Pests Archive - Page 2 of 12 - Ja-Roy Pest Control - Pest Control & Extermination Services

Red Flour Beetle

Red Flour Beetles in Louisiana

A number of beetles infest flour and grain-based products and are known as flour beetles. The most economically important pests of this species are the red flour beetle and the confused flour beetle. Red and confused flour beetles attack stored grain products such as flour, cereals, spices, pasta, cake mix, dried flowers, and even dried museum specimens. The red flour beetle is essentially an insect of warmer climates and can fly short distances. Flour beetles feed on grain dust and milled cereals, but are unable to attack sound and undamaged grain.

Red Flour Beetle Habitat

Red flour beetles are capable of breeding throughout the year where the building is warmed during winter. Flour beetles can be found not only inside infested grain products but in cracks and crevices where grain may have spilled. Flour beetles infest cereal, cake mix, cornmeal, crackers, dry pet food, chocolate and nuts, and seeds (such as birdseed). Both adults and small, off-white larvae will be found in infested items. The adult beetles often wander away from the infested material and can be found inside pantries and cupboards or anywhere in the home.

Red Flour Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The red flour beetle does not bite or sting but may elicit an allergic response. Although it does not spread disease, large numbers of dead bodies, cast skins, and fecal pellets can produce extremely pungent odors in grain. Common signs of an infestation are visual sightings of actual beetles crawling or flying throughout the home, seeing them in flour or cereal products, and “leaky packages.” Small bits of meal or grain spilling from a package, or small holes chewed through packaging, are signs that an infestation is present. Contact your local pantry pest control experts for help with red flour beetle problems.

Need help with Red Flour Beetle control?

Click the Get a FREE quote button below to leave your information.

Rice Weevil

Rice Weevils in Louisiana

The rice weevil is distributed worldwide and is a serious stored-grain pest, living, feeding, and breeding inside food products. More prominent in the southern United States, rice weevil adults and larvae feed on whole grains. Often called flour bugs, these snout-nosed beetles infest and feed on rice, flour, nuts, beans, seeds, cereals, and especially macaroni. Adults can fly and are attracted to light. The larval rice weevil must complete its development inside a seed kernel or a man-made equivalent, like macaroni products.

Rice Weevil Habitat

Rice weevils are sometimes found in homes infesting rice, beans, birdseed, sunflower seeds, dried corn, macaroni, and spaghetti. Weevils are internal feeders and are also found in grain storage facilities, food processing plants, and whole-food markets. Adults can live for 7 to 8 months and the egg, larva, and pupa stages occur in the grain kernels and are rarely seen. Females deposit 300-400 eggs inside a seed or grain kernel. Larvae hollow out kernels of grain and usually attack whole kernels. Holes on the side of the grain are made by adults and by emerging adults.

Rice Weevil Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Rice weevils do not harm people, pets, or home furnishings, but they do damage grains and seeds, and large populations can destroy food. Weevils feed on almost every processed, grain-based food consumed by people and their small size makes it possible for them to hide in tiny cracks. They can also enter even the smallest opening in a package, making them a relatively common household pest. Since rice weevils feed inside food packaging, they can remain hidden in the pantry for a long time. Homeowners will often spot adult weevils crawling on pantry shelves and floors.

If an infestation is present in your Louisiana home, locate and discard all infested material. Contact your local pantry pest control experts for help with rice weevils!

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

Sawtoothed Grain Beetles in Louisiana

The sawtoothed grain beetle is a common stored product pest found throughout the United States in homes, grocery stores, food warehouses, and grain storage facilities. Similar in appearance to the merchant grain beetle, the merchant grain beetle has the ability to fly, while the sawtoothed grain beetle does not. Adults find their way into stored grains, flour, sugar, nuts, and other dry material of plant origin through cracks and crevices of imperfectly sealed containers. They are incapable of attacking sound grain kernels and often occur in food previously infested by other stored product pests. Their flattened body allows them to easily penetrate broken kernels of grain and packaged materials. Not only do they contaminate food, they often cause mold problems due to moisture build-up.

