the nest through the winter, and leave the nest the following spring or early summer. The ants are inactive during the winter. They will be active, however, if a nest is located in a heated portion of a building. Winged males and females emerge from established colonies on warm days in the spring and early summer. Mating occurs during a brief flight, after which the male dies, and the female removes her wings and searches for a suitable nesting site. The nest is usually located in a cavity in the soft, moist, decaying wood. They eat dead insects and other small invertebrates as well as the honeydew secreted by aphids and scale insects. They regurgitate this food and feed the larvae and the queen. Workers of succeeding broods are larger because the foraging workers feed them.
Pavement ant 204033637
Description:
Pavement ants get their name because of their habit to nest under sidewalks, driveways, and building foundations. During the winter, pavement ants may nest inside structures near a heat source. A mound of displaced soil near a paved area is probably a sign of pavement ants. Very often they build their nests along sides of garages and houses, and parts of houses which are constructed on concrete slabs. They may enter homes and businesses through small openings windows and doors, basement walls, or concrete floors. During the winter months, they can be found indoors as they are forced to look for food and water.
Appearance:
The pavement ant workers are about 2.5–4 mm long and vary in color from dark brown to black, with parallel furrows or lines on the head and thorax. The pedicel, which connects the thorax and abdomen, has two segments. The posterior thorax has two spines that project upward to the rear, and they carry a stinger in the last abdominal segment. The swarmers or reproductive ants are winged, about twice the size of the workers, and also have a furrowed head and thorax. The spines are evident on the females but absent on the males.
Lifecycle:
Little information is available on pavement ant colony biology. Most information is gleaned from the observations of ant behavior aboveground. Winged reproductive ants typically swarm in the spring but have been known to emerge any time of the year in heated structures. It is not uncommon to see swarming in late fall and into February even in colder climates. After emergence, the ants mate and the queens burrow into the soil to begin laying eggs. Worker ants develop over a two to three month period.
Habits:
Pavement ants are trailing ants and feed on a variety of foods, including dead insects, greasy foods, seeds, and sweets. They may forage as much as 9 meters from their nest. The reproductive queens and drones have wings. They are commonly seen in the late spring and early summer months on their nuptial flights, both drones and new queens looking for mates. Rival colonies can often be spotted amidst long battles along sidewalks, driveways, and other open areas as they each attempt to expand or defend their territories.
Odorous House Ant wikipedia
Description:
The odorous house ant is native to most of the entire United States ranging from Canada into Mexico. These ants feed on many different items including most items found in homes but apparently prefer to feed on those high in sugars. The odorous house ant frequently wanders into structures for the combination of warm, moist spaces and sugar food. Due to their wide-ranging diet, the pests are capable of surviving in a variety of environments and situations also the high adaptability of the insects makes them particularly bothersome and invasive.
Appearance:
Workers are 1/16 to 1/8 inch (2.4-3.3 mm) long and monomorphic. The body varies in color from brown to black, antenna is 12-segmented without a club, thorax is uneven, and pedicel has one hidden node.
Lifecycle:
Odorous house ants can develop extremely large colonies but tend to maintain colonies of only several thousand workers with many queens. Winged reproductives appear in May through July. Workers are very active and move rapidly in single files.
Habits:
They mostly prefer sweets but will also feed on dead insects and grease. Nests are typically found outside under rocks and boards. Colonies are from hundreds to many thousands of individuals in size. Odorous house ants will also nest indoors near sources of moisture and warmth, in voids, but also in termite-damaged wood. Their ability to feed on many types of food brings them into conflict with us when they contaminate stored products in the pantry.
Crazy Ant 204033388
Description:
The crazy ant occurs in large numbers in homes or out of doors. Ants of this species often forage long distances away from their nests, so nests are often difficult to control. Its common name arises from its characteristic erratic and rapid movement, and habit of not following trails as often as other ants.

Appearance:
The crazy ant is an agricultural and household pest in most tropical and subtropical areas, and is a pervasive indoor pest in temperate areas. It has the ability to successfully survive in highly disturbed and artificial areas, including ships at sea. Since it can live indoors with humans, there is no limit to the latitude where it can exist. The ant is about 0.125 in (3.2 mm) long. It is covered with reddish-brown hairs.
Lifecycle:
Colonies of crazy ants are moderate to very populous. Colonies may grow sexual at any time of the year in warmer regions, especially in the warm rainy months of May through September. On warm, humid evenings, large numbers of males gather outside nest entrances and may mill about excitedly. Workers patrol vegetation and other structures nearby. Periodically, a wingless queen emerges. Wings of queens are removed while still callow. Males were never observed to fly or use their wings in any way. However, in several cases it has been observed that males frequently appear at lights.
Habits:
They tend aphids for honeydew, feed on small insects and vertebrates, and forage on plants, especially for sweet materials. The ants appear to prefer the warmth and moisture of the coast. The crazy ant is highly adaptable. The crazy ant often nests some distance away from its foraging area. It nests in such places as trash, refuse, cavities in plants and trees, rotten wood, and in soil
Field Ant 343504892
Description:
Field ants construct mounds made up of plant materials, such as grass, twigs, leaves and pine needles. They often nest around small trees, shrubs or rocks. Other species build their nests in the cracks of sidewalks, along foundation walls and at the base of trees. Field ants rarely nest in homes but occasionally enter in search of sweets.
Appearance:
Large ants are 3/8-inch and often are confused with Carpenter ants. There is a wide variation in color: black, brown, tan, reddish, or red and black in color. Thorax is bumpy in appearance. Key distinguishing feature is the presence of 3 celli on the head which are simple eyes on the front of the head between the ant's compound eyes.
Lifecycle:
Field ant colonies can survive for 10 or more years. Each colony contains a queen ant that lays all of the eggs that develop into sterile females (workers) and males (drones). Field ants DO NOT come indoors for food. They exclusively collect food outdoors and feed on live and dead insects, as well as on aphid honeydew.
Habits:
Field ants are common around structures, but are not often found inside. These ants are soil nesters and may construct mounds in open fields. In lawns, these nests have a low profile. rarely reaching above the top of the grass. They also nest under objects like rocks, landscape timbers and firewood piles. Displaced soil is often evident. Stones, logs, and bricks should be overturned and inspected for colonies underneath.
Big Headed Ant 205400836
Description:
A soil-nesting ant, is sometimes confused with subterranean termites because it may create debris-covered foraging tubes that are somewhat similar, albeit much more fragile, than termite tubes. More often these ants leave piles of loose sandy soil. Homeowners are annoyed by these dirt piles and by ants foraging in bathrooms, kitchens, around doors, and windows, as well as on exterior paved or brick walkways or driveways.
Appearance:
Small workers are around 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3 mm) yellowish or light to dark brown. The workers are different sizes and some have a very large head in proportion to their body.
Lifecycle:
Colonies can have large numbers of fertile queens and year-round brood production in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In some areas, colonies can form a virtually continuous super colony that excludes most other ant species. Fertilized queens shed their wings and find a nest site where they will begin laying eggs.
Habits:
They live in small colonies and build nests in open, well-shaded areas, seldom under items such as logs or stone. You may find nests in soil under shrubs and landscaping beds. The nest consists of numerous small galleries dug in the soil and excavated soil particles are deposited in a crater-shaped mound. Ants forage in easily detected trails. This ant prefers sweets and tends aphids for the honeydew that is produced, but may forage on sweets in the kitchen.
Little black ant wikipedia
Description:
Little black ants prefer to live outdoors in decaying wood, but will also build their nests in cracks in walls or cement. Outside, little black ants establish their nests under rocks or stones and in rotting logs, gardens and other open areas. Their nests can also be located within small craters of very fine soil. Indoors, little black ants build their nests in voids and cavities such as wall voids.
Appearance:
Little black ant workers are small about 0.15 cm, soldiers about 0.15 cm. The egg laying queen of the colony is the biggest member that can measure up to four millimeters.
Lifecycle:
Little black ant colonies have moderate to large populations, with two or more queens in one colony. Little black ant winged swarms are common from June to August, during which time mating occurs. After mating, both males and females shed their wings and the males die soon after mating. Newly established colonies grow rapidly and they build their nests in areas such as wall voids, rotting logs, cracks in cement, lawns and open areas.

Habits:
Little black ants can make their nests outdoors, in forests or right in your back yard, often under rocks and tree bark. They feed on sugary liquid called honeydew, made by small insects called aphids and scales, also by dead insects, spiders, and trash.
Thief Ant 190372787
Description:
They can survive just about anywhere. They can live in people’s homes, in the cracks or under the floorboards. They can build nests anywhere, such as under rocks, in any exposed soil, and rotting logs. If they cannot find any of these things, then they move into another colony. Their nests are generally large for the ants’ size, and have tunnels that lead to another ant colony for a reliable and steady food source
Appearance:
They can be yellowish or brownish tones of color. These ants have a two-segmented petiole connecting their abdomen to the thorax. They have 10 segments in their antennae, which end in large segmented clubs. Thief ants have small stingers on their oblong abdomen, and generally have small eyes.
Lifecycle:
Colonies of thief ant usually have anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand workers. Colonies have multiple queens. The number of thief ants in a colony depends on the location
Habits:
They eat grease whenever they find it, which is why they are sometimes called grease ants. They also eat, cheese and other dairy products, and seeds. They also eat larvae and pupae of other ant species. Thief ants do not appear to be attracted to sweets, unlike most other ants.
Acrobat ant 143440531
Description:
The acrobat ant is named, because of the way the worker ants carry their abdomens above the rest of the body as if they were performing a balancing act.
Appearance:
Acrobat ants are slightly longer than 1/8th inch. They vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown, and the heart-shaped abdomen is usually darker than the rest of the body.
Lifecycle:
Each colony contains a single queen and thousands of workers. Despite the general lack of information regarding their specific reproductive practices, acrobat ant colonies are known to produce swarmers just like any other ant species. During the right weather conditions, the winged swarmers leave their nests to mate and look for appropriate places to begin new colonies.

Habits:
Acrobat ants may nest both outdoors and indoors. Outdoor nests are most often in dead and decaying wood such as logs, stumps, dead trees limbs, firewood and hollow tree cavities. They may nest in damp soil beneath leaf litter or rocks. The small worker ants readily enter buildings through cracks around windows and doors and other openings. Trails of workers may be seen moving between the nest and a food source. Acrobat ants feed on a variety of foods, including other insects and sweets.
Honey Pot Ants wikipedia
Description:
During the rainy seasons the honey pot ant repletes are fed so much that they swell up and become living underground refrigerators, some can become so large that it’s impossible for them to leave their nest. The food is stored for the whole colony and is used during the dry seasons when food is not so plentiful.
Appearance:
A few honey pot ant species are known to be able to change colors to greens, oranges, reds, blues and yellows. This might be to do with the type of liquid they are holding. The workers range in size and color, especially the repletes when they have been filled with nutritious liquid, they resemble walking grapes.
Lifecycle:
Honey pot queen ant is one queen per each colony. Only two castes in the colony reproduce the queens and the males. Workers are sterile and tend to the queen and brood. Mating occurs during nuptial flights, where winged queens and males swarm outside the nest.
Habits:
Honey pot ants are normally found in hot dry areas such as the edges of deserts. Honey pot ants mostly gorge on desert flowers for the sugary nectar during the rainy seasons. They will also eat small insects.

Flies
Flies can regularly be found in homes and businesses across the USA. Some species are more common than others and are attracted to different environments suited to their natural habits and lifecycle. Flies are a common invader in homes and commercial accounts. But they are more than a nuisance. Flies land and feed on filth one moment and food and food preparation areas the next. This behavior lends itself to serious contamination of areas and flies are known to carry over 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs such as typhoid, cholera, Salmonella, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax, ophthalmia, and parasitic worms. Knowing about the size, habits, seasonality and lifecycle of different fly species, can help to identify the most effective prevention and fly control methods .Flies and other pests can contaminate food and food preparation areas and can even spread diseases to your customers and staff.

House Fly 21858790
Description:
Houseflies are the most common of all domestic flies, accounting for about 90% of all flies in that live in human habitations, and are one of the most widely distributed insects, as they are found all over the world. Flies are major carriers of diseases and can infest all types of premises. They are attracted to all types of food, including human food, pet food, animal feed, food waste and even feces. Seeing adult flies is usually the most common sign of activity and a potential problem. Larvae may also be seen as they crawl out of breeding material to pupate.
Appearance:
The common house fly is a dull gray fly, ¼-inch long with four dark stripes on the middle section (thorax) of its body. House flies typically lay eggs on garbage. White, legless maggots (the larval stage) hatch from the eggs and grow to about ½ inch. When fully grown, maggots crawl away from their food source to undergo the pupal stage. They form a dark brown cocoon, known as a puparium, and later emerge as adult house flies that can fly one or two miles in search of suitable egg-laying sites.
Lifecycle:
House flies are able to quickly mature from an egg to an adult. They breed in moist decaying vegetable matter egg in uncovered garbage can or pet food. Eggs are laid in batches of 120 to 150 and can hatch in 8 – 72 hours. The larvae of House Flies can take 3 – 60 days to mature, pupae matures in 3 – 28 days.
Habits:
Indoors, house flies can be found resting on walls, floors or ceilings. Outdoors they can be seen on plants, the ground, fences, compost heaps and rubbish bins. At night them they prefer to rest near food sources approx. 5 to 15 feet off the ground.
Horse Fly 113284696
Description:
Horse flies and deer flies are bloodsucking insects that can be serious pests of cattle, horses, and humans. Horse flies are a particular pest to livestock. Relentless biting attacks by females can result in reduced weight gain in some animals. Attack by a few of these persistent flies can make outdoor work and recreation miserable. Horse fly bites can be very painful for humans too .They have mouth parts that work like miniature knives, which they use to slash open the skin with a scissor–like motion. Flies and the intensity of their attack vary from year to year. Male horse flies are mainly pollen and nectar feeders and are most active during daylight hours.
Appearance:
Adults can be up to 25 mm long. They are black to dark brown in color with green or black eyes. The males have contiguous eyes, which easily differentiates them from females where the eyes are widely separated.
Lifecycle:
Mating is initiated in the air and completed on the ground where the female then deposits an egg mass sometimes with a shiny or chalky secretion, which aids in water protection. Eggs are laid in masses ranging from 100 to 1000 eggs on a vertical surface overhanging water or wet ground favorable to larvae development. The eggs hatch in 5–7 days. They overwinter in the larval stage and pupate during the spring and early summer. Adult life cycle is 30 to 60 days.
Habits:
Horse fly females are aggressive blood feeders, while males do not consume blood but feed on pollen and plant nectars. Female horse flies usually bite large, nonmoving mammals on the legs or body. Deer flies, in contrast, attack moving hosts and typically target high on the body, like the head or neck. They rarely bite near the head. Horse flies have a range of hosts that include mammals of almost all sizes, livestock, humans, pets and birds. Should a female horse fly be interrupted when attempting to feed, they will fly off but quickly return to bite again, or go to another host to consume a complete blood meal. Horse fly larvae studied by field researchers feed on midges, crane flies and even other horse fly larvae. Because of their cannibalistic behaviors, horse fly larvae are usually found living alone. Deer fly larvae, on the other hand, usually live in groups. Pupae do not feed.
Bluebottle Fly-Blow Fly 75209812
Description:
Blow flies are so-called because the larvae develop inside the bodies of dead animals, causing the carrion to have a bloated appearance. They also are attracted to garbage. Blow flies are about the size of house flies or slightly larger. They have been called “bottle flies” because their shiny blue and green color resemble like colored glass bottles, though some species are shiny black or bronze. Large numbers of these flies indoors usually indicates the presence of a dead animal such as a mouse or bird inside the structure.
Appearance:
Adults are 1/4"" - 1/2"" in length and metallic blue color. Larva is similar to the house fly larva in all respects except size, and they develop to 3/4"" when they mature. They take 7 – 12 days to mature.
Lifecycle:
Eggs hatch in 0 to 18 hours because partial development may occur within the female. Breeds in mostly meat derived substances, sometimes cheese, or common pest of dead rodents/birds etc.
Habits:
Bluebottle flies/Blow flies can often be seen hovering around garbage cans. These scavengers are attracted to pet feces and dead animals and as such are known carriers of disease. Bluebottle fly adults feed on nectar, while the larvae feed on carcasses of dead animals. Adults are also pollinators to some flowers with strong odor.
Cluster Fly 229201507
Description:
Cluster flies, also known as attic flies, are household pests. They appear on the sunny side of the structure in heaviest concentrations in late fall and early winter, as they seek warm locations in which to live during cold months. Although cluster flies are observed buzzing and congregating at windows, screens may prove ineffective in preventing their entrance. Cluster flies are capable of crawling through small openings in the walls of a structure. They hibernate in secluded parts of houses like attics and wall voids. On sunny winter days, the wall voids become warm and the cluster flies try to move toward light. Very often they find themselves in the inhabited parts of the house and the move to the windows. They cluster around the windows and they leave stains on walls and curtains if crushed.
Appearance:
Adults measure 8 to 10 mm length and have light and dark grey-checkered abdomens. The thorax of an adult cluster fly is covered in short golden hairs and the wings overlap when at rest. Cluster flies are slightly larger and darker than the common housefly and move more sluggishly.
Lifecycle:
The cluster fly life cycle begins when a female lays her eggs in the soil in late summer or early fall. These eggs hatch within a few days, after which larvae seek to enter the body cavities of earthworms. Cluster fly larvae feed on earthworm hosts for several days, at which time they molt and pupate in the soil. Cluster flies’ development time from egg to adult is about 27 to 39 days.
Habits:
Cluster flies are commonly found in quiet, undisturbed parts of your home, such as attics and wall voids. They require warm places to hibernate over winter. Cluster flies do not bite humans or animals. They also aren’t attracted to garbage. Their mouthparts, like many fly species are like a trunk and used for sucking. You may see a large group of cluster flies around a window, as they are attracted to the light on sunny winter days.
Sand Fly 92344699
Description:
The appearance of sand flies and their painful bites that can cause secondary infection are the most frequently observed sign of an infestation. Also, evidence of sand fly problems includes the incidence of human and animal diseases that are transmitted by sand fly bites.
Appearance:
Sand fly adults are small flies – only about 3 mm long – and are golden, brownish or gray colored. They have long, piercing mouthparts that are well adapted for sucking blood from their selected host. Sand flies hold their hairy-looking wings in a vertical V-shape when at rest, a characteristic that distinguishes them from some other small flies. Also, the six legs on the adults are extremely long, being longer than the insect’s body.
Lifecycle:
Females prefer to lay their eggs in damp soil or in the water. Sand fly females must consume a blood meal to develop eggs. The larvae can take up to two years to develop and live in loose sand. In the pupal stage the larvae curls into a circle or “u” shape lasting one or two weeks.
Habits:
Female sand flies are blood feeders, but the males do not feed on blood. Both males and females also consume sugar-related nutrients that come from plant nectar or honeydew. Sand fly hosts vary a great deal. Some species feed on both mammals and reptiles in general sand fly bites are very painful. Most flies that bite humans feed during the evening and throughout the night. In some cases, flies will attack in the daytime, if they are disturbed while resting. Daytime resting sites include cavities close to the ground such as dry tree holes, hollow logs, palm tree crowns and the canopy of tropical and sub-tropical rain forest jungles. Another commonly found place for daytime resting is inside the home.
Face Fly wikipedia
Description:
Face flies are one of the most difficult pasture pests to control. They are on cattle only for short periods of time during the day and stay mostly on the head, which is difficult to treat with insecticides. Face flies use an abrasive sponging mouthpart to stimulate tear flow from the eyes. These flies lap up the protein rich secretions from the eye as well as nasal discharges, saliva, or blood oozing from wounds. Most off the time they are resting on plants, fence posts, or other objects.
Appearance:
Adult face flies look much like house flies. They are about 6-8 mm in length and have four dark stripes on top of their gray-colored thorax. Females look almost identical to males except they have yellow coloration on the front portion of their abdomen. The thorax is gray with four dark stripes.
Lifecycle:
The yellowish-white egg has two ridges on its dorsal side and is elongated at one end into a slender, grayish-black stalk. Each egg is about 3.0 mm long (including the stalk) and about 0.5 mm wide. The active larvae are grey or brownish. They are alligator–like with well–developed legs and large pincers with which they suck the body fluids from prey insects such as aphids. The puparium is slightly smaller than the mature larvae and is gray or dirty white.
Habits:
Face flies do not bite their victims. Adult face flies overwinter in buildings and other sheltered areas and become active in early spring. Face flies are cattle pests in the warm weather months, but migrate into the walls, attics or ceilings of barns or other buildings that provide a protected place to overwinter. As the weather warms the adult flies move outdoors or may become active indoors.
Flesh Fly 113491606
Description:
Flesh flies are sometimes among the first insects to arrive at a dead animal carcass. Areas around the home with rotting matter, such as garbage cans, compost piles, animal droppings, and animal carcasses, can attract flesh fries. Not commonly found in the home, flesh flies frequently infest industrial buildings like meat processing and packing facilities. Adult flesh flies don’t bite humans, but they do feed on liquid substances, and may infest wounds, carrion, and excrement. In some instances, flesh flies may be beneficial because their larvae prey on blow fly larvae, lesser house fly larvae, and grasshopper nymphs. Also, forensic investigators may use the development of flesh fly larvae in a carcass or corpse to help determine time of death.
Appearance:
Flesh flies look like house flies, but are generally larger. Flesh flies usually have gray bodies with three black stripes on the thorax. The abdomen has a light and dark gray checkerboard pattern and is often red at the tip. Though some species may be smaller than house flies, most flesh flies are about 10 to 13 mm long.

Lifecycle:
They overwinter as pupae in North Carolina and other temperate climates. Rarely very numerous, the flies emerge in spring and mate. Eggs are laid only under very unusual circumstances. As a rule, eggs hatch within the body of the adult. Females of most species deposit 20 to 40 larvae directly onto the host or substrate. As many as 325 larvae have been known to been born by a single female. Flesh fly maggots feed for 3 or 4 days and develop through 3 instars. Soon afterward, these mature maggots enter the pupal stage. Adult flies emerge in 10 to 14 days and the life cycle is repeated. Several generations are produced each year.
Habits:
Some flesh flies prefer to breed in dead rodents, bats and birds found in attics, crevices and wall voids, so if flesh flies become a problem inside a structure, your pest management professional should inspect for a dead animal. They are attracted to decaying wastes, excrement and human foods making a threat to human health.
Stable Fly wikipedia
Description:
Stable flies also known as "biting flies" can deliver a painful bite. They bite people, livestock, pets and other mammals. The bites may feel like a needle stab and typically occur around the ankles and lower parts of the legs. Stable flies are very persistent when searching for a blood meal. They require the blood meal for reproduction. Stable flies overwinter in breeding sites and emerge the following spring as adults.
Appearance:
The length of an adult stable fly is typically 5–8 mm. They are gray in color with 4 dark stripes on the thorax and several dark spots on the top of the abdomen having a slightly wider and spotted abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Stable flies breed in moist, decaying organic matter. The adult female lives for four to six weeks in the laboratory but around seven to ten days in the field, and during this time she lays multiple clutches of eggs. Each clutch may contain 60-130 eggs, which are laid in small groups within a suitable substrate. Each female fly may lay up to 800 eggs in her lifetime, with each clutch requiring a separate blood meal. Eggs hatch in 12 to 24 hours into first instar larvae, which feed and mature through three instars in 12 to 13 days at the optimum breeding site temperature of 27°C. Third instar larvae transform to pupae within the puparia. The adults develop inside and then emerge from the puparia. The average stable fly life cycle in the field ranges from 12–20 days depending on the environmental conditions, but is usually around 28 days. Adults can fly within one hour post-emergence, and will be ready to mate three to five days later. Once mated, the female will start to lay eggs five to eight days post-emergence.
Habits:
Stable flies prefer to feed outdoors and rarely are found feeding or resting indoors. These flies are strong fliers and dispersion from one livestock facility to the next is common. They remain active into October, but the larval development slows as autumn temperatures decrease.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are a common problem for many homeowners or food establishments and are often seen swarming around kitchen fruit bowls and near garbage storage areas. As the name implies, fruit flies are attracted to fruits, as well as vegetables, sitting out on store shelves, in bowls in kitchens, and ripening in the garden. They also breed in drains, garbage disposals, trash containers, empty beer and soda bottles or cans, and soppy mops and buckets. Fruit flies only need fermenting fruit or a moist film of organic material to breed and thrive. Fruit flies exhibit the typical four-stage insect reproductive of egg-larvae-pupae-adult. The larvae begin feeding on decaying fruit immediately upon hatching. It takes about one to two weeks to complete the entire metamorphosis. What makes fruit flies so difficult to control is that one female fruit fly can lay as many as 500 eggs in her short lifespan.
Drain Flies/Moth flies 191505800
Description:
Drain flies, or moth flies, are small, dark winged, non-biting gnats. Their wings are covered with scales so they disappear in a cloud of fine dust when swatted or mashed. These nuisance gnats can be found resting on walls or ceilings, and make short hopping flights if disturbed.
Appearance:
The key identifying character for the moth fly is the unique pattern of veins in its wings. The entire body and wings of the moth fly are covered with tiny hairs, giving it a moth-like appearance. To the naked eye, this tiny pest might appear to be a small fly with fat wings; the aid of a magnifying glass reveals the unmistakable moth-like appearance. This small fly is no more than 1/8 inch in length including the wings. They are usually black in color.
Lifecycle:
Moth flies lay eggs in a mass of 30 to 100. These eggs hatch in less than 48 hours. The larvae and pupae of the moth fly live in the thin film found in drains, septic tank field lines or filter stones. The larvae feed on sediment, decaying vegetation and microscopic plants and animals. The larval stage lasts from 9 to 15 days and the pupal stage lasts from 20 to 40 hours. The newly emerged adult fly is sexually mature on emergence and copulates within the first few hours of its life.
Habits:
Drain flies often are a big problem. They develop in standing water. They may also breed in moist shady areas outdoors such as under potted plants, in bird feeders and baths, in moss, in clogged roof gutters, under air conditioners, in thick mulch, or on wet ground areas. The larvae feed on decaying material that collects in drains. In natural settings, moth fly larvae feed on decaying plants and animals. They breathe through a tube that helps them survive even when their environment is very wet.
Fruit fly 157780298
Description:
Fruit flies are small flies. The key identifying characteristic of the fruit fly is its eyes, which are red in color. The head and thorax are tan in color with the abdomen somewhat darker. The two most visible signs of fruit fly activity would be the adult flies and the pupae. Adult flies often are seen flying around in kitchens or trash cans near the decaying fruit or vegetables.

