What Are Termites? Small, pale insects that live in large colonies and feed on wood, causing significant structural damage to buildings. Also known as “white ants.”

The Threat:

• Colonies can have millions of termites spread across half an acre
• They eat wood 24/7, never sleeping
• Cause damage from the inside out – you may not notice until significant structural damage occurs
• Queen can live up to 18 years, making colonies long-lasting
• Have been destroying wood for over 250 million years

Types of Termites:

• Drywood – infest sound wood, wallpaper, and plastics
• Dampwood – target wet/damaged wood
• Subterranean – build mud tubes, most common type

Warning Signs:

• Mud tubes on walls/foundations
• Flying/swarming termites
• Rippling or sunken areas behind wallpaper
• Shed wings around windows/doors

When to Act:

• Before construction begins
• Before renovations
• When termites are spotted
• For preventative protection

Treatment Options:

• Pre-construction soil treatment
• Post-construction slab injection
• Termite baiting systems
• Residual spray treatments

What Are Ants? Small insects that usually live in complex social colonies with one or more breeding queens. They are wingless except for fertile adults, which often form large mating swarms, and are known for their industriousness.

The Problem:

• Different ant species invade homes, especially kitchens, searching for food and water
• Some species can nest in walls and ceilings
• While they do little direct damage, nests can become very large and bothersome
• Should be controlled to prevent major infestations

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Ant trails – visible lines of ants marching
• Live ants – seeing individual or groups of ants
• Ant nests – visible colonies or entry points

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice ants presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• For regular maintenance and prevention

Treatment Methods:

• Residual spray treatments
• Gel baiting applications

What Are Cockroaches? Beetle-like insects with long antennae and legs that feed by scavenging. Several tropical species have become established worldwide as major pests in homes and food service establishments.

Health Risks:

• Carry dangerous diseases like salmonella
• Trigger allergic reactions in some individuals
• Pose serious health risks to families

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Droppings/Feces – small dark spots or pellets
• Shed skins – from molting process
• Egg cases – brown, oval-shaped casings
• Musty odor – distinctive smell in infested areas
• Poor sanitation areas – where they’re commonly found

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice cockroaches presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• For regular maintenance and prevention

Treatment Methods:

• Residual spray treatments
• Gel baiting applications
• Strategic baiting systems

What Are Mosquitoes? Slender, long-legged flies with aquatic larvae. Bloodsucking females have tube-like mouthparts (proboscis) that pierce skin to consume blood. They are small, midge-like flies from the Culicidae family.

Health Risks:

• Transmit serious diseases including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, encephalitis, and filariasis
• Act as dangerous disease vectors when passing from host to host
• Cause significant numbers of bites in residential areas

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Sudden increase in mosquito numbers
• Daily itching bites from mosquito activity
• Can’t step outside without mosquitoes buzzing around you
• Significant bite numbers in residential areas

When Infestations Occur:

• During warm weather, often after heavy rains or floods
• In hot, damp climates with perfect breeding conditions
• Areas with dense bushes, grasses, and trees
• Where stagnant water exists (main cause – mosquitoes lay eggs in unmoving water)

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice mosquitoes presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• For regular maintenance purposes

Treatment Methods:

• Fogging (oil-based/water-based)
• Larvaciding treatments
• Mosquito repellent applications
• Electric mosquito killers
• Breeding ground reduction by minimizing stagnant water sources

What Are Rats? Rodents that resemble large mice, typically having a pointed snout and a long, sparsely haired tail. Some species have become cosmopolitan and are sometimes responsible for transmitting diseases.

Health Risks:

• Responsible for transmitting various diseases
• Pose serious health threats to families and properties

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Rat droppings – dark, pellet-shaped feces
• Scratching noises – especially at night in walls/ceilings
• Footprints/tracks – visible paw prints in dusty areas
• Strong odor – musky smell from urine and droppings
• Nests – shredded materials in hidden areas
• Burrows – holes and tunnels around property
• Poor sanitation areas – where they commonly hide
• Property damage – gnaw marks on furniture, wires, food packaging

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice rats presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• For regular maintenance purposes

Treatment Methods:

• Trapping systems
• Cage trapping
• Baiting programs

What Are Flies? Flying insects of a large order characterized by a single pair of transparent wings and sucking mouthparts. Flies are noted as vectors of disease. The common house fly is medium-sized (1/6 to 1/4 inch long) and is a pest all over the world.

