Control Household Insect Pests

ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Managing Household Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Buying and Using Insecticides Inside the Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Insecticide Formulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Cockroaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Ants (small house-infesting ants) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Fire Ants (indoors) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Carpenter Ants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Carpenter Bees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Fleas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Fabric Pests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Stored Food Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Spiders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Asian Lady Beetles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Occasional Invaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Silverfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Springtails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

House Flies and Other Large Flies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Fruit Flies, Drain Flies, and Other Small Flies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Termites: See Extension Publication 2568, Protect Your House from Termites.

Bed Bugs: See Extension Publication 2546, Bed Bugs and What To Do About Them.

Mosquitoes: See Extension Publication 2530, Mosquitoes, West Nile, and Other Encephalitis Viruses:

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself.

Fleas (additional information): See Extension Publication 2597, Control Fleas on Your Pet, in Your

House, and in Your Yard.

Control Household Insect PestsInsects and spiders are abundant in Mississippi; wehave thousands of species. Most are harmless, andmany are beneficial, providing valuable services suchas pollination, serving as predators or parasites to helpkeep pest populations in check, or providing food forbirds and other animals. Some are considered pestsbecause they feed on animals or crops we grow forfood, fiber, or timber, or because they damage orna-mental plants.

Many species invade our homes and apartments.Some, such as Asian lady beetles and other occasionalinvaders, are just nuisances, but they can be quite both-ersome when they occur in high numbers. Pests suchas cockroaches and houseflies simply want to live withus and feed on our leftovers. Others, like sawtoothedgrain beetles and other stored product pests, eat ourfood before we can. Termites and other structural pestseat our homes, and still others, such as fleas and bedbugs, eat us!

This publication provides basic information on theidentification, biology, and habits of common house-hold insects and spiders. It also provides informationon how to keep these pests from getting into yourhome in the first place and how to control them whenthey do get inside.

Managing Household Insect PestsBefore reading about a specific insect pest, considersome of the general principles of managing householdinsects and spiders: exclusion, sanitation, proper iden-tification, and understanding pest biology and habits.Don’t underestimate the value of these basic principles.

Exclusion: This is the most important part of house-hold insect control. Don’t let pests get into your homein the first place, and you won’t have a pest problem.Sure, insects are small and can crawl through tinycracks, but hardware and home improvement stores

sell a variety of screens, weather stripping, caulking,sealants, and other supplies you can use to seal eventhe smallest cracks. Time spent making sure yourhome is as “bug tight” as possible reduces the numberof insects that get inside and saves money by conserv-ing energy. Just don’t be overzealous. Be sure to main-tain adequate ventilation for health and safety.

You can also use exclusion on a smaller scale. Keepfood products like cereals, flour, and grains in insect-proof containers and you are much less likely to haveproblems with stored-product pests. Store your woolsuits and sweaters properly and they are less likely tobe infested with clothes moths or carpet beetles.

Another, often overlooked, aspect of exclusion isbeing careful about what items you bring into yourhome. German cockroaches like to hide in radios, TVs,and other electrical appliances—like that computermonitor your cousin has offered to give you. Usedmattresses and box springs can harbor bed bugs. Thoseboxes of old books from Aunt Emma’s estate may con-tain silverfish or brown recluse spiders. You don’t needto be paranoid about bringing second-hand items intoyour home, but you do need to be informed and actwisely.

Sanitation: Sanitation is another cornerstone of house-hold pest management. Deprive pests of a food sourceand they won’t become established in your home.Good sanitation is especially important in controllingpests such as cockroaches. Regular cleaning and vacu-uming, combined with other good sanitation practices,are more useful than insecticide sprays when it comesto discouraging roaches. Decluttering is another pow-erful pest management tool that goes hand in handwith sanitation. Cluttered, crowded storage areas pro-vide shelter for spiders and insect pests and interferewith other treatment efforts.

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Choosing and Purchasing Insecticides: Insecticides canbe useful tools for controlling indoor insect pests, butthey are not substitutes for exclusion and sanitation. Ifyou rely solely on insecticides to manage your indoorinsect problems, you are going to use a lot of insecti-cide, and you still may not succeed. Still, sometimesyou may need to use an insecticide.

The number of different insecticide products la-beled and sold for indoor pest control is huge, and it iseasy to become confused or overwhelmed when shop-ping for the right product for a particular pest prob-lem. Just because a product has a picture of an ant orroach on the label or is called “ant and roach spray”does not necessarily mean it is the best solution foryour particular ant or roach problem.

The first step in choosing a pesticide is to decidewhat type of formulation you want. Do you want aready-to-use spray, do you want an insecticide con-centrate to mix and apply using your hand pumpsprayer, or do you need a bait?

Once you have decided on a formulation, you needto think about the active ingredient. The brand namesof household insecticides are sometimes long and con-fusing and often don’t provide a lot of useful informa-tion about what the product is really good for. Learnto choose insecticides based on their active ingredients.The names of insecticide active ingredients do soundsomewhat technical (such as cyfluthrin, fipronil, hy-dramethylnon), but they aren’t nearly as long and con-fusing as most of the brand names.

The most important step in purchasing a house-hold insecticide is to read the label carefully—beforeyou buy it! Take your glasses, take your time, and read

it right there in the store. Be sure it contains the activeingredient you want and is the formulation you need.Be sure it is labeled to control the pest(s) you need tocontrol, and read how to use and apply the product.Be sure it is labeled for indoor use in the site you planto treat. If you need to use it in your kitchen cabinets,be sure it is labeled for use in kitchen cabinets, andread how to apply the product safely. Read the labelagain once you get home—just before you treat.

Using Insecticides Safely and Effectively in the Home:Insecticides are like fire or automobiles. When usedproperly, they are safe, useful tools, but they can bedangerous if misused. The most important step in safeinsecticide use is to read the label and do what it says.Be sure you know what you are using and how to useit safely.

Use common sense when applying insecticides.You want to put them where they will contact thepests, and you want to avoid putting them where theywill contact you, family members, or pets. Be especiallycareful when treating in kitchens and dining areas. Re-move or cover all food items before spraying, anddon’t let spray drops or mist contaminate cookingutensils or food preparation surfaces. If you are usinga liquid spray, avoid spraying electrical outlets andother electrical sources.

The keys to effective insecticide use are to preparethe area properly before you start treating, target yourtreatment to the areas where the pest lives, and be thor-ough. Note that being thorough does not mean apply-ing large amounts of insecticide; it means being sureto identify and treat all of the places the pest occurs.

Identify the Pest: Know your enemy! Sometimes it’snot enough to know whether it is a cockroach or anant. You need to know which cockroach or whichspecies of ant. Management and treatment strategiescan vary greatly depending on species. If you aren’tsure, collect some specimens, place them in a smallleak-proof bottle of alcohol, and take them to yourcounty Extension office. Extension personnel can sendthe specimens to a specialist for identification.

Understand Pest Biology: Once you’ve identified thepest you are trying to control, it’s important to learnabout its biology and habits. Where does this pestspend most of its time? Where do the immature stagesfeed, and what do they look like? What does it eat?Knowing the answers to these and other questions canhelp you plan an effective control strategy.

Buying and Using Insecticides Inside the Home

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Start by cleaning and removing clutter if necessary.You will often need to empty storage cabinets or clos-ets to be able to treat thoroughly. You may even have todrill small access holes to allow treatment of voidswhere pests may be hiding, like the space beneathmost floor-level cabinets, which is a good hiding placefor roaches.

Think about where the pest hides, and place yourtreatment in those areas. Try to find and treat all of theareas that might harbor pests. Remember, insecticidesaren’t magic potions that cause pests to disappear justbecause you apply a little spray or dust. If the pestdoesn’t contact the insecticide, it won’t be controlled.

Insecticide FormulationsReady-to-use Sprays: Many indoor insecticides aresold as prediluted, ready-to-use sprays. Often they aresold in small, trigger-pump spray bottles, but some aresold in gallon containers that have hand-pressurized,or even battery-powered, pumps. Most of the insecti-cides sold in this way give broad-spectrum control,and they are convenient to keep on hand for occasionalpest problems.

Aerosol Sprays: Aerosol sprays are ready-to-use insec-ticide sprays sold in pressurized cans. They are quickand convenient for small jobs, but they are costly. Somecome with a small “straw” or extension tube that letsyou inject spray into cracks, crevices, and wall voids.Be especially sure to read the label when purchasingaerosol sprays. Some contain active ingredients, likepyrethrins, that provide quick kill but give no residualcontrol; others contain active ingredients that providequick kill and long-term residual control. Some are la-beled for use as space sprays to control flying insectpests; others are not.

Insecticide Concentrates: Insecticide concentrateshave to be diluted in water before you can apply them.Liquid concentrates are the most common form, butsome insecticides are sold as wettable powders or wet-table granules, and some are even sold in premea-sured water-soluble packets. Read the label to find outhow much product to mix, and don’t be tempted touse more than the label indicates. If the label says todilute 1 teaspoon in a gallon of water, just use 1 tea-

spoon. Increasing the rate of an insecticide sprayabove the labeled rate won’t improve control. In-creasing the care and thoroughness with which youapply that spray will.

Total Release Aerosol Foggers: These are simplyaerosol sprays that release all of their contents at once.The spray button locks into place when you push itdown, and the contents of the can empty into theroom. These are most often sold for flea or roach con-trol. While they can be useful when dealing with es-pecially heavy infestations, they are usually not thebest formulation for flea or roach control. This is be-cause most of the insecticide ends up on surfaces thatdon’t really need to be treated, and the spray does notpenetrate well into the cracks and crevices wheremany pests hide.

Baits: Baits usually contain a small amount of insecti-cide diluted in a product that the target pests readilyeat. They are most often used to control ants or cock-roaches, and baits are very effective tools for control-ling these pests. Baits are especially useful againstGerman cockroaches. The active ingredients used inbaits are usually slow-acting insecticides or insectgrowth regulators. Baits are formulated as pastes orgels that come in small syringe-like tubes, as liquids,or granules. Most of the baits sold for home use comein small bait stations that allow the target pests to ac-cess the bait but prevent access by children or pets.

Dusts: A few household insecticides are formulated asdusts. These are best applied using a hand held bulbduster to puff the dust into cracks, crevices, and voidsthat harbor pests. The main advantage of dusts is theyusually provide long-lasting control in the areas wherethey are applied. Do not apply dusts to exposed areas.Dusts belong in out-of-the-way places where familymembers or pets can’t contact them.

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Cockroaches are common household pests. Mosthomeowners don’t like cockroaches, and for good rea-sons. In addition to feeding on and contaminatingfood, cockroaches can spread disease and cause allergyand asthma problems. There are several species ofcockroaches, but the German cockroach and the “largeroaches” (smoky brown cockroach, brown cockroach,and American cockroach) are the most common.

Because their habits and the methods used to con-trol them are similar, it is not necessary to be able toidentify the different species of large roaches. But ifyou want control efforts to be successful, it is impor-tant to distinguish between the large roaches and thesmaller German cockroaches.

Several other species of roaches occur in the state.Many breed outdoors and are only occasionally foundinside, but it is still important to be aware of thesespecies so you can avoid spending money unnecessar-ily. For example, if you found two woods roaches thatwere brought in with firewood, misidentified them asGerman cockroaches, and hired a professional pestcontrol company to begin a baiting program, youwould be wasting a lot of money.

German Cockroach (Blatella ger-manica): This is the roach mostdreaded and hated by homeown-ers and apartment dwellers. It isworldwide in distribution andthrives indoors where it hasready access to food and water.German cockroach is the species

most commonly involved in chronic indoor infesta-tions. It is also one of the most difficult roaches to con-trol because it develops resistance to insecticides andaversion to baits.

Description: Adult German cockroaches range fromlight brown to dark brown, are slightly longer than 1⁄2inch, and are easily identified by the two dark brownstripes on the pronotum (front portion of the back).The wingless nymphs are smaller and have two darkbrown stripes down the full length of their backs.

Biology: German cockroaches are indoor pests rarelyseen outdoors. These roaches can’t live without us.They live and thrive only where they can be close tohumans. German cockroaches are most common inkitchens and bath areas where they have ready accessto food and water. Because of their small size and flat-tened body shape, these insects can easily hide incracks and crevices beneath and behind cabinets andcupboards, in wall voids, and in other protected areas.They shun light and prefer to forage under cover ofdarkness.

Roaches feed on a wide variety of organic materi-als, including human foods to which they can gain di-rect access, as well as crumbs and dried residuesresulting from spills and splatters or dirty dishes. Theyalso feed on pet food, as well as crumbs and spills inpet feeding areas. In bath areas, roaches feed on driedsputum and other bodily discharges and on soiledclothing and diapers. They also feed on the dead bod-ies and excrement of other roaches.

Like other roaches, German cockroaches deposittheir eggs inside a purse-like egg case, known as anootheca, which contains about three dozen eggs. Un-like most other roaches, German cockroach femalescarry their egg cases with them until, or just before, theeggs hatch. Like the adults, nymphs have chewingmouthparts and feed on the same food as adults. Ittakes 2–6 months for German cockroach nymphs to be-come adults, and adults can live as long as 9 months.Under favorable conditions German cockroaches candevelop high populations year-round.

“Large Roaches”: The term “largeroaches” refers to a group ofclosely related species includingthe smoky brown cockroach(Periplaneta fuliginosa), browncockroach (Periplaneta brunnea),and American cockroach (Peri-planeta americana). The smoky

brown cockroach is the most common species, but it isnot uncommon to have more than one species of theseroaches in the same area. Although these roaches occur

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Cockroaches

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throughout the state, they are more common in thesouthern portion, where milder weather favors out-door populations year-round.

Description: Adults have long, wiry antennae, spinylegs, and long leathery wings extending to, or beyond,the tip of the abdomen. Color and size varies depend-ing on species, but adults of all three species are morethan an inch long. Adult smoky brown cockroaches areuniformly dark brown and approximately 11⁄3 incheslong, while American cockroaches are somewhat largerand reddish brown with lighter markings on thepronotum (front part of the back). The nymphs areshiny brown to reddish-brown and similar to theadults in general body shape but are smaller and lackwings. Because of the lack of wings, the segmented ab-domen of the nymphs is obvious.

Biology: The biology of the three species of largeroaches is similar. Eggs are laid in a purse-like egg case,or ootheca, which contains one to two dozen eggs. Fe-males deposit egg cases in protected locations. It nor-mally takes at least 6 weeks for eggs to hatch and,depending on species and environmental conditions,it takes from 9 to 20 months for the nymphs to becomeadults. Adults live for many months.

Smoky brown cockroaches, as well as the other twospecies of large roaches, are more common in thesouthern portion of the state, where they thrive out-doors, close to humans, as well as indoors. In southerncities, high populations of large roaches may be foundliving in sewer drains, around dumpsters and garbagecans, in and around piles of lumber or refuse, underthe siding of buildings, and in various outdoor habi-tats, such as palm trees, hollow trees, landscape mulch,and leaf litter. These roaches also breed and developinside buildings, especially where they have access todark, protected areas such as inside hollow concreteblocks, wall voids, soffit voids, attics, basements, andother similar areas.

Other Roaches: Of the other species of roaches thatoccur in the state, brownbanded cockroaches and ori-ental cockroaches are indoor pest species that are notvery common. The remaining species discussed here

are outdoor species that occasionally invade homes butdo not normally establish breeding populations in-doors. Several of these are relatively new arrivals toour area.

Brownbanded Cockroach (Supellalongipalpa): This roach is similar tothe German cockroach in generalsize and appearance but differs inhaving two broad dark stripesacross the wings while lacking thetwo dark longitudinal stripes Ger-

man cockroaches have on their pronotum. Like theGerman cockroach, the brownbanded cockroach isstrictly an indoor species. Infestations of brownbandedcockroaches are rather uncommon in the state, but thispest can be difficult to control when it does occur.

Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis): This pest speciesis not often encountered in the state. When it doesoccur, it is usually in basements and other moist, coolareas. Adults are dark brown and approximately 1 inchlong. Adult males have short wings that do not reachto the tip of the abdomen, while females are essentiallywingless, having only short stubs.

Asian Cockroach (Blatta asahinai): This roach only re-cently entered the United States but is now well estab-lished in the southern portions of Florida and othersoutheastern states. It occurs in the lower coastal coun-ties of Mississippi. Asian cockroaches look exactly likeGerman cockroaches but differ greatly in behavior. Un-like German cockroaches, these roaches breed out-doors, fly readily, and are attracted to light.

Cuban Cockroach (Panchlora nivea): The Cuban cock-roach is another relatively recent arrival that occurs inthe extreme southern portion of the state. It is a strik-ing pale green, and, as this coloration suggests, prefersto live outdoors.

