Carpenter ants (Camponotus modoc and C. vicinus) are black except for long reddish legs. However, color alone is not a good way of distinguishing the carpenter ant from other ants. Contact Dan's Pest Control for consultation on proper identification. Carpenter ants do not actually eat wood but remove quantities of it to make room for nesting. The initial nest is usually made in decayed wood before moving on to sound wood which can cause considerable structural damage. A typical colony can be between ten to twenty-thousand with a larger colony exceeding one-hundred thousand. Satellite colonies alone that are found in houses may have several thousand workers. Because more than one colony may be present, a thorough inspection is important.

Moisture ants are yellow to dark brown and have been connected to rotting wood in houses — and the problem probably existed before the colony became introduced to the structure. Chemical control is only a temporary solution.

Thatching ants are sometimes called "mound ants" because some species will build mounds made from small sticks, leaves, dirt, pine and fir needles. These ants have a bite that can be painful since they will spray the bite area with formic acid, which can cause blistering if the skin is not washed. These ants may also be confused with carpenter ants and can be beneficial.

Odorous house ants can be found in houses seeking out dairy products, raw and cooked meats, vegetables, and a wide variety of foods, but they prefer sweets. These ants also produce a rotten coconut-like odor. When alarmed, the worker ant will raise its abdomen and quickly run about.

Pavement ants are usually just a nuisance pest and will nest under rocks, in exposed soil and sometimes houses. They may be found in the lower walls of the foundation, sidewalks, concrete driveways, patios and concrete slab construction. Pavement ants feed on sweets, insects and seeds.

Spiders are near relatives of insects and beneficial animals. The two often discussed that are most injurious to humans are the black widow or "hourglass" spider because of the red hourglass mark on the underside of its abdomen and the brown recluse (a.k.a. Fiddleback or Violin Spider). Black widows spin amorphous webs of coarse silk in dark places, generally out-of-doors. Trash, rubble piles and littered areas are most favored. Outbuildings such as sheds and garages may be infested, as well as crawl spaces, cellars, and basements. The brown recluse lives in cracks and crevices and under furniture. Just behind the eyes of the brown recluse is a broad, dark, fiddle-shaped band that extends back to the end of the combined head and thorax.

The hobo spider, commonly called the funnel-web spider or funnel weaver, build funnel-shaped webs in dark, moist areas — often in basements — and sit in the mouth of the funnel waiting for prey. Venom from hobo spider bites can produce skin injuries or lesions. Ulcerating lesions of this type in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are probably due to the hobo spider. The initial pain associated with the bite is not intense and usually less intense than a bee sting. Within eight to twelve hours, the pain becomes more intense and over a few days a large ulcerous sore forms. Only a small number of people are bitten by these spiders and fewer develop clinical symptoms.

Bees, yellowjackets, and wasps are all beneficial, but can become pests when nesting in homes or areas that are used frequently. Honey bees in wall voids can be difficult to remove, but there are ways to remove the brood and salvage the honey. Dan's Pest Control can suggest solutions and consult with you on your decision for removal. Stings from yellow jackets and paper wasps can cause serious health problems, and can be especially dangerous if you are part of the small percentage of Americans who are allergic.

Mice can multiply quickly with litters of five to six born nineteen to twenty-one days after mating. Mice are sexually mature at just six to ten weeks old. House mice may breed year-round with five to ten litters a year. House mice may enter structures by gnawing, jumping, climbing or swimming. Trapping and baiting for mice alone is not recommended. Dan's Pest Control can help with habitat modification: eliminating harborage and exclusion all play a part in ridding your home of these pests.

Rat species of concern in our area include the Wood Rat (Pack Rat), Norway Rat and Roof Rat. All act in different ways but are pests nevertheless. Rats can get into openings just half an inch square. Not only do they, along with mice, spread many diseases by direct contact with human food, but their urine or feces and their fleas or mites may cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). HPS can be fatal and may be transmitted when humans breath air contaminated by droppings and urine or items rats have touched or lived in. Never sweep and never vacuum an area that is infested with rodent droppings, as the virus can become airborne. Deer mice (white belly and feet) are the main carrier; however, you should avoid all wild rodents.

Moles are one of the more common homeowner complaints. Moles create two types of underground runways: subsurface runways and deep runways. A subsurface runway can be extended by the mole at a rate of one hundred feet a day. Trapping is the most reliable way to control the problem; however, attention to detail is important, since moles have an uncanny ability to detect traps and spring those that are set improperly. Dan's Pest Control can consult with you on measures you can take to address the issue more efficiently and more cost effectively.