Get the Lowdown on Common Insects!
Lloyd Pest Control – Experienced with Insect Control
Lloyd Pest Control Services Ltd. has over 35 years of experience removing common insects from homes and businesses across the Durham Region and surrounding areas, including ants, fleas, bees and wasps. You can learn more about some of these unwanted pests by reading their characteristics listed below.
Ants – Carpenter, Pharaoh, Fire & Pavement
Ranging in size from 0.8mm to 1.63”, ants come in several varieties and colours, including black, brown, yellow, red or a combination of these colours. Although people don’t typically panic when they spot an ant, they can become a serious problem in a hurry. Ants can infest foods or even cause structural damages to your home. Other problems caused by ants include defoliation of certain plants, holes gnawed in fabrics, the removal of insulation from wires and the possible transmittance of disease after they’ve crawled over waste and refuse. The best way to prevent an ant infestation is a professional perimeter treatment around your home.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Carpenter Ants
A common invader in Canadian homes, the black carpenter ant aids in the decomposition 
of dead, decaying trees when in its natural habitat. Normally nesting in logs, stumps and hollow trees, carpenter ants often invade homes in search of food. Seldom tunneling into dry, sound wood, these ants typically excavate moist, rotting wood and other soft materials (including foamed plastic insulation board) to build their satellite nests. Homeowners should look for ants that are foraging indoors and locate their nests by looking for piles of coarse, stringy wood particles, dead insect parts and other debris sifting from cracks in the siding, behind mouldings, in your basement or attic or under your porches. Excavated particles get dumped outside the nest, as carpenter ants do not consume wood as food. Also unlike termites, carpenter ants’ tunnels are smooth-sided and don’t contain soil particles or fecal pellets. You can listen for rustling noises in your walls and ceilings to locate satellite colonies.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Bees & Wasps
Belonging to the order Hymenoptera, stinging insects such as ants, bees and wasps are usually social insects preferring to live in colonies where tasks are divided among three castes: queens, males and workers. Responsible for nest establishment and egg laying, there is only one queen present during most of the season. Workers are females equipped with stingers that constitute most of the colony’s inhabitants. Because they can sting and move fast, bees and wasps are typically feared. In fact, bee and wasp stings cause several human deaths each year. While wasps can sting repeatedly, honey bees can only sting once because they have a barbed stinger that will remain in the victim’s skin tissue. When the bee is brushed away, the stinger is pulled from the bee’s body along with its venom sac, which will continue to pump venom into the victim after.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Cluster Flies
Perhaps you’re accustomed to swatting flies in your kitchen during the warm summer months. Cluster flies typically make their house debut during the fall months when they fly to the sunny side of homes in search of protected over-wintering sites. They are usually found flying about inside, often in great numbers, during the winter. While they may not reproduce inside your home, they do become active on warm days and crawl out of wall voids and attics to go back outside where they will lay their eggs on the soil in the spring. Cluster flies won’t damage your home and they’re not known to carry any diseases of medical importance to humans. However, they can be annoying because they gather or “cluster” in large numbers at windows on warm winter days. Typically sluggish in flight, cluster flies can be easily swatted or captured.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Fleas
Small, wingless insects that are flattened from side to side, fleas are covered with spines and bristles that project backwards to keep the flea positioned on its host during grooming. Adult fleas have piercing-sucking mouthparts which are used to feed on their host’s blood. The most common type of flea is the cat flea, although this flea mostly infects dogs and cats. Fleas can be detected on pets by rubbing the animal’s fur backwards and checking for their presence next to the skin. Visual sightings of fleas are rare until after there is visual evidence of the bites on both you and your pet. Therefore, your health is quickly at risk with a flea infestation.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Drain Flies (a.k.a. Moth, Sewage & Filter Flies)
Drain flies are a small moth-like insect that are 1.5 to 5 millimeters long with broad wings that are covered with small hairs. Their colour can be brown, grey and/or black. They are a real nuisance in large numbers. Drain flies are also known as “moth flies,” “sewage flies” and “filter flies.” The most obvious sign of a drain fly infestation is usually a sighting of the adult flies, which are typically found on kitchen, bathroom or basement walls. If left alone, an adult drain fly will live approximately two weeks. Surprisingly, drain flies are not known to transmit any diseases to humans. However, an untreated infestation will eventually lead to hundreds of flies. While many DIY sites will tell you that pouring boiling hot water or bleach is an effective remedy, those methods will not solve the problem. These flies deposit their eggs in the organic matter stuck to the inner walls of sewage and drain pipes. Without the removal of clogs and appropriate cleaning of the pipes, adult flies will repopulate in the very same drain. Our technicians will identify the source of the problem and may use natural enzymes (not insecticides) to break down the organic matter and eliminate the breeding grounds for these flies. Female drain flies deposit anywhere from 30 to 100 eggs on the surface of the breeding medium. The larvae and pupae thrive deep within the gelatinous film and extend breathing tubes to the surface. Drain fly eggs can mature to adults in 7 to 28 days.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Fruit or Phorid Flies