Pale-bordered field Cockroach (Pseudomops septentrion-alis): This outdoor roach is expanding its range in thestate and is now commonly seen as far north asStarkville. It is easily identified by the reddish-brown

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head and pronotum and the striking pale yellow borderit has around the pronotum and the outer margins of thewings. Adults are about the size of German cockroaches.

Surinam Cockroach (Pycnoscelus surinamensis): Suri-nam cockroaches are about 3⁄4 inch long, broadly oval-shaped, and have a dark brown pronotum and lightbrown wings. These roaches live in the root/thatcharea of lawns and other grassy areas in the southernregion of the state. Individual roaches occasionally in-vade homes, porches, or carports.

Woods Roaches (Parcoblatta spp.): Several species ofwoods roaches occur in the state. These are nativeroaches most commonly found under the bark of logsand dead trees and inside hollow trees. Woods roachesinvade homes occasionally and are often brought in-side with firewood, but they do not usually establishindoor populations.

COCkROACh COntROl: Before beginning cock-roach control efforts, know which species you are try-ing to control. The methods for treating Germancockroaches differ considerably from those for smokybrown cockroaches, or other large roaches.

GeRmAn COCkROACh COntROl: Because Ger-man cockroaches are strictly indoor roaches, focus allcontrol efforts indoors. Sanitation is the most impor-tant roach management tool, and in single-familydwellings good sanitation is often all that is needed toprevent infestations. When infestations occur, sanita-tion is still the backbone of the control effort, but thereare many other useful control methods. Consider theparticular situation you are trying to control, andchoose one or more of the methods discussed here tosupplement your sanitation and exclusion efforts.

Sanitation: Although German cockroaches occasion-ally occur in the cleanest home or restaurant, theythrive especially well in cluttered, untidy conditionswhere they have ready access to food. Good house-keeping practices that limit the amount of food avail-able to cockroaches greatly limit their ability to surviveand reproduce.

Store food in the refrigerator or in bug-proof con-tainers so cockroaches can’t get to it. Clean up crumbs

and dried accumulations of food resulting from spills,splatters, or boil-overs. In addition to keeping the ex-posed surfaces of kitchen areas clean, avoid accumula-tions of dirty dishes, and clean under and insidecabinets to remove crumbs and other food sources.Keep stoves, toasters, and other food preparation ap-pliances free of crumbs and dried food spills. Vacuumregularly and clean inside cabinets and under andaround appliances such as ovens, dishwashers, and re-frigerators to prevent the accumulation of food in pro-tected areas where roaches prefer to hide. Give specialattention to preventing or promptly cleaning spills thatrun into cracks and crevices such as those betweenstoves or other appliances and adjacent cabinets.

Take the garbage out regularly, and line cans withgarbage bags to keep foods from accumulating on theinner walls of garbage cans. Stacks of empty pizzaboxes or empty drink cans or bottles can serve as fer-tile breeding grounds for cockroaches.

Other aspects of sanitation include regular laun-dering to prevent accumulations of dirty clothes; reg-ular cleaning of bath areas; limiting the amount of timepet food is exposed; cleaning around pet feeding areas;and avoiding accumulations of debris, such as card-board boxes, that can be hiding places for roaches.

German cockroaches are most common in kitchenand bath areas where they have ready access to foodand water, but they readily infest other areas of thehouse if food is available. Heavy populations thrive inother living areas, around couches, recliners, beds, orother furniture, if you let crumbs or other food parti-cles accumulate.

Exclusion: Because they are small and have a flattenedbody shape, adult German cockroaches can crawlthrough cracks less than 1⁄8 inch wide, and nymphs canget through much smaller cracks. Caulk or otherwiseseal cracks and crevices that provide access to wallvoids and other potential refuges, and seal aroundentry points for plumbing and electrical conduit to pre-vent roaches from having easy access to good hidingplaces and to minimize movement between apartmentunits. Exclusion efforts are especially useful in multi-family dwellings.

Traps: Several companies sell glue traps that can beused to catch cockroaches. Although traps are useful

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survey tools to determine if, or where, infestations areor to gauge the effectiveness of control efforts, they willnot provide effective “stand-alone” control.

Baits: The development of highly effective baits hasgreatly improved control of German cockroaches, andbaits have become the primary method of using insec-ticides for roach control. When combined with goodsanitation and exclusion practices, baits can provide ef-fective control of German cockroaches with minimaluse of insecticide. Baits formulated as gels or pastes orin child-proof bait stations are especially useful forhomeowners. Some baits are also formulated as dustsor fine granules. Be sure to read and follow all label di-rections, especially when using baits in areas wherefood is prepared or stored.

Do not apply insecticide sprays where baits are used,because the sprays may repel roaches and prevent themfrom eating the bait. Baits work best when supplementedwith good sanitation. Empty cabinets; vacuum crumbs,dead insects, and other debris; use a flashlight to identifyroach hiding places; and place baits in these areas.Roaches feed on baits especially well when deprived ofother food sources. German cockroach populations de-velop bait “aversion” if they are repeatedly exposed tothe same bait. If they do not readily take the first baityou try, switch to another formulation.

Insecticide sprays: When applied properly, residual in-secticide sprays can quickly reduce heavy infestations.Be sure to choose insecticides specifically labeled forindoor use in kitchens or food preparation areas, andread the label carefully before treating. Products con-taining pyrethroid insecticides such as cyfluthrin,deltamethrin, cypermethrin, or esfenvalerate remaineffective for several weeks. These are available asaerosol sprays, dilute ready-to-use sprays, or sprayconcentrates you must mix with water before apply-ing. Use sprayers that produce a small pin-stream ofspray you can easily direct into cracks and crevices. Ifyou are trying to control a heavy infestation, considerusing an insect growth regulator (IGR) in combinationwith a residual insecticide spray, as discussed in thenext section.

An insecticide treatment is only as good as the careyou take in applying it. The key to success with resid-

ual sprays is to locate and treat all cracks, crevices, andvoids where roaches can hide. Remove items from in-side cabinets, and use a flashlight to identify cracksand crevices that should be treated. Don’t forget tolook up, toward the upper back of the cabinet, andtreat any voids or cracks you find there. Be sure to treatvoids behind, above, or underneath cabinets. Be awareof crevices between cabinet backs and walls. Roacheslike to rest in these thin roach-sized crevices. As youempty the cabinet, and before you spray, use a vacuumto clean any crumbs, dead roaches, roach or mousedroppings, and other debris. Wait for the spray to drybefore replacing stored items.

Unfortunately, a single insecticide treatment, nomatter how thoroughly you apply it, is rarely enoughto eliminate a heavy infestation. Be sure to retreat in afew weeks, or follow up with some other type of sup-plemental treatment, such as baits. Remember, sanita-tion and exclusion are the most important steps in anyroach control program.

Insect growth regulators (IGRs): IGRs work by dis-rupting the development of immature roaches and/orpreventing eggs from hatching. Although they are slowacting and do not kill adult roaches, IGRs have a long-term effect on cockroach populations. Hydroprene andpyriproxyfen are the active ingredients in most com-mercially available IGR treatments. Because IGRs pro-vide long-lasting control and are effective againstinsecticide-resistant strains, it is a good idea to applyan IGR in combination with an insecticide spray. IGRsare also useful when applied alone or when used incombination with baits, because exposure to IGRscauses German cockroaches to eat more bait.

Aerosol Foggers: Many total release aerosol foggers arelabeled and sold for roach control. Some of these con-tain a residual insecticide and an IGR. Although theseare a quick, convenient way to treat, they are not nec-essarily the best or most efficient way to apply roachtreatments. Most of the insecticide ends up on exposedsurfaces where roaches won’t pick it up. More impor-tantly, the aerosol does not penetrate well into thecracks, crevices, and voids where roaches hide.

7

Insecticidal Dusts: Dusts are an especially effectiveway to treat wall voids and other, otherwise inaccessi-ble refuge areas. Most commercially available dustscontain deltamethrin, boric acid, diatomaceous earth,or silica gel. One of the advantages of insecticidal dustsis that they provide long-lasting residual control. Applydust using a bulb duster or some other type of special-ized dust applicator. Use the duster to inject smallamounts of dust into cracks, crevices, and voids. Whennecessary, use a drill to make small access holes intovoids. Avoid using too much dust, and do not applydusts to exposed areas. Dust applicators may be diffi-cult to find locally, but you can order them from mailand Internet suppliers. A small, handheld bulb duster issufficient for most home uses. Be sure to take appro-priate precautions when treating around electrical out-lets and switches.

Hire a Professional Pest Control Company: If youdon’t have the time or inclination to do your own roachcontrol, you can hire a professional pest control com-pany to provide this service. Most pest control compa-nies offer monthly or quarterly household pest controlcontracts, with cockroaches being the primary target.

Professional pest control technicians have access toeffective insecticides and know how to use them safely.They know which treatments to use and how and whereto apply them to control target pests while limiting un-necessary exposure. Still, they may need your help. Clut-tered, overcrowded cabinets and closets can preventproper treatment and make effective control difficult,and poor sanitation can thwart the efforts of the besttrained “bug man.” Visit with your pest control techni-cian to find out what you can do to facilitate control.

“lARGe ROACh” COntROl: Because the “largecockroaches” (smoky brown cockroach, brown cock-roach, and American cockroach) breed outdoors and in-doors, control efforts for these pests must target bothareas. Often large roaches breed outside and occasion-ally invade the home but do not have established indoorpopulations.

Sanitation: Although indoor sanitation is still impor-tant in managing indoor infestations of large roaches,most sanitation efforts for large roaches should be con-centrated outdoors, in the area immediately sur-

rounding the home. Store pet food in roach-proof con-tainers, and clean pet feeding areas regularly to pre-vent accumulations of spilled food. Avoid storingempty cans or drink bottles, because the residues inthese containers provide food for roaches. Avoid stack-ing firewood, lumber, boxes, or other refuse near thehouse, as these provide excellent harborage forroaches. Limit the use of organic mulches immediatelyadjacent to the house. This helps reduce cockroachpopulations and also reduces the potential for termitesand home-invading ants. Ideally, organic mulchesshould not be used within 3–4 feet of the foundation.Use inorganic mulches like lava rock or pea gravel inthis zone. Rake leaves and pine needles and keep treesand shrubs pruned away from the house to minimizehiding places and ensure good ventilation. Do notallow ivy or other vines to grow on the side of thehouse, because roaches and other insects hide andbreed in this heavy vegetation.

Exclusion: Exclusion plays an especially important rolein limiting the number of indoor invasions by largeroaches and other insects. Because of their flattened bodyshape, even large roaches can easily crawl under doors.Install door sweeps on the bottoms of doors, and usefoam strips or spring steel strips to seal around remain-ing door edges. Be sure window screens are undamagedand fit properly. Use caulking, foam sealant, steel wool,or other appropriate materials to seal around pipes andother potential entry points. Check soffit vents and otherattic vents to be sure they fit tightly and are properlyscreened.

Baits:Although the paste and gel baits used for Germancockroaches can be effective against large roaches, gran-ular baits and bait stations designed specifically for largeroaches are more useful. (Bait stations designed specifi-cally for German cockroaches are too small.) Granularbaits are usually intended for outdoor use or for appli-cation in basements, attics, storage rooms, wall voids,and other non-living areas. Granular baits contain activeingredients such as boric acid or fipronil. In living-areas,use child-proof bait stations specifically designed forlarge roaches or gel or paste baits you can place wherechildren and pets can’t get to them. These contain activeingredients such as abamectin, fipronil, hydramethyl-non, indoxacarb, or orthoboric acid.

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Gel Abamectin 0.05% gel bait Avert Cockroach Gel Bait

Baits Fipronil 0.01% gel bait Maxforce FC Roach Killer Bait

Hydramethylnon 2.15.% gel bait Maxforce Professional Insect Control

Imidacloprid 2.15% gel bait Pre-Empt Professional Cockroach Gel Bait

Orthoboric acid 50% gel bait MaxAttrax Ultra Roach Killing Gel Bait

Dinotefuren 0.05% gel bait Hotshot Ultra Clear Roach and Ant Gel Bait

Bait Abamectin 0.05% bait station Enforcer Roach Max

Stations Abamectin 0.05% + hydroprene 95% bait station Raid Double Control Small Roach Baits + Egg Stopers

Abamectin 0.05% bait station Raid Double Control Large Roach Baits

Chlorpyrifos 0.5% bait station MaxAttrax Roach Bait Stations

Fipronil 0.03% bait station Combat Quick Kill Formula (small roaches)

Fipronil 0.03% bait station Combat Quick Kill Formula (large roaches)

Hydramethylnon 2% bait station Maxforce Roach Killer Small Bait Stations

Hydramethylnon 2% bait station Combat Source Kill Large Roach Bait Stations

Indoxacarb 0.1% bait station MaxAttrax Ultra Nest Destroyer Roach Bait

Granular Abamectin 0.011% granular bait Avert Dry Flowable Cockroach Bait

Baits Hydramethylnon 1% granular bait Maxforce Fine Granule Insect Bait

Orthoboric acid 5% granular bait Niban FG

Aerosol Sprays Esfenvalerate 0.05% + Prallethrin 0.03% Ortho Roach Ant and Spider Killer

Deltamethrin 0.02% + S-bioallethrin 0.05% Spectracide Bug Stop

Permethrin 2% Bengal Roach Spray

Permethrin 2% + pyriproxyfen 0.05% Bengal Gold Roach Spray

Tralomethrin 0.025% + Imiprothrin 0.1% Hot Shot Ultra Ant & Roach Killer

Ready-to-use Sprays Bifenthrin 0.05% Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin 0.05% Bayer Home Pest Control, Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin 0.03% Enforcer BugMax 365

Lambda cyhalothrin 0.03% Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Outdoor Perimeter Treatments: Several insecticides arelabeled for use around the immediate outside of thehouse to control roaches and other pests. These con-tain active ingredients such as cyfluthrin, lambda-cy-halothrin, esfenvalerate, or other pyrethroidinsecticides. Many of these products are labeled for ap-plication to exterior surfaces of the house, such asaround doors and windows and the lower portion ofthe exterior wall, as well as to a band of ground aroundthe perimeter. If the house has overlapping siding, re-member that roaches like to hide in the resultingcracks, and direct sprays into these areas. Be sure to

read product labels carefully before purchase, and fol-low all label directions.

Indoor treatments for large cockroaches are formu-lated as aerosol sprays, ready-to-use trigger pumpsprays, or liquid concentrates you must dilute withwater and apply with a hand pressurized sprayer. Theycontain active ingredients such as permethrin, cyfluthrin,deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, or lambda-cyhalothrin.Apply these products as “barrier treatments” arounddoorways and other entry points to prevent roachesfrom entering or to control them shortly after they get in-side. Read product labels for specific instructions.

9

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

Insecticides Available to Homeowners for Control of Cockroaches

9

About 165 species of ants live in Mississippi, and manyoccasionally invade homes. The table below lists thesix species that invade homes most often. Four of these,Argentine ants, Linepithema humile; odorous house ants,Tapinoma sessile, little black ants, Monomorium mini-mum; and dark rover ants, Brachymyrmex patagonicus,are relatively small ants the average homeowner rarelynotices as long as the ants stay outdoors. It is when

they invade the home and begin foraging in thekitchen or in other areas of the home that these ants be-come pests.

This section focuses on these four species, but theinformation on controlling these species can also be ap-plied to other types of small home-invading ants, suchas Pharoah ants or acrobat ants. Imported fire ants andcarpenter ants are addressed in separate sections.

10

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

Insecticides Available to Homeowners for Control of Cockroaches (Continued)

Liquid Concentrate Cyfluthrin 2.5% Bayer Powerforce Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus

Sprays Cypermethrin 26% Bonide Cyper Eight

Deltamethrin 1% Enforcer BugMax Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin 10% Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide

IGRs Hydroprene 9% Gentrol

Nylar (pyriproxyfen) 1.3% Archer Insect Growth Regulator

Dusts Deltamethrin 0.05% Terro Ant Dust

Diatomaceous earth Perma Guard

Orthoboric acid 98% Roach Prufe

Pyrethrins 1% + PBO 10% + Silica dioxide 40% Drione

Ants (small home-invading species)

Argentine ant 1⁄12 inch, workers Light to medium brown No sting. Fast moving ant, commonly uniform in size forages indoors. Crushed or disturbed ants

smell musty.

Odorous house ant 1⁄10 inch, workers Light to dark brown No sting. Fast moving ant, commonlyuniform in size forages indoors. Crushed or disturbed ants

smell like rotten coconut.

Little black ant 1⁄12 inch, workers Shiny black Have a weak sting, slower moving than uniform in size Argentine or odorous house ants.

