At a Glance

Species directory

Species pillars: 68 individually named species
Local relevance: Read each status: household pest, habitat visitor, regional alert or California reference
Identification: A name in this directory does not confirm an infestation
Search: Common names, scientific names and symptom phrases

Individual pest species

Find a species by its common name, scientific name or household warning signs. Each pillar explains identification, causes, control choices and prevention.

Find your pest species

Complete species index

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American cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A large cockroach requires an investigation of entry and source; the nickname water bug is not a diagnosis.

Periplaneta americana · California pest species often associated with outdoor and service-space habitat

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Argentine ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Persistent small brown ant trails often connect indoor food or water with a broad outdoor colony network.

Linepithema humile · Common California household ant; particularly relevant to southern and coastal California

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Asian tiger mosquito: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Container water and sheltered yard use are the starting points for investigating suspected Asian tiger mosquitoes; color alone does not distinguish them from other Aedes.

Aedes albopictus · Documented in San Diego County; a striped mosquito needs species confirmation

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Big-headed ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A locally documented invasive ant needs confirmed species identification; other big-headed native ants must not be mislabeled.

Pheidole megacephala · Local invasive alert: established San Diego residential infestations documented; not a claim of citywide prevalence

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Black Polycaon beetle: cause, fix and prevention

A native California false-powderpost reference for interpreting hardwood-floor emergence and avoiding claims that discovery dates reveal infestation dates.

Polycaon stoutii · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Black carpet beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A black beetle near the closet prompts concern about clothing. Find the organism and evidence of feeding before treating garments or applying a pesticide to a bedroom.

Attagenus unicolor · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Brown marmorated stink bugs: cause, fix and prevention

Shelter seeking brings outdoor plant-feeding bugs indoors. This guide separates identification, immediate household action, treatment decisions and prevention.

Halyomorpha halys · California invasive species reference; no neighborhood occurrence claimed

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Brown widow: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Brown widows can occur around outdoor household objects; color alone is unreliable, and their characteristic egg sacs help an expert distinguish them from immature black widows.

Latrodectus geometricus · Established in Southern California; San Diego County explicitly warns about brown widows

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Brownbanded cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

An indoor cockroach whose furniture and higher sheltered sites can be missed by a kitchen-only inspection.

Supella longipalpa · California indoor-breeding species; less common than German cockroaches

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California common scorpion: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

An official county preserve inventory records this species, but a scorpion found at a city home still requires identification; sheltered outdoor storage and safe handling are the practical starting points.

Paruroctonus silvestrii · Historic San Diego County preserve record; habitat visitor, not established common City household pest

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Camponotus clarithorax carpenter ant: cause, fix and prevention

A smaller yellow-and-black carpenter ant can be overlooked when homeowners expect every carpenter ant to be very large.

Camponotus clarithorax · California comparison species; household specimen confirmation required

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Camponotus vicinus carpenter ant: cause, fix and prevention

A usually red-and-black carpenter ant must be separated from stinging-ant assumptions and inspected in relation to possible wood nesting.

Camponotus vicinus · California comparison species; no unsupported citywide prevalence claim

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Casemaking clothes moth in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A moving fiber-colored case is found on a stored blanket. Get a close photograph and inspect the blanket without confusing it with unrelated case-bearing insects on household walls.

Tinea pellionella · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Cat flea: cause, fix and prevention

Jumping insects or flea dirt on pets plus activity near animal sleeping areas.

Ctenocephalides felis · San Diego County identifies the cat flea as its most common flea

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Cigarette beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

The family does not smoke, so a cigarette-beetle identification sounds impossible. The common name is not a household history; inspect dried goods and treat the physical evidence seriously.

Lasioderma serricorne · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Common bed bug: cause, fix and prevention

Live bugs, shed skins, eggs and dark fecal marks near sleeping places; bites alone are insufficient.

Cimex lectularius · Common human-associated bed bug named by San Diego County

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Common silverfish in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A silvery insect darts behind boxes of documents near a bathroom. Protect the papers while checking humidity and plumbing; repeatedly killing the visible insect cannot diagnose the moisture source.

Lepisma saccharina · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Confused flour beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A homeowner gets two different names from two insect photographs. Request an identification of the specimen; do not interpret the disagreement as proof that the food is safe to keep.

Tribolium confusum · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Drugstore beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Round holes appear in an old spice packet beside an otherwise tidy cupboard. Expand the inspection to seldom-used ingredients and decorative dried material instead of repeatedly wiping the visible shelf.

Stegobium paniceum · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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European earwig in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Earwigs appear beside the back door after garden work. Check the door sweep and the sheltered material against the wall before concluding that insects are breeding in the kitchen.

Forficula auricularia · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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European paper wasp: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

An open-celled nest under an eave needs location-based assessment; a paper wasp is not interchangeable with a scavenging yellowjacket.

Polistes dominula · California regional identification guide; no confirmed City-wide prevalence claim

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Field cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A small outdoor cockroach can be mistaken for the German cockroach; identification can prevent unnecessary indoor treatment.