Appearance:
Adults are 3 to 4 mm long, may have red eyes, though some are dark eyed, and a tan thorax. The abdomen is black on top, gray underneath. Fruit flies can appear to be brown or tan in color.
Lifecycle:
Fruit flies develop by complete metamorphosis. The eggs (which are difficult to see with the naked eye) are deposited near the surface of fermenting fruit or organic matters, a pair of filaments that are attached to the eggs protrude above the surface of the liquid. The female fruit fly will lay about 500 eggs. The larvae emerge about 30 hours after the eggs have been laid and feed near the surface of the fermenting material. The larvae feed for five to six days then crawl to drier areas of the food source or even out of the food source to pupate. The larva transforms into the pupa in the last larval skin, or puparium, which bears a conspicuous pair of filaments on the anterior end. The adult fruit fly emerges several days later. The newly emerged fruit flies are attracted to light and become sexually active in about two days. The adults mate more than once. Under ideal conditions, the life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as eight days. The sudden appearance of large populations is not uncommon inside buildings.
Habits:
Fruit flies are especially attracted to ripened fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. But they also will breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops and cleaning rags. All that is needed for development is a moist film of fermenting material. Infestations can originate from over-ripened fruits or vegetables that were previously infested and brought into the home. The adults can also fly in from outside through inadequately screened windows and doors.
Fungus gnat 67065043
Description:
Gnats present in soil are typically the fungus gnats. Because larvae remain within soil and near the bottom of affected plants, fungus gnat infestations are difficult to identify before they have caused considerable damage. Fungus gnat larvae often go unnoticed, as they remain near the roots of affected plants. Adult fungus gnats appear similar to small flies and many times are not identified as being destructive.
Appearance:
Most species are black in color and very small (less than 1/16 inch) in size, although a few species may reach 1/4 inch long. Key identifying characteristics include long legs and long thin wings.
Lifecycle:
Females lay small, yellowish-white eggs on the surface of moist soil. The larvae that hatch are legless, with white or transparent bodies and shiny black heads. Fully grown larvae measure approximately 1/4 inch in length. They live within soil and eventually develop into pupae. Pupae are initially white, although they darken as they mature.
Habits:
Some fungus gnat larvae are known for their propensity to feed on the roots and lower stem tissues of plants. These feeding habits stunt and might kill affected plants. They can cause severe damages both to houseplants or greenhouses. Young plants are highly susceptible to fungus gnat damage.
Phorid fly 307185944
Description:
The phorids, also known as humpbacked flies, are small to minute flies that resemble fruit flies in appearance. When people see small-sized flies in their home, their first thought is that they must be fruit flies. However, there are a handful of other kinds of small flies that may also be found in homes. One common type is the phorid (FOUR-id) fly also know as humpbacked fly, coffin fly, and scuttle fly.
Appearance:
The Phorid fly lacks the red eye color that is the classic trademark of the fruit fly. Phorid flies are in the small category of flies, measuring up to 1/8 inch in length, including the wings. The most prominent feature of this fly is the humpbacked shape of its thorax. The severe arch of the thorax gives it the common nickname of humpbacked fly.
Lifecycle:
Phorid flies develop by egg, larva, pupa and adult. The female will lay about 20 eggs at a time and will lay about 40 eggs in a 12 hour period. Each adult female phorid will lay approximately 500 eggs. The tiny eggs are deposited on or near the surface of decaying organic matter. Larvae emerge in 24 hours and feed for 8 to 16 days. The Phorid fly larvae then crawl to a drier spot to pupate. The life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as 14 days under ideal conditions but may take as long as 37 days to complete their cycle.
Habits:
Adult Phorid flies are fairly common in many habitats, but are most abundant about decaying plant and animal matter. In structures, these flies can be found breeding wherever moisture exists around plumbing and drains in bathroom and kitchen areas, garbage containers, garbage disposals, crawl space areas and basements. The most easily recognized feature is the habit of the adult Phorid fly running rapidly across surfaces instead of immediately flying when disturbed.
Vinegar Fly wikipedia
Description:
Vinegar flies, sometimes inaccurately called fruit flies, are small, slow-flying insects usually found in association with over-ripened fruit and vegetables. These insects are most abundant in the late summer months when vegetables or other fruit ripen and begin to ferment. Vinegar flies are common nuisance pests in restaurants, grocery stores, fruit markets, canneries, homes, and other locations that may attract these insects with fermenting or rotting vegetative matter.
Appearance:
Vinegar fly adults vary (depending on species and food source) from 3 to 4 mm in length (25 mm = 1 inch), are light yellowish brown to dark brown in color, and may have darker markings on the dorsum of the thorax in the form of spots, blotches, or lines (Fig 1). Most have reddish eyes. The antennae have three segments with the third segment being oval and bearing a branched arista (hair-like structure), the branches of which are relatively long. The abdomen is typically darker than the thorax due to the presence of dark bands on the segments.
Lifecycle:
Female can lay up to 500 eggs which will develop to adult in about 7 days. Adult only lives for about 2 weeks.
Habits:
Breeds in fermenting residues found in pubs, fruit & vegetables, breweries, etc. Larvae feed on bacteria and yeast found in rotting fruit and vegetable. May also breed in unclean drains and cleaning utensils.
Cheese Skipper wikipedia
Description:
The cheese skipper, Piophila casei (Linnaeus), sometimes called the ham skipper, is a member of the "skipper fly" family (Piophilidae). These flies receive their name due to the unusual ability of the larvae to propel themselves through the air. The flies are detritivores, feeding on decaying matter, cheese fly is a species of fly known for infesting human foodstuffs. Usually feed on overripe and moldy cheese, and slightly salted or putrid-smelling meats, such as ham, bacon, and beef.
Appearance:
Are small metallic-colored flies, usually black/bluish-black with bronze-colored tints on the head, thorax, and abdomen, with reddish-brown eyes and iridescent wings. Cheese skipper adults are usually about half the size of a common house fly. Males are 4.4-4.5 mm from the tip of the head to the tip of the wings, whereas females are slightly larger, usually measuring 5.0-5.2 mm. The dominant color of both males and females is a metallic black-bronze. The palps and proboscis are usually covered with bristles, and the antennae are short. The compound eyes found on both sexes are usually bare and red in color. The thorax has distinct rows of setae, and long setae are also found on the sides of the insect. The legs are covered with short spines and often have both yellow and brown colorations. The wings are iridescent and nearly overlap when resting. Halteres, rudimentary second wings, are typically a pale yellow color
Lifecycle:
The complete life cycle of a cheese skipper in appropriate nourishment and temperature conditions can be as short as 12 days. However, the typical life cycle is as follows: Egg 23 to 54 hours - Larva 14 days - Pupa 12 days - Adult 3 to 7 days.
Habits:
Cheese skippers usually feed on overripe (three or more months old) and moldy cheese, and slightly salted or putrid-smelling meats, such as ham, bacon, and beef. Larvae are typically found on high-protein substrates ranging from salted beef to smoked fish and animal carcasses. Signs of cheese skippers in foods include the presence of whitish-colored eggshells as well as small grooves or creases found in the surface of cheeses made by first-instar larvae. Infested cheeses will usually have soft or sunken areas, and meats may have a shiny grease-like liquid drip from infested areas. Eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults are found near or on infested materials.

Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are flying, biting insects that develop in water during their immature stages. Some of the many species found in New York are considered pests and can transmit diseases to humans and some animals. Mosquitoes are small flying insects that feed on human and animal blood or plant juices. Three are the most common species of mosquitoes in New York State. Only female mosquitoes bite to get a blood meal for their growing eggs. Mosquitoes usually become infected from feeding on infected birds. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in moist areas, such as standing water. The eggs become larvae that remain in the water until they mature into adults and fly off. Weeds, tall grass and shrubbery provide an outdoor home for adult mosquitoes. They also can enter houses, apartments and buildings through unscreened windows and doors. Many mosquitoes will breed in any container that holds water, such as flowerpots, wading pools or discarded tires. Some mosquitoes are active between dusk and dawn, when the air is calm. However, others will feed at any time of day. Mosquitoes prefer a warm, moist environment. They are active from early summer until late fall in New York State.
House Mosquitoes/Culex 53630308
Description:
Culex pipiens is commonly referred to as the House Mosquito. It is the main vector, or carrier, of St. Louis Encephaliti, West Nile Virus, Western Equine Encephalitis, Heartworm in dogs, and bird malaria.
Appearance:
Is a medium-sized mosquito and is brown in color. The body is about 3.96 to 4.25 mm long. While the main body is brown, the proboscis, thorax, wings, and tarsi are darker than the rest of the body. The head is light brown with the lightest portion in the center. The antennae and the proboscis are about the same length, but in some cases, the antennae are slightly shorter than the proboscis. The flagellum has 13 segments that may have few or no scales. The scales of the thorax are narrow and curved. The abdomen has pale, narrow, rounded bands on the basal side of each tergite. Males can be differentiated from females in having large palps and feathery antennae
Lifecycle:
Adults fly at night to nutrient-rich standing water to lay eggs. The larvae feed on organic material in the water and require between five to eight days to complete their development at 86°F. The larvae pass through four larval instars, and towards the end of the fourth instar, they stop eating and undergo moulting to give rise to pupae. After 36 hours at 80°F, adults emerge. The exact timing of development can vary depending on temperature. Both males and females take sugar meals from plants. But after mating, the female seeks a blood meal on mammals and birds. Ingested blood is necessary for egg development. A single female can lay up to five rafts of eggs in a lifetime, with each raft containing thousands of eggs. The exact number varies depending on climatic conditions.
Habits:
Mosquitoes main target have been birds, the House mosquito is now targeting humans and mammals on a regular basis. The mosquito bites an infected bird and then goes to another blood meal host, whether a human or another bird, and bites that new victim, injecting it with the virus from the original bird. This process has helped to spread diseases from bird to bird, and more recently, from bird to humans and other mammals. Culex pipiens can therefore be considered a “bridge” vector as it transmits viruses between birds and mammals.

Yellow Fever Mosquitoes (Aedes mosquito) 371317264
Description:
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that can be recognized by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of the thorax. The mosquito is now found in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. The average wing length of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes varies greatly.
Appearance:
The adult yellow fever mosquito is a small to medium-sized mosquito, approximately 4 to 7 millimeters. To the unaided eye, adult yellow fever mosquitoes resemble the Asian tiger mosquito with a slight difference in size and thorax patterns. Aedes aegypti adults have white scales on the dorsal (top) surface of the thorax that form the shape of a violin or lyre, while adult albopictus have a white stripe down the middle of the top of the thorax. Each tarsal segment of the hind legs possesses white basal bands, forming what appear to be stripes. The abdomen is generally dark brown to black, but also may possess white scales. Females are larger than males, and can be distinguished by small palps tipped with silver or white scales. Males have plumose antennae, whereas females have sparse short hairs. When viewed under a microscope, male mouthparts are modified for nectar feeding, and female mouthparts are modified for blood feeding
Lifecycle:
About three days after feeding on blood, the female lays her eggs inside a container just above the water line. Eggs are laid over a period of several days, are resistant to drying, and can survive for periods of six or more months. When the container is refilled with water, the eggs hatch into larvae. The entire life cycle (i.e., from egg to adult) can occur in as little as 7-8 days. The life span for adult mosquitoes is around three weeks.
Habits:
This mosquito bites primarily during the day, both indoors and outdoors. They are most active for approximately two hours after sunrise and several hours before sunset, but can bite at night in well-lit areas. Aedes aegypti can bite people without being noticed. This mosquito prefers biting people but it also bites dogs and other domestic animals, mostly mammals
Common Malaria Mosquito/Anopheles mosquito 378147646
Description:
Anopheline adults rest with their abdomens positioned at a discrete angle to the surface, whereas other species keep their bodies parallel to the surface, which makes them easy to identify when sitting on the skin.
Appearance:
Species in the genus Anopheles have long palps approximately equal in length to the proboscis. They are very dark mosquitoes covered in dark brown to black hairs. Anopheles quadrimaculatus has dark scales on the wings with patches of scales forming four darker spots on the wing

Lifecycle:
Like all mosquitoes, anophelines go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The first three stages are aquatic and last 5-14 days, depending on the species and the ambient temperature. The adult stage is when the female Anopheles mosquito acts as malaria vector. The adult females can live up to a month (or more in captivity) but most probably do not live more than 1-2 weeks in nature.
Habits:
One important behavioral factor is the degree to which an Anopheles species prefers to feed on humans or animals such as cattle. Anthrophilic Anopheles are more likely to transmit the malaria parasites from one person to another. Most Anopheles mosquitoes are not exclusively anthropophilic or zoophilic. Most Anopheles mosquitoes are crepuscular (active at dusk or dawn) or nocturnal (active at night). Some Anopheles mosquitoes feed indoors (endophagic) while others feed outdoors (exophagic). After blood feeding, some Anopheles mosquitoes prefer to rest indoors (endophilic) while others prefer to rest outdoors (exophilic). Factors that affect a mosquito's ability to transmit malaria include its innate susceptibility to Plasmodium, its host choice, and its longevity. Factors that should be taken into consideration when designing a control program include the susceptibility of malaria vectors to insecticides and the preferred feeding and resting location of adult mosquitoes.
Wasps 314592644
Description:
Wasps make up an enormously diverse array of insects, with some 30,000 identified species. We are most familiar with those that are wrapped in bright warning colors that buzz angrily about in groups and threaten us with painful stings.
Appearance:
Their appearance varies tremendously depending on species. Most have two pair of wings and a pinched waist. They range in colors from black to metallic greens and blues and vary in size from almost microscopic to several centimeters long.
Lifecycle:
In spring, queens emerge from hibernation and make a new nest. Over summer the nest expansion and the number of workers increases. In autumn the nest produces males (drones) and females (new queens) which can reproduce. In winter, new queens fly away from the nest and hibernate and the nest usually dies. Sometimes nests can survive winter and thus skip the ‘new nest’ phase.
Habits:
Some wasps are aggressive species and can sting when threatened. Unlike honey bees, wasps often are capable of stinging multiple times. Wasp species are categorized as social or solitary. As their name implies, social wasps live in colonies, which may number in the thousands. Within these colonies, female workers perform all duties within the nest. Solitary wasps live alone and therefore do not have a colony. They lay eggs, but their eggs are left alone to hatch.

Spiders 133373873
Description:
There are many different types of spiders that live all over USA and there are 39 different species we meet in New York in practically every type of habitat. They come in colors including black, brown, white, gray, red, yellow, green, and orange. Most spiders live for about a year. Spiders range in size from barely visible to many inches across. Spiders are arachnids and not insects. Young spiders are often cannibals, they will eat each other, and females often eat the male after mating. Spiders are meat-eaters and most of them eat insects, like moths and crickets, but the larger spiders, like tarantulas, could also eat small animals.
Appearance:
All spiders have eight legs each leg has 2 to 3 tiny claws at the end. They have a two-part body and strong jaws usually with poisonous fangs. They have a hard exoskeleton and not an internal skeleton.
Lifecycle:
After mating with a male, the female spider produces an egg sac that can contain up to a thousand tiny spider eggs. The egg sac is made of silk, and the color varies from species to species. In some species, the female spider carries the egg sac on her spinnerets or in her jaws until the eggs hatch. In other species, the egg sac is hidden under a rock, attached to a plant stalk, or encased in a web. Tiny spiderlings hatch from the eggs - they look like tiny versions of an adult spider. Some spiderlings are leaven on their own and receive no care from their mother. Other spiders climb onto their mother's back after hatching, where she feeds them. In some species, the mother dies when the young are ready to go off on their own, and the spiderlings eat her carcass.
Habits:
Spiders produce silk in abdominal glands called spinnerets which they use to make webs and traps for catching prey, shelter, life lines, cocoons, and more. The tips of the spider's legs are oily, this oil keeps them from getting trapped in their own webs. Weight for weight, spider's silk is stronger than steel. House spider webs are irregularly shaped and can be located in various places within a home, including windows, ceiling corners and above or beneath fixtures. The presence of common house spiders is typically characterized by the formation of cobwebs. These silken thread structures can be found throughout infested homes. This abundance of empty webs is caused by the common house spider’s propensity to spin webs in various locations until it finds the most suitable place to catch prey. Webs are designed as trapping mechanisms and are funnel-shaped, with the narrow end acting as a den for the arachnid. Any contact made with the web produces vibrations throughout the strand, signaling to the common house spider that prey is present. Although common house spiders feed primarily on insects, they may also consume larger spiders, scorpions, rodents and small reptiles.

Silver Fish 90904907
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 characterized by their three tail-like appendages that extend out from the abdomen. They have a flattened body and eyes that are small or absent and 6 legs. They move very fast and in a fish like motion which is responsible for their common name.
Lifecycle:
The type of development displayed by a Silverfish is called Incomplete Metamorphosis and always consists of the egg, nymph and adult stage. The life of a silverfish begins when the nymph hatches from the egg. A Silverfish nymph looks just like an adult Silverfish does, just smaller. The nymphs spend between 3 to 24 months growing before they reach the adult stage. Once they are sexually mature adults, there are elaborate courtship rituals which lead to the fertilization of one to several eggs. Fertilization is indirect because the female will collect a sperm package that a male has left behind. A female may lay numerous batches of eggs over a period of a few weeks. The eggs are white, oval shaped, tiny and are laid in cracks or crevices to protect them. The life span of an adult Silverfish is then typically 2-3 years.
Habits:
Silverfish are known for their destructive feeding habits, oftentimes ruining papers, clothing and wallpaper. They commonly infest dark, damp areas around paper and linen sources. Silverfish infestations can be found in kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, attics and basements. Silverfish can survive in almost any environment, but they prefer areas with high humidity. Nymphs develop faster in areas that are humid. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent an infestation is to control humidity. In crawl spaces, open vents and in basements, use baseboards with caulking. Silverfish consume a variety of foods, and stringent housekeeping practices may help prevent an infestation by limiting potential feeding sites.
Earwigs 105012401
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.
Appearance:
Earwigs are beetle-like, short-winged, fast moving insects about one-half to one inch in length. They have chewing-type mouthparts, a pair of pincer-like appendages at the tip of their abdomen and are dark brown in color.
Lifecycle:
Earwigs mate end to end, often grasping each other's pincers. Female earwigs are able to store sperm for several months before fertilization. A female will lay hers eggs in a burrow she has excavated or in natural crevices in the soil, where she will stand guard protectively until the young hatch. The female guards the eggs from predators and constantly turns and cleans them, preventing fungus diseases. Upon hatching the young earwigs resemble small adults and remain under the protection of their mother for a short period of time. They must then disperse to new areas or risk being eaten by her.
Habits:
Earwigs are commonly found in dark, sheltered environments and are common under rocks, logs and the bark of trees. They are common over most of New York and many species frequent suburban backyards and homes. Earwigs are nocturnal and may often be attracted to lights at night. Most species of earwigs are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of plant and animal material. Many species live primarily on a diet of plant matter, both living and decaying. They also consume dead insects and other organisms, while some species prey on live insects. The cerci are often used to hold food and carry prey after it has been killed. Earwigs can infest many different areas in a home. Because of that, it may be necessary to use several insecticide products to control them effectively.
Centipedes 360316826
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. Their size is 1/8 – 6” (4-152 mm) and they have 15 - 177 pairs of legs.
Lifecycle:
They place eggs in dampened soil during summer or spring. As centipedes become adults, they grow a complete set of legs and extra segments. Most centipedes live for more than a year and some up to six years.
Habits:
They are typically found in areas of high moisture, such as in rotting logs, under stones, in trash or piles of leaves/grass. When they invade homes, centipedes are most commonly found in damp basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms, or potted plants.
Melipides 124974626
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 deposited in the soil. Most species reach sexual maturity in the second year and live several years after that.