Dark rover ant 1⁄12 inch, workers Dark brown No sting. Move in a jerky, stutter-step manner.uniform in size Have many small, isolated nest sites.

Imported fire ant 1⁄10 to 3⁄16 in, Light to dark brown Sting aggressively; stings cause long-lasting workers vary in size wheals; some people are highly sensitive to stings.

Black carpenter ant 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 in, Black No sting but can bite and spray formic acid. Largeworkers vary in size black ants cause structural damage by tunneling

in wood; prefer moist wood.

COmmOn nAme Size COlOR COmment

Pest Ants Most Commonly Encountered in Mississippi Homes

10

Argentine Ants, Linep-ithema humile: Argen-tine ants are light tomedium brown. Theworkers are uniform insize and are about 1⁄12

of an inch long. Theseants have a distinctive musty odor you can detectwhen you crush individual ants or disturb a nest. Theforaging workers move quickly and form narrowtrails up trees, along the sides of buildings, and insidehomes. As with most ants, the trails usually followsome type of structural edge, such as the edge of awall or walkway.

Argentine ants are a non-native species that hasspread over much of the state. Ecologically, they arevery aggressive ants that displace other species, in-cluding fire ants. Their nests are inconspicuous, locatedunder fallen leaves, organic mulch, tree bark, and inother protected sites, including indoor locations. Un-like fire ants, which form one large nest, a colony of Ar-gentine ants usually has dozens of smaller,interconnected nests. Infested landscapes, especiallythose with large numbers of trees and shrubs, maysupport huge numbers of Argentine ants, which can beseen trailing up trees and over the sides of buildingsand other structures.

Argentine ants can be especially challenging to con-trol, especially in landscapes with many trees andshrubs that result in accumulations of leaf litter and/ororganic mulch immediately adjacent to the home.Treatment should focus on nonchemical tactics that ex-clude ants from the home, limit access to food items,and make the area immediately around the home lessfavorable for foraging and nesting. Perimeter insecti-cide treatments can play an important role in controlof Argentine ants. These ants are difficult to controlwith baits, but liquid sweet baits or gel baits can beuseful to control isolated indoor nests.

Odorous house Ants,Tapinoma sessile: LikeArgentine ants, theworkers of odoroushouse ants are relativelyuniform in size, butthey are slightly larger,

approximately 1⁄10 inch. These ants have a distinctiveodor when individual ants are crushed or nests aredisturbed that is often compared to rotten coconuts.

Odorous house ants are a native species that hasmany habits in common with Argentine ants. Argen-tine ants are more ecologically aggressive and havedisplaced odorous house ants in many areas. Like Ar-gentine ants, odorous house ants form relatively small,inconspicuous nests under leaf litter, mulch, tree bark,and other protected sites, and a single colony usuallyhas many interconnected nest sites, some of which maybe located indoors. They tend to move nest sites fre-quently, especially if disturbed.

Control of odorous house ants is similar to that forArgentine ants. This ant is readily attracted to liquidsweet baits, and baits can be useful in controlling in-door infestations.

little Black Ants, Monomorium minimum: As theirname implies, these ants are small, about 1⁄12 inch, andshiny black. Unlike Argentine ants and odorous houseants, little black ants can sting, but compared to fireants, the sting is relatively minor.

This is a common outdoor species that nests in sitessimilar to those of Argentine ants and odorous houseants. They are especially fond of nesting in, or under,rotting wood. Colonies are generally much smallerthan the other two species, and fewer workers are usu-ally present on foraging trails. Also, foraging workersmove slower than the other two species. Liquid sweetbaits are useful against this species.

dark Rover Ants, Brachymyrmex patagonicus: The darkrover ant is an invasive ant species that continues tospread through the state. It is becoming more of a prob-lem in homes, as well as commercial buildings. Thesetiny ants are similar to little black ants in size and areoften mistaken for little black ants. Close examinationwill reveal that they are dark brown, rather than black,and are not shiny like little black ants. They also movealong their trails in a jerky, or stutter-step, manner.

Dark rover ants live in small, isolated colonies lo-cated outdoors (under rocks, in soil, in leaf litter andplant mulch, and in similar locations) as well as in-doors (under siding and shingles, in wall voids, infoam insulation, under flooring, and in similar loca-tions). These ants can be annoyingly difficult to control

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Ready-To-Use Insecticides To Control Home Invading Ants

Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.1%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

because they produce large numbers of small, isolatedcolonies. This makes it difficult to eliminate all coloniesin an area. Ants from one nest site may respond to yourbait station and be eliminated, while foragers from an-other nest do not. Thoroughness and persistence arekey to controlling rover ants.

COntROl OF SmAll hOme-inFeStinG AntS:Because control tactics may vary greatly, depending onwhich species of ant is present, proper identification isthe first step in controlling home-invading ants. Evenwhen controls are relatively similar, as for Argentineants and odorous house ants, it can be helpful to knowexactly which species you are trying to control. Becausemost species of ants are small, it may be necessary tocollect samples and send them to an entomologist whohas a microscope and good identification keys.

Short-term control of home-invading ants can be assimple as locating their trail, wiping it away with adamp, soapy cloth, and removing the food source thatwas attracting the ants, or storing it in an ant-proofcontainer. Without their scent trail, the ants lose theirway to the food source and are forced either to re-es-tablish the trail or forage elsewhere. If you can followthe trail to where the ants are entering the house, applyan appropriately labeled insecticide here to discouragethe ants from re-establishing the trail. This is most ef-fective when an outdoor colony has only recently es-tablished a single foraging trail into the home. But ifheavy populations are in or around the home, theylikely will return eventually, especially if they havenests already established in the home or have readilyavailable routes into the home.

Long-term control of home-invading ants can bequite challenging, requiring a combination of methodsand much persistence and patience. Some of the prac-

tices that are most useful in controlling home-invad-ing ants are discussed below.

Locate and Treat Nest Sites: Look for foraging trails,and try to follow them back to their source. It is espe-cially important to find and treat any nest sites insidethe home. Although it is usually impossible to locate allnest sites, especially all outdoor sites, this is an impor-tant first step. When you find a nest site, treat it with anappropriately labeled residual insecticide. If you thinkthe ants are nesting indoors but can’t find or access thenest, use baits as described in a following section.

When choosing an insecticide, read the label care-fully before you purchase the product, and be sure it islabeled for the use you have in mind. If you need to treatinside the home, be sure the insecticide is specifically la-beled for indoor use. Note that two products having thesame active ingredient may have very different labels;one may be formulated specifically for indoor use, whileanother may be restricted to outdoor use. • Examples of insecticides you can use to treat indoorinfestations of ants include aerosol sprays containingactive ingredients such as prallethrin + tralomethrin,prallethrin + esfenvalerate, or pyrethrins + PBO + per-methrin, or ready-to-use trigger pump sprays contain-ing active ingredients such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin,permethrin, deltamethrin, or tralomethrin. You cantreat nest sites inside walls or other voids with an in-secticide dust containing the active ingredientdeltamethrin or with dusts containing silica or di-atomaceous earth. Use a commercially available bulbduster that lets you inject dusts through cracks or smallholes drilled into the target void. If you can’t find dustapplicators locally, you can order them from mail orderor Internet suppliers.

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• Some of the more useful active ingredients to lookfor in insecticides to be used to treat outdoor antcolonies include bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin,lambda-cyhalothrin, or permethrin.

Eliminate Attractive Food Sources: Do this throughsanitation and by storing food products in ant-proofcontainers. If pet food bowls are the cause of the prob-lem, this can be as simple as limiting the amount oftime you let pets eat before removing the food, ratherthan giving the pet, and consequently the ants, free ac-cess to the food. But you may also have to search thehome thoroughly to identify and remove food sourcesor store them in ant-proof containers. Storing foods inant-proof containers or in the refrigerator or freezer isa key ant management tool, especially in homes thatsuffer chronic infestations. This also helps prevent in-festations of other stored food pests.

Seal Entry Points: Although it is usually impossible tolocate and seal all potential entry points, sealing pointswhere you have observed trails entering the house canhelp divert foragers to other, outside food sources.When sealing cracks and entryways for ant control,keep in mind that it is important to keep adequate ven-tilation of the home for health and safety reasons.

Prune Trees and Shrubs: Limbs of trees or shrubs thattouch the exterior of the house provide convenienttravel routes for foraging ants to enter. Keeping limbsand branches pruned away from the house can aidgreatly in ant control. Also, remove any ivy or other

vines growing on the house, since vines can providenesting sites and travel routes.

Control Honeydew-producing Insects on LandscapePlants: Because these ants thrive on honeydew pro-duced by pests such as aphids, scales, and whiteflies,controlling these pests on landscape plants aids in antcontrol. See Extension Publication 2369, Insect Pests ofPerennial Plants in the Home Landscape, for informa-tion on how to control honeydew-producing insects.

Avoid Excessive Mulch and Leaf Litter, Especially Im-mediately Adjacent to the House: Because these antsreadily nest in the moist, protected environment pro-vided by organic mulch or leaf litter, keeping mulchand leaves away from the foundation wall of the houseand avoiding the use of too much mulch aids in con-trol. Where feasible, use rock, pea gravel, or some othernonorganic mulch in the area next to the foundation.Maintaining a 3- to 4-foot-wide mulch- and leaf-freeband around the immediate perimeter of the house canaid greatly in ant control. This also aids in preventingtermites.

Use Appropriate Baits Properly: Baits are the besttreatments for eliminating indoor nest sites that youcannot find and treat directly, but be sure to use theright kind of bait. Baits designed to control fire antsusually are not very effective against these small home-invading ants, and these ants are not as easy to controlwith baits as are fire ants. Also, most fire ant baits arenot labeled for indoor use.

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Orthoboric Acid 5% MaxAttrax Ultra Ant Killing Gel

Orthoboric Acid 5% MaxAttrax Ultra Ant Bait Station

Sodium tetraborate 5.4% Terro Liquid Ant Baits

Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate 6% Dr. Martin’s Ant Bait Gel

Indoxacarb 0.05% HotShot MaxAttrax Ant Bait Station

Sulfluramid 0.5% Raid Double Control Ant Baits

Abamectin 0.011% Enforcer Ant Max Bait Stations

Abamectin 0.01% Raid Ant Baits III

Hydramethylnon 1% Grant’s Ant Control

Dinotefuran 0.05% Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Ant Bait

Fipronil 0.01% MaxForce Ant Bait Stations

Fipronil 0.001% Combat SourceKill Max Ant Gel

Baits to Control Home-Invading Ants

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

Examples of baits that can be useful against home-invading ants include liquid sweet baits, gel baits, andbait stations. These contain active ingredients such asorthoboric acid, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate,fipronil, abamectin, or dinotefurans. Finely groundgranular baits, containing ingredients such as ortho-boric acid or abamectin may also be useful in some sit-uations. When using baits, it is important to supplybait to all locations where ants are foraging. If you arefinding ants in the kitchen, den, and bathroom, bait allthree locations. Appropriate baits may also be placedoutside where foraging trails are observed, but out-door infestations are often difficult to control with baitssimply because of the large numbers of ants involved.This is especially true with Argentine ants.

Place bait along foraging trails where the ants willfind them readily, and keep replenishing bait as longas the ants continue to forage on it. Keep in mind thatbaits are intended to work slowly, so that they will becarried back to the nest site and spread throughout thenest, to both adult and immature ants, eventually elim-inating the entire nest. Don’t spray insecticides in areaswhere you are using baits because this may repel antsand prevent them from taking the bait. Likewise, don’tdisturb the foraging trails to the bait in any other way;just keep checking and replenishing the bait as needed.If you really want to eliminate the nest, you will justhave to tolerate the trailing ants for a few days.

Apply Perimeter Insecticide Treatments: When outdoorpopulations are heavy, resulting in continuous re-inva-sion of the home, as is often the case with Argentineants, it can be helpful to apply a residual insecticide to

a 3- to 10-foot-wide band around the perimeter of thehouse. The objective of these perimeter treatments is tocontrol any nests that may be located in the area and tocontrol or discourage foraging workers from nests lo-cated farther away from the home.

Examples of active ingredients used in insecticideslabeled for such perimeter treatments include bifen-thrin, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cy-halothrin, and permethrin. Some of these products aresold in ready-to-use hose-end applicators, which is aconvenient, effective way to apply such treatments.Read and follow label directions carefully. Some labelsallow treatment of a portion of the outer wall of thehome and around doorways and windows, while oth-ers do not, and the width of the treated band varies de-pending on which product is used. Don’t expect thesetreatments to penetrate heavy accumulations of mulchor leaf litter and control nests underneath. If you havethis situation, rake the mulch or leaf litter back beforetreating to improve control.

Hire a Professional Pest Control Company: This is an al-ternative to the do-it-yourself approach. Professionaltechnicians have access to useful treatments that are notreadily available to do-it-yourselfers and are betterequipped to drill and treat wall voids if such treatmentsare necessary. Most companies have experienced techni-cians who know and understand how to deal with antproblems. But don’t expect an overnight solution. Thetechnician still has to use the methods discussed above,and it can take time and several repeat visits to get results.Once you have control, continued service is usually re-quired to keep the ants from returning.

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Bifenthrin (0.3%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Carbaryl (22.5%) Garden Tech Sevin Concentrate Bug Killer

Cyfluthrin (2.5%) Bayer Advanced Home Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus

Cyfluthrin (0.75%) Bayer Power Force Multi-Insect Killer

Gamma-cyhalothrin (0.25%) Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin (2.5%) Enforcer Outdoor Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin (10%) Hi-Yield Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control

Permethrin (38%) Hi-Yield 38 Plus Turf, Termite & Ornamental Insect Control

Outdoor Perimeter Insecticide Treatments to Control Home-Invading Ants

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (One exAmPle)

imported fire ants,Solenopsis spp, are non-native ants that in-vaded the state in theearly part of the 20thcentury. They nowoccur throughout the

state and are one of the most economically importantinsects pests in the South. They are primarily outdoorpests, where they cause problems because of their ag-gressive stinging and the severe reactions many peoplehave to being stung. Their large mounds are unsightlyand can damage equipment, and fire ants also cause di-rect agricultural and ecological damage. Extension Pub-lication 2429, Control Fire Ants in Your Yard, providesmore detailed information on fire ants and recommen-dations for controlling these pests outdoors.

Indoor invasions of imported fire ants are relativelyuncommon, especially considering how abundantthese ants are, but they do occur. Because of their ag-gressive stinging nature, indoor invasions of fire antsmust be dealt with promptly. Indoor fire ant invasionshappen for two different reasons.

The first, and most common, situation occurs whenworkers find their way into the home and begin for-aging on food items such as pet food or spilled food orcrumbs. In this case, usually a single trail of workerscomes into the house and carries food back out of thehouse to a nearby mound. The second situation occurswhen a colony of fire ants located near the foundationof the home is disturbed, either by physical activitiessuch as digging, landscaping, or improper insecticideapplications, or by environmental conditions such asflooding or drought, and attempts to move the entirecolony indoors. In this case, you usually see large num-bers of workers carrying their white brood into thehouse. The ants may also bring particles of soil into thehouse. These displaced colonies are usually very agi-tated and will sting aggressively and in large numbers.

COntROl OF indOOR FiRe Ant invASiOnS:Control of home-invading fire ants must be quick andcomplete. In cases where a single trail of foraging

workers is entering the house, the first step is to fol-low the trail of ants to where they enter the house andthen try to follow them outside of the house to theirnest site (do not treat the nest site at this time). Afteryou locate the nest site, go back inside, and spray thetrailing ants with an insecticide labeled for indooruse, being especially sure to treat where the ants areentering the home.

Aerosol sprays containing active ingredients suchas prallethrin + tralomethrin, prallethrin + esfenvaler-ate, or pyrethrins + PBO + permethrin or ready-to-usetrigger pump sprays containing active ingredientssuch as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin,deltamethrin, or tralomethrin kill fire ants quickly. Inan emergency you can use dishwashing liquid dilutedin water (about 2 fl. oz./gal.). Spray the ants with thissolution, and they will die within minutes, but it won’tprovide any residual control.

The next step is to clean up the food on which theants were foraging, and if necessary, store it in ant-proof containers. If the ants were foraging on pet food,a common cause of indoor fire ant invasions, it may benecessary to limit the amount of time you leave out thepet food.

The final step is to treat the mound or nest sitewhere the ants originated. Do not physically disturbthe colony or agitate it by spraying it with the sprayyou used to control the ants indoors, because this couldcause the colony to move, and they could move in-doors. The goal is to eliminate the entire colony quicklyand completely. This is best done using a liquid drenchtreatment.

