Category Archives: Bed Bugs Alabama

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Metro pest control companies say theyve seen a surge in bed bug infestations during the pandemic.

After a 2017 study found bed bugs in the United States developed resistance to neonicotinoids, the most widely used insecticide in the world, discussions on how to fight these blood-sucking pests growing immunity flung open worldwide.

Jay Everitt, technical director at Rottler Pest Solutions in Kansas City, said the company will use any means necessary to battle the bugs, including heaters, silica gel, HEPA vacuums, compressed sprayers, dusters, mattress covers, a product called Climbups, and even dogs.

Climbups are round bowls one can place underneath a bed post to prevent bed bugs from migrating to the mattress. It forces them to crawl into the bowl before they ever reach the leg of the bed, trapping them in the process.

Youre making an island out of your bed, he said. Some people, in multi-housing units, use these for control, too. Theyll just randomly put them out, all around the perimeter of the building, and thats one way to catch bugs and harvest them.

Everitt said these are especially helpful in places, like long term healthcare facilities, because caregivers can check them on a daily basis to monitor where the bed bugs are aggregating.

Mike Rottler, president at the pest control company, said they have also turned to bed bug sniffing dogs that help identify locations in the home where they might be present.

Hes able to find the scent of bed bugs and where bed bugs are far, far quicker and far more often than humans, he said.

Heat is also an effective method of bed bug removal, Everitt said, because exterminators can use fans to direct the bugs from migrating to higher ground, and fleeing from the heat.

The natural habit of a bed bug is, in turbulent air, they just kind of bunker down and hold on, he said.

He said this helps keep the bugs concentrated to one area, making heat treatment even more effective than if the fans were not being used.

Maria Kellogg, Kansas City resident, said she and her friend found bed bugs in their Vrbo during a trip to Marco Island in Florida.

My friend, she went to bed in her room, and I go to my room and I pull down the comforter and I see two bugs on my pillow, she said. Im thinking, You know, its Florida, maybe theres just bugs. Its Florida. Its humid, whatever.

Kellogg said she didnt wake her friend immediately because she was unsure if the bugs she found were actually bed bugs or not.

I mean, I can see them crawling, she said. Im looking around, but still, I dont want to wake up my friend. I dont want to be too dramatic about it, in case it really isnt.

It wasnt until she did some research that her curiosity turned to panic.

I woke her [friend] up and there were some in her bed, not as many as mine, Kellogg said. In the living room, we found just a couple and then, we were sitting in the dining room and I got up and there was one on the chair, where I had just been sitting.

Kellogg said her friend and her left the Vrbo to find a hotel, but quickly realized they couldnt bring their belongings into the building.

I cant go to a hotel and take all my clothes that have been on the bed, she said. I cant go to a hotel unless I wash the clothes.

Ultimately, she said she decided to pitch the entire suitcase with everything in it.

I just couldnt take the chance, she said. I knew if I came home and I had one little itch or one little anything, then Id be worried for six months until I knew for sure.

They were on the covers, themselves, which was why it was so gross, to see it on the pillow, the first thing I saw. Thankfully, I was paying attention, cause if youre not, you know, youre really tired and you jump into bed, a person might not have noticed that.

Everitt said exterminators can use HEPA vacuums to remove bed bugs in large, concentrated groups, because they are strong and can remove the eggs, as well as adults.

If we went into a unit and they were thick on the bed, we would take those [vacuums] and remove 80 to 85% of those bugs with this HEPA vac, he said.

Of all the tips and tricks, Everitt said Rottlers favorite one is to use a silica gel dust product because bed bugs do not have the ability to grow resistant to it.

Its a desiccant, which actually knix the exoskeleton, which helps them dehydrate and dry out, Everitt said.

Bed bugs exoskeletons protect and keep them hydrated. Silica dust destroys the waxy layer of the bed bugs exoskeleton, causing the bugs to dry out and die from dehydration.

Silica dust is especially effective because, unlike some insecticides that must be ingested by the insects for it to work, desiccants are safe, low in toxicity, and penetrate the crevices where bed bugs hide.

Everitt said exterminators can provide mattress encasements to customers who fear getting bit at night.

The insect cannot get through it, he said. You cannot be bit through it, so thats how you preserve your $2,000 mattress, as far as that goes.

From now on, Kellogg said she will be taking more precautions while traveling.

