Insects
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are reddish brown to black; workers are about
1/8 inch long. They nest n soil under sidewalks, driveways, stones, logs
and other concealed sites. Also commonly found under homes with concrete
slab construction; ants enter homes through cracks in the concrete.
These ants will eat almost anything, including insects, seeds, honeydew,
honey, bread, meats, nuts and cheese.
Ladybugs
Adult lady bugs have very characteristic convex, hemispherical to oval shaped bodies that can be yellow, pink, orange, red, or black, and usually are marked with distinct spots. This is a type of warning coloration to discourage other animals that may try to eat them. Like many other brightly-colored insects, they are protected by an odorous, noxious fluid that seeps out of their joints when the insects are disturbed. The bright body coloration helps some predators to remember the encounter and avoid attacking insects with similar markings.
Sow Bugs
Sow bugs are small crustaceans with oval bodies when viewed
from above. Their back consists of a number of overlapping, articulating
plates. They have 7 pairs of legs, and antennae which reach about half
the body length. Most are slate gray in color, and may reach about 15
mm long and 8 mm wide. Look under logs, moist leaf litter, flower pots
(a day after they have been watered), outdoor pet dishes, and under
paving bricks or stones. Sow bugs live where it is moist and usually in
a shaded area.
Millipedes
Millipedes are similar to centipedes, but have two
pairs of legs per body segment. Millipedes
are usually brown to blackish in color. The elongated body is rounded,
no flattened, and they have no poison claws or legs. They usually coil
up when disturbed. Millipedes are usually
restricted to moist places where they feed on organic matter. In the
fall, they may become a nuisance because they migrate away from feeding
areas and invade homes. Because they crawl along the ground, they are
usually found in lower floors and basements.
Ground Beetles
Like all beetles, Ground Beetles have chewing mouthparts and hardened front wings (elytra) that meet in a straight line down the back of the abdomen when closed. Ground beetles are often black and shiny, but a few species have bright colors. Ground beetles have long, slender legs and antennae, and a head that is narrower than their thorax. Most ground beetles do not climb very well, and tend to be found on or near the ground. Typical ground beetle larvae are long and slender with dark coloration. SIZE: Adult body length up to 35 mm, most species between 5-15 mm. Larvae up to 35mm.
Powderpost Beetles
Powderpost beetles are small, brown insects usually less than 1/4-inch in length that attack seasoned hard-woods. A certain sign of their presence is numerous small holes about 1/16-to 1/8-inch in diameter and a fine, powder-like sawdust in flooring, paneling, furniture, and other wood materials. The dust results from the boring of the larvae. The holes are the openings through which the adult beetles emerge.
Old House Borers
The key identifying characteristic of this family is long, thin antennae that ore often as long (or longer) than the body of the beetle. The adult old house borer can be from 5/8 inch to 1 inch in length, with the males typically being smaller than their female counterparts. The beetle's body has a slightly flattened appearance. Its color may appear dark gray, but is usually brownish black to black. The prothorax (behind the head) is rounded in shape and contains two raised, shiny black "bumps." The wing covers of the old house borer are black, with lighter gray colored areas forming bands that are usually present about one-half down the wing covers. Yellowish-gray hairs may be present on the head and the prothorax.
