Humans co-exist with the pest and insect world. Ever wonder that they eat? Is it the same types of foods humans enjoy or survive on? Insects and pests eat a large range of foods. About half are plant-eaters, feeding on leaves, seeds, roots, wood, or nectar. Some are predators, hunting other small creatures. Some are parasites that eat the flesh or blood of humans and animals. Some love human foods. You’ve seen ants, flies and roaches in your kitchen looking for left overs.
Check out what specific foods make up a pest and insect diet:
ANTS
Ants in general have a very diverse diet depending on what species of ant they are and what season is occurring. Springtime ants will eat dead animals and insects for protein. They also often seek out honeydew, a substance made by aphids when they feed on plants. Indoors. Ants like crumbs, spills, open food containers, and even uncovered trash cans. They love sweets, eggs, meats, cakes, oils, and fats. That is why you see them in your kitchen.
BEES/HORNETS/WASPS
Bees and hornets eat nectar and pollen. They also eat other sweet, sugary liquids like juice, soda, or fallen fruit. Wasps prey on other insects like spiders, ants, bees, caterpillars and flies. Carpenter Bees do not eat wood They just bore into wood to lay their eggs. They eat pollen.
BEETLES
Beetles are herbivores and eat the roots, leaves, stems, seeds, nectar, fruits and wood of a variety of plants. There are some beetle species that are predators and eat things like snails, worms, maggots, grubs, and other beetles.
BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS
Their diet consists of bugs, like crickets and cockroaches, firebrats and crawling bugs.
BLACK WIDOWS SPIDERS
Black Widow spiders eat small insects such as mosquitoes, grasshoppers, and beetles. Sometimes they eat mice, lizards, and snakes caught in the web. In hot dry places Black Widows live on a diet of scorpions. By the way, it is only a myth that they eat their mates!
BED BUGS
They eat humans and animals for a blood meal.
COCKROACHES
Cockroaches are not picky. They definitely love most things inside human households like sweets, cheeses, meats, grease, starches, vegetables and fruits. They even go further with these items too – leather, beer, glue, dried skin, books, paper and human dander. The list is endless.
CRICKETS
A crickets’ diet is very similar to a human’s diet. They are omnivores that eat fruits, meats and vegetables. Outside they eat rotting leaves, rotting fruit, vegetables and insects. They also like fabrics.
FLEAS
Fleas are parasites that eat the flesh or blood of larger animals without killing them such as cats and dogs. They love nibbling on humans too.
FLIES
Flies eat organic decaying matter. This is why you see flies around garbage. This includes fruit, vegetables, animals, meat, plant secretions, and even human feces. Fruit Flies like sucking the nectar from flowers as well. House flies can turn solids into liquids and then eat the liquid form of that food.
HOUSE CENTIPEDES
They love flies, spiders, and plant tissue
MOTHS
Most species of moths don’t actually eat much when they’re adults. They drink their food. They have a long, narrow tubes in their mouth that are used like straws to drink nectar, tree sap, and juice from decaying fruit. As larvae, moths eat on natural fibers of fabrics, fur, hair, and paper dust.
PRAYING MANTISES
Praying mantises are predators, hunting other small creatures.
RODENTS
This is a BIG category. Rodents can include mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, beavers, muskrats, porcupines, woodchucks, chipmunks, squirrels, prairie dogs, marmots, chinchillas, voles, etc. Most rodents like grains, fruits, seeds, chocolate, and random items in your trashcan.
SILVERFISH
Silverfish feed on carbohydrates, particularly sugars and starches. They also eat cellulose, shampoos, glue in books, paper, clothing, flour, oats, linen, silk and dead insects.
SPIDERS
A spider’s diet consists of insects and other spiders (some larger spider species even prey on things like lizards, frogs, fish, or baby rodents). Spiders will only feed on live spiders or ones they’ve recently killed.
STINK BUGS
Young stink bugs are plant feeders like weeds and grasses. Mature stink bugs are drawn to orchards, fields, and residential landscapes like apple trees, peach trees, cotton crops, berries, peppers, pecans, beans, and ornamental plants.
TERMITES
Wood makes up the majority of termite’s diet. They also eat other materials such as plastic, paper and drywall. Termites are detritivores and feed on dead plants and trees. Termites get nutrients from cellulose, an organic fiber found in wood and plant matter.
As you can see, pests and insects enjoy some of our human food and that makes sense why they come into our homes and dine away. If you see any evidence, contact a pest control company immediately to take care of the issue.
Houseman Services is the only complete service company in the Athens, GA area. We provide Weed control, fertilization, shrub care, mulch & pine straw, sod, annual plantings, irrigation, and commercial & residential lawn maintenance. We are also state certified and licensed in wood destroying organisms (termite control), household pest control, public heath, and turf & ornamental weed control. We are licensed to control and treat mosquitoes, termites, all pest problems and turf & ornamental weed control. Contact the professionals at Houseman Services and set up a free inspection of your yard. We have been servicing homes and businesses in the Athens, Clarke County area since 1985!