tiny pests

Because some stinging insects are more dangerous than others, it’s important to determine what type of infestation you have.

Yellow Jackets:  About 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, generally with yellow and black stripes, these social wasps are predatory and quite aggressive when their nest is disturbed.  They are quite adept at building in nature and human-made structures.  They tend to be the most prolific and dangerous of pest in this category.

Bumblebees:  Fuzzy, black and yellow, and less than 1 inch long.  They pollinate flowers and aren’t much of a threat.

Carpenter bees:  Wood burrowing insects that resemble bumblebees but do not live in hives. They can cause serious structural damage to your home.

Paper wasps: Brown or yellow and are named after the material they use to build nests. Although they don’t usually sting, it’s crucial to remove the nest from your property to avoid an attack.

Amazing pest controllers who tend to live and hunt alone.

Unwanted Presence:  Despite their essential contribution to our ecosystem, spiders can be unsettling and are generally unwelcome guests in homes.  Indoor infestations can be indicative of the presence of other pests within the home.

Webs:  Spiders often build webs in corners, basements, attics, and other hidden areas. These webs can be unsightly, gather small insects and require regular cleaning.

Bites:  While most spiders in New York are not dangerous, some, like the sac spider, can bite humans and cause painful, itchy sores.  Wolf spiders and jumping spiders can also bite if they feel threatened, causing discomfort and sometimes allergic reactions.

Health Concerns:  For individuals with allergies or sensitivities, spider bites or even the presence of spiders can cause stress and anxiety, impacting their overall well-being.

A common household pest with an amazing social structure.

Infestation: Ants often invade homes in large numbers, seeking food and water. Once they find a food source, they leave pheromone trails for other ants to follow, leading to a significant infestation.

Property Damage: Certain ant species, like carpenter ants, can cause structural damage to homes. They excavate wood to create their nests, which can weaken wooden structures and lead to costly repairs. These are larger than other ants and can vary in size and color. Since carpenter ants build nests in damp or damaged wood, it’s important to call a professional to treat the root of the problem promptly.

Food Contamination: Ants can contaminate food by getting into pantries, kitchens, and food storage areas. They can carry bacteria and pathogens, posing a health risk to residents.

Bites and Stings: Some ants can deliver painful bites and stings. These can cause allergic reactions in some individuals and can be particularly harmful to pets and small children.

Nuisance: Even non-damaging ants can be a persistent nuisance. Their presence in living spaces can be unsettling, cause health risks and require constant cleaning and pest control efforts.

Appearance and Activity

Cluster flies look somewhat similar to common house flies. However, they carry a distinct golden tint as a result of the yellow hairs that appear on the thorax. Measuring 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch in length, these flies are a bit larger than regular house flies and tend to move considerably slower. As their name suggests, they gather in large groups and can be found in many states throughout the country, except for those bordering the Gulf of Mexico. 

Reproduction

Unlike other types of flies, cluster flies do not reproduce indoors or in food. Instead, they breed in lawns and fields during the warmer months and are parasitic to earthworms. 

 Home Damage and Hibernation

Other than leaving dark excrement marks on walls and windows, cluster flies aren’t known to cause significant property damage. Instead, they are seen more as a nuisance and can be difficult to expel without professional assistance.

During the fall and winter months, they seek out warm places to hide, such as in attics and the insides of walls. Due to their size, they are able to get into homes through small cracks and openings. Many homeowners don’t realize that they have an infestation until the flies emerge when it becomes warm in the spring.  At Custom Pest Control we utilize timed applications to help mitigate the overwhelming population that looks to hibernate in your home. 

They don't bite but boy are they a nuisance for several reasons!

Unpleasant Odor: When threatened or crushed, stink bugs release a pungent odor that many describe as skunk-like. This smell can linger and be difficult to remove from fabrics and surfaces.

Indoor Infestations: As temperatures drop, stink bugs seek shelter indoors, often gathering in large numbers. They can enter homes through cracks and crevices, making it challenging to keep them out.  At Custom Pest Control we utilize timed applications to help mitigate the overwhelming population that looks to hibernate in your home. 

Pheromone Attraction: Stink bugs release pheromones that attract other stink bugs, leading to larger infestations. This means that finding one stink bug often indicates more hiding nearby.

Their Differences

Millipedes are more rigid and round, while centipedes are flatter and more flexible. Centipedes have one pair of legs on each body segment while millipedes have two. They also move more quickly than millipedes, who tend to burrow and move very slowly. Millipedes tend to primarily feed on plant matter like leaves and roots, while centipedes mostly eat smaller creatures, which they inject with a venomous bite. Millipedes don’t bite but can defend themselves by spraying a foul-smelling fluid. 

Prevention 

Removing their food source can help prevent these pests from entering your home. If you’ve noticed centipedes, this likely means you have another infestation that is supporting the centipede population. Our team can also take care of this secondary infestation, which could consist of spiders, roaches, flies, silverfish or most other insects. 

Harborage

Like many pests, millipedes and centipedes thrive in the basement and attic. Keep them out by sealing gaps and holes and replacing old, damaged weather stripping and insulation. Remove objects around your property that serve as shelter for centipedes and millipedes, including stacks of wood, cardboard, leaves, mulch piles, and other debris. Humid, drafty areas also tend to attract these pests.