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Types of Insects Found in Orange County, California

Though it comprises only a sparse area of land in southwest California, bordering the Pacific Ocean, Orange County is home to an abundance of insect species. Some are primitive, wingless and lacking in metamorphosis stages, while others go through multiple stages during their lifetimes and sport vibrant, attractive colors. While insects like butterflies and ladybugs can be aesthetically appealing, other insect species can be pests. Termites and cockroaches, for instance, are nuisances that can be dangerous to homes.

Ants
- Orange County is home to a number of species of ants. Most of these are native to the region, but some, like the red imported fire ant and the Argentine ant, are exotic. Carpenter ants are one of the larger varieties to be found and they can be a pest in that they create tunnels in wood, including the beams of homes, which damage that wood over time. Other species found in the area include the odorous house ant, the winged ant and the honeypot ant.
Cat Flea
- Of the more than 2,000 species of fleas in the world, the cat flea is the most common domesticated flea in Orange County and one of the most widespread in the United States. They can be found on any warm-blooded host and often make their way into households by first latching onto pet cats or dogs. They require fresh blood in order to reproduce and can lay eggs at the rate of up to one per hour. Rarely, these fleas can transmit diseases like plague and murine typhus to humans. More commonly, their bite can cause an allergic reaction in humans and their pets.
Damselflies
- Damselflies resemble dragonflies, which are both in the order Odonata, except that they are more slender and delicate. Two damselfly species are found in Orange County: broad-winged and narrow-winged. Broad-winged damselflies include the American Rubyspot, and narrow-winged damselflies include the Vivid Dancer and the Pacific Forktail. These insects are brightly-colored and hold their wings upright when resting. They are predators, eating other insects, and can move each of their wings independently from each other.
Termites
- There are more than 2,500 species of termites in the world. Orange County is home to two: subterranean termites and Pacific dampwood termites. Subterranean termites are particularly damaging to human homes. They build large colonies underground and infest the wood in homes from below, adding mud into the tunnels they build in the wood in order to maintain humidity. Dampwood termites make their colonies in wood that is wet and sometimes decaying. In homes, they are attracted to soft timber, like springwood, or wooden beams that are moist due to leaky pipes. Orange county's humidity makes it an ideal place for these termites to live and breed.

Insects & Science