Bed bugs have been around and bugging people for thousands

As you put up Halloween decorations and prepare for trick-or-treaters, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for some real creepy crawlers that could be lurking around your yard and home.

Ohio is home to more than 620 species of spiders…and all of them are venomous, except for one. The good news is, most of the time, spiders are not harmful to humans or pets, since the amount of venom they possess is minimal. Spiders have eight legs and two fangs, and they serve an important role in keeping other pest populations under control.

Closeup of a housefly with its reflection in a glass windowThe watermelon has been sliced, corn shucked, and burgers seared to perfection. You finally sit down at the picnic table with your friends and family to enjoy your barbeque, when a massive fly lands on the potato salad. Two more show up on the hamburger buns, and before you know it, you’re swatting flies between bites.

Ants aren’t just pests that invite themselves to outdoor picnics. They can invade your home, carry bacteria into your living spaces, and can even cause structural damage to your house.

About 25 species of ants in the United States invade homes each year, and they are particularly active in the spring and summer months. Worker ants are constantly in search of food and moisture to take back to their colonies, and a place like your kitchen is the perfect location to find both.If you spy a trail of ants in your house, follow these steps to get rid of them and keep them away.

Spring has officially arrived, along with the tree pollen, blooming flowers and bugs. According to the National Pest Management Association, spring is also termite season because, sometime after the last freeze, young adult male and female swarmers emerge from their nests in large groups. Since swarms tend to be the only outwardly visible sign of termites, people mistakenly believe they’re only active in spring, when they’re actually quite busy all year long.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) on white backgroundAfter a long winter, it may seem like spring’s arrival has come at a crawling pace. March marks the official beginning of spring, as well as the unofficial launch of pest season. As temperatures warm up and moisture peaks, insects come creeping.

Just as different flowers bloom in the spring versus the summer, there is a seasonality to bugs. You’re more likely to see different species at certain times of the year, and spring pests are not for the faint-hearted.

Little queenHave you ever seen a small, black insect flying in your house and wondered: Is it is an ant? Could it be a termite? Can ants even fly?

We’re here to tell you that ants can fly…and so can termites. In fact, the flying members of ant and termite colonies are the only ones that can reproduce. Both ants and termites fly – or “swarm” – when they’re breeding. After mating has occurred, males will die, and queens will drop their wings and move to a nesting site.

After a warm start to our winter here in the Miami Valley, we’ve certainly made up time with recent snow events and another visit from our friend, “Polar Vortex,” a few weeks ago.

While enduring cold winter weather can be annoying, some would argue it’s better than dealing with mosquitoes and other winged-nuisances that plague southwest Ohio in the summer months.

The largest ant in Ohio—as well as the nation—can be found right here in our part of the state. Ohio is home to 13 different ant species, with carpenter ants being the largest. The biggest carpenter ants (winged queens) measure up to three-quarters of an inch.

Carpenter ants eat plant and animal matter, but they can cause serious damage by chewing through wooden structures and other materials to form pathways between their nests and food sources.

During winter months, food sources become scarce, and weather becomes frigid, which can drive raccoons to seek food and shelter in human environments. Consequently, raccoon populations are higher in suburban and urban areas than rural areas.

With their masked faces and ringed tails, they may look cute, but raccoons can be real pests. The average raccoon is 2-to-3 feet long and weighs 10-to-30 pounds. Though relatively tiny, these critters can cause some big damage. Raccoons wreaking havoc Raccoons can cause considerable destruction by dumping and tearing through garbage cans, scratching vehicles by climbing on or over them, and digging up gardens and bulbs planted in the ground.