Start from what you found

Household pest evidence library

Measure and describe the clue before trying to name the pest. Each guide explains what to record, which candidates commonly produce it and what handling precautions matter.

Droppings

Shape, ends, texture and placement can narrow rodents, cockroaches and bats without touching the material.

7 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Eggs and cases

Capsules, clusters and attached cases can separate cockroaches, moths, bed bugs and flies when scale and placement are documented.

8 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Shed skins

Cast skins preserve body shape and are often more diagnostic than a fleeting live sighting.

6 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Frass and pellets

Pellets, sawdust-like debris and mixed wood shavings can separate termites, carpenter ants and wood-boring beetles.

5 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Wings and swarmers

Equal wing length, body shape, season and the point of emergence help separate termites, ants and seasonal flies.

4 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Holes and openings

Diameter, edge quality, material and debris below an opening can distinguish insect exit holes, rodent routes and wildlife entry.

8 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Stains and smears

Fecal spotting, rub marks and blood-like stains gain meaning from placement, solubility and nearby physical evidence.

5 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Webbing and silk

Silk that binds food, attaches to fibers or forms a geometric web points to very different candidates.

3 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Larvae and grubs

Hair, head capsule, legs, body curvature and food source distinguish pantry, textile, fly and wood-boring larvae.

10 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Odors

Musty, oily, ammonia-like or sewage-associated odors are supporting clues only and should be tied to a physical source.

8 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Sounds and movement

Time of day, route height, rhythm and weight can narrow rodents, squirrels, bats, insects and plumbing-related noise.

6 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue

Damage and gnawing

Surface scraping, paired tooth marks, hollow wood, clipped fibers and food-package holes are high-value contextual clues.

12 candidate profiles

Inspect this clue