Habits:
Millipedes are usually restricted to moist places where they feed on organic matter. In the fall, they may become a nuisance because they migrate away from feeding areas and invade homes. Because they crawl along the ground, they are usually found in lower floors and basements. Once inside the home, they usually die due to desiccation, although in moist basements, they can survive longer.
Common Pest in Food Species/Stored Products
Pests of stored products can refer to any organism that infests and damages stored food, books and documents, fabrics, leather, carpets, and any other dried or preserved item that is not used shortly after it is delivered to a location, or moved regularly. Stored product pests are responsible for the loss of millions of dollars every year in contaminated products, as well as destruction of important documents and heritage artifacts in homes, offices, restaurants, food processing establishments and other important properties. Many of these pests are brought indoors in items that were infested when purchased. Others originate indoors when susceptible items are stored under poor storage conditions, or when stray individual pests gain access to them.
Storage pests often go unnoticed because they infest items that are not regularly used and they may be very small in size. Infestations are noticed when the pests emerge from storage, to disperse or sometimes as a result of crowding or after having exhausted a particular food source, and search for new sources of food and harborage. Unexplained occurrences of minute moths and beetles flying in large numbers near stored items, or crawling over countertops, walls and ceilings, powdery residues below and surrounding stored items, and stale odors in pantries and closets can all indicate a possible storage pest infestation. Infestations in stored whole grains or beans can also be detected when these are soaked in water, and hollowed out seeds rise to the surface, along with the adult stages of the pests, and other debris. Other telltale signs are clumping or webbing of particles.
It is important to recognize these pests and locate the sources of infestation as soon as possible, to prevent their establishment and spread. This section will cover insects and mites commonly encountered in storage and these can be broadly grouped into stored food (or pantry products), and stored fabric (or closet) pests. However, many of these pests are not restricted to either group and will infest food, fabric, as well as many other similar items of plant or animal origin. Pests of stored food/pantry pests are grouped into insects (beetles, moths) and non-insects (mites). However, large infestations can significantly alter the appearance, taste, flavor and quality of food, as well as create favorable conditions for growth of secondary fungal and bacterial pathogens. Allergic reactions can be produced in sensitive people. Certain general pests such as ants are often attracted to food stored in pantries and may be toxic if consumed in large numbers.
MOTHS
Almond Moth wikipedia
Description:
The almond moth will feed on a variety of grain and seeds, as well as other dry goods like fruit and pet food. You may also find the moth in coarse flour and cornmeal. Almond Moth goes by the nicknames “Cocoa Moth” and "Warehouse Moth". The almond moth infests stored products and the adults can fly. You will be able to tell if you have an almond moth infestation if you see them flying around where dry food is stored. This will often be during the later hours of the day, starting at dusk. Larvae will stay on the food item until it is ready to pupate, often crawling to the ceiling of the container to make its cocoon. In foods stored in cardboard boxes, for example, you might notice small holes in the sides from where the larvae began to munch. In contaminated items, there will often be silk-like webbing if the moth is present, so be sure to look carefully before you eat. A sign of infestation in the product is contamination with silk webbing, frass, cast skins, pupal cases and adult remains. Almond moths are common in warehouses that provide storage for food product. This cosmopolitan moth will feed on many species of nut, such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts and many more. They will also feed on dried fruit, figs, dates, cocoa beans, seeds and grains. Is found worldwide, but it can only overwinter inside heated structures in temperate areas.
Appearance:
The body is 7.5 – 10 mm long the adult almond moth has a wing span of 19 mm. The forewings are grey to dusty brown. The larvae is white to pink in color and has a distinctive brown head, there is a dark straight band across the forewing, which is paler on the inner edge.
Lifecycle:
The female lays 150 - 200 eggs loosely and randomly on a food source. The larva can grow to 12.7 mm in length. When the larva is mature it will actively leave the food source and search for a site in which to pupate. The larva pupates in a silk cocoon.
Habits:
The almond moth is found worldwide in processing facilities, warehouses and households. It feeds on grain, cereal products, oilseeds and dried plant products, like nuts, fruit and tobacco. The larva burrows into food and creates silk tunnels in which it will be concealed while feeding. Large larva can burrow through packing.
Indian Meal Moth 396649876
Description:
The Indian Meal Moth is a very troublesome and common pest that many families and businesses across the United States deal with on a daily basis. Pest found in flour mills, processing plants, dried fruit and on the surface of all types of grains. Indian meal moth larva's is a very common commercial and pantry pest. Like many other pests, the Indian Meal Moth is largely dependent upon its surrounding temperature and food availability for its survival. If there is an extreme change to either one of these factors, the Indian Meal’s life can be as short as one month. In ideal living conditions Indian Meal Moths can live upwards of one year. These moths are found on most continents, and have helped themselves to grains and food in manufacturing plants, grocery stores, restaurants and homes. Once an infestation has been found, humans have no choice but to throw away all contaminated food, as well as any food that could have been even mildly touched. Although Indian Meal Moths can be annoying and difficult to get rid of in a personal kitchen, they can be detrimental in a commercial setting. Restaurants and packaging plants can lose hundreds of dollars from damaged products they can also lose customer loyalty.
Appearance:
Adult has wingspread of about 14 – 20mm. Has pale gray wings, but the front wing is reddish brown and coppery on the outer two-thirds. Mature larva is usually dirty white, but may vary to greenish, pinkish, or brownish, depending on the food it eats. Head region is yellowish to reddish brown.
Lifecycle:
The Indian meal moth female lays approximately 200 eggs, on food material during a 1-18 day period of time. Temperature and availability of food determine the length of the larval stages. The last instar larva leaves the food to find a suitable place for pupation. The complete life cycle takes 25-135 days, with 4-6 generations per year.
Habits:
Their larvae produce the web material commonly found in food, such as dried fruits, whole wheat and, cornmeal, and shelled or ear corn. Attracted to grain, grain products; corn, lots of different dried foods, such as fruit, nuts, seeds, biscuits and powdered milk; chocolate, candy; dried red peppers; dry dog food etc.
Mediterranean Flour Moth 189314747
Description:
The Mediterranean flour moth larva is a very common commercial and pantry pest. It is a pest of mills and warehouses as it can clog machinery with its webs. The Mediterranean flour moth can be found on a great variety of foodstuffs in addition to flour, grain residues (insect-infected grain, broken kernels, and dust), and various whole grains. Although this insect is not as serious a pest as the Indian meal moth and some of the grain infesting beetles, it still causes clogging of machinery with its webbing, and at times causes grain mill shut-downs. Mediterranean flour moths are common moth pests of food goods in the kitchen or pantry. It is common in every part of the United States.
Appearance:
Mediterranean Flour Moth adult has wingspread of about 20 – 22mm and when at rest it is 10 - 14 mm long. The hind wings are dirty white while the forewings are blue-grey with transverse dark wavy bars and a row of dark spots at the tip. The larvae are white in color with a brown head and neck shield. The larvae can take on a pinkish or greenish hue and can reach a length of 15 - 20 mm. The pupa form a brown, spindle shaped cocoon approximately 9 mm.
Lifecycle:
The female lay between 100 - 700 eggs (usually 200) among the food source and usually fastens the eggs to the infested material. The eggs usually hatch in 3 - 5 days and the hatching larvae produce a lot of webbing. The young larvae confine themselves to silken tubes which are constantly spun. The larva attains full size in around 40 days. The larva pupates in or on top of the infested material (usually flour) or in cracks and crevices nearby. The life cycle can be completed in as few as 4 - 6 weeks but usually takes about 3 months.
Habits:
The Mediterranean flour moth is mostly found infesting flour and meal. It has also been found infesting grain, bran, cereal products, nuts, chocolate, seeds, beans, biscuits, dried fruits and other stored foods.
Tobacco Moth wikipedia
Description:
The Tobacco Moth is an introduced pest species of moth. Often found in warehouses and other areas where food or tobacco is stored. Commonly known as either Tobacco moth, Cocoa Moth or Warehouse moth, are a widely distributed pest moth of stored products. They are considered a primary pest of stored products and can infest many products including tobacco, grains, pulses, processed flours and dried fruits The number of generations varies with climate as they can have as few as one generation a year in colder areas up to constant breeding in ideal conditions
Appearance:
The moth has a wing expanse of 14-17 mm; when at rest, the wings folded to a roof over the body, it is 8-11 mm long. The adult moth has brownish grey forewings crossed with two light bands. The hindwings are paler and plain grey. The caterpillars are whitish, yellowish or reddish (depending on nutrition) with brown head and neck shields. They grow to a length of 10-15 mm.
Lifecycle:
The female deposits about 100 eggs, singly or in small clusters. The caterpillars cover the infested goods with webbing. Pupation occurs in a cocoon. The development period depends on warmth and nutrition. Depending on the season, complete development takes 2-6 months.
Habits:
The Tobacco Moth feeds on cocoa beans and tobacco, but also infests nuts, dried fruit and cereals. Adult moths do not feed. The larval feeding cause the most damage due to contamination with excrement and cocoons is immense. Besides tobacco, the pest infests cocoa, nuts, dried fruits, coffee, corn maize, wheat and spice.
BEETLES
Rust-red Flour or Flour beetles 425750212
Description:
Flour beetle is a very common commercial pest infesting a variety of grains and food material. The rust-red or flour beetle is frequently found in stored products in the USA Extremely important pest of flour but can infest a variety of food-stuffs. In large numbers can cause flour to turn grayish in color and mould more quickly. It can leave a disagreeable taste and odor in flour because of secretions from scent glands. The rust red flour beetle is worldwide and most destructive pest of stored products and is cosmopolitan in distribution. It is the most common pest of wheat flour. It also causes serious damage upon dried fruits, pulses and prepared cereal foods, such as cornflake, pasta, biscuit, beans, nuts, etc. It is an often the most common species in the pest complex attacking stored wheat although its pest status is considered to be secondary, requiring prior infestation by an internal feeder.
Appearance:
Flour beetle are more common in cool, temperate regions. The flour beetle is 3-4 mm in length the larvae are about 6 mm long. The adult is red-brown in color and the larvae are a light honey color and about. It resembles the rust-red flour beetle, except for the antennae which is four segmented and gradually thickens towards the tip - another slight difference is in the shape of the thorax. The sides of the rust-red flour beetle are curved, whereas the thorax of the confused flour beetle is straighter. It has well developed wings but seldom flies.
Lifecycle:
Female lay between 400 - 500 eggs, with peak oviposition occurring during the first week. Adults may live longer than 3 years, and females may lay eggs for more than a year. Eggs are deposited directly in flour, other food material, or attached to the surface of the container. They are white or colorless and covered by a sticky material to which flour can adhere. Eggs hatch in 3 - 5 days at 90-95°F. Larvae burrow into kernels of grain but may leave their burrows in search of a more favorable food.
Habits
They have been reported in grain, flour, and other cereal products, beans, cacao, cottonseed, shelled nuts, dried fruit, dried vegetables, drugs, spices, chocolate, dried milk and animal hides. They cannot feed on whole grain, but can feed on broken kernels that are usually present. Beetles move quickly and are strong flyers. Preferred habit is around storage areas with poor hygiene, broken grain, gradings or bulk cottonseed In general, fungi may play a significant role in the nutrition of rust-red flour beetles.
Cigarette beetle wikipedia
Description:
The Cigarette beetle is a very common stored product pest. In our region they are more common in the fall and winter months. As their name implies, the cigarette beetle is a pest of dried tobacco. These pests also feed on book bindings and stored products
Appearance:
The Cigarette Beetle is about 2-4mm in length. The adult is whitish in color, with the head dark brown to tan, and are densely haired. The cigarette beetle closely resembles the drugstore beetle. The cigarette beetle has the head bent down nearly at right angles to the body giving it a humped back appearance when viewed from the side. The larvae are about 4 mm long and somewhat bent.
Lifecycle:
The adult beetles live from 2 to 4 weeks and during this time the females may deposit between 10-100 eggs. The eggs are laid loosely on the infested material. The larval period usually ranges from four to five months, but under very favorable conditions the development from egg to adult may occur in 6 to 8 weeks. When the larvae are fully grown, pupation occurs and they remain in this resting stage for 12 to 18 days.
Habits:
The Cigarette Beetle feeds off tobacco, dry stored food products, spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material. They have also been reported in rice, dried potatoes, paprika, raisins, grain-based mouse bait and dried straw flowers. Adult beetles often wander away from infested materials and may be found throughout the area. Even though these stored product pests prefer to feed on tobacco products, they will attack a broad range of food items. Inspection is a must. Look in nearby food products such as pet food, seeds and seasonings, dried fruits, cottonseed meal, pepper, paprika, chili dried fish, ginger, dates, raisins, pasta, and seeds, dry flower arrangements. Because of their ability to infest a variety of food products, cigarette beetles are difficult to control.
Drugstore Beetle wikipedia
Description:
The drugstore beetle (also known as the Biscuit Beetle) gained its name because it was frequently found feeding on drugs in pharmacies many years ago. Now, they are customarily found infesting all types of dry stored food products, spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material. The drugstore beetle is a pest of stored products.
Appearance:
They are approximately 3 - 4 mm long, red-brown, oval beetles. The larvae are small and white approximately 0.5 mm long. The drugstore beetle is a red-brown oval-shaped beetle.
Lifecycle:
The adult beetles live from 2 to 4 weeks and during this time the females may deposit between 20-100 eggs. The hatching larvae are 0.5 mm long and very mobile. The larval period usually ranges from four to five months, but under favorable conditions the development from egg to adult may occur in 6 to 8 weeks. When the larvae are fully grown, pupation occurs and they remain in this resting stage for 12 to 18 days.
Habits:
It is not a major pest in stored grains but will attack spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material as well as packaging materials such as paper and cardboard. They have also been known to feed on leather, wool, hair and books. Their presence can be detected from pinhead holes in the infested items. Packaging materials such as paper and cardboard are also attacked. Since the drugstore beetle can fly well, the source of infestation can sometimes be hard to find. The drugstore beetle is not a major pest in stored grains.
Flat Grain Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Several species of grain beetles cause problems in homes and businesses alike. The pantry pests attack stored grains, cereals, flour, spices, and other processed food products. Grain beetles are commonly encountered in a variety of manmade structures, such as grain elevators, warehouses, mills, home pantries, and railroad cars and cargo ships which transport food items. With their flattened bodies, most adult grain beetles can easily penetrate and hide in cracks and crevices. While the insects are not known to carry or pass any diseases to humans or pets, they make pantry products unfit for consumption. Grain beetle infestations can cause granaries, warehouses, mills, and even retail establishments to lose business and profits over time. Grain beetles feed on nearly any stored food product, particularly cereals, breakfast foods, flour, dried fruits and meats, pet foods, and many other items.
Appearance:
They are about 1/8"" in length and they have flattened body with very long antennae. Light red to dark reddish brown. Larva is yellowish or white, 0.5mm long growing to 4mm when mature Larvae, with characteristic tail and horns"
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to 300 eggs preferably in warm damp conditions 69–103 days at 70°F or in 26 days at 100°F.
Habits:
Adults are winged but rarely fly and can live for several months. Fast moving, seeking cover under grain or trash. There are several closely related Cryptolestes species with similar appearance. Feeds on cereals, dates, dried fruits and other commodities and is found mainly warehouses. Can survive winters only in heated structures The sight of adult grain beetles crawling on surfaces near stored products also indicates a possible infestation. Not known to carry or pass any diseases to humans or pets. Grain beetle infestations can cause granaries, warehouses, mills, and even retail establishments to lose business and profits over time. Infested food items should be thrown away.
Fur Beetle or Carpet Beetle 49511425
Description:
Carpet beetles are a fairly common pest. Though these insects will do damage to fabric, they known to be a pest in food products as well. Carpet beetles occur naturally outdoors and then make their way into buildings. They may enter through improperly sealed or improperly screened doors and windows or through other cracks or crevices, but due to their small size, sealing them out is completely is difficult. Carpet beetles, which belong to the family of beetles known as dermestids, are pests in warehouses, homes, museums, and other locations where suitable food exists. Three species of carpet beetles cause serious damage to fabrics, carpets, furs, stored food, and preserved specimens—the varied carpet beetle, the furniture carpet beetle, and the black carpet beetle
Appearance:
Adult are 3/16""–1/4"" long. Elongate oval. There is one small patch of white on each wing case, otherwise red–brown to black. Larva is 1/4"" long. Long orange tufts of hair on the last abdominal segment. Larvae have a banded appearance. Pupa — formed in the last larval skin.
Lifecycle:
Mating takes place outdoors after which they fly indoors to lay eggs. Normally one generation per year but development may extend to three years. Adult beetles flying around windows may help in locating the infestation.
Habits:
It is a common inhabitant of bird nests. Adults feed outdoors often on Spiraea plants. Larvae attack furs, skins, woolens, etc. and stored grain. Fur beetles do not carry disease and do not bite, therefore are not considered a risk to human health. Sometimes when there are large numbers of beetles the hairs on the larvae may cause skin irritations for some people, damaged carpets and clothes.
Golden Spider Beetle wikipedia
Description:
This beetle stand out are the golden hairs which cover it's back and head, species of spider beetles may be found infesting all types of stored food products. The beetles are most commonly found in vegetables in warehouses, poorly kept storerooms, cellars, and old houses, and sometimes occur in considerable numbers. They like sun light, but move actively in the dark.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/8"" - 3/16"" in length. They have ovoid abdomen with a pinched waist. Whole body covered in golden-yellow hairs. Larva is similar to Australian spider beetle.
Lifecycle:
They can leave up to 6 - 7 months at 68°F. Adults can live up to 9 months.

Habits:
Sometimes they are linked to the damage of textiles in the domestic home. Adults appear in greater numbers in June/July and October/November. The adults have biting mouthparts. Spider beetles cannot fly.
Lesser Grain Borer Beetle wikipedia
Description:
The lesser grain borer is a pest of a wide variety of food .Serious pest of most stored grains. This beetle lives and feeds in warehouses and stores, especially feed and health food stores. The origin of the lesser grain Beetle (borer) is uncertain but it now has a cosmopolitan distribution. It is a serious pest of dried stored products throughout the tropics and it is also found in temperate countries. It has most likely spread as a result of the international trade in food products combined with its strong flying ability.
Appearance:
The lesser grain Beetle is black-brown in color. It is about 2.5 - 3 mm long with club-like antennae. The body has a slender cylindrical form and the head is hidden under the round neck-shield. Viewed from the side the beetle’s mouth parts and eyes are tucked underneath the thorax (chest). The larvae are whitish with a yellow head.
Lifecycle:
Adult females lay eggs singly or in groups of up to 30. Adult beetles are strong flyers. Adults live for 2 to 3 months. The eggs are laid on the outside of the grain and a female can lay 300 to 500 eggs. Young larvae (white with brown heads) initially feed outside then bore into the grain. Life cycle is completed in four weeks. Pupation takes place inside the hollow shell of the seed or in the ""flour"" that accumulates with infested grain."
Habits:
lesser grain borer is primarily a pest in stored wheat and corn. Their habit is to remain hidden in grain. Regular sampling and sieving is required for detection. It can infest tobacco, nuts, beans, bird seed, biscuits, cassava, cocoa beans, dried fruit, peanuts, spices, rodenticide baits, and dried meat and fish.
Larder Beetle 75336049
Description:
The larder beetle gets their name from its tendency to be found in larders, as their name would suggest. The use of refrigeration, the purchase of meats in small quantities, and the lack of home curing of meats, have decreased the economic importance of this insect. However, these beetles are still common in homes, museums, mills, livestock facilities, and any place that contains a suitable food source.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/4""–3/8"" in length black with a whitish band across the fore-part of the elytra. The larva is brownish color and approximately 1/2 inch in length. Migrate to pupate in solid material. Six dark spots are usually in the yellow band. The undersurface of the body and legs are covered with fine yellow hairs.
Lifecycle:
If conditions are ideal, a generation may be completed in 40-60 days at 64-77°F. Through the summer months, females lay more than 100 eggs; the incubation period is less than 12 days. The pupal stage lasts from 3-7 days depending on temperature and moisture conditions. If conditions are ideal, a generation may be completed in 40-60 days.
Habits:
They have also been known to bore into structural timbers. Tests have shown that they can bore into lead with ease and tin with some difficulty. The boring is for the purpose of providing a protected place for pupation, not for feeding. It feeds on various animal products including cheese.
Lesser Mealworm or Litter Beetles 40147579
Description:
The lesser mealworm or Litter Beetle (Panzer), is general stored products pest of particular importance as a vector and competent reservoir of several poultry pathogens and parasites. It can also cause damage to poultry housing and is suspected to be a health risk to humans in close contact with larvae and adults. Adults can become a nuisance when they move en masse toward artificial lights generated by residences near fields where beetle-infested manure has been spread inhabits poultry droppings and litter and is considered a significant pest in the poultry industry.
Appearance:
Adults are 1/4"" long. Newly moulted adults are reddish-brown turning black. Larvae is 5/16"" long. Segmented and looks like worm with three pairs of tiny legs on the thorax and one abdominal proleg at the rear.
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to at least 110 eggs a month and eggs hatch in 4-7 days. Larval development takes up to 7 weeks. Mature larvae seek a sheltered place to pupate for between 7 and 11 days. An adult beetle may live up to two years.
Habits:
The beetles are attracted to poultry operations, which have ideal conditions for their development. The damage to insulation is carried out by lesser mealworms seeking a safe place to pupate because the darkling beetles prey on the lesser mealworms.
Merchant Grain Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Merchant grain beetles are found in pantries or in food processing areas or warehouses. Merchant grain beetles are found more often in foods that are high in oils and fats, such as peanuts or birdseed. Other foods attacked include rice, cereals, dried fruits, breakfast foods, grain meals, sugar, chocolate, drugs, pastas and tobacco. Its varied food preferences make it one of the most commonly encountered stored product beetles in retail food stores, warehouses and homes. In unheated grain facilities in northern states, breeding ceases at the onset of cold weather. They have been known to invade every package or food stored near an infested food product. Infestations, therefore, are often widespread throughout a room or area. The merchant grain beetle can fly, but the saw-toothed grain beetle cannot.
Appearance:
The adult beetle is dark brown. Length is approximately 2.5mm to 3mm. It has a slender, flattened body. The adult can fly (although it rarely does).
Lifecycle:
The female lays about 300 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs are dropped loosely among grain kernels or tucked into a crevice in a kernel. The tiny eggs are slender and white, and hatch in three to five days when environmental conditions are optimal. The larvae emerge and crawl freely about the grain to feed on broken kernels. Larger larvae may tunnel into kernels to feed. Total development from egg to adult requires about three to four weeks.
Habits:
Merchant grain beetles are found in pantries or in food processing areas or warehouses. Merchant Grain Beetle is a pest species found feeding in nuts, seeds, biscuits, dried fruit, grain and various other food products. The beetles can chew through sealed packaging such as cardboard boxes, plastic bags and foil wrappings. Merchant grain beetles can infest stored food products and can contaminate food.
Rove Beetles 188374832
Description:
Rove beetles are commonly found on the soil surface in a variety of habitats. Their very short wing covers combined with a habit of raising their 'tails' when running or disturbed has left some people confusing them with small scorpions. They also have a similar appearance to earwigs, but lack the large 'pincers' that earwigs have on their rear ends. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and are primarily predatory, but a few parasitic on insects such as onion maggot
Appearance:
Adult are 5/16"–3/8". Body color is an alternating black and red.
Lifecycle:
Eggs are laid singly on moist substances and typically develop in 3–19 days. The larvae pass through two stages before reaching adulthood. Adults are most common in spring and early summer.
Habits:
They are common in habitats with large numbers of fly larvae (e.g. decaying fruit or seaweed, compost). The larvae and adults are general predators of small insects and other arthropods, including pests of crops.
Saw Toothed Grain Beetle 186650759
Description:
The saw-toothed grain beetle is one of the most common insects in stored grain,cereal,peanuts and dried fruits products. The saw-toothed grain beetle is one of the most common insects infesting grain products. An infestation may begin at the time of manufacture or processing, in warehouses of food distributors in transit, on the grocers' shelves, or in the home. Most food processors and handlers make every effort to avoid insect infestations, but occasionally the efforts fail. Both the adults and the larvae feed on foods of vegetable origin, especially grain and grain products such as flour, pasta products, cereals, dried dog foods, nuts, candies, dried fruits, yeast, tobacco, and dried meats. Management measures for saw-toothed grain beetles are the same as for other stored grain pests. Bringing the infestation quickly under control can help prevent losses of quantities of foods stored on kitchen and pantry shelves.
Appearance:
Adult is brown and is approximately 3 mm. Mature larva is yellowish white. Adult has a flattened body. Thorax (chest) has saw-toothed pattern on each side and three distinct ridge lines on top. Adults climb vertical surfaces. Wings are present, developed, but they do cannot fly.
Lifecycle:
The female lays eggs singly or in small batches in the food product. She lays about 200 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch after about 8 days. The life cycle takes about 35 days and the larvae feed in the top few centimeters of the food stuff. Adults usually live around 6 to 10 months.
Habits:
The larvae develop in flour, cereal products, and many other dried foods, including grains, cereals, bread, pasta products, dried meat, dried fruit and nuts, sugar, chocolate, candy, tobacco products and drugs. It is a common pest not only in grain bins, but also, mills, processing plants, warehouses, and kitchens. In grain bins, it feeds on broken kernels and grain residues. The beetles can chew through sealed packaging such as cardboard boxes, plastic bags and foil wrappings.
Shiny spider beetle wikipedia
Description They are called spider beetles because they look somewhat like small spiders (or large mites) due to their long legs and relatively large, rounded abdomens. Spider beetles prefer to forage at night or in dark locations and are consequently seldom seen. They also prefer damp locations and will readily feed on foodstuffs spoiled by moisture. They can be found within walls and attics, in the cracks of wooden floors in granaries, bakeries, and such, and in the nests of birds and rodents. They can be active at temperatures below freezing and will have from one to two generations per year depending on the ambient temperature and relative humidity. There are several varieties of spider beetles the American spider beetle, the white marked spider beetle, and the smooth spider beetle. These beetles are not as common as others, but if you have them, they’ll most likely be found in any places you store food. Food contamination is the biggest worry with these pests.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/32"-1/8" long. They are shiny red-brown to black. The body is hairless, and lacks the general spider beetles characteristic restriction at the waist.
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to 120 eggs either singly or in batches during early summer. The eggs hatch within 16 days, and remain in the larval stage for up to 6 weeks. Adults emerge after 20-30 days of the pupal stage and may live for up to 12 months. At the optimum temperature for development (91°F) it takes about 45 days for the life cycle to be complete.
Habits:
Shiny spider beetles are tolerant of cool conditions and can stay alive for long periods without food. If disturbed, they will act as if dead.
Warehouse or Cabinet Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Warehouse Beetles are a small round beetle which will prosper in pantries, closets and warehouses where wheat grain, cereal and other food is stored. Easily mistaken for other small beetles, this persistent pantry pest was first discovered in the United States. Though found to infest warehouses and food processing plants, Warehouse beetles can infest any structure which harbors the food they like. This article will detail some basic biology of this pest and then offer guidelines of how to control local infestations. The most common place for Warehouse Beetle activity in the home will be in the pantry, the garage and the laundry room. Basements are a close third and any room which is used to shelter or feed pets is always a risk. Since adults like to lay eggs where hatching larva will thrive, they tend to stay close to where they emerge from their pupa cocoons. For this reason alone it is important that control efforts are focused and contaminated food is removed. Here is what must be done when dealing with an active infestation.
Appearance:
They are 1.5-4.0mm long, and oval in shape, mostly dark brown in color, with mottled lighter brown markings.
Lifecycle:
Their lifecycle usually lasts between 1.5-6 months. The larva is up to 10mm long and pale cream with indistinct dark brown markings. The larva has 3 pairs of legs and is very bristly.
Habits:
This pest has recently been introduced into the USA. It might be found in many organic materials such as seeds, grains, most types of packaged foods, snail baits, dog biscuits, stock feeds, old rodent baits, grain remnants in sacks, bee and wasp nests, rodent carcasses, dead insects, animal droppings etc. The hairs dropped by larvae may cause human problems such as asthma, skin problems or gastric disorders.
WEEVILS
Bean Weevil 91640294
Description:
The bean weevils or seed beetles are granivores, and typically infest various kinds of seeds or beans, living for most of their lives inside a single seed. The Bean weevil is found in storage facilities. Bean weevils are not true weevils because they do not have a snout like rice or maize weevils. Bean weevils develop on the mature bean pods in the field but will also infest beans in storage facilities. They develop primarily on common bean but have been found on other beans. This insect is also capable of feeding and reproducing on fungi.