To apply a liquid drench properly to an outdoormound, choose an appropriately labeled product con-taining an active ingredient such as acephate,cyfluthrin, or permethrin, and mix the right amount ofinsecticide (this will be clearly specified on the label)with 1 to 2 gallons of water in a watering can, bucket,or other suitable container. Pour about a fourth of thisdrench in a 10- to 12-inch band around the mound, andthen slowly pour the rest of the drench directly overthe mound. The key to quick, successful control is touse enough drench to thoroughly soak the mound;

1515

Imported Fire Ants

Several species of car-penter ants occur in thestate, but the black car-penter ant, Campanotuspensylvanicus, is themost common pestspecies. You can easily

identify black carpenter ants by their large size (work-ers vary from 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch long) and dull black color.Although these ants do not sting, they can bite andspray formic acid from their abdomens.

Carpenter ants are common in wooded areas andin landscapes where trees are present. In nature, theseants nest by tunneling in dead wood. They are espe-cially fond of large hollow trees or standing dead trees.Although they tunnel in wood, carpenter ants do not

actually eat wood. Instead they feed on live and deadinsects as well as honeydew that aphids and other in-sects produce. They also feed on fruits and plant ex-udates. In homes, they forage on sweet items such asjellies, syrups, and pastries, as well as meats andother foods.

Carpenter ants become pests when they enterhomes either to forage or to establish nests. Althoughhaving foraging carpenter ants inside often indicatesthe ants are nesting indoors, ants sometimes enterhomes from trees or other types of wood located justoutside the building. Nests in buildings are usually lo-cated in moist or decaying wood, though they occa-sionally tunnel and nest in sound, dry wood. Nests inhomes may be located in roofs, underneath shingles,in fascia board or soffit voids, in floor or wall voids,

large mounds require higher volumes of drench thansmall mounds. It is especially important to achievequick, complete control when treating mounds nearthe foundation, because colonies not completely con-trolled will relocate, possibly moving into the home.

When a colony of fire ants has already invaded thehome, treatment is similar, though the number of antsinvolved may be much larger. Use contact insecticidessuch as those mentioned above to control ants thathave moved inside. Allow time for the ants to die andfor the spray to dry, then use a broom and dustpan ora vacuum to clean up the ants. If part of the colony isstill located outside the building, control it usingdrench treatments as described above.

Preventing Indoor Fire Ant Invasions: Indoor inva-sions of fire ants almost always originate from amound near the foundation of the building. the mosteffective way to prevent indoor fire ant invasions is toproactively control fire ants around the immediateoutside of the building. This is most easily and cost-ef-fectively done by using specially formulated fire antbaits or by applying broadcast residual insecticidetreatments containing active ingredients such as bifen-thrin. See Extension Publication 2429 for a list of rec-ommended products.

Apply baits by broadcasting them in a band ap-proximately 25 feet wide around the perimeter of thehouse. Many homeowners choose to treat the entirelawn. In landscapes where fire ants are abundant,apply bait treatments two to three times per year: inspring, midsummer, and fall, for maximum control.The key to success with baits is to apply them broad-cast, rather than attempting to treat individualmounds, and to be proactive. Don’t wait until largemounds appear.

If you use residual insecticide treatments, such asbifenthrin, broadcast in a band around the perimeterof the house according to label directions. Unlike baittreatments, which ants collect and carry to the mound,residual insecticide treatments work by contact activ-ity. They kill foraging ants as they move through orover treated soil.

Regardless of whether you use baits or residualinsecticide treatments, the objective is to keep the areaimmediately around the outside of the building freeof fire ant mounds. Check this area regularly, andtreat any active mounds with liquid drench treat-ments. See Extension Publication 2429, Control FireAnts in Your Yard, for more detailed information onoutdoor fire ant control.

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Carpenter Ants

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and in other similar locations. These are large ants, andsometimes you can hear them as they move about orchew on wood in walls or ceilings. Despite their abil-ity to cause structural damage, it is their trailing andforaging habits that usually cause the greatest concernto homeowners.

Control: Indoor infestations of carpenter ants oftenmean some type of moisture problem resulting fromstructural or plumbing leaks. One of the first concernsis to determine where the ants are nesting and, if thenest is indoors, find out if such leaks exist and need tobe repaired. Carpenter ants forage most actively atnight, and using a flashlight to follow foraging trailsback to their source is one of the best ways to locatenest sites.

If you can find the nest sites, treat them directlywith insecticides labeled for this type of indoor use.Premixed, ready-to-use insecticides containing activeingredients such as cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, or permethrin provide both contact andresidual control. Use insecticide dusts containing ac-tive ingredients such as deltamethrin to treat nests ininaccessible cracks or voids. Apply dust treatmentsusing a special bulb duster to inject dust through smallholes drilled into the void.

Baits are one of the easiest and most effectiveways to control carpenter ants. Carpenter ants do notreadily accept baits formulated for fire ants or otherindoor pest ants, but they readily take specially for-mulated carpenter ant baits. Unfortunately, thesebaits are difficult to find locally. Usually you have toorder them from mail or Internet suppliers, but theyusually work well enough that they are worth theextra effort and expense.

One granular bait (Advance Granular CarpenterAnt Bait) contains the active ingredient abamectin. Youcan apply this bait outdoors to eliminate colonies nest-ing in trees, as well as in basements, attics, crawlspaces, garages, and such. You can also use it to treatcracks, crevices, or voids where carpenter ants are nest-ing. Another bait, Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel,contains fipronil and is primarily for indoor use,though it is also labeled for use in certain outdoor sit-uations. The best way to use baits is to place themalong foraging trails and near nest sites. Keep provid-ing bait as long as the ants are taking it. Do not applyinsecticide sprays near baiting locations, because thesewill repel ants from the bait site. Be sure to read andcarefully follow label directions.

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Carpenter Bees

eastern Carpenter Bees, Xylocopa virginica, are oftenmistaken for bumble bees. Although they look a lot likebumble bees, there is a big difference in their biologyand behavior. Carpenter bees are solitary bees that boreholes into wooden structures for their nests. Bumblebees are social bees that nest in the ground. One of themost easily observed physical differences is that thetop of the abdomen of carpenter bees is slick and shiny,while bumble bees are covered with black, white, oryellow hairs.

There are several species of carpenter bees, but theeastern carpenter bee is by far the most common. The“white-faced” males are hard to miss because of theirhabit of buzzing about, hovering in mid-air, and occa-sionally hovering in one’s face. Some people feelthreatened by this behavior, but the males are harm-

less because they do not sting. Many people can re-member playing with “white-faced bumble bees” aschildren.

Female carpenter bees can sting, but they are notaggressive and do not sting unless forced to do so. Itis very uncommon for someone to get stung by a car-penter bee. Females are easily distinguished frommales because their faces are solid black, while themales have the distinct white spot in the middle of theface. Females also behave differently than males. Theydon’t have time for the idle buzzing and aerial acro-batics of the males. They spend their time boring nest-ing galleries, collecting pollen and nectar to provisionthe gallery, and laying eggs. Galleries, which are about½ inch in diameter and may be up to 2 feet long, aremost commonly made in unpainted softwood lumber.

Successful flea control requirescontrolling fleas in all areaswhere they occur: on the pet, inthe yard, and inside the home.Not allowing pets inside thehome is the most effective meansof avoiding indoor flea infesta-tions, but not all pet ownersfavor this method. Whether or

not pets are allowed inside, the first step in flea controlis to treat the pet(s) with an effective and appropriate

on-pet treatment. It is also important to properly treatany outdoor areas that the pet or wild or feral animalsmay frequent. See Extension Publication 2597, ControlFleas on Your Pet, in Your House, and in Your Yard, formore information.

Biology: To manage indoor flea problems effectively, itis necessary to understand flea biology. Although thereare many different species of fleas, the cat flea, Cteno-cephalides felis, is the species that most commonly oc-curs on dogs and cats in the United States. Only adult

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Fleas

They especially prefer pine, cypress, and cedar, butwill occasionally bore into other types of lumber. Car-penter bees do not eat wood; they just use it for theirnest galleries.

Carpenter bees tend to congregate around favor-able nesting locations, and females will reuse and en-large old galleries from year to year. Althoughcarpenter bee damage is usually relatively minor, mul-tiple galleries can weaken timbers. Galleries can alsoallow moisture to enter the wood and hasten decay.There are two generations per year, one in spring andone in fall, and carpenter bees overwinter as imma-tures inside these galleries.

Painted or sealed wood is seldom attacked by car-penter bees, so this is the best long-term method of pre-vention. When using paint to prevent carpenter beeattack, it is important for the paint or sealant coat to bethick enough to totally cover the wood grain. The beeswill readily bore through paint as long as they can still“feel” the wood grain. Adding exterior vinyl coveringis another effective alternative to painting.

The most effective way to control carpenter beeswith insecticides is to apply small amounts of insecti-cide dust directly into the galleries. This literally “gets‘em coming and going.” Female bees are killed whenthey return to the gallery, and newly hatched bees arekilled when they emerge. Dusts work better and lastlonger than liquid or aerosol treatments because theyremain in the gallery, where they will contact the bees,rather than soaking into the wood. Don’t try to seal upthe holes too soon after treating; wait until you are sure

you have gotten control, then seal the holes and paintover the area (if the surface was painted to begin with).

There are situations where the rustic look of un-painted wood is preferred or where it may not be prac-tical to paint the exposed beams and rafters in barns,storage sheds, and others. Because carpenter bees oftenreuse old galleries, just dusting the galleries and leav-ing them unsealed is the best way to deal with car-penter bees in unpainted wood (barns, sheds, cedarsiding, and others.) Treating all open galleries that youcan reach a couple of times a year will allow you to re-duce the carpenter bee population greatly, but you willnever get 100 percent control.

Two of the most commonly available dust productsare Terro Ant Dust and Enforcer Fire Ant Killer, whichcontain deltamethrin and are labeled for control of beesand wasps. There are other brands of deltamethrindust (DeltaDust is the brand used by professional pestcontrol companies) and dusts containing other activeingredients (available through local distributors), butread the label carefully to verify that the product is ap-proved for the intended use. Drione dust, which con-tains pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide + silica gel, isanother effective dust option. Dust can be appliedquickly and easily into galleries with a bulb duster.However, bulb dusters may be difficult to find locallyand may have to be specially ordered (there are sev-eral online suppliers—just search for “bulb duster”).

Be careful if you must use a ladder to treat for car-penter bees. Watch for electric lines, and don’t fall!

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fleas live and feed on the animal; the immature stageslive on the ground or floor of areas frequented by thehost, especially in areas where the animal rests. Adultfleas lay eggs on their host, but because the small whiteeggs are not sticky, they roll off the host and fall to thefloor, accumulating where the pet spends most of itstime. In 2 to 6 days the eggs hatch into slender, dirtywhite larvae that feed on dander, dried excrement ofadult fleas, dried blood, and other organic material thatfalls from the host or accumulates from other sources.

Because they require high humidity and are re-pelled by sunlight, flea larvae tend to move into cracksand crevices or burrow deep into carpet or rugs. Thelarvae mature in 1 to 3 weeks and then spin a small co-coon, in which they develop to the adult stage. This co-coon or pupal stage can last as little as 1 week to manymonths. In fact, developing flea pupae can sensewhether or not host animals are present, based on vi-brations and CO2 concentrations, and delay emergencefor several months when no hosts are present. This iswhy heavy flea infestations can suddenly appear inhomes that have been vacant for prolonged periods.

indOOR FleA COntROl: Given the biology andhabits of immature fleas, it is easy to see why indoorflea infestations are often more severe in rooms withcarpet or rugs and why flea infestations are usuallyconcentrated in areas where pets rest. It is also easy tosee why vacuuming and other methods of cleaningcarpeting and pet bedding can play such an importantrole in indoor flea management. Frequently cleaningcarpets and pet bedding not only removes many fleaeggs before they hatch, but it also removes much of thedander and other organic accumulations on which im-mature fleas feed. Vacuuming also triggers flea pupaeto go ahead and emerge into adults, making themmore susceptible to control efforts.

Designating special areas where pets are allowedor encouraged to rest lets you concentrate frequentcleaning on these areas. If you let pets rest on furniture,keep in mind that immature fleas can occur on andunder seat cushions and in other cracks and creviceswithin the furniture, and vacuum these areas regularly.Also keep in mind that immature fleas can be concen-trated underneath furniture.

When using insecticide sprays to treat establishedindoor flea infestations, it is important to target both

the adult and immature stages. Many products are la-beled for indoor control of adult fleas. These containactive ingredients such as permethrin, deltamethrin, orpyrethrins. While these products also have activityagainst immature fleas, flea larvae are difficult to con-trol with traditional adulticide insecticides because oftheir habit of burrowing deep into carpet and intocracks and crevices where they are difficult to reachwith insecticides.

You can improve control of immature fleas by in-cluding an insect growth regulator (IGR) product, suchas methoprene or nylar (pyriproxyfen). These IGRproducts work by disrupting the growth of immaturefleas, causing them to die before they reach adulthood,and/or by interfering with the female flea’s ability toproduce viable eggs. The greatest advantage of theseIGR products is they last for several months indoorsand control immature fleas long-term. Because theseIGR products do not control adult fleas, it is best toapply a combination treatment containing an adult fleacontrol product and one of the IGRs when attemptingto control established indoor flea infestations. Wherethere is no established infestation of adult fleas andyou want simply to provide a preventive treatment forareas frequented by pets, the IGR products may be ef-fective when used alone.

There are several different ways you can buy andapply indoor flea control products. You can buy adul-ticides and IGR products separately and mix in pump-up type household sprayers. Several companies alsomarket pre-mixed, ready-to-use flea treatments in trig-ger-pump sprayers that contain both an adulticide andone of the IGR products. Indoor flea treatments are alsosold in pressurized aerosol spray cans.

Several companies offer total release aerosol fog-gers that contain either an adulticide, an IGR, or both,but don’t count on foggers to provide stand-alone con-trol. The fog they release does not penetrate well un-derneath furniture, floor coverings, or seat cushionsand into the cracks and crevices where most immaturefleas live.

When applying insecticides in indoor situations,carefully read and follow all label directions. Do notapply insecticides where they are not approved for use.For example, some flea treatments may not be appliedin areas where food is prepared and others may not beapplied directly to furniture.

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Clothes moths and carpet beetles are pests of fabrics orother items produced from the hair, feathers, or hideof animals. Wool, mohair, or silk clothing; wool carpetsor tapestries; furs; taxidermy specimens; felt hats orother felt products; and leather items are examples ofitems clothes moths or carpet beetles can infest. Al-though most people think of clothes moths when theyfind holes in favorite sweaters or coats, carpet beetlesmay also be the cause. And damage to wool carpetscan be from either carpet beetles or clothes moths. For-tunately, many of the practices that prevent or control

one of these pests work against theother, too.

Clothes Moths: The most com-monly encountered species ofclothes moths are the webbingclothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, and

the casemaking clothes moth, Tinea pellionella. Both aresmall, light-colored moths, approximately 1⁄4 inch long.They are weak fliers and are usually only seen nearthe articles they are infesting. The moths do not eat

The key to successful indoor flea control is to bethorough in treating all areas in the house where fleasoccur, giving special attention to areas where pets restfor extended periods. A cursory, hastily applied treat-ment is not likely to work. A well-planned treatmentwhere you clean floors and pet bedding areas, moveand clean furniture, giving special attention to cracksand crevices in seats and under seat cushions, and vac-uum carpet before making a thorough application ac-cording to label directions, should produce immediateand lasting results.

Keep in mind that fleas already in the pupal stageare especially difficult to control, and given an oppor-tunity, the adults hop onto a host as soon as theyemerge. This means adult fleas may continue to appearfor a few weeks following treatment, even when youtreated properly with effective products. But if youproperly apply an IGR product and treat all pets withan effective on-pet treatment, you should get success-ful flea control. Once you do, you can keep fleas awayby proactive use of on-pet treatments and IGR treat-ments at appropriate intervals and regular cleaning ofpet bedding and other areas frequented by pets.

2020

Fabric Pests

Aerosol Pyrethrins + Tetramethrin + PBO Raid Flea Killer

Ready-to-use Bifenthrin Ortho Home Defense Max

Deltamethrin Enforcer BugMax 365

Permethrin Eagles 7 Flea and Tick Spray

Nylar + Permethrin Enforcer Flea Spray for Homes

Methoprene + Permethrin Zodiac Fleatrol Carpet & Upholstery Pump

Cyfluthrin Bayer Advanced Indoor/Outdoor Insect Killer

Insect Growth Regulators Nylar Archer

Martins IG Regulator

Flea Fix

Methoprene Precor

Indoor Flea Control Treatments

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

clothes; it is the small caterpillars that chew holes inthe fabric. Damage is often concentrated along seamsor where the clothing was folded, and soiled cloth-ing is more susceptible to damage.

