Frequently Asked Questions
Find Your Answers Here! Here are the most commonly asked questions that we are asked by customers.
What’s with all the different ants?
Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000 known ant species occur around the world. They are especially prevalent in tropical forests, where they may be up to half of all the insects living in some locations. Ants look much like termites, and the two are often confused—especially by nervous homeowners. However, ants have a narrow “waist” between the abdomen and thorax, which termites do not. Ants also have large heads, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws. Many ants bite, and formicine ants can cause irritation by spraying formic acid; myrmecine ants like fire ants have a dedicated venom-injecting sting, which injects an alkaloid venom, as well as mandibles for biting.
How do I tell a mouse from a rat?
House mice measure 12 to 20 cm in length, including the tail, and weigh 12 to 30 grams. They may be white, brown or grey in color. Their snouts are triangular and feature long whiskers. Mice have large, floppy ears and long, thin, hairy tails. Mice are nocturnal, timid, social and territorial in nature.
Rats are medium-sized to large rodents with long tails that are commonly hairless and scaly. However, rats may grow to be as long as 40 cm or more and weigh considerably more than mice. Their coats are white, gray, brown or black in color and are often soiled enough to leave grease marks on touched surfaces. The snout of the rat is more blunt than that of the mouse.
How many different roaches are there?
There are about 4,500 species of cockroach, of which 30 species are associated with human habitations and about four species are well known as pests.
The German Cockroach is small, measuring just over half an inch long. Its body color varies from light brown to dark brown, with two dark streaks running from the head to the base of its wings. Although it has wings, it cannot fly.
The American Cockroach is also called a Palmetto Bug or Water Bug. The American Cockroach is most commonly found in the Southern United States. It is one of the largest species of cockroaches, growing to an average length of 1.6 inches. It has a reddish-brown body with a yellow margin behind the head.
The Oriental Cockroach is a large species. It measures about one inch long. Its body coloring varies from brown to black. Oriental Cockroaches move slowly and prefer dark, moist places. Indoors they are found in basements, porches, sewers and drains. Outside they are often found under leaves, mulch and around damp spots.
Almost identical to the German Cockroach, the Asian Cockroach measures about two thirds of an inch long , with color ranging from tan to brown. The Asian Cockroach has longer wings then the German Cockroach. It can fly, and it is attracted to light. The Asian Cockroach likes warm, tropical locations and prefers to live outdoors. It is found in most southern states, including Florida, Texas and Georgia.
Which spiders are the ones I should worry about?
Brown Recluse – Brown recluse spiders are potentially dangerous spiders that hide during the day in ceiling cracks, attics, closets, piles of clothing and shoe boxes. Brown recluse spiders are about 1/2 inch (1.3cm) in size and tan or dark brown in color. Brown recluse spiders are also known as fiddleback or violin spiders for the violin-shape marking on the top of their bodies. A brown recluse spider bite is typically painless; however, a person can suffer a severe localized reaction with a blister forming within the first 24 hours after a bite. A sunken, open sore may then form in 10 to 14 days. A brown recluse spider bite may take six to eight weeks to heal.
Black Widow – Black widow spiders are timid spiders that prefer to create their crisscross webs in attics, sheds, garages and crawl spaces. Black widow spider bites are immediately painful and produce pain that continues for 12 to 48 hours after the bite. People can suffer from headaches, dizziness, abdominal spasms and shortness of breath. Those especially at risk of death are children and unhealthy adults who may die within 12 to 32 hours from asphyxia, or lack of oxygen to the brain, if left untreated.
What is the love bug?
The infamous Florida lovebugs are no bugs at all, actually. To be specific, the common name Florida lovebugs actually refers to the species Plecia nearctica, a small fly in the family Bibionidae, also known as the March flies. They’re black flies with red thoraxes, and most often seen flying in mated pairs, male and female joined together. They don’t bite or sting, nor do they pose a threat to our crops or ornamental plants. In fact, their larvae are important decomposers of plant material that help build soil rich with organic matter. Florida lovebugs emerge and mate en masse, once in the spring (April to May) and again in late summer (August to September).
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