Pest Identifier
Identifying the pests in your home is just the first step. Next, you should call Arrow Pest Service to remove them from your property.
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Pest Identifier
Need help identifying the pest in your home? We can help. Once you've identified the pest, give us a call or search Mack's Blog about how effective our treatment plans are.
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House Mouse
A small, scaly-tailed mouse with a distinct notch in the cutting surface of the upper incisor. ); hair short; ears moderately large and naked; upperparts ochraceous, suffused with black; belly buffy white, or buffy, usually without speckling and with slaty underfur; yellowish flank line usually present; tail brownish with black tip, not distinctly bicolor, but paler on the underside; ears pale brown, feet drab or buffy, tips of toes white. External measurements average: total length, 169 mm; tail, 93 mm; hind foot, 18 mm. Weight of adults, 17-25 g. As commensal animals, house mice live in close association with man — in his houses, outbuildings, stores, and other structures. Where conditions permit, feral mice may be found in fields, along watercourses, and in other places where vegetation is dense enough to afford concealment. Although largely nocturnal, house mice are moderately active during the day, chiefly in their quest for food. As commensals, house mice feed on practically any type of food suitable for the use of man or beast.
Norway Rat
The Norway Rat lives both as a commensal in close association with man and in the feral state. As a commensal, this rat lives principally in basements, on the ground floor, or in burrows under sidewalks or outbuildings. They feed on a variety of items, including both plant and animal materials. All sorts of garbage appear to be welcome, but their mainstay is plant material. Grains of various sorts are highly prized. These rats are prolific breeders. The gestation period varies from 21 to 23 days, and the number of young people is from two to 14, averaging seven or eight. The Norway Rat is destructive to property and foodstuffs. Also, it plays an important part in the transmission of such human diseases as endemic typhus, ratbite fever, and bubonic plague.
Roof Rat
Total length, 370 mm; tail, 190 mm; hind foot, 36 mm. Weight, up to 200 g. Roof rats are largely commensals and live in close association with man. They seldom become established as feral animals, as do the Norway rats. They may live near the ground, but usually, they frequent the attics, rafters, and crossbeams of the buildings. They make typical runways along pipes, beams, or wires, up and down the studding, or along the horizontal ceiling joists, often leaving a dark-colored layer of grease and dirt to mark their travelways. Like the Norway rat, the roof rat is largely nocturnal, and only where populations are relatively high does one see them frequently in the daytime. They accept a wide variety of food items, including grains, meats, and almost any item that has nutritive value. Like the Norway rat, the roof rat is destructive to property and foodstuffs. Also, it plays an important part in the transmission of such human diseases as endemic typhus, ratbite fever, and bubonic plague.
Flea
Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8-inch long and have three pairs of legs. Fleas are excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to seven inches and horizontally thirteen inches. (An equivalent hop for a human would be 250 feet vertically and 450 feet horizontally.) They have piercing-sucking mouthparts and spines on the body projecting backward. Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a blood meal but may live from two months to one year without feeding. Fleas are vertically flat like a fish and can move easily through the hair of a host. Fleas thrive in a hot, humid environment, so Florida is perfect for them. Summer months, July through September, are the worst months for fleas. They will bite, especially when they cannot find their usual animal host or if they become very numerous. Their bite often will leave a small, red, irritated area on humans.
Brown Recluse Spider
The Brown Recluse spider is not, nor is any recluse spider, native to Florida. However, three species have been intercepted and occasionally have established populations in single buildings at scattered locations. The recluse spiders (also known as violin, fiddleback, or brown spiders) belong to the genus Loxosceles (Family: Sicariidae). These spiders are found worldwide, most commonly in the tropics, with some species reaching temperate latitudes. Recluse spiders are medium-sized (6-12 mm body length). Similar to widow spiders, recluse spiders usually bite only when they become trapped next to the victim’s skin. Recluse bites range in intensity from no noticeable effect to severe necrosis.
Black Widow Spider
Black widow spiders are common around wood piles and are frequently encountered when homeowners carry firewood into the house. They are also found under eaves, in boxes, outdoor toilets, meter boxes, and other unbothered places. The female eats the male after mating. She hangs her belly upward and rarely leaves the web. The black widow is not aggressive. It will, however, bite instinctively when touched or pressed. Black widow bites are sharp and painful, and the victim should go to the doctor immediately for treatment as the venom has been known to be fatal but usually just makes the host extremely sick, experiencing nausea, painful headaches, and stomach cramps.
Florida Woods Cockroach
The Florida woods cockroach is a large species of cockroach, which usually grows to a length of 1½ inch to 2 inches. It has a wide, glossy body and appears at first glance to be wingless. However, it does have very short wings just beneath its head, which are useless for flying. The cockroach, when disturbed, often emits a strong, disagreeable odor, somewhat reminiscent of amaretto. The roach is slower moving than other species. It prefers damp locations and lots of moisture and does well in warm, damp climates. It is found in its native habitats, such as Florida and the West Indies. The roach can wander indoors at times, especially in damp locations, such as bathrooms. However, it is found mostly outdoors and is not considered a major pest in the home. It is cold intolerant and requires a warm, sub-tropical, or tropical climate. It can often be seen in sheltered outdoor locations.
German Cockroach
The German cockroach is the cockroach of concern, the species that gives all other cockroaches a bad name. It occurs in structures throughout Florida and is the species that typically plagues multifamily dwellings. The German cockroach is found throughout the world in association with humans. They are unable to survive in locations away from humans or human activity. The German cockroach has three life stages typical of insects with incomplete metamorphosis: the egg, nymph, and adult. The entire life cycle is completed in about 100 days. Under ideal conditions, population growth has been shown to be exponential. German cockroaches adulterate food or food products with their feces and defensive secretions, physically transport and often harbor pathogenic organisms, may cause severe allergic responses, and in extremely heavy infestations, have been reported to bite humans and feed on food residues on the faces of sleeping humans.
American Cockroach
The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting roaches. They are 1 and 1/2 inches long (38mm). American cockroaches generally live in moist areas but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 84 degrees Fahrenheit and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements and sewers and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. These cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks, and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material. These cockroaches may move indoors, seeking warmer temperatures and food. Cockroaches may enter houses via sewer connections, under doors, around utility pipes, air ducts, or other openings in the foundation. Roaches can foul food, damage wallpaper, books, and clothing, and produce an unpleasant odor. Some homeowners are allergic to roaches, and the pests can contaminate food with certain bacterial diseases that result in food poisoning, dysentery, or diarrhea. Cockroaches can cause childhood asthma.
Wasps or Yellow Jackets
5/8 to 1 inch in size. All wasps will defend their nests, but the Yellow Jackets and hornets are the most aggressive, which is another way you can distinguish them from bees. In contrast, a bee is usually more docile, and wasps usually take the proactive defense strategy. Come anywhere near their homes, and you have trouble. Yellow jackets will also forage for foods that people eat, especially sweets and meats. They are considered beneficial insects, eating other insects. The yellow jacket colony will remain active for only one summer, after which the queens will fly away to start more colonies. The remaining ones die at the end of the summer, and the nest is not reused. They usually nest in the ground but will also nest in railroad ties, wall voids, and other above-ground locations, like the eave of a roof or tall doorways. For most, a wasp sting is temporary but painful, but for allergic individuals, a single sting may result in a serious reaction requiring medical treatment.
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