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle Habitat

Sawtoothed grain beetles are commonly found in food manufacturing, storage, and retail facilities, as well as pantries in homes. This stored product pest feeds on bread, cereal, dry pasta, dried meats, candy, nuts, and other dry goods. A single female can lay up to 250 eggs within cracks of kernels of grain. As with other pantry insects, it is the larvae that do most of the damage, however, the adult is most commonly encountered. A typical discovery of a sawtoothed grain beetle infestation occurs when adult beetles are discovered crawling around a pantry area.

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Sawtoothed grain beetles are not known to carry or transmit any diseases to humans and do not bite or sting. They are nuisance pests and will contaminate and damage food that is stored in the home. Adults can readily enter sealed cardboard boxes and soft plastic packaging. Sawtoothed grain beetles typically enter homes in products purchased from grocery stores that are already infested with larvae or adults. The primary infestation usually originates at the manufacturing facility where the product was produced.

If you have sawtoothed grain beetles in your Louisiana property, contact your local pantry pest control experts for help.

Brown Widow Spider

Brown Widow Spiders in Louisiana

Brown widow spiders, also known as cobweb spiders because of their irregular webs, are common in Louisiana. The brown widow originally entered the U.S. in Florida and spread its range in the 1990s. The brown widow resembles the black widow, however, the hourglass of the brown widow is yellowish-orange or reddish-orange instead of bright red as in the black widow. Males do not bite, however, the female brown widow is a venomous spider that injects a neurotoxic venom when it bites its prey.

Brown Widow Spider Habitat

The brown widow builds its web in secluded, protected sites around homes and in woody vegetation with branches. Some typical sites selected by brown widows for web building are empty containers such as buckets and nursery pots, mailboxes, entryway corners, under eaves, storage closets and garages, and on the undersides of outdoor furniture and wrought iron railings. They choose places that are more exposed than sites chosen by black widows and therefore, appear to be at higher risk for interactions with humans regarding the potential to be bitten.

Brown Widow Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The bite of a brown widow spider is minor in comparison to that of a black widow and does not cause the same symptoms as a black widow bite. Brown widow spider venom is twice as potent as black widow venom, however, it is believed the brown widow does not inject the same amount of neurotoxin. This species is timid and avoids human interaction. In fact, males and immature brown widow spiders do not bite at all. While brown widow spider bites are typically not medically threatening, it is important for sensitive individuals to seek medical attention in the event of severe pain and swelling.

If you are dealing with a brown widow spider problem in your home, contact your local spider exterminators for help.

Cellar Spider

Cellar Spiders in Louisiana

Cellar spiders are inconspicuous, harmless, fragile spiders with extremely long, thin legs. They are sometimes referred to as daddy longlegs spiders, which are quite different and unrelated. Some species of cellar spiders are very common in homes, especially in garages, basements, and cellars, hence the common name. These spiders can be seen in corners and ceilings, usually hanging belly-up. Cellar spiders are the natural enemy of large house spiders that live in homes, and will also feed on flies, bees, wasps, and even other cellar spiders when food is scarce.

Cellar Spider Habitat

In nature, cellar spiders usually live in the openings of caves, or crevices in cliffs, and other protected places. Indoors, are often found in damp cellars, basements, crawl spaces, garages, and dark, quiet places. Cellar spiders build irregular messy webs and are highly sensitive to vibrations and will close in on an unsuspecting insect rapidly if it happens to wander into its web. Male and female cellar spiders may be found in climate-controlled structures seasonal.

Cellar Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Although cellar spiders do have venom, they aren’t a cause for concern. Historically, cellar spiders are not known to bite humans and, therefore, do not pose a health threat. Cellar spiders are considered nuisance pests, due to the large amounts of webbing they produce. Many species of spiders consume their old web before making a new one, but cellar spiders do not. They continuously add to it, creating large amounts of webbing which becomes a nuisance to remove and an eyesore in homes and commercial buildings.

If you are dealing with cellar spider problems in your home, contact your local spider exterminators.

