Fact Sheets - Nuisance, Stored Food, and Structural Insects

Although some species resemble lice, booklice and their relatives are not true lice. They feed on mold and other fungi, which are sometimes present in books. Eliminating sources of mold will help control booklice. Mold growth can be discouraged by decreas...

Boxelder bugs are a common nuisance insect to many homeowners. Although boxelder bugs are active throughout the summer, many people don’t notice them until they start “sunning” themselves on structures, particularly the southern-facing walls.

BMSB was first detected in Utah in 2012; it is now established in four counties (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah) and has been detected in two other counties (Cache and Box Elder). As an aggressive generalist herbivore, BMSB infests a broad range of pla...

Carpenter ants do not eat wood as termites do, but chew through it to construct pathways and nests leaving behind a sawdust-like substance called frass. Carpenter ants can have two or more different sizes of workers, and one to many queens within a colony...

Carpenter ants include species that are among the largest ants found in the United States. They are social insects with a complex and well-defined caste system. The worker ants are sterile females and may occur in different sizes (majors and minors).

Carpenter bees cause damage to structural timbers and other wood products such as fence posts, utility poles, firewood, arbors, and lawn furniture. They avoid wood that is painted or covered with bark.

Clothes moths belong to a large group of small moths in the family Tineidae. There are two species of clothes moths that are of considerable economic importance. The webbing and the casemaking clothes moths are worldwide in distribution. The larvae of clo...

Clover mites are not insects but are more closely related to chiggers, ticks, and spiders. They belong to the spider mite family Tetranychidae. These mites are found throughout the world on trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, and agricultural crops.

There are 4 species of cockroaches that commonly infest structures in Utah. The cockroach species infesting your home or apartment will determine your control strategy.

Crickets will eat almost anything, including fabrics, other insects (dead or alive), food products, and furs. Occasionally crickets may enter the home or chirp near the home, and become a nuisance. Regular sanitation around the exterior of the home will d...

Dermestid beetle larvae are considered scavengers that feed on dead tissue; however, they will feed on wool and dry food supplies such as flour and pasta.

First detected in 2014 in Utah, elm seed bug is now widely distributed along the Wasatch Front and Cache Valley, and has been reported west to Duchesne County, east to Tooele County, and south to Grand County. Elm seed bug activity peaks in mid-summer whe...

Fungus gnats require high moisture conditions and decaying material. Adults are attracted to light and can be first seen flying near windows and doors. Plants damaged by fungus gnats will lack vigor, have poor color, and premature leaf drop.

The red and black imported fire ants (IFA) are an invasive and aggressive pest not known to occur in Utah, but parts of southern Utah may be suitable for colony establishment. IFA can be easily distinguished from other ants in Utah by both the varying siz...

This key is intended as an identification aid for spider specimens commonly collected from indoor situations in Utah. It is not all-inclusive and will not correctly identify all spiders. However, the key does include groups that comprise about 90% of the ...

Millipedes are related to trilobites, spiders and ticks, sowbugs, and crayfish, centipedes, and insects. Each group represents a different class of arthropods. Millipedes or "thousandlegged worms" include over 800 species of the class Diplopoda in North A...

Odorous house ants (OHAs) (Formicidae, Tapinoma sessile), derive their name from the rotten, coconut-like odor they give off when crushed. These tiny brown-toblack ants occur throughout the United States, and are an emerging pest ant in Utah where the pav...

Pantry pests are usually brought into the home in prepackaged food products. Beetles and moths are the most common pantry pests. Insects can feed on processed food or broken kernels and can chew through paper, cardboard and foil.

Pavement ants (Formicidae, Tetramorium immigrans) are northern Utah’s most common pest ant in and around homes and structures.

Pseudoscorpions are harmless to people and pets. They “hitchhike” on flies and beetles, and sometimes can accidentally enter the home. Pseudoscorpions are considered beneficial to humans because they feed on clothes moth larvae, carpet beetle larvae, book...

Red firebugs were first discovered in North America in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2008. These insects are seed feeders on a wide range of plants, including linden and mallow.

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a new invasive pest from China that was first detected in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to other states. SLF attacks more than 100 host plants, including grapes, fruit trees, hops, and hardwood and o...

Springtails are small, abundant, wingless insects that live in a variety of moist habitats. Because of their small size and micro- habitat, they are seldom observed. Most of them live in the soil or in other concealed situations.

Termites eat and digest cellulose, and are attracted to moist or decayed wood. Subterranean termites need wood-to-soil contact and construct mud tubes to stay protected. Mature termite colonies can have over 1 million members and consume one pound of wood...