Ants

Out of the 800 different ant species in the United States, about 25 of these are known to infest homes. Ants usually live in colonies underground. They are often attracted to sweets, and can sneak into your home through small openings or cracks. Even though they might seem small and harmless, ants can contaminate food and cause damage to your property.

Some queen ants can have babies in the millions in their lifetime.

Ants hear through their feet.

Once the queen ant dies, the colony can't reproduce and often fail to survive much longer.

Flies

Flies can be an annoying pest to live with. The three most common ones we encounter are the house, fruit, and horse flies. They can spread diseases such as salmonella, malaria, and tuberculosis. Even though flies have short lifespans, they can lay around 500 eggs in their lifetime. The best way to prevent fly infestations is regularly cleaning and maintaining waste around the house such as trash, dirty dishes, and pet waste.

Flies taste with their feet.

Flies can see behind them and have fast reaction times, which is why they seem so hard to swat.

Mosquitoes

In the United States, there are over 200 different types of mosquitoes. About 12 of these different types can transfer germs and cause sickness. Mosquitoes that bug people are known as nuisance mosquitoes. These ones usually do not spread sickness. Because it can be difficult to tell which ones are harmful, it is crucial to protect against all mosquito bites. If you have a mosquito problem in your area, chances are there is standing water nearby. We can help treat this area to stop further eggs from hatching.

Only females drink blood. It is to help produce offspring.

Mosquito larvae feed off of algae and other micro-organisms in water.

People with Type O blood have been known to attract mosquitoes about twice as much as people with Type A blood. The chances for people with Type B falls in the middle of these two.

Rodents

Mice and rats can cause a number of diseases through their feces, urine, and saliva. They can also carry other pests in their fur, such as ticks or fleas, that spread disease. It is important to catch a rodent infestation before it gets out of control.

A female mouse can have up to 10 litters a year, containing up to 14 babies per litter.

Adult rats can fit through openings the size of a quarter.

Bed Bugs

The typical bed bug has a long history of being an annoyance because it feeds on blood, leaves itchy bites, and overall irritates its human hosts. However, bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease, unlike the majority of public health pests. Multiple elimination techniques are advised since bed bug populations in various parts of the country have evolved resistance to the ways that many insecticides act to kill bugs.

Bed bugs can live for several months without a blood meal.

Components in bed bug saliva act as an anesthetic and promote increased blood flow at the bite site.

Termites

Termites are considered as "silent destroyers" because they can eat through wood, flooring, and even wallpaper without being seen. In the world, there are around 2,000 different species of termites. More than $5 billion in property damage is brought on by termites each year.

Termites have wings that shed after they find a place to build a nest.

The main predator to termites are ants.

Spiders

Common house spiders do not pose much of a threat and are often helpful in keeping away other small insects. However, there are certain species that are harmful to have around the house.

Black widow venom is 15 times stronger than rattlesnake venom.

By density, spider web silk is tougher than steel.

Earwigs

There are more than twenty species of earwigs in the United States. Despite their name, earwigs don't craw into ears. Some species produce a foul smelling liquid that they use for defense. Earwigs also produce a pheromone, which could be the reason they cluster together.

Even though earwigs have wings, they rarely use them.

Earwigs are omnivores, eating both plants and small insects.

Bees & Wasps

Bees and wasps are flying insects that are notorious for being aggressive, their painful stings, and setting up nests in and around residential homes and commercial buildings. Taking down a nest without proper safety precautions can often lead to more problems then leaving them alone. Even though a small percentage of people are allergic to bee or wasp stings, the venom can cause a fatal allergic reaction. People known to be allergic are advised to carry emergency epinephrine kits.

Wasps nest can be underground, usually from an abandoned rodent burrow or warren.

Honey bees dance to communicate with each other.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches have been around for millions of years, evolving into some of the most adaptable pests on Earth. Unfortunately, cockroaches can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks, especially in children. They can also spread nearly 33 different kinds of bacteria.

Cockroaches can live up to one week without its head.

Cockroaches can withstand 10 times more radiation than a human, but NOT a nuclear explosion.

Bats

Bats are nighttime flying animals known to live in isolated, dark places. Scientists have identified over 980 species of bats worldwide, 40 of which are found in the United States. Bats can live up to 30 years, depending on the species. Most bat species feed on insects like moths and beetles and will only bite humans when they feel threatened.

The first fossilized bat was found 53 million years ago.

The only mammal capable of true flight.