The German cockroach is by far the most important and usually the most common of the cockroaches. In addition to being a nuisance, it has been implicated in outbreaks of illness, the transmission of a variety of pathogenic organisms including at least one parasitic protozoan, and allergic reactions in many people. This species has worldwide distribution.

The female carries her ootheca until it is within 1-2 days of hatching, and then deposits it in a sheltered area/site. On the average, the female will produce about 5 oothecae (range 4-8), averaging 30-40 eggs (range 18-50) each. Developmental time (egg to adult) usually varies from 54-215 days, averaging about 103 days; under lab conditions of 80°F/27°C and 40% relative humidity, usually only 50-60 days are required.This means usually 3 to 4 generations per year, but up to 6. Adults live about 100-200 days (range 1-303). Established/mature German cockroach populations are typically composed of at least 75% nymphs.

These cockroaches are most commonly introduced into buildings via paper products or paper packaging such as grocery bags, cardboard boxes, drink cartons, and via secondhand appliances such as refrigerators, televisions, VCR‘s, microwaves, etc. They have been observed to migrate from building to building on warm evenings, but this rarely occurs. Although uncommon, they can survive outdoors during the warm months. They feed on almost anything with nutritive value including all kinds of food, and such things as soap, glue, and toothpaste.

Ants are one of the most successful groups of insects. They are social insects that live in colonies which are usually located in the ground, but may enter buildings for shelter and/or food. Ants feed on practically every kind of food, but those entering homes are looking for sweets and/or protein-containing substances.

About 700 species of ants occur in the United States and Canada. Of these, only about 25 species commonly infest homes.

Pest ants are usually divided into two groups based on their typical nesting preferences, either wall-nesting or ground-nesting ants. The biology and habits of each species are different, so a detailed knowledge of these for each species is necessary for m effective control. The five most common wall-nesting ants are the carpenter ant, crazy ant, odorous \4 house ant, Pharaoh ant, and the thief ant. The most commonly encountered ground-nesting ants are the Argentine ant, pavement ant, little black ant, velvety tree ant, and thefire ants.

It is necessary to know which ant species you are encountering because ants vary widely in their food preferences and living habits. Preliminary.

This bug probably received its common name of bed bug from its close association with human sleeping beds where it often seeks refuge during daylight, only to come out to feed on the bed’s occupant(s) at night. The bed bug is an ectoparasite of primarily humans but will also attack poultry and other mammals and birds. It was introduced into the United States with the early colonists. It is found throughout the United States and the world. Female bed bugs lay 1-5 eggs per day with the 1/32" (1 mm) long, white eggs being deposited individually in cracks or on rough surfaces and secured with a transparent cement for an average total 200 eggs; maximum eggs per day is 12, with 541 for a lifetime.

Bed bugs harbor in cracks and crevices during the day and come out to feed at night. Typically they can be found around mattress buttons and beading, in boxsprings or their coverings, and in any crevice of a wooden bed frame, such as where members join. Other places to check are wall hangings such as picture frames, night stands, stuffed furniture, baseboards, floorboard cracks, behind loose wallpaper, light switches, door and window frames, conduits, etc. In heavy infestations, bed bugs may be found in wall voids, attics, and other enclosed places. They will crawl considerable distances to obtain a blood meal. They can be introduced into a structure via used furniture or in the belongings of someone who has been living in a bed bug infested situation. Adults can survive for up to 6-7 months if they are well fed and they can feed on other animals it humans are not present. When the temperature falls below 61 °F/16°C, adults enter semihibernation andcan survive for months.

Bees, hornets, and wasps are for the most part a very beneficial group of insects, being the major pollinators of flowering plants, helping to reduce the numbers of many insect pest species, etc. However, of the 54 reported deaths each year from arthropod bites or stings, bees, hornets, and wasps account for about 30 percent. Bees, hornets, and wasps are categorized as being either solitary or social. Solitary species are those whose members live independently of each other. Social species are those who live together in colonies or nests and which have an adult division of labor or caste system composed of workers, queen(s) and, periodically, males. The more common solitary groups include the carpenter bees, cicada killers, digger wasps, mud daubers, potter and mason wasps, spider wasps, and velvet ants.

The more common social groups include the bumble bees, honey bees, hornets, paper wasps, and yellowjackets. It is necessary to know which group of bees, hornets, or wasps you are encountering. Recognition of whether they are solitary or social, and their particular nesting habits is essential for safety and control. It should be noted that there are several other groups of insects which mimic (resemble in appearance and behavior) some of the bees, hornets, and wasps for protecton from potential predators. For example, some of the syrphid flies (Syrphidae) strongly resemble honey bees and wasps, some of the robber flies (Asilidae), hawk moths (Sphingidae), and syrphid flies (Syrphidae) strongly resemble bumble bees, some of the Gleaming moths (Sesiidae) strongly resemble yellowjackets, some of the thickheaded flies (Conopidae), clearvving moths (Sesiidae), and beetles (Cerambycidae, Staphylinidae, etc.) mimic wasps, etc.

Pigeons were bred from the European rock dove and introduced as a domestic bird into North America circa 1606. They are now found feral/wild in virtually every city and in most rural areas.

