In our last blog, we discussed some of the stranger, lesser-known pests that occasionally make their way into Little Rock homes. Though cockroaches, rodents, spiders, and termites cause plenty of trouble on their own, they are usually fairly easy to identify, which makes our job at Clark Exterminating easier.
If you need pest control services including cockroach extermination in North Little Rock, rodent control in Hot Springs or even termite inspections in Conway give our team at Clark Exterminating a call today. Until then, here are some fun facts about Central Arkansas’ lesser-known insects.
Silverfish are small, but just think of the name and you can probably identify one fairly easily. If it’s bright silver and moves like a fish, there’s probably a good chance you’re on the right track. However, what most people don’t know is that the silverfish mating ritual is extremely complicated, consisting of three phases. One of these phases even includes the male running away from the female.Centipedes
Centipedes can range anywhere from 1/8-6″ long, and though they are known for having “a hundred legs” they actually can have anywhere from 15-177 pairs of legs. However, one little-known fact about centipedes is that their front set of legs is actually not used for walking (though you won’t like what its actual use is). Instead, they use their front legs to attack and paralyze through injecting venom. Centipedes are the only type of pest that has these “attack legs”.
Millipedes are probably the most distinctive uncommon insect you’re likely to see under your leaf piles or trash. They are long, worm-like, and love moisture, so like many pests the drier your house, the better. Unlike centipedes, millipedes aren’t aggressive but they do secrete an unpleasant fluid that can irritate humans and be dangerous to small animals, so if you see a millipede, then be sure to keep it away from your skin. What makes millipedes truly unique, however, is that fossil evidence suggests they were the first land-based, oxygen-breathing animals. In Scotland, a 428-million-year-old millipede fossil was found, which proves the millipede is an incredibly old species.
Earwigs are probably one of the more unsettling of the pests on this page because of their fairly large size and jaw-like cerci used for attack and defense. Equally uncomfortable is the earwig’s mating ritual, in which the male grabs the female with the same cerci that it uses to fight off predators and attack its prey.
While you’re not likely to see these pests every day, it helps to be aware of their defining characteristics in case you do run into problems with these pests invading your homes. If you need pest control across Central Arkansas, from Hot Springs to Cabot and Conway to Benton – Clark Exterminating can handle your Arkansas bug problem quickly and effectively to give you peace of mind in your home. Call Clark Exterminating today, fill out a contact us form for a free estimate or just stay up-to-date on Facebook or Twitter.