Pest Control Guides: Every Guide by Topic

Start here: identify and understand 10

How to identify a bug Identification A practical way to identify an insect or spider in or around your home: what to photograph, how to collect a specimen so it can be identified, common look-alikes (termit… Found a bug? What to do first Identification A calm first-response guide: how to catch and identify what you found, which finds need action right away (indoor termite swarmers, bed bugs, German cockroaches, rodent … Signs of pests: droppings, frass, smells and damage Identification How to tell what's been in your house from what it left behind: rodent and bat droppings, cockroach specks, termite pellets, sawdust and powder from ants and wood-boring… Scary-looking but harmless insects Identification Which big or strange insects around the home are harmless, which ones only bite or sting if handled, and which are actually beneficial: cicadas, crane flies, mayflies, f… Pests by room Around the home Which pests turn up in each part of the house and why: cockroaches and pantry pests in the kitchen, silverfish and drain flies in the bathroom, bed bugs and fabric pests… Seasonal pest calendar Seasons A season-by-season guide to household and yard pests, from late-winter ant baiting and spring termite swarms to summer yellowjackets and the fall rush of mice, stink bug… Pest control questions, answered FAQ Straight answers to common pest control questions, each with a source: how long to stay out after spraying, how to check a license, whether ultrasonic repellers work, wh… Pest control myths and what works instead Myths Ultrasonic repellers, bug zappers, mosquito plants, bug bombs, spraying ants and cockroaches: what extension specialists, NPIC and the FTC say doesn't work, and what to … Integrated pest management (IPM) Pest control basics What integrated pest management means, EPA's four steps (action thresholds, monitoring and identification, prevention, control), the control categories UC IPM uses, and … A short history of U.S. pest control History How pest control and its regulation changed in the U.S.: DDT's rise and 1972 cancellation, Silent Spring, the creation of EPA, FIFRA registration, the 1996 Food Quality …

Insects in the house 6

Pantry pests Pantry pests How to identify the moths, beetles, weevils, mites and booklice that infest flour, cereal, rice, spices and pet food; how to find the source package, clean up, and keep … Small flies in the house Flies How to tell fruit flies, drain flies, phorid (humpbacked) flies and fungus gnats apart, find where they're breeding, and get rid of them for good, including the tape tes… Fall home invaders Home invaders Why western conifer seed bugs, elm seed bugs, kudzu bugs, boxelder bugs, stink bugs and Asian lady beetles pile onto houses and get inside, why they're a nuisance rather… Identify your ants, find the nest, keep them out Ants How to tell common household ants apart by size, color, waist nodes and nest sites; ants vs termites; how to follow trails to the nest; and the prevention and baiting st… Spiders in and around the house Spiders Most spiders are harmless predators of insects. How to recognize the few that matter (widows and recluses), why most bites are misattributed, and how sealing, vacuuming … Cockroaches, pests and asthma Health Why cockroach droppings and body parts trigger asthma, what the landmark inner-city study found, and how to control cockroaches and rodents while keeping pesticide irrit…

Bites, stings and biting pests 6

Bug bites and stings Bites and stings Bed bug, flea, mosquito, tick, spider, fire ant, wasp and scorpion bites and stings: what's known about each, why bites alone rarely identify the culprit, and which symp… What kills bed bugs, and what doesn't Bed bugs Why household sprays, bug bombs, bleach and rubbing alcohol don't solve a bed bug problem, and what does: laundering and drying, encasements, steam, registered desiccant… Ticks: prevention, removal and yard control Ticks How to prevent tick bites, remove an attached tick the right way, make your yard less tick-friendly and know when to see a doctor, plus profiles of the blacklegged, lone… Biting flies: horse, deer, black and stable flies Biting flies How to recognize horse flies, deer flies, black flies and stable flies, where they breed, when they bite, and what actually reduces bites outdoors (clothing, labeled rep… Wasps, hornets and bees Stinging insects How to tell yellowjackets, paper wasps, hornets, mud daubers and bees apart, which ones defend their nests, how to avoid stings, and when a nest really needs to go, from… Bird mites and rat mites Biting pests Tropical rat mites, house mouse mites and northern and tropical fowl mites bite people when their rodent or bird hosts die or leave a nest in the house. How to collect m…

