Old-house Borer
You need to know…
- The old-house borer is a species of wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles). Contrary to its name, it is more often found in new houses; this is in part because new home construction may use wood infected with the beetle’s eggs.
- Originating in Europe, the old-house borer now has a worldwide distribution, including the Mediterranean, South Africa, Asia, USA and Canada. Recently it has been found in Perth, Australia. In Australia, it is known as the European House Borer.
- Old-house borers prefer seasoned softwoods, and particularly pine. Only the larvae feed on the wood. Larvae take two or three or more years to mature, depending on the moisture content of the wood. Larvae usually mature in the spring, and the mature adults then cut holes 6–10 mm in diameter to exit the wood.
- Adults are most active in the summer. They are black or brown with grayish “hair” on their upper bodies and wing cases. They have shiny spots that resemble eyes.
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Brown-banded Cockroach
You need to know…
- The Brown-banded cockroach is a small species of cockroach, measuring about 10 to 14mm long. It is tan to light brown. It has two light-colored bands across the wings and abdomen, they may sometimes appear to be broken or irregular but are quite noticeable. The bands may be partly obscured by the wings.
- They need less moisture than the German cockroach so they tend to be more broadly distributed in the home, such as in living rooms and bedrooms. They can often be found in homes and apartments, but are less common in restaurants. They tend not to be found in the daytime, since they avoid light.
- They are usually scavengers, and thus can eat a wide array of items, often almost anything organic, including decaying matter. It has been known to cause problems in hospitals by emerging at night to feed on bodily fluids, thereby risking cross-infection.
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Field Mouse
You need to know…
- Low on the food chain, these pests reproduce at an alarming rate.
- They aren’t especially vicious and rely on their size, speed, and own ingenuity to survive.
- It feasts on whatever it finds.
- Mice unfortunately are prone to carry disease, usually not plagues, but virulent things all the same.
- After maybe two weeks of pregnancy the mother births three to five baby mice.
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House Mouse
You need to know…
- As a wild animal the house mouse mainly lives associated with humans, causing damage to crops and stored food.
- House mice have an adult body length (nose to base of tail) of 7.5–10 cm and a tail length of 5–10 cm.
- House mice consume and contaminate food, pet food and animal feed.
- Pregnancy period is about 19–21 days, and they give birth to a litter of 3–14 young (average 6–8). One female can have some 5–10 litters per year.
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Milipedes
You need to know…
- Millipedes range from 2- 280 mm in length, and can have as few as eleven, to over a hundred segments. They are generally black or brown in colour, although there are few brightly coloured species.
- Most millipedes are herbivorous, and feed on decomposing vegetation or organic matter mixed with soil. A few species are omnivorous or carnivorous, and may prey on small arthropods, such as insects and centipedes, or on earthworms. Some species have piercing mouth parts that allow them to feed on plant juices.
- As far as humans are concerned, this chemical brew is fairly harmless, usually causing only minor effects on the skin, the main effect being discoloration, but other effects may also include pain, itching, local erythema, edema, blisters, eczema, and occasionally cracked skin. Eye exposures to these secretions causes general eye irritation and potentially more severe effects such as conjunctivitis and keratitis. First aid consists of flushing the area thoroughly with water; further treatment is aimed at relieving the local effects.
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Firebrat
You need to know…
- Firebrats are typically 1–1.5 cm.
- They prefer higher temperatures and require some humidity, and can be found in bakeries and near boilers or furnaces. They feed on a wide variety of carbohydrates and starches that are also protein sources such as flour and book bindings.
- They can contaminate food, damage paper goods, and stain clothing.
- females can lay up to 195 eggs in a lifetime. After incubation (12–13 days), the nymphs hatch. The complete life cycle may be passed in 2 to 4 months; thus several generations may result each year.
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