Walking sticks (species: Carausius Morosus) are facinating insects. 

There are many advantages to keeping them as pets.  They don't bite, they don't smell, they are low maintenance, and they are not likely to infest your home.

Walking sticks have the ability to regenerate.

They can breed well except when they are taken into space.  It has been found that reproduction is slowed and most of the babies died within the first two weeks of life.  This could be attributed to cosmic radiation, microgravity, or the combination of the two. 

If you want to find out more about walking sticks visit John Locke's webpage:  http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/locke.hp/walk_sticks.htm

Paper wasps are most common in Missouri.  Colonies usually start in April and their mating season is fall.  Before winter hits the egg-laying queen, all of the workers, and all males die.  Only the newly fertilized queens will survive the winter and begin the life cycle again in spring.  These queens will find shelter in areas, such as under tree bark or inside building walls.

Wasps and their nests can cause some humans alarm.  Just remember they are beneficial to nature's balance and won't concern themselves with people unless we pose as a threat to their nest.

If you find a nest be cautious with removal.  Treat outdoor nests at dusk or after dark when they are the least active.  Nests that are in buildings, like under the floor or between walls require professional treatment.

Camel Crickets are a moderately common group of insects.  They are brownish in color, wingless, and humpbacked in apperance.  Interestingly enough, camel crickets are unable to chirp.

Camel Crickets are descriptive of their natural habitat.  That is why they are also known as Cave Crickets.  Their environment will be cool and damp.  They can be found in rotten logs, stumps, under damp leaves, stones, boards, logs, and John's favorite spot: the crawlspace. 

These crickets are a nuisance in buildings and homes. especially basements.  They feed on organic matter and generally do not reproduce indoors.  Controling camel crickets can be achieved by eliminating breeding and hiding spots around the peramiter of the house or building.  Sealing cracks and gaps in the foundation & siding or around windows & doors can help make things difficult for any insects to have solid access to the home or building.

Carpenter ants are very common and are often seen in the open.

Carpenter ants can be recognized by certain characteristics which seperate them from other ants.

• They have a waist with one node or petide
• They have a thorax with an evenly rounded upper surcface

There are three castes of ants within a colony: workers, males, & queens.

During the spring and summer months you can find carpenter ants foraging the most between sunset and midnight.

Carpenter ants feed on sources of protein and sugar.

• Outdoor carpenter ants feed on living and dead insects.
• Indoor carpenter ants feed on meats, syrups, sugars, honey, and other sweets

Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but remove wood as they build tunnels and galleries.  They nest in moist wood inside or outside of structures. 

• wood decay may be caused by exposure to leaks, condensations, or poor air circulation
• look for piles of "sawdust" around the home, if found check the surrounding wood for damage/ant activity.

The longer a colony is present in a structure, the greater the damage that can be done.

These termite tubes are an amazing example of the desperation termites have to survive.  They feed on wood and when in nature can serve an important function by converting dead trees into organic matter.  In our homes and buildings termites can cause serious damage.

Subterranian termites are most common in Missouri.  This species' colony is usually located below ground with workers moving into the wood above ground level.  They build shelter tubes from bits of soil and excretions as passageways from the nest to the food source.  There are times when a colony may find a source of moisture in the wood from a leak, i.e. leaking water pipes or roofs.  It is then no longer necessary to have contact with soil.

Cracks in concrete, continuous openings in building blocks, utility openings, expansion joints and wood below soil level offer the best and easiest access for termites. 

Definition of pest:

1. an annoying person or thing; a nuisance
2. an injurious plant or animal, especially one harmful to humans
3. a deadly epidemic disease; a pestilence

from the Latin word pestis