Harvestmen / Daddy Longlegs

Daddy longleg spider identification in Covington, LA - Ja-Roy Pest Control

Harvestmen / Daddy Longlegs in Louisiana

Harvestmen, otherwise known as daddy longlegs, are often confused with spiders, but harvestmen are not true spiders. The name harvestmen came from their visibility in late summer and fall at harvest time. Harvestmen do not have silk glands and cannot spin webs. This species is known for its extremely long, thin legs and compact oval bodies. Harvestmen are sometimes a nuisance around structures where they congregate by the dozens, but they are not harmful to humans, animals, buildings, or crops.

Harvestmen / Daddy Longlegs Habitat

Harvestmen need humid places to live and are most often found in forests and caves, climbing on rocks and vegetation. During warm months, harvestmen are extremely common on the shady sides of buildings, underneath eaves, in crawl spaces, and on trees, in both rural and urban environments. In the fall, harvestmen will gather in large groups or swarms on the sides of buildings, moving simultaneously, resembling a wiggling mass, which can be disturbing for predators or homeowners.

Harvestmen Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Harvestmen are beneficial predators in the garden because they eat aphids, spiders, and other garden pests. Harvestmen do not bite, or produce venom and pose no danger to humans. However, if harvestmen feel threatened or are disturbed, they will emit a strange smelling odor that repels potential predators. It is rare for harvestmen to be found in homes, and because they are nocturnal, being most active at night, they can be difficult to detect.

If you are dealing with excess daddy longlegs spiders on your property, contact your local spider exterminators for help.

Southern House Spider

Southern House Spiders in Louisiana

Southern house spiders, sometimes referred to as crevice spiders, are common in Louisiana. Males have eight eyes squeezed together, and females are velvety black and look more like small tarantulas. They are frequently mistaken for brown recluse spiders.

Southern House Spider Habitat

The southern house spider is partial to spaces within the masonry of buildings; especially dark recesses of window sills, shutters, and overhangs. Females and juveniles make specialized webs that are occasionally found under tree bark but are frequently seen on houses, barns, bridges, and other man-made structures.

Southern house spiders will build webs in high places, and typically in the cracks and crevices of homes, garages, and sheds. These spiders will also spin their webs outside, in plants, cactus, and vegetation. The webs of this spider are flat and tangled, having a woolly texture.

Southern House Spider Behaviors

Southern house spiders have an unnerving tendency to crawl across anything in their path. Male southern house spiders sometimes appear aggressive, but they do not bite unless trapped and their mouthparts are too small to easily penetrate human skin. The southern house spider can be a particular pest during the winter, building up populations in unkept areas of houses, outbuildings, warehouses, and similar structures in addition to outdoor habitats.

Are Southern House Spiders Poisonous?

Southern house spiders are venomous – not poisonous. But don’t worry, their venom is weak. If a southern house spider bites you, you may experience some pain similar to a bee sting. You should feel better in a day or two.

Are Southern House Spiders Harmful?

Not really. Most southern house spider bites are the result of accidental contact, such as when a spider crawls into clothing and then gets pressed against skin. These spiders are mostly frightened of humans and retreat if they feel threatened.

Southern house spiders are not harmful unless you’re a pest. If you don’t mind the presence of spiders, having a few around can actually be a good thing. Southern house spiders enjoy eating pests that are much more annoying like flies and ants.

What is the Difference Between a Brown Recluse and a House Spider?

There is a huge difference between brown recluses and southern house spiders, but sometimes it can be hard to tell. They have similar brown coloring and they’re similar sizes, but brown recluses are much more dangerous than house spiders. Brown recluse spiders have extremely potent venom and their bites are considered medically significant.

Many harmless house spiders are killed in the belief that they’re the much more dangerous brown recluse, but there’s an easy way to tell the difference. Brown recluses have a telltale violin marking on their back.

How Big Can Southern House Spiders Get?

Most house spiders you see can get as big as about the size of a quarter, but very rarely you will run into a huge one. Yes, they can get quite big sometimes. If you run into one of these, it means it’s been eating plenty of pests that would have otherwise been bothering you.

Southern House Spider Experts in Louisiana

If you are dealing with southern house spider problems on your Louisiana property, contact your local spider exterminators.

