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Pest Identifier

What pest is in my home?

Not sure what you're seeing? Match it against the photos, sizes, and signs below. Each pest links to a deeper guide and local exterminators.

A quick identification guide for 16 common pests.

Look for the right size, color, and behavior before you call. The pests below cover roughly 95% of what most homeowners encounter — and each one links to a deeper guide with treatment options and local exterminators.

Ants — close-up identification photo
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Pest 1 of 16

Ants

Size
1/16 – 1/2 inch (1.5 – 13 mm)
Color
Black, brown, red, or pale tan depending on species

What it looks like

Three distinct body segments, bent (elbowed) antennae, and a narrow waist. Workers are wingless; reproductives have two pairs of wings with the front pair longer than the back.

Where you'll find it

Kitchen counters, pantries, baseboards, around sinks, under appliances, and along window frames. Outdoor colonies live in soil, under stones, mulch, sidewalks, and inside hollow wood.

Signs of an infestation

  • Trails of ants moving back and forth along the same path
  • Small piles of dirt or sand near foundation cracks (ant hills)
  • Sawdust-like piles around woodwork (carpenter ants)
  • Sweet, greasy, or protein food disappearing fast

Often confused with

Termites — but termites have straight antennae, a thick waist, and equal-length wings. Ants are pinched at the waist with bent antennae.

Why it matters

Most ants are nuisance pests, but carpenter ants chew through structural wood and fire ants deliver painful, allergenic stings.

Learn more about Ants →
Bed Bugs — close-up identification photo
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Pest 2 of 16

Bed Bugs

Size
1/4 inch (4 – 5 mm) — about the size of an apple seed
Color
Reddish brown; deeper red after feeding

What it looks like

Flat, oval body when unfed; swollen and elongated after a blood meal. Six legs, short antennae, and no wings. Nymphs are smaller and pale tan.

Where you'll find it

Mattress seams, box spring corners, headboards, behind picture frames, in electrical outlets, and along carpet edges near beds. They travel on luggage, used furniture, and clothing.

Signs of an infestation

  • Small, itchy bites in lines or clusters on skin exposed during sleep
  • Tiny dark spots (digested blood) on sheets, mattresses, or walls
  • Pale yellow shed skins along seams and crevices
  • A sweet, musty odor in heavy infestations

Often confused with

Carpet beetles and bat bugs. Carpet beetles are rounder and have a hard wing shell. Bat bugs require a microscope to tell apart, but they only feed when bats are nearby.

Why it matters

Bed bugs reproduce fast and DIY treatment rarely eliminates them. Professional heat or chemical treatment is usually required.

Learn more about Bed Bugs →
Cockroaches — close-up identification photo
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Pest 3 of 16

Cockroaches

Size
1/2 – 2 inches (12 – 50 mm) depending on species
Color
Reddish brown to dark brown, sometimes with yellow markings behind the head

What it looks like

Oval, flattened body with long spiny legs and long antennae. Two pairs of wings folded flat over the back in adults. Move quickly and prefer to scatter when light hits them.

Where you'll find it

Behind refrigerators, under sinks, inside cabinets, drains, basements, and any warm, damp, dark space. Cardboard boxes and paper grocery bags often carry them indoors.

Signs of an infestation

  • Live or dead roaches sighted at night, especially in kitchens
  • Small black or brown pellets (droppings) that look like coffee grounds
  • A musty, oily odor in heavily infested areas
  • Egg cases (oothecae) — small brown capsules in dark corners

Often confused with

Crickets and water bugs. Crickets jump and chirp; cockroaches do neither. Water bugs are aquatic, not household pests.

Why it matters

Cockroaches trigger asthma and allergies, and they contaminate food surfaces with bacteria from drains and waste.

Learn more about Cockroaches →
Earwigs — close-up identification photo
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Pest 4 of 16

Earwigs

Size
1/4 – 1 inch (5 – 25 mm)
Color
Reddish brown to nearly black

What it looks like

Long, slender body with the distinctive pair of pincers (cerci) at the rear. Most have short wings folded under a leathery covering, but rarely fly.

Where you'll find it

Mulch, leaf litter, under flower pots, beneath wood piles, and inside damp basements, bathrooms, or laundry rooms. They often enter homes during dry summer spells looking for moisture.

Signs of an infestation

  • Live earwigs found at night in sinks, tubs, or near drains
  • Small ragged holes chewed in leaves of garden plants
  • Pincered insects falling from rolled-up newspapers, towels, or potted plants

Often confused with

Rove beetles — similar shape but no pincers. The pincers are the giveaway for earwigs.

