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Pest Files: page 22

One reference page per pest: identification, the damage it does, what treatment involves and how long it realistically takes.

Articles

Kitchen worktop meeting the wall with crumbs and a damp patch near the sink in morning lightAnts

Ant Identification: The Species That Get Into US Homes

Seven house-invading ants drawn to scale, from the 0.8 mm thief ant to the 12.7 mm carpenter ant, plus the waist-node key that separates them.

September 18, 2026Porch light glowing at dusk against a house wall with small flying insects circling itTermites

Termite Swarm Season: When Each Species Actually Flies

Eastern subterranean termites swarm February to April, Formosan April to July and only after dark. A month-by-month chart by species, and why swarmers indoors mean something...

September 18, 2026Cattle grazing in a dry south Texas pasture at golden hourFlies, moths and pantry pests

Screwworm Returns After 60 Years: What Owners Should Know

The US was free of it from 1966 until June 3, 2026. CDC rates the current public risk very low. What to watch for on animals,...

September 14, 2026Plastic buckets and a tub left beside a garden fence holding standing rainwaterMosquitoes and ticks

What Mosquito Spraying Does About Disease Risk

Florida has 111 locally acquired dengue cases in 2026 so far. Barrier sprays are measured on mosquito numbers, not illness. Only county-wide aerial spraying has disease...

September 14, 2026Mound of loose reddish soil raised in a patch of green lawn grassAnts

The Fire Ant Quarantine Covers 367 Million Acres

A federal rule since 1958, binding businesses that move soil, sod and hay. It dropped from 14 states to 13 in August 2025. Plus why mound-by-mound...

September 14, 2026Brown dog standing in the grass of a fenced back yard on a summer afternoonMosquitoes and ticks

The Asian Longhorned Tick Is Found on Dogs More Than Cattle

USDA records 179 detections on dogs against 73 on cattle. One female can found a population without mating, which is why a single treatment does not...

September 14, 2026Porch light and lit window on the side of a house at dusk with insects gathering around the lightFleas and biting bugs

Kissing Bugs and Chagas: What Exclusion Can Actually Do

No insecticide is approved specifically for kissing bugs in the US. Found in 32 states, with local human transmission documented in 8. The work is sealing...

September 14, 2026Mown lawn meeting tall unmown grass and brush at the edge of a yardMosquitoes and ticks

Does Yard Tick Spraying Prevent Alpha-Gal Syndrome?

A trial of 2,727 households cut ticks 63% and changed human illness not at all. What that means for the tick-bite meat allergy, and what does...

September 14, 2026Circular orb spider web covered in dew strung between garden shrubs at sunriseSpiders and scorpions

Joro Spiders: What the Research Actually Found

Volunteers bitten under medical supervision reported a median pain score of 1 out of 10. No extension service in any affected state recommends chemical control.

September 14, 2026Large mature tree shading a front lawn on a quiet suburban street in late summerAutumn invaders

Spotted Lanternfly: Should You Pay Anyone to Treat It?

Penn State says not every tree needs treating and insecticide will not stop more arriving. Ohio went statewide in February 2026. The real choice is pest...

September 14, 2026Grey papery wasp nest built under the eaves of a house with a few wasps on its surfaceWasps and bees

The Murder Hornet Is Gone. What You Are Actually Seeing

Declared eradicated in December 2024 after only four nests were ever found in the US. A diagnostic lab reports most suspect insects are European hornets.

September 14, 2026Open garage or storage unit with plain cardboard boxes stacked on wooden shelving in daylightRats and mice

Mouse Droppings and Hantavirus: The Cleanup CDC Requires

The CDC has recorded 890 hantavirus cases since 1993 and 35% were fatal. Why sweeping and vacuuming are the wrong move, and the protocol that replaces...

September 14, 2026