Know Your Enemy
Explore our comprehensive pest library. Identify what's invading your Pennsylvania home and learn how our certified experts eliminate them for good.
Ants
Formicidae
Ants are social insects belonging to the family Formicidae, closely related to wasps and bees. There are more than 12,000 known species worldwide. They form colonies ranging from a few dozen to millions of individuals. In the United States, the most common pest species include carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants.
Visible ant trails along baseboards, countertops, or exterior walls
Seal cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and foundation
Bed Bugs
Cimex lectularius
Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed exclusively on blood, primarily human blood. They have made a dramatic resurgence worldwide since the early 2000s, partly due to increased travel and resistance to common pesticides. They are expert hitchhikers, spreading via luggage, used furniture, and clothing.
Itchy, red welts in a line or cluster, often on arms, neck, or torso
Inspect hotel rooms before unpacking — check mattress seams
Cockroaches
Blattodea
Cockroaches are among the most common and resilient household pests. German cockroaches, American cockroaches, and Oriental cockroaches are the primary species found in Pennsylvania homes. They are rapid breeders that spread allergens and bacteria, posing serious health risks.
Live or dead cockroaches, especially at night
Eliminate food and water sources — clean up crumbs and fix leaks
Mosquitoes
Culicidae
Mosquitoes are disease-carrying insects that breed in standing water. They are a major summer nuisance and health risk in Pennsylvania, capable of transmitting West Nile virus, Zika, and Eastern equine encephalitis. Female mosquitoes require blood meals to produce eggs.
Persistent biting, especially at dawn and dusk
Eliminate all standing water weekly — birdbaths, gutters, pots
Rodents
Rodentia
Mice and rats are the most common rodent pests in Pennsylvania. House mice, Norway rats, and roof rats can gnaw through walls, contaminate food, and spread diseases including hantavirus, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis. They reproduce rapidly — a single pair of mice can produce up to 60 offspring per year.
Droppings along walls, in cabinets, and near food sources
Seal all exterior gaps larger than 1/4 inch with steel wool and caulk
Spiders
Araneae
Most spiders found in Pennsylvania homes are harmless, but brown recluse and black widow spiders can deliver medically significant bites. Common house spiders, wolf spiders, and cellar spiders are frequent invaders. Spiders often indicate an underlying insect problem since they enter homes following their prey.
Webs in corners, window frames, and undisturbed areas
Remove webs regularly inside and outside
Termites
Isoptera
Termites are silent destroyers — subterranean and drywood termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage every year in the United States. Pennsylvania is home to Eastern subterranean termites, which build underground colonies and construct mud tubes to reach wood above ground. Damage often goes undetected until significant structural harm has occurred.
Mud tubes on foundation walls and piers
Eliminate wood-to-soil contact around the foundation
Fleas & Ticks
Siphonaptera / Ixodida
Fleas and ticks are blood-feeding parasites that target pets and people. Fleas can infest homes rapidly — a single flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day. Ticks are carriers of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other serious illnesses. Both are common in Pennsylvania, especially during warmer months.
Pets scratching or biting at fur excessively
Treat pets with veterinarian-approved flea/tick preventatives year-round
Stinging Insects
Hymenoptera
Yellowjackets, wasps, hornets, and carpenter bees are aggressive defenders of their nests and can deliver painful stings. Some species nest in the ground, others in trees, eaves, and wall voids. Stinging insect allergies can cause life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Visible nests under eaves, in trees, or in the ground
Inspect property in early spring for small developing nests
Silverfish
Lepisma saccharinum
Silverfish are teardrop-shaped, nocturnal insects that thrive in humid environments. They damage books, wallpaper, fabric, and stored paper goods by feeding on starches, sugars, and cellulose. While they don't bite or transmit diseases, they can cause significant damage to valuable documents and belongings.
Irregular holes or notches in paper, wallpaper, and fabric
Use dehumidifiers to reduce moisture below 50% humidity
Centipedes
Chilopoda
Centipedes are fast-moving, multi-legged arthropods that hunt other pests in damp basements and bathrooms. House centipedes are the most common indoor species in Pennsylvania. While they are actually beneficial predators that eat other insects, their alarming appearance makes them unwelcome houseguests.
Seeing centipedes in bathrooms, basements, or drains
Fix moisture issues — repair leaks, improve drainage
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