Pest Identification

 Typically, bed bugs are oval-shaped and flat, with a reddish-brown exterior. They are usually no larger than a sunflower seed, measuring from 3 to 5 mm long. Their reddish coloring is more prominent after feeding on the hosts blood, and will often appear swollen. 

 While small, termites are visible to the naked eye and can range in size from ¼ to ½ of an inch long. Worker termites are typically lighter in color, appearing more white than swarming termites, which are darker. Swarming termites can be identified by a prominent set of wings. 

 Carpenter ants range in color from dark-brown to black, yellow, orange, and/or red depending on the species. The ants within the colony can range in size from as small as 6mm to 20mm long. The wingless queen is usually the largest ant of the colony.

Stinging insects range in size and color. Bees are best identifiable by their signature black and yellow stripes. Wasps are also black and yellow stripes but have slimmer bodies and longer wings. Hornets are typically larger and more aggressive than both, reaching 1-1.5 inches long with two sets of wings.

 Roaches have 6 long legs which appear to have hair-like spikes, outlining each leg. Their body is a reddish-brown, oval-shaped, flat, and can reach 3 inches in length. Roaches also have two long antennae which help the roach to navigate terrain and identify/avoid obstacles. 

 Extremely small and nearly invisible, fleas are only about ¼ inch in length. They are typically reddish-brown, with the red being more pronounced after a blood meal. They are hard-bodied and flat. Fleas do not have wings, but use their 6 legs to jump long distances (up to 6 feet). 

 Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forceps-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded underneath short, rarely used forewings, hence the scientific order name, "skin wings".

  Recognizable to many, the stink bug can range in size from 11 to 17 mm in length (depending on the age of the bug). Notorious for finding their way into homes, stink bugs have a unique body that resembles a standard shield-shape. An adult stink bug is grayish-brown with long antennae. 

   Ah, mosquitoes – your favorite summer-time pest. While the size of mosquitoes varies based on species, most mosquitoes common to the U.S are only ½ inch in length. They have slim bodies and long, thin legs. Mosquitoes are notorious for being blood-sucking insects. They penetrate the hosts skin with a needle-like mouth called the proboscis. 

    Asian Lady Beetles can be multicolored, ranging from deep red, bright orange, and yellow. The most noticeable characteristic are the black dots that cover the round, outer shell. With over 5,000 species of Asian lady beetles in the world, no two are exactly the same. 

    Millipedes come in a variety of body shapes and sizes, ranging from 2 mm (0.08 in) to around 35 cm (14 in) in length, and can have as few as eleven to over a hundred segments. They are generally black or brown in color, although there are a few brightly colored species, and some have aposematic coloring to warn that they are toxic. 

   Their size can range from a few millimeters in the smaller ones to about 30 cm (12 in) in the largest ones. Centipedes are elongated metameric creatures with one pair of legs per body segment. Despite the name, centipedes range from 30 to 354 legs. They normally have a drab coloration combining shades of brown and red.