Jamestown Vector Control Department

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Common Mosquitos

Other pests:

Common Household Pests

Stored Grain Insects

Stinging and Biting Pests

1.  DEER FLY - These flies are usually quite large and heavy bodied, measuring in length from 1/2 to 1 inch in the larger species.  They are strong fliers and notorious pests of horses, cattle, deer and many other warm-blooded animals, and at times are annoying to man.  Only the females feed on blood.  Their mouthparts are bladelike and are adapted for inflicting a painful wound, causing a considerable flow of blood.  In addition, deer flies are known to transmit anthrax and tularemia to man and certain animals.

2.  AMERICAN DOG TICK - This tick is the principal vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.  It is also an important vector or tularemia.  It may cause canine paralysis and is a common pest of dogs, which are the preferred host of adult ticks of this species.  It also freely attacks horses and many other animals, including man.  The immature stages feed almost exclusively on small rodents, very largely on mice.

3.  MOSQUITO - Besides the well-known painful bites inflicted by female mosquitoes, these insects are the proven carriers of five distinct human diseases.   Only one of these is known to occurr in North Dakota.  This disease is encephalitis which is transmitted primarily by Culex tarsalis.

4.  WHEEL BUG - This insect is in a group of insects referred to as the assassin bugs.  The wheel bug and many other species in this group will inflict a painful bite when handled carelessly.  The bites are usually associated with localized swelling and reddening of the skin.

5.  BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER - The brown recluse spider has been reported from southern states and some midwestern states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and as near as Nebraska.  The brown recluse spider has not been reported in North Dakota.  This species is of medium, size.  Length varies from slightly ove r1/4 to 1/2 inch.  Coloring of the brown recluse spider varies from an orange-yellow to dark brown.  The most distinguishing characteristics are three pairs of eyes arranged in a semicircle, and violin-shaped marking directly behind the eyes on the cephalothorax.

   This spider is found in human habitations, garages and cellars, which are not often cleaned or in stored materials left undisturbed for some time.   Like the black widow, this spider is normally nonagressive, but will bite when entrapped in folds of clothing which an unwary victim tries on.

    The bite of this spider is intensely painful and reaction to the bite may be quite severe.  Tissue around the bite usually sloughs away exposing underlying tissue.  Edges of the wound then thicken and the central area fills with scar tissue.  Healing is slow, sometimes taking as long as 6 to 8 weeks.  Often a mass of dark scar tissue remains as a reminder of the painful bite.

6.  BLACK WIDOW SPIDER - The poisonous jet black female attains a length of about 1 1/2 inches, while the smaller and more slender non-poisonous male black widow attains a length of barely over an inch.  The most striking identifying feature of black widow spiders are two red triangle-shaped marks (or the hour glass) which appear on the lower side of the female's abdomen.  This reddish mark sometimes may assume an irregular shape or be a single spot.  Sometimes there are no markings at all.

    Black widow spiders are found in the outdoors in undergrowth, under stones, in mouths of rodent burrows, hollow trees or in protected hollows of all kinds.  They also inhabit undisturbed areas in garages, cellars, privies, rain spouts, ventilator louvres, crawl spaces under trailers and buildings.

    Bites usually occur when someone picks up or rubs against an object upon which the spider is resting or puts on clothing or shoes in which they are hiding.

    The bite of the black widow spider is slight- sometimes it is not even felt.  Usually it appears in the form of two red spots and a local swelling and redness occurs immediately.

    Pain may become intense in one to three hours and persist for up to 48 hours.  The victim may then suffer severe cramps in the legs, chest, and arms.  The abdomen may become rigid and sensitive to pressure.  The victim may develop a headache, begin to sweat profusely and respiration may become shallow and jerky.   Manifestation of these symptoms depends a great deal on the age of the victim and severity of the bite.

7.  IO MOTH LARVA - This spiny green caterpillar has a narrow reddish stripe, edged below with white, extending along each side of the body.  The spines of this larva produce a sharp sting similar to that produced by some species of nettles.

8.  YELLOW JACKET - This stinging insect builds a paper nest in or around homes, beneath eaves, on porches, behind blinds, in trees, in shrubbery, in rock fences, and in the ground.  When such a nest is disturbed a person may be stung severely.  

    The yellow jacket stings by driving its needle-like ovipositor (egg-laying organ) into the flesh and injecting a venomous fluid into the wound.  This causes painful swelling that may last several days.  In some cases, it may be  necessary to see a doctor.

9.  SWEAT BEE - Sweat bees are rather small metallic black or blue-black bees with narrow rings of light hairs around the abdomen.   These bees frequently obtain moisture from people who are perspiring.  As an attempt is made to brush these bees away, persons may receive a mild sting, however, serious cases of bee-sting are usually due to bumble bees or honey bees.

10.  HONEY BEE - Honey bees live in colonies usually within manmade hives; escaped swarms usually nest in a hollow tree or between the walls of old abandoned buildings.  Worker honey bees will readily sting an invader in defense of their colony.  Cases of severe illness or even death due to multiple honey bee stings have been reported.

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