URBAN PESTS

ANTONY RAJ G
ENTOMOLOGIST
IRSHAD PEST CONTOL
What is pest ?

A pest is any animal which has a harmful effect on humans,

their food or their living conditions.

What is pest control ?

Pest control is eradicating the pest

Classification of living things
Living things

Animals (Kingdom) Plants (Kingdom)

Invertebrate Vertebrate
Mollusca (Phylum)
Arthropoda (Phylum)- Snail and slug
Body made of segments,
legs, antennae and other appendages in pairs
Hard external covering (exoskeleton)
 Arthropoda (Phylum)

Arachnida (Class)
Insecta (Class) Chilopoda (Class) Crustacea (subphylum)

-Body divided into 3 segments -Body divided into 2 or 1 segments

-two pairs of legs each segment
(Cephalothorax and abdomen) -7 pairs of legs
(Head, thorax and abdomen) (millipedes)

-One pair of antennae -4 pairs of legs,

-one pair of legs (Centipedes)

-Thorax bears 3 pairs of legs,

One or 2 pairs of wings

Development of insects

Metamorphosis- undergo different forms

1. Simple metamorphosis –no drastic changes in forms- Example-silver fish

2. Gradual metamorphosis –the intermediate form present similar to adult but wings absent

EggNymph Adult

Example- Cockroach, bedbug, earwigs

3. Complete metamorphosis -Complete change in the forms

EggLarva Pupa Adult

Example- Flies, mosquitoes, bees, ants, wasp

.

Insecta
Cockroaches
Public health importance
• Cockroaches mechanically transfer disease causing bacteria from damp and
unsanitary places (sewers, drains, garbage disposals) to human foods

• Cockroach faeces and dead insect cases trigger allergic and asthmatic reaction
in some individuals.
American cockroach

Pronotum has a yellowish white margin

with dark brown interior.

Mostly found in sewer systems and drains.

 Lifecycle of American cockroach

16 teeth on the keel.

Egg case or ootheca

Nymph
Adult
Differentiation of male and female American cockroaches

Cerci
German cockroach

Two black stripes in pronotum

Found in kitchen -behind the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, under the sink.
bathroom -toilets, bath tubs, showers and sink
Lifecycle

Egg case Nymph Adult

Differentiation of male and female German cockroaches
Male Female

Male abdomen light brown and pointed Female abdomen dark brown and round
Differentiation of American and German cockroaches
Egg case:
16 teeth on the keel.

Sub segments apparent

German cockroach egg case

American cockroach egg case

Adult:

Pronotum has a yellowish white

margin with dark brown interior.

Two black stripes in pronotum

American Cockroach German cockroach

Bed Bug

Pointed abdomen Round abdomen

Public health importance

Feed human blood, the bite cause itching, burning and swelling

Habitat

Found on the bed clothes, mattresses, inside mattress coils, cracks in bedsteads,

bedside furniture, dressers, wallboards, wood paneling, door and window frames,

behind pictures, under loose wallpaper and in rooms near host sleeping areas.
Life cycle
Ant

Elbowed antennae
nodes (Petioles)
Lifecycle

Adult
Pupa

Egg Larva
Wasp

Antennae not elbowed

Petiole not present

Life cycle
Subterranean Termite
Lifecycle
Differentiation of ant, wasp and termite
Elbowed antennae

Node (Petiole)

Antennae not elbowed

Petiole not present

Ants

Broad waist

Wasp
Termite
Housefly
Four black stripes on thorax
Lifecycle

Larva
Eggs
Pupa

Adult
Flies
Mosquitoes
Egg raft
Culex

Adult

Larva

Pupa
Anopheles

Egg

Larva

Adult

Pupa
Aedes
Differentiation of Culex , Anopheles and Aedes
Egg: Aedes
Culex Anopheles

Egg raft

single eggs with floats

Single eggs without floats
Larva:
Culex Aedes
Anopheles

Siphon Absent Present siphon with one hair tuft

Present siphon with many hair tufts

Flea
Crickets
Silver fish
Firebrat
 Chilopoda
Centipedes
Millipedes
 Arachnid Pest
Spider
Scorpion
Ticks
Mite
 Crustacea
Sow bug
Pill bug
 Molluscs
Snail
Slug
Vertebrate pest

Rodents
Length of Rodent -Including tail(inches).
Thank you