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Ants | Bed Bugs | Boxelder Bugs | Carpenter Ants | Carpet Beetles | Cicada Killers | Cockroaches | European Hornets | PA Wood Roach | Powder Post Beetles | Springtails
Question:
We have small black ants invading our home. This has been going on for three months. We have put ant traps near doors and they go to another entrance - even a bathroom with no exterior wall, window or door. Why are they invading? What can we do to stop them?
Answer:
There are many species of ants that can become a nuisance in homes. They are attracted to food odors and even moisture sources. Clean food residues and crumbs from all areas where you have seen ants. Check for routes of entry and improve the caulking and weather stripping around windows, doors, and utilities to prevent entry (this is very important for permanent control).
Ants are attracted to different baits at various times of their lifecycle. Try the liquid ant bait by Terro TM. It has the consistency of corn syrup and the active ingredient is boric acid. The bait is taken back to the nest and ants are controlled without having to spray pesticides. Do not clean up around the bait because ants have trails that they follow to and from the nest. Watch the ants as they come and go to see if they are coming from inside or outside. It is not always possible to determine the exact location of a nest especially if they are between floors, behind baseboards, etc.
If you keep experiencing problems, you may want to submit a sample to your local cooperative extension office to have the ants identified. Some species of ants may require special control methods.
Question:
The past few weeks we've been encountering dozens of these ant carcasses on the floor of a ground-floor bathroom every day. Have not seen live ones at all. They are tiny - about 1/8" long. Are they harmless? Any explanation for why they congregate there to die (or are dumped there by their friends)? Any action required?
Answer:
While difficult to identify ants from photos these look like acrobat or pavement ants. They both like moist areas. Acrobat ants will nest in wet or water damaged wood. You may want to check to see if you have any leaks in the bathroom. Outdoors they nest under rocks, in logs, firewood or decaying trees. Pavement ants will sometimes nest in wall voids, insulation or under floors and outdoors will nest under pavement. For additional information on ants refer to www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg7_001.pdf
It is very common to find ants inside this time of year. At this point monitor the area for additional activity. If you see live ants try using a boric acid sweet bait, such as Terro or Victor brands. If after a couple of weeks you are still finding them please contact us again.
Question:
I recently had bed bugs on an old mattress. The problem became so severe that I had to throw my mattress away. My question is what should I be doing now? Is there any possibility they can still be lurking in my room or the house? I bought a new mattress and kept the plastic on to try and stop any possible strays.
Answer from Bug Girl:
If your bed bug problem was severe enough that you tossed your mattress, bed bugs will definitely be lurking around your sleeping area. It is never enough just to throw away the mattress. First of all, if you have replaced your mattress with a new one, you must buy an encasement for it. There are bed bug proof ones available, but less expensive ones can be purchased at a home store. Just make sure to place duct tape over the zipper once it is on.
You should definitely consider calling a pest control professional, telling your landlord (if you're a renter), and telling your neighbors (if you're an apartment dweller), because bed bugs spready very quickly from unit to unit.
Cleaning will be a major part of your role in eliminating bed bugs. Don't use a bug bomb, they only spread bed bugs. Wash wooden furniture with furniture soap, like Murphy's. Vaccuum everywhere and remove the bag when you're done. This can be put into the freezer if you want to reuse it later.
Linens and clothes only need to be dried on high heat, not necessarily washed. This would include pillows, plush toys, shoes, wool coats, etc.
Please see the details of all this in the Bed Bug Guidelines at: http://nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/bb_guidelines/default.asp (Although it says it is for shelters, the instructions are universal.)
Check out the bed bug page on Bughelp, too, for more resources! Good luck!
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Question:
How can I exterminate bed bugs in my home without a professional? I have been bitten for about a month. We actually caught 2 bed bugs in 2 separate beds this week. Please state product and directions for use.
Answer:
Bed bug infestations need to be treated by trained pest control professionals. Treatment goes beyond using an insecticide. It is important to know the biology and habits of the insect for proper treatment. Most insecticides to treat for bed bugs are labeled for professional use only. The first step is to have the insects positively identified as bed bugs (they could instead be bat bugs or even another type of insect, both requiring different approaches than bed bugs). Vacuuming, organizing your home to reduce clutter, washing bed linens and drying them on a hot setting, and encasing the mattress and box spring in a protective covering are some measures that should be taken. Go to our bed bug information to learn how to manage this pest. There you will find information from Cornell University and Penn State. The following website has information on mattress encasements, http://www.bedbugcentral.com/index.cfm
For the first time this year, we have an infestation of orange beetle type pests. They appear to be living in the ground, start out about pencil point size bright orange red, graduate to about 1/4 in size and then to be about 1/2 in in size, when they have turned black with red stripes on the sides. I am attaching photos of the bugs as well as their clumping habit. Help! What are they?
