Pest Identification Guide

German cockroaches are light brown with two dark stripes behind the head. They are the most common cockroach found in homes and restaurants. They reproduce rapidly and can spread bacteria and allergens.

Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on human blood at night. They hide in mattress seams, bed frames, and furniture. Bites appear as itchy red welts, often in a line.

Norway rats are large brown rodents weighing up to 500g. They burrow underground and near foundations. They gnaw through wood, plastic, and even soft metals. They carry serious diseases.

Wasps and yellow jackets are aggressive stinging insects with black and yellow stripes. They build nests in eaves, attics, underground, and wall voids. Their stings can cause severe allergic reactions.

Termites are small, pale insects that silently eat wood from the inside out. They cause billions of dollars in damage annually. Signs include mud tubes on foundations, hollow-sounding wood, and discarded wings.

Raccoons are medium-sized mammals with distinctive black face masks and ringed tails. They are highly intelligent, nocturnal, and known for raiding garbage cans, gardens, and pet food. They can carry rabies, roundworm, and distemper, and cause significant property damage to attics, soffits, and roofing.

Striped skunks are black with white stripes running down their back. They are well-known for their powerful defensive spray that can reach up to 4 meters. They dig under porches and sheds to create dens, damage lawns by digging for grubs, and can carry rabies.

Big brown bats and little brown bats commonly roost in attics, walls, and soffits. Their guano (droppings) accumulates and can harbor histoplasmosis fungus, a serious respiratory disease. Bats are a primary rabies carrier in Canada. They are protected species in most provinces, so exclusion (not extermination) is required.

Blacklegged (deer) ticks are small arachnids that feed on blood and transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. They are found in tall grass, leaf litter, and wooded areas. Tick populations are expanding across Canada due to climate change, making yard treatment increasingly important.

House mice are small gray-brown rodents with large ears and a long tail. They can squeeze through gaps as small as a dime. They contaminate food and can spread diseases like hantavirus and salmonella.

Carpenter ants are large black ants (6-13mm) that excavate wood to build nests. Unlike termites, they don't eat wood but can cause significant structural damage over time. Sawdust piles are a telltale sign.

Fleas are tiny, dark brown jumping insects that feed on pets and humans. They can jump up to 150 times their body length. Bites cause itchy red bumps, usually around ankles and legs.

Mosquitoes are small flying insects known for their itchy bites. Females require blood meals to produce eggs. They breed in standing water and can transmit diseases like West Nile virus and Zika.

Eastern gray squirrels are agile rodents that commonly invade attics by chewing through soffits, fascia boards, and roof vents. Once inside, they gnaw on electrical wires (fire hazard), insulation, and wood. They create nests of shredded material and can cause thousands of dollars in damage.

Groundhogs (woodchucks) are large burrowing rodents that can weigh up to 6 kg. They dig extensive tunnel systems under sheds, porches, and foundations, which can undermine structures and cause settling. They also destroy gardens and vegetable patches by feeding on plants.

Feral pigeons are common urban birds that nest on ledges, rooftops, balconies, and HVAC units. Their acidic droppings damage building surfaces, clog drains, and carry diseases including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis. Large flocks create serious sanitation and health hazards.

House spiders are generally harmless and actually help control other insect populations. They are brown or gray, build messy webs in corners and undisturbed areas. Most spider bites in homes are non-venomous.

Fruit flies are tiny (3mm) tan flies with red eyes that swarm around ripe or rotting fruit, drains, and garbage. They reproduce incredibly fast — a single female can lay 500 eggs.

Silverfish are small, wingless insects with a silvery-blue color and fish-like movement. They love dark, humid areas and feed on starchy materials like paper, wallpaper paste, and book bindings.

Clothing moths are small, golden-colored moths whose larvae feed on natural fibers — wool, silk, cashmere, fur, and feathers. They cause holes in clothing, carpets, and upholstery. Unlike pantry moths, they avoid light and prefer dark, undisturbed closets and storage areas.

Indian meal moths (pantry moths) are the most common stored-food pest. Adults have distinctive two-toned wings — gray near the head and copper-brown at the tips. Larvae spin silky webs in flour, cereals, rice, pet food, and dried fruit, contaminating entire pantries.

European earwigs are dark brown insects with distinctive pincers (cerci) on their abdomen. They are nocturnal and hide in damp, dark spaces during the day. While mostly harmless to humans, they can invade homes in large numbers in summer and damage garden plants and seedlings.

House centipedes are fast-moving arthropods with 15 pairs of long, banded legs. They are actually beneficial predators that hunt spiders, cockroaches, and other insects. However, their alarming appearance causes distress, and large populations indicate an underlying pest problem providing their food source.

Brown marmorated stink bugs are shield-shaped invasive insects that release a foul odor when disturbed. They invade homes in large numbers during fall seeking warmth to overwinter. They don't bite or cause structural damage but are a serious agricultural pest and an extreme nuisance indoors.

Cluster flies are slightly larger than house flies with golden hairs on their thorax. They invade homes in large groups during fall to hibernate in wall voids and attics. On warm winter days, they emerge inside the home, buzzing at windows. They don't breed indoors or contaminate food.

Boxelder bugs are flat, black insects with distinctive red-orange markings. They feed on boxelder and maple tree seeds. In fall, they congregate on sun-warmed walls in massive numbers before entering homes to overwinter. While harmless, they stain surfaces when crushed and are a major nuisance.

Pill bugs (roly-polies) are small, oval, gray crustaceans with segmented armor-like plates. They curl into a tight ball when disturbed. They require moisture and are often found in damp areas around foundations, under rocks, and in basements.