Oval shape; Flat body

Pronotum projects over head

Long, spindly legs

Color varies by specia

The most common roach is the german roach, which infests most homes and restaurants

Can be transported through boxes, bags, and house guests.

Rats and Mice

Generally small bodies covered in fur

2 incisors at front of mouth used for gnawing

Active all year round, most active in fall and winter

Can squeeze through any small opening

Scratching sound in walls and attic is a possible sign of rodents

If over-populated, rats will bite

Pet, food, garbage, and trash piles attract rodents

PEST CATEGORY: BED BUGSBED BUGS(1)

Bed bugs are flat

reddish-brown

oval insects up to 4 to 5 mm long or the size of an apple seed

Swollen and reddish after a blood meal

Bed bugs only feed on blood

Under cool conditions, bed bugs have been able to survive up to a year without a meal. They prefer to be more active at night when the host is asleep.

Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

1/64 inch long

Bright red color when young

Brown to olive green when adult

Body shape similar to ticks

Long front legs

¾ to 7/8 inches long

Yellow-brown or straw colored

Three dark bands across top of head

Long, slender antennae

Wings lay flat on back

Won’t bite or sting

Most common cricket is the House Cricket and Camel Cricket

Camel crickets are active in the crawl space of your home. House Crickets are more common in basement and slab homes

3/8 Inch long

Nonmetallic gray in color

Wings completely over back

Non-striped thorax will yellow or golden hairs

The most common fly is the House Fly. They will lay eggs and regurgitate everywhere they land.

The Drain Fly is another common house pest. Often mistaken for the Fruit Fly, their habitat is drains, flower pots, and trashcans. They are often difficult to eliminate.

Other common flies include the Horse Fly, Fruit Fly, Blue Bottle Fly, and the Blow Fly

Yellow to dark brown

1/8 to 6 inches long

Flattened body

One pair of slender antennae

Multiple legs (15-177 pairs)

¼ to 1 inch long

Dark brown to black in color with red head

Pincer-like appendages at end of abdomen

Long, flat body

Threadlike antennae

Dark to slate gray

¼-5/8 inch long

Oval shape

Hump-backed in appearance

Able to curl into a ball

Stink bugs are large, oval or shield-shaped insects.

Eight Legs

No wings or antennae

Jaw-like structures

Spinnerets at tip of abdomen

In the eastern part of North Carolina, the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse are the most deadly spiders.

The Black Widow is recognized by the red spot on their abdomen

Habitats for the Black Widow spider include wood pile, under porches, in basements, in crawl spaces and dark cluttered areas in which they can hide.

The Brown Recluse spider is identified by its violin shapes body, as well as the pattern-less abdomen covered with fine hairs

The Brown Recluse is more deadly than the Black Widow spider

Yellow Jackets prefer to nest in the soil and can be found underground. They get their name Yellow Jacket from their yellow coat with black markings. They don’t sting, they bite. If you remain calm, you can reduce the chances of a negative reaction from their bites.

Hornets live under wood debris, dead tress and stumps. Hornets sense your fear and will chase you. Hornets are the only stinging insect that can sting underwater.

Honeybees are active all year round. They nest in cracks and crevices in and around buildings. They are known to make honey. If you eliminate the queen, the other bees will vanish.

Soft Body

Six short legs

Whitish or clear in color, though winged versions will be darker

When present, wings will be twice as long as body

Active all year round

February until late May is considered swarm season

Wood destroying organism and will enter any home

Termites cause more damage to home and building annually than fires and storms.

Parasite that feeds from a blood host

Three life stages; larva, nymph, and adult

Hard or soft body

Legs vary with age

Mouth piece with three components

Major mouth component usually has small, beaklike protrusions

The deer tick carries Lyme Disease