Occasional Invaders

What Are Occasional Invaders?

Occasional invaders spend most of their time living outside, though they occasionally find their way into homes. Occasional invaders usually don’t pose a significant danger to people or property. They can, however, be challenging to control and an annoyance to have in your home. Described below are some of the most common species of occasional invaders living in the Dallas area:

• Centipedes — Centipedes have elongated, worm-like bodies, with one pair of legs per body segment. They are yellow to dark brown, and some species also have darker markings and have large, claw-like appendages containing venom that they use to paralyze their prey.
  
  
• Millipedes — Millipedes have cylindrical, worm-like bodies, with two pairs of legs per body segment. They are dark brown or black; some species may have red or orange mottling. When threatened, they curl into a tight ball.
  
  
• Silverfish — Silverfish are wingless, and move from place to place using a wiggling, fish-like motion. Their brown, teardrop-shaped bodies are covered in silvery-gray scales. They have three bristle-like appendages protruding from the back of their body.
  
  
• Earwigs — Earwigs are dark or reddish-brown in color, and have long, flat, slender bodies. They have appendages (cerci) that act as forceps, which extend off the end of their abdomen. Most species of earwigs have wings, though not all fly.
  
  
• Crickets — Crickets have large, powerful back legs they use for jumping and long antennae. Some species have wings, while others do not. They come in a variety of colors depending on their exact species, including brown, tan, reddish-brown, green, and yellow.
  
  
• Pillbugs — Pillbugs are crustaceans that live their entire life on land. Pillbugs are dark brown, slate gray, or black with oval-shaped bodies, seven pairs of legs, and antennae. These pests are also called rollie pollies due to their ability to roll into a tight ball to defend themselves.
  
  
• Sowbugs — Sowbugs look similar to pillbugs, but do not roll into tight balls. They are also crustaceans that live their entire lives on land. Sowbugs have gray, oval-shaped, segmented bodies with two tail-like appendages extending from their rear ends.

Occasional Invader Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are occasional invaders dangerous?

Most occasional invaders like silverfish, pillbugs, sowbugs, and earwigs are not dangerous. They will, however, invade homes in large numbers and are a nuisance to deal with. Other species of occasional invaders pose a bit more of a “danger” to people or our belongings. Crickets, for example, chew on and damage houseplants, clothing, furniture, and rugs. Millipedes can spray a “toxic” foul-smelling fluid to defend themselves and centipedes have the potential to deliver painful bites to people.

Why do I have an occasional invader problem?

The most common reason that occasional invaders become a problem inside of a home is that the weather outside becomes too unsuitable for them to live comfortably. Weather that is too hot, dry, wet, or cold will move occasional invaders inside. These pests typically move indoors through openings in the foundation or exterior walls of a home. They also get inside through gaps found under doors, especially basement doors. Sometimes occasional invaders are brought inside on things like potted plants, newspapers, storage boxes, furniture, or other items that were once outside.

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