Why it matters

Despite the folklore, earwigs do not crawl into ears. They are mostly a nuisance, but large numbers indicate excess moisture around the foundation.

Learn more about Earwigs →
Fleas — close-up identification photo
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Pest 5 of 16

Fleas

Size
1/12 – 1/8 inch (1.5 – 3.3 mm)
Color
Dark reddish brown

What it looks like

Tiny, wingless, hard-bodied insects flattened side-to-side. Long jumping legs let them leap up to 200 times their own body length.

Where you'll find it

On pets (dogs, cats), pet bedding, carpets, upholstery, and along baseboards. Outdoor populations live in shady yards, under porches, and in tall grass.

Signs of an infestation

  • Pets scratching, biting, or grooming excessively
  • Tiny black specks (flea dirt) in pet fur — turns red on a damp paper towel
  • Small, itchy red bites on ankles and lower legs
  • Live fleas jumping when you walk across carpet

Often confused with

Bed bugs — but bed bugs do not jump and only feed at night. Fleas bite at any time and you can see them move.

Why it matters

Fleas spread tapeworms and bacterial infections to pets and people, and one untreated pet can seed an entire home.

Learn more about Fleas →
Mosquitoes — close-up identification photo
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Pest 6 of 16

Mosquitoes

Size
1/4 – 1/2 inch (6 – 12 mm)
Color
Gray, brown, or black, often with pale bands on the legs

What it looks like

Slender body, long thin legs, narrow wings, and a long piercing mouthpart (proboscis). Only females bite — they need blood to develop eggs.

Where you'll find it

Anywhere with standing water — clogged gutters, bird baths, plant saucers, kiddie pools, tarps, and ditches. Adults rest in shaded vegetation during the day.

Signs of an infestation

  • Itchy welts after spending time outdoors at dawn or dusk
  • Whining buzz near the ears, particularly at night
  • Larvae (wrigglers) in any pooled outdoor water

Often confused with

Crane flies and midges. Crane flies are much larger and do not bite. Midges swarm but rarely bite humans.

Why it matters

Mosquitoes transmit West Nile, Zika, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and heartworm in dogs. Eliminating standing water is the most effective control.

Learn more about Mosquitoes →
Moths — close-up identification photo
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Pest 7 of 16

Moths

Size
1/4 – 1/2 inch wingspan (6 – 13 mm) for household species
Color
Pale tan, gray, or buff; pantry moths often have a bronze band across the wings

What it looks like

Small moths with narrow wings held tent-like over the body at rest. Clothes moths have a fringed wing edge. Pantry (Indianmeal) moths show a distinct two-tone wing pattern.

Where you'll find it

Pantry moths: in flour, cereal, rice, pet food, birdseed, and dried fruit. Clothes moths: dark closets, attics, and stored wool, fur, or silk garments.

Signs of an infestation

  • Small adult moths flying erratically near pantry shelves or closets
  • Silken webbing or small holes in stored grains or wool clothing
  • Tiny cream-colored larvae crawling out of food packaging
  • Cocoons or shed pupal cases in corners of cupboards or drawers

Often confused with

Pantry moths vs. clothes moths — pantry moths fly openly; clothes moths shun light and stay in closets.

Why it matters

Moths do not bite or sting, but their larvae destroy clothing and contaminate stored food. Catching them early prevents widespread damage.

Learn more about Moths →
Rodents — close-up identification photo
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Pest 8 of 16

Rodents

Size
Mice: 2.5 – 4 inches body. Rats: 6 – 10 inches body, with similar-length tail
Color
Brown, gray, or black; bellies often lighter

What it looks like

Mice have large ears relative to head, pointed muzzle, slender tail. Rats are bulkier with blunter snouts, smaller ears, and scaly tails. Both have continuously growing front teeth.

Where you'll find it

Behind appliances, inside walls, attics, basements, garages, and any pantry storage. They follow plumbing penetrations into houses and squeeze through holes the size of a dime (mice) or quarter (rats).

Signs of an infestation

  • Dark, rice-grain-sized droppings along walls, in drawers, or near food
  • Gnaw marks on baseboards, food packaging, or wiring
  • Greasy rub marks along walls and beams from oily fur
  • Scratching or scampering sounds in walls or attics at night
  • Shredded paper, fabric, or insulation used as nesting material

Often confused with

Shrews and voles. Shrews are smaller with longer snouts and rarely enter houses. Voles live outdoors in yards.

Why it matters

Rodents gnaw through wiring (fire risk), contaminate food with droppings, and carry hantavirus, salmonella, and ectoparasites like fleas and ticks.

