Amazing Facts About Pests

Ants

Ants may be tiny, but they are among the most successful species on Earth. Here are some amazing facts about ants you probably didn’t know:

1. Ants communicate using chemical signals called pheromones.
2. They have three stomachs and can share food with each other by regurgitating it from their own stomachs into the mouths of other ants.
3. Ants can recognize one another by their smell, even after being separated for a long time.
4. Some worker ants live only six weeks while others can live up to five years!
5. Ants can lift objects 50 times their own body weight – that’d be like a human lifting a car!
6. Most ant species build intricate nests with narrow tunnels and chambers to house their colonies of thousands of ants.
7. They work together to build bridges and rafts out of their own bodies when crossing water or making large structures more stable
8. In dry climates, some desert ants have adapted to survive without drinking fluids, getting all moisture from food instead!

Cockroaches

Fleas

Fleas are incredible jumpers, able to jump over 200 times their own body length. Female fleas can lay up to 40 eggs per day, and each egg hatches within 1-10 days. Fleas are also incredibly resilient and can survive without food for up to 100 days. Did you also know that:

1. Fleas can jump up to 16 cm high, which is over 200 times their own body length? That’s like a human jumping the height of an 8 story building!
2. Female fleas lay around 40 eggs per day, and each egg hatches within 1 – 10 days.
3. The average flea only lives for 2 to 3 months, however they can survive without food for up to 100 days.
4. They have no wings and cannot fly. But they can move at an incredible speed of 5.3 feet per second.
5. Fleas don’t just bite humans. They will bite cats, dogs, birds and other animals too.

Ticks

Ticks are interesting insects, often overlooked by people. Here are some amazing facts about them that will make you pause and appreciate the little critters:

1. Ticks use their sense of smell to find their hosts – mammals, reptiles, and birds.
2. They can survive in a wide range of temperatures and environments with little moisture.
3. Female ticks must have blood before they can lay eggs and many species feed on multiple hosts during their lifecycle.
4. They have been around since before the dinosaurs! Fossil records show they were living on Earth over 90 million years ago!
5. Ticks have eight legs when fully grown and are so small that they can be difficult to spot – ranging from 0.08mm-1cm in size!
6. When a tick bites its host, it injects neurotoxins which stops the host feeling any pain or irritation when feeding until after the tick is engorged and falls off!

Bed Bugs

Bedbugs are small, nasty insects that feed on human and animal blood. They typically live in cracks and crevices near beds, mattresses, and furniture. Here are some amazing facts about bedbugs:

1. Bedbugs have been around since Ancient Egyptian times.
2. They can survive for up to a year without eating.
3. Bedbugs can travel up to 100 feet in one night looking for food sources.
4. Being nocturnal, they usually come out at night and hide during the day!
5. Bedbug bites can cause an allergic reaction in humans which leads to itchy welts and hives.
6. Heat treatments are often used as an effective way to get rid of bedbug infestations.

Rodents

Rodents have been around since the early days of our planet. They are found all over the world, living in a wide variety of habitats and climates. These little creatures come in many shapes and sizes. Here are some amazing facts about rodents:

1. The smallest rodent is the African Pygmy mouse, which weighs only 2 grams (0.07 ounces) and can fit comfortably on a fingertip!
2. Rodents have an incredibly strong grip; several species are capable of lifting up to 8 times their own body weight with their front teeth.
3. Rats, mice, and squirrels use their powerful sense of smell to find food and mates in their environment.
4. Many rodents live in underground burrows or tunnels that they construct themselves using their sharp claws and teeth for digging!
5. The average life span for most rodents is one to three years, although some species can live up to 10 years old!
6. Rodents have four front teeth that never stop growing! To prevent them from becoming too long, they must constantly gnaw on things like wood, nuts, or other objects to keep them trimmed down.

Silverfish

Silverfish are often misunderstood creatures. Here are some amazing facts about silverfish that you may not know:

1. Silverfish have been around for more than 400 million years! That means they existed before the dinosaurs.
2. Unlike other insects, silverfish don’t have wings and instead move by undulating their bodies back and forth.
3. Silverfish love to eat books, paper, photos, glue and other starchy substances such as cereals or grains.
4. Silverfish live in dark, damp areas and can be found in attics, basements, showers and bathrooms.
5. They reproduce quickly and lay up to 70 eggs at once!
6. Silverfish are nocturnal animals and come out of hiding at night to feed on whatever food is available near them.

Termites

Did you know that termites are amongst the most successful types of insects on Earth? They can be found in nearly every part of the world and have evolved to adapt to various climates. Here are some amazing facts about these fascinating creatures:

1. Termites produce a special chemical called pheromones which they use for communication.
2. A single termite colony can number anywhere from several thousand to several million animals!
3. Termites are social insects, meaning they build large colonies and operate as a group.
4. Colonies of termites can survive for more than 25 years and can reach up to 8 feet deep underground!
5. The queen of a termite colony is known to live up to 15 years – much longer than other insect queens.
6. Termites eat wood and other cellulose materials, helping them to break down dead plant matter into soil nutrients used by plants and other organisms.
7. While species may vary, most termites are blind and rely on their sense of smell for navigation instead!

Wasps

For number ten we’ve put bees and wasps together. TGhey both have incredible abilities. Did you know a bee’s wings beat 11,400 times per minute! This remarkable speed is possible due to the aerodynamic shape of their bodies and their uniquely designed wings. Wasps can fly up to 25 miles per hour!

These insects also have impressive navigational abilities. Bees and wasps use the sun as a reference point in order to find their way home after foraging for food or pollen. They can even remember which flowers they have already visited!

Bees communicate with each other through sound vibrations called “buzzing”. They use this buzzing language to warn other bees of potential danger or share information about food sources. Wasps also communicate with each other through body movements and facial expressions.

Bees and wasps are also incredibly social creatures, living in colonies of thousands of individuals in hives or nests. Each colony has a queen who lays all the eggs and controls the activities of the entire colony.

These fascinating insects play an important role in our ecosystem through pollination and pest control. In fact, one third of the world’s food supply depends on them! Without bees and wasps, our environment would not survive as we know it today.

Wrapping Up