PEST INFORMATION
Startex Pest Control provides solutions for common household invaders that can cause damage and health issues. These pests can contaminate food, damage structures, and trigger allergies. Effective prevention strategies include regular inspections, sealing entry points, and maintaining cleanliness in your home. For professional assistance with pest control, contact Startex Pest Control Services today.
Cockroaches have been around since dinosaurs, can live a month without food, and a week without their head. They run up to 3 miles per hour and can hold their breath for 40 minutes. There are about 4,000 species globally, with 70 in the U.S. They thrive in warm places and can cause allergies and spread bacteria.
COCKROACHES INFO
Fleas are blood-feeding parasites that jump up to 8 inches high. The cat flea is the most common and prefers hosts like humans, cats, and dogs. They spread the Bubonic Plague and murine typhus, and their saliva can cause allergic reactions.
FLEAS INFO
There are over 120,000 fly species globally, with about 18,000 in North America. A female housefly can lay up to 600 eggs and typically lives around 21 days. Baby flies, called larvae or maggots, are used medically to help heal flesh wounds by eating damaged tissue.
FLIES INFO
The largest spider is a South American tarantula with an 11-inch leg span. Spiders avoid their webs due to self-oiling legs. Not all spiders spin webs. Of 3,000 North American species, only the black widow and brown recluse in the southern and western U.S. are dangerous.
SPIDERS INFO
Ants, with over 12,000 species, can lift 20 times their weight. Queens live long and have millions of babies. Ants “hear” through ground vibrations and leave pheromone trails. They breathe through body holes. Colonies survive only a few months after the queen dies. Despite being pests, ants benefit the environment.
ANTS INFO
Bed bugs are commonly found in beds, hotels, airplanes, and couches. They feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans. Typically found in beds and small crevices, bed bugs inject saliva and an anesthetic while feeding, causing red, itchy welts but not spreading disease.
BED BUGS INFO
Mosquitoes, related to houseflies, develop from egg to adult in 10 to 14 days. Females feed on nectar and blood, while males only consume nectar. They are active at night, flying up to 14 miles for a blood meal, and breed in stagnant water. Mosquitoes spread diseases like West Nile Virus, malaria, and dengue fever.
MOSQUITOES INFO
Mexican “Jumping” Beans move due to a larva inside. Female moths lay 60 to 300 eggs, with about 13,000 species in North America. Silk comes from true Silk Moths, needing over 25,000 cocoons for a pound. Some moths survive freezing weather, and nocturnal moths navigate by the moon but are confused by artificial lights.
MOTH INFO
Pigeons, or “rock doves,” are monogamous, laying one to two eggs that hatch in 18 days. They eat regurgitated food as chicks and various organic foods as adults. Pigeons nest in urban areas and can spread diseases like cryptococcosis and salmonella. Their droppings can damage buildings, and they often host other pests.
PIGEONS INFO
Adult rats can enter homes through holes the size of a quarter and typically live up to 18 months. They have strong teeth and use their senses to find food. Rats spread bubonic plague via fleas, and they can recognize poisons after tasting them.
RAT INFO
Termites are social insects that raise their young together and continuously eat 24/7. They shed their wings after finding a nest and are known as “silent destroyers” for chewing through wood undetected. With about 2,000 species, they cause over $5 billion in property damage annually.
TERMITES INFO
Beekeepers use smoke to calm bees during honey collection. Bees make honey for their young and winter. Killer bees can chase for over a quarter mile. Some die after stinging due to barbed stingers. There are about 20,000 bee species in colonies with a queen, workers, and drones.