Guide to identifying insects infesting your home

Identifying household insects is not an easy task. Because of the many insect species that can infest your home, correctly identifying an insect can be quite complex. That's why it's recommended to call an exterminator .

If an infestation occurs in your home, many objects or pieces of furniture are likely to be chewed, have holes, or be soiled. In fact, this is one of the first signs of an insect infestation . 

Insects are attracted to many things, including food, humidity, warmth, darkness, water, etc. If you have any doubt, be sure to check all damp or dark areas of the house for any signs of infestation. 

It is essential to be able to recognize the different species in order to get rid of them quickly.

To help you identify them, here are the main orders of insects and their characteristics: 

The order Hemiptera 

The order Hemiptera comprises a group of insects, the main players of which are bed bugs . Members of this order are all characterized by long antennae, piercing mouthparts, and two pairs of wings.

All insects belonging to this order are piercing-sucking insects ; their morphology is adapted to allow them to suck plant sap, the blood of another insect, or, in the case of bed bugs, the blood of humans. Given their intrusive feeding habits, these insects are likely to be vectors of many diseases.

The order of beetles

Beetles are an order of insects with the largest number of described species (more than 400,000 identified species grouped into 500 families). These insects are fairly easily recognizable thanks to their shell and their pair of hardened forewings, like weevils, ladybugs, or dermestid beetles . 

They are also characterized by mandibles and chewing mouthparts that allow them to grind their food. In this respect, their diet is very varied (plants, insects, excrement, etc.). 

The order of Dictyoptera 

The order Dictyoptera constitutes what is called a superorder since it groups three different orders: Blattoptera, which includes the famous cockroaches , Mantotera, and Isoptera. 

Less than 1% of these species interact with humans and are considered harmless. However, they affect hygiene and quality of life because they are species that reproduce very quickly and in large numbers. 

The order of Siphonaptera 

The order Siphonaptera, to which fleas belong , is made up of insects characterized by their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Due to their small size, fleas are difficult to identify with the naked eye, but can cause significant damage when they reach adulthood. 

These are insects that live off the blood of their hosts. Since they pass from person to person or animal to animal, they can transmit various diseases and be a source of many allergies. 

The order Hymenoptera 

Hymenoptera are an order of insects that are fairly easy to recognize, as they consist of ants, bees, hornets, and wasps . It is a very diverse order of insects, currently comprising more than 130,000 species. 

Hymenoptera are characterized by their two pairs of membranous wings and a chewing-lapping mouthpart. They also possess a remarkable property: the mother can determine the sex of her offspring. Carpenter ants are the most common species found in homes. 

The ants 

There are several species of ants that can infest your home, the most common in Quebec are: the brown field ant, the pavement ant and the carpenter ant .

Brown field ants

Brown field ants are very common in Quebec. These small creatures measure between 2.2 mm and 3 mm and are brownish or black in color. They live in very large colonies ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 ants. 

These ants are attracted to sugary foods found in our homes, as well as to rotten or damp pieces of wood. This is why you might find them in your bathrooms, in the kitchen under leaking appliances, or in attics where there may be discarded wood. 

Pavement ants

As their name suggests, pavement ants are generally found outside the house, under the paving stones. They are small, measuring between 2.5 mm and 3 mm, and are pale brown or black. Their distinguishing feature is a tail that is lighter than the rest of their body, and parallel lines on their head and thorax.

Pavement ant nests are easy to recognize as they form small mounds of sand that can be found on the ground or on the lawn. They are most active in the spring and early summer. 

Carpenter ants

Carpenter ants are the largest in this category. They measure between 6 mm and 13 mm in length and are mostly black in color. 

Carpenter ants are social insects because they live in colonies with a hierarchical order: queen, worker, warrior. The queens are generally the largest in the anthill. 

Carpenter ants chew wood (without eating it) to build their nests, so if you notice sawdust in the same area and hear scratching noises in the walls, you're probably dealing with a carpenter ant colony. These ants can cause considerable damage to the structure of your house . 

Fleas are small, wingless insects with a flattened body and six legs. They are characterized by their very small size of approximately 2.11 mm and their yellowish-brown color, which can become darker when they are engorged with blood. 

These are insects that live on the bodies of their hosts and feed on their blood. They are more common during hot and humid periods and can spread quickly by jumping from one body to another. 

Cockroaches, also known as roaches , are nocturnal insects that enter your home in search of shelter and food. A cockroach infestation can compromise the hygiene of your home and cause health problems (allergies, skin rashes, urinary tract infections, etc.).

In Quebec, the two most common species of cockroaches are: the German cockroach and the American cockroach. 

German cockroaches

The German cockroach is the most common species found in homes. It measures between 10 mm and 16 mm in length and has a bronze or dark brown color. 

These are nocturnal species, so if you encounter them during the day, it means you have a large infestation. German cockroaches are attracted to all types of food and waste, so maintain impeccable hygiene in your home and don't leave your garbage outside. They also reproduce very quickly, so it's important to identify them promptly to get rid of them.

American cockroaches

The American cockroach is the largest of the cockroaches, measuring between 38 mm and 40 mm. It is also distinguished by its reddish-brown or orange color.

It is a very active species in rather warm environments (exceeding 22 degrees Celsius) and can carry several bacteria and diseases . 

Bed bugs have spread significantly in Quebec in recent years. Although they do not transmit disease, they cause sleep problems and anxiety, and their bites cause unpleasant itching and lesions. 

Often invisible to the naked eye, they measure between 4 mm and 7 mm and are reddish-brown in color. Bed bugs are often hidden during the day and come out at night to feed on the blood of the sleeping person. Their bites are similar to those of mosquitoes. 

These parasites can be found in many places, including beds, mattresses, furniture, clothing, cracks, light switches, etc. They are very difficult to exterminate and the extermination procedure must be carried out by a pest control specialist .  

Spiders can come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. However, those likely to invade your homes have eight legs and their body is divided into two parts: the head and the abdomen. 

Of the 700 different species present in Quebec, only one named Cheiracanthium Mildei, which is yellowish or greenish in color, can cause a skin reaction.  

Earwigs are insects covered with a reddish-brown carapace, measuring between 1 cm and 2 cm in length. They have yellowish-brown legs and small, barely visible wings  .

These small creatures are recognizable by their elongated shape and forceps-like pincers. These pincers are hard, mobile, and darker at the tips. They serve as a defensive weapon in case of attack. 

Silverfish

The silverfish , more commonly known as the silverfish, is a flat, carrot-shaped insect that measures 1.25 cm in length and is characterized by its grey or silver colour. It has two long, thin antennae on its head. 

This is a nocturnal insect, meaning it avoids light and prefers the night. It takes refuge in narrow places such as under bed frames, baseboards, etc. Silverfish are among the most harmless insects.

Woodlice 

Woodlice, on the other hand, belong to the class of crustaceans. They are nocturnal animals that infest dark and isolated places such as basements and cellars of houses. They have an oval shape, are greyish in color, and measure approximately 13 mm to 15 mm in length. 

They have a soft shell, 7 pairs of legs, and 2 pairs of antennae. A distinctive feature of woodlice is their habit of rolling themselves into a ball when they feel threatened. 

Mites  

Harmless and unavoidable, dust mites are one of the biggest causes of allergies in humans. Invisible to the naked eye, they have four pairs of legs and measure 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm in length. They feed on microparticles of skin and hair, which are abundant in homes.

The most favorable places for dust mites to thrive are bedrooms, as they love soft sheets and warm mattresses. By sheltering there, they can cause numerous allergic reactions, respiratory problems, itching, and more.