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Pest Library
Identification-first profiles of the pests found along Alabama's Gulf Coast: what they look like, where they live, the signs they leave behind, and whether it's something we treat.
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Search by name, nickname, scientific name, or by what you're actually seeing — "tiny ants," "palmetto bug," "mouse droppings." You can also narrow by where you found it and the type of property.
58 of 58 profiles
Pest profiles
Cockroaches
German Cockroach
Blattella germanicaSmall tan roach, about half an inch, with two dark parallel stripes behind the head. Found indoors in kitchens and bathrooms, not wandering in from the yard.We treat this pest
American Cockroach
Periplaneta americanaThe big reddish-brown roach, an inch and a half or longer, with a pale figure-eight marking behind the head. Usually comes in from drains, crawl spaces or landscaping rather than breeding in the kitchen.We treat this pest
Smokybrown Cockroach
Periplaneta fuliginosaUniformly dark mahogany-brown roach, about an inch and a quarter, with no pale markings. Strong flier, common in attics, soffits and around outdoor lighting.We treat this pest
Brown-banded Cockroach
Supella longipalpaSmall roach like a German cockroach, but with two light bands across the wings instead of stripes behind the head. Often found in bedrooms, offices and furniture rather than only kitchens.We treat this pest
Oriental Cockroach
Blatta orientalisStocky, very dark, almost black roach about an inch long with short wings that do not cover the abdomen. Strongly tied to damp areas, drains and crawl spaces.We treat this pest
Asian Cockroach
Blattella asahinaiLooks almost exactly like a German cockroach, but flies well, lives in lawns and leaf litter, and is drawn indoors by lights and televisions at dusk.We treat this pest
Ants
Odorous House Ant
Tapinoma sessileSmall dark brown to black ant that trails across counters and gives off a sharp, rotten-coconut smell when crushed.We treat this pest
Argentine Ant
Linepithema humileLight to medium brown ant in very long, wide trails, often thousands strong, with no odor and no sting.We treat this pest
Red Imported Fire Ant
Solenopsis invictaReddish-brown ants in loose soil mounds with no central opening. They swarm aggressively when the mound is disturbed and sting repeatedly.We treat this pest
Black Carpenter Ant
Camponotus spp.Large ant, up to half an inch, with a smoothly rounded thorax and a single waist node. Excavates damp wood and leaves coarse sawdust-like shavings.We treat this pest
Ghost Ant
Tapinoma melanocephalumVery small ant with a dark head and thorax and a pale, almost see-through abdomen and legs. Hard to spot on light counters.We treat this pest
Pharaoh Ant
Monomorium pharaonisTiny yellow to light amber ant with a darker abdomen tip, usually nesting indoors in warm voids. Common in apartments, hotels and healthcare buildings.We treat this pest
Tawny Crazy Ant
Nylanderia fulvaSmall reddish-brown ant that moves in fast, erratic, non-linear paths in huge numbers. No mounds, and it does not sting.We treat this pest
Acrobat Ant
Crematogaster spp.Small ant with a heart-shaped abdomen it raises over its back when disturbed. Often nests in wood already damaged by moisture or other insects.We treat this pest
Bed bugs
Common Bed Bug
Cimex lectulariusFlat, oval, reddish-brown insect about the size of an apple seed, found along mattress seams, box spring edges and headboards, with dark ink-like specks nearby.We treat this pest
Bat Bug
Cimex adjunctusNearly identical to a bed bug but associated with bats or birds in an attic or chimney. Separating them requires magnification of the hairs behind the head.Identification only
Fleas & ticks
Cat Flea
Ctenocephalides felisTiny dark, hard-bodied insect that jumps, found on pets and in pet resting areas, with black pepper-like flea dirt in the fur.We treat this pest
American Dog Tick
Dermacentor variabilisMedium-large brown tick with distinct whitish-gray mottled markings on the shield. Common along trail edges, tall grass and yard margins.We treat this pest
Brown Dog Tick
Rhipicephalus sanguineusUniform reddish-brown tick with no pale markings. Unlike other ticks, it can complete its whole life cycle indoors, in kennels, homes and crates.We treat this pest
Gulf Coast Tick
Amblyomma maculatumBrown tick with ornate silvery-white markings on the shield, common in coastal grassland and brushy edges along the Gulf.We treat this pest
Lone Star Tick
Amblyomma americanumReddish-brown tick; adult females have a single white dot on the back. Very abundant in wooded and brushy areas, and aggressive about seeking hosts.We treat this pest
Rodents
House Mouse
Mus musculusSmall gray-brown mouse with large ears and a thin tail about as long as its body. Leaves rice-grain droppings along walls, in drawers and under sinks.We treat this pest
Roof Rat
Rattus rattusSleek rat with large ears, big eyes and a tail longer than its body. Climbs well and shows up in attics, soffits and palm trees.We treat this pest
Norway Rat
Rattus norvegicusHeavy-bodied brown rat with small ears and a tail shorter than its body. Burrows at ground level along foundations, slabs and dumpster pads.We treat this pest
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidusStocky rat with coarse grizzled brown-and-black fur and a short tail, living in tall grass and field edges rather than inside buildings.We treat this pest
Spiders
Southern Black Widow
Latrodectus mactansGlossy black spider with a red hourglass on the underside of the abdomen, in a tangled, irregular web low in garages, meter boxes and under furniture.We treat this pest
Brown Widow
Latrodectus geometricusTan to brown widow with an orange-yellow hourglass underneath and striped legs. The spiky, spherical egg sac is the easiest confirmation.We treat this pest
Brown Recluse
Loxosceles reclusaUniform tan-brown spider with a darker violin-shaped mark behind the eyes, long uniform legs with no banding or spines, and six eyes in three pairs.We treat this pest