Termites and wood pests 10

Termites Termites Subterranean, Formosan and drywood termites: how to tell which you have, the signs of an infestation, how liquid treatments, baits and fumigation compare, and how to pro… How to check your home for termites Termites What to look for when checking your home for termites, where to look inside and out, and why a licensed inspection is still recommended, from UC IPM, Kentucky and Texas … Signs of termite damage Termites How to recognize termite damage: mud tubes, wood hollowed along the grain with soil in the galleries, drywood pellets, and how it differs from carpenter ant and moisture… Termite swarmers: what they mean and what to do Termites Found winged termites indoors? What a swarm means, why the swarmers themselves can't damage wood, how to confirm they're termites, and what to do next, from university e… Termite swarmers vs flying ants Termites Winged termites and winged ants swarm at the same time of year. The three features that tell them apart (antennae, waist and wings), plus how carpenter ant damage differ… How to protect your home from termites Termites The steps homeowners can take to make a house less attractive to termites, and why treating an existing infestation is a job for a licensed company, from University of K… Fumigation: when you need it and how to prepare Termites When whole-structure fumigation makes sense for drywood termites, the alternatives (heat and localized treatments), why it doesn't work on subterranean termites, and how… Hybrid termites: what the research shows Termites Hybrid Formosan x Asian subterranean termites are real but rare, found in southeast Florida. What UF/IFAS research shows about where they are, how they compare, and whet… Termite treatments compared Termite treatment How the termite treatments compare: non-repellent liquid soil termiticides, bait systems, and fumigation or heat for drywood termites. Speed, how long they last, when ea… Powderpost and other wood-boring beetles Wood pests How to tell powderpost, deathwatch and false powderpost beetles apart with the pen and frass tests, how to treat infested furniture with heat or freezing, when borate tr…

Rodents and wildlife 8

Rodent control: mice and rats Rodents How to get rid of mice and rats: tell which you have, seal entry points, trap effectively, use bait stations only where they make sense, and clean up droppings without r… Mice or rats? How to tell Rodents How to tell house mice from Norway rats and roof rats by size, tail, ears, gnaw marks and where they live, and why it changes the traps and sealing you need, from UC IPM. How to set snap traps for mice and rats Rodents How to trap mice and rats with snap traps: trap types, the best bait, how to place traps against walls, how many to use, and how to keep pets and children safe, from UC IPM. Rodent bait stations Rodents How rodent bait stations work, which ones homeowners can buy, where to place them, the label rules that apply, and why traps are often the better first step indoors, fro… Are glue traps humane? Rodents Glue boards catch mice and rats but often don't kill them quickly, can catch pets and wildlife, and are now restricted in England. What UC IPM says about their drawbacks… Hantavirus: cleaning up after rodents safely Rodents How to clean up rodent droppings, urine and nests safely to avoid hantavirus: CDC's steps (ventilate 30 minutes, 1:9 bleach, soak 5 minutes, never sweep or vacuum), plus… Rodenticides compared Rodenticides How the rat and mouse poisons differ: first- and second-generation anticoagulants, bromethalin, cholecalciferol and zinc phosphide. How each works, which have an antidot… Wildlife around the home Wildlife How to keep raccoons, tree, flying and ground squirrels, bats, skunks, opossums, coyotes, woodchucks, muskrats, pocket gophers, moles, voles, deer, pigeons, starlings, s…

Lawn, garden, trees and backyard animals 11

Garden and houseplant pests Garden pests How to manage the common garden and houseplant pests with the least disruption: tolerate low numbers, protect natural enemies, use water sprays, soaps and oils, row cove… Vegetable garden insects Garden pests How to recognize and manage Colorado potato beetle, Mexican bean beetle, squash vine borer, harlequin and stink bugs, asparagus beetles, onion maggots, wireworms, spotte… Lawn insects: grubs, chinch bugs and armyworms Lawn pests How to tell whether grubs, chinch bugs or armyworms are damaging your lawn, the simple checks extension specialists use (cutting a square-foot flap, the can float test, … Caterpillars: leaf feeders and stinging species Caterpillars Most caterpillars do tolerable damage and are kept in check by natural enemies. How to manage leaf-feeding caterpillars with handpicking and Bt, and how to recognize and… Tree, shrub and fruit tree pests Trees and shrubs How to spot and manage bagworms, emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, bark beetles, peachtree borer, twig girdlers, hemlock woolly adelgid, box tree moth, brownta… Bark beetles in pines and firs Trees and shrubs Bark beetles kill stressed pines, firs and spruces by tunneling under the bark. How to recognize an attack from boring dust, pitch and woodpecker damage, how the gallery… Plant-parasitic nematodes Garden and landscape Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic roundworms that knot roots, stripe leaves or kill trees. How to recognize root-knot nematodes, foliar nematodes, beech leaf dis… Beneficial insects worth keeping Garden How to recognize the predators that eat garden pests: lady beetles, lacewings, ground beetles, soldier beetles, minute pirate bugs, bigeyed bugs and assassin bugs, what … Honey bee hive pests Backyard beekeeping Three pests cause most of the trouble in backyard beehives: Varroa mites, which feed on the bees and spread viruses, and wax moths and small hive beetles, whose larvae r… Backyard chicken coop pests Backyard poultry How to spot and control northern fowl mites, chicken (red roost) mites, poultry lice, scaly leg mites, fowl ticks and sticktight fleas in a backyard flock, how new birds… Storing firewood without bringing pests inside Around the home Which insects come in on firewood, which ones matter (termites and carpenter ants near the house), how to stack and store wood, why not to spray it, and why not to move …