Pigeons are of medical concern because more than 50 diseases and ectoparasites have been associated with pigeons, their nests, and droppings. Probably the best known is the lung disease histoplasmosis. They are worldwide in distribution except for the cold northern and southern areas. Along with damage and nuisance problems, there are 4 behavioral habits requiring consideration. These are feeding, nesting, roosting, and loafing. Pigeons prefer to feed on seeds, grain, some fruit, and green feed. However, they willreadily feed on garbage, animal matter such as insects and spiders, livestock manure, and many other foods when their preferred food is scarce. Pigeons prefer flat or smooth surfaces, such as roof tops, for feeding. They also consume enough grit to ensure proper digestion. An adult consumes about 1 lb/453 g of food per week. Feeding may occur near the nesting or roosting site(s), but often it is done some distance away. Nests are loosely constructed and usually consist of sticks, stems, leaves, and other debris. They are built on ledges of structures or cliffs, or in caves. The abundance of clifflike nesting sites, especially on older buildings, is one of the primary factors that attract pigeons to cities. Often nesting and roosting occur in the same general area, but they can be distant.

There are over 35,000 species of spiders worldwide, with about 3,000 occurring in North America. Many species of spiders are household pests. Wherever their food is available, spiders are likely to be found. All spiders are predators, feeding mainly on insects and other small arthropods. In the United States only two spider groups are considered dangerous to man, the black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders. Both of these groups are composed of several species.

Since the black widow and brown recluse spider groups are of primary importance in human environments, their identification is essential. For both groups, several species are involved which can only be separated by experts. However, group recognition alone is sufficient for PCO purposes.

Female spiders usually do not eat their mate after copulation. In a week or more after mating, the female deposits as few as 20-30 to several hundred eggs in a silken sac. Depending on the species, one or more sacs may be made. Species which tend their egg sacs or young usually produce fewer eggs. It may be weeks later, or not until the following spring, before the spiderlings hatch and/or emer e from the sac.

Flies are one of the most important pest groups because they are not only nuisance pests, but many are also important in disease transmission. For instance, the common house fly, Musca domestica Linnaeus, has been found to harbor over 100 different pathogenic organisms and the latrine fly, Fannia scalaris (Fabricius), has been known to cause myiasis in man.

Flies feed on a variety of food materials but most of those of structural importance develop in either fermenting or decaying organic matter, although a few are parasitic on other animals.

Fly control is often quite challenging because their larval developmental site(s) must usually be located and eliminated for success, and these sites may be some distance from where the adults are nuisances. Also, flies may invade the walls and attics of structures in large numbers to overwinter, presenting winter-time control challenges.

In America north of Mexico, there are more than 18,200 species of flies placed in 108 families. Of these, about 200 species either require man’s environment or are greatly benefited by it and are commonly called “domestic” or “filth” flies. It is necessary to know which fly species or species group is causing the problem because they vary greatly in their larval developmental sites.

Rats reach sexual maturity in 2-5 months. Pregnancy lasts an average of 22 days. The young are blind and naked at birth, with hair appearing in about 7 days and eyes opening in 12—14 days.

They are weaned at about 3-4 weeks. The average number of litters is 4-6 per year, each containing an average of 6-8 young. Adults on an average live 9-12 months. They have rather poor vision and are color blind, but their senses of hearing, smell, touch, and taste are keenly developed. Touch is via their vibrissae or long whiskers. They are good runners, excellent climbers and jumpers, and if forced, rather good swimmers. A rat requires 1/2-1 oz (14-28 g) of food and 1 oz (30 ml) of water each day, with the water often coming from its food. This results in about 30-180 droppings and 1/2 oz/3 teaspoons (16 cc) of urine per day. Historically, bubonic plague has been associated with the roof rat and its fleas, which move from infested rats to man. Fortunately, plague has not been found in rats in the United States for many years. Other transmitted disease organisms include murine typhus via fleas (also probably via droppings and urine), infectious jaundice/leptospirosisNVeil’s Disease via urine in water or food, rat-bite fever via bites, trichinosis via undercooked pork, and food poisoning or Salmonellosis via droppings. Another problem is tropical rat mite dermatitis which is caused by these mites when they feed on humans. rats are primarily nocturnal in habit and they are very cautious.

The house mouse is the most commonly encountered and economically important of the commensal rodents, the Norway and roof/black rats being the other two. House mice are not only a nuisance, damage/destroy materials by gnawing, and eat and contaminate stored food, they are also of human health importance as disease carriers or vectors. It is thought to be of Central Asian origin, but is now of worldwide distribution and found throughout the United States.

SIGNS OF INFESTATIONS. 1. Gnaw marks. New gnawings or holes tend to be rough whereas, old gnawings are smooth from wear. 2. Droppings. Fresh droppings are soft and moist whereas, old droppings are dried and hard; house mouse’s about 1/8-1/ " (3-6 mm) long, rod shaped, and with pointed ends vs American cockroach about 1/ " (3 mm) long and with ridges. 3. Tracks/footprints. Front foot 4-toed and print is in front of hind print with 5-toes. Fresh tracks are clear and sharp whereas, old tracks are at least partially obscured by dust. 4. Rub marks. These are usually less noticeable and smaller in size than those of rats. 5. Burrows. Indoors they often nest in various materials such as insulation. If active, free of dust and cobwebs. Entrance usually with material packed/compressed, rub marks sometimes visible.