Appearance:
They are 2.0 – 3.0mm long, mottled brown in color. They have a ‘tear drop’ like body shape and are covered in short hairs. Saw-tooth has antennae and elytra that do not cover the entire abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Lifecycle usually lasts 2-4 months. The larvae feed within the beans as they mature. The larval stage can take from a few weeks to many months to complete, depending upon temperature and moisture of the bean. Pupation is within the bean. Circular holes are cut for the adult to emerge. Development and breeding goes on as long as there is any food left in the bean and the temperature is right (warmer temperatures are preferred).
Habits:
Larvae feed mostly inside beans. These weevils attack all legumes, including kidney beans, green beans, peas and lentils. Heavily infested peas are often reduced to shells.
Coffee Bean Weevil 242531494
Description:
The Coffee bean weevil is a very common stored product pest. As their name implies, it is a coffee pest. Coffee bean weevils can reduce a coffee’s weight by up to one-third within six months. An insect attack can also compromise the physical qualities of the coffee, resulting in a greater number of defects, and can even alter the finished beverage.
Appearance:
Adults: 1.5-4mm in length. It is a dark brown beetle with light brown spots and long antennae. The footless, slim larvae are curved and hairy and grow to a length of 5-6mm.
Lifecycle:
The beetle flies to fields and lays its eggs on damaged cobs. The larvae bore into coffee beans in which they pupate.
Habits:
They mainly infest corn, cocoa, coffee beans, dried fruits, nutmegs, ginger etc.
Granary Weevil 83747851
Description:
The Granary Weevil is among the most destructive of all stored grain insects. The larvae develop inside kernels of whole grain in storage.
Appearance:
They are dark brown-black in color. It is about 2.5 - 5 mm in length. They possess a long slender snout and cannot fly. In the larval stage the weevils are legless, humpbacked white to creamy white, with a small, tan head. Weevils in the pupa stage have snouts like the adults.

Lifecycle:
The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Emergence holes of the granary weevil are fairly large and tend to be more ragged than smooth and round. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The life cycle is about 30 to 40 days during the summer, and 123 to 148 days during the winter, depending on temperature.
Habits:
Most of their life is spent within the grain kernel. Both larvae and adults feed on grain.
Maize Weevil WIKIPEDIA
Description:
Also known as the Greater Rice Weevil. Maize Weevils are frequently regarded as primary pests of grain since they are able to infest otherwise undamaged grain. They have also been seen to infest buckwheat, peas, acorns, chestnuts and cottonseed.
Appearance:
It is about 2.5 - 4 mm long. The head has a long slender snout. Resembles rice weevil, only bigger and the red-brown spots on wing covers are more clearly marked. It is a stronger flier than the rice weevil.
Lifecycle:
The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The egg hatches into a young larva which bores toward the center of the kernel, feeds, grows, and pupates there. New adults bore emergence holes from the inside, then leave to mate and begin a new generation.
Habits:
Both larvae and adults will feed upon grain. Weevil-damaged grain can be readily recognized by the presence of large holes which are the exit holes of the emerging adults.
Rice Weevil 105343184
Description:
Rice weevils are pests of stored grain and seeds. It is a major pest of whole cereal grains. Weevils are tiny beetles that can infest grains and rice foods stored in your pantry, such as cake and biscuit mixes, pancake mixes, breakfast cereal, crackers, and more. Weevils can infest your food when female weevils have unnoticeably burrowed and laid eggs deep into the grain and rice kernels. Although infestation may be undetected at first, you may notice the tiny black beetles' weeks or months later after the eggs have hatched. There are steps you can take to prevent weevils from invading your pantry and infesting your other foods.
Appearance:
The adult rice weevil is 2.5 - 3.5 mm long and has a slender, hard-shelled body that appears pitted or scarred with tiny holes. They are brown-black in color and possess a long slender snout. Rarely flies, but climbs vertical surfaces. Rice weevils have four faint red-brown spots on the back of the abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Adults live 2-3 months. The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The egg hatches into a young larva which bores toward the center of the kernel, feeds, grows, and pupates there. New adults bore emergence holes from the inside, then leave to mate and begin a new generation. Female rice weevils lay between 300 to 400 eggs, with the life cycle requiring about 32 days for completion. Two larvae can develop in one wheat kernel.
Habits:
The adults can feign death by drawing up their legs close to the body, falling, and remaining silent when disturbed. Emergence holes of the rice weevil are smaller than those of the granary weevil, and tend to be smooth and round. There is generally no external evidence that the larvae have been eating and growing inside the seed until after about one month when the adult weevil chews through the seed coat and emerges. Under warm conditions or when grain is moved rice weevils are often observed climbing out of grain up vertical surfaces.
Booklice/Psocids 404291227
Description:
Booklice infests a wide range of grains, commodities and storage facilities. Booklice, also called psocids, are not true lice. While they resemble lice in size and shape, booklice feed only on fungi or mold. If you find them in grain or other stored food products, it is an indication of high humidity which encourages mold growth. In addition to food products, psocids may be found under wallpaper, in furniture, along the sides of windows or on window sills around potted plants. Booklice do not bite, transmit disease, or damage food or fabric, but they can be very annoying when present in large numbers. Booklice feed on molds and will overrun cereals and similar materials that support mold growth. Their presence, therefore, is a nuisance and can render some foods unfit. The starchy paste of wallpaper and books also can support mold growth or may be attacked directly by booklice. Outside of annoyance, their damage is insignificant.
Appearance:
They are very small, soft-bodied. Adult varies in size according to species from 1/16"" - 1/8"" long and they are pale yellow–brown to dark brown in color. Nymphs are very small, often appear transparent. No larval stages.
Lifecycle:
They prefer high temperatures 77-86°F. Lepinotus patruelis — will breed at 40-60°F.
Habits:
It is common in homes. A secondary pest, feeding on damaged grain and moulds. Warm and humid conditions increase their activity. It is usually observed in storage. It is simple to detect when they are low in numbers. They are common in factories and on pallets.

Cheese Mites wikipedia
Description:
Cheese mites are small insects which are just visible to the naked eye. When they attack cheese they will first be detected as a brown powder on the surface of the cheese or in small cracks or breaks in the paraffin. When cheese mites are permitted to act on the cheese for a long time, they borrow into the cheese, leaving behind them the characteristic accumulation of brown powder, which consists of dead mites, living mites, cheese debris and excreta. This brown powder has a characteristic sharp, pungent odor.
Appearance:
Cheese mites have soft, hairy cream white bodies with 8 hairless legs and adults grow up to an approximate 0.5mm in length.
Lifecycle:
The cheese mite favors warm, moist conditions and eggs mature in 10 days at room temperatures. Females can lay up to 900 eggs in a lifetime at a rate of 20 – 30 a day. Adult cheese mites can live for up to 60 – 70 days.
Habits:
With a preference for old cheese to young cheese, these mites also feed on nuts, dried eggs, fruit, flour and tobacco. Cheese mites are capable of contaminating foods to cause skin or gut irritation. Temperatures of about 60°F are very favorable for their growth. As the temperature of the curing room is decreased, the activity of these mites decreases. They will grow at temperatures between 60°F and 90°F.
Flour Mite/Grain Mite 241128124
Description Flour mites are very tiny little creatures, but they can still be pests. A flour mite, sometimes called a grain mite, appears harmless number of other pests, such as tiny scavenger mites and book-lice, may also infest stored food products. This is particularly true if the food is stored under moist conditions. The grain or flour mites are one of the most important mites infesting food and feed products, cereals, dried vegetable materials, cheese, corn and dried fruits. Grain mites proliferate under high moisture conditions and are often found in conjunction with fungal growth. Severe infestations result in brownish tinge over the commodity, called "mite dust" because of the light brown coloring of the mite legs. This "mite dust" gives off a "minty" odor if the mites are crushed. Grain mites are widely distributed throughout the temperate regions, but only occur in tropical areas unless a constant influx of new mites is supplied via contaminated goods.
Appearance:
Adult are 0.5 mm long with 4 pairs of legs white or pale brown. Slow moving. Larva is 6 legged and 0.5 mm long white in color. Passes through two, 8 legged nymphal stages.
Lifecycle:
Female grain mites may lay up to 800 eggs which are deposited on the surface of food material at the rate of approximately twenty to thirty per day. Under adverse conditions, may pass through a long and very resistant stage called a hypopus.
Habits:
Grain mites primarily attack the germ. Grain mites can cause "grocer's itch" in humans exposed to the mites. Some persons may be allergic to mites.
Furniture Mite 97583636
Description:
Mites are tiny arthropods, related to ticks. Several types of mites can be found in homes and of these a few may bite humans. Most mites are harmless predators of insects, or feeders on decaying plant material. Others are merely nuisance pests, accidentally entering homes from their normal outdoor habitat. Only a few mite species are parasitic on birds or mammals, but these can occasionally become biting pests in homes. Identifying the type of mite and/or likely host is the first step in solving an indoor mite infestation.
Appearance:
Adult are 0.3–0.7mm hairy soft cream–white body with yellow/brown legs.
Lifecycle:
Egg to adult will grow in 22 days at room temperature. Adult lives for approximately 50 days.
Habits:
They are capable of tainting foods and causing gut irritation. Commonly feeds on fungi. Favors moist environmental conditions; common in damp poorly ventilated rooms
Fleas 71639218
Description:
Fleas are wingless, with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds.
Appearance:
Fleas are wingless insects, 1.5 to 3.3 mm long, that are agile, usually dark colored, with tube-like mouth parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. They interestingly do not possess a mandible. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping. Atypical of other insects, fleas do not possess compound eyes but instead have simple eyes with a single biconvex lens. The flea body is covered with hard plates called sclerites. These sclerites are covered with many hairs and short spines directed backward, which also assist its movements on the host. The tough body is able to withstand great pressure, likely an adaptation to survive attempts to eliminate them by mashing or scratching.
Lifecycle:
Adult fleas must feed on blood before they can become capable of reproduction. Once the flea reaches adulthood, its primary goal is to find blood and then to reproduce. Its total life span can be as long as one and one-half years in ideal conditions. Female fleas can lay 5000 or more eggs over their life, allowing for phenomenal growth rates. Average 30–90 days. A flea might live a year and a half under ideal conditions. These include the right temperature, food supply, and humidity.

Habits:
Fleas feed on a wide variety of warm-blooded vertebrates including dogs, cats, humans, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, rats, ferrets, and mice. Fleas are a nuisance to their hosts, causing an itching sensation which in turn may result in the host attempting to remove the pest by biting, pecking, scratching, etc. in the vicinity of the parasite. Fleas are not simply a source of annoyance, however. Flea bites generally cause the formation of a slightly raised, swollen itching spot with a single puncture point at the center. The bites often appear in clusters or lines of two bites, and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks afterwards. Fleas can also lead to hair loss as a result of frequent scratching and biting by the animal, and can cause anemia in extreme cases.

COMMON PESTS IN NEW YORK:
COMMON COCKROACHES IN NEW YORK:
• German Cockroach
• American Cockroach
• Oriental Cockroach
• Brown-Banded Cockroach
BED BUGS
COMMON RODENTS IN NEW YORK:
• Norway Rat
• Roof Rat/Black Rat
• House Mouse
• Deer Mice
COMMON ANTS IN NEW YORK:
• Carpenter Ant
• Pavement ant
• Odorous House Ant
• Crazy Ant
• Field Ant
• Big Headed Ant
• Little black ant
• Thief Ant
• Acrobat ant
• Honey Pot Ant
COMMON FLIES IN NEW YORK:
• House Fly
• Horse Fly
• Bluebottle Fly-Blow Fly
• Cluster Fly
• Face Fly
• Flesh Fly
• Stable Fly

COMMON FRUIT FLIES IN NEW YORK:
• Drain Flies/Moth fly
• Fruit fly
• Phorid fly
• Vinegar fly
• Fungus gnat
• Cheese Skipper
COMMON MOSQUITOS IN NEW YORK:
• House Mosquitoes/Culex
• Yellow Fever Mosquitoes (Aedes mosquito)
• Common Malaria Mosquito/Anopheles mosquito
WASPS
SPIDERS
COMMON CRAWLING PESTS IN NEW YORK:
• Silver Fish
• Earwigs
• Centipedes
• Melipides
COMMON PESTS IN STORRED PRODUCTS:
MOTHS:
• Almond Moth
• Indian Meal Moth
• Mediterranean Flour Moth
• Tobacco Moth
BEETLES:
• Rust-red Flour or Flour Beetle
• Cigarette Beetle
• Drugstore Beetle
• Flat Grain Beetle
• Fur Beetle or Carpet Beetle
• Golden Spider Beetle
• Lesser Grain Beetle
• Larder Beetle
• Lesser Mealworm or Litter Beetle
• Merchant Grain Beetle
• Rove Beetle
• Saw Toothed Grain Beetle
• Shiny spider Beetle
• Warehouse Beetle
• Grain Borer
WEEVILS:
• Bean Weevil
• Coffee Bean Weevil
• Granary Weevil
• Maize Weevil
• Rice Weevil
• Booklice/Psocids
MITES:
• Cheese Mite
• Flour Mite/Grain Mite
• Furniture Mite
COMMON BLOOD FEDERS IN NEW YORK:
• Bed Bugs
• Fleas

Cockroaches/Blattodea
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattodea, are considered one of the most successful groups of animals and they are among the most common of insects. They are the most successful ancient insect on the planet. Fossil evidence indicates that cockroaches have been on earth approximately 320 million years. Cockroaches are “living fossils”. This means that their basic shape and appearance has not changed for millions of years. Fossil remains of cockroaches have been dated before the appearance of the Dinosaurs and appear virtually identical to cockroaches we find today. Cockroaches will eat anything and can survive absolutely anywhere other than the Polar Regions and above 2,000 meters in elevation. Some can live without water, can fly, are the fastest insect and can survive high levels of radiation. About 4,600 species of cockroaches exist worldwide, 69 species found in the United States. In the New York State, only four species are common pests in structures. These are the German, Brown-banded, Oriental, and American cockroaches.
German Cockroach 134352242
Description:
German Cockroach (Blatella Germanica) is the most common cockroach found in kitchens in homes and food service establishments. Large numbers can be found clustering together under stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers, and in wall and cabinet voids. German cockroaches usually prefer a moist environment with a relatively high degree of warmth. German cockroaches spend about 75% of their lives in hiding. Enabled by a body that’s smaller than other species, the ability and inclination to hide in tiny spaces is one reason why the German cockroach has been so successful at living with humans. Coming out of hiding to feed or to mate can be dangerous, so it’s usually done in darkness. When the roaches leave their hiding spots, they only go as far as they need to find food and mates. Their hiding places are usually within 10 feet of their food source.
Appearance:
Adult German cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8 inch long and tan to light brown. Although they have fully developed wings, they do not fly. Nymphs are similar in appearance to adults except that they are smaller and lack wings. The German cockroach is best identified by its small size and by two dark parallel lines running from the back of the head to the wings.
Lifecycle:
After mating, the female cockroaches produce an egg capsule containing 30-40 eggs. 1-2 days before the eggs hatch, the female drops the capsule in a sheltered area. The development time from egg to adult takes about 100 days. The female will produce about 3-4 egg capsules in her lifetime which is about 100-200 days. In one year over 10,000 descendants can be produced, assuming two generations per year. Because of the high rate of reproduction, in very short order, the home or apartment can be totally infested with thousands of cockroaches.
Habits:
Cockroaches will eat virtually any item that has nutritional value. This includes dog food, any human food items and even soap and glues. The German cockroach has been identified as a trigger of asthma for sensitive individuals especially children. Exposure to cockroach fecal material, saliva and body fragments can trigger an asthma attack. Cockroaches have been shown to carry bacteria on their bodies and are potential sources of salmonella food poisoning. Different forms of gastroenteritis (food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, and other illnesses) appear to be the principal diseases transmitted by German cockroaches. The organisms causing these diseases are carried on the legs and bodies of cockroaches and are deposited on food and utensils as the cockroaches forage. Cockroach excrement and cast skins also contain a number of allergens to which many people exhibit allergic responses, such as skin rashes, watery eyes and sneezing, congestion of nasal passages, and more.
American Cockroach 157328108
Description:
American cockroaches (Periplaneta Americana) are often called water bugs. The American cockroach is the largest of the species common to the New York State. This species often becomes abundant in commercial establishments and is most common in the basements and steam tunnels of restaurants, bakeries, food-processing facilities, and grocery stores. American cockroaches look to enter structures through sewage and plumbing systems.
Appearance:
Adults are approximately 1-1/2 inches long and reddish brown, with fully developed wings that cover the entire length of the abdomen. Both male and female are fully winged. The wings of the male extend slightly beyond the tip of the abdomen, while those of the female are about the same length as the abdomen
Lifecycle:
American cockroaches have three developmental stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The eggs are laid in capsules that are dark brown, symmetrically shaped, and about 5/16 inch long. The female drops her egg capsule within a day after it is formed. She often drops it in a suitable location near a food source or in a protected area. Each capsule averages 14 to 16 eggs. Usually one capsule is produced each week and is often glued to a hidden surface with secretions from the female’s mouth. Each female produces from 15 to 90 egg capsules. The number of offspring per year averages 800. Under ideal conditions an adult female can live up to 15 months, males for a somewhat shorter period. Nevertheless, large populations can develop under favorable conditions.
Habits:
American cockroaches are capable of flying .The American cockroach can be identified by its large size and reddish brown color with faded yellow edges on the thorax. Indoors, the nymphs and adults are usually found in dark, warm and moist areas of basements and crawl spaces, and all around bathtubs, clothes hampers, floor drains, pipe chases, and sewers. They are also common around the manholes of sewers, and on the undersides of metal covers over large sump pumps. This cockroach is often associated with steam heat tunnels. It has also been observed migrating from one building to another during warm months. American cockroaches feed on a variety of foods, with an apparent preference for decaying organic matter. The adults can survive two or three months without food but only about a month without water.
Oriental Cockroaches 65698645
Description:
Oriental cockroaches (Blatta orientalis) are often called water bugs because of their preference for dark, damp, and cool areas such as those under sinks and washing machines, and in basements. This species, which is less wary and more sluggish than the others, is of concern because it often travels through sewer pipes and lives on filth. The oriental cockroach tends to travel somewhat more slowly than other species. They are active year-round.
Appearance:
Adult Oriental cockroaches are about one inch in length. Both male and female adults are very dark brown, nearly black their bodies usually have a somewhat greasy sheen. Females have small, functionless, rudimentary wing pads and broader, heavier bodies. Males have wings that cover only about three-quarters of their abdomen. Males are apparently unable to fly.
Lifecycle:
The Oriental cockroach has three developmental stages egg, nymph, and adult. Eggs are laid in capsules, which the female carries for about 30 hours and then drops onto a protected surface near a food supply. The female does not glue the egg capsule to the surface. Females produce an average of eight capsules, each containing 16 eggs that hatch in about 60 days under room temperature conditions. The life span of an adult female is 5 to 26 weeks with approximately 200 offspring. Unlike the other house-infesting species, the Oriental cockroach generally has a seasonal developmental cycle. The peak number of adults usually appears in late spring or early summer. By late summer and early fall, this number has become quite low, owing to natural mortality and the hatching of nymphs. Nymphs and adults have similar habits and are found with decaying organic matter indoors and outdoors.
Habits:
Oriental cockroaches prefer dark, moist areas such as under porches, sewers, drains, crawl spaces, dark, damp basements, and floor drains. They can be found outdoors in abandoned cisterns and water valve pits; in yards; beneath leaves; in bark mulch around shrubs, flowers, and foundations; in dumps, stone walls, and crawl spaces; and in garbage and trash dumps and trash chutes. Both nymphs and adults are sluggish and are usually situated at or below ground level indoors. They are seldom found on walls, in high cupboards, or in the upper floors of buildings. At times large numbers occur in one great mass around leaks in the basement or crawl space areas of homes. Oriental cockroaches are generally found outdoors during warm weather, but in periods of drought there may be considerable movement into structures, apparently in search of higher humidity. They may enter the home in food packages and laundry, or merely come in under the door or through air ducts, garbage chutes, or ventilators. Oriental cockroaches can be harder to get rid of than other roaches. Any area that has a high humidity and a cool temperature should be examined. Crawl spaces, basements, and kitchen and bathroom plumbing can be inspected for dead roaches, egg cases, and fecal smears. Also, any spider webs in these locations can be inspected for cockroach remains.
Brown-Banded Cockroach wikipedia
Description:
Brown-Banded Cockroach (Supella Longipalpa) both adults and nymphs can be distinguished by the two brownish, broad -bands across the body at the base of the abdomen and at mid-abdomen. Both males and females are quite active; adult males fly readily when disturbed.
Appearance:
Male and female brown-banded cockroaches are about 1/2 inch long and light brown, with fully developed wings.
Lifecycle:
The brown-banded cockroach has three developmental stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Eggs are laid in capsules, which the female carries for about 30 hours before she fastens it on walls, ceilings, and in protected and hidden areas. During her adult life a female produces about 14 egg capsules, each containing an average of 13 eggs. The length of the egg stage varies from 37 to 103 days, depending on temperature. The nymphal stage ranges from 8 to 31 weeks. A female adult has a life span of 13 to 45 weeks; each female produces about 600 descendants per year.
Habits:
Brown-banded cockroaches prefer warm and dry locations, such as near refrigerator motor housings, on the upper walls of cabinets, and inside pantries, closets, dressers, and furniture in general. They can also be found behind picture frames and beneath tables and chairs, and inside clocks, radios, light switch plates, door frames, and dressers. It is common to find them hiding nearer the ceiling than the floor and away from water sources. They live exclusively indoors. Brown Banded Cockroaches can be found in homes, apartments, hotels and offices. They are often transported in furniture and will quickly infest an entire building.