Wolf Spider
Lycosidae familyLarge, hairy, brown-and-gray patterned spider that runs on the ground instead of building a web. Eyes reflect light in a headlamp beam.We treat this pest
Huntsman Spider
Heteropoda venatoriaLarge, flat, fast spider with legs held crab-like to the sides. Runs sideways along walls and ceilings in garages and warm rooms.We treat this pest
Cellar Spider
Pholcidae familySmall pale body with extremely long, thin legs, hanging in loose messy webbing in corners, crawl spaces and garage ceilings.We treat this pest
Stinging insects
Paper Wasp
Polistes spp.Slender wasp with long dangling legs in flight, building an open, umbrella-shaped comb with visible cells under eaves, rails and grills.We treat this pest
Yellowjacket
Vespula spp.Compact black-and-yellow wasp with tucked legs and rapid flight, nesting in the ground, wall voids or dense shrubs. Aggressive around food and trash.We treat this pest
Bald-faced Hornet
Dolichovespula maculataLarge black wasp with a distinctive white face and white bands at the abdomen tip, building a gray enclosed football-shaped nest in trees or on structures.We treat this pest
Mud Dauber
Sceliphron and Trypoxylon spp.Slender wasp with a long thread-like waist, building small mud tubes or nests on walls, ceilings and under eaves. Rarely aggressive.We treat this pest
Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginicaLarge bee that looks like a bumble bee but with a shiny, hairless black abdomen. Drills perfectly round half-inch holes in fascia, rails and decking.We treat this pest
Honey Bee
Apis melliferaGolden-brown fuzzy bee in large numbers, with wax comb rather than paper nest material. Swarms cluster in a ball on a limb or wall.Identification only
Bumble Bee
Bombus spp.Large, very fuzzy black-and-yellow bee with a hairy abdomen, nesting in small numbers in ground cavities, insulation or under sheds.Identification only
Flies & gnats
House Fly
Musca domesticaGray fly with four dark stripes on the thorax, about a quarter inch, buzzing around kitchens, trash and dining areas.We treat this pest
Blow Fly
Calliphoridae familyMetallic green or blue fly, larger than a house fly, and a strong indicator of a dead animal or heavy protein waste nearby.We treat this pest
Fruit Fly
Drosophila spp.Tiny tan fly, often with red eyes, hovering around ripe produce, recycling, mop sinks and beverage residue.We treat this pest
Drain Fly
Psychodidae familySmall fuzzy dark fly with broad moth-like wings, resting on bathroom walls near drains and flying in short erratic hops.We treat this pest
Fungus Gnat
Bradysia spp.Tiny dark, delicate, mosquito-like gnat with long legs, drifting weakly around houseplants and damp soil.We treat this pest
Pantry pests
Indianmeal Moth
Plodia interpunctellaSmall moth with two-toned wings — pale gray at the base, coppery bronze at the tips — fluttering near pantries, along with webbing in dry goods.We treat this pest
Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
Oryzaephilus surinamensisVery small, flat, slender brown beetle with six saw-like teeth along each side of the thorax. Swarms inside cereal, flour and pet food.We treat this pest
Cigarette Beetle
Lasioderma serricorneTiny, rounded, light brown beetle with a humped back and hairy body that flies to lights. Infests spices, tobacco, dry pet food and dried botanicals.We treat this pest
Varied Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus verbasciTiny mottled beetle plus a hairy, bristly larva often mistaken for a bed bug. Damages wool, silk, feathers and stored dry goods.We treat this pest
Occasional invaders
Silverfish
Lepisma saccharinaTeardrop-shaped, silvery-gray, wingless insect with three tail bristles and a fast wriggling movement, found in bathrooms, closets and around stored paper.We treat this pest
House Centipede
Scutigera coleoptrataFlat, fast-moving arthropod with 15 pairs of long legs and long banded antennae, darting across bathroom and basement floors.We treat this pest
Millipede
Diplopoda classCylindrical, dark, slow-moving arthropod with two pairs of legs per body segment that curls into a spiral when disturbed.We treat this pest
Pillbug and Sowbug
Armadillidium vulgare and Oniscus spp.Small gray armored crustaceans found under mulch, pots and boards. Pillbugs roll into a ball; sowbugs cannot.We treat this pest
Springtail
Collembola classSpecks smaller than a pinhead that jump when disturbed, appearing in damp bathrooms, sinks, potted plants and around pools. Often mistaken for fleas.We treat this pest
Stink Bug
Halyomorpha halys and related speciesShield-shaped brown or green bug about half an inch that releases a strong odor when crushed, gathering on sunny walls and windows in fall.We treat this pest
Earwig
Forficula and related generaSlender dark brown insect with prominent rear pincers, found in mulch, under pots and in damp entryways at night.We treat this pest
Wood-destroying insects
Eastern Subterranean Termite
Reticulitermes flavipesCream-colored soft-bodied workers in mud tubes on foundations and dark swarmers with four equal-length wings, a straight waist and straight antennae.Service not offered
Formosan Subterranean Termite
Coptotermes formosanusLarge yellowish-brown swarmers with hairy wings that fly at night to lights in late spring and early summer along the Gulf Coast, in very large numbers.Service not offered
Mosquitoes
Asian Tiger Mosquito
Aedes albopictusSmall black mosquito with bright white stripes on the legs and a single white line down the back. Bites aggressively during the day and breeds in small containers of water.Service not offered
Southern House Mosquito
Culex quinquefasciatusMedium brown mosquito with no bright markings that bites at dusk and after dark, breeding in stagnant, organically rich water like catch basins and clogged gutters.Service not offered
These profiles are educational. If you already know what you're dealing with and want service, start with the matching page under Pests We Treat. Termites and mosquitoes appear here for identification only — those are not services we offer.