Physical Characteristics:

• Adult has fourth wing vein sharply angled
• Four length-wise dark stripes on top of thorax
• Face has two velvety stripes (silver above, gold below)
• Single pair of transparent wings

Health Risks:

• Noted as vectors of disease
• Can contaminate surfaces with saliva and fecal material

Where They Come From:

• If flies are around your property, there’s likely a food source nearby allowing them to breed
• The source of infestation must be located before taking measures

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Large numbers of adult flies around the property
• Creamy-white maggots about 6mm long on garbage or manure
• Deposits of saliva and fecal material on walls and surfaces where flies rest (in heavy infestations)

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice flies presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• For regular maintenance purposes

Treatment Methods:

• Fly traps – traditional trapping systems
• Electronic fly traps – modern electric solutions
• Fly baits – targeted bait systems
• ULV-misting – ultra-low volume misting treatments

What Are Geckos? Insect-eating lizards found in almost every household. Have pads on toes that enable them to cling to smooth surfaces or stay inverted on ceilings using microscopic hook-like projections.

Benefits vs. Problems:

• Beneficial: Consume insects
• Problems: Can become pests themselves

Warning Signs:

• Large volume droppings – greater than cockroach feces and tend to smear
• Droppings soil walls and contaminate exposed food
• Nesting in drawers – eggs often found in undergarments

What Are Bed Bugs? Small, oval, brownish insects that live on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, their bodies swell and turn reddish in color.

Behavior & Characteristics:

• Do not fly, but move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings
• Female bedbugs may lay hundreds of eggs (size of dust specks) over a lifetime
• Do not have nests like ants or bees, but live in groups in hiding places
• Opportunistic insects that can bite during day or night

Where They Come From:

• Enter homes through luggage, clothing, and used beds
• Initial hiding places: mattresses, box springs, and bed frames
• Can hide in electrical switchplates, picture frames, wallpaper
• Found nearly anywhere inside homes, cars, or other shelters

Warning Signs:

• Waking up with itchy areas you didn’t have when you went to sleep
• Bites typically occur during night when you’re sleeping
• Heavy infestations may result in daytime biting

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice bed bug presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated

Treatment Methods:

• Residual spray treatments
• ULV-misting applications

What Are Dog Ticks? Small brown parasitic organisms that live in wooded areas and fields. These organisms need blood from humans or animals to survive.

Health Risks:

• Carriers of various serious diseases
• Can transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Pass diseases onto people they bite

Behavior & Characteristics:

• Attach themselves to you, family members, or pets
• Move quickly across the body but prefer warm and moist areas
• Bite is painless (unlike other insect bites)
• Burrow their head firmly into skin once they find a suitable spot

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Large numbers of ticks found on your body or pet
• Brown or black spots on skin that should be examined
• Ticks attached to warm, moist areas of the body
• Painless bites with ticks burrowed into skin

Where They Come From:

• During infestations, ticks attach to humans and pets
• More commonly found on animals allowed to go outside
• Require blood from people or animals to survive

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice dog ticks presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated
• See doctor right away if you have symptoms and have been in tick-infested areas

Treatment Methods:

• Residual spray treatments
• ULV-misting applications
• Prevention measures (vacuuming, regular pet checks, tick prevention medications)

What Are Cat Fleas? Small sucking insects ranging from 1-2 mm long, usually reddish-brown in color (though this can vary). The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is one of the most abundant and widespread species of flea on Earth. The cat flea’s primary host is the domestic cat.

Characteristics:

• Very small size (1-2 mm long)
• Reddish-brown coloration
• Sucking insects that feed on blood
• One of the most widespread flea species globally

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice cat fleas presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated

Treatment Methods:

• Residual spray treatments
• ULV-misting applications
• Treat both your pet and your home – fleas can survive without a host for many months
• Visit your veterinarian for advice on the best products for your pet

What Are Wood Borers? A diverse group of insects that bore into trees and shrubs, completing their development either under the bark, or inside the sapwood or heartwood. Wood borers can be classified into several groups: wood boring beetles, ambrosia beetles, moths, and horntail wasps.

