Explore Our Pest Glossary
Bedbugs
Bed bugs are small, flat, oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown in color and about the size of an apple seed when fully grown. They are most commonly attracted to areas where people rest for long periods, such as beds, mattresses, box springs, couches, recliners, and upholstered furniture, as they feed on human blood primarily at night. Signs of bed bug activity may include itchy bite marks, small dark fecal spotting on bedding or furniture, shed skins, tiny white eggs in cracks and seams, and live bugs hiding in crevices near sleeping areas.
Ants
Ants are small insects with segmented bodies, elbowed antennae, and colors that commonly range from black and brown to reddish tones depending on the species. They are often attracted to food sources such as sweets, grease, crumbs, pet food, and moisture-prone areas like kitchens, bathrooms, basements, wall voids, and around foundations. Signs of ant activity include visible trails of foraging ants, small piles of soil or debris near entry points, nests in wood or soil, and recurring sightings indoors. Colonies are organized into castes: queens are responsible for laying eggs and establishing the colony, workers are sterile females that gather food, care for young, and defend the nest, while winged males are produced seasonally to mate with queens during swarming events before dying shortly afterward.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are among the largest common ants, typically black, dark brown, or a combination of black and reddish coloring, with segmented bodies, narrow waists, and elbowed antennae. They are attracted to damp, decaying, or water-damaged wood where they can excavate galleries for nesting, and are often found around window frames, wall voids, rooflines, crawl spaces, decks, tree stumps, and areas affected by moisture. Signs of carpenter ant activity include rustling sounds inside walls, large black ants seen indoors, smooth tunnels in wood, and small piles of sawdust-like material known as frass pushed out from nesting areas. Colonies are led by queens that lay eggs and establish new nests, while workers forage for food, expand galleries, and care for the colony. During spring or early summer, mature colonies may produce winged reproductive ants that swarm indoors or outdoors to mate and start new colonies, often signaling a well-established nest nearby.
Spiders
Spiders are common household pests that vary in size, color, and web-building habits, often appearing in corners, basements, garages, and other quiet areas. While most spiders are harmless, excessive spider activity inside the home can be a sign of larger underlying pest issues, since spiders are attracted to areas with abundant insect prey. Reducing spiders often involves not only treating webs and hiding spots, but also addressing the insects that are drawing them indoors.
Asian Lady beetles
Aggressive mimics of ladybugs, these distinct beetles often invade homes to find warmth. They are a separate species known for biting and leaving behind foul-smelling yellow stains.
Roaches
Resilient insects with flat, oval bodies and long antennae. They are often found in dark, moist areas. They are known to carry bacteria and can trigger allergies.
Box elder bugs
Identified by their black bodies with red or orange markings. They often congregate on sunny building sides in large numbers during autumn in Minnesota.
Flies
Common household pests with a single pair of wings. Often found near decaying organic matter, they can transmit diseases by landing on various surfaces.
Seasonal Pests
In Minnesota, seasonal activity shifts from box elder bugs seeking warmth in fall, to ants and stinging insects emerging in the humid spring and summer months.
Honey Bees
Flying insects known for their role in pollination. They have fuzzy bodies and are generally non-aggressive unless their hive or nest is threatened.
Wasps
Distinguished by their smooth bodies and narrow waists. Unlike bees, they can sting multiple times and are more aggressive when defending nests near eaves.
Hornets
Hornets are a larger, more robust type of wasp known for their smooth bodies, bold black-and-yellow or reddish markings, and powerful sting. While many species are less aggressive when left undisturbed, hornets can become highly defensive near their nests and may sting repeatedly if they perceive a threat.
Fruit Flies
Small tan to brown flies with red eyes, fruit flies are commonly found around kitchens and food prep areas. They breed in overripe fruit, sugary spills, drains, garbage bins, and fermenting organic matter.
Gnats
Gnats are tiny flying insects that often appear black or gray and gather in swarms near lights, windows, or moisture sources. They are attracted to damp organic material, standing water, trash, and decaying vegetation.
Fungus Gnats
Small dark flies with slender bodies and long legs, fungus flies are most often seen around houseplants and indoor growing areas. They breed in moist soil rich in organic matter and are attracted to overwatered plants and excess humidity.
House Mice
House mice are small rodents with light brown to gray fur, rounded ears, pointed snouts, and long thin tails. Signs of activity often include dark rub marks along walls and baseboards caused by body oils, a strong musky urine odor, and small rod-shaped droppings commonly found in cabinets, pantries, garages, and utility areas.
Shrew
Shrews are tiny, fast-moving mammals with pointed snouts, small eyes, velvety gray or brown fur, and short legs designed for burrowing and searching for food. Unlike rodents, they feed mainly on insects, worms, and other small pests, but their constant need to eat can bring them into garages, sheds, basements, and crawl spaces. Signs of shrew activity may include small surface tunnels in mulch or soil, and occasional droppings or nesting materials. While they can help reduce insect populations outdoors, shrews inside a home often indicate entry points that should be sealed and conditions that may also attract other pests.
Voles
Voles are small, stocky rodents often mistaken for mice, but they have shorter tails, smaller ears that are partially hidden by fur, blunt snouts, and compact bodies covered in soft brown or gray fur. They are strong burrowers and active year-round, feeding on grasses, roots, bulbs, bark, and garden plants. Outdoors, voles are most often found in lawns, flower beds, brushy areas, and around foundations where cover is available.
Common signs of vole activity include narrow surface runways through grass, small burrow openings, gnawed bark near the base of trees and shrubs, and damage to bulbs or roots in gardens. In winter, they may tunnel beneath snow and leave girdling damage on young trees once the snow melts.
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