Learn more about Rodents →
Scorpions — close-up identification photo
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Pest 9 of 16

Scorpions

Size
1 – 3 inches (25 – 75 mm) for most US/Canada species
Color
Pale yellow, tan, or dark brown

What it looks like

Eight legs, two large pincers in front, a curling segmented tail tipped with a stinger. They glow blue-green under UV (blacklight).

Where you'll find it

Under rocks, woodpiles, mulch, and in cool dark interior spaces — closets, shoes, garages, and crawlspaces in the desert Southwest.

Signs of an infestation

  • Live scorpions seen at night, especially after rain
  • Small molted exoskeletons in garages or basements
  • Glowing creatures spotted with a UV flashlight after dark

Often confused with

Pseudoscorpions — much smaller (under 1/4 inch), no tail, harmless. True scorpions always have the segmented tail.

Why it matters

Most US scorpion stings cause only local pain, but the Arizona bark scorpion can cause serious symptoms, especially in children. Always shake out shoes in scorpion country.

Learn more about Scorpions →
Silverfish — close-up identification photo
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Pest 10 of 16

Silverfish

Size
1/2 – 3/4 inch (12 – 19 mm)
Color
Silvery gray to bluish, with a metallic sheen

What it looks like

Teardrop-shaped, flattened body that tapers from head to tail. Two long antennae in front, three bristle-like appendages at the rear. Move in a wriggling, fish-like motion.

Where you'll find it

Bathrooms, basements, attics, behind wallpaper, in bookshelves, and inside cardboard boxes. They prefer damp, dark spaces with starches or paper to eat.

Signs of an infestation

  • Live insects seen darting away when a light comes on
  • Small yellow stains or scales on paper, books, or wallpaper
  • Notched edges on cardboard, photos, or stored clothing
  • Tiny pepper-like droppings near food sources

Often confused with

Firebrats — close relatives but prefer hot environments (boiler rooms, water heaters). Silverfish prefer cool, damp areas.

Why it matters

Silverfish damage books, photos, clothing, and stored documents. They are a sign of excess humidity that may also support mold.

Learn more about Silverfish →
Snakes — close-up identification photo
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Pest 11 of 16

Snakes

Size
8 inches (small garter) to 6+ feet (rat snakes, large rattlers)
Color
Highly variable — solid green, brown, banded, striped, or diamond-patterned

What it looks like

Long, legless reptile. Venomous pit vipers have a triangular head, vertical pupils, and a heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril. Non-venomous species typically have round pupils and a rounder head.

Where you'll find it

Rock piles, wood piles, tall grass, garden sheds, garages, crawlspaces, and basements. They follow rodents — a snake in the wall often signals a mouse problem.

Signs of an infestation

  • Shed skins (long, papery, intact tubes) in attics, sheds, or under decks
  • S-shaped tracks in dust or fine soil
  • Sightings near rodent burrows, ponds, or wood piles

Often confused with

Legless lizards — they have eyelids and visible ear openings. True snakes have neither.

Why it matters

Most species are harmless and beneficial (they eat rodents). Venomous species — rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes — require professional removal.

Learn more about Snakes →
Spiders — close-up identification photo
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Pest 12 of 16

Spiders

Size
1/8 – 2 inches body, leg span up to 4 inches in some species
Color
Brown, black, gray, tan, or yellow; some with distinct markings

What it looks like

Eight legs, two body segments (head/thorax fused), no antennae, no wings. Most have 8 eyes arranged in two rows.

Where you'll find it

Quiet corners, basements, garages, attics, woodpiles, under furniture, and along window frames. Web-builders pick still spots; hunters (wolf, jumping) roam.

Signs of an infestation

  • Webs in corners, basements, garages, or along eaves
  • Egg sacs — small round papery or silken balls in webs
  • Live spiders seen indoors, especially in late summer and fall
  • Casting (shed exoskeletons) near webs or hiding spots

Often confused with

Daddy long-legs (harvestmen) — these are not true spiders. They have one body segment, longer legs, and cannot bite humans.

Why it matters

Most spiders are beneficial and harmless. Black widows and brown recluses can deliver medically significant bites — learn to recognize them.

Learn more about Spiders →
Termites — close-up identification photo
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Pest 13 of 16

Termites

Size
1/4 – 3/8 inch (6 – 10 mm)
Color
Workers are cream or pale; soldiers and reproductives are darker

What it looks like

Soft-bodied, three body segments without a pinched waist, straight bead-like antennae. Winged reproductives (swarmers) have four equal-length wings.

Where you'll find it

Subterranean termites build mud tubes from soil into structural wood (sills, joists, framing). Drywood termites live entirely inside wood without contacting soil.