I will put my suitcase at the door, as I come into the place, or whatever, she said. It sounds extreme but do that and do a thorough check before I unpack anything.

Despite bed bugs growing immunities, Everitt said exterminators have a large arsenal to tackle infestations.

Its just a bunch of tools in a toolbox, is what were using to go after these bugs, Everitt said.

Originally posted here:
Exterminators turn to new treatments to get rid of bed bugs

Visceral fat, also known as belly fat, is far more deadly than its counterpart - subcutaneous fat. The latter lies just below the surface, whereas visceral fat often surrounds vital organs, such as the liver and intestines. This means storing too much of it can interfere with vital processes; hiking your risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease.

Exercise is an effective weapon against visceral fat build-up.

According to Harvard Health, moderate-intensity physical activity and strength training both take aim at belly fat.

Losing belly fat is only half the battle, however. The more formidable challenge is stopping it from returning.

Research suggests there is an optional amount of exercise you need to do each week to keep belly fat at bay.

READ MORE:How to get rid of visceral fat: Avoiding this type of food will significantly help to lose

A study conducted by exercise physiologists in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Human Studies found that 80 minutes a week of aerobic or resistance training helps not only to prevent weight gain, but stop harmful visceral fat returning one year after weight loss.

In the study, published in the journal Obesity, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB exercise physiologist Gary Hunter, Ph.D., and his team randomly assigned 45 European-American and 52 African-American women to three groups: aerobic training, resistance training or no exercise.

All of the participants were placed on an 800 calorie-a-day diet and lost an average 24 pounds.

Researchers then measured total fat, abdominal subcutaneous fat and visceral fat for each participant.

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Afterward, participants in the two exercise groups were asked to continue exercising 40 minutes twice a week for one year.

After a year, the study's participants were divided into five groups: those who maintained aerobic exercise training, those who stopped aerobic training, those who maintained their resistance training, those who stopped resistance training and those who were never placed on an exercise regimen.

"What we found was that those who continued exercising, despite modest weight regains, regained zero percent visceral fat a year after they lost the weight," Hunter said.

He continued: "But those who stopped exercising, and those who weren't put on any exercise regimen at all, averaged about a 33 percent increase in visceral fat."

"Because other studies have reported that much longer training durations of 60 minutes a day are necessary to prevent weight regain, it's not too surprising that weight regain was not totally prevented in this study.

"It's encouraging, however, that this relatively small amount of exercise was sufficient to prevent visceral fat gain."

The other crucial component aspect of keeping visceral fat a bay is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

"Pay attention to portion size, and emphasise complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and lean protein over simple carbohydrates such as white bread, refined-grain pasta, and sugary drinks," says the NHS.

In fact, lowering your carb-intake altogether seems to provide the greatest benefit.

Many studies have shown that low-carb diets are more effective at reducing visceral fat than low-fat diets.

In an eight-week study including 69 overweight men and women, scientists found that people who followed a low-carb diet lost 10 percent more visceral fat and 4.4 percent more total fat than those on a low-fat diet.

A low-carb diet is one that reduces carbs, primarily found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread.

Continue reading here:
Struggling to shake visceral fat? Research recommends doing this amount of exercise weekly - Express

Bed bugs. Broken or painted over sprinklers. Broken doors and windows that wont lock. Mold on ceilings and walls.

These are just some of the dangerous and unsanitary conditions people living in Alabamas worst public housing properties live with every day.

Across Alabama, most public housing passes federal inspection with flying colors. Look below to see how each property did. However, there were several failures, according to the latest federal data from March 2019.

In all, there are 259 single family public housing properties in Alabama, and 18 of them received scores lower than 60 as of March 2019. Of the 476 multi-family public housing properties in the state, 17 scored lower than 60.

That means a failing property rate of 4.76 percent. Thats actually better than the nation as a whole - the national rate is 4.86 percent, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Real Estate Assessment Center.

However, those at the bottom, such as Central Plaza in Mobile, were noted to have serious problems.

Public housing properties in the United States are subject to physical inspections by HUD, and these inspections come with REAC inspection scores, a 0-100 score that determines whether a facility is fit to live in.

These inspections - and the scores that go with them - are looking to make sure [housing units] are decent, safe, sanitary and in good repair, said Joe Phillips, with the HUD Atlanta regional office of public affairs.

