Other Household Insects in Portland
A guide to the other insects that turn up in Portland homes, what draws them and how we deal with them.
Not every pest needs its own page. The list below covers the insects we see most often beyond ants, spiders and roaches, along with what tends to cause each one.
If you are not sure what you are looking at, send us a clear photo or call. Identification is quick and prevents you from treating the wrong problem.
Moisture-loving insects
Earwigs, sowbugs, pillbugs, centipedes and silverfish all follow damp conditions. They show up in basements, bathrooms, mulch beds and crawlspaces. The long-term fix is reducing moisture with better drainage, gutters, vents and dry crawlspaces, supported by an exterior treatment.
Pantry pests
Indian meal moths, flour beetles and grain weevils come in with dry goods and breed in flour, cereal, pet food and bird seed. Treatment is mostly cleanout: find the infested package, discard it, wash the shelf and store food in airtight containers.
Occasional invaders and stingers
Crickets, ladybugs, cluster flies and stink bugs drift indoors in fall. Wasps and yellow jackets are handled under our stinging insect service, which includes nest removal where it is safe to do so.
What to watch for
Silverfish and earwigs
Found in bathrooms, basements and under mulch. Moisture control is the key.
Pantry moths and beetles
Look for webbing, larvae and small beetles in dry goods.
Wasps and yellow jackets
Nests in eaves, wall voids and the ground. Our stinging insect service removes them.
What happens on a visit
- Collect a sample or photo when possible
- Identify the insect and the conditions behind it
- Treat with the method that fits the species
- Explain how to prevent a repeat
Read next: Spiders, Boxelder Bugs, Quarterly Maintenance Plan.
Other Insects questions
More in insects & spiders
Ready to get rid of them?
Send us a request. We aim to reply within 15 minutes during regular business hours, or we take $20 off your service.