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Crawling insects
The majority of insects have wings in the adult stage and move around mainly by flying. Some insects, such as cockroaches, have wings but are reluctant flyers, preferring to crawl to find food and shelter. Termites and ants are mainly wingless, so most of their behaviour involves crawling, and produce ‘reproductives’ that are temporarily winged during a short breeding season.
Other insects, such as the flea and louse, are wingless and can only crawl or jump to move around. Crawling insects here refers to insects that are perceived as pests mainly due to their crawling behaviour.
Insect characteristics
Insects are distinguished by having an exoskeleton with a three-part body, consisting of: a head with compound eyes, a pair of antennae and very variable mouthparts; a thorax with six legs and often one or two pairs of wings; and an abdomen.
Most insects go through a life cycle starting with eggs and a series of developmental stages or moults, before they reach their adult stage. This is typically egg, larva (eg caterpillar, maggot), pupa (often sealed in a cocoon) and adult, which often has wings.
Insects as pests
Crawling insects and arachnids are regarded as pests for a number of reasons:
- bites cause pain and swelling from the body’s immune reaction to the ‘foreign material’ from the insect/arachnid mouth injected with the bite;
- stings cause pain and an allergic reaction from the venom injected into the skin.
- insect bites can transmit a large number of serious bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases to humans and domestic animals;
- allergens produced by infestations in the home can cause asthma;
- contamination of food, water and surfaces by mechanical transmission of diseases, in homes and businesses;
- consumption of and damage to stored food products in homes and businesses;
- damage to fabric products such as clothing and furniture;
- damage to wooden structures and products.
Insect control
Businesses, organisations and homeowners need to control insect pests to:
- Prevent damage: insects can damage packaging and goods such as clothing and furniture.
- Prevent and eliminate contamination: food in storage or processing is subject to insect attack or contamination.
- Prevent disease: insects can carry a large number of diseases that affect humans and animals, both farm animals and pets.
- Conform with the law: laws and regulations require control of insects in property, especially for food handling, and health and safety. Failure to comply can lead to prosecution.
- Prevent financial loss: caused by damage to goods, compensation, litigation and loss of trade.
- Prevent loss of reputation and goodwill: the presence of insects on commercial premises and damaged goods are unacceptable to other businesses and the public.
Vector Pest Control & Disease Prevention
Crawling insects
Ants
Ants are generally more of a nuisance than a danger, though they can sting and a can few bite. Different species of ant sting with a range of chemicals, including formic acid, alkaloids and piperidines.
Ants can invade homes, other buildings, and gardens to forage for food and build nests. They are not known to transmit diseases. Out of the thousands of species of ant worldwide, there are only a few ant species that are regarded as pests.
Bed bugs
Bed bugs bite to feed on blood, often producing an itchy bump on the skin. They tend to form colonies in small hidden places in bedrooms and furniture where humans are still for long periods. These include bed frames, carpets and underlay, drawers and cupboards. You are most likely to pick up bedbugs from a hotel where they can crawl into your luggage or clothing. However, they are not known to transmit diseases
Cockroaches
Cockroaches carry a large number of disease-causing organisms that can contaminate food and surfaces, including Salmonella. They also produce particles that produce allergic reactions, causing asthma. They are one of the most serious pests of homes, food processing factories, restaurants, and healthcare facilities worldwide
Fleas
Fleas are usually brought into contact with humans by pets and wild animals, including cats, dogs, rats, mice, foxes, birds, and rabbits. There are several species, each preferring a particular animal host, but will attempt to feed on other hosts, including humans before dropping off. Fleas can also transmit the serious bacterial diseases: murine typhus and plague.
Booklice
Not all black tiny spots are dirt and grime; in fact, they are signs of a pest infestation or actual pests lurking around that we are unable to identify. Booklice are tiny black dots that is found on the walls of your bedroom, bathroom, cabinets and wardrobes. However, the presence of books do not cause booklice to surface, but rather the high humidity in the home. This promotes moisture, mould and mildew for booklice to feed on. Bird mites is another species that has similar attributes to booklice whereby they are attracted to moisture as well. It is good to invest in a good dehumidifier and ensure you ventilate your home well.
Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles, as their name implies, sometimes infest carpets. Similar to clothes moths, the pests also feed on many other items composed of wool, fur, felt, silk, feathers, skins, and leather. Such materials contain keratin, a fibrous animal protein which the larvae are able to digest. Cotton and synthetic fabrics such as polyester and rayon are rarely attacked unless blended with wool, or heavily soiled with food stains or body oils. Infestations of carpet beetles can develop undetected, causing harm to vulnerable items
Caterpillar
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies are commonly called caterpillars as well. Both lepidopteran and symphytan larvae have eruciform body shapes.
Caterpillars of most species are herbivorous (folivorous), but not all; some (about 1%) are insectivorous, even cannibalistic. Some feed on other animal products; for example, clothes moths feed on wool, and horn moths feed on the hooves and horns of dead ungulates.
Caterpillars are typically voracious feeders and many of them are among the most serious of agricultural pests. In fact many moth species are best known in their caterpillar stages because of the damage they cause to fruits and other agricultural produce, whereas the moths are obscure and do no direct harm. Conversely, various species of caterpillar are valued as sources of silk, as human or animal food, or for biological control of pest plants.
Crazy Ants
The tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva, is an ant originating from South America. Like the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), this species is called “crazy ant” because of its quick, unpredictable movements (the related N. pubens is known as the “Caribbean crazy ant”). It is sometimes called the “Rasberry crazy ant” in Texas after the exterminator Tom Rasberry, who noticed that the ants were increasing in numbers in 2002.Scientists have reorganised the genera taxonomy within this clade of ants, and now it is identified as Nylanderia fulva.
Maggot
A maggot is the larva of a fly (order Diptera); it is applied in particular to the larvae of Brachycera flies, such as houseflies, cheese flies, and blowflies, rather than larvae of the Nematocera, such as mosquitoes and Crane flies. A 2012 study estimated the population of maggots in North America alone to be in excess of 3×105 trillion.
Rice Weevils
There are many pantry pests which can infest homes and businesses. Though Meal Moths, Grain Beetles and Flour Beetles are very common, Rice Weevils are just as likely to be the unwanted insect in such areas. Rice Weevils are small and easy to kill, but they can complete their life cycle quickly. Adult females will start laying eggs almost immediately so once you have some activity in a structure, it is sure to blossom into a problem which will need attention. Found throughout the world, Rice Weevils are a pest which can be controlled like many other pantry pests.
Silverfish
Silverfish insects have flattened, long, slender, bown-silvery bodies that are broad at the front and taper gradually toward the rear. You can find silverfish in any part. They prefer high humidity and are often found in areas associated with heat and moisture; commonly found in bathtubs.Silverfish can eat grains in your pantry or chew large holes in upholstery, clothing, or stored paper as a nuisance pest.
Spiders
Spiders are arachnids, a class of arthropods that also includes scorpions, mites, and ticks. There are more than 45,000 known species of spiders, found in habitats all over the world. There’s a spider with a cartoonish butt, spiders that can jump on demand, and cannibal spiders that look like pelicans.
Spiders range in size from the tiny Samoan moss spider, which is .011 inch long, to the massive Goliath birdeater, a tarantula with a leg span of almost a foot.
Further Information
