Here we are once again. The dog days of summer and the hottest time of year. We’re in the thick of pest season, plain and simple. That’s why today we’re going to discuss a few of the bay area’s most wanted and talk about some common tampa pests you can found around your home.
Common Tampa Pests: ants
Maybe the most numerous bug in the entire world is the ant. They range from tiny, harmless ghost ants to the massive predatory fire ants. Some species can’t open their mouth wide enough to bite you, while others can deliver stings that feel like fire. But, what they do have in common is their bodies. Ants have a three part, segmented body and three pairs of legs. They live in colonies underground with othert individuals of the same species. And they’re all very capable of infesting your home.
Fire ants are probably the common tampa pest you want to find in your home the least. They’re widespread in the sunshine state, but they are not native. They were introduced to the United States around the end of World War II from central America. Since then, the fire ants have spread like the same fire they’re named after. Their range in America spans from Texas to the Southeast, and up into the Mid-Atlantic states.
This ant can both bite and sting, and have been observed to actually plan out their attacks. They will lie in wait until they get enough backup to takedown large prey, and then pounce when enough of them have made the odds more in their favor.
People bitten by Fire Ants have noted that by the time they began to bite and sting, there were dozens of them around their feet. This behavior is intentional, increasing the likelihood that they will be able to kill their prey, rather than induce a flight response that a smaller attack might trigger.
Armyworms
The fall armyworm caterpillar larvae have stripes running along the length of their body. One of these stripes is on each side, and another runs down the center of their back. They’re hairless caterpillars that have a base color that ranges from a yellowish green to a dark brown or grey color. The larvae will have stripes as well, but have a yellow and white marking on their head. They have four dark circular spots in the upper side of each segment. And they range from one sixteenth of an inch to one and a third inches as mature larvae.
Fall Armyworms pass the winter as partially grown larvae in the soil or under debris in grassy areas. Activity and growth are continuous except during very cold weather. When fully grown, they stop feeding for four days and then pupate over a 15 to 20 day period. Adults emerge in May and June. Females feed for 7 to 10 days on honeydew, nectar, or decaying fruit before laying eggs. Eggs are laid at night in clusters of 25 to 134 on grass or small grain leaves. A single female may live as an adult for 17 days and produce up to 2,000 eggs. Fall Armyworms have a very broad host range, but show a distinct preference for grasses, especially those planted in the landscape.
Plant damage is nearly identical to the damage caused by Sod webworms. Larvae will begin to consume just one side (front or back) of the leaf blade, then as the feeding progresses, the entire leaf blade will be consumed. Larvae will also burrow into the growing point of the plants, destroying potential new growth of plants, making this quite the pesky common tampa pest.
Weevils
This common tampa pest is one you’ve probably seen quite a few times, but couldn’t put a name to it. The weevil is dark brown and commonly has four light colored patches on their wings. They also have a prolonged head with a distinct, thin snout that extends downwards. They’re about one eighth of an inch long, and play dead when disturbed. In stored grain, like old bags of rice or bread, they breed quickly and can build up huge populations.
Rice weevils are internal feeders. The female uses her strong mandibles to chew a small hole in a grain kernel, where she deposits a single egg in the hole and seals it with a gelatinous fluid. Rice weevils are active fliers and often fly to grain storage bins and buildings from nearby fields. When disturbed, Rice weevils play dead by drawing their legs close to their body. They then lie still for several minutes before resuming movement. Rice weevils are similar to Granary weevils and they are both often referred to as the Snout weevils. They penetrate and feed on the internal portions of whole grains during the larval stage. Rice weevils are usually found in grain storage facilities, food processing plants, and whole foods markets. They will also infest old pasta, table beans, acorns, chestnuts, birdseed, sunflower seeds, and ornamental corn.
The Rice and Granary weevils are the most economically significant pests of stored grain. Rice weevils breed quickly and can build up huge populations in stored grain. Damage to grain products will be severe, as the larvae develop inside the grain kernels. Wheat, corn, macaroni, oats, barley, sorghum, kaffir seed, and buckwheat are just some of the grains and products these weevils destroy.
Common Tampa Pests: What To Do?
When it comes to infestations of many of these common tampa pests, there isn’t much that can be done by the layman. You’ll often need the help of a pro. And, when you can, it’s always better to go to a pro that uses natural methods of control.
Earth’s Best was founded in 1994 to provide effective and cutting edge and eco-friendly natural Brandon pest control. Earth’s Best can always provide you with the latest and most comprehensive range of services and information needed to protect your children, employees, pets and the environment.
We look forward to offering our Brandon pest control services to our current and future clients. To schedule an appointment please call us at 1-800-634-1313.