Bed Bugs 392776186
Bed bugs are parasitic insects of the cimicid family that feed exclusively on blood. The common bed bugs are the best known as they prefer to feed on human blood. The name "bed bug" derives from the preferred habitat of warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other areas around the house. Bed bugs are mainly active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed.
A number of adverse health effects may result from bed bug bites, including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors. Certain signs and symptoms suggest the presence of bed bugs and finding the adult insects confirms the diagnosis. Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years. They are potential to contaminate food with bacteria and other disease-producing organisms.
Description:
Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on blood . Although the common bed bug prefers feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents. It has done so since ancient times; bed bugs are mentioned in medieval European texts and classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle.
Appearance:
Adult bed bugs are about 3/16” long and reddish-brown, with oval-shaped, flattened bodies. The immature bed bugs (nymphs) resemble the adults, but are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, and they don’t jump like fleas do but they can crawl rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.
Lifecycle:
Adult females lay their eggs in secluded places, depositing 1, 2 or more eggs per day, potentially hundreds during their lifetime. The eggs are tiny (about the size of a dust spec), whitish and hard to see without magnification, especially on light-colored surfaces. When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to surfaces. At room temperatures, bed bug eggs hatch in about a week. Newly emerged nymphs are straw-colored and no bigger than a pinhead. As bed bugs grow they molt, shedding their skin five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive molt. Adult females also must feed in order to lay eggs. Under favorable conditions (70-80°F), the bugs can mature fully in as little as a month, producing multiple generations per year. Cooler temperatures or limited access to blood prolong the development time.
Habits:
Bed bugs are very resilient. Nymphs and adults can persist months without feeding which is unusual for most insects. The ability to survive without a blood meal is longer at cooler temperatures potentially up to a year or longer at 55°F or less. In temperature-controlled buildings, a more typical duration is about 2 to 6 months. Consequently, it is usually impractical to leave buildings unoccupied in hopes of ‘starving out’ an infestation. When infested dwellings such as apartments are vacated, bed bugs often disperse to nearby units, or reduce their activity until the unit is reoccupied.
Bed bugs are active mainly at night. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be hatched and un-hatched eggs, the tannish shed skins of maturing nymphs, and the bugs themselves. Another possible sign are rusty or reddish smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushed engorged bed bugs. Although it’s often stated that bed bugs have a telltale buggy odor, the smell is seldom evident except in extreme infestations and should not be relied upon for detection. Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed, but if necessary will crawl several feet to obtain a meal. Initially the bugs tend to be situated around sleeping areas, i.e., beds, couches and recliners. If infestations are allowed to persist, they also may disperse to other locations within the dwelling making elimination more difficult. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places.

Mice & Rats
Mice and rats are rodents, often considered pests, many of which are native wild species that lived in this region long before home and farms existed to infest. Today, many of them, including non-native species, have adapted to life alongside humans. Their presence does not necessarily equal infestation or squalor conditions, rather that food, water, and nesting sites are adequate.
Rodents have the typical large, broad, and yellow incisors, adapted for constant gnawing. These teeth continuously grow, replacing what is worn away by the gnawing of wood, plastic, and even metal. The teeth are well adapted for grains and fruits, although some rodents supplement their diet with insects and worms. With long tails, large snouts, and large external ears, these small rodents are very adaptable and prolific and can be found pretty much everywhere around the world. In New York we have 3 rat and 5 mouse species, with one invasive (but established) rat, and one native species presumed to be eliminated from the state. Rodents living close to people and in their structures are called commensal rodents. Rodents will eat anything that humans eat and they need to gnaw. It's a common part of their behavior. Rat teeth continually grow, at a rate of about five inches per year. In order to keep the length of the teeth in check, the rats chew on things to wear the teeth down, their constant gnawing behavior causes structural damage and when electrical wires are the target of their gnawing, they can start fires and damage sensitive electronic items. Both rats and mice carry diseases that are transmittable to humans. These include salmonella food poisoning, Leptospirosis, LCM, Hanta Virus and other diseases that can make people sick. Their droppings, urine and hair contaminate the environment and cause sensitive people to experience allergic reactions from these biological materials. Mice and rats contaminate stored food items with their fecal material, urine and hair.
Norway Rat 149284376
Description:
A relatively large member of the mouse family with coarse light to dark brown hair that lightens as it reaches the sides, reaching a tan on the undersides. The ears are large, rounded and naked, but shorter than the Black Rat’s. The tail is naked and shorter than the length of the body.
Appearance:
They are averaging 15.5 inches in length (not including their tail, which makes up 45% of their total length) and weighs roughly 14 ounces. Males are larger than females.
Lifecycle:
Females may come into heat every 4 or 5 days, and they may mate within a day or two after a litter is born. Breeding often peaks in spring and fall, with reproductive activity declining during the heat of summer and often stopping completely in winter, depending on habitat. These seasonal trends are most pronounced in more severe climates. The average female rat has 4 to 6 litters per year and may successfully wean 20 or more offspring annually.
Habits:
Norway Rats inhabit the same spaces humans do and pretty much anywhere that offers food and shelter. In the wild, they will occupy a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands and open fields. Crop land is preferred in the wild. Nests are made from grass, leaves, twigs, paper, or anything they can find and are often built near sources of water. Burrows are often dug for shelter and nests and can be highly complex with multiple rooms and food storage space. Rats are opportunistic foragers. They will grab and eat pretty much anything they can. Human food and trash make up a large part of their diet. In the wild they will feed on seeds, fruit, plant material, mice, birds, small lizards, insects, fish, and fungus. They prefer meat.
Roof Rat/Black Rat 148474820
Description:
A relatively large member of the mouse family and a medium-sized rat, It has fine black hair that is lighter underneath. Color patterns may exist in isolated populations or within those bred as pets. The ears are large (larger than the Norway rat), rounded and naked. The tail is naked and longer than the length of the body.
Appearance:
They are averaging 7 inches in length (not including their tail, which is always longer than their body) and weighs roughly 7 ounces. Males are larger than females. They are generally smaller than the Norway rat.

Lifecycle:
Black rats produce 5–10 young per litter, and have between 3–6 litters a year. The gestation period is about 3 weeks. It only takes between 12–16 weeks from birth for them to reach sexual maturity. The life cycle of rats is around a year to eighteen months, during which time, the female will typically breed up to six times, with the average litter being seven or eight. Breeding occurs throughout the year, but especially in the spring or autumn"
Habits:
Black rats inhabit the same spaces humans do and pretty much anywhere that offers food and shelter. High reaching places are often preferred, such as trees, attics, roofs and top floors. In the wild, they will generally stick to wooded areas. Nests are made from grass, leaves, twigs, paper, or anything they can find, usually within walls, in trees, or sometimes in burrows. Rats are opportunistic foragers. Fruits, grain and other plant material. They will also feed on insects and their larvae when available. Those that live with humans tend to feed on human food and trash as well as livestock feed.
House Mouse 220169620
Description:
A small mouse, with soft brown or black fur with lighter under parts (but not white like the Deer Mouse). The long, slender tails and large round ears do not have fur. The eyes are large, black and beady. The whiskers are long. Those that live closely alongside humans may be darker and have longer tails than wilder varieties.
Appearance:
They are from 2.5 to 4 inches in length (not including their tail, which can be up to half of their total length). They weigh up to 1 ounce.
Lifecycle:
Litter size average 5 with multiple litters a year. The young stay with their mother for 21 days. Mating occurs year round, but is more frequent during warmer temperatures. Wild mice tend to breed from April to September.
Habits:
Found wherever humans are, houses, barns, garages, but also fields and wooded areas. The wild variety will inhabit cracks and crevices in rocks or rock walls or dig complex tunnels in the ground. Tunnels will contain several rooms, exits and a nesting site. In homes, mice may construct nests within walls. Wild mice concentrate on seeds, roots, and other plant material. Some insects and carrion may also be eaten. Those that live with humans tend to feed on human food or trash and human made-materials. The wild variety will store food in a cache, but those that live with humans may not need to.
Deer Mice 49595143
Description:
A small mouse that is slightly smaller than the house mouse, with grayish to reddish-brown fur on top and whitish under parts. The tail is short-haired and bi-colored with darker fur on top and lighter fur underneath. The body is round and slender, with a large head and pointed snout with whiskers. The ears are large and round. The eyes are large and black. There are two forms, the woodland variety tends to have a longer body and tail as well as larger feet and ears than the prairie form.
Appearance:
They are from 4.5 to 8.5 inches in length (not including their tail, which ranges from 2 to 5 inches). They weigh up to 0.8 ounces. Males are roughly double the size of females.
Lifecycle:
Litter size averages 5 with multiple litters a year. The young stay with their mother for just over a month. Mating occurs year round, but is more frequent during warmer temperatures.
Habits:
Found in pretty much any habitat in NY, but most commonly in prairies, brush, and woodland. The prairie variety nests in burrows just below ground level. They are either dug by the mice themselves, or abandoned by other animals. The woodland variety builds theirs near the ground on stumps, in tree cavities, piles of debris, or in buildings. Woodland nests may be abandoned bird nests or made out of plant matter. They eat insects, fruits, vegetables, seeds, plants, various invertebrates, sometimes their own feces. They will often cache nuts in logs or nests for winter.

Ants
Enthusiastically social insects, ants typically live in structured nest communities that may be located underground, in ground-level mounds, or in trees. Ant communities are headed by a queen or queens, whose function in life is to lay thousands of eggs that will ensure the survival of the colony. Workers (the ants typically seen by humans) are wingless females that never reproduce, but instead forage for food, care for the queen's offspring, work on the nest, protect the community, and perform many other duties. Male ants often have only one role, mating with the queen. After they have performed this function, they may die. Ants communicate and cooperate by using chemicals that can alert others to danger or lead them to a promising food source. They typically eat nectar, seeds, fungus, or insects. However, some species have diets that are more unusual. Ants may prey on reptiles, birds, or even small mammals.
Carpenter Ants 127389809
Description:
The black carpenter ant is a common invader of homes. In their natural habitat, carpenter ants aid in the decomposition of dead, decaying trees. They normally nest in logs, stumps, and hollow trees. However, the large, dark colored workers often invade homes in search of food. These ants seldom tunnel into dry, sound wood, but they may excavate moist, rotting wood and other soft materials ,such as foamed plastic to make satellite nests. Rarely will the expansion of a nest into a building’s wooden timbers cause structural damage. Homes built in wooded areas are especially subject to infestation.
Appearance:
Workers are wingless, dark shiny brown to black in color, and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length. They may be seen crawling around inside a residence. Winged reproductive forms resemble workers in color and shape but are up to 3/4 inch long. The body is constricted between the thorax and the abdomen. The antennae are elbowed. The front wing of a reproductive ant is longer than the hind wing.
Lifecycle:
A carpenter ant colony has one wingless queen and many sterile, wingless, female workers. It also has white, legless larvae and, at certain times, winged females and males. The eggs are white and the pupae cocoons are tan. Usually, a colony does not produce winged males and queens until it is several years old and has about 2,000 to 3,000 workers. A new queen lays fifteen to twenty eggs, which produce the first brood of offspring. The whitish, soft-bodied, legless larvae later become the sterile female workers. Development from egg to worker requires a minimum of about 60 days. The workers of the first brood are small because they are nourished only from food reserves that are stored in the queen’s body. Once these workers become adults, the queen’s only function is to lay eggs. The adult workers forage for food, enlarge the nest, and feed and care for the queen and subsequent larvae
Habits:
Approximately 200 to 400 winged ants develop in the summer, remain in the nest through the winter, and leave the nest the following spring or early summer. The ants are inactive during the winter. They will be active, however, if a nest is located in a heated portion of a building. Winged males and females emerge from established colonies on warm days in the spring and early summer. Mating occurs during a brief flight, after which the male dies, and the female removes her wings and searches for a suitable nesting site. The nest is usually located in a cavity in the soft, moist, decaying wood. They eat dead insects and other small invertebrates as well as the honeydew secreted by aphids and scale insects. They regurgitate this food and feed the larvae and the queen. Workers of succeeding broods are larger because the foraging workers feed them.
Pavement ant 204033637
Description:
Pavement ants get their name because of their habit to nest under sidewalks, driveways, and building foundations. During the winter, pavement ants may nest inside structures near a heat source. A mound of displaced soil near a paved area is probably a sign of pavement ants. Very often they build their nests along sides of garages and houses, and parts of houses which are constructed on concrete slabs. They may enter homes and businesses through small openings windows and doors, basement walls, or concrete floors. During the winter months, they can be found indoors as they are forced to look for food and water.
Appearance:
The pavement ant workers are about 2.5–4 mm long and vary in color from dark brown to black, with parallel furrows or lines on the head and thorax. The pedicel, which connects the thorax and abdomen, has two segments. The posterior thorax has two spines that project upward to the rear, and they carry a stinger in the last abdominal segment. The swarmers or reproductive ants are winged, about twice the size of the workers, and also have a furrowed head and thorax. The spines are evident on the females but absent on the males.
Lifecycle:
Little information is available on pavement ant colony biology. Most information is gleaned from the observations of ant behavior aboveground. Winged reproductive ants typically swarm in the spring but have been known to emerge any time of the year in heated structures. It is not uncommon to see swarming in late fall and into February even in colder climates. After emergence, the ants mate and the queens burrow into the soil to begin laying eggs. Worker ants develop over a two to three month period.
Habits:
Pavement ants are trailing ants and feed on a variety of foods, including dead insects, greasy foods, seeds, and sweets. They may forage as much as 9 meters from their nest. The reproductive queens and drones have wings. They are commonly seen in the late spring and early summer months on their nuptial flights, both drones and new queens looking for mates. Rival colonies can often be spotted amidst long battles along sidewalks, driveways, and other open areas as they each attempt to expand or defend their territories.
Odorous House Ant wikipedia
Description:
The odorous house ant is native to most of the entire United States ranging from Canada into Mexico. These ants feed on many different items including most items found in homes but apparently prefer to feed on those high in sugars. The odorous house ant frequently wanders into structures for the combination of warm, moist spaces and sugar food. Due to their wide-ranging diet, the pests are capable of surviving in a variety of environments and situations also the high adaptability of the insects makes them particularly bothersome and invasive.
Appearance:
Workers are 1/16 to 1/8 inch (2.4-3.3 mm) long and monomorphic. The body varies in color from brown to black, antenna is 12-segmented without a club, thorax is uneven, and pedicel has one hidden node.
Lifecycle:
Odorous house ants can develop extremely large colonies but tend to maintain colonies of only several thousand workers with many queens. Winged reproductives appear in May through July. Workers are very active and move rapidly in single files.
Habits:
They mostly prefer sweets but will also feed on dead insects and grease. Nests are typically found outside under rocks and boards. Colonies are from hundreds to many thousands of individuals in size. Odorous house ants will also nest indoors near sources of moisture and warmth, in voids, but also in termite-damaged wood. Their ability to feed on many types of food brings them into conflict with us when they contaminate stored products in the pantry.
Crazy Ant 204033388
Description:
The crazy ant occurs in large numbers in homes or out of doors. Ants of this species often forage long distances away from their nests, so nests are often difficult to control. Its common name arises from its characteristic erratic and rapid movement, and habit of not following trails as often as other ants.

Appearance:
The crazy ant is an agricultural and household pest in most tropical and subtropical areas, and is a pervasive indoor pest in temperate areas. It has the ability to successfully survive in highly disturbed and artificial areas, including ships at sea. Since it can live indoors with humans, there is no limit to the latitude where it can exist. The ant is about 0.125 in (3.2 mm) long. It is covered with reddish-brown hairs.
Lifecycle:
Colonies of crazy ants are moderate to very populous. Colonies may grow sexual at any time of the year in warmer regions, especially in the warm rainy months of May through September. On warm, humid evenings, large numbers of males gather outside nest entrances and may mill about excitedly. Workers patrol vegetation and other structures nearby. Periodically, a wingless queen emerges. Wings of queens are removed while still callow. Males were never observed to fly or use their wings in any way. However, in several cases it has been observed that males frequently appear at lights.
Habits:
They tend aphids for honeydew, feed on small insects and vertebrates, and forage on plants, especially for sweet materials. The ants appear to prefer the warmth and moisture of the coast. The crazy ant is highly adaptable. The crazy ant often nests some distance away from its foraging area. It nests in such places as trash, refuse, cavities in plants and trees, rotten wood, and in soil
Field Ant 343504892
Description:
Field ants construct mounds made up of plant materials, such as grass, twigs, leaves and pine needles. They often nest around small trees, shrubs or rocks. Other species build their nests in the cracks of sidewalks, along foundation walls and at the base of trees. Field ants rarely nest in homes but occasionally enter in search of sweets.
Appearance:
Large ants are 3/8-inch and often are confused with Carpenter ants. There is a wide variation in color: black, brown, tan, reddish, or red and black in color. Thorax is bumpy in appearance. Key distinguishing feature is the presence of 3 celli on the head which are simple eyes on the front of the head between the ant's compound eyes.
Lifecycle:
Field ant colonies can survive for 10 or more years. Each colony contains a queen ant that lays all of the eggs that develop into sterile females (workers) and males (drones). Field ants DO NOT come indoors for food. They exclusively collect food outdoors and feed on live and dead insects, as well as on aphid honeydew.
Habits:
Field ants are common around structures, but are not often found inside. These ants are soil nesters and may construct mounds in open fields. In lawns, these nests have a low profile. rarely reaching above the top of the grass. They also nest under objects like rocks, landscape timbers and firewood piles. Displaced soil is often evident. Stones, logs, and bricks should be overturned and inspected for colonies underneath.
Big Headed Ant 205400836
Description:
A soil-nesting ant, is sometimes confused with subterranean termites because it may create debris-covered foraging tubes that are somewhat similar, albeit much more fragile, than termite tubes. More often these ants leave piles of loose sandy soil. Homeowners are annoyed by these dirt piles and by ants foraging in bathrooms, kitchens, around doors, and windows, as well as on exterior paved or brick walkways or driveways.
Appearance:
Small workers are around 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3 mm) yellowish or light to dark brown. The workers are different sizes and some have a very large head in proportion to their body.
Lifecycle:
Colonies can have large numbers of fertile queens and year-round brood production in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In some areas, colonies can form a virtually continuous super colony that excludes most other ant species. Fertilized queens shed their wings and find a nest site where they will begin laying eggs.
Habits:
They live in small colonies and build nests in open, well-shaded areas, seldom under items such as logs or stone. You may find nests in soil under shrubs and landscaping beds. The nest consists of numerous small galleries dug in the soil and excavated soil particles are deposited in a crater-shaped mound. Ants forage in easily detected trails. This ant prefers sweets and tends aphids for the honeydew that is produced, but may forage on sweets in the kitchen.
Little black ant wikipedia
Description:
Little black ants prefer to live outdoors in decaying wood, but will also build their nests in cracks in walls or cement. Outside, little black ants establish their nests under rocks or stones and in rotting logs, gardens and other open areas. Their nests can also be located within small craters of very fine soil. Indoors, little black ants build their nests in voids and cavities such as wall voids.
Appearance:
Little black ant workers are small about 0.15 cm, soldiers about 0.15 cm. The egg laying queen of the colony is the biggest member that can measure up to four millimeters.
Lifecycle:
Little black ant colonies have moderate to large populations, with two or more queens in one colony. Little black ant winged swarms are common from June to August, during which time mating occurs. After mating, both males and females shed their wings and the males die soon after mating. Newly established colonies grow rapidly and they build their nests in areas such as wall voids, rotting logs, cracks in cement, lawns and open areas.

Habits:
Little black ants can make their nests outdoors, in forests or right in your back yard, often under rocks and tree bark. They feed on sugary liquid called honeydew, made by small insects called aphids and scales, also by dead insects, spiders, and trash.
Thief Ant 190372787
Description:
They can survive just about anywhere. They can live in people’s homes, in the cracks or under the floorboards. They can build nests anywhere, such as under rocks, in any exposed soil, and rotting logs. If they cannot find any of these things, then they move into another colony. Their nests are generally large for the ants’ size, and have tunnels that lead to another ant colony for a reliable and steady food source
Appearance:
They can be yellowish or brownish tones of color. These ants have a two-segmented petiole connecting their abdomen to the thorax. They have 10 segments in their antennae, which end in large segmented clubs. Thief ants have small stingers on their oblong abdomen, and generally have small eyes.
Lifecycle:
Colonies of thief ant usually have anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand workers. Colonies have multiple queens. The number of thief ants in a colony depends on the location
Habits:
They eat grease whenever they find it, which is why they are sometimes called grease ants. They also eat, cheese and other dairy products, and seeds. They also eat larvae and pupae of other ant species. Thief ants do not appear to be attracted to sweets, unlike most other ants.
Acrobat ant 143440531
Description:
The acrobat ant is named, because of the way the worker ants carry their abdomens above the rest of the body as if they were performing a balancing act.
Appearance:
Acrobat ants are slightly longer than 1/8th inch. They vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown, and the heart-shaped abdomen is usually darker than the rest of the body.
Lifecycle:
Each colony contains a single queen and thousands of workers. Despite the general lack of information regarding their specific reproductive practices, acrobat ant colonies are known to produce swarmers just like any other ant species. During the right weather conditions, the winged swarmers leave their nests to mate and look for appropriate places to begin new colonies.

Habits:
Acrobat ants may nest both outdoors and indoors. Outdoor nests are most often in dead and decaying wood such as logs, stumps, dead trees limbs, firewood and hollow tree cavities. They may nest in damp soil beneath leaf litter or rocks. The small worker ants readily enter buildings through cracks around windows and doors and other openings. Trails of workers may be seen moving between the nest and a food source. Acrobat ants feed on a variety of foods, including other insects and sweets.
Honey Pot Ants wikipedia
Description:
During the rainy seasons the honey pot ant repletes are fed so much that they swell up and become living underground refrigerators, some can become so large that it’s impossible for them to leave their nest. The food is stored for the whole colony and is used during the dry seasons when food is not so plentiful.
Appearance:
A few honey pot ant species are known to be able to change colors to greens, oranges, reds, blues and yellows. This might be to do with the type of liquid they are holding. The workers range in size and color, especially the repletes when they have been filled with nutritious liquid, they resemble walking grapes.
Lifecycle:
Honey pot queen ant is one queen per each colony. Only two castes in the colony reproduce the queens and the males. Workers are sterile and tend to the queen and brood. Mating occurs during nuptial flights, where winged queens and males swarm outside the nest.
Habits:
Honey pot ants are normally found in hot dry areas such as the edges of deserts. Honey pot ants mostly gorge on desert flowers for the sugary nectar during the rainy seasons. They will also eat small insects.

Flies
Flies can regularly be found in homes and businesses across the USA. Some species are more common than others and are attracted to different environments suited to their natural habits and lifecycle. Flies are a common invader in homes and commercial accounts. But they are more than a nuisance. Flies land and feed on filth one moment and food and food preparation areas the next. This behavior lends itself to serious contamination of areas and flies are known to carry over 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs such as typhoid, cholera, Salmonella, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax, ophthalmia, and parasitic worms. Knowing about the size, habits, seasonality and lifecycle of different fly species, can help to identify the most effective prevention and fly control methods .Flies and other pests can contaminate food and food preparation areas and can even spread diseases to your customers and staff.

