Pests From A to Z!

Pests From A to Z!

Mother’s Day has come and gone, but there is always time to teach our little ones about the basic stepping stones of life! Numbers, letters, colors, and shapes are all basic concepts that are discussed with children, but we want to focus on letters today. Alphabetical lists are an easy way for kids and adults alike to learn interesting facts. In fact, did you know there’s at least one pest for every letter of the alphabet? From A to Z, let’s discuss 26 types of pests that exist in our complex world!

Aphids

These soft-bodied garden pests hide on the underside of leaves and stems while they drink the plant’s sap. Aphids reproduce quickly because many of them are born pregnant with hundreds of their own offspring! They secrete drops of honeydew as they feed, which attracts sooty black mold or ants. Either way, aphids bring destruction to any garden they infest.

Bark Beetles

Unsurprisingly, bark beetles burrow under tree bark to feed and lay eggs directly on the tree. These beetles emit a certain scent that attracts other bark beetles to the same place, thus bringing a gradual end to that tree. Bark beetles also cause trees to develop blue stain fungus, which prevents the tree from retaining the water it desperately needs.

Carpenter Bees

These are the huge dark bees we see buzzing around our gardens every spring and summer. Carpenter bees don’t eat the wood they burrow into, so they need pollen and nectar to survive. After tunneling into natural wood and laying their eggs on pieces of bee bread (chewed nectar and pollen), carpenter bees spend their last days defending their families and nests.

Drywood Termites

These termites are white or brown in color, so they easily blend into their desired habitat of dry wood. Drywood termites infest dry, natural wood and can travel to new places by hiding inside wooden furniture. Instead of a worker caste, like other termites, the younger drywood termites are responsible for expanding the nest of their small (only 2,500 termites!) yet destructive colony.

Earwigs

Thankfully, the horrible story about how earwigs got their name — crawling into sleeping people’s ears — is a myth! These nocturnal insects need to live in dark and damp places. They eat compost, decaying plants, and seedlings. Earwigs overwinter and become active again in the spring, once the rain soaks the ground enough to satisfy them.

Fleas

Since they don’t have wings, fleas get to each host by jumping up to 2 feet high. They find warm-blooded hosts by detecting our body heat and carbon dioxide output. Fleas are only 2.5 millimeters long and don’t sleep, so an infestation can grow out of hand before you know it. If they feed on an infected mammal, fleas spread that disease to their next hosts through their bites.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are one of the most dreaded pests because they reproduce quickly, even by a roach’s standard. They’re only half an inch long and have 2 dark stripes on their light-colored shells. German roaches prefer dark, moist environments since they often find the most food there. They are usually found in kitchens and bathrooms for this reason.

House Mice

Believe it or not, house mice are considered the most common rodent pest in the country! These gray mice like grain-based foods, but they’ll eat a variety of objects they find in a typical home. House mice can produce up to 35 offspring a year when they have a safe habitat. They spread bacteria through their feet and excrement, and often transmit salmonella through their droppings.

Indian Meal Moths

One of the most common pantry pests, Indian meal moths infest all kinds of dry goods by eating through the flimsy packaging. They often invade pasta, cereal, flour, sugar, rice, and other pantry staples. These moths are 5/8 of an inch long and create webs on the food they invaded. Even though they’re surface-feeders, Indian meal moths contaminate every food they infest.

Jumping Spiders

Jumping spiders are the combination of 2 different nightmares: spiders and jumping pests. They are usually black-colored and covered in dense hairs. Jumping spiders have thick legs, 8 eyes, and a jump height of 6 inches. There are about 300 species of jumping spiders in the country. Their bites aren’t common, but are very red and itchy when they do happen.

Katydids

Katydids got their name for the high-pitched sound they emit while hiding in trees and plants. They are about 4.7 inches long, green-colored, and nocturnal. Since they’re omnivores, katydids are usually found in areas with lush greenery. They lay their eggs in the stems of plants they deem favorable. When threatened, katydids produce a foul-smelling chemical.

Lacewings

Although their netted wings are pretty to look at, lacewings are poor fliers. They are 3/4 of an inch long and have large jaws that are great for eating insects. In fact, lacewings eat hundreds of aphids a year! They emerge from hiding in spring and are active through the summer, so lacewings are thankfully present during the busiest times of year for garden pests.

Mosquitoes

The only real requirement mosquitoes have for their egg-laying sites is fresh water, as these pests spend their first 3 life stages in the water. Female mosquitoes are responsible for those itchy bites since they need protein for their eggs. Mosquito bites itch because we’re naturally allergic to their saliva, which is also how they transmit diseases if they bite an infected mammal.

Nightcrawlers

These earthworms are monsters compared to those tiny worms we see on the sidewalks; nightcrawlers are 4 to 8 inches long! They tunnel into soil to live and feed, which is actually helpful for the dirt. Nightcrawlers naturally aerate the soil and give it nutrients through their feces. They’re active in spring and summer, and are known for their cone-shaped mounds in the soil.

Odorous House Ants

Odorous house ants are one of the most common ants in the U.S. and the source of many ant infestations. Contrary to other ants, they like living in our homes under the floorboards and in the walls. They often invade in autumn once the rainy days are more frequent. Odorous house ants got their name for the terrible smell they emit when squished, which is comparable to rotten coconut or bleu cheese.

