Household & Garden Pests

Found something crawling in the kitchen, the basement or on your plants? These are common pest insects, with tips on why they show up and how to get rid of them.

German cockroachBlattella germanica
Allergen carrier

American cockroachPeriplaneta americana
Allergen carrier

Bed bugCimex lectularius
Bites cause itching

House flyMusca domestica
Disease vector

Common fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster
Non-toxic

SilverfishLepisma saccharinum
Non-toxic

House centipedeScutigera coleoptrata
Mild bite

Brown marmorated stink bugHalyomorpha halys
Non-venomous nuisance

Boxelder bugBoisea trivittata
Non-toxic

Western conifer seed bugLeptoglossus occidentalis
Smelly secretion

Asian lady beetleHarmonia axyridis
Mild irritant

Eastern black carpenter antCamponotus pennsylvanicus
Bites and formic acid

Red imported fire antSolenopsis invicta
Painful sting

Eastern subterranean termiteReticulitermes flavipes
Harmless to people

Varied carpet beetleAnthrenus verbasci
Irritant hairs

Common clothes mothTineola bisselliella
Non-toxic

Indian meal mothPlodia interpunctella
Non-toxic

Drugstore beetleStegobium paniceum
Non-toxic

Cat fleaCtenocephalides felis
Bites, disease vector

Deer tickIxodes scapularis
Disease vector

American dog tickDermacentor variabilis
Disease vector

Lone star tickAmblyomma americanum
Disease vector

Asian tiger mosquitoAedes albopictus
Disease vector

European earwigForficula auricularia
Non-toxic pinch

House cricketAcheta domesticus
Non-toxic

Greenhouse camel cricketDiestrammena asynamora
Non-toxic

Eastern bloodsucking conenoseTriatoma sanguisuga
Potential disease vector

Eastern carpenter beeXylocopa virginica
Can sting

Common waspVespula vulgaris
Painful sting

Eastern yellowjacketVespula maculifrons
Stinging wasp

European hornetVespa crabro
Painful sting

Northern giant hornetVespa mandarinia
Dangerous sting

Bald-faced hornetDolichovespula maculata
Painful sting

European paper waspPolistes dominula
Painful sting

Brown recluseLoxosceles reclusa
Venomous bite

Hobo spiderEratigena agrestis
Mild bite

Arizona bark scorpionCentruroides sculpturatus
Venomous sting

Cabbage whitePieris rapae
Non-toxic

Rosy maple mothDryocampa rubicunda
Non-toxic

Tomato hornwormManduca quinquemaculata
Non-toxic

Southern flannel mothMegalopyge opercularis
Painful sting

Saddleback caterpillar mothAcharia stimulea
Stinging caterpillar

Japanese beetlePopillia japonica
Non-toxic

Green June beetleCotinis nitida
Non-toxic

Spotted lanternflyLycorma delicatula
Non-toxic

Pharaoh cicadaMagicicada septendecim
Non-toxic

European crane flyTipula paludosa
Non-toxic

Differential grasshopperMelanoplus differentialis
Non-toxic

Eastern lubber grasshopperRomalea microptera
Irritating secretion