Argentine Ant
If you live in southern California, you probably have seen endless single file columns of these uninvited six-legged guests walking through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone “scent” trail initially laid down by scouts who were searching out for food and water. Although they prefer the outdoor life style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are...
Read MoreBlack Widow Spider
Black Widow spiders may be the only spider in North America with the potential to kill us, and over a couple of hundred years of record keeping no more than one person died each year from the venom of this spider. Now, with the availability of antivenin at most major hospitals, deaths from black widow bites are extremely rare, and in the U.S. there have been no confirmed deaths since...
Read MoreRecluse Spider
Is the Brown Recluse Spider dangerous? The bite of the Brown Recluse certainly can cause a problem, but it rarely could be considered life threatening. The venom of the Brown Recluse is a cytotoxic venom, meaning it attacks only the local area surrounding the bite. There is no antidote for Brown Recluse venom. The problem is that the venom from the Brown Recluse is removed from our...
Read MoreEarwig
Earwigs got their name from the myth that they crawl into sleeping people’s ears . Contrary to folklore, earwigs do not crawl into ears and do not carry common diseases, but their menacing appearance can be alarming to a homeowner. The long cerci, or clippers, on their backsides easily identify an earwig. Actually, earwigs hide during the day and feed on decaying organic...
Read MoreMice
The House Mouse really does not belong in the United States. It is native to the dry grasslands of eastern Asia, but hundreds of years ago it hitchhiked aboard ships that transported it to America. As an introduced species now living where natural predators do not exist, the House Mouse flourished, competing with the existence of native animals in the process.Other mice you may be...
Read MoreScorpions
Can scorpions sting? Certainly, they have a very well developed “stinger” at the tip of their tail, and a well-stocked venom sac right nearby. Are they really dangerous? Perhaps, as some species do have venom that is capable of killing humans. However, this number is extraordinarily low compared with hundreds of other risks we take each day such as driving on the...
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