insects Archives - ckrokill

Insects that seem to look like bedbugs enable you to differentiate between a bed bug and other insects. "Bug" is a term that is universally accepted and used to define the creepiest and the crawly creatures we usually address. The bugs may actually fall into one of three categories: bugs, insects, or arachnids. The word bug is usually given to any small creature with legs. But a true bug belongs to the order Hemiptera. The insects are characterized by three-part bodies. The insects have three pairs of legs and also two pairs of wings, e.g. mosquitoes and bees. Arachnids have no wings or antennae but they have structures for biting their prey. Also, they have a fused head and a thorax. What is the Difference Between an Insect and a Bug? A bug is also a type of insect. Milkweed bug, assassin bug, stink bug, and the boxelder bug is examples of bugs. The bugs have a straw-like and mouth shaped organ called a stylet. They use the stylet chiefly to suck juices from the plants and few bugs use it to suck blood from other insects as well. Insects belong to the phylum Arthropoda class that includes centipedes, spiders, ants, grasshoppers, bees, flies, and even crawfish. Insects have segmented legs and body. Insects that Seem to Look Like Bedbugs When you look out for bedbugs, they are distinguished by red-brown or pale-brown appearance; apple seed-sized body with no more segmentation. Other bugs might look similar to bedbugs, but there are many differences that you can find when you look closer. There are few insects which look alike. The following are the common insects mistaken for bedbugs. Spider Beetle Spider beetles are like fleas, oval and dark brown in shape and size. They can look swollen and dark reddish like they've just fed on human blood. Just the reverse, spider beetles usually feed on goods found during the night or in dark places in household pantries and do not suck blood. What do Spider Beetle Eat? Animal skinsBeansBooksCerealsFigsAlmondsSeedsSilkWheatWoolFlourGingerDried mushrooms Do the Spider Beetles Bite? Spider beetles feed on organic materials or leather. They do not bite a person. The insects do not suck blood and are not blood-feeders Why do Spider Beetles Enter a House? Spider beetles never enter a home through cracks or holes. These insects come inside through foodstuffs or other goods brought in from outside. The beetles are very particular in where they live and what they eat. Where do Spider Beetles Hide? The insects are very small in size and length. So, they can hide in any holes or cracks and easily enter food packages also. The insects are fond of many food items and can be seen in several places around your home. Cockroach Nymphs Cockroach nymphs cover-up in tiny holes that tend to stay close to food, warmth, and humidity. They are mostly involved in the evening. Right away after hatching or molting, they appear white and rapidly turn a reddish-brown, similar to a bed bug. The cockroach nymph is, however, more of a ring shape, while a bed bug is smaller and oval, or apple-seed shaped. What do Cockroaches Eat? Fruits, vegetables, dry food items, sweets, sugary foods, paper, leather, fabrics, grease, starchy foods, meat, rotten wood, and leaves are usually eaten by cockroaches. A few cockroaches can live for one or two weeks without food and water. Do Cockroaches Bite? Mostly, cockroaches do not bite human beings. In case your house is infested with them extremely, and when food resource is limited they might bite humans. The cockroaches find food sources in garbage cans, they will not bite people. Why do Cockroaches Enter a House? When you move into a new home, cockroaches can enter your home from your previous home and might come from your neighboring houses. They hide in grocery bags, boxes, luggage, or furniture and come into your home. Where do Cockroaches Hide? The roaches hide in your kitchen and your kitchen appliances. They live in cabinets, your furniture, and cupboards as well and can be found in the gaps of your keyboards. Cockroaches might be present in the pipes and faucets also. Booklice Booklice are frequently mistaken for bed bugs. They are smaller in size, varying in color from transparent white to grey or brown. These are also located under the wallpaper and along window sides and window frames. Their main source of food is the bacteria, pollen, mold, and parts of the dead insects. What do Booklice Eat? The Booklice hardly damage your homes and are harmless to people and their pets and eat anything. Usually, they eat fungi, grains, insects, starch materials, paper, books, book bindings, fabrics, wallpaper, algae, fungus, glues, plants, and molds. Do Booklice Bite? Booklice are not harmful to humans. They do not transmit disease or cause damage to your property. But when they manage to infest a house, they might contaminate food and cause damage, stress, and uneasiness. How do Booklice Enter a House? They are called bark lice or booklice by some people. The name bark lice possibly come from the fact that they live under the bark of trees outdoors. The name booklice are derived from the fact that they assemble in humid homes on moldy books. Where do Booklice Hide? Kitchen cupboards, dark and moist storage areas, books, and magazines, behind and under the kitchen appliances are the common hiding places. But wherever they find damp, booklice will make their home, so depending on the humidity in your home, the booklice will be seen in many places. Carpet Beetles Carpet beetles are small, round and brown in color and they also have separate wings. Their larvae tend to be furry caterpillars. Carpet beetles may not bite but when exposed to their tiny feathers, allergic people can develop rashes. Carpet beetles can cause severe damage to