Ray Buchko
Owner, Graduate Entomologist |
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| The PestAgon™ Bug Identification Guide |
ANTS:
Velvet • Fire • Pharaoh • Ghost • Crazy • Acrobat • Thief • Fire • Carpenter • White-footed
Major pests in Florida, ants contaminate food,
spread disease and in certain cases inflict painful
stings. Ants will consume a wide variety of foods,
sugars, proteins, oils, insects and honeydew,
which is produced by aphids on exterior foliage.
Leave ant mounds alone. Do not stand on or near
mounds. If you accidentally disturb a mound and
get stung, seek medical attention.
Velvet Ants are very large and unusually red
or dark orange in color. They must not be handled as they cause
a very painful
sting. Their appearance is wingless and ant-like,
covered with hair, bright red, orange, or yellow.
They are solitary on ground.
Fire Ants are aggressive and capable of a painful
sting. Take precaution by making sure not to
stand on or near fire ant mounds, as you are
sure to be stung. Their appearance is yellowish
to dark red with stinger on end of abdomen. The
mounds are 3” - 36” high. |
 Velvet
Ant
Fire Ant |
Wasps:
Wasps are considered beneficial insects, because
they kill many harmful insects around homes
and gardens. However, if
provoked, they will sting. Individuals that are
highly allergic to insect venoms can quickly go into shock. Difficulty
in breathing or swallowing, drop in blood pressure, nausea
or abdominal pain are indications for prompt medical attention. |
1. Cicada Killer 2. Yellow Jacket 3. Mud Dauber
4. Paper Wasp |
Ticks:
The Brown Dog Tick and the American Dog tick
are both found in Florida. Dogs are the preferred
host for the ticks and rarely will they attack
humans. The home can become infested after
a tick takes a blood meal and lays up to 3,000
eggs in the home. Pets should be treated with
a systemic flea/tick product at all times.
Tick removal inside the home can take up to
60 days to accomplish. |
1. Brown Dog Tick 2. American Dog Tick |
Fleas:
Once a flea infestation is present indoors, breaking
the life cycle can be a drawn out process.
Fleas can be a vector of disease and are hosts
for tapeworms. Dogs are often infested with
tapeworms by ingesting a flea while biting
and scratching flea bites. Pet owners must
realize that all healthy pets should be on
a systemic flea control material (drop of liquid
insecticide placed on neck) or they are at
serious risk of an indoor flea infestation. |
Adult Flea |
CATERPILLARS
Saddleback, Puss, IO Moth, Hag Moth
These caterpillars feed on vegetation and have
spines on their bodies. If you touch the caterpillars,
the spines break off in the skin releasing venom
that causes a burning sensation. Any caterpillars
that have spines or a fuzzy appearance should
not be handled, as they most likely are venomous. |
1. Saddleback 2. Puss 3. Hag Moth 4. IO Moth |
SPIDERS
Widow • Brown Recluse
Almost all Florida Spiders are harmless and incapable
of breaking human skin even if provoked to bite; but there
are a few harmful (venomous) species that can
be encountered.
The Widow Spider (black, red, and brown) have
hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen. Brown Widow
spiders can be found under leaves around the
outside of houses and under patio furniture.
Brown widow egg cases are easy to identify as
they look like the marbles with spines like a
sand spur. Widow Spider’s bites look like
two tiny red spots, and muscle cramps begin within
15 minutes to 3 hours, medical attention should
be prompt.
The Brown Recluse spider is not an established
species in Florida; its natural habitat is in the Mississippi
River Valley. The Recluse spider bite causes
necrosis of the skin and cutting on the side
of the bite helps protect the surrounding tissue.
Even though the Brown Recluse is not believed
to be able to reproduce in Florida’s climate, it can be moved here
in boxes, furniture etc. |
1. Black Widow 2. Brown Recluse 3. Brown Widow
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