Clothes moth caterpillars grow to about 1⁄2 inchlong. The larvae of casemaking clothes moths form acocoon-like case, which they carry with them. Al-though webbing clothes moths do not produce such acase, they do produce tunnels of silk webbing. Oncethey mature, the caterpillars use some of the fibersfrom the fabric, combined with silk they producethemselves, to form a cocoon. Larvae often wanderaway from the infested article before pupating.

Carpet Beetles: Carpet beetles belong to a group of bee-tles known as dermestids, which specialize in feedingon fur, feathers, hide, or other dried animal-based prod-ucts. The two species most common in homes are thevaried carpet beetle, Anthrenus verbasci, and the blackcarpet beetle, Attagenus unicolor, but there are severalother species. Carpet beetles are so named because theywere common pests back in the days when most carpetswere made of wool, hair, or other animal-based prod-ucts. They are still important pests of oriental rugs andother types of wool carpets and tapestries. They do not

feed on the synthetic carpets so common today, but theywill attack blends of wool and synthetics. Carpet bee-tles also attack other types of stored woolen or animal-based products. They also feed on accumulations ofdead insects, in abandoned nests of bees or wasps, or ondried animal carcasses—such as a dead rat or squirrelin a wall void. Carpet beetles may also feed on driedplant products such as seeds or grain.

Adult carpet beetles also feed on pollen and areoften brought into the house on freshly cut flowers.Most of the damage to fabrics is caused by the larvae,which are covered with stiff bristly hairs. Mature lar-vae often wander away from the site of infestation be-fore pupating, and finding wandering carpet beetlelarvae indicates there is an infestation somewhere inthe house. Large accumulations of shed larval skinsmay be in or near the site of the infestation. Removethese with a vacuum or other suitable method. Becausethe hairs on these shed skins can cause respiratoryproblems, be sure to wear an appropriate respiratorwhen cleaning up infestations of carpet beetles, anduse a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter.

COntROllinG FABRiC PeStS: The methods usedto treat or prevent clothes moths or carpet beetles vary,depending on the situation. Here are some of the keysteps in protecting clothing and other items:

• The first step in dealing with a heavy infestation ofclothes moths or carpet beetles is to methodically re-move all items from the infested storage area andcheck them for infestation and fabric content. Assumethat all woolen, silk, or other susceptible items storedin the area are infested. If clothes moths have infestedthat cashmere sweater on the upper shelf, they proba-bly have infested the wool suit hanging on the otherside of the closet as well. After removing all clothingand other items from the closet or storage chest, thor-oughly clean and vacuum the area. Treat or protect allsusceptible items as described on the next pages beforereturning them to storage.

• Dry cleaning is an effective means of controlling in-sects in an infested article of clothing. It also helps pre-vent infestations. Have clothing cleaned before storingfor prolonged periods of time. Clothing soiled by

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Caution: Do not automatically assume thatmoths you see flying in or around closets or otherareas where clothing is stored are clothes moths.They could be stored product moths, such as In-dian meal moths or Angoumois grain moths. In-festations of stored food moths often occur inclosets, either in forgotten food items left in pock-ets of coats or other clothing, or in food productsstored in the closet. These moths are strongerfliers than clothes moths and may fly anywhere inthe house, even several rooms away from wherethe infested food product is. Find out which kindof pest you have by finding the infested items. Ifyou find infested food items, see the section onstored food pests on page 24 of this publication

sweat, oil, and flakes of skin is much more attractive,and much more nutritious, to clothes-damaging pests.Valuable furs and other items should be professionallycleaned and stored in cold storage. Thorough ironingwill also control pests, as will machine washing ofitems that are safe to wash.

• When cleaning is not possible, hang clothing itemsin a bright, sunny location, brush them thoroughly (in-side and out), and leave them there for a few days.Brushing dislodges many eggs and larvae, and theseinsects are repelled by sunlight and attempt to fleefrom it.

• Freezing is an effective method of controlling in-festations of carpet beetles and clothes moths. Placeitems inside a plastic bag, force out as much air as pos-sible (in order to minimize condensation), and place inthe freezer for 4–7 days. When articles are removedfrom the freezer, leave them in the plastic bag untilthey reach room temperature, but then promptly re-move them and check to be sure they are dry before re-turning to storage. Although this will control insects, itobviously does not clean the clothing, and soiled cloth-ing is more likely to be reinfested. Still, freezing can bea useful, cost effective way to assure that sweaters orother items are bug-free before you put them back intostorage.

• Store clothing in “bug-tight” containers. Moths andadult carpet beetles can’t lay eggs in clothing they can’treach. Sweaters and other susceptible items can bestored in plastic boxes with tight-fitting lids. Suits,skirts, and coats can be stored on hangers in speciallydesigned storage bags or even modified garbage bags.Many dry cleaners offer to wrap clothing in moth-proof storage bags. To get the maximum protection forlong-term storage, be sure bags are sealed at both ends.But don’t make the mistake of assuming that clothingis immune from problems just because you store it inthis way. If clothes moths or carpet beetles do get intostorage boxes or bags, they thrive.

• Check stored items periodically to be sure they arenot infested, and promptly deal with infestations you

find. In addition to checking for holes in clothing, bealert for small light-colored moths, small oval-shapedbeetles, small hairy larvae, or shed larval skins in thebottom of the container. Items stored in one place,without being used for long periods of time, are primecandidates for damage.

• Cedar Storage Chests: While cedar certainly smellsgood, its insect deterring properties are often over-rated. Studies show it does not really repel adultclothes moths, but high concentrations of cedar oils cankill small caterpillars. Cedar can help protect clothes,but only when it is very fresh or when it has been re-juvenated with cedar oil. The storage chest must seal tightly so the cedar volatiles can build to a toxic level.Cedar-lined closets do not usually provide a tightenough seal. Many dry cleaners offer to place cleanedclothing in moth-proof bags, which are usually im-pregnated with cedar oil.

• Moth Balls or Moth Crystals: Neither napthalenenor paradichlorobenzene (PDB) repels adult clothesmoths or carpet beetles, but like cedar volatiles, theseproducts kill young larvae when concentrations arehigh enough. Storing clothing in airtight containerswith mothballs or moth crystals can prevent/controlfabric pests. Because these chemicals can react withplastic items, it is important to keep them from directlycontacting the items being stored or the container. Ofcourse, both of these products smell bad, and you haveto air out items before use.

• Pest Strips: Some companies market pest stripsthat contain vapona (DDVP). Prozap Insect Guard andHot Shot No-Pest Strip are two examples. These are la-beled for use in closets, wardrobes, and other storagespaces to protect against moths and other insects. Be-cause vapona is odorless, these are generally preferredover mothballs or moth crystals. These strips are soldin various sizes, depending on the volume of the stor-age area to be treated. Be aware that these strips workby vapor action, which means they constantly releaseinsecticide into the air. Because of this, many peopleprefer not to use these strips in or near rooms that areused frequently, and many people avoid using these

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strips because they do not wish to be exposed to theinsecticide vapor. Be sure to read and follow the labelcarefully. Using strips should not be viewed as a sub-stitute for the good housekeeping practices listed ear-lier but can help protect properly cleaned and storeditems.

• Insecticides: Except for infested carpets and walltapestries, insecticides do not play a very importantrole in controlling fabric pests. Never spray insecticidesdirectly on clothing. You can use properly labeled in-secticides and/or insect growth regulators to treat theinsides of closets, chests, or other areas where heavyinfestations have occurred. Apply the insecticide afteryou have emptied and cleaned the closet or storagearea, and let the spray dry before replacing articles. Themain reason for these treatments is to control any lar-vae that wandered away from the infested item beforepupating and escaped the cleanup effort. Be sure totreat corners, cracks, and crevices where wanderinglarvae may seek refuge to pupate. A number of prod-ucts that are labeled for this use are available to home-owners. Most contain active ingredients such ascyfluthrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, orthe insect growth regulator methoprene. Be sure tocarefully read and follow label directions.

Insect Control in Carpets and Rugs: Carpets, rugs, andtapestries made of wool or other animal-based prod-ucts are especially susceptible to infestation by carpetbeetles or clothes moths. These are often antique orhigh-value items that require special protection. Checksuch items frequently for signs of infestation. Be sure tomove furniture and other items resting on the carpet,and check the underside. Because the larvae of theseinsects avoid light and prefer to feed in protected areas,they often concentrate and cause greatest damagewhere furniture or some other item is resting. Regularvacuuming and cleaning help prevent carpets from be-coming heavily infested. Here again, it is especially im-portant to move any items that are resting on the carpetso you can roll back the carpet and vacuum the un-derside as well as the top side.

Insecticides and/or insect growth regulators canplay an important role in protecting carpets and tap-estries from infestation or controlling active infesta-tions. Pyrethroid insecticides such as cyfluthrin ordeltamethrin provide quick kill and long-term resid-ual control of both adults and immatures. Tank-mix-ing the growth regulator methoprene with apyrethroid insecticide can improve long-term control.This product interferes with the development of larvaeand keeps adult insects from producing viable eggs.When treating infested rugs, move any furniture rest-ing on the rug, roll back the rug, and treat the under-side. Homeowners may prefer to have a professionalpest control company make these treatments.

Taxidermy Specimens: Most insect attacks on taxi-dermy specimens involve carpet beetles, but infesta-tions of clothes moths occasionally occur. Infestationsof specimens of small game and deer mounted by pro-fessional taxidermists are relatively uncommon. Thisis because boric acid is used in the mounting processand boric acid is an effective insecticide that provideslong-term residual control. But large game, such asbears and exotic game, is often mounted using a dif-ferent process that provides relatively less protectionfrom insect infestations. Regardless of the type ofmounts you have, it is a good idea to check them reg-ularly for signs of insect infestation.

If you find an infestation, contact a taxidermist orprofessional pest control company to determine thebest method of control. Fumigation is one option, butthis must be performed by specially trained and li-censed technicians who have access to special pesti-cides and equipment, and it is often difficult to find acompany set up to perform fumigations. Freezing isanother option, one that many museums use. Most fab-ric pests are killed by exposure to subfreezing temper-atures, but it may take up to 3 weeks in the freezer toachieve control in large specimens. If specimens arefrozen, be sure to protect against condensation (wrapin an air-tight plastic bag, and force out as much air aspossible), and handle specimens carefully to avoidbreaking fragile body parts, such as ears.

Because of refrigeration and advances in food packag-ing, stored food pests are much less of a problem todaythan they were in past years, but they are still quitecommon, and most homeowners eventually have prob-lems with bugs in the cereal, beetles in the red pepper,small moths flying about the house, or some other typeof stored food pest. Infestations most commonly origi-nate in dry food products that have been opened andthen forgotten or left in storage for a long time.

Stored food pests are often referred to as “pantrypests” because infestations most often occur in thekitchen, but infestations can occur in other areas of thehouse as well. Depending on the species of pest in-volved, infestations are not always restricted to fooditems; they can occur in tobacco products, dried plants,birdseed, pet food, and other types of dried plant oranimal-based products. There are many species ofstored food insects, but most are either beetles ormoths. Some of the most commonly encounteredspecies are briefly discussed in the following sections.

indian meal moth,Plodia interpunctella(moths about 1⁄3 inch):This is one of the mostcommon stored foodpests. Infestations aremost often found in

stored grain products such as corn, wheat, or birdseed,or in nuts or dried fruit.

The moths have a distinctive two-toned appear-ance—cream on the front half and copper on the backhalf—and are easy to identify when you can observethem at rest. Moths are often seen flying about thehouse, but because they are strong fliers, the source ofthe infestation may not necessarily be in the roomwhere you first see the moths.

The caterpillars are white with a medium-brownhead and are about 1⁄2 inch long when fully mature.They produce large amounts of dust-covered silk web-bing. When they are ready to pupate, the caterpillarsoften chew their way out of the food packaging andwander some distance away, often crawling up walls.Pupae are often found at the juncture of the wall and

ceiling or along the undersides of shelves, where theymeet the wall. Don’t forget to check these areas whencleaning up infestations.

Angoumois Grainmoth, Sitotroga cerealella(moths about 1⁄3 inch):The caterpillars of thismoth bore into wholegrain kernels and eatthe grain from the in-

side out. They are one of our most damaging storedgrain pests, especially in commercial grain production.They attack stored whole grains such as corn, barley,rice, or other whole seeds. Decorative ears of Indiancorn are one of the most common sources of infesta-tions in homes. The moths are dirty white and, becausethey have fringed hind wings, are sometimes mistakenfor clothes moths. The larvae pupate inside the infestedgrain after cutting a small circular hole through whichto exit once they become moths.

Confused Flour Beetle, Triboliumconfusum (adult beetles about 1⁄8):This beetle and its near relative, thered flour beetle, commonly infestprocessed grain products such asflour, oatmeal, and cereals. Adultsare small, reddish-brown, elongatebeetles. The long, slender larvaeare dirty white. Although these in-

sects can’t bore into whole grains, they are often foundin whole grain infested with other insect pests that canbore into grain. The flour beetles feed on the flour otherpests produce.

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle,Oryazephilus surinamensis (adultsabout 1⁄10 inch): Like confusedflour beetles, these beetles attackflour and other processed grainproducts, as well as many othertypes of dried foods. Sawtoothedgrain beetles are small, flat-bod-

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Stored Food Pests

ied beetles that have a series of saw-like teeth alongeach side of the thorax. The merchant green beetle,Oryazephilus mercator, is a closely related species thatlooks similar to the sawtoothed grain beetle.

lesser Grain Borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (adults about1⁄10 inch): These dark brown, cylindrical beetles boreinto whole grains such as wheat, buckwheat, or corn.The small, legless larvae develop inside individualgrains. Infested grain contains large amounts of flouras a result of their boring and has small holes in thesides of grains.

Rice Weevil, Sitophilus oryzae(adults about 1⁄16 inch): Rice weeviland its sister species, the maize wee-vil, attack whole grains such ascorn, wheat, or rice. They use theirlong snout to bore a tiny hole intoindividual grains and lay an egg in-side. The small, legless grubs eat theinsides of the grain, pupate inside

the hollowed shell, and then emerge as adults.

Bean Weevil and Cowpea Weevil, (adults about 1⁄8inch): Peas and other dried legumes are subject to at-tack by pea weevils or bean weevils. The adults arebroad-bodied, wedge-shaped beetles with wing cov-ers that do not reach the tip of the abdomen. These arenot true weevils; they do not have a distinct snout likerice weevils. The legless larvae develop by feeding in-side individual seeds, and the adults chew holes in theside of the seed to emerge. Because these insects attackonly legumes, infestations do not spread to other typesof food products.

drugstore Beetle, Stegobium pan-iceum, (adult beetles about 1⁄10

inch): These stout-bodied, tan-col-ored beetles attack many differenttypes of food products, but drydog food seems to be the mostcommonly infested product. Theyalso occur in dried herbs, such asred pepper or paprika, as well as

spices and other dried plant products, including to-bacco products, tea, flour, cereals, birdseed, old rat bait,

and many other dried plant or animal-based products.Caches of seeds or nuts stored in wall voids by squir-rels or rats can support heavy infestations, and it isusually difficult to determine the source of these typesof infestations. The white, grub-like larvae feed on or inthe infested products.

Cigarette Beetle, Lasioderma serri-corne, (adults about 1⁄10 inch): Asthe name implies, this beetle is animportant pest of tobacco prod-ucts, but in the home it is morelikely to occur in other types ofstored products. These includedried plants or flowers, herbs,spices, flour and other grain prod-

ucts, upholstery of antique furniture, and many otherdry plant products. Adult cigarette beetles are dark tanand superficially resemble drugstore beetles, thoughkey characteristics distinguish the two species. The lar-vae are small, white grubs.

COntROllinG StORed FOOd PeStS: Control-ling stored food pests can be as simple as discardingthe infested food product as soon as you discover thepests. But don’t just drop them into the garbage canunder the kitchen sink; get them completely out of thehouse before they have a chance to spread. If the in-festation is recent and if other susceptible products areproperly stored, this may be the end of the problem,although it is still a good idea to check other food itemsstored in the area to see if they are infested. Check anyopened packages especially carefully, and keep inmind that, although you may find adult moths in thetop of the package, most stored food pests and thesigns of infestation tend to be concentrated in the bot-tom of the package or container. More extensive infes-tations require more effort, as described in“Controlling Heavy Infestations.”

Moth Pests: Seeing small moths flying about is oftenthe first warning that you have a caterpillar infestationin some of your stored food items. Although manynon-pest moth species occur inside homes, smallmoths (less that 1⁄2 inch long) you routinely see flyingabout the house, rather than concentrating in windowsor around lights, are likely to be stored food pests.