While they resemble each other, phorid flies lack the red eye colour that is the classic trademark of a fruit fly. Small in size, they usually measure up to 1/8 inch in length, which includes their wings. Tan brown with black eyes, a small head and an arched (humpbacked) thorax when viewed from the side, these flies reproduce in large numbers in a very short time period. Adult flies are strong fliers, having been known to travel as far as six miles in a 24-hour time period. Found in nature the world over, they are typically associated with dead animals and/or heavily decaying vegetation. In buildings, they can usually be found breeding in drains, trash containers, dumpsters, rotting produce, recycle bins, grease traps, garbage disposals, crawlspaces and any site where moist organic matter has been allowed to accumulate for a few days or longer.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
House Flies
Often seen visiting dumps, sewers and garbage heaps, house flies are not the neatest of insects. They feed on fecal matter, discharges from wounds and sores, sputum and all sorts of moist decaying matter, including spoiled fish, eggs and meat. Their eggs are found deposited in decaying matter, including grass clippings, garbage and human and animal excrement. Horse manure is their preferred breeding medium. About 100-150 eggs are deposited by each female on appropriate food. Eggs can hatch in as little as 7½ hours when temperatures are high (about 99 F), or it can take two days if the temperature is only 59 F. Eggs hatch into worm-like creatures called maggots, which lack definite heads, eyes, antennae or legs. Because house flies regurgitate and excrete whenever they come to a rest, they mechanically transmit disease organisms and they are strongly suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans, including typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, poliomyelitis, yaws, anthrax, tularemia, leprosy and tuberculosis.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Moths – Indian Meal, Mediterranean Flour & Clothes
Indian meal moths typically have a wing expanse of nearly ¾ of an inch and can be reddish brown with a copper luster on the outer two-thirds of their body and whitish gray on their inner or body ends. They are primarily found around a stored grain source, as their larvae feed off grains, grain products, dried fruits, nuts, cereals and other processed foods. This type of pest can also be found around your pantry.
Pale-gray in colour with a wingspread of slightly less than an inch, Mediterranean flour moths have black zigzag lines upon their wings and a sloping body appearance. Typically found near flour, grain residues and various whole grains, the Mediterranean flour moth can clog machinery with its webbing, causing grain mill shut-downs.
As their name implies, clothes moths can be destructive to your wool, furs and other natural or blended fabrics. Typically gold or yellowish-gray with reddish-gold/coppery hairs on their hair and wings, clothes moths are about ¼ inch long and do not fly well. Not attracted to light, clothes moths are typically found in dark areas close to the fabrics they’re infesting. Clothes moths can also damage furnishings and carpets and they are more active in temperatures above 40 degrees.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Stored-Product Pests
Stored-product pests can be classified by the foodstuffs or materials that they usually infest. These are stored grain pests, processed food pests, fabric pests, etc. Some pests, however, feed on a variety of foodstuffs and, therefore, are difficult to classify.
The existence of a stored-product pest infestation usually becomes apparent when the pests are observed crawling or flying about. Specific identification is necessary. Typically, this will suggest where to look for the infested materials and the type of control measures that should be applied.
Stored-product pests like grain weevils, Indian meal moths or saw-toothed grain beetles thrive on grain, bran, rice and flour. These hungry pests can cost a mill, bakery, food processing facility or restaurant thousands of dollars in contaminated product. Even worse, they can jeopardize a company’s compliance with government regulations, potentially stopping operations altogether. One reason stored-product pests can cause so much damage is that they contaminate much more than they eat, meaning even a small infestation can have a significant impact on final product output.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Light tan in colour, bed bugs turn a dark-reddish brown once they’ve fed on blood. An adult bed bug is typically about ¼ inch long and flattened in shape and can be seen with the naked eye. Bed bugs have been nearly absent from developed countries for the last 35 years thanks largely to the effectiveness of long-lasting insecticides. The regulatory loss of long-lasting insecticides has allowed the once under-control bed bug to make a significant comeback. Within the past five years, there has been an alarming resurgence with bed bugs being found in hotels, motels and hostels with high rates of occupancy turnover. Unfortunately, this also means homes are now more susceptible to bed bug infestations as well. A bed bug feeds once per week on a sleeper’s exposed skin and the bite is virtually painless with almost no reaction afterwards. Sometimes people will develop a hard bump with a whitish center that can itch for days. Although they suck blood similarly to other human parasites, there hasn’t been any evidence that bed bugs spread disease.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Beetles – Carpet, Larder & Ground
Dark brown and about 1/3 inch in length, the adult larder beetle is a pest that was historically found around cured meats in Europe, the United States and Canada. Thanks to refrigeration, the purchase of meats in smaller quantities and the less frequent home curing of meats, these beetles are not as common as they once were. However, they can be found in homes, museums, mills, livestock facilities and other places with suitable food sources. When flies, bugs, beetles and wasps accumulate in attics and die, larder beetles lay eggs on top of the dead insects for their larvae to feed upon when they hatch.
