Not sure what pest you're dealing with? This guide covers the identification characteristics of all major US household pests — from bed bugs and termites to scorpions and drain flies. When in doubt, call (855) 424-9709 and describe what you're seeing — local specialists can often help identify the pest over the phone.
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Small, reddish-brown, flat, oval — the size of an apple seed. Found in mattress seams, headboards, and outlets near beds. Leave rust-colored stains on bedding. Bite marks appear as clusters on exposed skin.
Creamy white, soft-bodied, straight antennae, equal-length wings on swarmers. Build mud tubes on foundation. Produce hollow-sounding wood. Silent damage over years before discovery.
Oval, flat, fast-moving. German (small, tan, two dark stripes) lives in kitchens. American (large, reddish-brown) prefers damp areas. Oriental (dark, slow) in basements. Produce oily odor.
Small (3–4 inch body), grey-brown, large ears, pointed nose. Leave rice-shaped droppings, gnaw marks, and shredded nesting material. Scratching in walls at night.
Large (7–9 inch body), brown or black. Norway rat: blunt nose, small ears, burrows. Roof rat: pointed nose, large ears, climbs. Larger droppings than mice, capsule-shaped.
Follow scent trails in lines to food and water. Carpenter ants: large, black, produce sawdust-like frass near wood. Fire ants: red, dome-shaped mounds in yard. Sugar ants: tiny trails in kitchen.
Yellow jackets: yellow-black, aggressive, nest in ground or wall voids. Paper wasps: slender, open umbrella nest under eaves. Bald-faced hornets: black-white, large grey aerial nest.
Small, long-legged, proboscis for piercing. Active at dawn and dusk. Breed in standing water. Bites produce raised red welts. Carry West Nile virus and other diseases.
Black widow: round black body, red hourglass marking. Brown recluse: tan, violin marking, 6 eyes. Wolf spider: large, hairy, fast-moving. House spiders: webs in corners.
Tiny (1–2mm), wingless, jump extremely fast. Dark brown. Found on pets, in carpet, on ankles. Bite marks cluster on lower legs and ankles. Flea dirt (black specks) on pet fur.
Eight legs, pincers, curved tail with stinger. Arizona bark scorpion: pale yellow, 2–3 inches, glows blue-green under UV light. Found in dark crevices, shoes, and under furniture.
House fly: grey, red eyes. Fruit fly: tiny, red eyes, near produce. Drain fly: tiny, fuzzy wings, near drains. Blow fly: large, metallic green/blue — indicates a nearby dead animal.
Not every pest is easy to identify from a description. If you are uncertain what you are dealing with, call (855) 424-9709 and describe what you are seeing — where you found it, how big it was, what color, and what time of day. A local specialist can often help you identify the pest over the phone before scheduling a visit.
If it is safe to do so, photograph the pest alongside something for scale (a coin, a ruler) and the area where you found it. A good photo is the single most useful tool for remote identification.
The species that pose the greatest direct danger to humans in the US are: the Arizona Bark Scorpion (Southwest), Black Widow spiders (widespread), Brown Recluse spiders (South and Midwest), fire ants (South), and wasps and hornets (nationwide). Any unknown insect found in your home should be treated with caution — use a glass or container to trap it rather than handling directly. When in doubt, photograph and call.
Carpenter ants are large (up to 3/4 inch), clearly segmented with a pinched waist, and excavate clean galleries in moist wood without eating it. Termites are smaller, creamy-white with a thick waist and straight antennae. They eat wood from inside, leaving mud-lined galleries. Carpenter ant damage is clean and smooth; termite damage is muddy and layered with soil. Finding swarmers? Ants have unequal wings and bent antennae; termite swarmers have equal-length wings and straight antennae.
Small jumping black bugs in the bathroom are almost never fleas — fleas stay near pets and carpet. Tiny black bugs in the bathroom are more likely drain flies (slow-moving, near drains), springtails (jump but are very small and found in damp areas), or bat bugs (if you have bats in the attic). Describe the insect, its behavior, and where exactly you find it — calling with this detail helps a specialist identify it before a visit.
Take a clear photo next to something for scale. Note where you found it and what time of day. Look for secondary evidence — droppings, damage, nesting material. Call (855) 424-9709 and describe everything you've observed. Local specialists often recognize pests by description alone based on regional species common to your area.
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