House Fly 21858790
Description:
Houseflies are the most common of all domestic flies, accounting for about 90% of all flies in that live in human habitations, and are one of the most widely distributed insects, as they are found all over the world. Flies are major carriers of diseases and can infest all types of premises. They are attracted to all types of food, including human food, pet food, animal feed, food waste and even feces. Seeing adult flies is usually the most common sign of activity and a potential problem. Larvae may also be seen as they crawl out of breeding material to pupate.
Appearance:
The common house fly is a dull gray fly, ¼-inch long with four dark stripes on the middle section (thorax) of its body. House flies typically lay eggs on garbage. White, legless maggots (the larval stage) hatch from the eggs and grow to about ½ inch. When fully grown, maggots crawl away from their food source to undergo the pupal stage. They form a dark brown cocoon, known as a puparium, and later emerge as adult house flies that can fly one or two miles in search of suitable egg-laying sites.
Lifecycle:
House flies are able to quickly mature from an egg to an adult. They breed in moist decaying vegetable matter egg in uncovered garbage can or pet food. Eggs are laid in batches of 120 to 150 and can hatch in 8 – 72 hours. The larvae of House Flies can take 3 – 60 days to mature, pupae matures in 3 – 28 days.
Habits:
Indoors, house flies can be found resting on walls, floors or ceilings. Outdoors they can be seen on plants, the ground, fences, compost heaps and rubbish bins. At night them they prefer to rest near food sources approx. 5 to 15 feet off the ground.
Horse Fly 113284696
Description:
Horse flies and deer flies are bloodsucking insects that can be serious pests of cattle, horses, and humans. Horse flies are a particular pest to livestock. Relentless biting attacks by females can result in reduced weight gain in some animals. Attack by a few of these persistent flies can make outdoor work and recreation miserable. Horse fly bites can be very painful for humans too .They have mouth parts that work like miniature knives, which they use to slash open the skin with a scissor–like motion. Flies and the intensity of their attack vary from year to year. Male horse flies are mainly pollen and nectar feeders and are most active during daylight hours.
Appearance:
Adults can be up to 25 mm long. They are black to dark brown in color with green or black eyes. The males have contiguous eyes, which easily differentiates them from females where the eyes are widely separated.
Lifecycle:
Mating is initiated in the air and completed on the ground where the female then deposits an egg mass sometimes with a shiny or chalky secretion, which aids in water protection. Eggs are laid in masses ranging from 100 to 1000 eggs on a vertical surface overhanging water or wet ground favorable to larvae development. The eggs hatch in 5–7 days. They overwinter in the larval stage and pupate during the spring and early summer. Adult life cycle is 30 to 60 days.
Habits:
Horse fly females are aggressive blood feeders, while males do not consume blood but feed on pollen and plant nectars. Female horse flies usually bite large, nonmoving mammals on the legs or body. Deer flies, in contrast, attack moving hosts and typically target high on the body, like the head or neck. They rarely bite near the head. Horse flies have a range of hosts that include mammals of almost all sizes, livestock, humans, pets and birds. Should a female horse fly be interrupted when attempting to feed, they will fly off but quickly return to bite again, or go to another host to consume a complete blood meal. Horse fly larvae studied by field researchers feed on midges, crane flies and even other horse fly larvae. Because of their cannibalistic behaviors, horse fly larvae are usually found living alone. Deer fly larvae, on the other hand, usually live in groups. Pupae do not feed.
Bluebottle Fly-Blow Fly 75209812
Description:
Blow flies are so-called because the larvae develop inside the bodies of dead animals, causing the carrion to have a bloated appearance. They also are attracted to garbage. Blow flies are about the size of house flies or slightly larger. They have been called “bottle flies” because their shiny blue and green color resemble like colored glass bottles, though some species are shiny black or bronze. Large numbers of these flies indoors usually indicates the presence of a dead animal such as a mouse or bird inside the structure.
Appearance:
Adults are 1/4"" - 1/2"" in length and metallic blue color. Larva is similar to the house fly larva in all respects except size, and they develop to 3/4"" when they mature. They take 7 – 12 days to mature.
Lifecycle:
Eggs hatch in 0 to 18 hours because partial development may occur within the female. Breeds in mostly meat derived substances, sometimes cheese, or common pest of dead rodents/birds etc.
Habits:
Bluebottle flies/Blow flies can often be seen hovering around garbage cans. These scavengers are attracted to pet feces and dead animals and as such are known carriers of disease. Bluebottle fly adults feed on nectar, while the larvae feed on carcasses of dead animals. Adults are also pollinators to some flowers with strong odor.
Cluster Fly 229201507
Description:
Cluster flies, also known as attic flies, are household pests. They appear on the sunny side of the structure in heaviest concentrations in late fall and early winter, as they seek warm locations in which to live during cold months. Although cluster flies are observed buzzing and congregating at windows, screens may prove ineffective in preventing their entrance. Cluster flies are capable of crawling through small openings in the walls of a structure. They hibernate in secluded parts of houses like attics and wall voids. On sunny winter days, the wall voids become warm and the cluster flies try to move toward light. Very often they find themselves in the inhabited parts of the house and the move to the windows. They cluster around the windows and they leave stains on walls and curtains if crushed.
Appearance:
Adults measure 8 to 10 mm length and have light and dark grey-checkered abdomens. The thorax of an adult cluster fly is covered in short golden hairs and the wings overlap when at rest. Cluster flies are slightly larger and darker than the common housefly and move more sluggishly.
Lifecycle:
The cluster fly life cycle begins when a female lays her eggs in the soil in late summer or early fall. These eggs hatch within a few days, after which larvae seek to enter the body cavities of earthworms. Cluster fly larvae feed on earthworm hosts for several days, at which time they molt and pupate in the soil. Cluster flies’ development time from egg to adult is about 27 to 39 days.
Habits:
Cluster flies are commonly found in quiet, undisturbed parts of your home, such as attics and wall voids. They require warm places to hibernate over winter. Cluster flies do not bite humans or animals. They also aren’t attracted to garbage. Their mouthparts, like many fly species are like a trunk and used for sucking. You may see a large group of cluster flies around a window, as they are attracted to the light on sunny winter days.
Sand Fly 92344699
Description:
The appearance of sand flies and their painful bites that can cause secondary infection are the most frequently observed sign of an infestation. Also, evidence of sand fly problems includes the incidence of human and animal diseases that are transmitted by sand fly bites.
Appearance:
Sand fly adults are small flies – only about 3 mm long – and are golden, brownish or gray colored. They have long, piercing mouthparts that are well adapted for sucking blood from their selected host. Sand flies hold their hairy-looking wings in a vertical V-shape when at rest, a characteristic that distinguishes them from some other small flies. Also, the six legs on the adults are extremely long, being longer than the insect’s body.
Lifecycle:
Females prefer to lay their eggs in damp soil or in the water. Sand fly females must consume a blood meal to develop eggs. The larvae can take up to two years to develop and live in loose sand. In the pupal stage the larvae curls into a circle or “u” shape lasting one or two weeks.
Habits:
Female sand flies are blood feeders, but the males do not feed on blood. Both males and females also consume sugar-related nutrients that come from plant nectar or honeydew. Sand fly hosts vary a great deal. Some species feed on both mammals and reptiles in general sand fly bites are very painful. Most flies that bite humans feed during the evening and throughout the night. In some cases, flies will attack in the daytime, if they are disturbed while resting. Daytime resting sites include cavities close to the ground such as dry tree holes, hollow logs, palm tree crowns and the canopy of tropical and sub-tropical rain forest jungles. Another commonly found place for daytime resting is inside the home.
Face Fly wikipedia
Description:
Face flies are one of the most difficult pasture pests to control. They are on cattle only for short periods of time during the day and stay mostly on the head, which is difficult to treat with insecticides. Face flies use an abrasive sponging mouthpart to stimulate tear flow from the eyes. These flies lap up the protein rich secretions from the eye as well as nasal discharges, saliva, or blood oozing from wounds. Most off the time they are resting on plants, fence posts, or other objects.
Appearance:
Adult face flies look much like house flies. They are about 6-8 mm in length and have four dark stripes on top of their gray-colored thorax. Females look almost identical to males except they have yellow coloration on the front portion of their abdomen. The thorax is gray with four dark stripes.
Lifecycle:
The yellowish-white egg has two ridges on its dorsal side and is elongated at one end into a slender, grayish-black stalk. Each egg is about 3.0 mm long (including the stalk) and about 0.5 mm wide. The active larvae are grey or brownish. They are alligator–like with well–developed legs and large pincers with which they suck the body fluids from prey insects such as aphids. The puparium is slightly smaller than the mature larvae and is gray or dirty white.
Habits:
Face flies do not bite their victims. Adult face flies overwinter in buildings and other sheltered areas and become active in early spring. Face flies are cattle pests in the warm weather months, but migrate into the walls, attics or ceilings of barns or other buildings that provide a protected place to overwinter. As the weather warms the adult flies move outdoors or may become active indoors.
Flesh Fly 113491606
Description:
Flesh flies are sometimes among the first insects to arrive at a dead animal carcass. Areas around the home with rotting matter, such as garbage cans, compost piles, animal droppings, and animal carcasses, can attract flesh fries. Not commonly found in the home, flesh flies frequently infest industrial buildings like meat processing and packing facilities. Adult flesh flies don’t bite humans, but they do feed on liquid substances, and may infest wounds, carrion, and excrement. In some instances, flesh flies may be beneficial because their larvae prey on blow fly larvae, lesser house fly larvae, and grasshopper nymphs. Also, forensic investigators may use the development of flesh fly larvae in a carcass or corpse to help determine time of death.
Appearance:
Flesh flies look like house flies, but are generally larger. Flesh flies usually have gray bodies with three black stripes on the thorax. The abdomen has a light and dark gray checkerboard pattern and is often red at the tip. Though some species may be smaller than house flies, most flesh flies are about 10 to 13 mm long.

Lifecycle:
They overwinter as pupae in North Carolina and other temperate climates. Rarely very numerous, the flies emerge in spring and mate. Eggs are laid only under very unusual circumstances. As a rule, eggs hatch within the body of the adult. Females of most species deposit 20 to 40 larvae directly onto the host or substrate. As many as 325 larvae have been known to been born by a single female. Flesh fly maggots feed for 3 or 4 days and develop through 3 instars. Soon afterward, these mature maggots enter the pupal stage. Adult flies emerge in 10 to 14 days and the life cycle is repeated. Several generations are produced each year.
Habits:
Some flesh flies prefer to breed in dead rodents, bats and birds found in attics, crevices and wall voids, so if flesh flies become a problem inside a structure, your pest management professional should inspect for a dead animal. They are attracted to decaying wastes, excrement and human foods making a threat to human health.
Stable Fly wikipedia
Description:
Stable flies also known as "biting flies" can deliver a painful bite. They bite people, livestock, pets and other mammals. The bites may feel like a needle stab and typically occur around the ankles and lower parts of the legs. Stable flies are very persistent when searching for a blood meal. They require the blood meal for reproduction. Stable flies overwinter in breeding sites and emerge the following spring as adults.
Appearance:
The length of an adult stable fly is typically 5–8 mm. They are gray in color with 4 dark stripes on the thorax and several dark spots on the top of the abdomen having a slightly wider and spotted abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Stable flies breed in moist, decaying organic matter. The adult female lives for four to six weeks in the laboratory but around seven to ten days in the field, and during this time she lays multiple clutches of eggs. Each clutch may contain 60-130 eggs, which are laid in small groups within a suitable substrate. Each female fly may lay up to 800 eggs in her lifetime, with each clutch requiring a separate blood meal. Eggs hatch in 12 to 24 hours into first instar larvae, which feed and mature through three instars in 12 to 13 days at the optimum breeding site temperature of 27°C. Third instar larvae transform to pupae within the puparia. The adults develop inside and then emerge from the puparia. The average stable fly life cycle in the field ranges from 12–20 days depending on the environmental conditions, but is usually around 28 days. Adults can fly within one hour post-emergence, and will be ready to mate three to five days later. Once mated, the female will start to lay eggs five to eight days post-emergence.
Habits:
Stable flies prefer to feed outdoors and rarely are found feeding or resting indoors. These flies are strong fliers and dispersion from one livestock facility to the next is common. They remain active into October, but the larval development slows as autumn temperatures decrease.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are a common problem for many homeowners or food establishments and are often seen swarming around kitchen fruit bowls and near garbage storage areas. As the name implies, fruit flies are attracted to fruits, as well as vegetables, sitting out on store shelves, in bowls in kitchens, and ripening in the garden. They also breed in drains, garbage disposals, trash containers, empty beer and soda bottles or cans, and soppy mops and buckets. Fruit flies only need fermenting fruit or a moist film of organic material to breed and thrive. Fruit flies exhibit the typical four-stage insect reproductive of egg-larvae-pupae-adult. The larvae begin feeding on decaying fruit immediately upon hatching. It takes about one to two weeks to complete the entire metamorphosis. What makes fruit flies so difficult to control is that one female fruit fly can lay as many as 500 eggs in her short lifespan.
Drain Flies/Moth flies 191505800
Description:
Drain flies, or moth flies, are small, dark winged, non-biting gnats. Their wings are covered with scales so they disappear in a cloud of fine dust when swatted or mashed. These nuisance gnats can be found resting on walls or ceilings, and make short hopping flights if disturbed.
Appearance:
The key identifying character for the moth fly is the unique pattern of veins in its wings. The entire body and wings of the moth fly are covered with tiny hairs, giving it a moth-like appearance. To the naked eye, this tiny pest might appear to be a small fly with fat wings; the aid of a magnifying glass reveals the unmistakable moth-like appearance. This small fly is no more than 1/8 inch in length including the wings. They are usually black in color.
Lifecycle:
Moth flies lay eggs in a mass of 30 to 100. These eggs hatch in less than 48 hours. The larvae and pupae of the moth fly live in the thin film found in drains, septic tank field lines or filter stones. The larvae feed on sediment, decaying vegetation and microscopic plants and animals. The larval stage lasts from 9 to 15 days and the pupal stage lasts from 20 to 40 hours. The newly emerged adult fly is sexually mature on emergence and copulates within the first few hours of its life.
Habits:
Drain flies often are a big problem. They develop in standing water. They may also breed in moist shady areas outdoors such as under potted plants, in bird feeders and baths, in moss, in clogged roof gutters, under air conditioners, in thick mulch, or on wet ground areas. The larvae feed on decaying material that collects in drains. In natural settings, moth fly larvae feed on decaying plants and animals. They breathe through a tube that helps them survive even when their environment is very wet.
Fruit fly 157780298
Description:
Fruit flies are small flies. The key identifying characteristic of the fruit fly is its eyes, which are red in color. The head and thorax are tan in color with the abdomen somewhat darker. The two most visible signs of fruit fly activity would be the adult flies and the pupae. Adult flies often are seen flying around in kitchens or trash cans near the decaying fruit or vegetables.

Appearance:
Adults are 3 to 4 mm long, may have red eyes, though some are dark eyed, and a tan thorax. The abdomen is black on top, gray underneath. Fruit flies can appear to be brown or tan in color.
Lifecycle:
Fruit flies develop by complete metamorphosis. The eggs (which are difficult to see with the naked eye) are deposited near the surface of fermenting fruit or organic matters, a pair of filaments that are attached to the eggs protrude above the surface of the liquid. The female fruit fly will lay about 500 eggs. The larvae emerge about 30 hours after the eggs have been laid and feed near the surface of the fermenting material. The larvae feed for five to six days then crawl to drier areas of the food source or even out of the food source to pupate. The larva transforms into the pupa in the last larval skin, or puparium, which bears a conspicuous pair of filaments on the anterior end. The adult fruit fly emerges several days later. The newly emerged fruit flies are attracted to light and become sexually active in about two days. The adults mate more than once. Under ideal conditions, the life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as eight days. The sudden appearance of large populations is not uncommon inside buildings.
Habits:
Fruit flies are especially attracted to ripened fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. But they also will breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops and cleaning rags. All that is needed for development is a moist film of fermenting material. Infestations can originate from over-ripened fruits or vegetables that were previously infested and brought into the home. The adults can also fly in from outside through inadequately screened windows and doors.
Fungus gnat 67065043
Description:
Gnats present in soil are typically the fungus gnats. Because larvae remain within soil and near the bottom of affected plants, fungus gnat infestations are difficult to identify before they have caused considerable damage. Fungus gnat larvae often go unnoticed, as they remain near the roots of affected plants. Adult fungus gnats appear similar to small flies and many times are not identified as being destructive.
Appearance:
Most species are black in color and very small (less than 1/16 inch) in size, although a few species may reach 1/4 inch long. Key identifying characteristics include long legs and long thin wings.
Lifecycle:
Females lay small, yellowish-white eggs on the surface of moist soil. The larvae that hatch are legless, with white or transparent bodies and shiny black heads. Fully grown larvae measure approximately 1/4 inch in length. They live within soil and eventually develop into pupae. Pupae are initially white, although they darken as they mature.
Habits:
Some fungus gnat larvae are known for their propensity to feed on the roots and lower stem tissues of plants. These feeding habits stunt and might kill affected plants. They can cause severe damages both to houseplants or greenhouses. Young plants are highly susceptible to fungus gnat damage.
Phorid fly 307185944
Description:
The phorids, also known as humpbacked flies, are small to minute flies that resemble fruit flies in appearance. When people see small-sized flies in their home, their first thought is that they must be fruit flies. However, there are a handful of other kinds of small flies that may also be found in homes. One common type is the phorid (FOUR-id) fly also know as humpbacked fly, coffin fly, and scuttle fly.
Appearance:
The Phorid fly lacks the red eye color that is the classic trademark of the fruit fly. Phorid flies are in the small category of flies, measuring up to 1/8 inch in length, including the wings. The most prominent feature of this fly is the humpbacked shape of its thorax. The severe arch of the thorax gives it the common nickname of humpbacked fly.
Lifecycle:
Phorid flies develop by egg, larva, pupa and adult. The female will lay about 20 eggs at a time and will lay about 40 eggs in a 12 hour period. Each adult female phorid will lay approximately 500 eggs. The tiny eggs are deposited on or near the surface of decaying organic matter. Larvae emerge in 24 hours and feed for 8 to 16 days. The Phorid fly larvae then crawl to a drier spot to pupate. The life cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as 14 days under ideal conditions but may take as long as 37 days to complete their cycle.
Habits:
Adult Phorid flies are fairly common in many habitats, but are most abundant about decaying plant and animal matter. In structures, these flies can be found breeding wherever moisture exists around plumbing and drains in bathroom and kitchen areas, garbage containers, garbage disposals, crawl space areas and basements. The most easily recognized feature is the habit of the adult Phorid fly running rapidly across surfaces instead of immediately flying when disturbed.
Vinegar Fly wikipedia
Description:
Vinegar flies, sometimes inaccurately called fruit flies, are small, slow-flying insects usually found in association with over-ripened fruit and vegetables. These insects are most abundant in the late summer months when vegetables or other fruit ripen and begin to ferment. Vinegar flies are common nuisance pests in restaurants, grocery stores, fruit markets, canneries, homes, and other locations that may attract these insects with fermenting or rotting vegetative matter.
Appearance:
Vinegar fly adults vary (depending on species and food source) from 3 to 4 mm in length (25 mm = 1 inch), are light yellowish brown to dark brown in color, and may have darker markings on the dorsum of the thorax in the form of spots, blotches, or lines (Fig 1). Most have reddish eyes. The antennae have three segments with the third segment being oval and bearing a branched arista (hair-like structure), the branches of which are relatively long. The abdomen is typically darker than the thorax due to the presence of dark bands on the segments.
Lifecycle:
Female can lay up to 500 eggs which will develop to adult in about 7 days. Adult only lives for about 2 weeks.
Habits:
Breeds in fermenting residues found in pubs, fruit & vegetables, breweries, etc. Larvae feed on bacteria and yeast found in rotting fruit and vegetable. May also breed in unclean drains and cleaning utensils.
Cheese Skipper wikipedia
Description:
The cheese skipper, Piophila casei (Linnaeus), sometimes called the ham skipper, is a member of the "skipper fly" family (Piophilidae). These flies receive their name due to the unusual ability of the larvae to propel themselves through the air. The flies are detritivores, feeding on decaying matter, cheese fly is a species of fly known for infesting human foodstuffs. Usually feed on overripe and moldy cheese, and slightly salted or putrid-smelling meats, such as ham, bacon, and beef.
Appearance:
Are small metallic-colored flies, usually black/bluish-black with bronze-colored tints on the head, thorax, and abdomen, with reddish-brown eyes and iridescent wings. Cheese skipper adults are usually about half the size of a common house fly. Males are 4.4-4.5 mm from the tip of the head to the tip of the wings, whereas females are slightly larger, usually measuring 5.0-5.2 mm. The dominant color of both males and females is a metallic black-bronze. The palps and proboscis are usually covered with bristles, and the antennae are short. The compound eyes found on both sexes are usually bare and red in color. The thorax has distinct rows of setae, and long setae are also found on the sides of the insect. The legs are covered with short spines and often have both yellow and brown colorations. The wings are iridescent and nearly overlap when resting. Halteres, rudimentary second wings, are typically a pale yellow color
Lifecycle:
The complete life cycle of a cheese skipper in appropriate nourishment and temperature conditions can be as short as 12 days. However, the typical life cycle is as follows: Egg 23 to 54 hours - Larva 14 days - Pupa 12 days - Adult 3 to 7 days.
Habits:
Cheese skippers usually feed on overripe (three or more months old) and moldy cheese, and slightly salted or putrid-smelling meats, such as ham, bacon, and beef. Larvae are typically found on high-protein substrates ranging from salted beef to smoked fish and animal carcasses. Signs of cheese skippers in foods include the presence of whitish-colored eggshells as well as small grooves or creases found in the surface of cheeses made by first-instar larvae. Infested cheeses will usually have soft or sunken areas, and meats may have a shiny grease-like liquid drip from infested areas. Eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults are found near or on infested materials.

Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are flying, biting insects that develop in water during their immature stages. Some of the many species found in New York are considered pests and can transmit diseases to humans and some animals. Mosquitoes are small flying insects that feed on human and animal blood or plant juices. Three are the most common species of mosquitoes in New York State. Only female mosquitoes bite to get a blood meal for their growing eggs. Mosquitoes usually become infected from feeding on infected birds. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in moist areas, such as standing water. The eggs become larvae that remain in the water until they mature into adults and fly off. Weeds, tall grass and shrubbery provide an outdoor home for adult mosquitoes. They also can enter houses, apartments and buildings through unscreened windows and doors. Many mosquitoes will breed in any container that holds water, such as flowerpots, wading pools or discarded tires. Some mosquitoes are active between dusk and dawn, when the air is calm. However, others will feed at any time of day. Mosquitoes prefer a warm, moist environment. They are active from early summer until late fall in New York State.
House Mosquitoes/Culex 53630308
Description:
Culex pipiens is commonly referred to as the House Mosquito. It is the main vector, or carrier, of St. Louis Encephaliti, West Nile Virus, Western Equine Encephalitis, Heartworm in dogs, and bird malaria.
Appearance:
Is a medium-sized mosquito and is brown in color. The body is about 3.96 to 4.25 mm long. While the main body is brown, the proboscis, thorax, wings, and tarsi are darker than the rest of the body. The head is light brown with the lightest portion in the center. The antennae and the proboscis are about the same length, but in some cases, the antennae are slightly shorter than the proboscis. The flagellum has 13 segments that may have few or no scales. The scales of the thorax are narrow and curved. The abdomen has pale, narrow, rounded bands on the basal side of each tergite. Males can be differentiated from females in having large palps and feathery antennae
Lifecycle:
Adults fly at night to nutrient-rich standing water to lay eggs. The larvae feed on organic material in the water and require between five to eight days to complete their development at 86°F. The larvae pass through four larval instars, and towards the end of the fourth instar, they stop eating and undergo moulting to give rise to pupae. After 36 hours at 80°F, adults emerge. The exact timing of development can vary depending on temperature. Both males and females take sugar meals from plants. But after mating, the female seeks a blood meal on mammals and birds. Ingested blood is necessary for egg development. A single female can lay up to five rafts of eggs in a lifetime, with each raft containing thousands of eggs. The exact number varies depending on climatic conditions.
Habits:
Mosquitoes main target have been birds, the House mosquito is now targeting humans and mammals on a regular basis. The mosquito bites an infected bird and then goes to another blood meal host, whether a human or another bird, and bites that new victim, injecting it with the virus from the original bird. This process has helped to spread diseases from bird to bird, and more recently, from bird to humans and other mammals. Culex pipiens can therefore be considered a “bridge” vector as it transmits viruses between birds and mammals.

