Identify a Pest
For urgent pest issues, calling is the fastest option.
Use this pest identification guide to learn about common insects, rodents, birds, pantry pests, and wildlife activity found in homes and businesses across the Greater Toronto Area.
Pest and wildlife problems are not always easy to identify. Droppings, bite marks, damaged packaging, scratching sounds, insects near moisture, nests, odours, stains, or activity around vents and rooflines can point to different issues. This guide helps you understand what you may be seeing, where the activity may be coming from, and when to contact Solviva Pest Solutions for professional next steps.
Browse by Pest Category
Choose the category that best matches what you are seeing.
Crawling Insects & Household Bugs
Ants
Cockroaches
Bed Bugs
Flying Insects
Wasps, Hornets & Stinging Insects
Rodents
Wildlife
Birds
Stored Product & Pantry Pests
Crawling Insects & Household Bugs
Crawling insects and household bugs often appear around kitchens, bathrooms, basements, bedrooms, drains, baseboards, storage areas, moisture zones, and hidden cracks. Some are mainly nuisance pests, while others may point to sanitation, moisture, food storage, or infestation concerns.
American Cockroach
Common areas: Basements, drains, sewers, kitchens.
Signs: Large reddish-brown insects, egg cases.
Why it matters: Spreads bacteria, triggers asthma.
Next step: Seal entries and address moisture.
German Cockroach
Common areas: Kitchen cabinets, appliances.
Signs: Pepper-like droppings, oily odour.
Why it matters: Rapid breeder, sanitation risk.
Next step: Professional baiting solutions.
Oriental Cockroach
Common areas: Crawl spaces, damp mulch.
Signs: Dark insects near water sources.
Why it matters: Foul odour, health pathogen risk.
Next step: Reduce plumbing area humidity.
Bed Bugs
Common areas: Bed frames, mattresses, sofas.
Signs: Blood spots, itchy bites, shed skins.
Why it matters: Stressful infestation, spreads fast.
Next step: Professional heat treatment service.
Ants
Common areas: Kitchens, window sills, entries.
Signs: Foraging trails, soil mounds.
Why it matters: Contamination and building damage.
Next step: Source discovery and ant baiting.
Silverfish
Common areas: Bathrooms, book shelves, attics.
Signs: Notched paper, yellowish stains.
Why it matters: Ruins documents, starches, and wallpaper.
Next step: Humidity reduction and decluttering.
Spiders
Common areas: Corners, garages, dark crevices.
Signs: Webs, spider sacs, insect prey.
Why it matters: Nuisance webs, potential for bites.
Next step: Web clearance and residual treatment.
Ticks
Common areas: Yard edges, high grass, pets.
Signs: Embedded insects, pet scratching.
Why it matters: Lyme disease and health pathogen risk.
Next step: Tick checks and yard spray maintenance.
Carpenter Ants
Common areas: Window frames, door sills, damp wood, attics.
Signs: Large black ants, piles of wood shavings (frass).
Why it matters: Can cause structural damage to wooden beams.
Next step: Locate nest and address moisture leak source.
Big-Headed Ants
Common areas: Under patio stones, garden beds, near entrances.
Signs: Distinct foragers with disproportionately large heads.
Why it matters: Can displace other residents and invade interiors.
Next step: Targeted exterior baiting at nesting sites.
Ants are common around kitchens, bathrooms, patios, foundations, windows, doors, exterior walls, and moisture areas. Some ant activity is mostly nuisance-related, while other issues may be connected to moisture, nesting, wood damage, structure gaps, or recurring entry points.
Ants
Pavement Ants
Common areas: Driveways, patios, foundation cracks, basements.
Signs: Small sand mounds between pavement slabs.
Why it matters: Persistent foragers that contaminate kitchen surfaces.
Next step: Exterior perimeter shield and gap sealing.
Citronella Ants
Common areas: Soil near foundations, damp crawl spaces.
Signs: Yellowish ants that emit a lemon-like odor when crushed.
