🎯 What this is

PestWise is a practical reference for identifying common household pests across three categories — insects, rodents, and arthropods — and dealing with them effectively.

Most pest websites either dump information without organization or hide it behind a "request a quote" button. PestWise does neither. Every pest has the same structured information so you can compare and decide.

🔧 How to use it

1. Start with the finder tool

If you saw a pest and want to know what it is, go to the Find My Pest tool on the home page. Answer what you can — leave anything unsure as "Any". Results update live.

2. Browse the catalog

If you already know roughly what category, head to the Catalog. You can filter by category and risk level, sort by risk, and search by name.

3. Read the detail page

Every pest has a dedicated page covering identification, signs of infestation, health and damage risk, step-by-step DIY treatment, what NOT to do, prevention, and when to call a professional.

4. Build prevention habits

The Prevention guide covers the core habits that prevent most infestations: sealing entry points, cutting off food and water, managing the yard, and a seasonal routine.

⚠️ Important caveats

• This site is educational, not medical or professional advice. If you suspect a serious bite, sting, or disease exposure, contact a healthcare provider.
• Pesticide labels are the law. Always read and follow product labels exactly. The label tells you what to apply, where, how much, how often, and what protective gear is required.
• Pet safety matters. Many products labeled for one species are toxic to another. Permethrin, for example, is safe for dogs and toxic to cats.
• Some pests are protected. Honey bees, native bumblebees, and bats fall under various protections — never spray them. Contact local relocation specialists.
• Identification matters. Many spiders are mistaken for brown recluses. Many ant problems get worse when treated like a different ant species. Confirm before treating.

📚 The categories

Insects

Six legs, three body segments, often wings. Includes cockroaches, ants, termites, flies, mosquitoes, bed bugs, beetles, moths, wasps, bees, fleas, lice, and many more. Insects make up the bulk of household pests because they reproduce fast, eat almost anything, and are small enough to enter almost anywhere.

Arthropods (non-insect)

Anything in the broader phylum Arthropoda that isn't an insect. Includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, centipedes, millipedes, and pillbugs. Many are beneficial (spiders and centipedes hunt other pests) and a few are medically significant (recluse and widow spiders, scorpions, disease-carrying ticks).

Rodents

Mammals with continuously growing front teeth. Includes mice, rats, squirrels, and voles. Damaging because they gnaw structural materials and wiring, contaminate food, and carry serious diseases.

🟢 Risk levels explained

Each pest is tagged with a risk level. The rating considers health risk, property damage, and how aggressive the pest is.

• Low  Nuisance only. Limited or no health/property risk. Often just unpleasant to encounter.
• Moderate  Real but manageable risk — disease vector potential, allergy trigger, painful but non-life-threatening bite, or notable property damage.
• High  Significant risk — major disease vector, dangerous bite or sting, severe structural damage, or risk of life-threatening allergic reactions.