Any property that scores below a 60 in a REAC inspection is considered failing, Phillips said. A number of things can happen when a property receives a failing score. They can be fined, their Section 8 funding can be terminated or abated, or they can be put under new management, among other things. But a property manager or owner is given time to address the problems if they score between 31 and 59.

Any score 30 or below is a different story. Those properties are automatically reported to the Departmental Enforcement Center, which takes over the responsibility of handling their case from that point forward.

Only one property in Alabama scored 30 or below, as listed in the data thats publicly available from HUD. That property was Central Plaza Towers in Mobile, a low income housing project for senior citizens. It scored a 30 on its REAC inspection on May 29th, 2018, according to data from HUD.

A copy of the REAC inspection summary acquired by AL.com showed bed bugs were reported in 61 percent of inspected units at Central Plaza, and that 24 of 26 inspected units had inoperable call-for-aid stations.

Michael Pierce, executive director of the Mobile Housing Board, said he had taken office in late March 2019 - nearly a year after the REAC inspection in question - and could only address the report in general terms.

What had transpired in the previous administration, Im not certain of everything that transpired, but what I can tell you is that progress is being made in terms of the overall physical conditions out at Central Plaza Towers, he said.

The May 2018 inspection would have taken place during the short tenure of MHB Executive Director Akinola Popoola, who was fired in September 2018 after less than a year on the job. Popoola has filed suit over his dismissal, which the board attributed largely to a lack of responsiveness and failures of financial oversight.

Pierce said hed been working to straighten out problems that had damaged the Mobile Housing Authoritys relationship with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development even before Popoolas hiring. That has taken precedence over everything else, literally to get our house in order, thats where weve been expending all our energy and time, making certain that we are a sound, well-run organization, he said. I have worked extremely hard to improve our relationship with our regulatory authority, meaning HUD.

Another property, Joseph Loveman Village in Birmingham, showed a 33 in the HUD dataset, but a 30 on the REAC inspection summary. Loveman Village was in the process of vacating its residents for a complete demolition and redevelopment at the time of the inspection - August 2018.

Some of the violations reported there included bed bugs, refrigerators and stoves in some units either missing or not working and windows that couldnt be locked.

You can explore the inspections scores of the single-family housing units in your area and around the state in the map below. Search for the header Inspection_score once you click on a map marker.

And here is a map showing the scores of multifamily units.

Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald.

Excerpt from:
Bed bugs, fire hazards and mold: Inside Alabamas worst ...

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

Here are some of the pests that live in Alabama. Some are just and minor nuisance and some are just downright dangerous.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

30. Beavers

Beavers are nature's architects and dam builders. They can also reroute streams and create problems for land owners. Beavers cut trees to build therir dams and cause damage to areas both up and down stream from their dam construction. Here are some of the pests that live in Alabama. Some are just and minor nuisance and some are just downright dangerous.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

29. Japanese beetles

An adult Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica, that invaded the United States in 1916. They feed on crops such as soybeans and many ornamental plants like roses and canna. Traps are available but infestations can be difficult to control. Photo/Carolina K. Smith.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

28. Opossum

Opossums, also known as possums, are marsupial mammals that inhabit all of Alabama. Although a minor pest, they will destroy bird feeders and get into garbage bags and cans. They only live 1-2 years due to heavy predation from dogs, coyotes and other predators.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

27. Giant Resin Bee

A giant resin bee is seen at the entrance of carpenter bee nest hole, June 9, 2000, in Auburn, Ala. First spotted in the United States in 1994 in North Carolina, the bees have spread into Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. Sightings in Alabama dating back to June 1999 mark their farthest migration west. In Alabama, giant resin bees usually nest in vacated tunnels constructed by carpenter bees. Researchers at Auburn University have yet to examine a loose nest of a giant resin bee. (AP Photo/ Auburn University, Takumasa Kondo)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

26. Raccoon

Raccoons can be found statewide in Alabama. They can carry disease including rabies. They are mainly nocturnal and will forage for food at night including knocking seed for bird feeders and suet blocks. Raccoons are great climbers and will turn over garbage cans or anything that contains food.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

25. Lice

Head lice are parasitic wingless insects. They live on people's heads and feed on their blood. An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed. The eggs, called nits, are even smaller. Lice are spread by person to person contact and is especially common is preschool and young school age children. Lice can spread easily and can infect an entire home quickly.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

