PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE US HOMESOBSERVE COMPARE DOCUMENT
Pest EvidenceGUIDE / US HOMESStart with a clue

PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE / A HOME FIELD GUIDE

Find the pest
behind the clue.

A field guide for the things you find at home. Compare the evidence, consider the lookalikes, and decide what to document next.

Start with a clue Browse the guides

36 sourced guides 05 ways to begin

A pile of drywood termite fecal pellets on wood below a small opening
REFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHDrywood termite pelletsCompare the pile with the opening and wood around it.
↗
01 / FIELD REFERENCEPhoto source · CC BY-SA 3.0

01 / FIRST OBSERVATION

What did you find?

Choose the evidence you can actually see. Each path helps you compare more than one possibility.

Adult German cockroach with two dark lengthwise markings behind the head01
An insect
Scattered dark droppings along the edge of a floor, photographed by the New York State IPM Program02
Droppings
Brown termite mud tubes climbing a concrete foundation block03
Wood clues
Bed bug beside pale eggs around a recessed screw hole in a wooden bed04
Eggs or larvae
05
Wings
Keep the identification open until the surrounding clues agree.Use the guided clue finder

02 / THE METHOD

From a clue
to a clearer picture.

One mark rarely tells the whole story. Work through the setting, the lookalikes, and what changes over time.

Explore the resources
01 / NOTICEFind the right starting pointChoose what you saw and where you found it.02 / COMPARELook at the alternativesPut similar clues and pests side by side.03 / RECORDKeep an evidence logTrack dated findings and prepare an inspector handoff.

03 / CLOSE READING

In the field guide

View all 36 guides
A pile of drywood termite fecal pellets on wood below a small opening01
WOOD CLUES / IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Termite droppings: what to look for

Compare drywood termite droppings with sawdust and other wood-pest debris. See the clues that warrant a professional inspection.

Read the guide
Small dark Oriental cockroach droppings scattered across a pale wooden surface02
DROPPINGS / IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Roach poop and cockroach droppings

Identify likely cockroach fecal specks by their location and accompanying clues, and learn when to seek confirmation.

Read the guide
Scattered dark droppings along the edge of a floor, photographed by the New York State IPM Program03
DROPPINGS / IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Mouse droppings: signs and safe next steps

Learn where mouse droppings may appear, how they compare with rat droppings, and why safe cleanup matters.

Read the guide

04 / THE DIRECTORY

Browse by pest.

Follow a pest family to its signs, lookalikes, and next steps.

Explore all pest families
01Signs of termites in a house02Signs of cockroaches03Signs of mice and rats04Physical signs of bed bugs05Signs of carpet beetles06Signs of carpenter ants07Silverfish and related clues08Wood-boring beetle evidence09Flea evidence around pets10Wildlife evidence around the home11Spider evidence and spotting12Pantry pests and food evidence

05 / USEFUL REFERENCES

Keep these close.

All resources
Bristly carpet beetle larva shown as a credited reference specimen
REFERENCE PHOTOS / 01

See the detail. Read the context.

Credited reference images with the life stage and limits of each view.

Open the evidence library ↗
Open notebook, magnifying glass, specimen vial and ruler in an original editorial artworkFIELDWORK / 02 · EDITORIAL ARTWORK

Printable observation kits

Bring a better record to an identifier or inspector.

Explore toolkits ↗REFERENCE / 03

The practical glossary

Plain-language definitions for inspection terms.

Look up a term ↗

06 / THE FIELD JOURNAL

Better questions. Better observations.

Read every article
PREVENTION AND STORAGE · JOURNAL 01

Bugs in cardboard boxes: inspect the item and its contents separately

A practical record for an insect found in stored or incoming boxes, without assuming what it feeds on.

Read article FABRIC EVIDENCE · JOURNAL 02

Carpet beetle shed skins: record the object before counting pests

Understand why an empty larval skin can be useful evidence without revealing how many live insects remain.

Read article ROOM CHECKLISTS · JOURNAL 03

Carpet beetles in a closet: trace the material, not just the room

A closet inspection record for larvae, shed skins, and fabric damage that avoids guessing from an adult beetle.

Read article
AN HONEST FIELD GUIDE

A single sign can narrow the possibilities; it cannot confirm an infestation. Our guides show sources, uncertainty, and when local expertise matters.

How we work ↗