There are dozens of unusual insects in the UK. When people think of pests, it’s only the usual suspects that come to mind. This includes things like rodents, cockroaches, ants, flies and so on. What most people don’t know, however, is that many other type of creatures are regarded as pests. Some of these unusual insects are quite strange. This includes things like the species we will describe in the following post.

Some pests that have peculiar qualities and habits

1. Harlequin ladybird

The harlequin ladybird is a tiny, winged insect with vibrant colours in unusual, diamond shaped patterns. These insects are found in various shades of orange, red, and even black, making them stand out in a very interesting way. Like ordinary ladybirds, they like to feed on aphids. However, they are often considered to be a pest because they pose a threat to the UK’s native spotted ladybird.

2. False widow spider

Next on our list is the false widow spider, a mysterious arachnid that mimics it deadly poisonous cousin the black widow spider. These insects can give a nasty bite, however the result is simply painful with redness rather than being fatal.

They make their homes in warm, dark places such as sheds and garages. False widow spiders can pose a threat when their numbers increase and should be dealt with by a professional London pest control specialist.

3. Oak processionary moths

These unusual insects have a strange habit. The caterpillars of this moth species do not crawl around as separate individuals. Instead, they walk along one after each other, and stretch out in a long line. This is why they’re called “processionary” moths.

4. Pharaoh ants

These pests were first introduced from tropical countries. For this reason, they are usually only found in extremely hot buildings, such as bakeries. The unusual thing about these pests is that their colonies have multiple queens (instead of just one, like other ants). This allows pharaoh ants to breed extremely rapidly.

5. Flying ants

The UK is home to a species of flying ants. The weird thing is that these ants swarm just once a year. This happens with mathematical regularity. In fact, scientists can predict this swarm to the day, which has even been labelled it “flying ant day.”

They are largely harmless in terms of health risk, but can be overwhelming and even frightening if you encounter a swarm. They take to the air en-masse and a colony can be vast and dense in number.

6. Silverfish

These insects are quite commonplace you might think. Aren’t they fairly ordinary, even boring? So if these are not exactly unusual insects, why are they on this list? The reason is because of their complex mating ritual. These pests have a three-step mating ritual, with each step lasting as long as an hour.  

7. Cluster flies

These pests demonstrate some extremely odd behaviour. Unlike houseflies, they do not fly away when approached. These pests are lazy and prefer to stay put. Even stranger, they cluster together in large groups of hundreds. Hence the name “cluster” flies.