SPIDERS

What We Do Best

There is no project that is too big or too small for our team. At Medlin's SEMO Pest Control, we aim to provide you with the best service and ensure that you and your needs always come first.

SPIDERS

​

Jumping Spiders Salticidae

Size: 1/8 – 3/4 inch

Color: Usually black, sometimes brown, tan or gray, and usually with pale markings

Jumping spiders have the best vision of any other spider.  They can quickly respond to any movement up to 18 inches away. They have eight eyes in three rows, the front row has four eyes with a large middle pair.

The spider is usually found around windows and doors to hunt for insects, because other insects are normally in those areas.

Wolf Spider Lycosidae

Size: body length 1/4 – 1 ½ inch, leg span width 3 to 4 inches

Color: Usually dark brown, often with paler or yellow stripes or markings

Wolf Spiders are large and hairy running spiders and their size scare many people. They are not poisonous but, it is possible to be allergic to their venom.  A wolf spider bite can be painful to some people and cause swelling and itching around the bite. Unlike most spiders, they don’t hunt with webs.

Wolf spiders live in a variety of ground habitats such as stream edges, gravel or sand bars, low vegetation, and woodland leaf litter.

It’s common to see wolf spiders inside homes in the fall, they look for places to overwinter. In doors they tend to stay at or near floor level along walls and can be seen under furniture.

Jumping Spiders Salticidae

Length: 1/8 – 3/4 inch

Color: Usually black, sometimes brown, tan or gray, and usually with pale markings

Jumping spiders have the best vision of any other spider.  They can quickly respond to any movement up to 18 inches away. They have eight eyes in three rows, the front row has four eyes with a large middle pair.

The spider is usually found around windows and doors to hunt for insects, because other insects are normally in those areas.

Cellar Spiders Pholcus phalangioides

Length:

Color: pale yellow to light brown or gray

Cellar spiders are usually found in dark and damp places such as cellars, basement, crawlspaces, and garages. The spider constructs loose irregular webs in areas with high moisture and humidity. The spider is known to construct a lot of webs that are an eyesore in homes and buildings. Cellar spiders can be beneficial, they feed on a variety of insects and  venomous spiders like brown recluse and black widows.

Wolf Spider Lycosidae

Length:  Body length 1/4 – 1 ½ inch, leg span width 3 to 4 inches

Color: Usually dark brown, often with paler or yellow stripes or markings

Wolf Spiders are large and hairy running spiders and their size scare many people. They are not poisonous but, it is possible to be allergic to their venom.  A wolf spider bite can be painful to some people and cause swelling and itching around the bite. Unlike most spiders, they don’t hunt with webs. 

Wolf spiders live in a variety of ground habitats such as stream edges, gravel or sand bars, low vegetation and woodland leaf litter.

It’s common to see wolf spiders inside homes in the fall, they look for places to overwinter. In doors they tend to stay at or near floor level along walls and can be seen under furniture.

Brown Recluse Loxosceles recluse

Length: 1/4 - 1/2 inch

Color: Light to dark brown with a dark brown violin-shaped mark on the top of the cephalothorax

Brown recluse can inflict a dangerous bite, but the spider is not aggressive. Most bites occur when a person traps or crushes the spider while putting on clothes or shoes, or rolling on the spider while asleep. There are things people can do to help avoid bites from the brown recluse spider. It is suggested the beds be moved away from walls and bed skirts or dust ruffles be removed to break contact with the floor. Shoes and clothing should also be kept off the floor or at least shaken out before wearing. The removal of excess clutter and storing seldom used items in plastic storage containers instead of cardboard boxes is also suggested. Before going to bed pull back your comforter and check your sheets and pillows to make sure no spider is in the bed.

 The brown recluse likes dark secluded places, they like areas where they will not be disturbed. They are nocturnal insects, they hunt for food at night. The brown recluse is usually found indoors, particularly in bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, garages and basements; they can also be found in attics and crawl spaces. Outdoors they can be found under rocks, logs, wood piles  and debris.

Black Widow Spider Latrodectus mactans

Length: 1 ½ - 1 3/8 inches

Color: Black with characteristic red “hourglass” shape on underside of abdomen

Bites from the black widow spider can be dangerous and immediate proper medical care is needed. The male black widow spider rarely bites, the female may bite in defense, especially after laying eggs. To minimize the risk of being bit by a black widow spider, reduce clutter in garages and basements. Gloves should be worn when moving items that have been stored for long periods of time and shoes should be shaken out before wearing them. When spiderwebs are visible use caution before putting your hands or feet in those areas.

Black widows are active when the temperature is 70° or higher. The spider can be found in protected areas outdoors, like under stones, decks, firewood piles, and hollow tree stumps.  The preferred areas for black widows are barns, sheds, meter boxes, brick veneer, barrels, and wood piles. The spiders can also be found in basements, garages, and crawl spaces.

ROACHES

Service Subtitle

German Cockroach Blattella germanica

Length: 1/2 - 5/8 inch

Color:  pale brown

 German cockroaches are found primarily in kitchens and bathrooms, but they can be found in other areas of the structure, especially when there is a severe infestation.  

