Mystery Bug Week!

Often our blog posts ideas come from things that are going on here at Centurion. Right now there is a bug sample on my desk containing a "mystery bug." One of our customers sent a few bugs in a pill box to the office for identification, and here it is! Blog fodder! This week we will highlight a few of the most common uncommon bugs that show up for identification, hopefully answering a few of your questions and giving you tools to identify mystery bugs yourself. 

First, a few tips on getting a good Bug ID. Sometimes we can identify a bug just by asking you a few simple questions over the phone. The classic example is a call we occasionally get for cricket control. Usually the homeowner is being driven crazy by the constant chirping of crickets in the house. Our first question, which may seem insulting, is "Have you actually seen any crickets?" If not - check the battery on your smoke detector. Really. In this case, we have found the mystery bug is no bug at all, but a certain model of smoke detector that sounds remarkably like a cricket when the battery is low. Case solved!

If you have actually seen bugs and would like us to identify them for you, here are some tips on helping us do that. Try to get a good sample, two to three bugs that are not smashed. Dead is fine, smashed is harder. Put the bugs in a sealable plastic bag or other small, SEALED container. And please attach your name and phone number somewhere on the container. This really helps us get the information you need back to the right bug owner. 

We have magnifying tools and bug books to help us tell you what exactly is bugging  you and how to get rid of it. Occasionally we run into a bug we cannot ID here. The County of San Diego's Department of Agriculture offers a service to identify those rare bugs.

Brown Recluse Spider Black Widow Spider

One more tip: there are thousands of varieties of spiders. Identifying your  mystery spider may not be possible. There are two spiders to be concerned with here in San Diego County, the black widow and the brown recluse. We have included pictures of both and links to more information above. Although all spiders are venomous, most do not deliver enough venom to do any harm. Even the notorious black widow's bite will seldom do damage. However, if you experience abdominal pain, muscle cramps, or anything other than localized pain, check with your doctor. For identification purposes, black widow spiders weave webs that are thick and irregular. The spiders themselves are shiny black with thick legs. Females have a distinctive red hourglass shape on the abdomen. But who wants to turn one over to check? The best way to avoid attracting these spiders to your yard is to reduce or remove trash or rubbish from your yard. They are often found in wood piles, old tires or empty containers. Always check items that have been stored in a garage or shed before using - and wear gloves. But check the gloves before you put your hands in them! To see a video on black widows, click here.

Brown recluse spiders can deliver a more serious bite, but are very rare in San Diego County. The spider itself is brown, with a distinctive, dark brown violin-shaped marking near the head. The bite of the brown recluse can cause skin ulceration, and should be checked by a medical professional. There is no mystery about these spiders, but we include them here so you will know how to avoid them and will NOT try to collect a sample for us. 

Tomorrow's  mystery bug: Psocids!