Why it matters: Mostly a nuisance; swarming can be alarming indoors.
Next step: Improve drainage and reduce sub-floor humidity.
Pharaoh Ants
Common areas: Kitchen walls, electrical outlets, heating ducts.
Signs: Very tiny amber ants trailing in large numbers.
Why it matters: Difficult to control; 'budding' makes them spread faster.
Next step: Non-repellent baiting; do not use hardware sprays.
Fire Ants
Common areas: Sunny lawn areas, high-traffic commercial turf.
Signs: Aggressive behavior, distinct visible dirt mounds.
Why it matters: Painful stings can cause serious allergic reactions.
Next step: Professional mound drenching and colony removal.
German Cockroach
Common areas: Kitchen cabinets, behind appliances, and GTA apartment plumbing.
Signs: Two dark stripes, pepper-like droppings, oily odors.
Why it matters: Infests kitchens rapidly; spreads allergens and pathogens.
Next step: Implement professional baiting and sanitation protocols immediately.
Cockroaches are high-concern pests because they often hide in warm, dark, moist areas and can spread through kitchens, bathrooms, basements, restaurants, apartments, and multi-unit buildings. Seeing one cockroach may indicate more hidden activity, especially when food, moisture, and hiding areas are present.
Oriental Cockroach
Common areas: Damp basements and floor drains in older GTA properties.
Signs: Large, dark, shiny insects near water sources.
Why it matters: Significant vector for illness; indicates fixing high moisture.
Next step: Address structural moisture issues and plumbing leaks first.
Cockroaches
American Cockroach
Common areas: Basements, sewers, and large food handling GTA facilities.
Signs: Large reddish-brown winged insects and purse-shaped egg capsules.
Why it matters: Travels long pipe distances; triggers severe asthma.
Next step: Seal utility penetrations and identify large-scale entry points.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
Common areas: Living room furniture, bedroom closets, and upper GTA shelving.
Signs: Small, dark brown insects with lighter bands in dry areas.
Why it matters: Doesn't need water; can infest every room of a home.
Next step: Inspect all furniture; implement comprehensive room-by-room baiting.
Bed bugs deserve a separate section because customers often search for them urgently. They are commonly associated with sleeping and resting areas, but activity can also involve furniture, luggage, clothing, rental units, hotels, couches, and multi-unit properties across the Greater Toronto Area.
Where Bed Bugs Usually Hide
Focus on mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and bedside furniture. In Toronto apartments, they also frequent cracks in baseboards and behind wallpaper.
Bed Bugs
Common Signs
Watch for small rust-coloured blood spots on sheets, tiny dark droppings, and translucent shed skins. GTA residents often report a faint, sweet, musty odour.
Why They Matter
Bed bugs spread rapidly between units in GTA multi-residential buildings. Beyond physical discomfort, they cause significant psychological stress and sleep disruption.
What to Do Next
Isolate affected items and contact Solviva immediately. Do not move furniture, as this can spread the infestation to other rooms or neighbours.
Flying Insects
Flying insects may appear around windows, drains, garbage areas, food storage, moisture zones, patios, lights, plants, and exterior openings. Identifying the source matters because flies near drains, moths in pantry goods, and mosquitoes around standing water require different next steps.
House Flies
Common areas: Kitchens, garbage areas, windows.
Signs: Fast-moving flies, dark spotting on surfaces.
Why it matters: Spreads over 65 diseases to humans and pets.
Next step: Identify sanitation source and check window screens.
Fruit Flies
Common areas: Overripe produce, bars, trash bins.
Signs: Tiny flies hovering near food or drains.
Why it matters: Contaminates food with bacteria and yeast.
Next step: Remove fermenting food and clean organic residue.
Drain Flies
Common areas: Bathroom drains, basement floor drains.
Signs: Moth-like flies resting on walls near sinks.
Why it matters: Indicates gelatinous bio-film buildup in pipes.
