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ENTOMOLOGY: INSECT PESTS [continued]

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  MG Manual Reference
Ch. 3, pp. 42 - 45
[ Insect Pests: ipm | landscape; foliage, sap, trunk, root | turf grass; root, leaf, sap, nuisance | household; structures, living quarters, products | outdoor | citrus | fruits | gardens ]

HOUSEHOLD PESTSTop

There are a limited number of insects that actually live in human dwellings. Several more may occasionally enter homes accidentally, and thus become a nuisance.
PESTS OF STRUCTURES Top
Coleoptera

Wood-Boring Beetles
Several species of beetles feed on wood as larvae, including powderpost beetles, deathwatch beetles and oldhouse borers. Fortunately most require wood with a higher moisture content than found in the lower deserts. The grub-like larvae are often found in firewood, but this is of little concern to the homeowner. Some wood boring beetles may attack structures at the higher elevations.
Winged Ant
Winged Ant
Isoptera

Termites
Termites are social insects that live in colonies of many individuals, with a queen and king. New queens and kings have wings, and fly out to start new colonies in a process known as swarming. Winged ants and termites may fly at the same time of year, and may be difficult for the homeowner to tell apart. The termites will have thick waists and antennae that look like a chain of beads.
Winged Termite
Winged Termite
Immature termites are light-colored and soft-bodied. There are many species of termites, but they fall into three categories based on their life histories: subterranean, dry-wood, and dampwood. The subterranean termites build tubes of mud from the soil to the wood in structures. Dry-wood termites do not need soil contact in order to survive.
Hymenoptera

Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants build their nests in wooden structures. Often they find sites where the wood is moist, such as around bathrooms, kitchens or utility rooms where water condenses or leaks occur. The colony is founded by a queen ant that lays all the eggs. The eggs hatch into grub-like larvae that are fed by the worker ants. Carpenter ants like sweets, but also feed on any dead or injured insects they find. They do not eat wood.
PESTS OF LIVING QUARTERS Top
Orthoptera

Cockroaches
There are seven species of cockroaches found in Arizona, in assorted colors and sizes. All cockroaches are oval, flattened insects which have a pair of appendages on the rear of their abdomen called cerci. These appendages are covered with hairs which sense the tiniest breeze. They help the cockroach detect and flee from danger.
American Cockroach
American Cockroach
The most common and largest species found in Arizona is the infamous sewer roach (American cockroach). These pests can reach sizes up to 2 inches long and are chestnut or reddish-brown in color. Sewer roaches, as their name implies, live in sewers where they build up to high numbers. They may make their way into houses through drains, so covering and closing all drains helps prevent them.
German Cockroach Nymph
German Cockroach Nymph
The brown-banded and German cockroaches are also common inside houses. The German cockroach is about 5/8 inch long and pale yellowish brown with two darker stripes running lengthwise on the top of the thorax. Females carry their eggs in cases which resemble large "pills" at the end of their abdomen. The brown-banded cockroach is about 5/8 inch long with light yellowish-brown bands encircling the front of their thorax and across their wings.
A recent introduction, the Turkestan cockroach, is becoming quite common outdoors in urban areas. The male is winged, light yellowish-brown and an inch long. The female has shortened oval wings, and is black with cream-colored markings on the wings and thorax. When populations are high, some individuals enter houses. Males fly to lights at night. Nymphs are brown in front and black behind, and are the stage seen most often. Cleaning up wood piles, and other debris helps keep numbers down. Also, geckos are apparently good predators of these roaches.
Sanitation and insecticidal baits can be helpful for controlling cockroaches.
Indian House Crickets
Indian house crickets are light tan with darker spots and bands, and as with all crickets, they have enlarged hind-legs for jumping. House crickets enter houses through any cracks and crevices they find, including an open door. They are nocturnal, which means they hide during the day and are active at night. They feed on a variety of plant materials and debris, but apparently do not feed on fabric (other species of crickets are reported to feed on fabrics).
The males attract females by chirping at night, which can be extremely annoying for homeowners. They are capable of reproducing within the house, and may produce piles of unsightly droppings. Seal all cracks and crevices to keep them out.
Flea Larva
Flea Larva