Yellow Fever Mosquitoes (Aedes mosquito) 371317264
Description:
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that can be recognized by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of the thorax. The mosquito is now found in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. The average wing length of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes varies greatly.
Appearance:
The adult yellow fever mosquito is a small to medium-sized mosquito, approximately 4 to 7 millimeters. To the unaided eye, adult yellow fever mosquitoes resemble the Asian tiger mosquito with a slight difference in size and thorax patterns. Aedes aegypti adults have white scales on the dorsal (top) surface of the thorax that form the shape of a violin or lyre, while adult albopictus have a white stripe down the middle of the top of the thorax. Each tarsal segment of the hind legs possesses white basal bands, forming what appear to be stripes. The abdomen is generally dark brown to black, but also may possess white scales. Females are larger than males, and can be distinguished by small palps tipped with silver or white scales. Males have plumose antennae, whereas females have sparse short hairs. When viewed under a microscope, male mouthparts are modified for nectar feeding, and female mouthparts are modified for blood feeding
Lifecycle:
About three days after feeding on blood, the female lays her eggs inside a container just above the water line. Eggs are laid over a period of several days, are resistant to drying, and can survive for periods of six or more months. When the container is refilled with water, the eggs hatch into larvae. The entire life cycle (i.e., from egg to adult) can occur in as little as 7-8 days. The life span for adult mosquitoes is around three weeks.
Habits:
This mosquito bites primarily during the day, both indoors and outdoors. They are most active for approximately two hours after sunrise and several hours before sunset, but can bite at night in well-lit areas. Aedes aegypti can bite people without being noticed. This mosquito prefers biting people but it also bites dogs and other domestic animals, mostly mammals
Common Malaria Mosquito/Anopheles mosquito 378147646
Description:
Anopheline adults rest with their abdomens positioned at a discrete angle to the surface, whereas other species keep their bodies parallel to the surface, which makes them easy to identify when sitting on the skin.
Appearance:
Species in the genus Anopheles have long palps approximately equal in length to the proboscis. They are very dark mosquitoes covered in dark brown to black hairs. Anopheles quadrimaculatus has dark scales on the wings with patches of scales forming four darker spots on the wing

Lifecycle:
Like all mosquitoes, anophelines go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The first three stages are aquatic and last 5-14 days, depending on the species and the ambient temperature. The adult stage is when the female Anopheles mosquito acts as malaria vector. The adult females can live up to a month (or more in captivity) but most probably do not live more than 1-2 weeks in nature.
Habits:
One important behavioral factor is the degree to which an Anopheles species prefers to feed on humans or animals such as cattle. Anthrophilic Anopheles are more likely to transmit the malaria parasites from one person to another. Most Anopheles mosquitoes are not exclusively anthropophilic or zoophilic. Most Anopheles mosquitoes are crepuscular (active at dusk or dawn) or nocturnal (active at night). Some Anopheles mosquitoes feed indoors (endophagic) while others feed outdoors (exophagic). After blood feeding, some Anopheles mosquitoes prefer to rest indoors (endophilic) while others prefer to rest outdoors (exophilic). Factors that affect a mosquito's ability to transmit malaria include its innate susceptibility to Plasmodium, its host choice, and its longevity. Factors that should be taken into consideration when designing a control program include the susceptibility of malaria vectors to insecticides and the preferred feeding and resting location of adult mosquitoes.
Wasps 314592644
Description:
Wasps make up an enormously diverse array of insects, with some 30,000 identified species. We are most familiar with those that are wrapped in bright warning colors that buzz angrily about in groups and threaten us with painful stings.
Appearance:
Their appearance varies tremendously depending on species. Most have two pair of wings and a pinched waist. They range in colors from black to metallic greens and blues and vary in size from almost microscopic to several centimeters long.
Lifecycle:
In spring, queens emerge from hibernation and make a new nest. Over summer the nest expansion and the number of workers increases. In autumn the nest produces males (drones) and females (new queens) which can reproduce. In winter, new queens fly away from the nest and hibernate and the nest usually dies. Sometimes nests can survive winter and thus skip the ‘new nest’ phase.
Habits:
Some wasps are aggressive species and can sting when threatened. Unlike honey bees, wasps often are capable of stinging multiple times. Wasp species are categorized as social or solitary. As their name implies, social wasps live in colonies, which may number in the thousands. Within these colonies, female workers perform all duties within the nest. Solitary wasps live alone and therefore do not have a colony. They lay eggs, but their eggs are left alone to hatch.

Spiders 133373873
Description:
There are many different types of spiders that live all over USA and there are 39 different species we meet in New York in practically every type of habitat. They come in colors including black, brown, white, gray, red, yellow, green, and orange. Most spiders live for about a year. Spiders range in size from barely visible to many inches across. Spiders are arachnids and not insects. Young spiders are often cannibals, they will eat each other, and females often eat the male after mating. Spiders are meat-eaters and most of them eat insects, like moths and crickets, but the larger spiders, like tarantulas, could also eat small animals.
Appearance:
All spiders have eight legs each leg has 2 to 3 tiny claws at the end. They have a two-part body and strong jaws usually with poisonous fangs. They have a hard exoskeleton and not an internal skeleton.
Lifecycle:
After mating with a male, the female spider produces an egg sac that can contain up to a thousand tiny spider eggs. The egg sac is made of silk, and the color varies from species to species. In some species, the female spider carries the egg sac on her spinnerets or in her jaws until the eggs hatch. In other species, the egg sac is hidden under a rock, attached to a plant stalk, or encased in a web. Tiny spiderlings hatch from the eggs - they look like tiny versions of an adult spider. Some spiderlings are leaven on their own and receive no care from their mother. Other spiders climb onto their mother's back after hatching, where she feeds them. In some species, the mother dies when the young are ready to go off on their own, and the spiderlings eat her carcass.
Habits:
Spiders produce silk in abdominal glands called spinnerets which they use to make webs and traps for catching prey, shelter, life lines, cocoons, and more. The tips of the spider's legs are oily, this oil keeps them from getting trapped in their own webs. Weight for weight, spider's silk is stronger than steel. House spider webs are irregularly shaped and can be located in various places within a home, including windows, ceiling corners and above or beneath fixtures. The presence of common house spiders is typically characterized by the formation of cobwebs. These silken thread structures can be found throughout infested homes. This abundance of empty webs is caused by the common house spider’s propensity to spin webs in various locations until it finds the most suitable place to catch prey. Webs are designed as trapping mechanisms and are funnel-shaped, with the narrow end acting as a den for the arachnid. Any contact made with the web produces vibrations throughout the strand, signaling to the common house spider that prey is present. Although common house spiders feed primarily on insects, they may also consume larger spiders, scorpions, rodents and small reptiles.

Silver Fish 90904907
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 characterized by their three tail-like appendages that extend out from the abdomen. They have a flattened body and eyes that are small or absent and 6 legs. They move very fast and in a fish like motion which is responsible for their common name.
Lifecycle:
The type of development displayed by a Silverfish is called Incomplete Metamorphosis and always consists of the egg, nymph and adult stage. The life of a silverfish begins when the nymph hatches from the egg. A Silverfish nymph looks just like an adult Silverfish does, just smaller. The nymphs spend between 3 to 24 months growing before they reach the adult stage. Once they are sexually mature adults, there are elaborate courtship rituals which lead to the fertilization of one to several eggs. Fertilization is indirect because the female will collect a sperm package that a male has left behind. A female may lay numerous batches of eggs over a period of a few weeks. The eggs are white, oval shaped, tiny and are laid in cracks or crevices to protect them. The life span of an adult Silverfish is then typically 2-3 years.
Habits:
Silverfish are known for their destructive feeding habits, oftentimes ruining papers, clothing and wallpaper. They commonly infest dark, damp areas around paper and linen sources. Silverfish infestations can be found in kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, attics and basements. Silverfish can survive in almost any environment, but they prefer areas with high humidity. Nymphs develop faster in areas that are humid. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent an infestation is to control humidity. In crawl spaces, open vents and in basements, use baseboards with caulking. Silverfish consume a variety of foods, and stringent housekeeping practices may help prevent an infestation by limiting potential feeding sites.
Earwigs 105012401
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.
Appearance:
Earwigs are beetle-like, short-winged, fast moving insects about one-half to one inch in length. They have chewing-type mouthparts, a pair of pincer-like appendages at the tip of their abdomen and are dark brown in color.
Lifecycle:
Earwigs mate end to end, often grasping each other's pincers. Female earwigs are able to store sperm for several months before fertilization. A female will lay hers eggs in a burrow she has excavated or in natural crevices in the soil, where she will stand guard protectively until the young hatch. The female guards the eggs from predators and constantly turns and cleans them, preventing fungus diseases. Upon hatching the young earwigs resemble small adults and remain under the protection of their mother for a short period of time. They must then disperse to new areas or risk being eaten by her.
Habits:
Earwigs are commonly found in dark, sheltered environments and are common under rocks, logs and the bark of trees. They are common over most of New York and many species frequent suburban backyards and homes. Earwigs are nocturnal and may often be attracted to lights at night. Most species of earwigs are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of plant and animal material. Many species live primarily on a diet of plant matter, both living and decaying. They also consume dead insects and other organisms, while some species prey on live insects. The cerci are often used to hold food and carry prey after it has been killed. Earwigs can infest many different areas in a home. Because of that, it may be necessary to use several insecticide products to control them effectively.
Centipedes 360316826
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. Their size is 1/8 – 6” (4-152 mm) and they have 15 - 177 pairs of legs.
Lifecycle:
They place eggs in dampened soil during summer or spring. As centipedes become adults, they grow a complete set of legs and extra segments. Most centipedes live for more than a year and some up to six years.
Habits:
They are typically found in areas of high moisture, such as in rotting logs, under stones, in trash or piles of leaves/grass. When they invade homes, centipedes are most commonly found in damp basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms, or potted plants.
Melipides 124974626
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 deposited in the soil. Most species reach sexual maturity in the second year and live several years after that.

Habits:
Millipedes are usually restricted to moist places where they feed on organic matter. In the fall, they may become a nuisance because they migrate away from feeding areas and invade homes. Because they crawl along the ground, they are usually found in lower floors and basements. Once inside the home, they usually die due to desiccation, although in moist basements, they can survive longer.
Common Pest in Food Species/Stored Products
Pests of stored products can refer to any organism that infests and damages stored food, books and documents, fabrics, leather, carpets, and any other dried or preserved item that is not used shortly after it is delivered to a location, or moved regularly. Stored product pests are responsible for the loss of millions of dollars every year in contaminated products, as well as destruction of important documents and heritage artifacts in homes, offices, restaurants, food processing establishments and other important properties. Many of these pests are brought indoors in items that were infested when purchased. Others originate indoors when susceptible items are stored under poor storage conditions, or when stray individual pests gain access to them.
Storage pests often go unnoticed because they infest items that are not regularly used and they may be very small in size. Infestations are noticed when the pests emerge from storage, to disperse or sometimes as a result of crowding or after having exhausted a particular food source, and search for new sources of food and harborage. Unexplained occurrences of minute moths and beetles flying in large numbers near stored items, or crawling over countertops, walls and ceilings, powdery residues below and surrounding stored items, and stale odors in pantries and closets can all indicate a possible storage pest infestation. Infestations in stored whole grains or beans can also be detected when these are soaked in water, and hollowed out seeds rise to the surface, along with the adult stages of the pests, and other debris. Other telltale signs are clumping or webbing of particles.
It is important to recognize these pests and locate the sources of infestation as soon as possible, to prevent their establishment and spread. This section will cover insects and mites commonly encountered in storage and these can be broadly grouped into stored food (or pantry products), and stored fabric (or closet) pests. However, many of these pests are not restricted to either group and will infest food, fabric, as well as many other similar items of plant or animal origin. Pests of stored food/pantry pests are grouped into insects (beetles, moths) and non-insects (mites). However, large infestations can significantly alter the appearance, taste, flavor and quality of food, as well as create favorable conditions for growth of secondary fungal and bacterial pathogens. Allergic reactions can be produced in sensitive people. Certain general pests such as ants are often attracted to food stored in pantries and may be toxic if consumed in large numbers.
MOTHS
Almond Moth wikipedia
Description:
The almond moth will feed on a variety of grain and seeds, as well as other dry goods like fruit and pet food. You may also find the moth in coarse flour and cornmeal. Almond Moth goes by the nicknames “Cocoa Moth” and "Warehouse Moth". The almond moth infests stored products and the adults can fly. You will be able to tell if you have an almond moth infestation if you see them flying around where dry food is stored. This will often be during the later hours of the day, starting at dusk. Larvae will stay on the food item until it is ready to pupate, often crawling to the ceiling of the container to make its cocoon. In foods stored in cardboard boxes, for example, you might notice small holes in the sides from where the larvae began to munch. In contaminated items, there will often be silk-like webbing if the moth is present, so be sure to look carefully before you eat. A sign of infestation in the product is contamination with silk webbing, frass, cast skins, pupal cases and adult remains. Almond moths are common in warehouses that provide storage for food product. This cosmopolitan moth will feed on many species of nut, such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts and many more. They will also feed on dried fruit, figs, dates, cocoa beans, seeds and grains. Is found worldwide, but it can only overwinter inside heated structures in temperate areas.
Appearance:
The body is 7.5 – 10 mm long the adult almond moth has a wing span of 19 mm. The forewings are grey to dusty brown. The larvae is white to pink in color and has a distinctive brown head, there is a dark straight band across the forewing, which is paler on the inner edge.
Lifecycle:
The female lays 150 - 200 eggs loosely and randomly on a food source. The larva can grow to 12.7 mm in length. When the larva is mature it will actively leave the food source and search for a site in which to pupate. The larva pupates in a silk cocoon.
Habits:
The almond moth is found worldwide in processing facilities, warehouses and households. It feeds on grain, cereal products, oilseeds and dried plant products, like nuts, fruit and tobacco. The larva burrows into food and creates silk tunnels in which it will be concealed while feeding. Large larva can burrow through packing.
Indian Meal Moth 396649876
Description:
The Indian Meal Moth is a very troublesome and common pest that many families and businesses across the United States deal with on a daily basis. Pest found in flour mills, processing plants, dried fruit and on the surface of all types of grains. Indian meal moth larva's is a very common commercial and pantry pest. Like many other pests, the Indian Meal Moth is largely dependent upon its surrounding temperature and food availability for its survival. If there is an extreme change to either one of these factors, the Indian Meal’s life can be as short as one month. In ideal living conditions Indian Meal Moths can live upwards of one year. These moths are found on most continents, and have helped themselves to grains and food in manufacturing plants, grocery stores, restaurants and homes. Once an infestation has been found, humans have no choice but to throw away all contaminated food, as well as any food that could have been even mildly touched. Although Indian Meal Moths can be annoying and difficult to get rid of in a personal kitchen, they can be detrimental in a commercial setting. Restaurants and packaging plants can lose hundreds of dollars from damaged products they can also lose customer loyalty.
Appearance:
Adult has wingspread of about 14 – 20mm. Has pale gray wings, but the front wing is reddish brown and coppery on the outer two-thirds. Mature larva is usually dirty white, but may vary to greenish, pinkish, or brownish, depending on the food it eats. Head region is yellowish to reddish brown.
Lifecycle:
The Indian meal moth female lays approximately 200 eggs, on food material during a 1-18 day period of time. Temperature and availability of food determine the length of the larval stages. The last instar larva leaves the food to find a suitable place for pupation. The complete life cycle takes 25-135 days, with 4-6 generations per year.
Habits:
Their larvae produce the web material commonly found in food, such as dried fruits, whole wheat and, cornmeal, and shelled or ear corn. Attracted to grain, grain products; corn, lots of different dried foods, such as fruit, nuts, seeds, biscuits and powdered milk; chocolate, candy; dried red peppers; dry dog food etc.
Mediterranean Flour Moth 189314747
Description:
The Mediterranean flour moth larva is a very common commercial and pantry pest. It is a pest of mills and warehouses as it can clog machinery with its webs. The Mediterranean flour moth can be found on a great variety of foodstuffs in addition to flour, grain residues (insect-infected grain, broken kernels, and dust), and various whole grains. Although this insect is not as serious a pest as the Indian meal moth and some of the grain infesting beetles, it still causes clogging of machinery with its webbing, and at times causes grain mill shut-downs. Mediterranean flour moths are common moth pests of food goods in the kitchen or pantry. It is common in every part of the United States.
Appearance:
Mediterranean Flour Moth adult has wingspread of about 20 – 22mm and when at rest it is 10 - 14 mm long. The hind wings are dirty white while the forewings are blue-grey with transverse dark wavy bars and a row of dark spots at the tip. The larvae are white in color with a brown head and neck shield. The larvae can take on a pinkish or greenish hue and can reach a length of 15 - 20 mm. The pupa form a brown, spindle shaped cocoon approximately 9 mm.
Lifecycle:
The female lay between 100 - 700 eggs (usually 200) among the food source and usually fastens the eggs to the infested material. The eggs usually hatch in 3 - 5 days and the hatching larvae produce a lot of webbing. The young larvae confine themselves to silken tubes which are constantly spun. The larva attains full size in around 40 days. The larva pupates in or on top of the infested material (usually flour) or in cracks and crevices nearby. The life cycle can be completed in as few as 4 - 6 weeks but usually takes about 3 months.
Habits:
The Mediterranean flour moth is mostly found infesting flour and meal. It has also been found infesting grain, bran, cereal products, nuts, chocolate, seeds, beans, biscuits, dried fruits and other stored foods.
Tobacco Moth wikipedia
Description:
The Tobacco Moth is an introduced pest species of moth. Often found in warehouses and other areas where food or tobacco is stored. Commonly known as either Tobacco moth, Cocoa Moth or Warehouse moth, are a widely distributed pest moth of stored products. They are considered a primary pest of stored products and can infest many products including tobacco, grains, pulses, processed flours and dried fruits The number of generations varies with climate as they can have as few as one generation a year in colder areas up to constant breeding in ideal conditions
Appearance:
The moth has a wing expanse of 14-17 mm; when at rest, the wings folded to a roof over the body, it is 8-11 mm long. The adult moth has brownish grey forewings crossed with two light bands. The hindwings are paler and plain grey. The caterpillars are whitish, yellowish or reddish (depending on nutrition) with brown head and neck shields. They grow to a length of 10-15 mm.
Lifecycle:
The female deposits about 100 eggs, singly or in small clusters. The caterpillars cover the infested goods with webbing. Pupation occurs in a cocoon. The development period depends on warmth and nutrition. Depending on the season, complete development takes 2-6 months.
Habits:
The Tobacco Moth feeds on cocoa beans and tobacco, but also infests nuts, dried fruit and cereals. Adult moths do not feed. The larval feeding cause the most damage due to contamination with excrement and cocoons is immense. Besides tobacco, the pest infests cocoa, nuts, dried fruits, coffee, corn maize, wheat and spice.
BEETLES
Rust-red Flour or Flour beetles 425750212
Description:
Flour beetle is a very common commercial pest infesting a variety of grains and food material. The rust-red or flour beetle is frequently found in stored products in the USA Extremely important pest of flour but can infest a variety of food-stuffs. In large numbers can cause flour to turn grayish in color and mould more quickly. It can leave a disagreeable taste and odor in flour because of secretions from scent glands. The rust red flour beetle is worldwide and most destructive pest of stored products and is cosmopolitan in distribution. It is the most common pest of wheat flour. It also causes serious damage upon dried fruits, pulses and prepared cereal foods, such as cornflake, pasta, biscuit, beans, nuts, etc. It is an often the most common species in the pest complex attacking stored wheat although its pest status is considered to be secondary, requiring prior infestation by an internal feeder.
Appearance:
Flour beetle are more common in cool, temperate regions. The flour beetle is 3-4 mm in length the larvae are about 6 mm long. The adult is red-brown in color and the larvae are a light honey color and about. It resembles the rust-red flour beetle, except for the antennae which is four segmented and gradually thickens towards the tip - another slight difference is in the shape of the thorax. The sides of the rust-red flour beetle are curved, whereas the thorax of the confused flour beetle is straighter. It has well developed wings but seldom flies.
Lifecycle:
Female lay between 400 - 500 eggs, with peak oviposition occurring during the first week. Adults may live longer than 3 years, and females may lay eggs for more than a year. Eggs are deposited directly in flour, other food material, or attached to the surface of the container. They are white or colorless and covered by a sticky material to which flour can adhere. Eggs hatch in 3 - 5 days at 90-95°F. Larvae burrow into kernels of grain but may leave their burrows in search of a more favorable food.
Habits
They have been reported in grain, flour, and other cereal products, beans, cacao, cottonseed, shelled nuts, dried fruit, dried vegetables, drugs, spices, chocolate, dried milk and animal hides. They cannot feed on whole grain, but can feed on broken kernels that are usually present. Beetles move quickly and are strong flyers. Preferred habit is around storage areas with poor hygiene, broken grain, gradings or bulk cottonseed In general, fungi may play a significant role in the nutrition of rust-red flour beetles.
Cigarette beetle wikipedia
Description:
The Cigarette beetle is a very common stored product pest. In our region they are more common in the fall and winter months. As their name implies, the cigarette beetle is a pest of dried tobacco. These pests also feed on book bindings and stored products
Appearance:
The Cigarette Beetle is about 2-4mm in length. The adult is whitish in color, with the head dark brown to tan, and are densely haired. The cigarette beetle closely resembles the drugstore beetle. The cigarette beetle has the head bent down nearly at right angles to the body giving it a humped back appearance when viewed from the side. The larvae are about 4 mm long and somewhat bent.
Lifecycle:
The adult beetles live from 2 to 4 weeks and during this time the females may deposit between 10-100 eggs. The eggs are laid loosely on the infested material. The larval period usually ranges from four to five months, but under very favorable conditions the development from egg to adult may occur in 6 to 8 weeks. When the larvae are fully grown, pupation occurs and they remain in this resting stage for 12 to 18 days.
Habits:
The Cigarette Beetle feeds off tobacco, dry stored food products, spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material. They have also been reported in rice, dried potatoes, paprika, raisins, grain-based mouse bait and dried straw flowers. Adult beetles often wander away from infested materials and may be found throughout the area. Even though these stored product pests prefer to feed on tobacco products, they will attack a broad range of food items. Inspection is a must. Look in nearby food products such as pet food, seeds and seasonings, dried fruits, cottonseed meal, pepper, paprika, chili dried fish, ginger, dates, raisins, pasta, and seeds, dry flower arrangements. Because of their ability to infest a variety of food products, cigarette beetles are difficult to control.
Drugstore Beetle wikipedia
Description:
The drugstore beetle (also known as the Biscuit Beetle) gained its name because it was frequently found feeding on drugs in pharmacies many years ago. Now, they are customarily found infesting all types of dry stored food products, spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material. The drugstore beetle is a pest of stored products.
Appearance:
They are approximately 3 - 4 mm long, red-brown, oval beetles. The larvae are small and white approximately 0.5 mm long. The drugstore beetle is a red-brown oval-shaped beetle.
Lifecycle:
The adult beetles live from 2 to 4 weeks and during this time the females may deposit between 20-100 eggs. The hatching larvae are 0.5 mm long and very mobile. The larval period usually ranges from four to five months, but under favorable conditions the development from egg to adult may occur in 6 to 8 weeks. When the larvae are fully grown, pupation occurs and they remain in this resting stage for 12 to 18 days.
Habits:
It is not a major pest in stored grains but will attack spices, seeds, grains and dried plant material as well as packaging materials such as paper and cardboard. They have also been known to feed on leather, wool, hair and books. Their presence can be detected from pinhead holes in the infested items. Packaging materials such as paper and cardboard are also attacked. Since the drugstore beetle can fly well, the source of infestation can sometimes be hard to find. The drugstore beetle is not a major pest in stored grains.
Flat Grain Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Several species of grain beetles cause problems in homes and businesses alike. The pantry pests attack stored grains, cereals, flour, spices, and other processed food products. Grain beetles are commonly encountered in a variety of manmade structures, such as grain elevators, warehouses, mills, home pantries, and railroad cars and cargo ships which transport food items. With their flattened bodies, most adult grain beetles can easily penetrate and hide in cracks and crevices. While the insects are not known to carry or pass any diseases to humans or pets, they make pantry products unfit for consumption. Grain beetle infestations can cause granaries, warehouses, mills, and even retail establishments to lose business and profits over time. Grain beetles feed on nearly any stored food product, particularly cereals, breakfast foods, flour, dried fruits and meats, pet foods, and many other items.
Appearance:
They are about 1/8"" in length and they have flattened body with very long antennae. Light red to dark reddish brown. Larva is yellowish or white, 0.5mm long growing to 4mm when mature Larvae, with characteristic tail and horns"
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to 300 eggs preferably in warm damp conditions 69–103 days at 70°F or in 26 days at 100°F.
Habits:
Adults are winged but rarely fly and can live for several months. Fast moving, seeking cover under grain or trash. There are several closely related Cryptolestes species with similar appearance. Feeds on cereals, dates, dried fruits and other commodities and is found mainly warehouses. Can survive winters only in heated structures The sight of adult grain beetles crawling on surfaces near stored products also indicates a possible infestation. Not known to carry or pass any diseases to humans or pets. Grain beetle infestations can cause granaries, warehouses, mills, and even retail establishments to lose business and profits over time. Infested food items should be thrown away.
Fur Beetle or Carpet Beetle 49511425
Description:
Carpet beetles are a fairly common pest. Though these insects will do damage to fabric, they known to be a pest in food products as well. Carpet beetles occur naturally outdoors and then make their way into buildings. They may enter through improperly sealed or improperly screened doors and windows or through other cracks or crevices, but due to their small size, sealing them out is completely is difficult. Carpet beetles, which belong to the family of beetles known as dermestids, are pests in warehouses, homes, museums, and other locations where suitable food exists. Three species of carpet beetles cause serious damage to fabrics, carpets, furs, stored food, and preserved specimens—the varied carpet beetle, the furniture carpet beetle, and the black carpet beetle
Appearance:
Adult are 3/16""–1/4"" long. Elongate oval. There is one small patch of white on each wing case, otherwise red–brown to black. Larva is 1/4"" long. Long orange tufts of hair on the last abdominal segment. Larvae have a banded appearance. Pupa — formed in the last larval skin.
Lifecycle:
Mating takes place outdoors after which they fly indoors to lay eggs. Normally one generation per year but development may extend to three years. Adult beetles flying around windows may help in locating the infestation.
Habits:
It is a common inhabitant of bird nests. Adults feed outdoors often on Spiraea plants. Larvae attack furs, skins, woolens, etc. and stored grain. Fur beetles do not carry disease and do not bite, therefore are not considered a risk to human health. Sometimes when there are large numbers of beetles the hairs on the larvae may cause skin irritations for some people, damaged carpets and clothes.
Golden Spider Beetle wikipedia
Description:
This beetle stand out are the golden hairs which cover it's back and head, species of spider beetles may be found infesting all types of stored food products. The beetles are most commonly found in vegetables in warehouses, poorly kept storerooms, cellars, and old houses, and sometimes occur in considerable numbers. They like sun light, but move actively in the dark.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/8"" - 3/16"" in length. They have ovoid abdomen with a pinched waist. Whole body covered in golden-yellow hairs. Larva is similar to Australian spider beetle.
Lifecycle:
They can leave up to 6 - 7 months at 68°F. Adults can live up to 9 months.

