OCCASIONAL INVADERS

Boxelder bugs get their common name from the fact that they are often found on and around boxelder trees. They live and thrive on maple and seed-bearing boxelder trees during the warmer months where they lay their eggs and feed on leaves, flowers and seeds. In autumn, boxelder bugs will congregate on the south side of buildings where the sun hits. They will migrate to nearby buildings or homes to overwinter, hiding in small cracks and crevices to insulate themselves from the colder winter temperatures. In late March to early April, adults leave their overwintering sites to return to their host trees for the warmer months.

Color: Black with reddish or orange markings on dorsum 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Elongate-oval, somewhat flattened with head narrower than pronotum 

Size:  1/2” (11-14 mm) 

Antennae:  Yes

Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive species from Asia that arrived in Pennsylvania around 1996. The stink bug earned its name from its tendency to release an odor when disturbed or when crushed. The adult stink bugs will feed on fruits and will seek overwintering sites in late fall from the colder temperatures.

Color: Mottled grayish-brown 

Legs: 6 

Shape:  Triangular or shield 

Size:  3/4" long 

Antennae:  Yes

Varied carpet beetles get their name from the rainbow of color on their back surfaces. These pests enjoy dining on a variety of upholsteries, carpets and clothing fabrics. Storing clothing in plastic containers and dry cleaning the clothing thoroughly before storing for long periods of time will greatly reduce the chances of infestations.

Color: Black centers, with white, brown and yellow patches in an irregular arrangement 

Legs: 6 

Shape:  Round 

Size:  1/16 

Antennae:  Yes

The larva is the damaging stage of the clothing webbed moth. They will typically feed on any type of wool clothing, carpets, upholstered furniture, as well as furs. They will also feed on synthetics or cotton blends if these fabrics also contain wool.

Color:  Wings and body are golden in color with reddish hair on top of its head

Legs: 6 

Shape:  Elongated oval

Size:  ¼ “ long 

Antennae:  Yes

Centipedes are sometimes called "hundred-leggers" because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 15-177 pairs of legs, depending on the species. Interestingly, centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs. They are nocturnal by nature and prey primarily on flies, spiders, and sometimes plant tissue. Centipedes in the home are found in areas of high moisture, such as damp basement, crawlspaces and bathrooms. Reducing the moisture levels in these areas will help reduce centipede infestations.

Color: Yellowish to dark brown, sometimes with darker stripes or markings 

Legs: 15 - 177 pairs 

Shape:  Elongated, flattened, worm-like 

Size:  1/8 – 6” (4-152 mm) 

Antennae:  Yes

Earwigs got their name from the myth that they crawl into sleeping people's ears and tunnel into their brains. Their 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. Like other occasional pests, they typically gain entry to a structure through exterior cracks.

Color: Dark brown 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Long, narrow 

Size:  1 

Antennae:  Yes

House crickets get their common name from the fact that they often enter houses where they can survive indefinitely. Interestingly, they are known for their loud chirping which is caused by rubbing their front wings together to attract females. House crickets are most active at night usually hiding in dark warm places during the day. Outside, they feed on plants and dead or live insects. Indoors, house crickets can feast on fabrics, especially those clothes soiled with perspiration. While found mostly outdoors during the warmer months, they will seek shelter indoors during the colder months.

Color: Yellowish brown with 3 dark cross bands on head 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Long, winged 

Size:  3/4 – 7/8” (16-22 mm)

Antennae:  Yes

Ladybugs are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. Most species of this beetle family are highly beneficial insects, but some have a habit of overwintering in structures, leading them to become nuisance pests.

Color: Red, orange, yellow, brown or shiny black in color usually with various markings including dark spots

Legs:  6

Shape:  Broadly oval to nearly round

Size:  1/31 – 3/8” (0.8 - 10 mm)

Antennae:  Yes

Millipedes are sometimes called "thousand-leggers" because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 30-90+ pairs of legs, depending on the species. Most millipedes are nocturnal and are primarily scavengers, feeding on decaying plants and occasionally dead insects. Found typically in areas of high moisture, they cannot survive indoors for very long without a food supply and high moisture conditions.

Color: Blackish or brownish, some red, orange or with mottled patterns. 

