Fleas & Ticks

While the majority of flea problems occur in homes with pets, they can be a problem in homes and businesses without pets. Fleas are common on squirrels and raccoons and can be picked up and brought indoors by a pet or on your pant leg or shoes. Aside from the often-itchy bite of a flea, they can cause allergic reactions and transmit disease, including the dog tapeworm.

Earwigs

Earwigs got their name from the myth that they crawl into sleeping people's ears and tunnel into their brains. The long cerci, or clippers, on their backsides easily identify an earwig. Earwigs hide during the day and feeds on leaves, flowers, fruits, mold and insects at night. These insects live together outdoors in large numbers. They can be found under piles of lawn debris, mulch or in tree holes. They gain entry to a structure through exterior cracks. Contrary to folklore, earwigs do not crawl into ears and eat peoples' brains at night. They do not spread diseases, but their menacing appearance can be alarming to a homeowner.

Fruit Flies

These flies are about 1/8 inch long, light brown, and with clear wings and red eyes. The immature stages (maggots) are small and pale white. The adults are attracted to the odors produced by decaying fruits and vegetables. The eggs are laid directly on the food and the larvae hatch soon after. They can complete their life cycle in 5 to 10 days. Adults live for about 30 days.

Mice

Light brown or light grey in color, the house mouse is small and slender with large ears and small eyes. They have a keen sense of hearing, taste, smell and touch. While they are mostly active at night they can be seen during the day searching for food. Although they usually feed on cereal grains, they will eat almost anything. They nest within structures or burrows and establish a 'territory' near food sources, generally 10 to 30 feet from their nest. The house mouse is a prolific breeder.

Mites

House dust mites have received much attention in the early 1990s and again recently. The house dust mite is nearly impossible to see without magnification and is named for the fact that they feed on dead skin shed by humans as well as other protein materials. House dust mites feed on dander (dead skin which is shed) from humans and animals. They may also feed on protein based foodstuffs, preferring dried products over products with moisture. Females lay up to 80 eggs and there are several stages of immatures. Populations can explode during humid months as mites are excellent at absorbing moisture from the air. The most common area for finding mites is in the bed due to abundance of dander. House dust mites may also be found in living areas especially carpet, furniture, and clothing. Several home test kits are available to test for dust mites. People may be allergic to house dust mite cast skins and droppings. These reactions will not be a rash type of reaction but rather a respiratory constriction, a common symptom of asthma. Itchy, watery eyes may also be symptoms. Approximately 50-80% of asthmatics may have symptoms due to house dust mites.

Moles

Moles live underground and surface only occasionally. Their cylindrical bodies and powerful front claws are ideal for digging. They almost 'swim' through dirt. Moles create a complex labyrinth of interconnected chambers by burrowing both deep and close to the surface, where they often leave visible ridges. Mole hills are places where the mole has pushed up earth above the surface. They have very poor sight and feed mainly on worms and insect larvae that they find by the sense of touch and smell. The primary problem with moles is the tunnels. They can leave ridged tunnels all over a lawn. They are not necessarily harmful, but can ruin your nice landscaping or yard.