Fleas   Fleas are medically important species, Xenopsyalla sp. Adults commonly live for 10 days to 6 weeks   Adult size about 1-6 mm with laterally flatten body, less oval shape, light to dark brown, no wings present, 3 pairs of powerful legs, hind legs main for jumping and are covered with bristle and small spines. They can be nuisance to host. During feeding, fleas eject feces composed of semi-digested blood of previous meal. Fleas usually bite people on legs, ankle and waist. They prefer dark place and they are found sheltered among hairs, under clothing or bed. Life cycl..

Termites   Common termite species: - Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes curvinagthus/gestroi   Adult worker and soldier size ranging from 3 to 10mm. Soldier have large mandible, yellowish head and creamy body color whereas worker is creamy in color. Soldier will release white liquid when being torture, swarming during the day. Door/window frame, skirting, cabinet, cupboards, books, carton box in store room are among the hotspots for termite infestation.    Sign of infestation Mud tubes/trails Hollow wood Dead or alive termite Approaches to control th..

Wood Borer​​​​​​​Wood borers are wood damaging beetles that attack and damage structural and wooded furniture based on the type and moisture content of the wood. Adult beetles laid eggs in cracks & crevices. Larvae burrow deep into the wood where they feed and in the process they make a maze of tunnels over several years especially in furniture, wooden beams and any other wooden objects.Sign of InfestationExit holes of woodBore dust are usually visible under the infested woodDamaged wood/crumbling wood..

MothsIndian meal mothAdult wing span about 14 – 20 mm long. First third of forewings are cream in colour, rest of the wings is copper with dark grey spots. Larva is yellowish white in colour and sometimes in reddish or greenish colour. They are strong flier and they are attracted to artificial light. They often found on cereal grain, flour, groundnuts and dried fruits.Lifecycle – Egg -> adult about 27 days.Casemaking cloth mothSize of the adult moth measured from 9 to 13 mm. External morphology of the cloth moth is they have brownish-gray wings with three dark spots. These spots can be rubb..

SpidersAdult size ranging from 0.3 mm to 300 mm. They are arachnids with 4 pairs of legs and eye, some with 3 pairs of eye.Some live solitarily, only converging to reproduce. Some species live in large communal webs, or congregate in large numbers under conducive environments. While some actively hunting for food while others lie in wait for prey to come in.Their habitats comprises woodlands, forests, wetlands, grasslands, deserts, rainforests, trees, shrub, ground, tunnel underground to houses, farms, barns, gardens, attics, basements, foundations, and etc. People who fear of spider are known..

Silverfish​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Silverfish has a long, slender, flatten body with tapered end which is brown to silvery in color. Their adult range from 13-25 mm. They are agile runner. They prefer to stay in dark place and they are able to live for 2 to 8 years and reproduce frequently. Silverfish thrive in humid and moist environment, feed on polysaccharides (starch & cellulose) such as book glue, carpet fibers, household glue, paint, fabrics, and even furniture. ..

FliesBlow FlyAdult measured about 8-10 mm. Blow fly are metallic blue, green, or black in color and giving out “buzzing” sound during flight. Adult blow flies feed on a variety of materials, but the larvae of most species are scavengers that live on carrion or dung. The adults lay their eggs on the carcasses of dead organisms, and the larvae (maggots) feed on the decaying flesh. The larvae of some species (e.g., Calliphora, Cochliomyia) also sometimes infest open wounds of living animals.Fruit FlyAdult about 1/8 inch long. Typical morphology of fruit fly is they have red eyes with the front pa..

MosquitoesAedes Mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Indoor biters) /Aedes albopictus (Outdoor biters)Adult about 4–7mm in lengthPresence of black and white stripes on abdomen and legs, a lyre marking on its thoraxBites during the day, prefer dark colors Can fly for a distance about 50-100 meter Breed in ground pool, tree holes and man-made containers, inside and outside houses, prefer clear waterLife cycle – 6-8 daysResting position – Parallel to the surfaceCulex Mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatusAdult about 4–10 mm in lengthPale and light brown or yellowish in colour.Bites at night, rest indoor before and..

Bed Bugs​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Common Bedbugs, Cimex lectularius (left) & Tropical Bedbug, Cimex hemipterus (right)Ectoparasites which only feed at night. Bedbugs spend most of the time hiding/resting in the habitat. They only approach a host when they intend to have a blood meal. Bed bugs feed for 3 to 5 minutes until they are fully engorged and drop off from the host. They will hide themselves up in their habitat for few days to digest the meal. If they seek for a blood meal, they will leave the habitat to look for new host. If no food is available, the new nymphs may live for several weeks in wa..

TicksAdult size are 8-13mm long. They are flattened, roundish to oval, leg-like palps. Ticks have powerful cutting chelicerae which penetrate the host during feeding, nocturnal feeders. They can live for years and eggs laid in 4-6 batches which comprising 15-100 spherical eggs. Eggs will be deposited near adults-near resting place in cracks and crevices in the walls, floors, furniture, in mud, dust and debris...

Bees, Wasps & Hornet Common bee species: Asian honey bee, Apis cerana Source DAFF 2013b, photograph courtesy of Arthur Giblin. Adult about 11-14 mm. This species have yellow and brown/black bands along the abdominal part. They prefer to build their nests in enclosed space, such as tree holes, upturned pots and roofs. Giant honey bee, Apis dorsata By courtesy of Nikolas Vereecken via Flickr.   Adult size ranging from 17 to 19mm. Appearance similar to Asian honey bee but they have one less brown/black band at the top of the abdomen. Normally habi..

Rodents​​​​​​​Common rodent species:House mouseAppearance – Sharp snout, tail is longer than the body and head.Habitat – Warehouse.Behavior – Good climber, good swimmer.Body size – Small size, 6-9 cm, 200-300g.Roof ratAppearance – Pointed snout, tail is longer than the body and head.Behavior – Good climber, poor swimmer.Habitat: Roof, in the building.Body size: Medium size, slender 15-22cm, 200-300g.Norway ratAppearance – Blunt nose and muzzle.Behavior – Good swimmer, climber and burrower.Body size – Big size, 18-25 cm, 300-400 g.Habitat – Coastal, riverbanks, lower portions of building, basem..

Ants Ants are social insect with few castes such as queen, workers and males. They established monomorphic and dimorphic workers depending on species. Common ant species are as follow: Ghost ants, Tapinoma melanocephalum Ghost ant measured about 1.3 - 1.5 mm in length. They have dark head and thorax, translucent gaster and legs. The typical characteristic established by ghost ant is they emit a rotten smell when they are been crushed. They prefer sugary food as their main diet. They live outdoor, but can nest indoor if it is moist. They create nuisance to people especially house..

CockcroachesGeneral BiologyCockroaches are active at night.Their body is flattened. They have two pairs of wings folded flat over their body. Most species seldom fly but they walk really fast. Their color usually varies from light brown to black. The species vary from 2 – 80 mm in length.Prefer to have their back touch on a surface while foraging or rest.Common cockroach species:American cockroach, Periplaneta Americana35 – 40 mmShiny reddish to chocolate brown. Sewer tanks, drainage areaThe egg case measures 8–10mm in length and contains 16 eggs.German cockroach, Blat..