Legs: 

Shape:  Long, cylindrical and wormlike 

Size:  1/16 – 4½ ” (2-155 mm)

Antennae:  Yes

Periodical cicadas are known for the loud buzzing noise that males make to attract female mates. The majority of a periodical cicada's life is spent in an underground habitat.

The cicadas will emerge from underground in 13- or 17-year cycles. Immature periodical cicadas develop underground and feed on the juices of tree roots. After 13 or 17 years, they emerge from the soil when the temperature eight inches below the surface reaches 64 degrees. Once above ground, the periodical cicadas feed from a wide variety of plants and shrubs. They will remain above ground for about a month to reproduce, before laying their eggs on tree branches and dying. The cicada offspring fall to the ground and burrow in the soil until they re-emerge 13-17 years later.

Color: Black bodies, striking red eyes and orange wing veins

Legs:  6

Shape:  Large, winged

Size:  Range from ¾ in. up to 2 ¼ in.

Antennae:  Yes

This pest is the only crustacean that has become completely adapted to spending its life on land. Pillbugs have oval bodies and seven pairs of legs. They are easily recognized by their back, which is made up of seven hard individual plates. Often found in moist environments, they eat decaying vegetable material and are most active at night. Pillbugs are known for their ability to roll into a ball.

Color: Dark brown to black

Legs:  Seven pair

Shape:  Oval; round when rolled up

Size:  3/4"

Antennae:  Yes

This insect gets its name from its silvery, metallic appearance and fish-like shape and movements. Silverfish have no wings, but are able to run very fast. They are nocturnal and tend to hide their presence from humans which means any damage they have caused could go unnoticed as well. Silverfish will feed on paper items, glue, clothing and certain food items. They can live up to a year without food, but require a high humidity environment

Color: Silver to brown

Legs:  6

Shape:  Oval, elongated

Size:  ¾ inches

Antennae:  Yes

House flies get their name from being the most common fly found around homes. Adult house flies can grow to one-quarter of an inch long and usually live between 15 and 25 days. These insects have been known to carry over 100 different kinds of disease-causing germs. They are only able to feed on liquids but have the ability to turn many solid foods into a liquid for them to eat. Sanitation and removal of trash will go a long way in preventing these pests from getting out of control.

Color: Dark gray 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Small oval 

Size:  1/4 of an inch 

Antennae:  Yes

Fruit flies get their common name from their small size and fondness of some fruits. They are found on moist, decaying matter that has been stationary for several days. Small fruit flies are nuisance pests, but may act as disease vectors.

Color: Tan/ light abdomen 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Small oval 

Size: 1/8 of an inch 

Antennae:  Yes

Moth flies, also known as drain flies, develop in gelatinous film and decaying organic matter often found lining drain pipes and traps, and garbage containers.

Color: Yellow to brown /black

Legs:  Six

Shape:  Cylindrical

Size:  less than ¼”

Antennae:  Yes

The Indian meal moth was given its name after an insect scientist found it feeding on corn meal. From wing tip to wing tip, adult moths measure from five-eighths of an inch to three-fourths of an inch long. They can contaminate food products by feeding on dried fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, chocolate, candies, bird seed, dog food, powdered milk, dried red peppers and candy. Any infested items should be thrown away. Storing food in sealed containers will help to reduce the chances of infestations.

Color: Copper reddish coloring on outer part of wings 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Elongated oval 

Size:  5/8" 

Antennae:  Yes

The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting cockroaches. American roaches have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. They can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage and then carry these into food or onto food surfaces. Recent medical studies have shown that cockroach allergens cause allergies and exacerbate asthma attacks, especially in children. They typically enter structures through drains and pipes. Practicing good sanitation goes a long way in preventing these pests from infesting a location.

Color: Reddish-brown, with a yellowish figure 8 pattern on the back of the head

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Oval 

Size:  2" long 

Antennae:  Yes

Brown-banded cockroaches get their name from the two lighter bands they have across their dark brownish bodies. Brown-banded cockroaches often hide their egg cases in or under furniture. They tend to prefer higher locations than most cockroach species and are often found in upper cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms. They can live for about 206 days and as with other species of roaches, they can pose a threat to individuals with allergies.