Clothes Moth

Clothes Moths in Louisiana

Clothes moths are fabric pests and are among the few animals that can digest keratin, the fibrous protein found in animal hide, hair, feathers, and horns. There are two different types of clothes moths in North America — the webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth. The larva is the damaging stage of the clothes moth and both species feed exclusively on animal fibers, especially wool, fur, silk, feathers, felt, and leather. Serious infestations of clothes moths can develop undetected in dwellings, causing irreparable harm to clothing and decorative items.

Clothes Moth Habitat

Unlike some other types of moths, clothes moths are seldom seen because they avoid light. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, basements, and attics. Indoors, clothes moth larvae are frequently noted on woolen clothes, carpets, upholstered furniture, and old wool rug remnants in the attic. Lint from wool rugs and pet hair behind baseboards and in flooring cracks all serve to invite moth infestations. A favorite egg-laying site is a carpet under the rear legs of a sofa, a spot rarely reached by a vacuum cleaner. Adult moths do not eat fabric, but their presence means that eggs will be laid soon, producing fabric-eating larvae.

Clothes Moth Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Articles commonly damaged and destroyed by clothes moths include sweaters, scarves, coats, blankets, rugs, down pillows and comforters, upholstery, toys, decorative items, and taxidermy mounts. The larvae prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, chests, and boxes where woolens and furs are stored for long periods. Clothing and blankets in regular use are seldom infested, nor are rugs that get a normal amount of traffic, or are routinely vacuumed. Edges and undersides of rugs or sections beneath furniture are more likely to be attacked. If you suspect a clothes moth infestation, it is recommended to contact a pest control professional.

House Cricket

House Crickets in Louisiana

The house cricket was introduced into Canada and the United States in the 18th century and attracted the attention of early writers by its serenades and whimsical habit of chewing on clothes. House crickets are nocturnal and omnivorous, feeding readily on various foods, and are particularly attracted to liquids, especially fermented beverages such as beer or sweetened vinegar. House crickets are drawn to warm moist environments, seeking food and shelter within homes and structures as temperatures cool down in the fall.

House Cricket Habitat

During warm weather, the house cricket lives outdoors in piles of debris, rocks, firewood, and lumber. They may also be seen in compost bins and garbage dumps during the winter, as well as in houses, sheds, and other shelters. With the coming of cold weather, the house cricket enters homes and is active in warm areas of the house. House crickets are nocturnal and usually first make themselves evident at dusk when they begin to seek food in homes. Homeowners may also be alerted to their presence by the familiar chirping sounds made by males. When attracting females, males rub their front wings together causing a chirping sound.

House Cricket Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

House crickets do not bite or spread disease, however, they can become a nuisance if they gain entry into a home, damaging clothing, carpets, and areas covered in fabric. Because these crickets are attracted to warmth, they are often present in the vicinity of the fireplace, kitchen, furnace, water heater, and basement. They conceal themselves in cracks, behind baseboards, and may burrow into the mortar of walls. The house cricket is especially destructive to silk and woolens.

If you have a house cricket infestation in your Louisiana property, contact your local pest control experts.

Ladybug

Ladybugs in Louisiana

Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybird beetles, one the most visible beneficial insects due to their feeding on harmful insects. They are natural enemies of many insects, especially aphids and other sap feeders. A single ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. Many species of ladybugs are present throughout the United States and are common in most habitats. At times, however, these beetles make a nuisance of themselves by invading homes.

Ladybug Habitat

Ladybugs can be found in many different habitats including forests, grasslands, rivers, and in cities and suburbs. These beetles mainly live in shrubs, trees, fields, gardens, and sometimes within homes. Aphids are a ladybugs’ main source of food and they often lay their eggs near aphid colonies. Ladybugs hibernate in mass over the winter, usually in protected places like cracks in rocks, tree trunks, and in buildings and homes.

Ladybug Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Ladybugs are important beneficial insects to have around as they prey on aphids and other insects that can destroy gardens and crops. However, in some areas, these beneficial beetles can become a nuisance when they enter homes. Ladybugs are overwintering insects and when one ladybug finds a suitable spot to hibernate, it produces a pheromone that attracts other ladybugs to the site. It is not uncommon to find dozens, if not hundreds of ladybugs congregating together in clumps. Quite often, a few misguided beetles get confused and enter homes through electrical outlets and other openings in walls. If you suspect a ladybug infestation, contact your local pest control company.