Blattella vaga · Southern California outdoor species and indoor look-alike; not treated as a routine indoor breeder

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Firebrat in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A fast insect appears beside warm utility equipment. Observe from a safe distance and arrange access if needed; never dismantle a furnace or dryer to look for insects.

Thermobia domestica · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Formosan subterranean termite: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A locally relevant invasive-termite alert requiring expert identification and assessment of possible above-ground nesting.

Coptotermes formosanus · Restricted regional alert: documented San Diego County locations; not claimed common within City limits

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Furniture carpet beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A chair is suspected because larvae were noticed nearby. Check its seams and material labels while also considering lint and neighboring storage; the common name does not prove the chair is the source.

Anthrenus flavipes · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Gambel's deer mice near San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A native mouse that needs distinction from house mice; outdoor and semi-rural context matters and blanket home-pest assumptions are inappropriate.

Peromyscus gambelii · Habitat-associated visitor

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German cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A small indoor-breeding cockroach whose kitchen and bathroom harborage requires more than treating an occasional outdoor visitor.

Blattella germanica · Common indoor-breeding California household pest

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House centipede in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A long-legged animal runs across the bathroom wall. Keep the immediate response proportionate and look for repeated activity, moisture and other insects before ordering a whole-house treatment.

Scutigera coleoptrata · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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House fly: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

House flies call for a search for wet decaying organic matter and access into the kitchen; removing adults does not remove the larval source.

Musca domestica · Common California residential pest described by UC IPM; confirm the specimen at the property

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House mice: protect the kitchen, find the entrance and handle contamination safely

Small droppings, gnawing, nesting material and sounds; capture identification evidence safely.

Mus musculus · Household pest

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Immigrant pavement ant: cause, fix and prevention

The current North American pavement-ant name is Tetramorium immigrans; older caespitum labels need a taxonomic qualification.

Tetramorium immigrans · California-supported pavement-ant comparison; exact household specimen confirmation needed

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Indianmeal moth in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A moth appears above the kitchen cupboards although the counter looks clean. Start with stored food, including products rarely used, rather than treating every flying insect as a clothes moth.

Plodia interpunctella · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Leadcable borer: cause, fix and prevention

A California false-powderpost reference that separates wood-pest evidence from electrical safety and avoids diagnosing a beetle from an unexplained cable mark.

Scobicia declivis · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Liometopum luctuosum velvety tree ant: cause, fix and prevention

A separately named velvety tree ant requires an expert species distinction rather than being silently folded into Liometopum occidentale.

Liometopum luctuosum · California landscape comparison; not asserted common at San Diego homes

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Little house fly: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Hovering flies in a sheltered patio can be little house flies rather than the food-landing house fly; source removal and airflow questions differ from a kitchen infestation.

Fannia canicularis · California nuisance species described by UC IPM; no citywide prevalence estimate

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Merchant grain beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A beetle is found in a drawer of snacks rather than a flour bag. Do not let the word grain narrow the inspection to breakfast cereal while the seldom-opened nut packets remain unchecked.

Oryzaephilus mercator · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Norway rats in San Diego: cause, fix and prevention

A stockier burrowing rat that requires ground-level inspection; less common locally than roof rats and not confirmed by a burrow alone.

Rattus norvegicus · Less-common household pest

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Odorous house ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Small dark ants can use outdoor cover or indoor cavities; smell alone is not a reliable homeowner diagnosis.

Tapinoma sessile · California household species; specimen confirmation required at an individual San Diego home

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Old world lyctus beetle: cause, fix and prevention

A named California powderpost-beetle reference for examining suspicious hardwood products without assuming every dust pile identifies this species.

Lyctus brunneus · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Oriental cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Dark cockroaches near damp ground or service areas require an identification-led moisture and entry investigation.

Blatta orientalis · California pest species associated with moist sheltered sites

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Pacific deathwatch beetle: cause, fix and prevention

A California reference for investigating beetle evidence in damp older timber while separating insect identification, moisture defects and structural condition.

Hemicoelus gibbicollis · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Pharaoh ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Very small yellowish ants can occupy concealed household sites, making accurate identification and coordinated treatment important.

Monomorium pharaonis · California household species; not claimed common throughout San Diego

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Red flour beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A clean-looking flour container receives a fresh refill, then insects appear. The investigation must include the old container and retained scoop as well as the newest purchase.

Tribolium castaneum · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Red imported fire ant: cause, fix and prevention

A suspected invasive stinging-ant colony calls for protected access and official identification guidance before household treatment.

Solenopsis invicta · Southern California invasive alert; San Diego County occurrence reported, not asserted citywide

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Red-marked conenose in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A dark bug with red margins is mistaken for a harmless plant bug. Avoid bare-handed collection and request a specimen identification instead of deciding from the red color alone.

Triatoma rubida · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Roof rats in San Diego: cause, fix and prevention

An agile rat associated with elevated routes, landscaped yards and building cavities; inspect both the roofline and food sources.

