Occasional Invaders - These pests are more of a nuisance than a matter of harm and may have only wandered inside accidentally. Some of theses pests cannot survive inside for a long period of time and may die before first being discovered. Here is a list of some of the most common pests that may find their way inside a structure

• Cricket - Crickets can be distinguished from their relative the grasshopper by the way the wings are carried. The cricket will keep its wings folded around the body whereas the grasshopper will carry them folded and above itself. The house cricket, the camel cricket and the field cricket are the three most common cricket invaders of a home. Crickets will feed upon plants as well as insects and each other. They will cause damage to paper or fabric when in large numbers. Clothing stained by food or sweat are common targets. Control of crickets includes well groomed shrubbery and grass, elimination of harboring spots up against the house, outdoor lighting should be kept to a minimum, holes in the house should be sealed and doors tight fitting as well as windows having screens.

• Earwig - The name earwig comes from a superstition that these insects would enter the ears of sleeping people and bore into their brain. Their color varies from pale brown with dark markings to reddish brown to black with pale legs. They have 4 wings: front wings, leathery, short and meeting in a straight line down the back, and hind wings, membranous fan-shaped and folded under the front wings. Earwigs are nocturnal, active at night, and hide during the day in moist, shady areas. They can be found under planter boxes, stones, logs and in mulch. The earwig feeds on live or dead plants and insects.

• Potato Bug - The potato bug’s actual name is the Jerusalem cricket. It is brown with black bands on the abdomen and has a large head. These crickets are nocturnal and can be found by turning over rocks and wood. They feed on other insects and spiders. The Jerusalem cricket is known to also have a powerful bite.

• Centipede - The adult is long, flattened, wormlike and can have over one hundred pairs of legs. The color is usually yellowish to dark brown and sometimes has dark stripes. Some species of the centipede can inflict a painful bite but is not lethal. All centipedes have poison jaws with which they inject to kill their prey. Most centipedes are nocturnal, coming out at night, unless disturbed. They are found in areas of high moisture such as bark, rotting logs, under stones, trash, piles of leaves and grass clippings. Centipedes are primarily carnivorous and obtain their required moisture from their prey.

• Millipede - The adults are usually cylindrical and wormlike with up to one hundred pairs of legs. They are blackish to brownish in color but there are some that are red, orange or with mottled patterns. Adult females can lay hundreds of eggs in soil or decaying matter that will hatch in several weeks and usually reach adult maturity in a couple years. Millipedes are typically found in places with high moisture and decaying vegetation. They also feed upon the decaying organic matter such as plant material but will feed upon dead insects and are known to eat their molted skins to replace lost calcium.

• Scorpions - Scorpions have eight legs, a pair of pinchers, mouth pinchers and a tail with a stinger. The sting of a scorpion is somewhat non-venemous and in most cases is no more poisonous than a wasp sting, although there are some species that are particularly more poisonous than others. Scorpions will sting if crushed or if they are disturbed. Outside you can find the scorpion under rocks, logs and loose bark. Scorpions are most active at night. They are attracted to moist areas. Methods of control include removal of unnecessary rocks, logs, trash or debris. Also make sure the house is properly sealed up.

• Pillbug - The pillbug is commonly known as the “roly-poly” because of the way they roll into a tight ball when disturbed. The pillbug is not considered an insect but rather an arthropod. They are concave on top but flat underneath with 7 pairs of legs. The eggs are deposited and hatched within the pouch that is on the underside of the pillbug. The pillbug is confined to areas of high moisture because they lack a closing device for respiratory purposes and they lack an outer waxy layer on the exoskeleton to prevent water loss. The pillbug remains inactive and hidden during the day and can be found around the base of buildings, around trash, boards, rocks and other quiet areas. They feed on decaying organic matter such as plants and sometimes an occasional animal.

• Sowbug - The sowbug, like the pillbug is classified as an arthropod. They are convex on the top of their body and flat or hollow underneath with 7 pairs of legs. The sowbug does not curl into a ball like the pillbug. Eggs are deposited and hatched within the pouch that is on the underside of the sowbug. Sowbugs are confined to areas of high moisture because they lack a closing device for respiratory purposes and they lack an outer waxy layer on the exoskeleton to prevent water loss. The sowbug remains inactive and hidden during the day to minimize water loss and can be found around the base of buildings, around trash, boards rocks and other quiet areas. They feed on decaying organic matter such as plants and sometimes an occasional animal.

• Beetle - There are many types of beetles and some are quite colorful. They come in many sizes and shapes. Beetles are usually found outside under rocks or in trees. Many beetles will be attracted to light and are more of a nuisance than anything else. The beetle can be beneficial by feeding on insects and larvae of unwanted pests. Many people are curious about beetles and request additional information, which requires specific identification.

• Boxelder Bug - The boxelder bug is black with red markings. During the fall season, they will leave their host tree and a structure to over winter. They do not sting and will seldom bite. The best time to control the boxelder bug is when they are sunning themselves in the late fall to early springtime.

• Springtail - The springtail is a very small insect measuring about 1/25 to 1/12 of an inch. They can be found in places where it is damp, moldy or has organic debris such as the bathroom, kitchen and the basement. The springtail is whitish to gray in color and lack wings. Springtails do not bite. They will feed upon fungi, spores, algae and decaying vegetable materials. Springtails are attracted to light and due to their size can crawl under doorways to enter a structure. Elimination of these insects focuses on moisture control, sanitation and reduction of mulch and other materials around the base of the house.