Other Pests & Critters

Beetle Control

Beetles are the most common insect in the world. There are a few that can cause damage. These beetles vary from the destruction that one can do to a home. From the powder post beetle which can bore into wood to the drugstore beetle which will infest on pet food, grain products, nuts and cereals. Here are the most common beetles that cause damage in the Northwest.

Powder Post Beetle
Powder Post Beetle run from 3/52” to 5/16” in length. The destruction caused by these pests is characterized by a whole 1/32” to 1/8” in the infested wood. The emergence hole often has fine sawdust associated with them and may have lighter edges than the surrounding wood. Likely infestations occur in the furniture, untreated hardwood, and wooded timbers.

Drugstore Beetle
Drugstore Beetle is brownish approximately 1/8” long with the head bent downward. The adult beetle has distinct line or grooves on the forewings. Possible infestations are dried pet food and any grain products.

Carpet Beetles
Carpet Beetles are smaller, elongated or oval shaped and approximately 1/16” in size. They get their name from commonly being found in carpeting that contains animal matter such as wool. The most common Carpet Beetle in the Northwest is the varied Carpet Beetle, which gets its name from the various color on their back surface. Carpet Beetles frequently enjoy dinning on carpets, woolen fabrics, dead insects and animal products such as furs, feathers, hair and bones. They can also damage clothing fabric.

Spider Control

Spiders are predictors that feed on insects and other small animals. There are literally thousands of different species of spiders, but the most common in the Northwest are hobo, orb weaver and occasionally brown recluse spiders.

Orb Weaver Spider
These spiders are the builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens and around homes. Orb Weavers have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs and no stridulating organs.

Hobo Spider
Hobo Spiders are brown and measure roughly 12-18mm in length. There legs show no distinct rings and have short hairs. The spider make a funnel web which is a trampoline-like flat sheet leading back into a hole between bricks, under wood or shrubs.

Brown Recluse Spider
The Brown Recluse Spider is of small sized approximately 1/4” – 1/2” long. The body color is brown, the legs are light brown and the oval shaped abdomen is dark brown, yellow or greenish yellow with 3 pair of eyes. The generally hide in the home, in the darkest and smaller place it can fine. Most encounters are unintentional.

Bed Bug Control

Pest control companies who receive 1 or 2 bed bugs calls a year are now reporting 1 to 2 each week. From apartments, homes, hotels and hospitals, no one is immune from bed bugs.

Bed Bugs
Bed Bug is a wingless, flattened insect about 3/16” long and 1/8” wide and is reddish brown. Bed Bug infestations are usually acquired by bringing home infested luggage, clothing or furniture. Indication of infestations usually starts with itching, bites on the body and small blood stains on the bed sheets. In addition, they are known to hide in floors, walls baseboards and furniture.

Flea Control

Fleas are about 1/16” long, brown, laterally flattened and can hop from host to host. Flea control is best accomplished with a flea control treatment of the environment both inside and outside the home.

Silverfish

Silverfish are wingless flattened, fish-shaped insects, usually not more than 1/2” long. They are shiny, silver or pearl-gray with three tail-like terminal appendages. Siilverfish prefer temperatures of 70-80F degrees and are commonly found near heat or moisture. They can do considerable damage to some natural and synthetic fibers, books and other paper products.

Indian Meal Moths

The Indian Meal Moth has reddish-brown forewings markings with a copper luster on the outer two-thirds, but whitish gray on the inner one-third. From wingtip to wingtip, adult moths measure from 5/8” to 3/4” long. The often infest on dried fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, bird seed, dog food and cereals.