Start with what you found.

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.

Termite mud tubes: how to recognize them

Learn what subterranean termite shelter tubes can look like on foundations and walls, and what a sighting can and cannot establish.

Roach poop and cockroach droppings

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

Mouse droppings: signs and safe next steps

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

Bed bug eggs: appearance and hiding places

Compare bed bug eggs and other physical signs using EPA guidance before assuming an infestation.

Carpet beetle larvae: identification clues

Learn how carpet beetle larvae, cast skins, and fabric damage fit together using university extension guidance.

What termite damage can look like

Compare possible termite damage in wood with other causes and learn why visible marks rarely show the full extent.

WINGED INSECTS

Termite swarmers and shed wings

Learn what a termite swarm or pile of wings may mean and how to document it before an inspection.

Termite or flying ant? Three clues to compare

Compare the three visible features that can help distinguish winged termites from winged ants.

Carpenter ant frass: sawdust-like debris

Compare carpenter ant nesting debris with drywood termite pellets and note the clues around damaged wood.

Rat droppings: compare signs safely

Document suspected rat droppings, compare with mouse signs, and follow CDC cleanup guidance.

Bed bug stains and dark spots

Compare dark spots and reddish stains with other physical bed bug evidence using EPA guidance.

Carpet beetle eggs: where to look

Learn where carpet beetles lay eggs and why larvae and cast skins are often easier to recognize.

Cockroach egg cases: what they look like

See a labeled American cockroach egg case, compare how four common species carry or deposit theirs, and record what a case can and cannot tell you.

Baby cockroaches: nymphs and lookalikes

Compare young cockroaches with adults and other small insects. Learn which details make a useful identification photo.

German cockroach: markings and indoor clues

Compare the two dark markings behind the head, indoor context, nymphs, and similar cockroaches.

American cockroach: size, color, and lookalikes

Identify the features of an American cockroach and distinguish an isolated arrival from recurring indoor evidence.

Oriental cockroach: dark body and short wings

Compare male and female Oriental cockroaches, damp-area sightings, and other large dark insects.

Brownbanded cockroach: bands and hiding places

Compare brownbanded roach markings and understand why inspections may extend beyond kitchens and bathrooms.

Bugs that look like cockroaches: comparison guide

Use body shape, wing covers, antennae, and context to compare a suspected cockroach with other insects.

Water bug vs cockroach: what the name leaves out

Compare a true giant water bug with household cockroaches and make sense of the common nickname.

Black carpet beetle: adults, larvae, and fabric clues

Compare an adult black carpet beetle with its larvae and connect the finding to the material nearby.

Carpet beetle vs bed bug: compare the actual insect

Compare bristly larvae, adult beetles, and bed bugs using physical evidence rather than skin symptoms.

Bugs that look like bed bugs: what to compare

Compare bed bugs with carpet beetles, booklice, and closely related bat bugs without relying on bites.

Tiny black bugs near windows: a starting checklist

Narrow a window-sill insect finding using size, movement, body details, and evidence elsewhere in the room.

Silverfish in a house: body shape, eggs, and clues

Compare silverfish and firebrats and learn why an intact insect is more useful than suspected eggs.

Powderpost beetles: round holes and wood powder

Compare wood powder and emergence holes with termite pellets and carpenter ant debris before judging activity.

Flea dirt: dark specks on a pet or its bedding

Understand flea dirt as a veterinary clue and document where dark specks were found without diagnosing from a stain.

Squirrel droppings: why pellets alone are not enough

Assess a suspected squirrel finding using building context and safe observations rather than a pellet-shape diagnosis.

Bat droppings: guano clues and safe next steps

Document suspected bat guano without disturbing it, and compare roost context with other attic evidence.

Raccoon droppings: recognizing a possible latrine

Learn which context suggests a raccoon latrine and why uncertain wildlife waste should be left undisturbed.

Lizard droppings: a dark pellet with a white portion

Compare suspected gecko or lizard droppings and understand the limits of the white-tip clue.

Spider droppings: spotting beneath a web

Assess suspected spider spotting using a visible web, prey remains, and the limits of stain-only identification.

Pantry moth larvae, eggs, and food webbing

Compare larvae and webbing in dry foods and learn why a caterpillar on a ceiling may be away from its food source.

Termite eggs and young: what household clues can show

Understand the limits of identifying suspected termite eggs or immature termites from household photos.

Carpenter ant damage: galleries, debris, and moisture

Compare carpenter ant galleries with termite and beetle damage and document the surrounding evidence.