Flea Adult
Flea Adult
Siphonaptera

Fleas
Adult fleas are compressed (flattened side to side) insects about 1/8 inch long, dark-brown to black in color, with enlarged hind legs for jumping. The adult female must have a blood meal in order to produce eggs. The larvae are thin, hairy wormlike creatures approximately 1/8 to 1/2 inch long. They feed on debris such as adult flea feces, dried blood, animal feces, etc.
Fleas can stay in the pupal stage for up to a year. They emerge when they perceive the vibrations of an animal walking by. In order to control fleas successfully, all stages must be attacked at once. The adult fleas must be controlled on the animal using sprays, dusts, or dips and at the same time the immature fleas must be removed by washing or destroying bedding, as well as vacuuming.
Argentine Ant
Argentine Ant
Hymenoptera

Ants
Adult ants have a constricted "waist" and their antennae have a distinct bend or elbow. There are several species which may enter houses, including the southern fire ant, odorous house ant and the pavement ant. These ants enter homes in search of food (and shelter during rainy seasons). Often their nest remains out of doors, although fire ants may establish a nest inside houses.
Ants are social insects that live in large groups. Baits treated with insecticides often offer the best control because the worker ants carry the poison down into the nest and feed it to all the members of the colony. For ant nests found outside, homeowners may grind up three or four orange peels and immediately pour the slurry down any entrance holes seen. This method works best during the hottest days of the summer.
Blow Fly
Blow Fly
Diptera

Blow Flies
Adults are shiny, metallic blue, green or copper colored flies. The immatures are white, legless maggots that generally feed on dead animals, but some species complete development on pet droppings. Infestations may be prevented by removing any potential breeding sites and keeping screens in good repair.
Fruit Flies
The adults are tiny flies less than 3/16 inch long, usually brown or grayish-brown in color. The most common species is Drosophila melanogaster, famous in genetic laboratories, but also common in households. Adults of this fruit fly have bright red eyes. The larvae are legless maggots found in rotting fruit. Most fruit fly immatures feed on the yeasts found in fruit rather than on the fruit. The native fruit flies are found in rotting cactus.
Fruit Fly
Fruit Fly
If the flies are numerous enough to be pests, they probably are breeding. The best control is to track down and remove all exposed or rotting fruits and vegetables. Look for that bag of potatoes you forgot under the stove or the apple cores your teenager left behind the couch.
(Note: the Mediterranean fruit fly belongs to another group of flies. It is larger, about the size of a house fly, and has multi-colored wings. As of this writing, they are not found in Arizona.)
House Fly
House Fly
House Flies
The adults are about 1/4 inch long with gray hairy bodies, and large eyes. Adult houseflies have sponging mouthparts to suck up sweets such as flower nectar, and can not bite humans. If a fly bites you, it is a stable fly. The immatures are legless white maggots that live in manure, food wastes, dead animals or rotting garbage. Homeowners that allow their dogs to run freely in the back yard and leave out bowls of dog food are likely to have house fly problems. Also, don't put meat or fish scraps in your compost heap.
Control procedures run from simple to complex. Removing garbage promptly and repairing screens is often enough to prevent problems. Sticky strips of fly paper or fly swatters are low cost methods to control flies. More complicated traps, parasitic wasps and bait materials all have been used successfully, as well. Aerosol sprays are available at lawn and garden supply stores.
Moth Flies (Drain or Sewage Flies)
Adults are less than 1/8 inch long, with scaly wings held roof-like over the back of the body. The immatures live in organic matter or garbage found in sink drains, plumbing traps, etc. They may invade homes from nearby sewers. To prevent further infestations, keep sink drains and traps clear by using drain cleaners regularly.
Stable Flies
The adults are 1/4 inch long and resemble house flies, but are capable of biting. The larvae develop in manure, particularly manure mixed with straw or hay.

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