The Most Common Household Pests in Florida and How to Spot Each One

The most common household pests in Florida are roaches, ants, roof rats and mice, termites, silverfish and spiders. You can usually name each one with a one-minute look at the bug, the droppings or the damage. This guide gives the quick check for each, as we see them in Brevard County homes.

TL;DR

• Roaches: dark specks like ground pepper, and bugs that run when you flip on the light.
• Ants: a trail along a wall or counter. Tiny ants with pale legs are often ghost ants.
• Rats and mice: droppings, scratching at night, greasy smudges along walls.
• Termites: mud tubes outside, or tiny hard pellets under a wall or window.
• Silverfish and spiders are usually a nuisance. Termites and rodents are the two that cost real money.

Roaches and ants: the quick checks

Roaches. Look for black specks like ground pepper in cabinet corners and behind the stove. A German roach is small and tan, with two dark stripes behind the head, according to UF/IFAS Extension. Big reddish brown roaches that wander in at night are usually American roaches, the ones people here call palmetto bugs. One big one in the garage is not the same as many small ones in the kitchen. Small ones in the kitchen mean a colony. We cover the fix in how to get rid of roaches in Florida homes.

Ants. Follow the line. Tiny ants with a dark head and pale, almost see through legs are likely ghost ants. UF/IFAS says they are only 1.3 to 1.5 mm long and nest in wall voids, cabinets and potted plants (UF/IFAS). Ants in a line from the yard to the sink are looking for water and sugar. The colony is not on your counter. Read why you keep seeing ants in your home.

Rats and mice: how can I tell which one I have?

Check the droppings and the sounds. Bigger droppings usually mean a bigger animal. Scratching overhead at night, grease marks on the wall and chewed wire or insulation all point to rodents.

In Florida the rat is usually the roof rat. UF/IFAS describes it as a climber that nests in attics, roof spaces and palm trees, and says its tail is longer than its head and body together (UF/IFAS). That is why the sound comes from the ceiling and not the floor. Our rodent control page explains how we handle them.

Termites, silverfish and spiders

Termites. Drywood termites push out tiny six sided pellets that pile up like coarse sand under a wall, a window sill or a piece of trim. UF/IFAS notes these pellets can be cream, red or black (UF/IFAS). Subterranean termites build mud tubes up a foundation wall. Hollow sounding wood and swollen paint are other clues. See termite warning signs every Florida homeowner should know.

Silverfish. Silver, flat, fast and carrot shaped, with three tails at the back. They live in dark, damp spots like bathrooms and closets and chew paper and glue. Seeing one now and then is normal in a humid house.

Spiders. Most house spiders are harmless and eat other bugs. Webs in corners and eaves are the main sign. If you think a spider bit you, call a doctor, not a pest company.

What we see in Brevard

Roof rats are the rat we find in Melbourne and Palm Bay attics, and they often come in from palms and fruit trees. Ghost ants and American roaches show up across the county because of the humidity. Block homes can still have drywood termites in the trim, the soffit and the attic wood. Beachside homes from Satellite Beach to Indialantic get salt air, damp and a lot of silverfish. Snowbird homes that sit empty for months give every one of these a quiet place to start.

What to do now

1. Pick the pest from the checks above and look in the one spot that fits it: kitchen corners, the attic, the sill, the wall base.
2. Take a clear photo of the bug or the droppings. It helps a lot.
3. Fix leaks and wipe up water. Pests in Florida follow moisture.
4. Store food and pet food in sealed containers, and keep tree limbs off the roof.
5. Do not spray or fog on top of what you find. It can scatter roaches and hide the real source.

When to call somebody

Call if you have droppings or noise in the attic, termite pellets or mud tubes, or a roach or ant problem that returns in a week or two. A single bug is not an emergency. A pattern is. Our estimate is free, and the pricing page lists our plans.

Sources

• UF/IFAS Extension: German Cockroach
• UF/IFAS Extension: Ghost Ant
• UF/IFAS Extension: Rat and Mouse Control
• UF/IFAS Extension: West Indian Drywood Termite

Frequently Asked Questions