24. Coyotes

Coyote. Coyotes can be found in most regions of Alabama. They are canines and are a relative of grey wolves. If you are a farmer in Alabama and raise chickens or sheep, coyotes are definitely a pest that needs to be controlled. Coyotes will attack a variety of livestock, with sheep and fowl being at the greatest risk. The other two problems of most concern are the predation of pets and the concerns for human safety. (Credit Tennessee Valley Wildlife Control)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

23. Cockroach

Cockroach. There are 70 species of cockroach in American, many of them are found in Alabama. The insect can invade houses and dwellings looking for food and warmth. They have an elaborate social structure and can be difficult to get rid of requiring professional help. ( Photo/ Bernard Troncale/The Birmingham News.).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

22. Carpenter bee

Carpenter bees are starting to come out of their overwintering in their gallery nests to look for mates in Baldwin County. They are similar in size to bumblebees, but they do not have as much hair on their abdomens as bumblebees do, which are almost entirely covered with bands of yellow and black hair. As this carpenter bee spotted in Fairhope shows, it has a shiny black abdomen. This bee also has pollen attached to it and carpenter bees plays an important role in pollinating plants and trees. However, as their name implies, the female carpenter bee bores into untreated wood and they can be a nuisance to homeowners. Treated and painted wood is the best defense against the bees. Fortunately, the damage is mostly cosmetic and their isn't significant structural damage from the bees unless the nest, or gallery, is a long standing nest or other bees happen to be building galleries close together. Indirect damage is caused by carpenter bees as woodpeckers bang against the wood when they see evidence of the bee galleries. According to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, the female is the one that builds the galleries, and it will re-use old galleries. While the female has a stinger, it will only sting when captured or handled. Photo by Jon Hauge

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

21. Brown Widow spider

The Brown Widow Spider, Widow Spider, one of Alabama's venomous spiders.All photos are courtesy of W. Mike Howell and Ronald Jenkins, from their 2004 book iSpiders of the Eastern United States: A Photographic Guide.i (Courtesy)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

20. Mouse

Mice are small rodents that love to take up residence in homes, barns and most any other dwelling. They multiply rapidly and carry a host of diseases. If you seen one mouse, there are probably many others in the area.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

19. Fleas

Flea, Xenopsylla Cheopis - Female. Fleas can cause headaches and disease for both animals and humans. They can jump from animal to animal and animal to human. Their bite is irritating and can infest an entire home in just days.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

18. Wasps

Red Wasps are common throughout Alabama. They build their nests in the eaves of houses, in barns and other areas. The queen lays her eggs in a nest of paper cells built from chewed wood and other plant material. Females will sting aggressively to protect the nest and the sting can be very painful. Some are allergic to a wasp sting and have severe reactions.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

17. Feral Hogs

Feral hogs are a real problem for land owners in Alabama and other southern states. They destroy farmland and habitat for other native animals. Hogs breed frequently and can overwhelm an area in a matter of months. Hog tusks are razor sharp and can inflict severe damage. Jamison Stone, 11, poses with a wild pig he killed near Delta, Ala., May 3, 2007. Stone's father says the hog weighed a staggering 1,051 pounds and measured 9-feet-4 from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail. If claims of the animal's size are true, it would be larger than ``Hogzilla,'' the huge hog killed in Georgia in 2004.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

16. Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are small, ground-dwelling wasps that attack in numbers when disturbed. They are a threat year-round, but are a bigger problem in the fall when their numbers are high.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

15. Rats

Rats are the larger more destructive cousins to mice. Rats frequent the same type of areas as mice but are larger and can be more destructive. These larger rodents love to take up residence in homes, barns apartment buildings and warehouses. They multiply rapidly and carry a host of diseases.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

14. Hornets

Hornets are a flying insect that is highly social that nest in dark shady areas. Hornets build large, elaborate round, paperlike nests from chewed wood and other plant material. They resemble a yellow jacket but are larger in size. Hornets have a very painful sting and may attack in groups if the nest is threatened.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

13. Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs. Bed bugs were nearly eradicated in the United States following World War II. Now they're back, and they are hitchhiking their way across the United States by crawling into luggage and clothing that pass through high-traffic areas such as hotels, airplanes and cruise ships. (Photo: Business Wire)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

