Cockroaches & Ants - Oh My!

What are BUGS? • “Bugs” to the average person means “many-legged” critters! • Most “bugs” are ARTHROPODS of some kind (includes insects, spiders & ticks, millipedes & centipedes, sowbugs, etc.) • True bugs are insects in the order Hemiptera! (plant bugs, lace bugs, stink bugs, etc.) • Most “Bugs” are HARMLESS!

Characteristics of the Phylum Arthropoda • The segmented bodies are arranged into regions, called tagmata (e.g., head, thorax, abdomen). • The paired appendages (e.g., legs, antennae) are jointed. • They posses a chitinous exoskeletion that must be shed during growth. • They have bilateral symmetry. • The nervous system is dorsal (belly) (brain is “hard wired” – little ability to change); and the circulatory system is open and ventral (back).

Arthropod Groups (taxa) The arthropods are divided into two large groups that exist today: The Chelicerates and The Mandibulates

Orders of Arachnids • Scorpionida - scorpions • Pseudoscorpionida - false scorpions • Phalangida - daddy-long-legs or harvestmen • Acari - mites & ticks • Araneida - spiders

pedipalps & chelicerae cephalothorax abdomen Mite and Tick Body Regions

American dog tick male Blacklegged (deer) tick female

pedipalp chelicera (fang) cephalothorax narrow waist abdomen Spider Anatomy

Abdomen Cephalothorax Chelicera (fang) Pedipalp Jumping Spider

Millipede (Diplopoda) Two pair of legs per visible segment, attached under body. Centipede (Chilopoda) Pair of fangs under head, one pair legs per visible segment - attached to side of body. Myriapods [one pair of antennae, head & trunk regions, trunk with many pairs of legs]

Millipede (Diplopoda) Centipede (Chilopoda)

Classes of Crustacea (mostly marine, fresh water, a few terrestrial) (all have two pair of antennae, five or more pairs of legs, segmented abdominal appendages, head & trunk or cephalothorax & abdomen body arrangement, have gills) • Isopoda - sowbugs or pillbugs • Amphipoda - sand fleas, amphipods • Cirripedia - barnicles • Decapoda - crabs, lobster, shrimp • several other minor orders

Crayfish cephalothorax (Decapoda) Sowbug (Isopoda), a terrestrial crustacean

Class Insecta (all have one pair of antennae, a head, thorax & abdominal regions, three pair of legs, adults usually have wings, use trachea) Life Cycle Groups • Incomplete - egg, nymph, adult stages • Complete - egg, larva, pupa, adult stages

Egg Nymphal Adult Stage Stage Stage Incomplete Life Cycle Example (hairy chinch bug) egg 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th shortwing normal wing instar instar instar instar instar adult adult

Egg Larval Pupal Adult Stage Stage Stage Stage Complete Life Cycle Example (northern masked chafer) egg 1st 2nd 3rd pupa adult instar instar instar

Cockroaches • Ancient group (survivors!) • Incomplete life cycle (eggs in cases) • Omnivores (eat almost any food) • Anthropomorphic species (tropical & subtropical species that live in the “comfort” of human buildings)

Cockroaches • Watch out for names! • “Roach” or “Cockroach” (often unacceptable to have!) • “Waterbugs” (everyone has ‘em!)

Cockroach Species Domestic Ohio Species • German • Brownbanded • American • Oriental (=waterbug) Native Species • Woods roach

American Cockroach

Oriental Cockroach (=“waterbug”)

Brownbanded Cockroach

German Cockroach

Cockroach Species

Cockroach Management • Monitor (sticky traps, flushing agents, determine extent of population) • Sanitation • Exclusion (caulking, parameter sprays) • Crack & Crevice Sprays or Dusts (treat all areas at once) • Baits(eliminate other foods!)

Nuisance Ants • Food Preferences (sugars, oils, or omnivores) • Nesting Habits (soil, tree voids, or building voids) • Worker Types (single - monomorphic - or multiple sizes - polymorphic) • Reproductive Strategy (single or multiple queens)

Common Ohio Ants Carpenter Ant • Characterized by having polymorphic workers • Nest by excavating decaying wood or voids (they don’t eat the wood, they cast out wood shavings!) • Major nests in trees (satellite nests in buildings where water is available) • Most active at night (best time to find colony(ies) is at night!)

Carpenter Ant Management • Locate nesting site(s) (outside and/or inside - look at night, repair water damaged structures) • Prune back trees and shrubs touching infested building • Seal external entry sites • Exclude with parameter sprays • Treat colonies (injection, dusts) (baiting is rarely successful)

Common Ohio Ants House & Building Invaders • Larger Yellow (Citronella) Ant • Odorous House Ant • Acrobat Ants • Argentine Ant • Little Black Ant • Pavement Ant • Pharaoh Ant • Thief Ant

Ant Management • Identify species! • Locate nesting site (outside and/or inside) • Prune back trees and shrubs touching infested building • Seal external entry sites • Exclude with parameter sprays • Select appropriate bait • Treat colonies (injection, dusts, baits)

Household Related Parasites • Fleas • Ticks • Lice (head, body, pubic) • Mosquitoes • No-see-ums (ceratopogonids) • Bird mites

Fleas • Cat, dog & rat fleas are most commonly found (cat flea is, by far, the most common on dogs and cats!) • Adults suck blood for food • Eggs drop from host • Flea larvae feed on organic debris & blood excrement from adult fleas • Pupae may remain dormant

Flea Life Cycle Eggs - 2-14 days Larvae - 7-60 days Pupae - 5-15 days Adults - 2-12 months females - 15-20 eggs/day - 600 total

Flea Control Coordination Pet Exterior Interior

Human Lice • Head louse most common (obtained by contact and exchanging clothing, especially hats and head gear) • Body louse very uncommon • Pubic louse fairly common (obtained ONLY by body-to-body contact!)

Mosquitoes • Many species involved • Larvae grow in temporary pools of water (from acres of wet fields to tiny tree holes and roadside cans, old tires, or trash) • May require area treatments

Cockroaches & Ants - Oh My!