2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 OVERVIEW Guidelines & Principles Groups of pests Public health pests HOUSEHOLD ARTHROPODS Nuisance Household Jean R. Natter Structural pests 2015 2 MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES DETERMINE MANAGEMENT Define the problem Eradicate? Damage? Critter(s)? Control? ID the critter Manage? Pest? Tolerate? Dangerous? (people, pets, or structures?) Did it just stumble indoors? Verify: PNW Insect Management Handbook Appropriate management 3 4 CAPTURE THE CRITTER RECOMMENDATIONS Research-based management EPA says: Pest control materials must be labeled for that purpose * * * * * * * * * * (Common Sense Pest Control) No home remedies 5 6 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 1 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 PUBLIC HEALTH: BED BUGS 3/16” Broadly flat, oval Cracks, crevices, & PUBLIC HEALTH PESTS seams (naturephoto.cz.com) Eggs glued in place Blood feeders (Bed Bugs; WSU; FS070E) Bites w/o pain Odor: sweet; acrid Bed Bugs (FS070E) 7 (J. R. Natter) 8 MANAGEMENT: BED BUGS PUBLIC HEALTH: MOSQUITOES Key Points Mattress: Encase or heat Rx Launder bedding, clothes – hot! Pest control company (NY Times) (L & R: University of Missouri; gambusia Stamford University) 9 10 MANAGEMENT: MOSQUITOES PUBLIC HEALTH: FLEAS Key Points Adults on animal Eggs drop off Source reduction Larvae ½” Personal protection w/tan head Mosquito fish (Gambusia), if legal Larvae eat debris Rx for larvae: Bti Pupa “waits” (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) Nest parasites (University of Illinois) 11 12 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 2 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 MANAGEMENT: FLEAS PUBLIC HEALTH: TICKS Rocky Mountain wood tick Key Points 3-step program Dermacentor species 1. Vacuum often East of Cascades 2. Insect growth regulator (IGR) Immatures feed mostly on carpet & pet’s “nest” on rodents 3. Treat the pet Adults feed on large Comb (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) mammals Apply IGR Bombs & foggers ineffective 13 14 PUBLIC HEALTH: TICKS MANAGEMENT: TICKS Western blacklegged tick Key Points Ixodes pacificus Sensible clothes Western WA, OR, CA Insect repellent (DEET most effective) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) Woodland margins Daily inspections Only vector of Lyme Remove ticks ASAP disease in Oregon Clean the area (soap & water) Low transmission No Vaseline; no cigarette (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) 15 16 PUBLIC HEALTH: BALD-FACED HORNET Annual colony PUBLIC HEALTH PESTS Nest: aerial Beneficial insects Potential stinging pests Pesticides a last (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) resort 17 18 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 3 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 PUBLIC HEALTH: YELLOWJACKET PUBLIC HEALTH: YELLOWJACKET Annual colony Nest: ground or aerial or wall/ceiling void Beneficial insects (LordV Flickr) Pesticides a last resort (J. R. Natter) 19 20 PUBLIC HEALTH: YELLOWJACKET PUBLIC HEALTH: STINGING WASP (A. Bradeich) (A. Bradeich) (J. R. Natter) (C. E. Natter) 21 22 PUBLIC HEALTH: YELLOWJACKET MANAGEMENT: STINGING WASP Key Points Tolerate if possible Don’t annoy Don’t cross flight path Pheromone traps of limited value If control required Long-distance aerosol at night Or hire a professional (http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/cepublications/eb0643/eb0643.pdf) (J. R. Natter) 23 24 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 4 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 SELDOM STING: BUMBLE BEES SELDOM STING: PAPER WASPS Bombus morrisoni B. fervidus (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) B.melanopygus; a red tail bee (Wikipedia http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Polistes_fuscatus.jpg) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) (Assurance Home Inspections)) 25 26 PAPER WASP: POLISTES DOMINULA KEY POINTS: WASPS & BEES Yellowjackets Bald-faced hornets annual Paper wasps colony Bumble bees long-lived Honey bees colony (Gerry Wegner) 27 28 PUBLIC HEALTH: SPIDERS Black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) PUBLIC HEALTH PESTS Hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) Spiders Bites seldom succeed 29 30 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 5 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 PUBLIC HEALTH: SPIDERS PUBLIC HEALTH: SPIDERS Western black widow Widow look-a-likes About ¾” false widow Steatoda species Glossy black Red “hourglass” (P. Bryant; UCI;) Shy and reclusive Dark places Don’t run on ground Uncommon western OR (Peter J. DeVries, Madison, WI) (Groundwater Biology) (American Tarantula Society ) 31 32 PUBLIC HEALTH: HOBO SPIDER PUBLIC HEALTH: FUNNEL WEB Tegenaria agrestis To 1 ¾” “Funnel web” spider Moves rapidly (University of Michigan Museum) 1st in NW: 1930; Seattle 33 34 PUBLIC HEALTH: HOBO SPIDER PUBLIC HEALTH: HOBO SPIDER Differentiate among hobo giant domestic look-a-likes dorsum verify ID of domestic hobo giant sexual characters (PLS 116) (PLS 116: How to Identify the Hobo Spider) ventrum (Adapted from Biology and Medical