Pest Library

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana),is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered as household pest. American cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 29 °C (84 °F) and do not tolerate cold temperatures. These cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. In residential areas outside the tropics these cockroaches live in basements and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather.

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is a small species of cockroach, that can barely fly. It is the most widely troublesome of species of cockroach considered as domestic pests. They occur widely in human buildings, particularly in restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, and offices. They are omnivorous scavengers, mostly attracted to meats, starches, sugars, and fatty foods. When food is limited, they may eat household items such as soap, glue, and toothpaste. In famine conditions, they turn cannibalistic, chewing at each other’s wings and legs. They reproduce faster than any other residential cockroach,50 – 60 days (egg to adulthood).

For most people ants only become a problem when they enter buildings in search of food and water or when they build their nests in buildings or gardens. The presence of ants would be undesirable in places such as hospitals or kitchens. Ants can be attracted to a wide range of foods with different species having preferences for sugars, proteins, fats and oils. Their adaptive nature makes it nearly impossible to eliminate entire colonies and most pest management practices aim to control local populations and tend to be temporary solutions. Ant populations are managed by a combination of approaches that make use of chemical, biological and physical methods.

The housefly (also house fly, house-fly or common housefly), Musca domestica, is the most common fly species found in habitations. They are grey to black with four dark longitudinal lines on the thorax, slightly hairy bodies and a single pair of membranous wings and they have red eyes. Consideres as pests, they can contaminate food and contribute to the transfer of food-borne illnesses. House flies are capable of carrying over 100 pathogens, such as those causing typhoid, cholera, salmonellosis, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax, ophthalmia, and parasitic worms. They are active only in daytime, and rest at night.

Bed bugs are parasitic insects of the cimicid family that feed exclusively on blood. Adult bed bugs are light brown to reddish-brown, flattened, oval-shaped, and have no hind wings. Bed bugs have segmented abdomens with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, is the best known as it prefers to feed on human blood. A number of adverse health effects may result from bed bug bites, including skin rashes 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; finding the adult insects confirms the diagnosis.

The Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is an invasive species of termite. Formosan termites are difficult to control once they infest a structure. It has been transported worldwide from its native range in southern China to Formosa (Taiwan, where it gets its name) and Japan. These termites require contact with the soil, which provides optimal temperatures and moisture for their survival. Subterranean termites build underground nests connected to aboveground food sources via mud tunnels.

Termites are among the most successful groups of insects on Earth, colonising most landmasses except for Antarctica. Their colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous societies with several million individuals. Unlike subterranean termites which built colonies in the soil, drywood termite colonies do not need contact with soil moisture nor any other water source. As their name suggests, drywood termites occur in dry wood that may be above ground level. Drywood termites build colonies in structural wood, fence and utility posts, furniture, moldings, door and window frames, and so forth.

Weevils are a type of small beetle that commonly infests grains, nuts, seeds, and other stored food products. They can cause significant damage to crops and stored food supplies. To control or exterminate them, it is important to identify the source of infestation and remove any contaminated food items. Preventive measures such as storing food products in airtight containers and keeping storage areas clean and dry can also help to prevent weevil infestations. Insecticides may also be used, but it is important to follow instructions carefully and take precautions to avoid contamination of food products.