What’s new with the Critter Gitter?

Blattaria

Cockroaches are pests throughout the United States. They are annoying and, when abundant, they are also destructive. Cockroaches, also known as waterbugs, croton bugs, or palmetto bugs, destroy food and damage fabrics, book bindings, and other materials.

Reticulitermes hageni

Due to their wood-eating habits, termites can do great damage to homes and other wooden structures. Their habit of remaining concealed often results in their presence being undetected until severe damaged is done. Once termites have entered a building, they do not limit themselves to wood; they also damage paper, cloth, carpets and more.

Musca domestica

The house fly is the most common of all domestic flies, accounting for about 90% of all flies in human habitations, and indeed one of the most widely distributed insects, found all over the world; it is considered a pest that can carry serious diseases. Each female fly can lay approximately 500 eggs in several batches of about 75 to 150.

Hymenoptera

The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their numbers, or natural biocontrol.

Siphonaptera/Ixodoidea

Fleas are small (1/16”), dark, reddish-brown, wingless, blood-sucking insects. Their bodies are laterally compressed, (i.e., flattened side to side) permitting easy movement through the hairs on the host’s body. Their legs are long and well adapted for jumping. Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are often found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host. A tick will attach itself to its host by inserting its chelicerae (cutting mandibles) and hypostome (feeding tube) into the skin. The hypostome is covered with recurved teeth and serves as an anchor. Young ticks have six legs, and mature ticks have eight legs. They vary in size and appearance depending on the species.

Formicidae

Ants are pests around the home because they feed on and contaminate human foods, infest structures, and build unsightly mounds in lawns. In some cases, ants are able to inflict painful bites or stings. Ants do not attack or eat fabrics, leather or wood in houses; however, some species can establish nests in decaying wood in structures.

Mus musculus

The mouse usually lives in proximity to humans, in or around houses or fields. Originally native to Asia they have since been spread throughout the world. House mice can transmit diseases, and can damage food and food packaging. It is thought that house mice were the primary reason for the taming of the domestic cat.

Achaearanea tepidariorum

Arachnophobia is a fear of spiders or anything reminiscent of spiders, such as webs or spider-like shapes. It is one of the most common specific phobias, and some statistics show that 50 percent of women and 10 percent of men show symptoms. It may be an exaggerated form of an instinctive response that helped early humans to survive.