Other Insects & Bugs In Canada
There are so many types of bugs and insects in our natural habitats and urban environments that contribute to our biodiversity. We are not always fond of them, and sometimes, we must control their presence, but often, we just want to know what they are and what we should do about them. Here are some less common but often-found bugs and insects you may come across in Canada.
Alphabetically Listed – Other Insects & Bugs
Aphids are insects in the Superfamily Aphidoidea. They are also known as plant lice. Aphids are 4 to 8 mm long, pale green, black, red, or milky white, and have tiny, soft-bodied, elongated bodies.
Some species of aphids have wings, while others do not. Aphids infest plants and cause their leaves to wilt, yellow, curl, or spot. The stems and branches of plants infested with aphids may develop galls.
Plants outdoors with aphids may be treated with an appropriately registered and labelled insecticide. If aphids infest a structure’s interior, it is best to consult a trusted and reputable professional pest control company like Major Pest Control.
Chinch bugs are common residents of Canadian lawns, and they are normally found at a rate of fewer than 10 to 15 individuals per square foot of lawn. In such cases, other insect species, such as ants and ladybugs, feed on chinchbugs, keeping their populations in check.
When summers bring extreme heat or drought, numbers of other insects decline, allowing the population of chinchbugs to rapidly increase to greater than 100 individuals per square foot of lawn. A chinch bug infestation can be detected by lawn damage with yellow patches that turn brown and die.
The scientific name of chinch bugs is Blissus leucopterus. They can be 6 mm long and have dark red to black bodies. They also have white wings and a white spot on their backs. While found in all types of turfgrasses, chinch bugs most extensively damage warm-season grass species.
They specifically damage tall fescue, bermudagrass, bentgrass, zoysiagrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. Chinch bugs damage grasses by using their sharp mouthparts to puncture the grass blade and then sucking out the grasses’ fluids resulting in dehydration and death of the grass.
Chinch Bugs – FAQ and Common Concerns
Why do I have chinch bugs?
Chinch bugs naturally exist in lawns where other insect species, such as ants and ladybugs, typically control their population. Extreme heat and drought can reduce the numbers of insect species that prey on chinchbugs, allowing chinchbug populations to increase to the level of an infestation.
How worried should I be about chinchbugs?
Chinch bug infestations can cause long-lasting damage to lawns that can take several years to restore. Proper lawn maintenance can help prevent chinch bug infestations, but once an infestation is underway, eradication is best achieved by employing the services of a trusted and reputable professional pest control company, like Major Pest Control.
Crickets are insects that belong to the Superfamily Grylloidea. They grow 12 to 25 mm in length, are light yellow, tan, dark brown, or black in colour, and have prominent hind legs and long, thin antennae. Crickets are known for their loud chirping and with different chirps for fighting, warnings, or attracting a mate.
When crickets infest a structure, they can cause damage. Crickets may eat through paper, carpet, clothing, silk, wool, and upholstery. Because crickets can breed indoors, infestations can occur quickly. Cricket infestations are best controlled by employing the services of a trusted and reputable pest control company, such as Major Pest Control.
Fleas are insects that belong to the order Siphonaptera. They grow 1.5 to 3 mm long and are typically brownish-black in colour. But after taking a blood meal, they take on a reddish hue. Fleas are wingless, and their bodies appear flat and thin. They have long, powerful hind legs that allow them to jump horizontally up to 40 cm and vertically up to 15 cm.
Flea infestations can cause serious problems for humans and pets. An untreated infestation can kill a cat or dog, but the animal would experience extreme suffering. Flea infestations can cause medical conditions such as bartonellosis (cat scratch fever), feline anemia, and flea allergies.
Historically, fleas have played important roles as carriers of the plague. As the intermediate hosts of dog and rodent tapeworms, fleas can transmit these parasites to humans and pets.
Steam cleaning carpets is one effective treatment against fleas, and there are numerous over-the-counter and veterinarian-prescribed treatments appropriate for treating pet flea infestations. For additional guidance in properly treating a flea infestation, contact a trusted and reputable pest control company like Major Pest Control.
The scientific name of the silverfish is Lepisma saccharinum. They are 12 to 15 mm long and are brown, gray, and silver in colour. They have wingless, tear-dropped shaped bodies that are flattened with tapered tapes. They are also covered with shiny, fish-like scales.
Silverfish can cause problems in homes, including contaminating food and staining clothing. They also destroy books and papers. Silverfish infestations develop slowly due to their slow reproductive rate. They can survive without food for a year and have life spans of up to 8 years. For this reason, silverfish infestations are a long-term issue that a trusted and reputable pest control company, such as Major Pest Control, must treat.
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