Mice Facts

• There are several different species of mice of which some of them are deer, white-footed, and the house mouse.
• The house mouse is the most common of the species, weighing 1/2 to 1 ounce.
• The body is three to four inches long and the tail is three to four inches long as well.
• The muzzle is pointed, the ears are large, the eyes and body are small.
• Adult droppings are 1/8- to 1/4- inch long and rod-shaped with pointed ends.
• The female house mouse reaches sexual maturity in 35 days and averages eight litters per year, each of which averages six young.
• They typically produce their largesr litters in the sring, depending on climatic conditions and begin to breed at five to six weeks of age.
• There life span is one year.
• They are good climbers, jump 12 inches high, can jump down from eight feet, and can easily squeeze through holes and gaps wider than 1/4-inch.
• House mice prefer to nest in dark secluded areas where there is little chance of disturbance, and in areas where nesting materials, such as paper, cardboard, attic insulation, cotton, etc., are easily available.
• They will go no more than 20 feet for food; however, if enough food is nearby they nest within four to five feet.
• They nibble on food, preferring items such as seeds and cereals.
• The major health risk associated with house mice are salmonella contamination and leptospirosis.

Cockroach Facts

• There are are eight different species or cockroaches, american, brown-banded, brown, german, oriental, pennsylvania wood, smoky brown, and surinam.
• German cockroaches are the most commom household insect within the United States.
• Mature german cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8- inches long, have a light brown tan, and have fully developed wings.
• The nymphs, 1/8-inch long when they emerge from the egg capsule, are almost uniformly dark except for a light tan area on the back of the second and third segments.
• The purse-shaped egg capsule of the german cockroach (i.e., ootheca) is light brown in color, 1/4- to 3/8-inch long, and typically has 15 to 20 eggs per side.
• During her lifetime, the female german cockroach produces four to eight egg capsules eachof which contains 30 to 40 eggs.
• Nymphs molt six to seven times before becoming adult, which requires about 103 days; thus allowing three to four generations per year.
• Adults live 100 to 200 days.
• German cockroaches typically infest kitchens and bathrooms but will live anywhere inside heated structures in which there is food, water, and harborage.
• German cockroaches feed on all types of human food, as well as on pet food, toothpaste, soap, glue, etc.
• German cockroaches remain hidden in dark, secluded harborage areas, e.g., under cupboards, behind cabinets, in wall voids, and around motor housings in appliances where they spend 75% of there time
• Sightings of foraging cockroaches during the day is a good indication that there is a tremendous population.

Bed Bug Facts

• Adult bed bugs are about 1/8-inch long with reddish-brown, oval flattened bodies. The nymphs resemble the adults but are smalles and somewhat lighter in color.


• Bed bugs feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, prefers feeding on humans, but will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including pets.


• They feed by piercing the skin with an elongated beak. The person seldom knows they have been bitten. Bite symptoms vary from an itchy welt or localized swelling to little or no reaction.


• Bed bugs do not fly but can move rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces. If necessary, they will crawl more than 100 feet to obtain a blood meal.


• Female bed bugs lay their eggsin secluded areas, depositing up to five a day and up to 500 during a lifetime.


• The eggs are whitish and hard to see on most surfaces without magnification. Individual eggs are about the size of a dust speck. When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to whatever the surrounding they are in.


• Newly hatched nymphs are no bigger than a pin head. As they grow, they shed their skin five times before reaching maturity. A blood meal is needed between each successive molt.


• Under favorable conditions ( 70*F to 90*F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year.


• Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Infestations are therefore unlikely to diminish by leaving the premises unoccupied.


• Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime they prefer to hide close to where people sleep.


• Bed bugs do not have nest like ants or bees but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Typically these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining. Also present will be eggs and eggshells, and molted skins of maturing nymphs.