Answer:
We believe you have a cluster of boxelder bugs, which are not beetles.
Boxelder bugs are harmless and do not bite. However, squishing them can stain fabric and wallpaper. Having them in your landscape is a sure sign that either you or a neighbor has a female boxelder tree. Removing the tree will eliminate the bugs since female boxelder bugs need boxelder trees for egg laying. Go to our fact sheet on boxelder bugs for more information.
Question:
Late last summer I began to notice very large black ants in my third floor apartment. I am the top floor of the building. I never see more than one or two ants at a time and I have also seen one or two on the window sill and all the way down on the first floor of the building.
My neighbor in the apartment below me says she has not seen any. I have lived in this building for six years and last summer was the first time I saw these very large black ants.
My problem is I do not want to have chemical insecticides sprayed all over my apartment, mainly because I have a cat and also because, on the whole, I see so few of the ants. I do not have problems with any other kind of bugs in my apartment. (cockroaches for example.)
If the problem grows, is there a "natural" way of keeping the ants out of my place without harming myself or my cat?
Answer:
The large black ants may be carpenter ants. They do not eat wood but will nest in wood that has sustained moisture damage. The presence of these ants on a continuing basis calls for investigation by the owner of the building and subsequent control. Carpenter ants can be controlled using carefully placed baits (consult a professional for that). Preventative things include replacement of moisture damaged wood or building materials and cutting branches and other vegetation away from the building. Clogged gutters can also attract carpenter ants. For additional information see our fact sheet.
Question:
I think we have carpet beetles again. We moved into our home last year (built in 1940). When I saw some larvae along our baseboards and in my 2.5 year old's play doh, I contacted a pest control company. They did three applications along the baseboards of the house (in December). We had all of our clothes dry cleaned. However, in recent days, I have come across a number of small beetles that look like the variegated species of carpet beetle. I cannot find the source. I have found a number of the beetles in the bathroom, and others scattered around the house. I have found about 30 in the last week. There are tiny holes in some our clothes, but again, I had all of our silks and woolens dry cleaned, so I don't know what to do. I had our carpets professionally cleaned, and continue to vacuum. Any suggestions on how to manage these pests. I am early in a pregnancy, and with a 2.5 year old, I really would like to avoid the use of pesticides. Any thoughts?
Answer:
There are a few species of carpet beetles that infest homes in the Northeast. It sounds like somehow some of the larvae were missed when your home was treated in December. Outdoors, bird, bee, wasp, or rodent nests near the home can also harbor infestations and should be removed or controlled. You should contact the pest control company to let them know you have a problem again, but let them know your concern about using pesticides.
You need to check again to see if you can find the source because that is very important for control. Food sources could include pet hair, other dead insects, food crumbs etc. Clean areas in your home to prevent lint and hair from accumulating. Vacuum woolen rugs and carpets, wool hangings, wool upholstered furniture, down stuffing, behind radiators and furniture, baseboards, moldings, and closets where woolens are kept. After vacuuming dispose of bag contents. Clean woolen rugs and carpets frequently and rotate. Clothing should be laundered to remove material that would attract carpet beetles. Clean woolens are not attractive to fabric pests. Dry cleaning kills all stages of carpet beetles but gives no protection against reinfestation. Woolens should be cleaned and stored in sealed boxes. Check old clothes and blankets that have been stored for long periods of time. For additional see our fact sheet
Question:
We would appreciate any advice you can give on getting rid of cicada killers in our yard. We first noticed them two years ago (summer 2007), and we tried killing them with badminton rackets with limited success. Last year (summer 2008), they were even more numerous. Again, we killed some with badminton rackets, but they were too numerous to kill all of them. We saw numerous burrows in our yard, especially in one particular area. We have not yet tried any insecticides. They are a nuisance because they are so large and intimidating. The kids don't want to play outside and we don't want to sit on our deck while they are flying around. Thank you for any advice you can offer us on getting rid of them!
Answer:
Cicada killers nest in the ground. They like well drained soil in full sun. Although they may be seen in large numbers, they are solitary and nest alone, although many will occupy the same area. Each nest serves one female and one male. Neither is aggressive, but the male flies around the nest all day trying to keep other males away from his nest. He doesn't even have a stinger and is all bluff. The female does have a stinger, but she only uses it on cicadas. The wasps rarely sting, and only when handled. They are beneficial because they keep the cicada population down and control of these wasps is not usually needed. Burrows in turfgrass are unsightly but in most cases do no harm.