12. Alligator

Alligators can be very dangerous when in close proximity to humans and domesticated animals. They are large reptiles that are close to the top of the food chain. They are very fast and agile under water. Alligators are now being found in many areas of Alabama including this one in Jefferson County in 2010.Jefferson County Sheriff Deputies and workers from the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Conservation respond to an alligator, measuring about 9 feet, in the yard of a residence on Birmingport Road in western Jefferson County, Ala., on Monday, July 19, 2010. (Michelle Williams / The Birmingham News)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

11. Termites

Termites are a subterranean insects that feast on wood. they cause billions of dollars of damage to homes each year in the United States. Most termite infestations are found March through May when warm, wet weather is the norm and the termites swarm. Termites love warm damp areas around foundation and walls. They will eat their way into wood from the inside.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

10. Fire Ants

Red Imported Fire Ant . Fire ants are everywhere in Alabama. They are a highly structured insect that build huge subterranean homes with hundreds of tunnels. They have a very nasty bite that can leave red whelps. Some are highly allergic to fire ant bites. (Photo courtesy Louisiana State University).

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Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

9. Coral Snake

Eastern Coral Snake. A medium-sized, slender snake with a short, blunt head only slightly wider than neck. Upper jaw has a pair of immovable, grooved, erect fangs near front. Scales smooth, in 15 rows near mid-body, and anal plate divided. Top of head and snout black and occiput has a broad yellow band. Body pattern consists of alternating, complete, transverse rings of red, yellow, and black (with red and yellow rings touching) that continue completely around venter. Although not considered aggressive, species does possess the most toxic venom of any North American snake; thus, potentially very hazardous to humans and should never be handled. (Wikimedia).Here are some of the pests that live in Alabama. Some are just and minor nuisance and some are just downright dangerous.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

8. Ticks

Ticks are a real problem for folks that have pets and frequent the outdoors. Many ticks in Alabama can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Ticks will attach themselves to the host and feed on blood. They are found in most woodland areas.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

7. Pigmy Rattlesnake

Pigmy rattlesnakes, as their name would imply, are miniature rattlesnakes. Sometimes referred to as "ground rattlers", they range in length from 15 to 24 inches at maturity, and when in a coiled position are roughly the size of a loblolly pine cone. The tip of their tail contains a very small delicate rattle or button that is not much wider than the end of the tail itself. When vibrated for a warning, the rattle is often difficult to hear and has been compared to the sound of an insect buzzing. This species is found in a variety of habitats including everglades prairies, palmetto-pine flatwoods, sandhills, mixed pine-hardwood forests, borders of cypress ponds, and in the vicinity of lakes and marshes. One note is that they are seldom found in extremely dry habitats. As is typical of pit vipers, pigmy rattlesnakes prefer to sit and wait for prey to pass by. While waiting for prey, they will remain in a coiled position, sometimes for up to three weeks. (Wikimedia).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

6. Copperhead

The Copperhead has a head that is noticeably wider than the neck. The top of their head is a copper color, hence the name copperhead. Dark "hourglass cross bands" are common to both species. The body may be colored from a light brown to tan or pinkish in the southern copperhead. The northern copperhead usually has a darker and more reddish brown body color. It belongs to a group of snakes commonly called "pit vipers". They get this name because of a pit, or tiny hole, located between the eye and nostril. These pits are heat seeking sensors that help the snake locate warm-blooded prey. Copperheads have elliptical pupils. Pit vipers have a set of well developed fangs capable of injecting venom. (Photo/Richard Dowling).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

5. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest species of rattlesnake in the world. It is a heavy-bodied snake that can reach lengths close to seven feet, although the average adult is four to five feet. The tail is short and stout with a rattle or button at the end. The rattle is composed of hollow, interlocking segments that click against each other when the tail vibrates. The topside of the snake contains the characteristic yellow diamond shapes surrounding black and brown centers. The belly is generally yellowish to white. The large and distinctive head is marked with a dark band extending obliquely from each eye to the lips. The upper jaw contains movable recurved fangs. When encountered, the diamondback will often remain motionless until a threat is perceived or the snake is actually touched. A defensive posture is a coiled position with rattle erect, buzzing, and head near center of the coil. The act of striking can extend up to two-thirds the length of the snake. In a successful hunting event, the venom is pumped through the fangs into the prey to kill and digest the animal. The venom of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake attacks blood, tissue, and the nervous system. In a successful hunting event, the venom is pumped through the fangs into the prey to kill and digest the animal. The venom of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake attacks blood, tissue, and the nervous system. (Wikimedia).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

4. Mosquito

Mosquito. Pregnant women should avoid countries where the Zika virus is present. The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, can cause birth defects. Here are some of the pests that live in Alabama. Mosquitoes carry a variety of other diseases as well. This is an Aedes albopictus female mosquito obtaining a blood meal from a human host.

