It’s never fun to find a bug in your home, but it’s especially uncomfortable to spot a bug that you’ve never seen in your life. Most Ohio residents are familiar with the ants, mosquitoes, roaches, spiders, and other insects that regularly infest our homes and yards. However, Ohio is home to some pretty exotic insects, too. Because of that, pest control is required even in big cities like Cincinnati.
Check out the five creepy bugs below. Some of them are harmless and only look scary. Others, though, could give you a nasty bite and may even cause serious illness. Keep a lookout for these and other bugs in your home. If you’re concerned that you may have an insect problem, don’t hesitate to contact us for an in-home inspection.
Masked Hunter
This creepy-looking bug is known as an “assassin bug.” Why? Because it will sneak up on you and leave a nasty, painful bite on your skin with its strong beak. It also uses its beak to rapidly stab bed bugs to death which is one of the bugs it enjoys snacking on.
The Masked Hunter has a very odd appearance as it is covered in a coat of sticky hairs. As they move through your home, the sticky hairs accumulate dust, dirt, and other contaminants. When you spot this bug, it may literally look like a walking dustball.
Since Masked Hunters feed on bed bugs, their presence is usually not a good sign. If you see a Masked Hunter, you most likely have bed bugs, too. You should get an inspection as soon as possible.
Pseudoscorpions
Ohio is famous for a lot of things, but a desert isn’t one of them. That’s why it might be shocking to see a miniature scorpion walking around your home. Have no fear, though. These tiny scorpions are actually harmless. They don’t have stingers, and their venom glands are only big enough to kill mites.
Pseudoscorpions are most commonly found under rocks or near small lakes and creeks. If you find one in your home, there’s probably no reason to be concerned. It most likely rode in on a pet or even on your clothing.
Stag Beetle
There may be no bug that has a more frightening appearance than the Stag Beetle. They have a rich, red exoskeleton with orange or yellow skin on each leg, and they have large mandibles on their heads. These mandibles look perfect for biting a finger or toe.
There’s good news, though. Unless you’re secreting tree sap, stag beetles have no interest in biting your skin. They stay close to tall, mature trees because they feed on sap. If you have a wooded yard, you may find stag beetles outside, but it’s highly unlikely that one would ever be tempted to come in your home.
Buffalo Treehopper
Look carefully at that small, green leaf. Does it look like it’s walking or flying? If so, it may be a Buffalo Treehopper. These unique insects are related to the cicada. It gets it’s name from its resemblance to a buffalo head and from its ability to quickly fly from tree to tree.
They pose no threat to humans, but the same can’t be said of plants. If a group of treehoppers decide to feast on one of your bushes or trees, the plant may wilt and die. As cool as they may look, Buffalo Treehoppers are definitely pests and you should take action to remove them from your plants and other landscaping.
American Pelecinid Wasp
This wasp may have a frightening appearance, but they’re actually harmless. In fact, they can even be helpful for keeping other bugs out of your home or garden. The long tail isn’t a stinger. Rather, it’s used to bury eggs underground. The female wasp pokes her tail into the ground and then sets her eggs on the back of a grub. When the eggs hatch, the baby wasps burrow into the grub and eat it from the inside out.
When not laying eggs, the American Pelecinid Wasp feeds on nectar, which helps eliminate a food source for beetles and other insects. You may find this wasp sitting on a bush or flying close to the grass. Don’t worry about killing it, though, as it won’t sting you.
If you’re worried about the bug population in and around your home, contact us today. Scherzinger Termite and Pest Control is a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.