SPRINGTIME PESTS IN ARIZONA

FRIEND OR FOE?AN INFORMATIVE SLIDE SHOW

Subterranean Termites

• Require soil to survive, typically living in moist colonies underground

• Diet includes wood, wallpaper, plastics and fabric made from plants

• Thrive in nearly every region in the United States

• Treat infestations immediately before they spread throughout your home

Friend or Foe?

FOE

Paper Wasps

• Sometimes called the umbrella wasp due to distinctive design of nests

• Social insects that build a new nest each year

• Rather aggressive and fiercely protect their homes

• Narrow bodies are dark brown with black wings and yellow markings

Friend or Foe?

FOE

Mud Dauber

• Primary predator of both the black and brown widow spiders

• Tend to build small mud nests under building overhangs

• Food is taken alive back to the nest for the wasps’ larvae to eat

• Rarely aggressive but can be a nuisance in garages and under eaves

Friend or Foe?

FRIEND

Mohave Rattlesnake

• Easily mistaken for Diamondbacks due to similar appearance

• Does not lay eggs but gives birth to several 9 to 11 inch young

• One of the most venomous snakes in North America

• Bite produces pain, swelling and tissue discoloration in the area of the bite

Friend or Foe?

FOE

Bald Faced Hornet

• Very aggressive species, easily identified by distinct coloring

• Usually unsafe to approach their nests, even to observe

• Construct grey nests of wood fiber and paper typically found in trees

• Often found around flowers, harvesting nectar and pollen

Friend or Foe?

FOE

Tarantula Hawk

• Stings, captures, and paralyzes its tarantula prey

• Use tarantula bodies as a host for their eggs

• Tarantula hawk larvae feast on the remains of the spider

• Most active during summer but tend to avoid very high temperatures

Friend or Foe?

FRIEND

Rats

• Intelligent creatures with sharp memories, smarter than mice and rabbits

• They have poor eyesight, relying mainly on their sense of smell and hearing

• Various types of baits, traps, and repellent are used to eradicate rats

• Ask local pest control for recommended eradication methods

Friend or Foe?

FOE

Gophers

• One of Arizona’s cuter pests, occasionally tearing up and ruining golf course

• Feed on roots and tubers, also eating carrots, vegetables, grass and nuts

• Pocket gopher teeth continuously grow accommodating frequent wear and tear

FOE

Friend or Foe?

Bats

• Bats spread a highly effective fertilizer called guano

• People can benefit by installing a bat house; bats will assist in

pollenating flowers and eating insects

• Call a professional for safe removal if found in your home

FRIEND

Friend or Foe?

Skunk

• Hungry omnivores who typically forage at night

• Benefit humans by feasting on plants, insects, worms, eggs, and other pests

• Skunks are a predator of honeybees and will attack a beehive

• When threatened, they’ll spray a liquid with a pungent, foul odor

BOTH

Friend or Foe?

Gopher Snake

• Gopher snakes have relatively small bodies but are quite strong

• Common length of 4 feet with reports reaching as high as 9 feet

• Diet includes small mammals, birds, and eggs

• Non-venomous but known to bite when it feels threatened

FOE

Friend or Foe?

Sonora Mountain Kingsnake

• Medium-sized snake with alternating red, black, and white bands

• Non-venomous but will bite when captured discharging foul-smelling musk and feces

• A constrictor snake that suffocates its prey and swallows it whole

• Can be valuable to humans, consuming rodents that often eat and spoil stored food

Friend or Foe?

FRIEND

Sonora Coral Snake

• Small and slender, similar in appearance to the Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake

• Feeds primarily on ectotherms, or cold-blooded animals

• Uses neurotoxic venom similar to that of a cobra to subdue its prey

• Typically found near rocky drainages, mesquite lined washes, and in canyons

FOE

Friend or Foe?

Cicada Killer

• Quite harmless, particularly the males which cannot sting

• Their most frightening aspect is their name

• Erratic fliers, often running into buildings

• Eastern Cicada killers are beneficial, regulating cicada populations

FRIEND

Friend or Foe?

Diamondback Rattle Snake

• Heavy snake with triangular-shaped head and diamond-shaped pattern along its back

• Perhaps the most feared desert creature identified by the sound of its shaking rattle

• If bitten, stay calm to prevent venom from quickly spreading throughout your body

FOE

Friend or Foe?

Pest Control Phoenix