Roach infestations  can cause health problems, people can experience allergy and asthma symptoms from breathing in cockroach skin and waste. 

German cockroaches can be brought into your home by visitor’s luggage, purses, and backpacks. They can also be brought in by bringing used items into the home such as furniture, clothing, and appliances. It is also possible for roaches in neighborhoods to travel from house to house. 

German cockroaches favor greasy foods, starches and sweets, but they will also eat hair, dead skin, dead animals or insects. They usually stay in their harborage area during the day and come out at night to forage for food

Oriental Cockroach Blatta orientalis

Length: female - 1 1/4 inches  male - 1 inch

Color:  dark brown or black

Oriental roaches are also called water bugs.

They are usually found outdoors, but in cooler weather they may migrate indoors. 

They tend to be found in yards, dumps, crawlspaces, mulched areas, and leaf piles.. They are also seen in areas with high moisture levels such as sewers, drains, and damp basements.

They feed on rubbish and decaying organic matter.

American Cockroach Periplaneta americana

Length: 1 1/4 – 2 1/8 inches

Color: reddish brown with a yellowish marking on the back of head

The American cockroach is also known as the water bug.

They are commonly found in crawl spaces, basements, around bathtubs, clothes hampers, and floor drains.

They prefer to feed on decaying organic matter but they will feed on book bindings, clothes, or glossy paper.

Brown Banded Cockroach Supella longipalpa

Length: 1/2 inch

Color: light brown with two lighter bands running from side to side across the base of the wings 

The brown banded cockroach is generally found on ceilings, high on walls, behind picture frames, light fixtures, furniture, closets, or near refrigerator motors. They do not need high moIsture areas like the German cockroach needs

The roach prefers feeding on starchy things but will feed on most anything.

Pennsylvania Woods Cockroach  Parcoblatta spp.

Length: male- 1 inch, female- 3/4 inch

Color: Dark brown

The males are usually strong fliers, but the females do not fly.

They are usually found outdoors underneath wood piles, stumps, and in hollow trees. Sometimes they are brought indoors when firewood is brought inside. They may also enter the house at night when the lights are on, because they are attracted to light.

They feed mainly on decaying organic matter, sweets, and starchy materials

TERMITES

Subterannean Termites

Eastern Subterannean Reticulitermes flavipes

Length: 1/8 inch

Color: Creamy white to dark brown/black

Termites can be beneficial because they help release nutrients from deadwood and other cellulose materials into the soil. For home and business owners they are a serious pest, approximately $4.5 billion is spent annually in the United States to control the subterranean termite infestation and repair the damage they cause.

There are signs to look for, that might indicate you have a possible termite infestation in your home or business.

Seeing termites swarmers, most often is the first visible indicator of a termite infestation. Swarmers have two pairs of long narrow wings of equal size, they are dark in color, almost black. Although they have wings they are poor fliers, after their brief flight their wings are then broken off. The male and female swarmers pair up to start new colonies in the soil, but, most will not survive.

The broken off wings is another visible indicator of a termite infestation; many times people will see loose wings lying around. 

Mud tubes can be seen on the inside or outside of structures, which is another sign of termite infestation. Termites need lots of moisture to survive, so they build mud tunnels to protect themself  from the air which can dry them out, and to protect themselves from their natural enemies, the ants.

Damaged wood can also be a possible sign of termites, a good way to tell is to take an object like a small hammer and tap on the wood and listen for the hollow sound of damaged wood.

Termite damage can also be seen on drywall, the termites eat the cellulose or paper backing, you can sometimes see the outline of their tunnel they have made in the drywall.

Often winged ants are mistaken for termite swarmers, the way to distinguish between the two is:

        Termites                                                    Ants

Have straight antennae.                      Have elbowed antennae                  

Have a broad waist.                              Have a thin, pinched waist

Have four wings of equal size.            Have two large wings and two small wings

​

BED BUGS

Attention to Detail

BED BUGS Cimex lectularius L

Length: 1/5 – 1/4 inch

Color: reddish-brown to mahogany, even more reddish if full from recent blood meal

Bed bugs are most easily identified by the small reddish brown fecal spots on mattresses, upholstery and walls. Bites on the legs, face, back and arms, can also be a sign of bed bug prescence. Bed bug bites are painless, however, the bite can swell and become red and itchy.  Humans are the preferred host for the common bedbug, they also feed on animals such as poultry, dogs, cats, rats and canaries. Bedbugs can detect humans from as far away as five feet, they can detect the humans carbon dioxide from their breathing. Bedbugs usually come out at night for their blood meal but it is possible for them to come out during the day if they are hungry or in heavy infestations.

The bed bug harborage area is usually close to its host where they are getting their blood meal. The folds and tufts of mattresses, box springs, headboards and bedroom furniture can be hiding places for bed bugs. In severe infestations they can be found in many other places as well, such as behind loose wallpaper, picture frames, under door and window casings, in between wall and base boards, behind electric switch plates, curtains, cracks in floors, sofas, chairs and even appliances.

