Top 15 Most Common Insects in Hamilton

The tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolaris) is considered a scourge of commercial crops, as they feed on over half of them. They use sucking mouthparts to absorb the juices off them, leaving them damaged and yellow. In the 1980s, farmers imported parasitic wasps in order to control their population.

Anisolabis maritima, commonly known as the maritime earwig or the seaside earwig, is a species of earwig in the family Anisolabididae. Similar to the seashore earwig, this species can be found near the shore line, and is cosmopolitan. It can be found in almost all biogeographic realms. Scientists believe that these earwigs originally came from Asia. Since then, however, they have been introduced to North America, and have now spread around the world due to international commerce. This earwig is approximately 2.5 to 3 cm (1.0–1.2 in) long, and is a grayish or blackish in color with light yellow legs. Unlike many other species of earwigs, it does not have any wings. Male maritime earwigs are known for their characteristically asymmetrical forceps, which they use for mating, for capturing prey, and for protecting themselves. These forceps have even been known to be strong enough to break human skin. This species preys on many different small invertebrates, including fleas, crickets, ants, small beetles, sowbugs; it even exhibits cannibalistic tendencies. Because of their location on the beach, maritime earwigs are often found under seaweed and driftwood during the day. They prefer “dark, warm, humid places” to stay in. In maritime earwigs in particular, evidence of filial cannibalism has been found. Filial cannibalism is the practice of a mother eating some of her offspring. Scientists believe that maritime earwigs practice this behavior in order to make their clutch maintain the size that best optimizes their investment. In this case, the mother will often eat the youngest child, which serves to shorten the total time she spends caring for the young. As she optimizes the childbearing process, the amount of energy she has to spend on her remaining children increases, as does their chance of survival.

The detritus moth (Opogona omoscopa) is a species that has been introduced to the states, but it is one of the few insects found on the island of Île Amsterdam. The larvae have a diet of decaying vegetation which can include pineapple roots. When they aren't feasting their childhood away, they fly using their feather-like wings.

Although the german cockroach has wings, it is not a strong flier and will exhibit a gliding motion when threatened. It prefers warmer environments and can commonly be found in human dwellings, restaurants, and hotels. It feeds on a wide range of food sources ranging from meat, starches, and sugary foods, to household items such as toothpaste and soap.

The tersa sphinx (Xylophanes tersa) has stiff wings that make it resemble a small bird. The adults might seem intimidating because their abdomen comes to a sharp point, but they have no stinger and are harmless to humans. The larvae are typically a bright green color or brown color with eye-spots, much different than the dull brown color of the adults.

The pandora sphinx (Eumorpha pandorus) has leaf-like wings that are either brown or dark green, making it great at camouflaging. This moth's caterpillars are either bright green or red-orange with white spots. The adults drink nectar from flowers, and they are often found in gardens, vineyards, and near rivers.

The striped earwig is a good insect to control pests since it preys on a wide range of other insects. It also releases a rotten-smelling pheromone to deter predators. Its main predators are ants. The males have two penises, and they can choose to use either of them. They can produce two to three generations per year, and the last generation will hibernate during the winter.

The swift Woodlouse (Porcellio laevis) has the unusual distinction of being called the dairy cow isopod due to their tendency to hang around "urban dairy farms." In the 20th century, dairy farms were kept in urban locations to enable to delivery of fresh milk, creating the perfect habitat for these isopods. It gets the name swift Woodlouse from the quick bursts of speed it has when intimidated.

The giant Crab Spider is a large spider native to the tropics; the largest reported individual had a leg span of 30 cm. This cosmopolitan spider is highly valued in some areas, as it's able to catch cockroaches and other indoor pests. Reportedly, it hunts even scorpions and bats. This spider is venomous and sometimes bites humans, but it's considered harmless.

Erinnyis ello, the ello sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is distributed from Argentina through Central America to the United States as far north as Nevada. The wingspan is 75–85 mm. The abdomen has gray and black bands. The forewing upperside of the female is pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer margin, while the forewing upperside of the male is dark gray and brown with a black band running from the base to the tip. In both sexes, the hindwing upperside is orange with a wide black border. Adults are on wing year-round in the tropics and southern Florida. Adults feed on the nectar of flowers, including common soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and Chinese violet (Asystasia gangetica). The larva feeds on a variety of host plants, including papaya (Carica papaya) in the family Caricaceae; poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), Mexican jumping bean (Sebastiania pavoniana), Cnidoscolus urens, and cassava (Manihot esculenta) in the Euphorbiaceae; guavas (Psidium spp.) in the Myrtaceae; and saffron plum (Sideroxylon celastrinum) in the Sapotaceae. The ello sphinx can be parasitized by the braconid wasp Microplitis figueresi.