From time to time you might catch the familiar pest crawling through your yard or scurrying across the kitchen counter. Most of us are familiar with what a squirrel is, or what an ant looks like. However, what if you need to know more about a pest, but need help to identify it? Fortunately, there are a few simple steps on how to identify household pests.

You should be able to tell a rodent apart from an ant, but trying to identify one rodent from another, or even one ant from a different species of ant, can be tricky. Just at first glance you might not recognize exactly what it is, or how to get rid of it from your home.

The first thing you want to do is make a note of certain characteristics of the pest. Look at its shape and size, and even the color. How many legs does it have? Does it have wings or can it fly? What about the antennae? Look for similar characteristics for rodents, such as size, color, length, and even its nose.

With the information you have, you can start piecing things together and attempt to figure out what it is online. When you narrow down what it might be, you can compare pictures of different species with the one that you saw around your house. Once you find a close match, then you can deduce what it likely could be.

Next, think about where you saw this pest. Was it in the kitchen? Out in the yard? Hanging around in a dark corner of your garage? Now that you have a better clue of what it is, you can start planning on how to remove it safely from your home. After that, start taking the correct preventative measure to keep that pest away.

As an example, let’s think about your kitchen. Of course ants are a likely suspect to find in the kitchen, but what else? Pests like cockroaches, flies, and even some rodents are also attracted to the food they might find in the kitchen. Some of these pests prefer sweets, others enjoy fruits, and some will just go for whatever they can get.

Having the knowledge of what pests are likely to be found in the kitchen puts you at an advantage, because you are better prepared to prevent their presence. As you learn about a pest’s appetite, habitat, and tendencies, you can take whatever steps are necessary to make sure they do not interrupt your day. Cleaning up after meals, not leaving dirty dishes in the sink, and properly storing food are some ways to decrease the likelihood of an unwanted visitor.

There are plenty of pests that will choose a particular area of your house, like the basement or the attic. Other pests will go wherever there might be food or water. Either way, knowing what a pest looks like and where you found it can help you better identify what it might be. If you need help to know what’s sneaking around your house, contact the pest control specialists at Van Den Berge Pest Control at 616-392-7367.

Trust the locally owned, widely renowned experts at Van Den Berge Pest Control for all of your pest needs. With over 100 years of combined experience throughout the Holland, MI-based pest control team, you know you’re in expert hands with our state-certified experts.