Quicklist: Types of Ants Acrobat Argentine Carpenter Fire Black Garden Odorous Red Wood Yellow Meadow Asian Needle Wood Dark Rover Scout Ghost Life Cycle of an Ant homestratosphere.com We’ve had a few nasty ant outbreaks in our house. We have these French doors from the family room to the patio where the rubber …
Earwigs are beneficial insects despite their scary look. According to colonialpest.com, earwigs help to clean up the environment by feeding on dead decaying organic matter. They also feed on live and dead insects, controlling the number of bugs in your garden/yard. Over and above that, they are harmless to people, pets, and even crops. However, there …
When it comes to being a homeowner, one of the worst things to encounter is termites. These tiny menaces wreak havoc on any wood they can find, and not stopping them can lead to severe damage to your home. Once a termite damage part of your property, that damage can no longer be reversed. All …
Fruiting plants in the garden like strawberries will naturally attract pests. Some pests want to get to your strawberries before you do, and they could wreak havoc if not controlled. However, completely wiping out any and all bugs from your strawberries plants can be equally detrimental. There are a number of bugs that will not …
Mimicry, that is, looking like something other than what you are, is one of nature’s most wonderful defense strategies. If you, an insect, look like a leaf, then predators that eat insects, but not leaves, are far less likely to eat you – if they can even see you. Leaf mimicry is an exceptionally clever form …
While not common, it is possible for wasps to burrow into drywall. These wasps are not eating the drywall material, but rather tearing it apart in order to repurpose it into the materials needed to make their nests. If your home or business has recently been damaged by wasps, odds are you don’t really care …
Mice chew through drywall, insulation, wood, and other building materials. This creates an entry point for other mice to visit and leave behind their droppings. Mice are drawn to home for three reasons: houses are safe, warm, and stocked with food. When mice infest your home, they generally hide in the darkest passages like crawl …
Here are close-up photographs showing what a carpenter ant looks like: As you can see, a carpenter ant is comprised of three body parts, six legs and large mandibles. Up close, it’s a fierce-looking insect. Imagine standing directly in front of one that’s 20 feet tall. Related: How to Get Ants Out of Carpet | How …
Different Types of Spiders Overview Brown Recluse American House Spiders Tarantula Goliath (biggest in the world) Camel Wolf Spiders Black Widow Hobo Spiders Golden Silk Jumping Redback Spiders Brazilian Wandering Spiders Continue below to learn more about each spider and for photos of each spider type. There are many different types of spiders around the …
A friend once told me that my spirit animal was a ladybug, and I am confident in the fact that I have never and will never be so flattered for all my days. Ladybugs are nothing but a good omen. People say that if ladybugs are following you around, it’s because things are about to …
It’s probably everyone’s nightmare to be combing through your closet, looking for a shirt or pair of pants to wear, only to be met with the terrifying sight of a spider scurrying across the floor or (worse) planted on your favorite piece of clothing! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had spiders in …
Moths can be mildly irritating in the summer when they swarm around your porch light. They become more than a mild irritation when you switch your closet for the season and find that moths have gotten into your sweaters. While moths aren’t particularly dangerous and are even kind of cute, the last thing you want …
Many of us don’t know what carpet beetles are until we are exposed to them and find we need to combat these vile little pests to keep them out of our home. Because they are so tiny, it is often difficult to know that we have an infestation until it is in almost too late and …
One of the world’s tiniest, but most dreaded pests, the bed bug is one nemesis you don’t want to face in your home. Commonly encountered when traveling, bed bugs are often the souvenir you didn’t mean to bring home – and that you can’t seem to get rid of. I once experienced bed bugs when …
I find flies to be one of the most annoying insects. They are constantly buzzing and always seem to fly around your head. They also seem to be challenging to kill. This article is going to help you rid yourself of these annoying little pests. First, I want to share some interesting information that may …
Welp, the world seems to be getting all of these things in Biblical proportions lately: a massive plague, giant hornets, locusts, and now CANE TOADS! As Home Stratosphere’s resident crazy toad lady, that last one is the kind of thing that would make me jump for joy. We’ve been through so much, that a rain …
Among those insects commonly encountered in North American gardens and homes, not many are quite so fearsome-looking (or off-puttingly named) as the earwig. These guys pose no bodily threat to people despite the impressiveness of their rear-end “pincers,” more technically called cerci (and source of the common nickname “pincher bug”). And in fact, earwigs can …