Carpet beetles are often found outdoors in the cracks around windows and doors, often looking to come in for food. They can be found living in carpet or scurrying around your cupboards or drawers. Carpet beetles can cause significant damages to your carpet and other fabrics, as they often like to chew large, irregular-shaped holes. Because carpet beetles also eat pet hair, they can sometimes be found in your pet’s bedding.
The black carpet beetle adult is 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, an elongate oval in shape, and as the name implies, black in colour. Black carpet beetle larvae are 1/4 inch long, tapered in shape like a carrot and have a golden sheen over their brown body with a tuft of hairs emerging from their rear end. Carpet beetles are responsible for 80% or more of the woolen damage we see. Just about every home has some carpet beetles found onsite, and they commonly breed outdoors. Carpet beetles can be found in most bird and wasp nests, as well as in attics, closet floors, along baseboards, in heating ducts and cold air returns, inside wall voids and in furniture and appliances where they feed on dead insects, animal hair, dead animals (mice or birds), food crumbs, pet food, seeds, spices, household lint and even some dry goods. They will feed on wool, silk, furs and any clothing soiled with blood, urine, beer or food stains.
Common black ground beetles grow to lengths of 1/2 to 5/8 inches. Their body is flattened and long, while their head is narrow with large eyes, a strong curved lower jaw and very tiny antennae. They do not fly, so they have long legs that enable them to run fast. Black beetles are glossy black in colour except for a small amount of reddish brown on their legs and antennae. Breeding begins in late summer when the female lays eggs just below the soil’s surface. After the larvae hatch, they live all winter underground and begin to feed in early spring as they turn into pupae. During the summer, they will have grown into adults and emerged from the soil. It takes an entire year from the time the eggs are laid for a beetle to reach maturity. Many adult beetles can live to the age of 2 or 3 years old or older.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Box Elder Bugs
Distinctly black, red, gray and orange in colour, box elder bugs typically measure about ½ inch long. As temperatures drop and they seek warmth, box elder bugs typically make their way into your home during the colder winter months. On sunny days, you might notice them clustered near windows. Because box elder bugs often produce a foul odour and/or a staining dye when crushed, it might be best to leave their removal up to our pest control professionals.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Cockroaches – American, Oriental, Brown-Banded & German
Although extremely visible when exposed, cockroaches are very capable of remaining out of sight. Commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms around appliances and pipes, cockroaches feed on a variety of foods but decaying organic matter is their food of choice. Cockroaches also feed on items containing starches and can cause noticeable damage to book bindings, paper goods and clothing. Their droppings are easily confused with pepper and are usually found near their infestation sites. Their oily bodies and droppings can contaminate your counters, walls and exposed food products.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Crickets
Omnivores as well as scavengers that feed on organic materials, crickets live under rocks and logs in meadows, pastures and along roadsides. Many are nocturnal and they feed on decaying plant materials, fungi and seedling plants. To attract mates, males produce a sound by rubbing their forewings against each other. This resulting chirping is picked up by the female’s ears on her front legs. Chirps are different for each species so individuals can locate their own species. If left in large numbers, crickets may injure your seedlings and cause other damages in addition to the loud mating songs in your home’s basement or patio areas.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Earwigs
The name earwig means “ear creature” and is derived from the widespread superstition that these insects crawl into the ears of sleeping people. Perhaps even more disturbing was the belief that once the earwig gained access inside the ear was that it could bore into your brain. In actuality, these insects do not crawl into the human ear. Their most distinguishing physical attribute is their claw-like forceps (or cerci), which are located on the end of their abdomen. Straight-sided on most females, they’re more pincer-like on males and can be used as protective weapons or to capture prey. Earwigs are active at night and spend the day hiding in cracks and crevices. They are mainly scavengers and occasionally feed on plants. Because large numbers may seek shelter in and around homes, the European earwig has become a notorious household pest in some areas. Although population explosions are not as intensive as those following their initial introduction to Canada, it’s not uncommon to have isolated areas with high populations of earwigs during warm, humid weather. When earwigs invade your home, they typically get into everything, including laundry, loaves of bread, clothing, bedding and furniture. They’re difficult to keep out, even with the use of screens and other mechanical barriers.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Ladybugs
