Common Pests Most Common Pests in the White Mountains of Arizona Serving Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, Heber-Overgaard, Snowflake-Taylor, Springerville, Vernon, and surrounding areas Bees Expand Over 20,000 species of bees worldwide. Do not attempt to remove nests on your own! Fleas Expand Small (1/16 to 1/8 inch) blood sucking insects. Excellent jumpers they generally leap onto their prey. Prey on dogs, cats and humans. Ants Expand Among the most prevalent indoor pests. Over 12,000 species worldwide. Mice Expand Enter homes in search of food and shelter. Spread disease through parasites and feces. Belongs to the order of rodents. Rats Expand Contaminate food and spread diseases. Cause damage to structures and property. Do not attempt to touch or remove. Call a professional. Beetles Expand Feed on plants or decaying animal and plant matter. Insect with the largest number of known species between 5-8 million. Found in almost all habitats. Crickets Expand Feed on decaying organic materials and plant matter. Over 900 known species worldwide. Crickets can damage emerging seedlings. Earwigs Expand Feeds on other insects, plants, fruits and garbage. Over 1,800 known species worldwide. Generally found in homes where moisture is present. Flies Expand Common nuisance flies include house fly, face fly, stable fly and garbage fly. Feed on animal waste and decaying organic materials. Transmit bacteria and viruses to humans. Grubs Expand Range in length from 3/8-1 inch in length. Feed on plants in Spring and Summer months. C-Shaped larvae of beetles. Lice Expand Spiders Expand In Arizona, only the Black Widow and Brown Recluse Spider can pose serious danger. Presence is a sign of a more serious pest infestation. Predators, spiders feed on other pests. Over 40,000 spider species worldwide. Roaches Expand Prolific, roaches reproduce quickly out of sight behind walls. Cause Allergic Reaction and aggravate Asthma symptoms in sensitive individuals. Common household pest. Mosquitos Expand Known vectors of infectious diseases, killing millions each year. Over 3,500 known species worldwide. To control eliminate standing water in areas around your home. Millipedes Expand Feed on decaying leaves and other dead plant matter. Signs of damage include the stripping of the outer layers of the young plant. Common garden pest. Wasps Expand Predatory, flying, stinging insect. Over 75,000 known species of wasps. Nests can be found above or below ground. Termites Expand Feed on dead plant material in the form of wood or leaf litter. 4,000 known species worldwide. Drywood and Subterranean most common types in Arizona. Ticks Expand Transmit diseases such as Lyme and HGE (Human Granulocytic Erlichiosus. Feed on the blood of mammals, birds and occasionally reptiles. Commonly found in tall grass and overgrown vegetation. Moths Expand Over 150,000 to 250,000 different species. Generally known as a pest given the damage caused to clothing. Feed on dead or decaying plant material, stored food products and fabrics. Scorpions Expand Scorpions don't bite, they “sting” Over 1,500 species of scorpions worldwide. 60 species are unique to Arizona. Silverfish Expand Small wingless insect ½ inch-1 inch in length. Feeds on carbohydrates such as sugar and starches. Commonly found in homes where moisture is present including: sinks, showers or baths. Weevils Expand Small beetle usually less than ¼ inch. Over 60,000 species of weevils found worldwide. Feed on dry foods, cereal and grain products. Can cause E. coli if ingested. Worms Expand Over 4,400 known species of worms worldwide. Feed on organic matter and live within the soil. Plow through soil allowing for oxygenation and deposit nitrogen.