Pesticides and safety 13

How to read a pesticide label Pesticide safety The pesticide label is the law. How to read the parts that matter: the signal word, EPA registration number, directions for use, sites and pests, precautions, first aid … Pesticide safety and protective equipment Pesticide safety What protective equipment to wear when using pesticides at home: start with the label, pick the right glove material, protect your eyes, and wash work clothes separately… How long after pest control is it safe? After treatment How long to stay out after pest control: why the label decides, what 'until dry' means, and the extra precautions for babies, pregnancy and pets. Why bug bombs don't work well Pesticide safety Why total release foggers miss cockroaches and bed bugs hiding in cracks, the fire and illness risks CDC has documented, and how to use one safely if you do, from NPIC, … Perimeter pest sprays Pesticide use How outdoor perimeter insecticide treatments work, what a typical professional label (bifenthrin) allows, and the precautions for people, pets and water, from the EPA-st… Insect growth regulators (IGRs) Pesticide basics What insect growth regulators do, why they don't kill adult insects, where they help (fleas, cockroaches, mosquitoes, termite baits) and how to use them, from NPIC and UC IPM. Pesticide resistance: why your spray stopped working Pesticide basics How insects become resistant to pesticides, why German cockroaches, bed bugs and house flies are hard to kill, what a Purdue field study found about rotations and mixtur… Pest control with babies and children Babies and children How to treat pests safely with a baby or young children at home: why kids are more sensitive, when they can go back in, where to put baits, and which insect repellents a… Pest control with pets Pets How to use pest control around dogs and cats: when pets can go back in, bait safety, lawn granules, why dog flea products can kill cats, and who to call if a pet is exposed. Pest control during pregnancy Pregnancy Is pest control safe while pregnant? What the National Pesticide Information Center, CDC and MotherToBaby advise: how to limit exposure, when to come back in, and which … Is bifenthrin safe for dogs? Pets Bifenthrin perimeter sprays and dogs: what the label says about letting pets back on treated areas, the signs of exposure, and what to do if your dog got into it. Is diatomaceous earth safe for pets? Pets Diatomaceous earth around dogs and cats: why the dust is the main concern, the difference between amorphous and crystalline silica, and how to use a registered product safely. Is permethrin safe for cats? Pets Permethrin is not safe for cats. Why cats are more sensitive than dogs, how cats get exposed from dog flea products, the signs, and what to do.

Your home, renting and hiring a pro 12

How to pest-proof your home Prevention How to keep mice, rats, insects and fall invaders out of your house: seal openings with the right materials, cut off food and moisture, and fix the conditions pests need… DIY pest control guides DIY guides Do-it-yourself pest control guides built from university extension, EPA and NPIC sources: pest profiles with control steps, plus how-tos for termites, rodents, bed bugs … Moving and secondhand finds: don't bring pests home Prevention How bed bugs, cockroaches and spongy moth egg masses hitch rides on furniture, boxes and outdoor items; what to check on moving day and before you buy used; and the fede… Pests after a flood After a disaster What to watch for after a flood or storm: mosquitoes from standing water, rodents and droppings, snakes in debris, floating fire ant mats, bed bugs in shelters and beetl… Cabins, RVs and seasonal homes Seasonal properties How to keep mice and other pests out of a cabin, vacation home, RV or camper while it sits empty, and how to open it up safely afterward, including CDC's ventilate-and-d… Pests in a rental: who does what Renting Who handles pests in a rental, what tenants and landlords each have to do (with California's rules as a worked example), how to report a problem, how to prepare for trea… Pest control for landlords and property managers Property managers How landlords, property managers, HOAs, hotels and offices run pest control that works building-wide: IPM programs, bed bugs in apartments, cockroaches and rodents, stat… Pests when buying, selling or insuring a home Buying and selling What a termite (wood-destroying insect) inspection can and can't find, how to read warranties, what to check yourself during a showing, and why homeowners insurance usua… Restaurant and kitchen pest control Food service What the FDA Food Code, the model most U.S. health departments adopt, requires of restaurants and food businesses for pests: inspections, sealed openings, insect zappers… How to find a good pest control company Hiring How to choose a pest control company: confirm the license with your state, the questions to ask, how to compare written estimates, and the red flags EPA and NPIC warn ab… How to choose a pest control company Hiring a pro How to pick a pest control company: check the license, get written estimates, understand the contract and warranty, ask about IPM and the products used, and avoid the re… Pest control costs: what drives the price Hiring a pro We don't publish made-up price ranges. Here is what actually drives the price of pest, termite and bed bug treatment, what to ask for in a written estimate, and the pric…

State and local guides 2

State pest guides State guides Pest guides for all 50 states, each built from that state's extension service, agriculture and health departments and federal sources: termites, invasive species, common… Local pest guides Local guides Local pest guides for 84 U.S. metro areas, each built from that area's own county vector control, health department, state agency and university extension sources, plus …

Updated 2026-10-17. Looking for a specific pest? Browse the pest library or identify a bug.