Ticks
Ticks grow from the egg to the adult by what is called simple metamorphosis, meaning there is not a great change in their appearance. They emerge from the egg as a tick, shed their skin later to become the second stage and a slightly larger tick, and then shed one last time to become an adult tick. At this stage, males and females mate with the female laying a large number of eggs. The...
Read MoreRats
The name “Rodent” means “gnawing teeth”, and describes one prominent trait of all rodents – they gnaw, or chew on things. Of course, this may be because they are planning to eat the object, such as fruit or nuts, but often it simply they need to chew to prevent their incisor teeth from growing too long. There are many species of rats in the United States,...
Read MoreGophers
Because they have fur-lined pouches in their cheeks that they use for carrying food, the name “pocket” gopher is key to these animals name. The pouch is to carry food back to storage chambers and not used to carry dirt. They use their legs and teeth to create their tunnels, and then push the excess dirt to the surface. This creates the characteristic mound you will find in your...
Read MoreFleas
Fleas undergo what is called a “complete” life cycle. The four stages are the egg, larva, pupa, and the adult. The larva is a scavenger, feeding on whatever organic material it can find. It is only the adult flea that bites. However, one very important ingredient in the organic meal found by the larva is dried blood. The source of this meal are the fecal drops from the...
Read MoreJumping Spider
One of the most common jumping spider species in the U.S. is dark black with white spots on top of its abdomen and white spotting on its legs. But even the biggest individuals are not more than one inch long with their legs fully extended. This spider is called different names, including common Jumping Spider the Daring Jumping Spider the 3-Spotted Jumping Spider The jumping spider has a...
Read MoreBed Bugs
Bed bugs have bee associated with humans for quite a long time. It is believed that this bug originally evolved in the Middle East. While this species is not associated with the spread of any diseases, its bite can have a serious effects. Swelling and severe itching or other immune system reactions may be common to people who can be sensitive to its saliva. There are four...
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