Importance of the Aggressive House Spider, Tegenaria agrestis, in the Pacific Northwest) 35 36 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 6 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 HOBO SPIDER VS. BROWN RECLUSE MANAGEMENT: SPIDERS Key Points hobo Take care Look before you reach Teach children: “Don’t touch” Screen & seal brown other Sticky traps recluse recluse Pesticides a last resort If so, Pest Control Operator apply (hobospider.org) a perimeter spray in late June 37 38 NUISANCE: BOX ELDER BUG Boisea rubrolineata About 1/2” NUISANCE PESTS Gray w/red marks Fall & winter: Cluster on Box elder bugs exterior wall Move indoors Lady beetles Don’t breed indoors Pesticides of little value BMSB (bugguide.net Barry Grivett) 39 40 NUISANCE: ASIAN LADY BEETLES NUISANCE: BMSB Harmonia axyridis Brown marmorated stink bug On S or W wall Antennae: white (http://www.entmart.be) Move indoors bands Might bite 1st instar: bright color Stain Ventrum “dirty” Beneficial outdoors, Emerging pest of nuisance indoors fruits, veggies, etc. (http://www.entmart.be) 41 (Images:(Images: J.R. Natter)Natter) 42 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 7 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 NUISANCE: SPIDERS NUISANCE: BORERS crab spider giant house spider banded alder borer From downed trees Won’t infest structure 2 ¾” pine sawyer ( C. DeWolfe;) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) (J.R. Natter) (J.R. Natter) 43 44 NUISANCE: BORERS MANAGEMENT: NUISANCE PESTS longhorn flower beetle Key Points From firewood Remove food, if any Visit flowers Block access Leptura Won’t infest house (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) Screens; caulk; oak cordwood borer copper “wool” Remove them Xylotrechus sp. (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) 45 46 POTENTIAL DANGER IN FIREWOOD Don’t spread pests in firewood HOUSEHOLD PESTS Buy it where you burn it! Pantry pests 47 48 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 8 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 PANTRY PESTS: FLOUR MOTHS PANTRY PESTS: INDIAN MEAL MOTH Adults about 1/4” webbing from Fly daytime larva Active year-round Indian meal moth most common (Ken Gray Photos, OSU;) Larvae = ½” “worms” Crawl up wall Pupate at ceiling (UC Davis) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU;) 49 50 PANTRY PESTS: DRUGSTORE BEETLE PANTRY PESTS To 1/10” Key points Medium brown If it’s in food & moving, Diet: food, spices, it’s a pantry pest! wool, leather, (J.R. Natter) books, seeds, Management is the same for all kinds: dog food, & Locate & destroy more (Illustrations: PCT Technician’s Handbook) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU;) 51 52 MANAGEMENT: PANTRY PESTS HOUSEHOLD: ANTS Key Points Various ant species Locate & destroy Visible ants < 10% Pheromone traps Nest: indoors or out (J. R. Natter) Many potential foods (TAMU) odorous house ant Enter via cracks, Cereals, seeds, nuts, grains, flour crevices Bulk or packaged Rx: Pre-formulated Birdseed; pet food baits Be patient Craft stuff & more (UCDavis IPM) ( TAMU) 53 54 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 9 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 HOUSEHOLD: FLIES Small flies Fruit flies HOUSEHOLD PESTS Fungus gnats (several) Larger flies Flies Filth flies (House flies; flesh flies; blow flies) Cluster flies 55 56 HOUSEHOLD: FRUIT FLIES HOUSEHOLD: FUNGUS GNATS Sciarid fungus gnat Mycetophilid gnat 1/8” (wet potting mix) (moldy stuff) Yellow-brown Large red eyes Decaying veggies (Purdue) & fruit (bugguide.net) (bugguide.net)(BugGuide.net) (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) 57 58 (J.R. Natter) HOUSEHOLD: FILTH FLIES HOUSEHOLD: FILTH FLIES Indoors & outdoors Foods: trash; carcasses Maggots leave food to pupate house fly Management bottle fly (blow fly) Sanitation Screens flesh fly (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) 59 60 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 10 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 HOUSEHOLD: CLUSTER FLIES MANAGEMENT: CLUSTER FLIES 3/8” Key Points Thorax: gold hairs Swatter; Fly paper Adults Seal cracks, crevices Cluster on ceiling Fly in center of room 24-hour light Nuisance (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) Repair screens Larvae parasitize earthworms Aerosol or “bomb” little value 61 62 HOUSEHOLD: VARIED CARPET BEETLE Most common fabric-damager To 1/8” HOUSEHOLD PESTS Larva eats fur, woolens, Fabric damagers insects & (Carpet beetle; Clothes moths) (UGA1233094;) much more Adult eats pollen 63 64 HOUSEHOLD: CLOTHES MOTHS MANAGEMENT: FABRIC DAMAGERS Fly at night Key Points Clean fabrics before storage clothes moth larva pupa Check stored goods (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) Locate & destroy case Discard or clean infested materials case-making larva moth Vacuum thoroughly After clean-up, pheromone traps (moths) Moth balls/crystals ineffective (Kendall Bio-Research) (J. R. Natter) 65 66 Jean R. Natter 2015 Household Pests 11 2015 Household Pests 2/22/2015 STRUCTURAL: CARPENTER ANT worker Two species: Camponotus modoc STRUCTURAL PESTS C. vicinus Forage outdoors (Ken Gray Photos, OSU) (honeydew, dead