Jack and Elizabeth at Yosemite Falls.

Jack DeAngelis, PhD, OSU Associate Professor Emeritus; Extension Urban Entomologist (ret.)

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Ants belong to the hymenopteran family Formicidae. Ants form complex societies based on division of labor wherein a queen controls the activity of the colony and is solely responsible for reproduction. Large, complex ant colonies can be formidable pests. Pestiferous ants come in three broadly defined types: household nuisance ants, carpenter ants, ants that bite and sting, for example, fire ants (Solenopsis spp.).

Bed bugs are small hemipteran insects that bite to obtain blood. While bed bugs have been associated with human habitation for thousands of years they have been under relatively good control, in many parts of the world, since the end of World War II. Recently, however, bed bugs have started to re-emerge as important pests in dwellings.

Cockroaches (Dictyoptera) are medium to large insects that are often associated with unsanitary conditions where food is prepared or served. Some species have closely adapted to living peridomestically with humans by sharing our food, water and living spaces. Cockroach infestations usually are an indication of some other underlying problem.

Dust mites (Dermatophagoides spp.) are tiny mites that feed on the dead skin and hair (dander) that we shed every day. Dust mites live in carpets, bedding and other fabrics that collect this dander. Dust mites excrete an allergen to which many people are highly sensitive.

Fleas (Siphonaptera) are small wingless insects that bite to obtain blood. Fleas bites can transmit the deadly bubonic plague bacillus which is still endemic in parts of the US. Fleas are most notable, however, as external parasites (ectoparasites) of dogs and cats.

Like fleas, head lice (Anoplura; Pediculus humanus capitis) are small wingless insects that bite to obtain blood. Head lice do not transmit disease, however. Head lice infestations (pediculosis) are especially common in school-age children and cause great concern among parents.

Pubic lice, or crab lice, prefer areas of the body (groin, chest, armpits, eyelashes) where thicker hairs grow. Public lice are able to attach their eggs (nits) to these hairs.

Mosquitoes are small delicate flies (Diptera) that bite to obtain blood. Mosquito-transmitted diseases such as yellow fever and malaria have had, and continue to have, a profound effect on human society. Mosquito larvae develop in standing water and therefore adult mosquitoes tend to be most numerous in wet environments.

Spiders, mites and ticks are arachnids and differ from insects in some important ways. Arachids typically have four pairs of walking legs as adults while insects have three pairs. Arachnids lack antennae and display just two distinct body segments; insects have three segments. Spiders are predatory while ticks are ectoparasites on vertebrate animals, and mites display a wide diversity of lifestyles.

Termites (Isoptera) are highly specialized social insects that are adapted to feeding directly on the cellulose of wood fiber. Termites live in colonies, like other social insects, that are intimately associated with the wood on which they feed. Subterranean termites build colonies on wood that is buried in soil whereas drywood termites build colonies above ground with no connection to soil moisture.

Yellowjackets are social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) that make large, papery, nests that may be suspended above ground or buried below ground. Most yellowjacket wasps are predatory while a few species have adapted a scavenger habit. The scavenger species tend to be the most pestiferous because they frequent our outdoor activities, especially in late summer.

There are many other insects and related arthropods that impact people and property. Some of these pests are regional in distribution or only occasionally appear in damaging numbers. Check this topics list for biology and control information for the most frequently encountered of these minor pests.

Identification of an unknown insect or mite can be a challenge. Insect identification guides are available but will require some study because there are so many different insects. You can also contact your local county Agricultural Extension office for help.