Rattus rattus · Household pest

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Sawtoothed grain beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Small flat beetles appear along the lip of a cereal box. A photograph showing only the dark outline may establish a pantry beetle without settling the species; the contaminated package still needs attention.

Oryzaephilus surinamensis · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Southern fire ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A stinging ant associated with warm ground and nesting cover; keep people away from disturbed suspected nests.

Solenopsis xyloni · Native California species; distinguish from imported fire ants before treatment

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Southern house mosquito: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Inspect persistent standing water and drainage when dusk mosquito activity is suspected; separate a Culex identification from assumptions about infection.

Culex quinquefasciatus · Documented in San Diego County; not identifiable from a bite

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Southern lyctus beetle: cause, fix and prevention

A California-listed powderpost species reference focused on evaluating flooring evidence, installation history and the difference between cosmetic defects and confirmed activity.

Lyctus planicollis · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Striped earwig in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Large earwigs gather beside an illuminated entrance. Compare sightings before and after changing how the light and door are used; do not assume the vegetable bed needs spraying.

Labidura riparia · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Thief ant: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Extremely small pale ants can enter food packaging and use concealed routes; do not confuse them with pharaoh ants.

Solenopsis molesta · California household species; individual identification required

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Turkestan cockroach: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Outdoor breeding habitat and sex differences make this species a different problem from German cockroaches.

Blatta lateralis · Established California outdoor pest; household entry does not automatically mean indoor breeding

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Varied carpet beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Several tiny patterned beetles appear at a bright window. Before declaring the entire carpet infested, look for larvae and affected material in darker, less disturbed places.

Anthrenus verbasci · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Warehouse beetle in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A garage bag used for feeding the dog contains hairy larvae. Keep that bag separate from kitchen food and preserve a specimen instead of assuming all fuzzy larvae came from the living-room carpet.

Trogoderma variabile · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Webbing clothes moth in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A wool sweater has holes and fine silk around a folded cuff. Preserve that evidence and isolate the garment before opening more storage bags in the bedroom.

Tineola bisselliella · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Western black carpenter ant: cause, fix and prevention

A large dark carpenter ant deserves an identification-led wood and moisture inspection, not automatic termite treatment.

Camponotus modoc · California comparison species; occurrence at a San Diego address must be confirmed

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Western black widow: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Inspect sheltered storage and low web retreats without reaching blindly; a suspected widow bite requires medical advice rather than a pest identification by skin symptoms.

Latrodectus hesperus · Documented regional widow; San Diego County warns about black widows

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Western bloodsucking conenose in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

A pointed-headed bug is noticed near a bedroom window. Safely contain it for identification, record the location and keep the insect question separate from diagnosis of a skin reaction.

Triatoma protracta · California household reference; confirm the specimen and local circumstances

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Western boxelder bug in San Diego homes: cause, fix and prevention

Seasonal shelter seeking from outdoor host plants can bring aggregations to walls. This guide separates identification, immediate household action, treatment decisions and prevention.

Boisea rubrolineata · California nuisance species; confirm local specimen

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Western drywood termite: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Drywood colonies occupy wood without requiring a soil connection; pellet evidence and infestation extent require skilled inspection.

Incisitermes minor · Established southern and coastal California structural pest

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Western encephalitis mosquito: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

A mosquito problem at a canyon-edge or open-space property may need wider source assessment; a homeowner should not treat public water or infer infection from the common name.

Culex tarsalis · Documented in San Diego County; county presence is not proof of a source at a house

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Western honey bee: swarms, established hives and prevention

Swarms seek new nesting cavities; established colonies contain comb and brood. This guide separates identification, immediate household action, treatment decisions and prevention.

Apis mellifera · Honey bees are covered by UC Cooperative Extension San Diego County resources

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Western lyctus beetle: cause, fix and prevention

A California powderpost-beetle reference for assessing reclaimed hardwood, preserving provenance and avoiding premature whole-house conclusions.

Lyctus cavicollis · California wood-pest reference; identify specimen and activity

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Western subterranean termite: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Soil-associated colony routes, mud tubes and concealed entry make inspection and treatment boundaries critical.

Reticulitermes hesperus · California structural pest; Reticulitermes hesperus includes unresolved species-complex identification

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Western velvety tree ant: cause, fix and prevention

A wood-associated outdoor ant may enter buildings, but a tree route and a structural nest must be distinguished.

Liometopum occidentale · California landscape species; exact San Diego household occurrence requires identification

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Western yellowjacket: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Food scavenging and a defended nest require different responses: remove accessible food attractants, keep clear of nest traffic and arrange identification before treatment.

Vespula pensylvanica · California species with San Diego County research-site evidence; no citywide prevalence claim

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Yellow fever mosquito: cause, fix and prevention in San Diego homes

Daytime mosquito bites and small water containers call for a container-by-container inspection, not an assumption that a nearby pond is responsible.

Aedes aegypti · Documented in San Diego County; individual property identification required