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Home
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Pest Guide
Pest Gallery
| Wood-Destroying Insects
| Swarms | Wildlife
The pests described in this guide are common pests found in
eastern Massachusetts.
Our pest gallery is an overview of
groups of insects that are described in more detail on individual
pages. Our section on wood-destroying
insects describes insects that can harm wooden structures. Our
section on swarms describes pests that can
suddenly appear in large numbers (swarms). The section on wildlife describes the common meaning of this
word in as it relates to pest control.
Pest
Gallery
This Pest Gallery shows a picture of a typical
pest of a group and a brief description of the pest group. Go to
the pest group's page to find out more about the pests listed in
bold type.
| Pest Group |
Picture |
Description |
| Ants |
 |
Insect. Has wings when
swarming. From 1/8 to 1 inch long. Important types are carpenter
ants (damage wood) and pavement ants. Other
common ants are Pharaoh ants, odorous house ants,
field ants, and cornfield ants. |
| Bats |
 |
Mammal. Has wings and often
nests in attics in our area. In our area, the common types
inside are the little brown bat and the big
brown bat. Bats droppings can attract other pests, and
bats can have bat bugs, which, like bedbugs, will bite
people if no bats are available. Need professional
treatment. |
| Bees |
 |
Insects. Adults fly. Important
types are carpenter bees (damage wood), bumble
bees, and honey bees (need professional
treatment if nest is inside a structure). Most species are
yellow and black and fuzzy (wasps are not fuzzy). |
| Beetles, Bugs |
 |
Insects. Adults have wings but
some seldom fly. Powder post beetles and old
house borers can be damaging to wood. Includes carpet
beetles (very small), grain beetles, and
various accidental visitors to human structures such as lady
bugs, crickets, and boxelder bugs. Bedbugs
and bat bugs are on the rise in our area. They feed
on human blood and their bite can cause very annoying
itching. Bedbugs need professional treatment. |
| Fleas, Ticks |
 |
Usually present inside because
of pet animals. Both can carry disease. Fleas are
insects. No wings. Cannot fly, but jump large distances.
Often come inside as animal pests but do bite people. Ticks
are arachnids (related to spiders). They cannot fly.
Infestations need coordinated treatment of living quarters
by pest control professionals and pet by veterinarian. |
| Flies, Gnats |
 |
Insects. Have wings and fly.
House flies are usually not a big problem, but other types
can suddenly occur in great numbers inside (e.g., cluster
flies, drain flies, blow flies, flesh flies).
Gnats (pronounced "nats") are very small and
some can bite. Others are merely annoying. Small phorid
flies are often found where sanitation conditions are
not ideal. Fungus gnats can infest house plants. |
| Mites |
 |
Arachnids. Mites are tiny
arachnids (related to spiders) and have 8 pairs of legs.
Common pest mites are spider mites, clover mites,
and fowl mites. |
| Moths |
 |
Insects. Adult moths have
wings and fly. Most damage is done by larvae (wormlike
immature moths). Common types: Indian Meal Moth
larvae eat and spoil a variety of grains and other foods. Clothes
Moth larvae eat some materials, especially if already
damaged. |
| Roaches |
 |
Insect. Adults have wings but
seldom fly in the northeast. Important types are the German
cockroach (small - to about 1 inch), and the American
cockroach (large - to about 2 inches). American
cockroaches are called "palmetto bugs" in the
south. |
| Rodents |
 |
Mammals. Common rodent pests
are mice, rats, and squirrels. These
cause property and food damage, and can make life quite
unpleasant with noise and odor. Rodents can bite if
cornered. |
| Spiders |
 |
Arachnids. Spiders
cannot fly. All spiders eat insects and are pests in
structures when their webs become annoying or they are
surprised and bite in self defense. Good housekeeping and
screens can eliminate their prey and thus reduce their
numbers. |
| Termites |
 |
Insects. Have wings when
swarming. Wings discarded after swarming. Eat wood but
nest underground and often outside in the northeast. Can
cause serious damage to wooden structures. The only
significant species in our area is the eastern
subterranean termite. Termites need professional
treatment. |
| Wasps, Hornets, Yellow Jackets |
 |
Insects. Most have a distinct
thin "wasp waist". Unlike bees, wasps are
predators and do valuable work by killing many pest
insects. However, some are also are attracted to human
food and both them and their nests can be very annoying.
Common wasps are paper wasps (also called umbrella
wasps), mud dauber wasps, bald-faced hornets,
and yellow jackets. |
| Miscellaneous small
pests |
 |
Earwigs are harmless
insects that can be annoying indoor pests in our area. Sowbugs
and pillbugs are other small pests that annoy, but
do not bite or do other damage. These can usually be
eliminated by screens and other mechanical barriers. Silverfish are silvery, soft-bodied
insects that can damage paper and books. They cannot fly. Centipedes
and millipedes are crawling creatures with many
legs (myriapods). Centipedes are larger and faster than
millipedes. Millipedes often look like little worms that
often curl up. Daddy long legs are harmless, but
scary-looking relatives of spiders. |
Pest
Gallery | Wood-Destroying
Insects | Swarms | Wildlife
| Top of Page
Wood-Destroying
Insects
Insects that destroy wood are a cause of special concern to
homeowners because wood is used for support beams in most houses
in this area. Termites are a problem because they eat new
as well as old wood. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but
hollow out wood for nests. They tend to attack damp or damaged
wood so are easier to prevent than termites. Carpenter bees
attack wood from the outside, and drill holes to lead to galleries
parallel to the grain. They tend to like wood that is somewhat
aged and unprotected by paint. Powderpost beetles and old
house borers both attack structural wood and can cause
extensive damage.
Swarms
Some pests form seasonal swarms (large groups often flying).
Swarms are usually related to mating or finding a new nesting
site. The swarms themselves usually disappear within a few days,
but if they are inside a structure, can be annoying and produce a
mess. A swarm does not necessarily mean that your structure has a
live nest, but it does mean there is one nearby.
Ants and termites are the most common swarmers in
our area. Both lose their wings once they mate. Carpenter ant and
termite swarmers look similar, but the ants have the usual small
waist (section between their thorax and abdomen). Termites have a
thicker waist and their wings are the same size, unlike those of
carpenter ants. Termite wings are loosely attached and discarded
wings are often seen near termite swarms. Discarded wings are not
normally seen near carpenter ant swarms. Lady bugs
sometimes form swarms, as do millipedes. Swarms of bees
are seldom a problem unless they choose to nest inside a human
structure.
A vacuum cleaner with a bag can be a big help to clean up a
swarm that is inside. However, it is not a good idea to use a
vacuum cleaner on stinging insects such as bees. Marlboro Pest
Control can help eliminate swarms if they are a nuisance, and we
can discourage the mated females from starting a nest in your
structure.
Wildlife
Wildlife is the name given by the pest control industry to
animals that are not normally found inside structures. This
includes most birds, large mammals, snakes, etc. Marlboro Pest
Control controls bats and squirrels in the immediate
vicinity of Marlborough, MA. Contact us
to see if we provide bat and squirrel control in your community
Pest
Gallery | Wood-Destroying
Insects | Swarms | Wildlife
| Top of Page |