JOE SONGER

3. Timber Rattlesnake

Timber rattlesnakes are heavy-bodied snakes with a broad head that is distinct from its narrow neck. Adult timber rattlesnakes average 36 to 60 inches in total length. The coloration of this species varies from blackish to yellowish to pinkish, or grayish with dark, bent crossbands aligned along the dorsal length of its body. On many specimens a reddish dorsal stripe runs between the crossbands. The velvety black tail is short and thick, tipped with a tan rattle. Timber rattlesnakes inhabit hardwood forest with rocky outcrops, pine flatwoods, bottomland hardwood forests, and cane thickets. Timber rattlesnakes eat small mammals such as mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and occasionally frogs and birds. (Photos/Chris Funk and Scott Wright).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

2. Cottonmouth

Cottonmouth are large, aquatic, venomous snakes. They are generally dark above - olive, brown, or black. A lighter to darker cross-banding pattern may be seen, especially on the sides. Adult snakes usually vary in length from 30 to 48 inches up to a maximum of 74 inches. Also known as a Water Moccasin, these snakes will vibrate their tails when excited. A thoroughly aroused cottonmouth throws its head upward and backward and holds its mouth wide open, revealing a white interior - the origin of the name cottonmouth. (Photo/David Rogues).

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

1. Black Widow Spider

The Southern Black Widow Spider, one of Alabama's venomous spiders.The venomous biteof these spiders is considered particularly dangerous because of the neurotoxin latrotoxin.The male black widow has unusually large venom glands and its bite can be particularly harmful to humans.All photos are courtesy of W. Mike Howell and Ronald Jenkins, from their 2004 book iSpiders of the Eastern United States: A Photographic Guide.i (Courtesy)

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

More animals of Alabama links

Snakes of Alabama

Spiders of Alabama

Sharks of Alabama

Butterflies of Alabama

Record Catches and Kills in Alabama

Read the original post:
30 pests you need to avoid in Alabama - al.com

Posted in Alabama July 26, 2015 by Jennifer

Ive never been a fan of bugs and NEVER WILL BE! As soon as I see a bug crawling across the floor, I forget the animal lover in me and either stomp it or reach for the bug spray. Some bugs freak me out, but for the most part, they just really bug me. There are many different types of bugs, insects and arachnids located throughout Alabama and Ive listed 10 below.

These ants can be distinguished from other ants by their copper brown head and darker abdomen. Also, if you step in a fire ant hill, you'll know it. TRUST ME!!!

The black widow spider is considered the most venomous spider in the United States. Its venom is 15 times more toxic than the venom of a prairie rattlesnake. I've never seen one of these spiders up close and hope I never do!

There are approximately 20 hornet species. Most hornets build their nests in trees, but many build their nests underground.

Scorpions are easily recognized by their eight legs, grasping pedipalps and narrow, segmented tail with a venomous stinger on the tip. A scorpion sting is painful, but it's usually harmless.

Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for many years and infestations have increased greatly since the 1980s.

The boll weevil is America's most celebrated agricultural pest.

Earwigs are mostly nocturnal and active at night, feeding on plants and insects.

The brown recluse spider is a venomous spider with no obvious color patterns on its abdomen or legs. This spider can go for six months without food.

There are approximately 8,000 centipede species in the world and despite the name, they can have as few as 20 legs or even more than 300.

The green June beetle, or green June bug, is attracted to gardens, orchards and crops. This bug is harmless to humans, but it can really destroy crops.

Are you a fan of bugs? Do particular bugs, insects or arachnids freak you out? Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!

Jennifer is the Alabama staff writer for Only In Your State and has nearly 15 years of professional writing experience. She enjoys discovering new places and currently calls North Alabama home.

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10 Creepy Bugs Found In Alabama