fabric, furniture, carpeting and clothing containing natural animal fibers. What do Carpet Beetles Eat? Though they are named as Carpet Beetles, the larvae of the Beetles will feed on many things. They prefer to eat animal products, skins, furs, feathers, wool, hair, pollen and dead insects as well. To some extent, the Beetles eat cotton and holes in yarns, wool and synthetic fibers also. Do Carpet Beetles Bite? Normally, the carpet beetles do not bite humans and animals; they bite and damage the products. Moreover, like many species of insects, the black carpet beetle can bear germs with them, contributing to infections and diseases as well. How do Carpet Beetles Enter a House? Most carpet beetles live outdoors and reproduce where they feed on a pollen and honey. They will catch a ride into your house on flowers or plants. Most species are drawn to light and can fly easily around gaps in windows and doors because of their small size. Where do Carpet Beetles Hide? You can find them under the edges of carpets, inside and under cushioned furniture, through the casings of doors, and in materials like carpets, rugs, slippers, blankets, and other soft materials. Bat Bugs Bat bugs bear a striking resemblance to bed bugs and are best detected with a microscope by an expert entomologist. The biggest difference is the longer length of fringe hairs just behind their ears. They often feed on the blood of bats, as their name suggests, that is commonly found in basements. If bats are killed and bat bugs left behind, there may be feeding on humans and pets. What do Bat Bugs Eat? The blood of mammals especially from bats is the major food source for them. Mammal blood, preferably from bats, is the prime food source for bat bugs. The effect is that the pests usually fly on the bats' skin and occupy their nesting sites places. They leave these behind when overwintering bats go away. Then, bat bugs move to homes and settle in bedrooms and living rooms. The insects also hide for long periods inside carpets and furniture, as they can live without feeding for over a year. Bat bugs can prey on humans, dogs, and cats, besides bats. The pests can also catch on the rats or mice, offering a simple way to reach kitchens or basements. Do Bat Bugs Bite? Bat bugs are primarily bloodsuckers of bats, but they will rarely feed on human blood if the blood of their host is not available. While bat bugs do not spread any disease-producing agents to human beings, their bites can cause insomnia, anxiety, and panic to sensitive people. How do Bat Bugs Enter a House? The appearance of bat bugs in the house indicates bats are either living in an attic or wall gap or used to live in it. These species do not stick to their hosts. The insects rather live in the nest of the bat colony as long as they have access to food sources. While bat bugs are a different species from bed bugs, both insects tend to be very similar in their appearance. When bats leave for long periods of time from their nesting grounds, bat bugs can move deeper into homes searching for new hosts. When they have entered other places, the insects hide in dark holes and folds of cloth. Where do Bat Bugs Hide? Bat bugs can also be seen in some of these environments, but they are found mostly in areas that shelter bats, including lofts. Bat bugs can be present on the walls and ceilings but typically remain in the near area of their source of food. A number of bat species, most generally the big brown bat and small brown bats, are the primary hosts of bat bugs. Fleas Reddish-brown in color, fleas are a regular sight for people who usually have pets or animals. Fleas are also mistaken for bed bugs because their bites are usually very itchy. However, fleas vary from bedbugs in connection with size and shape. What do Fleas Eat? Fleas feed on every warm-blooded body, including human beings. Even then, they choose to feed on hairy creatures such as dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, mice, opossums, rodents, and skunks. Do Fleas Bite? They do bite human beings; they depend on mammals for blood. But they prefer to feed on humans and they bite a human to get at the blood vessels. How do Fleas Enter a House? Your pets would bring the fleas to your home. If your pets roam in the grassy regions, they will have fleas on them. Fleas do not have wings but they can jump many times. So, they can easily jump from a pet onto a man. Where do Fleas Hide? Fleas will hide in carpets, the cracks, and holes of wooden floors, or furniture. They produce eggs over there; they grow, climb, and then jump onto people. Ticks Whether you have pets or you spend time outside, you need to be mindful of the ticks. Similar to bed bugs, ticks feast on human blood; however ticks are distinct because they transmit infectious disease. Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease is the diseases that you can get from tick bites. Ticks are indeed very small and can be hard to see. When you walk into thick forests, where there are terrible infestations, they will easily stick to you. When you walk through trees, shrubs, or tall grass, they most probably stick to you. What do Ticks Eat? The ticks have to have a food source to live at any point after the eggs hatch. Blacklegged ticks are able to feed on humans, reptiles, insects, and amphibians. In each step of their lives, the ticks require a new host. Do Ticks Bite? Ticks prefer to stay in the human body. When a tick gets on your body, it is likely to all over the body. They bite into your skin when they're in a desirable place, and start sucking blood. Unlike any other bugs that bite, after they bite you, ticks usually remain connected to your body. How do Ticks Enter a House? Tick infestations can happen when a single tick is brought into the house. If