Signs of an infestation

  • Pencil-thick mud tubes on foundation walls, piers, or crawlspace beams
  • Discarded wings near windows or doors after a swarm
  • Wood that sounds hollow when tapped and crumbles when probed
  • Small piles of pellet-like frass (drywood termite droppings)
  • Swarmers (winged termites) emerging in spring

Often confused with

Flying ants — but ants have bent antennae, a pinched waist, and unequal wings. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, no waist, and four equal wings.

Why it matters

Termites cause more than $5 billion in structural damage in the US every year. Annual inspections are far cheaper than treatment plus repair.

Learn more about Termites →
Ticks — close-up identification photo
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Pest 14 of 16

Ticks

Size
1/16 – 1/4 inch unfed (1 – 6 mm); much larger when engorged
Color
Brown, reddish brown, or black with possible white markings on the back

What it looks like

Eight legs (arachnid, not insect), flat oval body that balloons when feeding. No antennae. Mouthparts at the front for piercing skin.

Where you'll find it

Tall grass, leaf litter, brush edges, and wooded yards. They climb up onto vegetation and "quest" by waving their front legs to grab onto a passing host.

Signs of an infestation

  • A tick attached to skin after time outdoors
  • Pets scratching or having visible ticks in fur
  • A bullseye rash (Lyme disease) developing days after a bite
  • Ticks crawling on clothes or boots after walking through brush

Often confused with

Mites and small spiders. Ticks have a smoother, flatter body and are larger than most mites. Mites do not typically attach for blood meals on humans.

Why it matters

Ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and several other illnesses. Remove attached ticks carefully with fine tweezers.

Learn more about Ticks →
Wasps and Hornets — close-up identification photo
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Pest 15 of 16

Wasps and Hornets

Size
1/2 – 1 1/2 inches (12 – 38 mm) for common species
Color
Yellow and black banding (yellowjackets), white and black (bald-faced hornets), brown or reddish brown (paper wasps)

What it looks like

Smooth, narrow-waisted body (unlike fuzzy bees), two pairs of wings, and a stinger that can be used multiple times. Long legs often dangle in flight.

Where you'll find it

Paper wasps: small umbrella nests under eaves, soffits, and deck railings. Yellowjackets: ground burrows, wall voids, and shrubbery. Hornets: large football-shaped paper nests in trees or eaves.

Signs of an infestation

  • Multiple wasps flying repeatedly to the same spot in a wall, eave, or ground hole
  • Visible paper nests under eaves, decks, or in shrubs
  • Wasps lingering around outdoor food and trash bins in late summer
  • Increased aggression and swarming in August and September

Often confused with

Bees — bees are fuzzy with flattened pollen-carrying legs and rarely sting unless directly threatened. Wasps are smooth and can be aggressive.

Why it matters

Stings are painful and can be life-threatening for allergic people. Nests near doorways or in walls warrant professional removal — do not seal a wall-void nest without treating it first.

Learn more about Wasps and Hornets →
Wildlife — close-up identification photo
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Pest 16 of 16

Wildlife

Size
Varies — squirrels (10 in.), raccoons (24 in. body), skunks (18 in. body), opossums (15 – 20 in. body)
Color
Raccoons: gray with black mask. Squirrels: gray, red, or fox-colored. Skunks: black with white stripe. Opossums: pale gray with pink nose.

What it looks like

Mammals — fur, four legs, distinct tails. Each species has a characteristic shape: squirrels are slim and bushy-tailed, raccoons stout with masks, skunks low-slung with stripes, opossums hunched with rat-like tails.

Where you'll find it

Attics, soffits, chimneys, crawlspaces, under decks, and in sheds. They enter through roof vents, fascia gaps, uncapped chimneys, and crawlspace vents.

Signs of an infestation

  • Scratching, scampering, or thumping in the attic at dusk and dawn
  • Large droppings in attics, on roofs, or near entry points
  • Damaged soffits, chewed fascia, or torn roof vents
  • Skunk odor or strong musky smell around the foundation
  • Trash cans repeatedly knocked over or torn into

Often confused with

Rodents — rats and mice are much smaller and leave tiny droppings. Anything bigger than a small fist is wildlife, not a rodent.

Why it matters

Wildlife carries rabies, leptospirosis, and parasites, and their entry holes admit insects and weather. Professional removal protects both you and the animal; many species are legally protected.

Learn more about Wildlife →

Still not sure what you're dealing with?

A local pest control company can identify a pest in person and recommend treatment. Browse companies by city and book a free inspection.

Find pest control near me →See pest calendar →