Praying Mantises

These carnivorous insects look like gentle giants, but they’re some of the most fearsome predators for small critters. Praying mantises live for up to a year and spend most of that time waiting for their prey to come close enough to snatch. They wait in their famous “prayer” position, then strike the nearby pest with their razor-sharp forelegs. Praying mantises also eat spiders, crickets, lizards, and frogs.

Queen Butterflies

Queen butterflies are easily mistaken for monarch butterflies because they look so similar. The main difference is that queen butterflies are smaller. They have black veins and white spots on their rust-colored wings. Queen butterflies are found in certain southern states and South America. These butterflies love the sun and feed from flowering plants, especially milkweed.

Roof Rats

These rats are brown or black in color, so they easily blend in with the dark surroundings of their preferred habitats. Roof rats like to stay elevated above ground level, often following pipes to invade attics, roofs, and gutters. They also like thick, overgrown brush to hide within. Roof rats can have up to 40 babies a year, so an invasion quickly becomes a major issue.

Silverfish

Silverfish love dark and humid areas, so you might not see these silvery pests when they first invade. They like to live near any carb-heavy items since they rely on those foods for energy. Silverfish often feed on paper, cardboard, glue, and book bindings. They don’t have wings, so silverfish crawl everywhere they explore at night.

Thrips

These garden pests hide at the bottom of petals on various flowers, especially roses. Thrips are small yet mighty pests for how much damage they do to any flower garden. They are long and thin, easily hiding within the petals of complex flowers. Once thrips feed on a plant for a while, the flowers and leaves will become deformed, grow flecked, and drop early.

Underwing Moths

The pattern on the outer wings of underwing moths look eerily similar to tree bark, which makes it easy for them to hide in plain sight! They have bright-colored underwings (hence the name) that stay concealed when the moth wants to hide. It eats the leaves of specific trees when it’s dark outside, illuminated by artificial lights on summer nights.

Varied Carpet Beetles

Varied carpet beetles have dark, mottled patterns on their backs that help them blend into their surroundings. They’re only 3 millimeters long and prefer to live in fabric-covered or soft objects. It can take up to 3 years for their eggs to develop, but the process is sped up with warm temperatures. Varied carpet beetles eat hair, clothes, carpet, and dead insects.

Weevils

There are many specific types of weevils that exist, but the general group doesn’t spread diseases or bite us. A few of them, like grain weevils, are common pantry pests that invade our stored food items. These types of weevils invade boxes of rice, cornmeal, flour, and similar items. Weevils live for about 8 months and like to explore the world beyond their initial food source.

Xerces Blue Butterflies

Unfortunately, these beautiful butterflies have been extinct for generations. Their name comes from the luminous blue coloring on the male’s upper wings. Since 1852, xerces blue butterflies lived in sandy places with their favorite plants, such as the Bay Area in California. With the urbanization of the sand dunes, xerces blue butterflies were declared extinct in the 1940s.

Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are one of the most common pests, especially during the hottest days of summer. They are distinct from other stinging insects since they have long wings, ground-level nests, and more yellow-coloring on their legs and abdomens. Also called “meat bees,” yellow jackets often hover above trash cans and opened beverages to find sources of protein and sugar.

Zoraptera

This is technically an order of insects, but we’re counting it for the sake of this list! Insects in Zoraptera are soft-bodied, small, and under 3 millimeters long. They have chewing mouthparts that allow them to break through certain materials. Zorapterans are also called “angel insects” and live near wood, trees, and leaf litter. There are only about 30 species in this order, so it’s not the most famous order of the bunch.

Count On Pointe To Solve Your Pest Problems!

You probably won’t see all of these critters in your backyard, but there are still a lot of creepy-crawlies trying to invade your space. At Pointe Pest Control, our experienced technicians are dedicated to solving each pest issue as efficiently as possible. We start every service with a thorough inspection to find all areas of pest activity. These findings then help us create a treatment plan customized to solve your specific pest problems. We leave no stone unturned in our quest to remove all pests from the property. Contact us today for a free quote on the most reliable services around!

Citations

Bark beetle information. (n.d.). USDA Forest Service. Retieved May 6, 2024, from https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r3/forest-grasslandhealth/insects-diseases/?cid=stelprdb5228465

Beetles. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/beetles/

Carpenter bees. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/carpenter-bees/

Cockroaches. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/cockroaches/

Daniels, J. (n.d.). Xerces blue. Florida Museum. Available at https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100-years/object/xerces-blue/ (Accessed on May 6, 2024).

Earwigs. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/earwigs/

Fleas. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/fleas/

Gaylord, E.B. (2023, November 1). What is a weevil and how did it get in my food?. The Spruce. Available at https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-a-weevil-2656439 (Accessed on May 6, 2024).

Jumping spiders. (n.d.). Pest World. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/spiders/jumping-spiders/

Krischik, V. & Ascerno, M. (2021). Nightcrawlers. University of Minnesota Extension. Available at https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/nightcrawlers (Accessed on May 6, 2024).

Queen butterfly (2020, June 3). Florida Wildflower Foundation. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://www.flawildflowers.org/know-your-native-pollinators-queen-butterfly/

Schuh, M. (2022). Lacewing. University of Minnesota Extension. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://extension.umn.edu/beneficial-insects/lacewing

Stinging bugs. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/stinging-bugs/

Termites. (n.d.). Pointe Pest Control. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://pointepestcontrol.com/services/termites/

Thrips: Biology and rose pests. (n.d.). NC State Entomology — Insect Biology and Management. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/thrips-2/

Underwing moths. (n.d.). Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/underwing-moths