Spiders will undoubtedly take over your indoor or outdoor living spaces, turning your house into a cobwebby maze full of eight-legged freaks. Arachnophobia aside, some species of dark corner loving spiders such as the brown recluse or the black widow spider are poisonous and therefore, must be eliminated using the most effective methods available. Instead …
Crickets can be charming in literature. Think of Walt Disney’s Jiminy Cricket or Charles Dickens’ “Cricket on the Hearth”. Some cultures, such as many Native American tribes, even consider crickets to be good luck. However, today’s reality is that crickets can be a nuisance. Not only is their constant chirping noisy, but they can bring diseases and …
The weather outside is nice and you decide to open up a window or two for some fresh air. A moth comes in from outside, but you either don’t notice or it doesn’t bother you because it’s just a moth. Except that moth may be one of two varieties: Pantry or clothes moths. You don’t …
When it comes to home pests, most people are wary of the usual suspects. Rats, cockroaches, and ants are all par for the course. However, one of the worst pests to have inside is the aptly named stink bug. Unlike other critters, these insects are hard to remove the old fashioned way, assuming that you …
Gnats are flying pests. They stay close to where they lay their eggs. To get rid of gnats, it’s important to understand what kind you are dealing with. Gnats are in the fly family, but not all flies are gnats. Most gnats prefer moist areas with organic material. Some species like the soil used for houseplants …
Fruit flies can be a terrible nuisance around the home. They are drawn to fruit that is just becoming fully ripe and luscious. They swarm around drains and garbage cans. They land on cleaning rags and mops. They are unwelcome guests on salads and fruit cups and even soft drinks and iced tea. Fruit flies …
Fleas are an intrusive and unwelcome houseguest for any homeowner. More than becoming a disgusting nuisance, however, they can damage the health and wellbeing of your beloved pets and take months to eradicate completely. Fleas consume blood from their host, and they like to be near their food source. When you’re talking about a flea …
Cockroaches are at the top of the list of “pests you don’t want”. They invade your home, are very good at hiding, reproducing and surviving most attempts to eliminate them. The most common roach, the German cockroach, carries bacteria that can make household members sick, create a foul odor when their population is large enough, and cause …
Make no mistake about it, I HATE ants. They are dirty and gross. The only worse things are flies and roaches. Imagine my consternation when I came home one-day last summer to a countertop that appeared to be black and moving. Yes, it was an ant takeover and I was so overwhelmed it took me …
Gnats may be tiny and they may not bite or suck blood, but that doesn’t make them any less annoying than pests like horse flies and mosquitoes. In fact, for some, gnats may even be more of a nuisance as they, more than any other type of bug, seem to always find their way into …
Ah, the humble mouse is an interesting creature. I find it so interesting that such a small creature can insight such a variety of reactions from any human it encounters. Reactions vary from jumping on the closest chair screaming to the adoption of a new pet ideology. Personally, I had not had much to do with mice, …
Toads aren’t just really cute amphibians: they’re a gardener’s best friend! You’ve bought your dream home and are ecstatic that it comes with a yard with enough space for a garden. Maybe your new yard already came with a premade garden allotment, or if you’ve been in the same home for a while but have …
Quicklist: Types of Grasshoppers Katydid Meadow Grasshopper Cone-Headed Grasshopper Shield-Back Katydid Spur-Throated Grasshopper Eastern Lubber Grasshopper Locust Slant-Faced Grasshopper Band-Winged Grasshopper Pygmy Grasshopper What is a Grasshopper? Is a Grasshopper an Insect? When we think of grasshoppers, nostalgic childhood memories usually kick in: searching for the source of chirping sounds on a warm summer day, …
Remember those bright, scarlet-colored insects with black spots splattered all over their bodies that you fondly used to chase? The ones that used to crawl out of their hiding places whenever it used to get cloudy or rainy? The ones believed to have brought you good luck if you ever managed to catch one. That’s …
The louse is the singular form of lice and has over 5000 species of wingless insects. They are completely parasitic which means that they live as external agents on warm-blooded hosts. These hosts can include almost every single species of mammals and birds. The most common habitats for lice include feathers and hair of the …
You might have come across this insect at least a handful times in the course of your life. These insects found scurrying about old books are commonly known as silverfish while their scientific name is Lepisma saccharina. Silverfish have evolved greatly over the passage of time, adapting well to the changes throughout the millennia that …