there are wooded or grassy places near your home and you're outside when the weather is warm, you may come in contact with a tick. The tick sticks to your body somewhere and hides its head in your body. If this happens, they will start laying eggs. Where do Ticks Hide? Ticks prefer to hide in the body of your pets. They hide between the toes, in and around the ears, the base of the tail and in the necks as well. Swallow Bugs The physical features of swallow bugs and bed bugs are mostly similar but the antenna differentiates the swallow bug. It also appears to have a grayish-brown color, rather than the actual bed bug's reddish-brown. You are unlikely to come across these species because they're usually found in barn nests and cliff swallow nests as well. However, there are instances where they attack human structures easily, and may even bite humans. What do Swallow Bugs Eat? Swallows eat mostly flying insects, including mosquitoes and other dangerous species, so people will benefit from swallows if they are being around. Do Swallow Bugs Bite? During summer, the swallow bugs move to cracks and holes to protect themselves. They will live there for months without food. So, once they come out, they will willingly bite humans to survive. How do Swallow Bugs Enter a House? Swallow bugs like to feed on mountain swallows and typically live in bird nests, but when swallows relocate, the bugs will make their way inside homes. Where do Swallow Bugs Hide? The bugs hide in the birds’ nests, rocks, buildings, and bridges as well. Rat Control – The Methods You Must Know to Keep the Rats Away Mites Mites are usually considered to be small insects that live on rats and other small animals. However, mites may also infect humans, especially if their hosts have been removed from the region. What do Mites Eat? The mite is a word widely used to refer to a group of species that are insect-like, some of which bite humans or cause irritation. They stick on to other animals and humans, some mites are scavengers, others feed on plants, and many prey on insects and other arthropods. Do Mites Bite? When they are away from their food source, they might bite humans and other animals. Their presence cannot be seen but you can feel their bites. They leave the red marks that look like a skin rash. How do Mites Enter a House? Frequently, mites use small holes to reach your houses. They are attracted by well-maintained lawns with fruit trees or gardens. Other types are almost often found inside houses, such as dust mites, while chiggers and mouse or bird mites stick themselves to hosts and take a ride on people and pets into houses. Where do Mites Hide? Dust mites are small microscopic associates of the spider that live on mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, carpets, and curtains. In warm and humid conditions, these small creatures feed on the layers of skin that people and pets shed every day and survive. Things to Remember If you happen to see signs of an outbreak, the difficult part will be you can’t identify which insect has entered your home. But there are different types of glue traps and other methods to catch a few bugs. • You can start by looking at the form, size, and color of the insects first until you have one or two to look at. • Bear in mind that all of these insects have several phases of life, and can behave differently based on their age. • However, after feeding, ticks and bed bugs often change in appearance as their bodies grow. • Even though you can spot ticks or other insects, you cannot say you are safe yet. • Note that if you have bed bug infestation symptoms repeatedly, it's better to seek help from a professional in order to treat the issue. • Several of these insects prefer to live in similar habitats, so you might be fighting countless bugs without noticing them. • Identifying the type of insect that lives in your home will assure that you select the right pest control treatment process. People also prefer an inefficient bug spray or attempt to tackle the infestation alone. They end up making things worse by sending the bugs to other parts of their house, rather than destroying and removing them directly. Related Questions 1. How do you know if it is a bed bug or something else? Many bedbugs with a flat, oval-shaped body and are reddish-brown. Typically, they are about a quarter-inch long, have six legs, and have no noticeable wings. Bedbug bites appear to look similar to other insect bites. Generally, the bites are red, very itchy, and smaller than a quarter-inch long. 2. Can there be just one-bed bug? Apparently, they are one of the worst household pests to get rid of fully. You may only have a one-bed bug, but this is impossible. Usually finding a bed bug is a sign of you getting an infestation. Let’s look at the consequences of finding a one-bed bug at your home. 3. What do nymph cockroaches look like? Nymphs start as a black-brown color and grow to the adult reddish-brown color. Later stage nymphs, like adults, have a halo marking behind their eyes, too. German cockroaches – German nymphs are roughly one-eighth of an inch long. They are deep brown in color, almost black. 4. Do Booklice bite humans? Booklice might look like lice, but in fact, they’re not lice and they don't bite people. Such little insects do not cause damage to the structure or transmit disease. Booklice are an annoyance when they are in large numbers in your house. 5. What causes you to get carpet beetles? Carpet beetle larvae will survive in homes if left alone, because of their diet of fabrics and animal products. Adults fly inside to lay eggs on furniture, clothes, or rugs through open doors and windows and are also released when infested things are brought into a home. Watch Bed Bugs Get Stopped in Their Tracks