Next step: Mechanical cleaning of drains and enzyme treatments.
Cluster Flies
Common areas: Attics, wall voids, sunny windows.
Signs: Sluggish, large flies buzzing in windows.
Why it matters: Large numbers hibernating in GTA wall voids.
Next step: Seal exterior gaps and upper story window frames.
Phorid Flies
Common areas: Drains, garbage, moist organic matter.
Signs: Fast-running flies that often avoid flying.
Why it matters: Can indicate a break in sanitary sewer lines.
Next step: Professional inspection of sub-floor plumbing.
Bottle Flies
Common areas: Exterior garbage zones, animal waste.
Signs: Metallic green or blue flies around refuse.
Why it matters: Indicates nearby decaying organic matter.
Next step: Address waste management and exterior sanitation.
Mosquitoes
Common areas: Exterior moisture zones, standing water.
Signs: Biting activity, hovering near patios/lights.
Why it matters: Vector for West Nile Virus in Southern Ontario.
Next step: Empty standing water and yard spray maintenance.
Clothes Moths
Common areas: Closets, wool carpets, storage bins.
Signs: Irregular holes in natural fibre clothing.
Why it matters: Damages expensive textiles and heirlooms.
Next step: Clean affected items and implement cedar/traps.
Indian Meal Moths
Common areas: Pantry shelves, cereal bags, pet food.
Signs: Webbing in grain products, flying moths.
Why it matters: Infests and ruins stored dry food goods.
Next step: Discard infested grains and seal new items.
Whiteflies
Common areas: Houseplants, solariums, greenhouses.
Signs: Tiny white specks under leaves, sticky sap.
Why it matters: Sucks sap from plants, causing yellowing/wilting.
Next step: Inspect soil moisture and treat foliage surfaces.
Wasps, Hornets & Stinging Insects
Stinging insects are different from general flying insects because the service intent is often urgent. Nests near people, doors, rooflines, decks, sheds, porches, or commercial entrances can create access concerns for families, tenants, staff, customers, and visitors.
Common Nest Areas
Nests are often built under eaves, within soffits, along rooflines, or tucked inside decks and sheds across Greater Toronto properties.
Signs of Activity
Watch for consistent flight paths back to a specific entry point in your structure or visible grey paper-like structures hanging from porches.
Why It Matters
Stinging incidents pose serious health risks. In commercial settings, infestations can hinder staff access or deter customers from entering.
What to Do Next
Keep a safe distance and do not attempt to seal or spray nests yourself. Contact Solviva for professional removal and safety guidance.
Rodents
House Mouse
Small, greyish-brown with a light belly. Common in kitchens and pantries during colder months.
Deer Mouse
Brown with distinct white underbelly and feet. Frequently found in rural areas, sheds, and cottages.
Rodents are common high-intent service leads because mice and rats can enter through small openings and may affect kitchens, basements, garages, attics, storage rooms, restaurants, warehouses, and rental units.
Norway Rat
Heavy body, blunt snout. Known for burrowing near foundations and basements.
Roof Rat
Slender with large ears. Excellent climbers often found in attics and upper storage levels.
Common Rodent Signs
Droppings, scratching sounds, chew marks, grease marks, nesting material, damaged packaging, odours, and activity near walls or storage areas.
• Droppings and scratching sounds
• Chew marks on property items
• Attic or wall activity
• Small entry points in foundations
• Garage or basement activity
Where Rodents Hide
What Rodents Can Damage
Kitchens, basements, garages, attics, wall voids, utility rooms, storage areas, restaurants, warehouses, and exterior foundation gaps.
Wiring, insulation, stored items, packaging, food areas, drywall, wood, and entry-point materials.
Wildlife
Wildlife activity around homes and buildings often starts near exterior openings, rooflines, vents, soffits, chimneys, decks, garages, sheds, and attics. The focus should be inspection, entry-point awareness, humane exclusion recommendations, prevention, and property protection.