Insects rarely ever make in their place in anyone’s list of “favorite creatures.” The animosity towards these creepy-crawlies doubles when it comes to flying insects. Why is that so? That’s because flying insects are down-right annoying, and they can buzz and bite at any given time of the day. But that’s not all. Some of …
Quicklist: Different Types of Crickets Camel Cricket The Mormon Cricket Jerusalem Cricket House Cricket Parktown Prawn or the King Cricket Roesel’s Bush Cricket Australian Field Cricket What is a Cricket? Is a Cricket an Insect? Crickets are fairly common insects that you may have encountered many times in your home or backyard. Most memories of …
Do you think you have gotten an earwig infestation at home and you are freaking out? Hold your horses, take a deep breath, and relax. We are here with all the information you might find helpful if you have an earwig infestation. Earwigs are tiny, unattractive insects that may reside in your homes sometimes. The …
Imagine going to bed and sleeping safe and sound for as long as you can remember until you are woken up by an incessant, annoying buzzing sound that is loud and clear in your ears. You wake up scratching your arms and legs as the buzzing continues in a similar fashion. No surprises there, it …
Each one of us is familiar with house flies. How can one possibly not know what a housefly is? These are the flying, buzzing, and a disgusting nuisance at our homes that sit on our bodies, foods, and wherever they feel like. They keep coming back no matter how many times you hush them away. …
While beetles are one of the most common insects in the world, they are often mistaken for other insects such as bugs. So, at this point, the question that arises is how can you identify beetles without getting confused at all? With the scientific name, Coleoptera, beetles come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and …
The word “moth” is likely to draw a very hideous image in your mind and you probably might end up picturing drab brown, terrifying insects. However, what you don’t know is that these flying insects have a lot more to them than what normally meets the eye. There is a great number of moth species …
You hear a scream from the kitchen and as you rush towards the sound, you see your housemate standing there with a broom in hand, ready to strike out at a small defenseless mouse. Mice may seem scary or even gross when you find them nesting in your cupboard, but we must not forget the …
When the very comfort of your safe, warm bed is violated, you are bound to feel upset. Yet, your frustration with bed bugs will do nothing to deal with the problem. They have been around as pests for over 3,500 years and we still have not been able to get rid of them for good. …
Neither ant nor bee, the interesting insects that we call wasps appear to be a combination of both. Although their slender, segmented bodies, their stings, and living habitats are similar to those of bees, their pointed lower abdomen, slender waists, and legs with fewer hairs set them apart. One more important difference we must understand …
Cockroaches are unwelcomed pests that are nothing but a nuisance to people. They are extremely creepy and resilient insects that can survive in freezing temperatures and can live for a week without their head! It’s hard to believe, we know! Related: Types of Termites | How to Get Rid of Cockroaches | Types of Spiders …
By looking at a single termite, one wouldn’t expect it to be even remotely close to being dangerous or menacing; however, massive colonies of termites have been found to inflict serious structural damage in a lot of people’s homes. They have also been given the title of “silent destroyers” due to their unbelievable ability to …
Rodents are mammals that are characterized by a single pair of front teeth that keep growing throughout their lifetime. They make up 40% of all mammal species. They can be found in large numbers in six continents excluding Antarctica. Due to their survival instincts that allow them to survive in the wild and in human-made …
Do you want to know all about the kind of insects that might be crawling around in your home? Are you curious about the different types of insects you see wandering around in your garden? Are you worried about the pests that may damage your property? We have just the guide for you so that …
Watching butterflies as they flutter their little wings around your garden, flying from one plant to another, can be an effective way to just relax and de-stress. But first, you need to make your garden more attractive to these colorful winged creatures. You can fill your garden with specific garden plants that can entice butterflies …
You can make the most out of your spring and summer by spending it a lot outdoors, grilling some delicious steak or organizing picnics with your family and friends. But the downside to this is that you might be bothered by the annoying flies. It is not like you can spray every nook and corner …
The other night I was at the playground with my kids. It was one of the first warm evenings of the year so it felt fabulous to be outside in the evening. While observing my 2 year old son climb and slide, I looked down at my legs and counted 8 mosquitoes on my legs …