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Catch some and send them in for identification if youwant to be sure. In this case, the solution is to find theinfested products and discard them; then be sure anyuninfested susceptible products are stored in bug-proof containers.

As you begin your search, keep in mind that mothsmay emerge from the infested product and fly to anyroom in the house. Still, begin your search in the areaor room where you see the most moths. Before begin-ning to search, take a few minutes to think about whattypes of susceptible products are stored in the area.Bags of birdseed, sacks of dried peanuts, ears of orna-mental corn, and cereal-based bath flakes are just a fewexamples of the types of items that support infestationsof moths, as well as other insects, and are often storedin areas of the house other than the kitchen. Of course,many infestations occur in the kitchen.

Systematically check every susceptible product forsigns of infestation. These include “dust,” holes boredinto containers (this is done by the mature caterpillars asthey leave in search of a place to build their cocoons),holes or tunneling in food items, silk webbing, and pres-ence of caterpillars. If you find an infested product in anarea, it is a good idea to double-check all of the otherproducts stored in that area. Make sure susceptible prod-ucts are stored in bug-proof glass or plastic containers.

Beetle Pests: Although many of the beetles that attackstored foods are strong fliers, you usually see them inor near the infested product. But beetle infestations canspread quickly, so if you encounter a heavy infestationanywhere, check all susceptible products in the house.

Be sure of your identification. Beetles inside con-tainers of stored food are obviously stored food pests,but many beetles occur in homes that do not attackstored foods. Many of these are harmless occasional in-vaders, but some may be wood boring beetles that at-tack furniture or structural lumber, or others that feedon mold growing on moist wood or plaster. If you rou-tinely find small beetles inside the home but can’t tracethem to a stored food source, collect some, preservethem in alcohol, and submit them for identification.

Controlling Heavy Infestations: It takes a well-planned, systematic effort to control heavy infestationsof stored food pests. If the infestation is in the kitchen,

remove all food items from the pantry and/or cup-boards, and thoroughly clean and vacuum any spilledfood. Be sure to clean cracks and crevices, becausemany of the smaller beetles can hide in these areas anddevelop on crumbs and flour that accumulate there.

Mature caterpillars tend to wander in search of aplace to pupate and often chew through the wrappingof the product where they developed. Thorough clean-ing and vacuuming also help remove these wanderingcaterpillars and their resulting cocoons. Don’t forget tocheck for cocoons at the juncture of walls and ceilingsor on the undersides of shelves where they meet a wall.Be sure to empty the contents of the vacuum, and dis-card them outside the house immediately after clean-ing; otherwise the insects can breed inside the vacuumand reinfest.

If you want to treat with an insecticide, do it whilethe pantry or cabinet is empty, and let the spray drybefore restocking food items. But if you do a thoroughjob of sanitation, it is not really necessary to use insec-ticides, and insecticides are not an effective substitutefor thorough cleaning and storing products in bug-proof containers. If you use an insecticide, read thelabel carefully before buying the product to be sure itis specifically labeled for use in and around food stor-age areas. Several products containing active ingredi-ents such as cyfluthrin or permethrin are labeled forthis use and provide long-term residual control ontreated surfaces. Some products containing naturalpyrethrum (pyrethrins) are also labeled for this use,but these provide very little residual control. Directedcrack and crevice sprays are more effective than othertypes of treatment, such as aerosol foggers.

Stored Food Pests Can Be Anywhere in the House:Don’t restrict your search to the kitchen. Infestationsof stored food insects can occur anywhere in the housethat there is a suitable, exposed food product. Whenyou find heavy infestations of stored food insects inone area of the house, there is a good chance they havespread to other susceptible products in other areas aswell. Some nonkitchen situations where infestationsare commonly found are listed below.• dry pet food• camping/hunting gear (trail mix, peanuts)• packets of rat bait

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Spiders are frequent home invaders. Although spidersprey on insects, most homeowners consider them un-welcome pests. Most spiders produce venom and canbite, but only three Mississippi species, the blackwidow, the brown widow, and the brown recluse, areseriously venomous to humans. Symptoms associatedwith the bites of most other spiders range from not no-ticeable to a small, short-lived pinprick to localizedpain and swelling similar to a wasp or bee sting. Someof the spiders most commonly found inside Missis-sippi homes are briefly discussed here.

American house Spider, Achaeranea tepidariorum:These are the small, brown, globular-shaped spidersthat build their unsightly cobwebs in the upper corners

of garages, windows, and infrequently used rooms. Al-though they are one of the most commonly encoun-tered spiders in the state, they go largely unnoticed,primarily because they are so common. These spidersbelong to the same family as the black widow, but theyare not venomous and rarely bite humans. Still, theyare nuisances because of their unsightly webs. Becauseof their color and general body shape, common housespiders might be mistaken for brown widows, but theydo not have an orange hourglass shape on the under-side of their bellies.

Southern house Spider, Kukulcania hibernalis: Theseare relatively large spiders, up to 3⁄4 inch excluding thelegs, that build small, funnel-like webs in cracks and

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Spiders

• rodent caches (nuts or pet food stashed in wall voids)• decorative ears of corn• dried flower arrangements• birdseed• dried nuts (especially peanuts, pistachios, or almonds)• cereal-based bath flakes• grain stored in bulk (corn, wheat, spelt)• candy bars• stuffed animals/pin cushions (if stuffed with

grain or beans)• food in pockets of clothes• bean bags (stuffed with beans or grain)• tobacco products• dried seed mosaics or displays

Preventing Infestations of Stored Food Pests: Preven-tion is the best defense against stored food pests. Storesusceptible products in insect-proof glass or plasticcontainers, especially after you have opened the orig-inal container. You can also protect foods from infesta-tion by storing them in a freezer or refrigerator; manypeople protect especially susceptible products such asflour or cornmeal by storing them this way. Becausesusceptible food items are more likely to become in-fested the longer they are stored, practicing good stockrotation can help. Eat it before the bugs do!

Freezing is also an effective way to control moststored food insects. If you suspect a susceptible foodproduct may have been exposed to attack but there areno signs of infestation, place it in a deep freezer (at 0 °For lower) for a week or more. This kills eggs and newlyhatched larvae of most stored food pests.

Large bulk quantities of whole grains such aswheat, spelt, or corn are highly susceptible to infesta-tions of stored food pests, but if you store them prop-erly, you can successfully keep them for years. Freezingor refrigeration is one way to protect bulk grains, butit is often not practical because of space considerations.Also, condensation occurs as the grain thaws and cancause mold. Storing bulk grain in insect-proof con-tainers effectively prevents infestation, but any insectsalready in the grain when you put it in storage thrive.

Treating bulk grain with food-grade diatomaceousearth and storing it in insect-proof containers is one ofthe most effective ways to obtain long-term protectionfrom insect pests. Be sure to purchase food-grade di-atomaceous earth that is specifically labeled for thisuse, and follow label directions. Food-grade diatoma-ceous earth is safe for human consumption when usedas directed, but inhaling the dust can cause respiratoryproblems. Protect against inhaling the dust. You canbuy food-grade diatomaceous earth from mail and In-ternet suppliers. Follow directions for use.

crevices. They occur in basements, closets, barns, stor-age rooms, and other areas where items are stackedand stored for a long time. The females have robust,dark brown bodies and legs, but the area where eachleg joins the body is silver-colored. The males lookmuch different. They are light brown, long-legged, andslender-bodied and are often mistaken for brown re-cluse spiders. These spiders occasionally seek refugein coats and other articles of clothing not worn forsome time. They can administer a painful bite whentrapped against the skin.

Wolf Spiders, Lycosa spp.: Wolf spiders are ground-in-habiting spiders that do not build webs but wanderabout on the ground in search of prey. They are rela-tively large spiders, up to 3⁄4 inch excluding the legs.Although they do not normally live inside, they oftenwander into garages or houses, where they usually at-tract attention because of their size. The most com-monly encountered species is tan with dark brownlongitudinal stripes on the back. Female spiders carrytheir large, round egg sacs attached to their abdomens,and newly hatched spiderlings ride about on the backof the female. Females carrying newly hatched spider-lings appear much larger than they really are. Thesespiders can produce a sharp, pin prick-like bite whentrapped against the skin, but they are not aggressive.

Jumping Spiders, Phidippus spp.: There are manyspecies of jumping spiders. One of our most commonlyencountered species, the bold jumping spider, is blackand white and about 1⁄2 inch long. These spiders do notuse webs to catch a meal but stalk their prey and thenjump forward to capture it. Unlike most spiders, theyprefer to hunt during the day in well-lighted areas.They do not normally live inside but frequently wan-der into homes. They can bite, and bites can cause localswelling and even local tissue necrosis, but they areusually not aggressive.

Cellar Spiders, family Pholcidae: As the name sug-gests, these nonvenomous spiders live in cellars, base-ments, garages, sheds, stairwells, crawl spaces, andother dark, cool locations. They are sometimes foundin heated and cooled living areas. There are severalspecies, but the long-bodied cellar spider, Pholcus pha-

langioides, is the most common. Cellar spiders have un-usually long legs and are referred to as “daddy lon-glegs spiders” in some parts of the country, a name thatis more commonly applied to harvestmen in the South.Cellar spiders spend most of their time hanging upsidedown in their large, irregular-shaped webs. When dis-turbed, they usually bounce up and down rapidly onthe web. Females carry the round, translucent egg sacsin their fangs.

Spitting Spider, Scytodes spp.: These spiders are oftenencountered in homes, especially in closets and otherdark, relatively undisturbed areas. They do not buildwebs but slowly stalk their prey and capture it by spit-ting their glue-like venom onto it. Mature spitting spi-ders are about 1⁄3 inch long excluding their long, thinlegs, and are light brown with dark, writing-like mark-ings. Like brown recluse spiders, they have only sixeyes, arranged in three pairs.

Brown Recluse, Loxoscelesreclusa: These spiders aresometimes referred to as“fiddle-back” or “violin”spiders because of the dis-tinct, dark, fiddle-likeshape on the front portionof their backs. Most spi-ders have eight eyes, but

brown recluses have only six, grouped into three pairs.Although brown recluses may live outside, they arecommon in homes, where they build their irregularwebs in cracks and crevices in undisturbed areas, andsome homes can harbor heavy infestations. Brown re-cluses often live in basements, attics, storerooms, orclosets. They often hide in crevices created by the foldsof infrequently used coats, bed clothing, or other cloth-ing, and bites often occur when such items are wornwithout first checking for spiders.

Although there seems to be considerable variabilityin individual response to bites, brown recluse bites canbe quite serious, resulting in extensive localized tissuedamage. The bite itself is not especially painful andmay initially go un-noticed, but the venom causes lo-calized tissue death, which may slowly spread fromthe point of the bite. Because early treatment can lessen

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the effects of a bite, seek immediate medical attentionif you think you have been bitten by a brown recluse.When possible, it is helpful to capture the spider thatcaused the bite so that it can be positively identified.See Extension Publication 2154, Spiders: Brown Re-cluse & Black Widow, for additional information aboutbrown recluses.

Black Widow, Latrodectusmactans: You can easily iden-tify a female black widowby the distinct red, hour-glass shape on the usuallyblack, shiny abdomen.There are exceptions; somespecimens can be brown,and some specimens may

have additional red spots on their abdomens. Youdon’t often find black widows indoors, but they arecommon in outdoor areas around the home. They nestin dark, secluded areas near the ground, such as pilesof wood or refuse, under steps or crawl spaces, inwater meter boxes, and under infrequently used items.The web is made of strong strands of silk that arerather indistinctly organized. A smooth, tan egg sac isoften present in the web. Indoor infestations most oftenoccur in garages, storerooms, or basements.

The brown widow, Latrodectus geometricus, is a re-lated species that has recently become established inMississippi. Brown widows have an orange hourglassshape on the underside of the abdomen and are simi-lar to black widows in size and body shape. Their ab-domens are tan with white markings, and their legs arelight brown with dark brown bands. Brown widowsare often mistaken for American house spiders, andvice versa, because their nesting habits are similar.Within their area of occurrence, brown widows aremore likely to be found in and around homes thanblack widows. Their egg sacs are covered with spikesof silk so that they resemble a ball from a sweet gumtree. These spiky egg sacs are a distinctive, identifyingfeature of brown widows.

Seek immediate medical attention if you get bittenby a widow spider. Fatalities from widow spider bitesare extremely rare, especially with good medical at-tention, but the venom of widow spiders is neurotoxic

and can result in intense pain and cramping of mus-cles, especially in the abdomen and upper legs. Symp-toms of brown widow bites tend to be milder and morelocalized than those of black widow bites. When it ispossible to quickly and safely do so, capture the spi-der for identification. This will help medical personnelwith treatment decisions. See Extension Publication2154, Spiders: Brown Recluse & Black Widow for ad-ditional information about black widows.

harvestmen (many species in the Order Opiliones):Also known as “daddy long legs,” these are not truespiders. They are easy to identify by their long, thread-like legs and their small, oval bodies. Harvestmen sel-dom occur indoors but are often seen around theoutside of the house, occasionally clustering in largenumbers under the eaves or in some other protectedlocation. They forage on dead insects and other decay-ing organic matter. Contrary to common urbanmythology, they are not venomous, but they do pro-duce an unpleasant odor when disturbed.

SPideR COntROl: Controlling outdoor spiders,such as wolf spiders and jumping spiders, that occa-sionally wander indoors can be as simple as catchingor crushing and discarding the invader. It takes a lotmore work to control a heavy infestation of indoor-dwelling spiders, such as brown recluses or Americanhouse spiders. Exclusion and sanitation are the mostimportant steps in spider management. Insecticidescan be useful in certain situations.

Exclusion: Keep screens on windows and over ventsin soffits, gables, and crawl spaces; use weather strip-ping and door sweeps, and take other precautions tomake the house as bug-tight as possible. This helpskeep out spiders as well as insects. Because indoor spi-ders such as American house spiders and brown re-cluses prey on insects that get inside the house,anything you do to exclude insects will also help re-duce spider populations. Exterior lighting attractsmany night flying insects. This, in turn, attracts spi-ders, which like to build their webs near such an abun-dant supply of prey. In addition to keeping exteriorlights turned off when not needed, you can reduce thenumber of insects attracted to exterior lighting by

using yellow bug lights or sodium vapor lights, ratherthan mercury vapor lights.

Sanitation: Sweeping cobwebs out of the corners ofgarages, windows, and rooms is an effective way toremove the cobwebs, but the spiders that built themoften escape and promptly build more webs. Use avacuum to remove the webs and the spiders that builtthem. Spiders such as brown recluses and southernhouse spiders like to nest in dark, undisturbed stor-age areas. Keep such areas clean and well organizedto discourage spiders. Store items, especially clothitems, in insect-tight plastic containers rather thancardboard boxes.

Sanitation is the critical first step in controllingheavy infestations of brown recluses, southern housespiders, and other spiders that infest indoor storageareas. Systematically remove boxes and other itemsfrom the storage area, checking for spiders as you doso. Be sure to check inside storage boxes as you removethem, especially those with holes through which spi-ders could enter. Keep a vacuum and/or a can of anappropriate indoor insecticide spray handy to dealwith any spiders you find. Once you have removed allboxes and items from the area, sweep and/or vacuumthoroughly. Be especially sure to vacuum corners,cracks, and crevices where spiders might hide. Afteryou have emptied and cleaned the storage area, treatwith an appropriately labeled residual insecticide be-fore replacing the stored items.

Because brown recluses often hide and nest in thefolds of infrequently used clothing and bedding, it iswise to check such items carefully before using themfor the first time after a long period of storage. Thiscould keep you from getting bitten by a spider that hasbeen living in that coat in the basement since last win-ter or the sleeping bag that has been stored in the atticsince the last camping trip.

traps: Several companies sell sticky glue traps you canplace along walls to capture spiders and other crawlinginsects. Such traps are not especially useful in control-ling a heavy spider infestation, but they can help de-termine the level of infestation and which species arepresent.

Insecticides: Use insecticides containing active ingre-dients such as cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin,lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, tralomethrin, or evenpyrethrins (pyrethrum) to control spiders you canspray directly. Pyrethrins do not provide residual con-trol, but products containing the other active ingredi-ents provide relatively long residual control, especiallywhen applied indoors where they are not exposed tosunlight. Apply these products to voids, cracks,crevices, and baseboards to control spiders such asbrown recluses that live in closets and other storageareas, or apply as spot sprays to control spiders such asAmerican house spiders that nest in corners of win-dows, basements, garages, and such. Be sure to readand follow all label directions.

Insecticides formulated as wettable powders, orWPs, typically provide better residual spider controlthan RTU formulations but can be difficult to find inpackages labeled for homeowner use. Demon WP(cypermethrin) is one example of a wettable powderinsecticide that pest control companies often use forspider control. Wettable powder products must be di-luted in water and applied using a hand pump sprayer.

