West Caldwell Offers Safety, Variety, and Serenity

Pantry Problems, Quick Flyers, and New Arrivals

West Caldwell offers a lush landscape, inviting pests of all sorts. It’s home to dozens of common insect, arachnid, and rodent species. 

Weevils are a type of beetle that resembles tiny anteaters. Their long snouts allow them to drill into plants . . . and pantry items. They infest grains from the inside out, as females lay eggs inside seeds. People often bring weevils in from the grocery store, not realizing their Rice-A-Roni comes with an extra special treat.

Red milkweed beetles are another common Garden State pest. Their bright red color makes them easy to spot and warns predators that they’re made of toxic ingredients. True to their name, they feed on milkweed roots, leaves, and stems. They only enter homes by accident, as they can’t reproduce indoors, and might be seen near windows while trying to find their way out. Adult red milkweed beetles squeak when disturbed or threatened.

Houseflies taste with their feet, constantly grooming themselves so their tasting senses stay acute. They spit digestive fluids onto food before eating it, a necessity due to their lack of teeth. Their toothlessness also means they can’t bite, although other flies, like horseflies, have needle-like appendages that allow them to pierce skin. Houseflies are incredibly quick, which is why they’re hard to swat and even harder to catch.

Spotted lanternflies were first noted in New Jersey in 2018, after popping up in various parts of the US. They’re not flies, despite their name, and are related to cicadas. They can technically take flight, but they’re weak flyers and get around by utilizing their excellent jumping skills. Indoor infestations happen, yet they’re rare; these pests are most problematic in gardens, yards, and orchards, where the sticky honeydew they leave behind causes mold and devastates vegetation and greenery.

Earwigs can fly, but it’s typically at night and is unusual to see. When they enter West Caldwell homes, they prefer to infest bathrooms, crawlspaces, laundry rooms, and other damp areas. They don’t crawl into human ears, despite the old wives’ tale, and usually only pinch as a defense mechanism. They also use their pinchers for reproduction, both in mating and in an insect version of a sword fight (when two males duel for a single female).