If you’ve ever taken the time to research pests and pest control, what you’ll notice is that most of the attention is on the bugs you already know a lot about:
- Spiders
- Cockroaches
- Ants
We in the pest control world tend to focus on these pests for several reasons. One is that they are extremely common – if you do not have any pest control, chances are you will find these in your home. In addition, they are common phobias (spiders), or are harmful (cockroaches) or they invade in significant numbers (ants).
We talk about these bugs, but they’re not nearly the only ones that enter homes in the region. They’re one of many.
Still, maybe you’re a pest expert. Maybe you’ve also heard about less commonly discussed but still very common pests, such as:
These are also very, very common bugs that invade properties in the area. House centipedes are all over places like Folsom and Roseville. They’re giant centipedes with huge legs that can be terrifying if you’ve never seen one before. Silverfish, as the name implies, look like silver fish. Carpet beetles look like brown ladybugs when they’re fully grown, but tiny amebic caterpillars when they’re larva.
We’ll talk about these pests in more detail in a later date. But today, we’re going even further. We’re going to talk about pests that you may know nothing about – bugs that you can find in your property, but have never seen before in your life.
Pest Identification and Strange Local Pests
Remember, pest control isn’t just about spiders and roaches. It is also about preventing pests like:
Pseudoscorpions
Pseudoscorpions look like very tiny spiders (about the size of an eraser) but with claps like a scorpion. That is also basically what they are. They are not spiders, not scorpions, but a close relative of both that is completely harmless to humans, but still upsetting if you have phobia. They have no venom, they don’t make webs, they don’t sting. They’re actually beneficial for your property, as they eat ants and carpet beetles, but most of the time you still don’t want to see them at your home.
Webspinners
in the Sacramento area, but they tend to look darker than this one.
Webspinners in our area are black/dark brown, long thin bugs that look a little like earwigs, but they don’t have the long tails and are a bit smaller. The males also have wings, but the females do not.
Webspinners can make silk like spiders, but they use their hands. They are also entirely harmless, but can look a little like brown or black termites, which is why some people are alarmed when they see them. They are attracted to light, but they don’t fly very much, so you may find them on the walls near lights. They typically eat plant matter.
Most of the time, they find themselves in the home entirely by accident, seeking mates and finding themselves attracted to lights.
Lacewings
Lacewings look like webspinners but green and with bigger wings. They are also completely harmless, though they eat bugs instead of plant matter.
Lacewings, like webspinners, have no intention of living inside of a person’s home, but they’re also attracted to light and find themselves indoors by accident. They usually live in the garden, especially if there are aphids nearby or other small insects.
Adult lacewings – the ones with the wings that you are more likely to find in your home – don’t bite. The larva can bite, and it can cause a small sting, but is still harmless.
Weevils
Weevils are the only bugs on this list that are an actual pest, and one that typically requires a treatment of some kind – usually a specialist, as not every pest control company is allowed to treat for certain types of weevils.
There are different types of weevils. Some eat wood. Some eat pantry food (called pantry pests). Weevils are small beetles easily recognized by their elongated, downward-curving “snout” (rostrum) and clubbed antennae.
These pests infest grains, flour, nuts, and stored pantry items, with common species like the rice weevil and flour beetle sneaking into homes through packaged foods. While harmless to humans, they contaminate food with eggs and larvae, leading to foul-tasting, spoiled products. Outdoors, some weevils target garden plants (e.g., root weevils devour strawberries, while boll weevils damage cotton).
(Fun fact: There are over 60,000 weevil species – making them one of the most diverse beetle families)
It’s Not Always About Spiders and Roaches
Spiders, cockroaches, centipedes, and ants may get most of the attention, but they’re not the only type of pes, and it’s not uncommon for our team to get calls asking “What is this?” when they come across one of these strange bugs.
The good news is they’re all harmless. Some are not even considered pests, even though you may find them indoors. Still, if you’re seeing any pests on your property, it may be a sign that you’re not receiving adequate pest control. If you’re in Roseville, Rocklin, Sacramento, Lincoln, or anywhere nearby, please reach out to Adapt Pest Management, today.