Cicada killer wasps like bare soil. Plant a ground cover or take the opportunity to overseed and thicken your stand of turf this fall. For more information see:
See the University of Maryland’s publication on Mining Bees and Ground Nesting Wasps hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg104_000.pdf
Question:
These bugs started showing up last week; first time seeing them in 3 years. The house was vacant for a number of months over the winter. They look/act like cockroaches, except way bigger and much darker in color.....gross
Answer:
Bughelp’s entomologist has identified the insects to be oriental cockroaches. For information go to the following link: http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/oriental-cockroaches
Cleaning and inspecting are the first steps for controlling Oriental cockroaches. They tend to come from sewers and basements (dark, damp areas). We do not recommend using indoor foggers. While foggers are convenient and require little effort or knowledge, they only kill the insects you see and do not help to control the insect in the long run. Try to figure out why they are indoors (where are they coming from? What is sustaining them?) and take the steps to correct the situation. Also consider using indoor insect baits. There are several baits available for cockroaches. If the problem persists or turns out to be large, consider hiring a pest management professional.
Question:
I have recently noticed some very large type of bees. They look like yellowjackets but about three times as large. They are swarming around my lilac bush and they are eating the bark. A friend of mine has the same problem. Neither of us have really noticed these bees in the past. We have been unable to find them in any insect book either of us owns. Can you tell us what these bees are and if they will in fact kill the lilac bush?
Answer:
The insects that you are seeing are European hornets. They are social wasps that live in nests or colonies. Their nests are covered with a brown envelope made from cellulose derived from wood, like the nests of yellowjackets. Sometimes in August and September, homeowners will notice damage such as what you are seeing, where they strip bark off of branches to feed on sap. With the cold weather, the entire colony will die off with the exception of the queen who will make her nest elsewhere next year.
There are no insecticides registered for controlling this problem. Lilacs do need renewal pruning for good flowering so it is best to prune out any affected branches once the plants are dormant or in the spring. Cut the stems back to the base of the plant. However unsightly, you can also wrap the branches with metal window screen material to prevent this kind of damage. This may discourage them enough to feed elsewhere. See our fact sheet on European hornets for more information.
Question:
I live in the country in Pulaski, TN. We are seeing wood cockroaches in our home. I would like to know what does the wood cockroach eat? Do they eat human food?
Answer:
No, the Pennsylvania wood cockroach does not feed on human food, but primarily feeds on decaying organic matter. Commonly they are brought into the home on infested firewood or they may be attracted to lights on the house. They rarely breed indoors and are usually not an indoor pest. See our fact sheet on Pennsyvania woodroaches for more information.
Question:
I've discovered I have powder post beetles in the first floor floor joists. I can see the “shot” holes in the wood when I'm in the basement. There are lots of tiny holes in most of the floor joists. What should I do to get rid of them?
Answer:
The information in your question does not really indicate that you have an active powder post beetle infestation. Before considering treatment you need to determine whether treatment is even necessary. Usually there is additional evidence such as the frass (poop) or sawdust that is left around the exit holes or in small piles under the holes. Wood boring beetle damage occurs very slowly. There is no need to rush into treatment. Go to our publication found on the University of Maryland website, extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/FS689.pdf and also www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef616.asp
It would be a good idea to have your home inspected by a pest management professional, who is a wood destroying insect specialist.
Question:
We have indoor pests which we believe are springtails. We have reduced their numbers but can't seem to completely eradicate them. They are mostly concentrated in a corner near a window in the basement. We have foam insulated all around the window and have a dehumidifier keeping the basement as dry as possible (it is a finished basement). We have used Ortho MAX as well as natural remedies such as DE, orange spray, and insecticidal soap. Nothing we have found mentions springtails specifically on the label. Do you know how to completely eliminate these bugs?
Answer:
Springtails can occasionally be a problem in bathrooms, kitchens and basements. Infestations in buildings are associated with dampness, organic matter and mold. They usually occur in the soil, but can be found under potted plants and in decaying vegetable matter. Springtails do not bite and do not cause damage inside homes. Springtails indoors suggest some type of a moisture problem, so using the dehumidifier is a good idea. Fill all the cracks and crevices around the pipes and cables coming into your house with an expanding type caulk. This can sometimes eliminate the problem of insects entering a home. Using a pesticide is usually not necessary. However, there are products, containing Bifenthrin that can be used around the foundation outdoors. A better solution would be to try to remove organic matter, such as mulch, from the foundation - probably move it back 10". Also move wood piles or other debris where they can hide. The bottom line is: you still have a small moisture problem that needs to be fixed. See our fact sheet for additional information.
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