Insecta Archives | Page 7 of 9 | Suburban Exterminating

Fire Ant

Fire Ants in Suffolk County & Nassau County

Fire ants get their name from their extremely painful sting and bite. One fire ant can sting and bite its victim repeatedly. These ants build mounds, and when a fire ant mound is disrupted, workers make their way to the surface to attack the intruder. Attacks by fire ants are coordinated as hundreds of workers sting at the same time. Feeding on almost any plant or animal material, fire ants also feed on other insects. Additionally, fire ants are attracted to electricity and have been known to destroy anything from AC units and water well equipment to outdoor lighting, creating a fire hazard.

Fire Ant Habitat

Attracted to moisture, fire ants nest near rivers, well-watered lawns, and potted plants. Fire ants build mounds that help to regulate temperature and moisture conditions in the colony. Mounds act as an above-ground nursery and provide excellent temperature and moisture conditions. Undisturbed fire ant mounds are frequently located in sunny open areas, such as pastures, parks, lawns, and fields. Omnivores, fire ants will feed on both plant and animal resources. When foraging for food, aggressive fire ants gain access to homes through cracks, crevices, gaps under doors, windows, or walls.

Fire Ant Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The painful sting of a fire ant is a serious threat to humans and pets. Most venomous ants bite and then spray acid into the wound; fire ants bite and then use their stinger, located on their abdomen. For most people, the burning sensation goes away in a few minutes. However, hive-like bumps occur at the sting site within 30 minutes and pimples with yellow fluid occur within 24 hours after being stung. Large colonies can damage plants, lawns, and outdoor electrical fixtures. Due to the serious threat posed to people and their pets, if a mound is located, it is best to leave it alone and contact a professional ant exterminator.

Tawny Crazy Ant

Tawny Crazy Ants in Suffolk County & Nassau County

Tawny crazy ants were first introduced to the public in Texas in 2002, and are sometimes referred to as “raspberry ants.” They have since spread to the Suffolk County & Nassau County area and it is believed they may be displacing fire ants. Named for their beige color and eccentric trailing movements, tawny crazy ants follow pheromone trails much like other ants. However, due to their very long legs and sporadic movements, they don’t “march” in a neat line like other ants giving an overall erratic appearance. Tawny crazy ants can kill grass, displace other insects and destroy electrical equipment, causing damage in urban and rural areas.

Tawny Crazy Ant Habitat

Constructing large nests, typically near moisture, tawny crazy ants will nest in any available gap and crevice. Nests are located in leaf debris, waste material, damp soil, and other protected habitats. Colonies are typically outdoors, although tawny crazy ants will venture indoors to forage for meats and sweets. Nests have also been found in potted plants, stumps, and electrical equipment. Tending aphids and consuming their honeydew secretions, tawny crazy ants also prey on live animals and scavenge from dead animals.

Tawny Crazy Ant Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Tawny crazy ants can bite, but do not sting, as they do not possess a stinger. Pain experienced from the bite is mild and dissipates quickly. Their foraging behavior attracts them into homes, where they are drawn to electrical equipment, destroying electronics, and creating potential fire hazards. They are known to infest televisions, stereos, the backs of computers, and other appliances. As they chew through insulated wiring, they can cause electrical shorts creating dangerous fire hazards. If a tawny crazy ant infestation is suspected, it is best to consult a professional ant exterminator.

Trap-Jaw Ant

Trap-Jaw Ants in Suffolk County & Nassau County

Trap-jaw ants are active hunters with venomous stings and jaws strong enough to fling themselves through the air. These ants will use their powerful mandibles to not only attack but to escape, by hurling themselves away from predators. Generally found in tropical areas, they are currently spreading throughout Suffolk County & Nassau County and the Southern United States. When foraging for food, they may wander into homes where they may become an issue due to their painful bite, venomous sting, and aggressive behavior when their nest is threatened.

Trap-Jaw Ant Habitat

Building small colonies with only one queen and less than 200 ants, trap-jaw ants eat small insects and sweet substances. Trap jaw ants nest in soil, leaf litter and rotting logs. They are typically found under dead wood or beneath forest floors. In urban areas, their nests can usually be found in the mulch underneath hedges of landscaped areas near homes, commercial buildings, malls, and hotels.

Trap-Jaw Ant Behaviors, Threats or Dangers

The obvious danger regarding trap-jaw ants is their bite. Scientists have found the ant’s jaws accelerate at 100,000 times the force of gravity. When snapping their jaw shut, trap-jaw ants reach speeds up to 145 mph, exerting forces 300 to 500 times the ant’s body weight! However, these ants also have a painful stinger, and if a nest is threatened, workers will immediately jump at the attacker, stinging and biting. The trap-jaw ant’s stinger is not barbed and can be used repeatedly. Although their venom isn’t fatal, it can produce allergic reactions. If a trap-jaw ant infestation is suspected, it is recommended to contact a professional ant exterminator.

