Yes, bed bugs do exist, they are about 1/5th of a inch long, reddish brown in color, wingless, and love to hide in yes, you guessed it, beds. Well more specifically, bed bugs prefer to hide inside furniture, in the seams of mattresses, behind picture frames and other similar spots.

Just like fleas, bed bugs can typically go without a meal for 140 days but in rare circumstances, an adult has gone without a meal for over 500 days!

More about the bed bug life cycle.

Bed bugs do suck blood (also similar to fleas) and leave large, itchy bumps after feeding but don’t typically carry diseases.

So how do you avoid bed bugs?

• Bed bugs can not fly or climb polished surfaces — think about coating the legs of the bed in petroleum jelly, stand the legs in glass jars or even sit the legs of the bed in soapy water
• Often times, travelers come across the bugs — do a thorough inspection before crawling into bed at night — don’t forget to check luggage stands for bed bugs!
• Avoid picking up furniture that has been left at the side of the road, this includes tables, drawers, etc…, not just beds and couches
• Prevent bugs from getting in the house by caulking windows and doors, repairing cracks, etc..
• Bed bugs don’t like heat (97°F to 99°F) or cold (below 48°F); so washing and drying bedding will kill bed bugs

Treating bed bugs is best left to a professional pest control company since the job requires very detailed work and a pesticide that is not sold over the counter.

Did you know that bed bugs were almost eradicated from the United States? Read more about the return of the bed bugs.

There’s no doubt that the mosquito is one of the most annoying pests, they bite and they always seem to show up in large numbers. This is this time of year when mosquitoes start to come around and can easily get out of control. But there are some easy steps to take to control and reduce the number of mosquitoes around the yard and house.

1. Clean gutters
2. Change the water in bird baths every week
3. Put fish in the garden pond…the fish will eat mosquito larvae
4. Drain kiddie pools on a regular basis

The basic idea is to avoid stagnant water where mosquitoes could use as a breeding ground. It may also be helpful to hire a professional pest control service to treat shrubs and bushes around the house; mosquitoes most likely hang out in these spots during the day.

Controlling the mosquito population not only avoids annoying bug bites but it also helps prevent diseases from being spread; malaria, encephalitis and the West Nile virus can be spread by mosquitos.

• California is home to over 50 species of mosquitoes
• Mosquitoes can be found throughout California from the desert to the mountains
• Many species of mosquitoes in California don’t post a health threat to people but several species do
• The mosquitoes that cause problems in California belong to the  Aedes, Anopheles and Culex genera

For more detailed information, read this overview of mosquito control practices in California.

Insects and other pests are a year round problem in the mild climate of Irvine, California. Some of these pests cause structural damage such as termites, some pests can cause personal damage such as black widow spiders and other pests such as house mouse are just a pain to have around.

Next time a bug or mouse scurries across the floor, visit Accurate’s gallery of pictures of common pests in Southern California to get a positive ID on the pest you’re dealing with.

If your pest isn’t listed in the gallery, try the University of California guidelines for pest management. This site allows you to choose your pest (i.e. mammals, insects, mollusks, etc…) or the plant in your yard or garden that is infested with the pest. This informative site also has information on pesticides, exotic pests and quick tips on how to manage pests.

Not all pests are bad, here is an interesting site with information about plants that attract beneficial insects and are helpful to have around.

Slugs and snails won’t do any damage to the house or other structures, but they can do some serious damage to gardens. That damage can be just as devastating for those who spend hours every week in the garden or depend on the garden for fruits and veggies.

Both slugs and snails belong to the mollusk family and are similar in structure except snails have the outer shell. They move around with a muscular foot that releases a slimy substance that is often described as silvery or iridescent. The mollusks are most active at night and can also be seen during or after it rains.

Slugs and snails chew holes in leaves, fruit and veggies and will target both living and decaying plants. Their damage is often confused with the damage caused by caterpillars but can be easily confirmed once the mucus trail is identified.

Like many other pests, controlling slugs and snails needs consistent attention. Here are some of the most common ways to prevent snails and slugs from destroying the garden or flower beds.

• Hand picking – This method is actually picking out the snails and slugs by hand…regular picking is needed in the beginning but may decrease to weekly after the population starts to decrease. Using gloves makes the task less gross and the mollusks can just be thrown into a plastic bag and disposed of.
• Traps – There are many options when it comes to trapping snails…using a bowl filled with beer is one of the most common. Traps also make it easy to keep tabs on how many snails and slugs have been captured from the garden.
• Baits – These are exactly what it sounds like…baits are placed where slugs and snails are commonly seen and the goal is to get the mollusks to consume the bait. If using baits, be sure to read the directions carefully and another management method may be a better option if pets are present.
• Make them dinner – Toads love snails and slugs and the amphibians are actually good for the garden. Turtles, snakes and birds will also make a meal out of snails and slugs.

One thing to note, pouring salt on slugs and snails will kill them but the added salt may not be beneficial for the garden.

Male black widow spiders are sometimes killed by the female black widow after they mate

the most venomous spider in the United States. But how can you tell if it’s a black widow and where do they usually dwell?

Luckily black widow spiders are fairly easy to ID. Mature black widow spiders are usually 1.5 inches long (about the size of a small paperclip) and .25 inches wide. Their bodies are jet black with a distinguishing feature, a red hourglass on the underside of their very round abdomens.

What most people don’t realize is that the name black widow is actually a general name for a group of spiders that include the western black widow, the northern black widow and the southern black widow. But because the three species are very similar it’s common to just refer to any of the three species as just black widow spiders.

The bite of a black widow is said to be 15 times stronger than the venomous bite of a rattlesnake and it’s interesting to note that only the female’s bite is dangerous. Contrary to popular belief only about 1% of black widow spider bites are fatal AND no one has died from a black widow bite in over 10 years. But here are some symptoms of black widow bites:

• Pain and redness at the bit site
• Muscle cramps
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• High bloog pressure
• Weakness and/tremors
• Sweating

A regular inspection for black widows is often a good idea if the spiders are common in your area. Black widow spiders are often found in dark places such as attics, closets, woodpiles and garages.

Very few people appreciate the cockroach and as one of the most common household pests it’s no wonder. But cockroaches have been around for millions of years so chances are they aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. There are some simple and inexpensive ways to cut down on the number of roaches around your house.

Five Easy Ways to Reduce the Number of Roaches in Your Home:

1. Store both your plastic and paper bags in a zipping plastic bag…bunched up bags are great nesting environments for cockroaches

2. Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink and uncovered food on the counter for an extended period of time

3. Keep pet food out of the kitchen and in air tight containers

4. Take care of extra moisture from leaky pipes, faucets, etc..

5. If you store garbage under the sink, regularly clean the area for spilled food, debris and anything that may attract roaches

6. Hire a cockroach exterminator.

Did you know…

• Cockroaches can be found around the world and adapt very easily to many environments
• Fossils of cockroach-like insects date back to between 354–295 million years ago
• The largest species of cockroach is over three inches long
• There are over 4,000 different species of cockroaches but only four species of cockroaches are considered pests in the United States