Some of the other active ingredients mentioned areavailable as liquid concentrate sprays, which must alsobe mixed with water and applied using a hand pumpsprayer. Many of these active ingredients are also avail-able in ready-to-use sprays that are prediluted and soldin trigger-pump sprayers. These ready-to-use spraysor aerosol sprays are a convenient way to treat limitedinfestations and are the most common formulation of-fered to homeowners for use indoors. Many insecti-cides are also formulated and sold as total releaseaerosol foggers, but these are less effective than spraysyou can direct into cracks, crevices, and voids.

Where spiders such as brown recluses are nestingin wall voids, other voids, or deep cracks and crevices,dusts containing the active ingredient deltamethrin canbe especially useful. Drill small holes into voids, anduse a specially designed bulb duster to inject smallamounts of dust into such voids and cracks andcrevices. Dusts containing 0.05 percent deltamethrinare readily available at local retailers, but you mayhave to specially order bulb dusters.

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Because professional pest control companies haveaccess to an array of effective insecticides and theequipment to apply them properly and safely, manyhomeowners rely on professionals to control heavyspider infestations. If you hire a pest control company,

you still need to work with the pest control techni-cian. He or she may need you to remove boxes andother items from storage areas and other areas to betreated and to check for spiders inside boxes beforeapplying the treatment.

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Asian Lady Beetles

Indoor Treatments for Spider Control

Ready-to-use Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.05%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

Dust Deltamethrin (0.05%) Terro Ant Dust

Deltamethrin (0.05%) Enforcer Fire Ant Killer

Deltamethrin (0.05%) Deltadust

We have more than 100 nativespecies of lady beetles in thestate. Most are beneficial be-cause they eat aphids, white-flies, small caterpillars, andother insect pests. The multi-colored Asian lady beetle, Har-monia axyridis, is a non-nativespecies that specializes in prey-

ing on tree-dwelling aphids. During most of they yearthey are considered “good bugs,” but as cold weatherapproaches they start looking for a place to spend thewinter, and this is when they can become real pests.

In their native country, these lady beetles congre-gate in light-colored rocky outcrops, where they over-winter in cracks and crevices among the rocks. Here inMississippi, we do not have many rocky outcrops, butbuildings seem to make a fine substitute. They are es-pecially attracted to buildings with an unshaded west-ern or southern exposure. Once the lady beetles landon the side of the building, they crawl into cracks and

crevices. This results in their entry directly into livingquarters or into wall voids and attics where they oftencongregate in large numbers to spend the winter. Astemperatures warm in the spring, or during warm pe-riods during the winter, beetles overwintering in atticsand wall voids begin to search for cracks and crevicesthrough which to leave. Many of these beetles “getlost” and find their way into the inside of the buildingrather than the outside.

Whether they invade the home in the fall, duringwarm spells in winter, or during the spring as they at-tempt to leave their overwintering quarters, these other-wise beneficial insects can become serious nuisances,especially when they occur in large numbers. They cancause small stains on walls and wall coverings, and somepeople are allergic to the dust from the dried, crushedbodies of dead beetles. The best way to avoid these prob-lems is to prevent the lady beetles from entering thehome in the first place, which means you have to makethe exterior of the home “bug-tight” before these insectsstart looking for a place to spend the winter.

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

The key is to seal or screen any opening greater than1⁄16 inch in diameter. This is easier to do on some homesthan others. Homes that have overlapping board-typesiding nailed directly to the wall studs, without anytype of solid wallboard in between, are especially prob-lematic because there can be literally hundreds of feet ofpotential entry points. But on many homes it is rela-tively easy to identify and seal potential entry points,and taking the time to do so before fall can preventmuch frustration later in the winter.

Once beetles get inside the living quarters, the bestway to deal with them is to use a vacuum. In heavilyinfested houses this can become an annoying, winter-long task. Insecticides are not much use at this point. Itis neither safe nor practical to treat the entire roomwith insecticide, and you would still have to collectand discard the dead lady beetles.

Exclusion: Good defense is definitely the best offensewhen dealing with lady beetles. Keep them from get-ting inside the house in the first place. Doors and win-dows are obvious potential points of entry. Installsweeps on door bottoms and metal spring strips orweather stripping around door jambs to keep lady bee-tles from entering at these points. Use caulking or foamsealant to seal entry points around plumbing and con-duit and cracks in brickwork and woodwork.

Check all attic, roof, gable, and soffit vents to besure that they are adequately screened and bug-tight.Unscreened soffit vents can be a prime point of entry,but lady beetles can also enter around screened soffitvents if they do not fit tightly against the soffit. Manyhomes have ridge vents or other types of vents on theroof through which large numbers of beetles and otherinsects can enter if they are not properly screened. Beespecially sure to properly screen the large gable ventsthat are located on the ends of many houses. Obvi-ously, each house has its own unique set of potentialentry points, and each house must be considered on acase-by-case basis.

You must finish exterior screening and sealing be-fore the beetles enter the attic and/or wall voids. De-pending on location and weather conditions, ladybeetles normally begin searching for overwinteringsites between mid-October and mid-November. Don’twait until the last minute. Try to get this done beforethe first of October. Wait too late—after the beetles havealready gotten in—and you only make matters worse,by trapping the beetles inside attics and wall voids andforcing them into the interior of the building.

You can seal cracks and entry points on the interiorside of the wall and ceiling any time. Even if the bee-tles have already gotten into your attic and/or wallvoids you may still be able to keep them from gettinginto your living area. Seal around electrical outlets,light fixtures, and other holes in interior walls and ceil-ings. Remember, any hole or crack bigger than 1⁄16 inchacross is large enough for a lady beetle to get through.You can also seal around doors and windows that opendirectly to the outside at any time of the year. The bet-ter you are able to seal the beetles out of your livingarea, the fewer you will have to vacuum. But don’toverdo this sealing effort. Be sure to maintain adequateventilation for health and safety.

Insecticide Treatments: Insecticides are not especiallyuseful for controlling invasions of Asian lady beetlesonce they are inside. But you can apply residual spraysof synthetic pyrethroid insecticides to exterior areas ofinvasion-prone buildings to reduce the number of bee-tles that successfully enter the building. Such treat-ments are most beneficial on buildings that have somany potential entry points you can’t effectively sealthem. Where sealing is practical, it is far more effectivethan relying on insecticides, and it can also conserveenergy. Pyrethoid insecticides labeled for use as resid-ual sprays to the outside of homes include permethrin,cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, andbifenthrin. Several of these insecticides are availablefor use by homeowners, but you can also have thesetreatments applied by a licensed pest control company.Always read and follow label directions.

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There are many species of insects, spiders, and otherarthropods that wander into the house occasionally. Theydon’t necessarily want to be indoors; they just happen toget trapped there, usually because there was a big enoughcrack under the door or some other entry point for themto get through. Ground beetles, earwigs, crickets, and mil-lipedes are common home invaders, as are several speciesof spiders. Because wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) wan-der about on the ground in search of prey, they are someof the most common home-invading spiders.

Exclusion is the best way to prevent these pests. Besure doors have weather stripping or spring steel stripsaround the edges and sweeps that fit tightly against thethreshold. Make sure windows have properly fittingscreens, and seal other potential entry points.

Be aware that lights located over or near an entry canattract large numbers of insects, which can then enter thebuilding as you come and go. Shielding or shading lightsso that most of the light is directed down rather than outinto the night reduces the number of insects drawn tothe area. Using yellow “bug bulbs” or sodium vaporbulbs that produce wavelengths of light that are less at-tractive to insects reduces attraction even further.

You can use ready-to-use insecticide sprays oraerosol sprays to control insect pests that do get in-doors. Most of the ready-to-use sprays can also besprayed around doorways and windows to help pre-vent pests from getting inside. Read the label for spe-cific instructions.

Outdoor Barrier Treatments: Occasionally a particularpest is unusually abundant around the outside of thehouse, resulting in an excessive number of invasions.Sometimes there can be so many, they become a real nui-sance. This often happens with crickets or millipedes

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Occasional Invaders

Earwig Cricket

Ready-to-use Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.05%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

Concentrates* Bifenthrin (2.4%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (2.5%) Bayer Advanced Home Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus

Permethrin (2.5%) Enforcer Outdoor Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin (10%) Hi-Yield Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control

Permethrin (38%) Hi-Yield 38 Plus Turf, Termite & Ornamental Insect Control

Residual Surface Sprays for Control of Lady Beetles Around the Outside of Homes

* Concentrates must be diluted with water before they are applied.

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

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Bifenthrin (0.3%) Ortho Home Defense Max Outdoor Perimeter

Carbaryl (22.5%) Garden Tech Sevin Concentrate Bug Killer

Cyfluthrin (2.5%) Bayer Advanced Home Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus

Cyfluthrin (0.75%) Bayer Power Force Multi-Insect Killer

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.25%) Spectracide Triazicide Once & Done

Permethrin (2.5%) Enforcer Outdoor Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin (10%) Hi-Yield Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control

Permethrin (38%) Hi-Yield 38 Plus Turf, Termite & Ornamental Insect Control

Outdoor Barrier Sprays for Control of Home-Invading Insects and Spiders

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (One exAmPle)

Ready-to-use Insecticide Treatments for Control of Invading Insects and Spiders

Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.05%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (One exAmPle)

when environmental conditions result in population ex-plosions or mass migrations, and it sometimes happenswith other species.

In such cases, outdoor barrier sprays can be helpfulin controlling pests before they get inside. Usually youapply these barrier sprays to a band of ground (mulch,turf, bare soil, under shrubs, and such) around the outerwall of the house. Depending on the label, they may also

be applied to the lower portion of the outer wall of thehouse and outside around doors and windows. Many ofthese products are sold primarily for use in and aroundthe home lawn and are not approved for indoor use.Most are insecticide concentrates you must dilute inwater and apply as liquid sprays. Some are sold inready-to-use hose-end applicators. Read the label forfull use instructions.

Silverfish are slender, somewhatcarrot-shaped insects that do nothave wings. Two long, filamen-tous antennae extend from thehead end, and three long fila-ments extend from the end of theabdomen. Excluding these ap-pendages, mature silverfish areabout 1⁄2 inch long. There are sev-eral species, with the common

silverfish and the four-lined silverfish being the mostcommon. Firebrats are similar in appearance and habits.

These insects have chewing mouthparts and feedon a variety of products, but they are especially fond ofstarches or flour products, so they are occasionallyfound in kitchen pantries and cabinets. They also feedon paper, especially paper that contains starch or otherorganic sizing, chewing irregular holes. This is thedamage that is most commonly associated with sil-verfish, and it usually occurs on books or papers thatare being stored for long periods. Silverfish oftencause heavy damage to the bindings of older books.In older homes they also may damage wallpaper.

These insects are attracted to moisture and oftenoccur in bathroom areas, under kitchen sinks, and in

other moist locations. Occasionally, they will feed onarticles of clothing or other fabrics made of cotton orsilk. Fabrics that are heavily starched or contain otherorganic sizing are especially susceptible. They do notfeed on wool. Heavy infestations sometimes occur inattics, basements, or other storage areas, especially ifcardboard boxes, books, or other paper products arebeing stored.

Control: You can control limited infestations with resid-ual sprays of appropriately labeled ready-to-use oraerosol household insect sprays that contain active in-gredients such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin,lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, or tralomethrin. Re-move items from the infested area and then apply theinsecticide according to label directions, taking specialcare to treat cracks, crevices, and voids. Dusts contain-ing 0.05 percent deltamethrin or diatomaceousearth/silica gel can be used to treat inaccessible voids ordeep cracks and crevices.

For heavy, large-scale infestations, like those thatsometimes occur in attics or basements, granular baitscontaining boric acid can be useful. Be sure to use baitswith small granules that specifically list silverfish onthe label, and apply according to label directions.

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Ready-to-use Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.05%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

Dust Deltamethrin (0.05%) Terro Ant Dust

Deltamethrin (0.05%) Enforcer Fire Ant Killer

Diatomaceous Earth Perma Guard

Pyrethrins 1% + PBO 10%

+ silica dioxide 40% Drione

Bait Orthoboric Acid (5%) Niban FG

Indoor Treatments for Control of Silverfish

Silverfish

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

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Springtails, Order Collembola, are tiny arthropods thatfeed on fungi and decaying organic matter. There aremany different species, but all have similar biology andhabits. Some are active in the early spring in colder cli-mates and are called “snow fleas.”

Springtails require high-moisture environments andusually live in woods duff, leaf litter, flowerbed mulch,potted plants, and similar locations. Some species occa-sionally occur inside homes, especially where there issome type of moisture problem or where large numbersof potted plants are kept. They are sometimes a persist-ent problem in wet, moldy basements or storerooms.Rooms with windows or doors that enter at, or below,ground level sometimes experience heavy invasions ofspringtails from outdoor breeding sites such as mulch orleaf litter.

Springtails do not bite and are essentially harmless,but they can be a nuisance when present in large num-bers, which can happen in ideal conditions. Occasionallythey migrate from nearby breeding sites in large enoughnumbers to clog filters of in-ground swimming pools.

Springtails get their name from the spring-loaded struc-ture on the underside of the abdomen, called the furcula.This structure allows them to leap mightily when dis-turbed. Springtails are often mistaken for fleas because ofthis jumping ability and their dark color.

Control of springtails should focus on correcting themoisture problem that is allowing them to thrive. De-pending on the particular situation, this could entail re-pairing structural or plumbing leaks, moving indoorpotted plants (or at least watering them less), rakingmulch and leaves away from entrances to the house,moving outdoor sprinkler heads, changing wateringschedules, and so on. Springtails are more abundant dur-ing or following rainy periods.

These tiny arthropods can be killed easily with manyinsecticides, but because moisture problems tend to de-grade insecticide activity, insecticides will not providepermanent relief. Insecticides listed in the following tablecan be helpful in reducing a heavy infestation but are nota long-term solution for springtail problems.

Springtails

Ready-to-use Insecticide Treatments for Control of Invading Insects and Spiders

Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

Cyfluthrin (0.1%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (One exAmPle)

The problem of having flies in the house is not nearly socommon today as it was before window screening, airconditioning, and automobiles. Flies can still be a prob-lem, but not on the same scale or frequency as theywere when most homeowners stabled or grew sometype of livestock in their backyards. Homes locatednear large-scale animal production facilities or homeswith large pet kennels or horse stables can still experi-ence heavy, persistent fly infestations, and a few fliesstill get into most homes occasionally. Some of the mostcommon home-invading flies are briefly discussedbelow. These flies are often collectively referred to as“filth flies” because of where they breed.

house Fly, Musca domestica:These are our most commonhome-invading flies. The housefly is gray with four dark stripesdown the middle portion of theback and approximately 1⁄5 inchlong. House flies occur world-wide, always living in close as-

sociation with humans. The larvae are legless whitemaggots that breed in our garbage, in human waste,and in the waste of the animals we grow. Under warmconditions, house flies complete a generation in about2 weeks, hatching from eggs into maggots, which feedfor several days and then pupate and emerge as adultflies.

Stable Fly, Stomoxys calcitrans: Stable flies are rarelyseen indoors, but they often congregate around theoutside of buildings located near suitable breedingsites. These flies breed in decaying plant material, es-pecially if it contains animal urine or feces, and are es-pecially common around barns and stables where hayis fed. Stable flies look a lot like house flies, but the fe-males feed on blood and occasionally bite people. Youcan easily distinguish these two flies by viewing a rest-ing fly from the side and observing its mouthparts.House flies hold their bulb-shaped proboscis pointeddown, but stable flies rest with their sharp proboscispointed forward, in a bayonet-like position.

Blow Fly or Bottle Fly, family Calliphoridae: Theseare metallic green or blue-colored flies that usuallybuzz about annoyingly when they get inside. Thereare many different species. Their maggots develop inthe bodies of dead animals, feces, or garbage. The ap-pearance of a significant number of blow flies in ahome often indicates the presence of some type ofsmall animal carcass, such as a dead rat in a wall void,a bird that became trapped in the chimney, or the bodyof some small animal that was brought inside by thefamily cat, or pet feces.

Flesh Fly, family Sarcophagidae: Flesh flies are grayflies, often having darker stripes along their backs, thatrange from the size of a house fly to two to three timeslarger, depending on the species. As their name sug-gests, the maggots of many species of flesh flies de-velop in decaying animal carcasses, but many speciesare parasites of other insects. As with blow flies, fleshflies in the home may indicate the presence of sometype of small animal carcass.

tachinid Fly, family Tachinidae: Tachinids are large,dark-colored, hairy flies. There are hundreds ofspecies, most of which are insect parasites. The adultslay their eggs on a caterpillar or some other insect host,and the resulting maggots bore into the insect and con-sume it. Because they are not filth-breeders, they arerarely numerous indoors, but they buzz about annoy-ingly when they do get inside.

Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens: These large, blackflies are often mistaken for wasps. They are approxi-mately 5⁄8 inch long with black, wasp-shaped bodiesand smoke-colored wings. Like all flies, they have onlyone pair of wings rather than the two pairs wasps andother flying insects have. The rear legs are black withwide, white bands.

Because the maggots breed in animal manure, theyare more commonly seen in homes near animal-rearingfacilities. Soldier flies also breed in sewage, and themature larvae occasionally invade homes by crawlingup sewer lines in search of a place to pupate. When thisoccurs there is often some nearby break in the sewer

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House Flies and Other Large Flies

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line outside the house that lets adult soldier flies enterand lay eggs. The larvae are dark-colored, about 3⁄4inch long, elliptically shaped, and somewhat flattened.They have a tough, leathery, deeply segmented skin.

COntROl: Fly control can be as simple as using a flyswatter or as complex as trying to manage flies in andaround a large caged poultry farm. Although this pub-lication focuses on controlling flies inside the home,keep in mind that most home-invading flies originatefrom some nearby outside source. This outside sourcecould be a farm or large animal production facility, butit is more likely something closer to home, like house-hold garbage, pet feces in the backyard, or some otherdecaying organic matter.

Sanitation: Sanitation is the most important compo-nent in fly control. If flies don’t have access to suitablebreeding sites nearby, they won’t be a problem. De-tailed discussion of fly management on farms and an-imal production facilities is beyond the scope of thispublication, but homeowners need to be aware thatlarge numbers of flies can also breed in pet feces. Mosteggs are laid within 24 hours after the feces is de-posited, and it can take less than 1 week for the larvaeto develop and crawl away from the feces to pupate.Break the fly production cycle by “scooping the poop”and properly discarding it or taking other steps to limitfly access to pet feces. Design backyard kennels so youcan clean them easily and frequently, directing thewaste into the sewer system or some other sewagemanagement device.

Surprisingly large numbers of flies can also breed ingarbage and garbage cans, whether they are indoors oroutdoors, and in dumpsters. Prevent flies from havingaccess to garbage by placing the garbage in sealed plas-tic bags and disposing regularly. Use garbage cans withtight fitting lids, and clean them regularly. Flies readilybreed in spilled food and other organic matter that ac-cumulates on the bottoms or sides of cans. You can usefly strips containing dichlorvos (Vapona) to help controlflies in outdoor dumpsters and other large garbage-holding containers, but these are no substitute for keep-ing containers clean and emptying them frequently.

Exclusion and Trapping: Exclusion is second only to san-itation in its importance in fly control. Keeping doorsand windows properly screened or closed is just as im-portant today as it was in past generations. Near uni-versal adoption of air conditioning makes this mucheasier to accomplish today. Still, there are situationswhere flies frequently enter homes as people come andgo. Usually these are in rural settings where homes arelocated near a stable, dog kennel, or some other animalproduction facility.

Air Curtains: Flies actively try to enter homes whendoors are opened because they can smell cooking odorsand other odors associated with human habitation thatare attractive to them. Air curtains are exclusion devicesthat are normally used to minimize the number of fliesand other insects that enter through frequently useddoors of commercial buildings. Some fit over standard-sized doorways, and these can be useful in homes per-sistently plagued by flies. Air curtains work by directinga strong flow of air across a doorway when the door isopened. When properly installed and adjusted, they canprevent most flying insects from entering. You have tobe pretty desperate to resort to using air curtains in ahome, but if you have severe fly populations originatingfrom a breeding source beyond your control, air curtainscan provide much needed relief. You won’t find air cur-tains at the local hardware store, but you can order themfrom many different sources.

Light Traps: ULV light traps are another method of flymanagement frequently and successfully used in largecommercial facilities. They are available in many sizes,including sizes for use inside the home. Some are deco-rative. Light traps attract flies to an ultraviolet light,where they become trapped in a glue board behind thelight. Models that electrocute flies and other insects arenot recommended for indoor use because they can pro-duce air borne insect particles that can potentially causeproblems with allergies and contaminate foods.

Light traps are simple and effective, but they requiremaintenance. You must change the glue boards regularlybecause they lose their stickiness or become coated withflies. Light bulbs should be replaced yearly, even if theyare still glowing, because they gradually lose their abil-

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Treatments To Control Flies Indoors

Aerosol Space Spray Permethrin (0.15%) + Allethrin (0.25%) Hot Shot Flying Insect Killer

Tetramethrin (0.2%) + Sumithrin (0.2%) Enforcer Flying Insect Killer

Tetramethrin (0.2%) + Phenothrin (0.2%) Ortho Flying Insect Killer

ity to produce the wavelengths of light that are most at-tractive to flies. Light traps work best when installedwaist- to shoulder-high in dark areas where there is noother competing light source. Depending on the situa-tion, you may need to use several light traps placed atdifferent locations in the home.

Insecticides: For flies that manage to get inside andevade the light traps, a fly swatter is usually a betterlast-resort treatment than insecticides. Insecticides arebest reserved for fly control in outside situations andaround animal production facilities. Even in these sit-uations, insecticides are less important than good san-itation practices.

Indoor Space Sprays: Occasionally there is a need to con-trol large numbers of flies that get indoors or congregateon porches or patios. Many commercially availableaerosol sprays give immediate, though short-term, con-trol of flies. Most contain active ingredients such as per-methrin, pyrethrins, allethrin, phenothrin, or somecombination of these insecticides. Apply space sprays bydirecting the aerosol spray upward into the room for thespecified amount of time, and then vacate and close theroom for the required amount of time. Not all aerosol in-

secticides are labeled for use as space sprays, so be sureto read all label directions carefully before applying anyaerosol spray as a space spray, and apply according tolabel directions. Some total release aerosol foggers arealso labeled for fly control.

Outdoor Residual Surface Sprays and Baits: In some situa-tions, usually homes in rural areas located near barns,stables, or other large animal production facilities, largenumbers of house flies and other flies congregate aroundthe outside of homes, resting on walls and other surfaces.These flies are a nuisance to people using porches, pa-tios, and other outside areas, and many make their wayinside the home. In these situations, insecticides labeledfor use as outdoor residual surface sprays can be useful.These treatments are available as concentrates you mustdilute with water before application, or as pre-diluted,ready-to-use sprays. Use them by spraying surfaceswhere flies congregate, as indicated on the product label.Fly bait strips may also be useful in these situationswhen house flies are the primary pest. Because thesestrips attract house flies, don’t place them near en-trances. Bait strips give off a strong odor and should beused outdoors only.

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

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Residual Treatments for Control of Flies Around the Outside of Homes

Residual Surface Spray Bifenthrin (0.05%) Ortho Home Defense Max

(Ready-to-use) Cyfluthrin (0.05%) Bayer Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer

Deltamethrin (0.02%) Bonide Household Insect Control

Lambda-cyhalothrin (0.03%) Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Outdoor Insect Killer

Permethrin (0.25%) Viper RTU

Residual Surface Spray Cyfluthrin (2.5%) Bayer Advanced Home Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus

(Concentrate*) Permethrin (2.5%) Enforcer Outdoor Insect Killer Concentrate

Permethrin (10%) Hi-Yield Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control

Permethrin (38%) Hi-Yield 38 Plus Turf, Termite & Ornamental Insect Control

Bait Strip** Nithiazine QuickStrike Fly Abatement Strip

Insecticide Pest Strip*** Dichlorvos 18.6% Revenge Bug Strip

Prozap Insect Guard Jr.

Spectracide Bug Stop Pest Strip

Hot Shot No-Pest Strip

* Concentrates must be diluted with water and applied with an appropriate sprayer.** Bait strips are attractive to flies. They feed on the strip and consume the insecticide.

Bait strips should be used outdoors only.*** Insecticide Pest Strips do not attract flies. They release a volatile insecticide into the surrounding air. Use insecticide pest strips in

dumpsters or other large outdoor garbage containers to prevent flies from breeding.

FORmulAtiOn ACtive inGRedient BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

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Fruit Flies, Drain Flies, and Other Small FliesSeveral species of small, gnat-sized flies occur inhomes. Although these flies are so small they often gounnoticed, they can be real nuisances when they be-come numerous. The key to controlling these pests is toidentify their breeding source and either remove it ormake it unattractive to the flies. Some of the small fliesthat most often occur in homes are briefly discussedbelow. Note that none of these are biting flies. Bitingor blood sucking flies such as mosquitoes or bitingmidges rarely breed indoors.

Fruit Fly, Drosophila spp.: Fruit flies are less than 1⁄8 inchlong, brown to gray, and have red eyes. They are alsoknown as vinegar flies, and as their common namessuggest, these flies often breed in decaying fruit or veg-etables, as well as in other types of decaying organicmatter. They are often seen flying about overripe ba-nanas, tomatoes, empty juice or wine bottles, or simi-lar items. These small flies can reproduce quitesuccessfully in the few drops of liquid in the bottom ofempty drink cans or juice bottles.

Phorid Fly, family Phoridae: Phorid flies are 1⁄8 inch orless, depending on species, gray to dark gray, and havea distinctly hump-backed appearance when viewedfrom the side. The eyes are dark-colored, rather than redas in fruit flies. These small flies breed in a wide rangeof decaying organic matter, including decaying veg-etable matter or meat, animal feces, and many othersources. They are sometimes referred to as drain flies be-cause the larvae of some species feed on the organicscum that accumulates inside drain pipes and garbagedisposals. Phorids can also breed in the residue insidegarbage cans that are not cleaned frequently and inmoist food residues that accumulate under and aroundstoves and other appliances.

moth Fly, family Psychodidae: These small flies havedark, moth-like wings. They are also called drain fliesor sewage gnats. They are only about 1⁄8 inch long andmay be seen resting on bathroom or kitchen walls, near

the drain from which they probably emerged. The lar-vae breed in sewage and other organic accumulationsin drain pipes, and the adults then fly up the pipes andinto the kitchen or bathroom.

Fungus Gnat, family Sciaridae or Mycetophilidae:Fungus gnats are tiny, dark-colored, clear-winged,mosquito-shaped flies that occur indoors where house-plants are kept. The larvae breed in the potting media,feeding on fungi growing on the roots of the plants andin the potting media, as well as on the roots them-selves. These small flies do not bite, but when numer-ous, they can become a nuisance by hovering aroundthe TV, computer monitor, or other light sources indarkened rooms.

COntROl: Routine sanitation and maintenance prac-tices help prevent gnat infestations. Line garbage canswith plastic bags, and take out garbage regularly.Promptly clean up any spilled food or garbage, beingespecially aware of accumulations under or behind ap-pliances. Store fruits and vegetables in designatedareas, and regularly check and dispose of any that areoverripe or rotten. Repair plumbing and/or structuralleaks. Regularly inspect, empty, and clean drain pansunder refrigerators, air conditioners, or other appli-ances. Use properly labeled algicides to prevent accu-mulations of algae in air conditioner drain pans. Avoidoverwatering houseplants, and empty and clean drainsaucers regularly. Be sure indoor pets are housebroken,and empty litter boxes regularly. Clean drains regularlywith an appropriately labeled microbial drain cleaner.

When infestations of small flies occur, the best wayto control them is to find and eliminate their breedingsource. It may take a bit of detective work to accomplishthis, and it helps to be able to identify the kind of flies in-volved. Examples of some of the most common breed-ing sites for these small flies are listed below, but the keyis to keep in mind these flies can breed in any type ofmoist organic matter.

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COmmOn SOuRCeS OF “GnAt” inFeStAtiOnS

• a tomato or such that has rolled behind the refrig-erator (fruit flies or phorid flies)

• a partially eaten banana a toddler “lost” under a piece of furniture (fruit flies)

• a bag of potatoes or fruit that was inadvertently setin some nonroutine spot and forgotten (phorid fliesor fruit flies)

• empty soda cans, beer cans, wine bottles, or fruit juice bottles being saved for recycling (fruit flies)

• garbage disposals (phorid flies)• drains in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry (moth

flies or phorid flies)• wet areas under washing machines or dishwashers

(phorid flies or moth flies)• wet areas from plumbing or structural leaks

(phorid flies)• drain pans for refrigerators, air conditioners, or

other appliances (phorid flies or fungus gnats)• dirty, unlined garbage cans (phorid flies or fruit flies)• garbage cans that are not emptied frequently

(phorid flies or fruit flies)• accumulations of food matter under or behind ap-

pliances (phorid flies)• houseplants (fungus gnats)• vases of cut flowers that have stood too long

(phorid flies)• wet organic matter in drain saucers used for house

plants (fungus gnats or phorid flies)• leaks in plumbing lines or shower drains under the

slab (phorid flies or moth flies)• pet feces (phorid flies)

“dRAin Fly” COntROl: Moth flies and somespecies of phorid flies breed in the organic scum thataccumulates on the insides of drainpipes. The larvaelive in this organic scum, but the adult flies exit thedrain and fly about the room.

You can check to see if drain flies are coming froma particular drain by getting a commercially availablesticky trap, folding and taping it into a tube or triangle,sticky side in, and placing it over the drain opening.Leave the top open for air movement. Leave this trapin place while you’re not using the drain, and check forflies. Alternatively, you can invert a clear plastic orglass jar over the drain opening. This restricts airflow,

but if the drain is heavily infested you will probablystill catch some flies.

The key to controlling drain flies is to eliminate theorganic scum that coats the insides of the pipes wherethe small fly larvae live. Inorganic drain cleaners don’twork as well for this as you might think, but severalmicrobial drain cleaners do an excellent job when usedregularly according to the label. Microbial drain clean-ers may be hard to find locally, but you can buy themfrom mail-order suppliers. When cleaning drains thathave been neglected for some time, you may need touse an appropriately designed brush to physicallyclean the interior of the pipes and/or to apply severalconsecutive treatments of microbial drain cleaner.Never use insecticides in drains.

Drain flies, as well as other flies, occasionally becomeabundant in guest bedrooms or other areas of the homewith bathrooms or other drains that are used infre-quently. Many times the problem is simply that the waterhas evaporated out of the J-trap in the toilet or drain, al-lowing adult flies that developed farther down the sewersystem to fly directly up the pipes. This can also allowsewage gases to infiltrate the room, resulting in an un-pleasant odor, which may also attract flies into the roomfrom other sources. In this situation, simply flushing thetoilet or running water into the sink or tub to refill the J-trap may be all that is necessary to solve the problem.

FunGuS GnAt COntROl: Indoor infestations offungus gnats are almost always associated with house-plants, especially overwatered ones. Proper wateringand regularly emptying and cleaning drain saucersgreatly reduce the potential for fungus gnat problems.Still, some fungus gnats are likely to occur anywherelarge numbers of houseplants are kept.

Drain Gel

InVade Bio Drain

DF 5000 Drain Cleaner

Vector Bio-5

Examples of Microbial Drain CleanersUsed for Drain Fly Control

BRAnd nAme (exAmPleS)

Yellow sticky traps are readily available from gar-den supply sources. These are more useful as surveytools than for control, but they do catch some gnats.Glue board-style ULV light traps are a more effectivemeans of attracting and trapping these small flies, andplacing one or more small light traps in the area wherehouseplants are kept will help control these pests.

You can control fungus gnat larvae in pots bydrenching with insecticides containing Bacillusthuringiensis var. israelensis. Knock-Out Gnats is one ex-ample of a B.t. israelensis product that is sold commer-cially for use by homeowners. Gnatrol is a similarproduct that is more commonly used in commercialnurseries and greenhouses and by serious hobbyists.

Note that there are different types of B.t. insecti-cides. Those used to control caterpillar pests on garden

vegetables or ornamental plants (usually B.t. var.kurstaki or aizawai) do not control fly larvae.

The botanical insecticide azadirachtin (Azatrol isone example) can also be used as a potting mediumdrench to control fungus fly larvae, but it is slower act-ing than the B.t. products and is best used preventively.

If you have a lot of houseplants, you may want toinvestigate biological control products such as nema-todes or mites, especially Hypoaspis mites. You can getthese from suppliers that rear biocontrol organisms forcommercial nurseries and greenhouses. But this typeof biological control is best for large commercial oper-ations and serious hobbyists with large greenhousesor atriums.

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The information given here is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names are made with the un-derstanding that no discrimination is intended against other products that may also be suitable. Always read and follow the currentlabel directions of any insecticide you choose to use.

By Dr. Blake Layton, Extension Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology.

Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status is a violation of federal and statelaw and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSUpolicy and will not be tolerated.

Publication 2443Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts ofCongress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director (300-09-13)