Pests Archive | Page 5 of 13 | Delta Pest Control Inc. - Pest Control and Exterminator Services

House Sparrow

House Sparrows in Arkansas

Sparrows are an invasive species found throughout the United States and are one of the most abundant songbird pests in the world. House sparrows are small birds that can create big issues. Both sparrows and their droppings can carry pathogens that are harmful to humans. Tough, adaptable, and aggressive, sparrows can survive in city neighborhoods and in rural areas, where it may evict native birds from their nests. These birds build messy nests and are largely dependent on humans for both food resources and nesting sites. House sparrows are implicated in the transmission of over 25 diseases to humans, pets, and livestock.

House Sparrow Habitat

House sparrows are especially attracted to man-made structures because they usually offer numerous safe spaces to build nests with many potential food options. Nests are composed of twigs, grass, paper, and string, and are built-in gutters, vents, soffits, lamp poles, on rafters, building ledges, and almost any conceivable elevated, sheltered spot. Their nests are often hot spots for bugs and parasites that can make their way into buildings. Also, in some areas, sparrow nests can create fire hazards.

House Sparrow Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Sparrows love to stuff their nesting materials into tiny gaps – the perfect size is about 1 to 3 inches. This can include the framework of structures, letters of signs, corrugated overhangs, and even dryer vents. Around homes, gutters, and drainage pipes clogged with sparrow nests often back up, which can cause extensive water damage. Nests built in chimneys and ventilation systems can block airflow and spread diseases through the system. Sparrows can crowd other birds at feeders and birdbaths, and as they aggressively defend their nests, they often push out other desirable songbird species, such as bluebirds. If you are dealing with sparrow problems in your Arkansas property, always contact a bird removal specialist.

House Spider

House Spiders in Arkansas

The domestic or common house spider is the most commonly seen spider in North America. Most often encountered indoors, the house spider is a nuisance pest because of its webs more than the spider itself. A house spider’s web is often called a cobweb and is made up of many crisscrossing strands of sticky silk. Cobwebs are generally found in corners of rooms and ceilings. A house spider is an excellent trapper, preying on any insect that is unfortunate enough to walk or fly into its sticky web. If their webs do not yield prey, the webs are abandoned and a new site is chosen.

House Spider Habitat

Common house spiders like living in quiet, undisturbed areas where moisture and food are available. They can usually be found in gardens, backyards, basements, attics, barns, sheds, and any other type of man-made structure. If left undisturbed, house spiders can live as long as seven years in the same web in places like attics, basements, and garages. When outside, female spiders die in the cold and males rarely live longer than a year.

House Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Domestic house spiders move quickly, are not aggressive, and will often retreat when confronted. If cornered with no possible escape, house spiders may bite, although documented cases of domestic spider bites are extremely rare. If bitten, the symptoms may include slight pain, swelling, and itching. House spiders do not cause any property damage and are actually beneficial as they eat other pests that may cause damage, such as termites, carpenter ants, moths, and stink bugs.

If you are dealing with a common house spider problem, always contact your local spider exterminators.

Wolf Spider

Wolf Spiders in Arkansas

Wolf spiders are active hunters and cause the greatest concern when encountered in homes. These spiders have excellent vision, allowing them to see humans approaching them, at which point, they flee. Many wolf spiders are nocturnal and use a reflective structure to maximize vision at night. Shining a flashlight at ground level will often allow one to see the green eye shines of this spider reflected from 10-30 feet away, depending on the spider’s size. Wolf spiders are rarely pests, but they sometimes wander into houses, where their large size often frightens homeowners.

Wolf Spider Habitat

Wolf spiders are active hunters that patrol the ground for insects, small spiders, and similar prey. They do not use webs to capture prey and actively hunt in the open during the day and night, often living by the thousands in leaf litter and grassy areas. Some wolf spiders build small burrows and defend a territory, others are free-roaming. Because they are so numerous, and such voracious predators, wolf spiders are a very important part of any ecosystem in which they occur. Female spiders may sometimes be seen with their young riding on their backs until they are independent enough to go off on their own.

Wolf Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Wolf spiders can bite, but their bites are extremely rare. While they may be fast and aggressive when hunting their insect prey, they don’t usually bite people unless they are provoked or mishandled. A wolf spider bite may be painful, but it is not generally dangerous to healthy adults. However, sensitive individuals such as children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems may have some form of negative reaction.

