The American cockroach is a filthy pest, and their presence in the home can pose a severe health threat. American cockroaches can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage. They then carry these germs into homes—moving from the kitchen to the bathroom to the bedroom.
Big-Headed Ants do not sting and are not known to bite unless their nests are threatened. Even then, their bites are not painful. Additionally, big-headed ants are not known to cause any structural damage, however, they have been known to occasionally cause minor damage to manicured lawns.
Although bed bugs are not known to spread disease, they do bite and draw blood. Bed bugs can cause several adverse health effects that include skin rashes, allergic reactions, infections, psychological distress, and economic consequences.
Once bed bugs infest your home, they can become a difficult pest to control and infestations can be very time-consuming to eliminate.
Millipedes live under leaves, rocks, wooden boards, and other locations that provide a cool, damp habitat. Occasionally, millipedes enter structures in great numbers causing alarm but are not dangerous to humans. Millipedes are not poisonous, but some species have glands capable of producing irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions.
The black-legged (deer) tick is a notorious biting arachnid named for its dark legs.
Blacklegged ticks are one of the most well-known pests related to Lyme disease–an illness that can be debilitating if not diagnosed in the early stages.
Spiders have eight legs and up to eight eyes and are thought of as beneficial more than dangerous. Spiders seek out secluded, undisturbed areas where they can build a web to catch their next meal, which means attics, basements, and closets could be harboring these pests. Spiders can also crawl into homes through damaged window screens or cracks in the siding.
Stored product pests put food items at risk. They can contaminate food by leaving body parts and cast skins inside.
For food processors, restaurant managers, or store owners, an infestation of stored product pests can mean a recall, consumer complaints, audit failure, brand damage, and loss of products.
Silverfish are considered pests due to their consumption and destruction of property. A lover of starch and sugar, Silverfish will destroy book bindings, carpet, clothing, paper, and photos. They will even eat through wallpaper to get to the glue.
Silverfish won’t hurt you, but they can contaminate your food. Silverfish leave their poop behind in your food, so make sure to check for any insects.
In gardens, pillbugs and sowbugs feed on young shoots and roots. They may nibble on fruits or vegetables such as strawberries, melons, and squash. In greenhouses, large numbers of them can become troublesome.
Indoors, pillbugs and sowbugs are generally harmless. If they make their way inside the house, they quickly dry up and die.
Since pharaoh ants are attracted to food such as sweets and meats, they can carry bacteria through food contamination.
In hospitals, they have been found with more than a dozen pathogenic bacteria as they feed on and around wounds and may carry disease germs from one patient to another.
Oriental cockroaches carry and spread dangerous bacteria, human pathogens, and parasites on their bodies and legs they pick up while crawling through garbage, sewage, and drains.
Oriental cockroaches can spread pathogens, contaminate food, utensils, dishes, and food prep areas in the home.
Both males and females bite and suck blood. The bite often leaves an itchy, red spot. Some species of fleas transmit diseases such as bubonic plague, murine typhus, and tularemia tapeworms to humans.
While pet owners are primarily at risk for flea infestations, these biting pests can also be brought onto a property via wild animals.