Habits:
Sometimes they are linked to the damage of textiles in the domestic home. Adults appear in greater numbers in June/July and October/November. The adults have biting mouthparts. Spider beetles cannot fly.
Lesser Grain Borer Beetle wikipedia
Description:
The lesser grain borer is a pest of a wide variety of food .Serious pest of most stored grains. This beetle lives and feeds in warehouses and stores, especially feed and health food stores. The origin of the lesser grain Beetle (borer) is uncertain but it now has a cosmopolitan distribution. It is a serious pest of dried stored products throughout the tropics and it is also found in temperate countries. It has most likely spread as a result of the international trade in food products combined with its strong flying ability.
Appearance:
The lesser grain Beetle is black-brown in color. It is about 2.5 - 3 mm long with club-like antennae. The body has a slender cylindrical form and the head is hidden under the round neck-shield. Viewed from the side the beetle’s mouth parts and eyes are tucked underneath the thorax (chest). The larvae are whitish with a yellow head.
Lifecycle:
Adult females lay eggs singly or in groups of up to 30. Adult beetles are strong flyers. Adults live for 2 to 3 months. The eggs are laid on the outside of the grain and a female can lay 300 to 500 eggs. Young larvae (white with brown heads) initially feed outside then bore into the grain. Life cycle is completed in four weeks. Pupation takes place inside the hollow shell of the seed or in the ""flour"" that accumulates with infested grain."
Habits:
lesser grain borer is primarily a pest in stored wheat and corn. Their habit is to remain hidden in grain. Regular sampling and sieving is required for detection. It can infest tobacco, nuts, beans, bird seed, biscuits, cassava, cocoa beans, dried fruit, peanuts, spices, rodenticide baits, and dried meat and fish.
Larder Beetle 75336049
Description:
The larder beetle gets their name from its tendency to be found in larders, as their name would suggest. The use of refrigeration, the purchase of meats in small quantities, and the lack of home curing of meats, have decreased the economic importance of this insect. However, these beetles are still common in homes, museums, mills, livestock facilities, and any place that contains a suitable food source.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/4""–3/8"" in length black with a whitish band across the fore-part of the elytra. The larva is brownish color and approximately 1/2 inch in length. Migrate to pupate in solid material. Six dark spots are usually in the yellow band. The undersurface of the body and legs are covered with fine yellow hairs.
Lifecycle:
If conditions are ideal, a generation may be completed in 40-60 days at 64-77°F. Through the summer months, females lay more than 100 eggs; the incubation period is less than 12 days. The pupal stage lasts from 3-7 days depending on temperature and moisture conditions. If conditions are ideal, a generation may be completed in 40-60 days.
Habits:
They have also been known to bore into structural timbers. Tests have shown that they can bore into lead with ease and tin with some difficulty. The boring is for the purpose of providing a protected place for pupation, not for feeding. It feeds on various animal products including cheese.
Lesser Mealworm or Litter Beetles 40147579
Description:
The lesser mealworm or Litter Beetle (Panzer), is general stored products pest of particular importance as a vector and competent reservoir of several poultry pathogens and parasites. It can also cause damage to poultry housing and is suspected to be a health risk to humans in close contact with larvae and adults. Adults can become a nuisance when they move en masse toward artificial lights generated by residences near fields where beetle-infested manure has been spread inhabits poultry droppings and litter and is considered a significant pest in the poultry industry.
Appearance:
Adults are 1/4"" long. Newly moulted adults are reddish-brown turning black. Larvae is 5/16"" long. Segmented and looks like worm with three pairs of tiny legs on the thorax and one abdominal proleg at the rear.
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to at least 110 eggs a month and eggs hatch in 4-7 days. Larval development takes up to 7 weeks. Mature larvae seek a sheltered place to pupate for between 7 and 11 days. An adult beetle may live up to two years.
Habits:
The beetles are attracted to poultry operations, which have ideal conditions for their development. The damage to insulation is carried out by lesser mealworms seeking a safe place to pupate because the darkling beetles prey on the lesser mealworms.
Merchant Grain Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Merchant grain beetles are found in pantries or in food processing areas or warehouses. Merchant grain beetles are found more often in foods that are high in oils and fats, such as peanuts or birdseed. Other foods attacked include rice, cereals, dried fruits, breakfast foods, grain meals, sugar, chocolate, drugs, pastas and tobacco. Its varied food preferences make it one of the most commonly encountered stored product beetles in retail food stores, warehouses and homes. In unheated grain facilities in northern states, breeding ceases at the onset of cold weather. They have been known to invade every package or food stored near an infested food product. Infestations, therefore, are often widespread throughout a room or area. The merchant grain beetle can fly, but the saw-toothed grain beetle cannot.
Appearance:
The adult beetle is dark brown. Length is approximately 2.5mm to 3mm. It has a slender, flattened body. The adult can fly (although it rarely does).
Lifecycle:
The female lays about 300 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs are dropped loosely among grain kernels or tucked into a crevice in a kernel. The tiny eggs are slender and white, and hatch in three to five days when environmental conditions are optimal. The larvae emerge and crawl freely about the grain to feed on broken kernels. Larger larvae may tunnel into kernels to feed. Total development from egg to adult requires about three to four weeks.
Habits:
Merchant grain beetles are found in pantries or in food processing areas or warehouses. Merchant Grain Beetle is a pest species found feeding in nuts, seeds, biscuits, dried fruit, grain and various other food products. The beetles can chew through sealed packaging such as cardboard boxes, plastic bags and foil wrappings. Merchant grain beetles can infest stored food products and can contaminate food.
Rove Beetles 188374832
Description:
Rove beetles are commonly found on the soil surface in a variety of habitats. Their very short wing covers combined with a habit of raising their 'tails' when running or disturbed has left some people confusing them with small scorpions. They also have a similar appearance to earwigs, but lack the large 'pincers' that earwigs have on their rear ends. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and are primarily predatory, but a few parasitic on insects such as onion maggot
Appearance:
Adult are 5/16"–3/8". Body color is an alternating black and red.
Lifecycle:
Eggs are laid singly on moist substances and typically develop in 3–19 days. The larvae pass through two stages before reaching adulthood. Adults are most common in spring and early summer.
Habits:
They are common in habitats with large numbers of fly larvae (e.g. decaying fruit or seaweed, compost). The larvae and adults are general predators of small insects and other arthropods, including pests of crops.
Saw Toothed Grain Beetle 186650759
Description:
The saw-toothed grain beetle is one of the most common insects in stored grain,cereal,peanuts and dried fruits products. The saw-toothed grain beetle is one of the most common insects infesting grain products. An infestation may begin at the time of manufacture or processing, in warehouses of food distributors in transit, on the grocers' shelves, or in the home. Most food processors and handlers make every effort to avoid insect infestations, but occasionally the efforts fail. Both the adults and the larvae feed on foods of vegetable origin, especially grain and grain products such as flour, pasta products, cereals, dried dog foods, nuts, candies, dried fruits, yeast, tobacco, and dried meats. Management measures for saw-toothed grain beetles are the same as for other stored grain pests. Bringing the infestation quickly under control can help prevent losses of quantities of foods stored on kitchen and pantry shelves.
Appearance:
Adult is brown and is approximately 3 mm. Mature larva is yellowish white. Adult has a flattened body. Thorax (chest) has saw-toothed pattern on each side and three distinct ridge lines on top. Adults climb vertical surfaces. Wings are present, developed, but they do cannot fly.
Lifecycle:
The female lays eggs singly or in small batches in the food product. She lays about 200 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch after about 8 days. The life cycle takes about 35 days and the larvae feed in the top few centimeters of the food stuff. Adults usually live around 6 to 10 months.
Habits:
The larvae develop in flour, cereal products, and many other dried foods, including grains, cereals, bread, pasta products, dried meat, dried fruit and nuts, sugar, chocolate, candy, tobacco products and drugs. It is a common pest not only in grain bins, but also, mills, processing plants, warehouses, and kitchens. In grain bins, it feeds on broken kernels and grain residues. The beetles can chew through sealed packaging such as cardboard boxes, plastic bags and foil wrappings.
Shiny spider beetle wikipedia
Description They are called spider beetles because they look somewhat like small spiders (or large mites) due to their long legs and relatively large, rounded abdomens. Spider beetles prefer to forage at night or in dark locations and are consequently seldom seen. They also prefer damp locations and will readily feed on foodstuffs spoiled by moisture. They can be found within walls and attics, in the cracks of wooden floors in granaries, bakeries, and such, and in the nests of birds and rodents. They can be active at temperatures below freezing and will have from one to two generations per year depending on the ambient temperature and relative humidity. There are several varieties of spider beetles the American spider beetle, the white marked spider beetle, and the smooth spider beetle. These beetles are not as common as others, but if you have them, they’ll most likely be found in any places you store food. Food contamination is the biggest worry with these pests.
Appearance:
Adult are 1/32"-1/8" long. They are shiny red-brown to black. The body is hairless, and lacks the general spider beetles characteristic restriction at the waist.
Lifecycle:
Females lay up to 120 eggs either singly or in batches during early summer. The eggs hatch within 16 days, and remain in the larval stage for up to 6 weeks. Adults emerge after 20-30 days of the pupal stage and may live for up to 12 months. At the optimum temperature for development (91°F) it takes about 45 days for the life cycle to be complete.
Habits:
Shiny spider beetles are tolerant of cool conditions and can stay alive for long periods without food. If disturbed, they will act as if dead.
Warehouse or Cabinet Beetle wikipedia
Description:
Warehouse Beetles are a small round beetle which will prosper in pantries, closets and warehouses where wheat grain, cereal and other food is stored. Easily mistaken for other small beetles, this persistent pantry pest was first discovered in the United States. Though found to infest warehouses and food processing plants, Warehouse beetles can infest any structure which harbors the food they like. This article will detail some basic biology of this pest and then offer guidelines of how to control local infestations. The most common place for Warehouse Beetle activity in the home will be in the pantry, the garage and the laundry room. Basements are a close third and any room which is used to shelter or feed pets is always a risk. Since adults like to lay eggs where hatching larva will thrive, they tend to stay close to where they emerge from their pupa cocoons. For this reason alone it is important that control efforts are focused and contaminated food is removed. Here is what must be done when dealing with an active infestation.
Appearance:
They are 1.5-4.0mm long, and oval in shape, mostly dark brown in color, with mottled lighter brown markings.
Lifecycle:
Their lifecycle usually lasts between 1.5-6 months. The larva is up to 10mm long and pale cream with indistinct dark brown markings. The larva has 3 pairs of legs and is very bristly.
Habits:
This pest has recently been introduced into the USA. It might be found in many organic materials such as seeds, grains, most types of packaged foods, snail baits, dog biscuits, stock feeds, old rodent baits, grain remnants in sacks, bee and wasp nests, rodent carcasses, dead insects, animal droppings etc. The hairs dropped by larvae may cause human problems such as asthma, skin problems or gastric disorders.
WEEVILS
Bean Weevil 91640294
Description:
The bean weevils or seed beetles are granivores, and typically infest various kinds of seeds or beans, living for most of their lives inside a single seed. The Bean weevil is found in storage facilities. Bean weevils are not true weevils because they do not have a snout like rice or maize weevils. Bean weevils develop on the mature bean pods in the field but will also infest beans in storage facilities. They develop primarily on common bean but have been found on other beans. This insect is also capable of feeding and reproducing on fungi.

Appearance:
They are 2.0 – 3.0mm long, mottled brown in color. They have a ‘tear drop’ like body shape and are covered in short hairs. Saw-tooth has antennae and elytra that do not cover the entire abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Lifecycle usually lasts 2-4 months. The larvae feed within the beans as they mature. The larval stage can take from a few weeks to many months to complete, depending upon temperature and moisture of the bean. Pupation is within the bean. Circular holes are cut for the adult to emerge. Development and breeding goes on as long as there is any food left in the bean and the temperature is right (warmer temperatures are preferred).
Habits:
Larvae feed mostly inside beans. These weevils attack all legumes, including kidney beans, green beans, peas and lentils. Heavily infested peas are often reduced to shells.
Coffee Bean Weevil 242531494
Description:
The Coffee bean weevil is a very common stored product pest. As their name implies, it is a coffee pest. Coffee bean weevils can reduce a coffee’s weight by up to one-third within six months. An insect attack can also compromise the physical qualities of the coffee, resulting in a greater number of defects, and can even alter the finished beverage.
Appearance:
Adults: 1.5-4mm in length. It is a dark brown beetle with light brown spots and long antennae. The footless, slim larvae are curved and hairy and grow to a length of 5-6mm.
Lifecycle:
The beetle flies to fields and lays its eggs on damaged cobs. The larvae bore into coffee beans in which they pupate.
Habits:
They mainly infest corn, cocoa, coffee beans, dried fruits, nutmegs, ginger etc.
Granary Weevil 83747851
Description:
The Granary Weevil is among the most destructive of all stored grain insects. The larvae develop inside kernels of whole grain in storage.
Appearance:
They are dark brown-black in color. It is about 2.5 - 5 mm in length. They possess a long slender snout and cannot fly. In the larval stage the weevils are legless, humpbacked white to creamy white, with a small, tan head. Weevils in the pupa stage have snouts like the adults.

Lifecycle:
The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Emergence holes of the granary weevil are fairly large and tend to be more ragged than smooth and round. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The life cycle is about 30 to 40 days during the summer, and 123 to 148 days during the winter, depending on temperature.
Habits:
Most of their life is spent within the grain kernel. Both larvae and adults feed on grain.
Maize Weevil WIKIPEDIA
Description:
Also known as the Greater Rice Weevil. Maize Weevils are frequently regarded as primary pests of grain since they are able to infest otherwise undamaged grain. They have also been seen to infest buckwheat, peas, acorns, chestnuts and cottonseed.
Appearance:
It is about 2.5 - 4 mm long. The head has a long slender snout. Resembles rice weevil, only bigger and the red-brown spots on wing covers are more clearly marked. It is a stronger flier than the rice weevil.
Lifecycle:
The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The egg hatches into a young larva which bores toward the center of the kernel, feeds, grows, and pupates there. New adults bore emergence holes from the inside, then leave to mate and begin a new generation.
Habits:
Both larvae and adults will feed upon grain. Weevil-damaged grain can be readily recognized by the presence of large holes which are the exit holes of the emerging adults.
Rice Weevil 105343184
Description:
Rice weevils are pests of stored grain and seeds. It is a major pest of whole cereal grains. Weevils are tiny beetles that can infest grains and rice foods stored in your pantry, such as cake and biscuit mixes, pancake mixes, breakfast cereal, crackers, and more. Weevils can infest your food when female weevils have unnoticeably burrowed and laid eggs deep into the grain and rice kernels. Although infestation may be undetected at first, you may notice the tiny black beetles' weeks or months later after the eggs have hatched. There are steps you can take to prevent weevils from invading your pantry and infesting your other foods.
Appearance:
The adult rice weevil is 2.5 - 3.5 mm long and has a slender, hard-shelled body that appears pitted or scarred with tiny holes. They are brown-black in color and possess a long slender snout. Rarely flies, but climbs vertical surfaces. Rice weevils have four faint red-brown spots on the back of the abdomen.
Lifecycle:
Adults live 2-3 months. The egg, larva, and pupa stages of these weevils occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Females drill a tiny hole in the grain kernel, deposit an egg in the cavity, then plug the hole with a gelatinous secretion. The egg hatches into a young larva which bores toward the center of the kernel, feeds, grows, and pupates there. New adults bore emergence holes from the inside, then leave to mate and begin a new generation. Female rice weevils lay between 300 to 400 eggs, with the life cycle requiring about 32 days for completion. Two larvae can develop in one wheat kernel.
Habits:
The adults can feign death by drawing up their legs close to the body, falling, and remaining silent when disturbed. Emergence holes of the rice weevil are smaller than those of the granary weevil, and tend to be smooth and round. There is generally no external evidence that the larvae have been eating and growing inside the seed until after about one month when the adult weevil chews through the seed coat and emerges. Under warm conditions or when grain is moved rice weevils are often observed climbing out of grain up vertical surfaces.
Booklice/Psocids 404291227
Description:
Booklice infests a wide range of grains, commodities and storage facilities. Booklice, also called psocids, are not true lice. While they resemble lice in size and shape, booklice feed only on fungi or mold. If you find them in grain or other stored food products, it is an indication of high humidity which encourages mold growth. In addition to food products, psocids may be found under wallpaper, in furniture, along the sides of windows or on window sills around potted plants. Booklice do not bite, transmit disease, or damage food or fabric, but they can be very annoying when present in large numbers. Booklice feed on molds and will overrun cereals and similar materials that support mold growth. Their presence, therefore, is a nuisance and can render some foods unfit. The starchy paste of wallpaper and books also can support mold growth or may be attacked directly by booklice. Outside of annoyance, their damage is insignificant.
Appearance:
They are very small, soft-bodied. Adult varies in size according to species from 1/16"" - 1/8"" long and they are pale yellow–brown to dark brown in color. Nymphs are very small, often appear transparent. No larval stages.
Lifecycle:
They prefer high temperatures 77-86°F. Lepinotus patruelis — will breed at 40-60°F.
Habits:
It is common in homes. A secondary pest, feeding on damaged grain and moulds. Warm and humid conditions increase their activity. It is usually observed in storage. It is simple to detect when they are low in numbers. They are common in factories and on pallets.

Cheese Mites wikipedia
Description:
Cheese mites are small insects which are just visible to the naked eye. When they attack cheese they will first be detected as a brown powder on the surface of the cheese or in small cracks or breaks in the paraffin. When cheese mites are permitted to act on the cheese for a long time, they borrow into the cheese, leaving behind them the characteristic accumulation of brown powder, which consists of dead mites, living mites, cheese debris and excreta. This brown powder has a characteristic sharp, pungent odor.
Appearance:
Cheese mites have soft, hairy cream white bodies with 8 hairless legs and adults grow up to an approximate 0.5mm in length.
Lifecycle:
The cheese mite favors warm, moist conditions and eggs mature in 10 days at room temperatures. Females can lay up to 900 eggs in a lifetime at a rate of 20 – 30 a day. Adult cheese mites can live for up to 60 – 70 days.
Habits:
With a preference for old cheese to young cheese, these mites also feed on nuts, dried eggs, fruit, flour and tobacco. Cheese mites are capable of contaminating foods to cause skin or gut irritation. Temperatures of about 60°F are very favorable for their growth. As the temperature of the curing room is decreased, the activity of these mites decreases. They will grow at temperatures between 60°F and 90°F.
Flour Mite/Grain Mite 241128124
Description Flour mites are very tiny little creatures, but they can still be pests. A flour mite, sometimes called a grain mite, appears harmless number of other pests, such as tiny scavenger mites and book-lice, may also infest stored food products. This is particularly true if the food is stored under moist conditions. The grain or flour mites are one of the most important mites infesting food and feed products, cereals, dried vegetable materials, cheese, corn and dried fruits. Grain mites proliferate under high moisture conditions and are often found in conjunction with fungal growth. Severe infestations result in brownish tinge over the commodity, called "mite dust" because of the light brown coloring of the mite legs. This "mite dust" gives off a "minty" odor if the mites are crushed. Grain mites are widely distributed throughout the temperate regions, but only occur in tropical areas unless a constant influx of new mites is supplied via contaminated goods.
Appearance:
Adult are 0.5 mm long with 4 pairs of legs white or pale brown. Slow moving. Larva is 6 legged and 0.5 mm long white in color. Passes through two, 8 legged nymphal stages.
Lifecycle:
Female grain mites may lay up to 800 eggs which are deposited on the surface of food material at the rate of approximately twenty to thirty per day. Under adverse conditions, may pass through a long and very resistant stage called a hypopus.
Habits:
Grain mites primarily attack the germ. Grain mites can cause "grocer's itch" in humans exposed to the mites. Some persons may be allergic to mites.
Furniture Mite 97583636
Description:
Mites are tiny arthropods, related to ticks. Several types of mites can be found in homes and of these a few may bite humans. Most mites are harmless predators of insects, or feeders on decaying plant material. Others are merely nuisance pests, accidentally entering homes from their normal outdoor habitat. Only a few mite species are parasitic on birds or mammals, but these can occasionally become biting pests in homes. Identifying the type of mite and/or likely host is the first step in solving an indoor mite infestation.
Appearance:
Adult are 0.3–0.7mm hairy soft cream–white body with yellow/brown legs.
Lifecycle:
Egg to adult will grow in 22 days at room temperature. Adult lives for approximately 50 days.
Habits:
They are capable of tainting foods and causing gut irritation. Commonly feeds on fungi. Favors moist environmental conditions; common in damp poorly ventilated rooms
Fleas 71639218
Description:
Fleas are wingless, with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds.
Appearance:
Fleas are wingless insects, 1.5 to 3.3 mm long, that are agile, usually dark colored, with tube-like mouth parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. They interestingly do not possess a mandible. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping. Atypical of other insects, fleas do not possess compound eyes but instead have simple eyes with a single biconvex lens. The flea body is covered with hard plates called sclerites. These sclerites are covered with many hairs and short spines directed backward, which also assist its movements on the host. The tough body is able to withstand great pressure, likely an adaptation to survive attempts to eliminate them by mashing or scratching.
Lifecycle:
Adult fleas must feed on blood before they can become capable of reproduction. Once the flea reaches adulthood, its primary goal is to find blood and then to reproduce. Its total life span can be as long as one and one-half years in ideal conditions. Female fleas can lay 5000 or more eggs over their life, allowing for phenomenal growth rates. Average 30–90 days. A flea might live a year and a half under ideal conditions. These include the right temperature, food supply, and humidity.

Habits:
Fleas feed on a wide variety of warm-blooded vertebrates including dogs, cats, humans, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, rats, ferrets, and mice. Fleas are a nuisance to their hosts, causing an itching sensation which in turn may result in the host attempting to remove the pest by biting, pecking, scratching, etc. in the vicinity of the parasite. Fleas are not simply a source of annoyance, however. Flea bites generally cause the formation of a slightly raised, swollen itching spot with a single puncture point at the center. The bites often appear in clusters or lines of two bites, and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks afterwards. Fleas can also lead to hair loss as a result of frequent scratching and biting by the animal, and can cause anemia in extreme cases.