Color: Brown, with pronounced banding across wings

Legs:  6

Shape:  Oval

Size:  1/2" long

Antennae:  Yes

The German cockroach is the most common species of the cockroach. German cockroaches can breed at a rate of up to six generations per year. The German cockroach can fit through an opening as small as 3/8 inch in width. They will feed on almost anything and are excellent hitchhikers often finding their way into new structures via grocery bags, cardboard boxes and secondhand appliances. As with many other species of roaches, the German cockroach has been implicated in outbreaks of illness and allergic reactions in many people.

Color: Light brown to tan, with two dark, almost parallel stripes located on their backs, just behind their heads 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Oval 

Size:  ½”-5/8” long 

Antennae:  Yes

Oriental roaches are sometimes called “waterbugs” because they come out of drains. They are known for their strong, unpleasant, “roachy” odor. Orientals will feed on all kinds of food, especially decaying organic matter and starchy foods. They are found in many of the same places other roach species are found. Practicing good sanitation, sealing entrances, reducing moisture, keeping a clean kitchen, and sealing up any openings around pipes will help to prevent infestations.

Color: Shiny black 

Legs:  6 

Shape:  Oval 

Size:  1" long 

Antennae:  Yes

The common house spider is usually the spider most often encountered indoors. It is a nuisance pest, probably more because of its webs than the spider itself. This spider randomly selects its web locations and creates a tangled web. If it's web does not yield prey it is abandoned, another site is selected, and a new web is built. You will often find these webs near light sources, where the webs are more apt to catch prey attracted to the light.

Color: Yellowish brown, abdomen dirty white with several dark stripes meeting at angle 

Legs: 8 

Shape:  Elongated abdomen 

Size:  3/16 – 5/16“ (female) 1/8 – 3/16” (male) 

Antennae:  No

Long-bodied cellar spiders are commonly referred to as "daddy-long-legs". This is because of their very long, thin legs, and the fact that they are found in dark and damp places like cellars and basements.

Color: Pale yellow to light brown or gray 

Legs:  8 

Shape:  Long skinny legs with a small body 

Size:  ¼-3/8” (6-9mm) 

Antennae:  No

The deer mouse is found in rural areas and rarely invades residential homes. Deer mice are of medical concern because they are common carriers of Hantavirus. This disease can be transmitted through contact with mouse carcasses, or by breathing in aerosolized urine droplets of infected deer mice. Sealing openings around the home will prevent these mice from gaining entrance as they can squeeze through spaces as small as a dime.

Color: Brown, with white feet and underbelly 

Legs:  4 

Shape:  Round 

Size:  5 to 8 inches long

The house mouse is the most common rodent in homes. It can breed rapidly and adapt quickly to changing conditions. In fact, a female house mouse can give birth to a half dozen babies every three weeks, and can produce up to 35 young per year. They prefer to eat seeds and insects, but will eat almost any kind of food. House mice are excellent climbers and can jump up to a foot high; however, they are color blind and cannot see clearly beyond six inches. Mice can present many problems from physical damage to property to bringing in additional pests with them such as fleas, mites, ticks and lice. The micro droplets of their urine can also cause allergies in children.

Color: Dusty gray with a cream belly 

Legs:  4 

Shape:  Round 

Size:  2 1/2 - 3 3/4" long

These rats can cause damage to properties and structures through their gnawing. Norway rats have smaller eyes and ears and shorter tails. They can gain entry to a home through a hole the size of a quarter, often nesting in basements, piles of debris or undisturbed materials. They are vectors of many diseases and like the house mouse, can contaminate food and also introduce other insects such as fleas into a home.

Color: Brown with scattered black hairs; gray to white underside 

Legs:  4

Shape:  Long, heavily bodied; blunt muzzle 

Size:  7-9 ½ inches long

Roof rats, also called black rats or ship rats, are smaller than Norway rats, but cause similar issues. This rodent gets its name from its tendency to be found in the upper parts of buildings. Like most rodents, these rats are primarily nocturnal. They forage for food in groups of up to ten, following the same pathway back and forth to their food source.

Color: Brown with black intermixed; Gray, white or black underside 

Legs:  4 

Shape:  Long and thin with scaly tail; large ears and eyes 

Size:  16" total (6-8" body plus 6-8" tail)