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Pest Identification Guide

Something crawling, flying or scurrying around your Wisconsin home? Match it below — size, color, where it hides and when it shows up — then learn exactly how to get rid of it.

Identify Your Pest

What Are You Dealing With?

Filter by how it moves — or browse everything. Each card links to full identification, dangers, treatment and prevention details.

Ants identification — Wisconsin

Ants

  • Size: 1/16" – 5/8"
  • Color: Black, brown, red or yellow by species
  • Where seen: Kitchens, foundations, damp wood
  • Season: Spring–summer; carpenter ants in spring
How to Get Rid of Them
Termites identification — Wisconsin

Termites

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Bed Bugs identification — Wisconsin

Bed Bugs

  • Size: 1/4" (apple seed)
  • Color: Reddish-brown, flat oval
  • Where seen: Mattress seams, headboards, furniture
  • Season: Year-round
How to Get Rid of Them
Box Elder Bugs identification — Wisconsin

Box Elder Bugs

  • Size: 1/2"
  • Color: Black with red-orange markings
  • Where seen: Sunny south/west walls, window sills
  • Season: Fall swarms; warm winter days
How to Get Rid of Them
Cockroaches identification — Wisconsin

Cockroaches

  • Size: 1/2" – 2"
  • Color: Light brown to black
  • Where seen: Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, drains
  • Season: Year-round
How to Get Rid of Them
Crickets identification — Wisconsin

Crickets

  • Size: Up to 1.5"
  • Color: Black to brown
  • Where seen: Basements, garages, lower walls
  • Season: Late summer–fall entry
How to Get Rid of Them
Fleas identification — Wisconsin

Fleas

  • Size: 1/8"
  • Color: Reddish-brown, jumps
  • Where seen: Pets, carpet, bedding, upholstery
  • Season: Peak summer–fall
How to Get Rid of Them
Flies identification — Wisconsin

Flies

  • Size: 1/8" – 3/8"
  • Color: Gray, black or metallic green/blue
  • Where seen: Kitchens, trash, drains, windows
  • Season: Summer; cluster flies in fall
How to Get Rid of Them
Fruit Flies identification — Wisconsin

Fruit Flies

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Asian Lady Beetles identification — Wisconsin

Asian Lady Beetles

  • Size: 1/4"
  • Color: Tan to red; spots vary, "M" behind head
  • Where seen: Sunny exteriors, attics, window frames
  • Season: Fall swarms; winter indoors
How to Get Rid of Them
Millipedes identification — Wisconsin

Millipedes

  • Size: 1" – 1.5" (centipedes to 4")
  • Color: Brown, worm-like, many legs
  • Where seen: Damp basements, bathrooms, mulch
  • Season: After rain; fall migrations
How to Get Rid of Them
Pantry Pests identification — Wisconsin

Pantry Pests

  • Size: 1/16" – 1/2"
  • Color: Brown, gray or mottled
  • Where seen: Flour, cereal, grains, pet food
  • Season: Year-round
How to Get Rid of Them
Mice & Rats identification — Wisconsin

Mice & Rats

  • Size: 3" – 12" body
  • Color: Gray, brown or bicolored
  • Where seen: Walls, attics, basements, garages
  • Season: Fall–winter intrusion peak
How to Get Rid of Them
Silverfish identification — Wisconsin

Silverfish

  • Size: 1/2" – 1"
  • Color: Silver-gray, teardrop shape
  • Where seen: Damp basements, attics, bathrooms
  • Season: Year-round
How to Get Rid of Them
Spiders identification — Wisconsin

Spiders

  • Size: 1/8" – 1.5"
  • Color: Brown, gray or black
  • Where seen: Basements, corners, garages, webs
  • Season: Move indoors in fall
How to Get Rid of Them
Mosquitoes identification — Wisconsin

Mosquitoes

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Wasps, Bees & Hornets identification — Wisconsin

Wasps, Bees & Hornets

  • Size: 1/2" – 1.5"
  • Color: Black/yellow; hornets white-faced
  • Where seen: Eaves, decks, wall voids, ground nests
  • Season: Late-summer aggression peak
How to Get Rid of Them
Earwigs identification — Wisconsin

Earwigs

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Ticks identification — Wisconsin

Ticks

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Voles identification — Wisconsin

Voles

  • Size: Up to 5" body
  • Color: Blackish- to grayish-brown fur
  • Where seen: Lawn runways, gardens, tree bases
  • Season: Year-round; winter under snow
How to Get Rid of Them
Stink Bugs identification — Wisconsin

Stink Bugs

  • Size: Varies
  • Color: Varies
  • Where seen: In and around the home
  • Season: Varies
How to Get Rid of Them
Still Not Sure?

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Wisconsin's Pest Calendar

  • Spring — carpenter ants emerge; pavement ants swarm; wasp queens start nests
  • Summer — flies, fleas and ants peak; spider populations build
  • Late summer — wasps and yellow jackets at maximum size and aggression
  • Fall — the indoor push: mice, box elder bugs, Asian lady beetles, crickets
  • Winter — rodents active in walls; overwintering insects emerge on warm days

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