Webworm

Webworms in Suffolk County & Nassau County

The fall webworm is native to North America and is found throughout most of the United States and southern Canada. Caterpillars construct large, unsightly webs on the outer ends of tree branches while they feed in late summer and early autumn. They are distinctly different from the Eastern Tent-Caterpillar, which prefers to create webs in the crook of tree branches. Webworms feed on the leaves of at least 80 species of shade, nut, and fruit trees. Although they don’t cause permanent damage, their webs can be unsightly in large amounts.

Webworm Habitat

The fall webworm lives in areas where host trees occur, namely hardwood forests and landscapes. Infestations are most common on trees growing in open areas, such as along roadsides, in yards, and on forest edges. Fall webworm moths are attractive white moths emerging between May and July to mate. Female moths lay several hundred eggs on the undersides of leaves, and when the eggs hatch, young larvae construct a nest by webbing leaves together. Larvae feed on foliage enclosed by the nest, which expands as the larvae develop.

Webworm Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Webworms do not bite, are not poisonous, and are considered to be more of a nuisance pest. Although the webs are unsightly, defoliation by fall webworms usually causes little harm to the tree. Most trees are already preparing for winter dormancy, so few energy reserves or nutrients are lost. However, most property owners prefer to eliminate webworm nests. Since fall webworms are not considered harmful, their webs can be removed by using a long branch to open the web itself. Contact your local exterminator for help with webworms.

Carpenter Ant

Carpenter Ants in Suffolk County & Nassau County

Carpenter ants get their name because they excavate their nests in wood, creating smooth tunnels and galleries. Sometimes mistaken for termites, carpenter ants are wood-destroying pests that tunnel through wood to construct nests. Their nest-building activities destroy the structural integrity of homes and businesses. Carpenter ants do not eat and digest wood, but instead, bore through the wood and hollow it out for nesting. Over time, they seriously damage wood, reducing solid structures to hollow shells. Feeding on a wide variety of foods, carpenter ants prefer the sugary honeydew excreted by plant-sucking insects.

Carpenter Ant Habitat

Drawn to moisture, carpenter ants can establish nests in a number of different locations. These locations can be either inside or outside of a home or structure and generally near damp, decaying wood. In homes and buildings, the parent nest is generally located outside in a tree, stump, or stack of firewood. Nests are more likely to be found in wood dampened by water leaks, such as attic rafters, roof overhangs, wall voids, hollow doors or columns, and in crawl spaces and behind dishwashers. Indoor carpenter ant infestations are always associated with moisture issues in homes or businesses.

Carpenter Ant Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Carpenter ants pose a serious threat to homeowners. Even though carpenter ants rarely bite and are not generally thought of as dangerous, their burrowing activity weakens and destroys the structural integrity of homes and businesses. Carpenter ant swarms usually occur in the spring and are a sure sign that a colony is nesting nearby. Seeing tiny piles of sawdust, or hearing faint rustling noises in walls are both indications of a carpenter ant infestation. While carpenter ants are not as dangerous as termites, if left unchecked, they systematically destroy homes and valuable wood objects within them. If a carpenter ant infestation is suspected, it is best to contact a professional ant exterminator.

Oriental Cockroach

Oriental Cockroaches in Suffolk County & Nassau County

The oriental cockroach is often referred to as the “black beetle” or “water bug” and is a major household pest in parts of the northwest, mid-west, and the southern United States. This species is attracted to wet and shady perimeter areas and prefers the dark and dampness of basements, cellars, and crawl spaces. Oriental cockroaches are known to climb water pipes and garbage chutes to access the upper floors of apartment buildings. They feed on all kinds of filth, debris, and other decaying organic matter and seem especially fond of garbage and the contents of discarded tin cans.

Oriental Cockroach Habitat

Oriental cockroaches are common outdoors and live in warm, damp shady areas near the ground. Outside the house, these cockroaches will gather near or under trash cans. When temperatures drop, they may seek shelter indoors but can tolerate cooler weather. Oriental cockroaches may enter homes in food packages from grocery stores or gain access under exterior doors, garage doors, air ducts, and ventilators. Inside, they tend to remain on lower floors and move more slowly than other species. The most common areas to find oriental cockroaches in homes are toilets, bathtubs, sinks, radiators, and pipes. These cockroaches are seasonal and adults generally appear from May through July.

Oriental Cockroach Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Oriental cockroaches are not a structural pest in that they do not damage homes, but they do present a serious threat to your health and the health of your family. Cockroaches are known for spreading disease and have been discovered to carry 33 different kinds of bacteria, including E. Coli and Salmonella. Cockroaches contaminate food items and the surfaces in our homes with harmful bacteria as they forage for food. They also pose a major threat to people with allergies or asthma as their shed skins and feces can cause serious reactions in these individuals.

If you are dealing with an oriental cockroach infestation, it’s important to contact your local cockroach exterminator for help.

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