Ladybugs are beneficial because they feed on harmful insects such as aphids that can damage plants in gardens and landscapes. The multi-coloured Asian lady beetle is a native of Eastern Asia. While similar to other lady beetles, it is generally a little larger, at about 1/3 inch long. Its appearance can vary, ranging from orange to yellow to red or even black. They typically crawl under siding and roofing and into cracks and gaps found in foundations and around windows, doors and other openings. They may continue to move into living areas of homes or they may spend winter months inside attics or wall voids. Usually lying dormant during mild, sunny winter days, they tend to become more active once spring arrives. Many attempt to move outdoors but not all succeed – many remain trapped indoors. These lady beetles cannot sting and they do not carry disease. Prevention is the most effective way to manage lady beetles. Check the outside of your home for spaces and cracks that may allow an insect’s easy entry and make any necessary repairs by the end of September. Frequently spraying the beetles that have landed on the side of your house with soapy water will also help reduce the population significantly.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Millipedes
Easily identified by their two pairs of legs per body segment (except for the first three segments that have one pair each), millipedes are often called “thousand-leggers” due to their many legs. Sometimes they are also called “wire worms” due to their cylindrical wire-like body shape. Millipedes are normally found in cool, damp places, including under stones, leaf mould, mulch, compost heaps, piles of grass clippings and brick pathways. Sometimes millipedes become restless and migrate from their normal living places, appearing in window wells, basements, garages and other places where they can become an annoyance.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Silverfish & Firebrats
Often referred to as bristletails, silverfish and firebrats have three, tail-like appendages protruding from their last abdominal segment. Silverfish have silvery-metallic scales covering their body and antennae as long as their body (they can grow as long as 12mm in length from their head to the tip of their abdomen), while firebrats have tufts of brown scales that create a mottled appearance and antennae which are longer than the length of their body. Both species move rapidly (including sideways) and their flat bodies allow them to fit and hide in narrow crevices. Mostly a nuisance, they can destroy cereals, books, papers, wallpaper and other starchy items with their excrement. During severe infestations, these starchy items may develop irregular-shaped holes from their feeding. Silverfish and firebrats do not feed on wool or other animal products.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Sow & Pill Bugs
Pill bugs get their name from their habit of rolling into a ball when bothered, protecting their soft underside. Pill bugs are often called sow bugs, but specialists like to reserve the name sow bug for some species that look a little like pill bugs but can’t roll into balls. Both pill bugs and sow bugs are sometimes known as woodlice. Sow bugs are land crustaceans that look very similar to pill bugs, at least at a first glance. When viewed from above, sow bugs are small crustaceans with oval bodies. Their back consists of a number of overlapping, articulating plates. They have seven pairs of legs and antennae which reach about half the body length. Most are slate gray in colour and they may reach about 15mm long and 8mm wide.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
Spiders
Spiders have an ominous but often undeserved reputation. Though most spiders are venomous and considered predators, of the thousands of species found in Canada, very few are actually considered a health threat. In fact, spiders are actually beneficial in controlling other pests in the home or garden since they feed on other insects and spiders. They generally bite and inject venom into their prey. However, spiders rarely bite humans.
Although spiders are often unpopular, the venom of most species is not very toxic to humans. If you’ve been bit by a spider, usually you won’t notice anything more than a slight swelling, inflammation or itching sensation. Most spiders’ fangs are either too small or too weak to be able to puncture through human skin. Spiders don’t usually attempt to bite unless they’re accidentally trapped against the skin or grasped. However, some species will actively guard their egg sacs or young. Two spiders that can be a health risk are the brown recluse and the black widow.
However, one of the most common misconceptions about spiders is that they are insects. Spiders are classified as arachnids and are actually closely related to mites, ticks and scorpions. Spiders have two body parts (cephalothoraxes and abdomen), eight legs and usually six to eight eyes, while insects are classified as having three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen), six legs and generally two compound eyes or up to three single eyes. The average lifespan of a spider is usually one to two years. However, some can live five years and up to 20 years.
We would be happy to help you with this problem in a phone call, an email or a visit to our store. Contact us today!