Bedbug infestations can increase rapidly in  a small amount of time. They have a fast reproductive nature, the female lays 1 to 5 eggs per day reaching up to 500 in her lifetime and the eggs hatch with in ten days under normal room temperatures. It takes 21 days for the bed bug to become an adult.

Bedbugs are easily transported into homes or buildings on luggage from recent trips or over-night guests, used furniture and clothing.  If used furniture or clothing are purchased, the items will need to be inspected thoroughly before they are brought into the home or building.

If you spend the night at a location, away from home, inspect the mattress (with a flashlight) for signs of blood or fecal matter, making sure to look at the tufts and folds in the mattress, also be sure to inspect headboards. Do not put luggage or bags on the floor or near the bed. When you take your luggage to your home inspect the clothing and items in the luggage, preferably outside or in garage.

FLEAS

High-Quality Professionalism

Fleas Siphonaptera

Length: 1/12 – 1/6 inch

Color: Dark, reddish-brown

Fleas are parasites that feed on blood, and can transmit diseases to their hosts. Fleas can live on any warm-blooded animals but they seem to prefer humans, cats, dogs, opossums and rodents.  

Fleas transport themselves on rodents and other mammals and usually remain on their host at all times. Fleas do not fly, they jump from one place to another. Fleas can jump up to eight inches vertically, which is 150 times their own height.

Fleas can easily infest homes, once inside, they usually hide in areas where people and pets sleep. They can be found on furniture, beds, carpeting, and the cracks in hardwood floors.

To help prevent flea infestations, it is important to take your pets to the veterinarian for flea preventives.

ANTS

Attention to Detail

ANTS

Odorous House Ant Tapinoma sessile

Length: 1/12 - 1/8 inch long

Color: brownish black

The odorous house ant emits a rotten coconut- like odor when they are crushed.

Their nests in soil are usually shallow, they are often found beneath objects such as stacked lumber, firewood, bricks, rocks, stone, loose bark on trees, and card board. Although their nest are usually outside, they can invade homes and their nest inside are usually found in areas near moisture such as wall voids, near pipes and heaters, bath traps, wood damaged by termites, and beneath toilets.

Their colonies are large and usually contain may active queens.

Pharaoh Ant Monomorium pharaonis

Size: 1/15 - 1/12 inch long

Color: Yellowish to reddish brown

These ants are found indoors and in the tropics they often nest outdoors. They are usually found nesting in cracks and crevices with sufficient warmth and humidity. They are also found in kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms near water sources. Pharaoh ants can be found in wall voids, under floors, and behind baseboard and window sills.

Pavement Ant Tetramorium caespitum

Length: 1/8 - 1/6 inch

Color: blackish brown with paler legs and antenna

The pavement ant derives its name from its habit of nesting beside and under sidewalks, driveways, and foundations. They typically emerge from under baseboards, expansion joints, heat registers, and false ceilings.

Acrobat Ant Crematogaster spp.

Length: 1/10 - 1/6 inch

Color: yellowish-brown to red and black

The acrobat ant gets its name from their ability to acrobatically raise their abdomen over their thorax and head, when alarmed.

These ants nest in a variety  of sites, usually in dead wood, including branches and stems of trees, and other plants , rotten logs, tree holes, and stumps.

Inside they nest in woodworks such as door and window frames that have been damaged by insects or moisture.

The ant feeds on live and dead insects and honey dew

Larger Yellow Ant (Citronella) Acanthomyops interjectus

Size: 1/8 - 3/16

Length:  reddish-yellow to reddish-brown

They have a distinct lemon-like smell when alarmed or crushed, it is also called citronella or perfumed yellow ant because of the odor.

This ant is a nuisance when the winged ants swarm indoors or when workers dump soil from cracks in the floor or basement. Many often mistake them for termites. The ants prefer to nest in soil along the foundation of structures.

Field Ant Formica spp.

Length: 1/8 - 3/8 inch

Color: black, brown, yellowish, bicolored red and black.

Field ant mounds can reach a foot in diameter. They prefer nesting in soil in open areas, some species incorporates all twigs, grass stems, leaves, or pine needles. While they do not nest in homes they may enter households and structures when searching for food.

They feed on honey dew.

Carpenter Ants Camponotus spp.

Length: 1/4 - 3/4 inch

Color: blackish or very dark bodied, they can also have brown or reddish coloration along with the black.

Carpenter ants enter buildings to nest or forge. They are called “carpenters”, because they excavate their nest in wood creating smooth tunnels and galleries. They generally excavate in wood that is decayed or damaged by other insects. Homes or buildings located by woodlands are a prime candidate for carpenter ant infestations. The colony is generally located in a tree, stump, stack of firewood, and landscape logging. Wood that is moist and partially decayed is preferred by the ant.

Often the ants move in to the home or building solely to scavenge and feed. They sometimes enter the home via tree limbs or wires that touch the house. Indoor nests maybe found in windowsills, hollow doors, porch substructures, roofs, base boards, fireplaces, and  shingles.

The carpenter ant diet consists of animal and plant foods, they will also eat live and dead insects. The ant eats aphid honey dew and in the home they will eat foods such as honey, syrup, jelly and sugar. Carpenter ants will travel 100 yards or more from their nest for food.