If you are dealing with wolf spiders in your Arkansas property, contact your local spider exterminators.

Asian Lady Beetle

Asian Lady Beetles in Arkansas

The multicolored Asian lady beetle was introduced into the United States from Asia to control aphids, scale insects, and other crop pests from 1978 to 1981. It is now widely distributed across the nation. Asian lady beetles may enter homes in large numbers and have become consistent overwintering pests in buildings and homes.

Asian Lady Beetle Habitat

This species is a voracious predator of crop pests and produces several generations per year. Their tendency to aggregate and ability to enter structures often causes this insect to become a significant structural pest. Hundreds and even thousands of these beetles have been found in and on homes. Asian lady beetles can be found in attics, wall voids, on siding, inside closets, and may be attracted to light.

Asian Lady Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Although Asian lady beetles may bite, their bite does not injure humans or spread diseases. If handled or crushed, they will emit a foul odor and leave a stain. In fall, beetles seek out crevices and protected areas in and around homes to spend the winter, congregating in attics, wall cavities, cracks around door frames, and within soffits and wall voids. If a large number of beetles gain access inside of homes, they can stain drapery and clothing. Asian lady beetles can survive for a prolonged period of time within homes and buildings that provide adequate warmth and humidity but cannot survive sub-freezing temperatures. If you’re dealing with an infestation, always contact a licensed beetle exterminator.

Black Carpet Beetle

Black Carpet Beetles in Arkansas

The black carpet beetle is the most common and most destructive carpet beetle in Arkansas. It destroys any household products that contain keratin, the principal protein found in animal hair and feathers. It may also consume plant materials such as cereals and grains, as well as synthetic fabrics not derived from animal matter. Additionally, they may also destroy dried insect specimens, such as those found in insect collections.

Black Carpet Beetle Habitat

Outdoors, female beetles search out spider webs, bees, wasps, or bird nests as locations to lay their eggs. These nests and webs contain dead insects, beeswax, pollen, feathers, or other debris that can serve as larval food. Black carpet beetle adults are attracted to flowers, and in the spring, they may enter homes and buildings. The larvae may wander from the nest into the attic and other parts of the house. Very often, black carpet beetles are brought into the house with old woolens and carpeting. Sometimes, black carpet beetles are introduced into homes or buildings in stored products such as dried dog food.

Black Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Black carpet beetles are scavengers. In homes, the black carpet beetle is a pest in kitchen cupboards, as well as in woolen carpets or clothing storage areas. Infestations can stem from bird nests, animal carcasses, or accumulations of dead insects such as flies or lady beetles in attics or basements. Stored products like cereal, pet food and birdseed, are other possible sources of carpet beetles. If you are dealing with a black carpet beetle infestation, always contact your local beetle exterminators.

Cigarette Beetle

Cigarette Beetles in Arkansas

The cigarette beetle is found throughout United States and the world. It is a major pest of tobacco where the eggs are laid in the folds of newly harvested, baled, or bundled leaves in storage, but never on live plants in the field. Five or six generations per year may occur in very warm localities, and in the U.S., three generations can occur per year. They can also be found in food storage facilities and are known to chew through books, manuscripts, furniture fabrics, and other organic materials.

Cigarette Beetle Habitat

Cigarette beetle adults are strong fliers and will fly during late afternoons and dull cloudy days. These beetles are active all year long and will infest storage areas or warehouses that contain dried tobacco. In the southern parts of the country, cigarette beetles may fly to homes from nearby warehouses and cause a re-infestation. They will also invade homes to feed on cereal, flour, and other stored foods that are a staple of most pantries.

Cigarette Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Cigarette beetles are not considered harmful to humans or pets. Their habit of infesting people’s food and pet food makes them a nuisance pest. This cosmopolitan species will infest dried vegetable materials including tobacco wherever it is stored and is the most destructive pest in stored tobacco. It is also a very serious pest of books, where it may cause damage to the binding and the leaves. If an infestation is suspected in homes, the focus will be on finding and discarding infested materials. It is particularly important to check spices, pet food, and old rodent bait. If you are dealing with a cigarette beetle problem, contact your local beetle exterminators for help.

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