The Problem:

• Act as recyclers of organic material (cellulose) in nature
• In forests, they help break down wood from dead trees after disturbances
• In homes, they can seriously affect the value of wood products
• Their feeding causes defects in wood such as furniture damage

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Beetles collecting on window sills or corners of rooms
• Flight holes in the surface of weatherboards, wooden furniture, skirting, doors and door frames, window frames
• Sub-floor and roof timber damage – can cause the greatest harm to your house
• Emergence holes in timber and wood products

Areas to Check:

• Window sills and room corners
• Weatherboards and wooden furniture
• Skirting, doors, and door frames
• Window frames
• Sub-floor and roof timbers (most critical areas)

Treatment Methods:

• Inspect timber and wood products when selecting or when delivered for emergence holes
• Reduce moisture inside the home with proper ventilation, drainage, and dehumidifiers
• Call pest controller for professional inspection and treatment

What Are Birds? Warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, and a beak, and typically able to fly.

The Problem:

• While beautiful creatures, birds can be a nuisance
• Bring diseases that may be passed between animals and humans
• Can become problematic if they get too comfortable at your property

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Bird droppings – visible waste around property
• Feathers – scattered around nesting or roosting areas
• Noise – birds are naturally noisy creatures
• Messy conditions – birds create mess around their habitats
• Other signs – visible evidence of birds on your home

Characteristics:

• Generally easy to spot infestations due to their noisy, messy nature
• Need to discourage birds before it becomes a major problem

When to Act:

• Immediately once you notice birds presence
• Population increases extremely fast if left untreated

Treatment Methods:

• Bird proofing/spikes – physical deterrents
• Bird netting – exclusion barriers
• Bird repellent – chemical/natural deterrents

What Are Snakes? Legless reptiles related to crocodiles and lizards. Their bodies are covered with scales and they can swallow other living things much bigger than their head.

Behavior:

• Most snakes are timid creatures that avoid contact with humans
• Only attack if cornered or provoked, usually as a form of defense
• Sometimes found in building compounds

Treatment:

• Contact Fire or Wildlife Department for assistance if you encounter one

What Are Bees, Wasps, and Hornets?

• Bees: Fuzzy, flying insects with yellow and black stripes. Two types common in Malaysia: honeybee and bumblebee
• Wasps and Hornets: Have similar hairless bodies. Major difference is size and color
• Wasps: About 1/3 inch to 1 inch long with black and yellow rings
• Hornets: Larger than wasps with black and white rings

Benefits vs. Risks:

• Bees: Beneficial because they pollinate plants
• Wasps and Hornets: Help by eating other insects
• Hazards: All three can be dangerous – stings can be hazardous to those allergic to their venom
• Sting Behavior: They only sting if they feel they or their nests are in danger
• Key Difference: Bees die after stinging, while wasps and hornets do not die after stinging

Warning Signs of Infestation:

• Many bees, wasps or hornets flying around your home
• Insects hunting for food and protecting their nests
• Nuisance presence – when their presence becomes bothersome

Where They Nest:

• Verandas, ceilings, attics, walls
• Trees and shrubs
• Holes and small burrows (often near food sources)
• Areas near fallen fruit, flowers, or nectar-producing plants

Prevention:

• Eliminate food sources if possible to prevent them from setting up nests

What Are Silverfish? Insects that feed on starch, resulting in damage to paper, fabrics, glues, organic materials, silk, and some synthetic fabrics.

Where Found:

• Often in damp areas
• Frequently seen foraging at night in kitchens and pantries
• Around showers, baths, and sinks (feeding on cellulose in shampoos, shaving foams)

Health Risks:

• Untreated infestations can cause food contamination, posing health hazards to humans

Book Lice

What Are Book Lice? Barely visible bugs that feed on lichens, fungi, and paste used for book bindings – classic book destroyers.

Where Found:

• Dwell in dark and humid areas
• Often found inside old books that have gathered dust

Characteristics:

• Harmless and do not bite humans
• Can be killed by exposing them to sun and drying them out

Treatment:

• Natural method: Expose to sun to dry them out
• Professional treatment: Contact pest control for severe infestations with insecticide