Raccoons
Common areas: Attics, rooflines, chimneys, soffits, garages, decks, sheds, and exterior openings.
Signs: Loud movement, damaged soffits, droppings, odours, garbage disturbance, and activity around rooflines.
Why it matters: Raccoons can damage exterior openings, insulation, and hidden spaces while seeking shelter.
Next step: Avoid blocking entry points without inspection. Contact Solviva Pest Solutions for wildlife protection guidance.
Skunks
Common areas: Under decks, porches, sheds, and within gaps in the building foundation or crawl spaces.
Signs: Faint or strong musk odours, small cone-shaped holes in the lawn, and burrowing activity around stairs.
Why it matters: Burrowing can weaken supports for steps or decks, and proximity increases the risk of odorous discharge.
Next step: Identify all sub-structure gaps. Contact Solviva for humame exclusion and entry-point sealing recommendations.
Squirrels
Common areas: Attics, roof vents, soffit intersections, and gaps around gables or chimneys.
Signs: Chewing at roof edges, frantic daytime scratching in ceilings, and nesting materials in attics.
Why it matters: Gnawing on structure or wiring is a serious risk. Prevention focuses on high-durability entry-point sealing.
Next step: Perform a thorough roofline inspection. Professional exclusion avoids accidentally trapping activity inside.
Bats
Common areas: Attics, chimneys, and tiny gaps behind siding or near roof peaks where they can enter and roost.
Signs: Guano (droppings) on siding or windowsills, fluttering sounds at dawn/dusk, and staining near high gaps.
Why it matters: Accumulation of droppings in attics can impact insulation health. Focus is on seasonal humane exclusion.
Next step: Observe evening activity from far back. Contact Solviva for expert inspection and bat-friendly sealing protocols.
Birds
Bird activity may affect rooflines, ledges, vents, signs, commercial exteriors, balconies, garages, warehouses, and outdoor structures. Professional assessment helps identify the scale of activity and potential prevention options tailored to your property.
Pigeons
Often found on ledges, rooflines, and commercial signs.
Starlings
Commonly nest in vents and structural cavities.
Sparrows
Small birds that frequent sign boxes and outdoor areas.
Seagulls
Large birds affecting flat roofs and warehouse exteriors.
Woodpeckers
Known for pecking at exterior wood and siding surfaces.
Canada Geese
Large birds affecting lawns and commercial outdoor spaces.
Common Bird Activity Areas
Ledges, rooflines, signs, vents, chimneys, balconies, warehouses, commercial exteriors, and outdoor structures.
Common Signs
Droppings, nesting material, noise, blocked vents, repeated perching, and activity near signs or roof edges.
Why It Matters
Bird activity can affect cleanliness, exterior surfaces, vents, signage, customer areas, and property maintenance.
Stored Product & Pantry Pests
Stored product and pantry pests can affect residential pantries, restaurants, stock rooms, warehouses, packaged goods, dry food storage, and commercial food areas.
Key Pest Concerns
- Stored Product Pests
- Indian Meal Moths
- Pantry Beetles
- Moths in dry goods
- Damaged packaging
- Stockroom or pantry contamination
1) Common Areas
2) Common Signs
Pantries, dry goods, flour, grains, cereal, pet food, spices, packaged food, warehouses, commercial storage rooms, and stock shelves.
Small moths, beetles, larvae, webbing, damaged packaging, insects in dry goods, or activity near stored food.
3) Why It Matters
4) What to Do Next
Stored product pests can affect food quality, packaging, inventory, pantry organization, commercial storage areas, and customer confidence in food-related spaces.
Inspect dry goods, isolate affected products, check nearby storage, and contact Solviva Pest Solutions if activity continues or spreads.
How to Send a Useful Pest Photo
Clear photos and details can help narrow down the issue before service. Photo-based identification may not always be final, but it can help Solviva Pest Solutions recommend the right next step.
1. Take a Clear Photo
Use good lighting and avoid blurry images when possible.
2. Show the Area Around It
Include the floor, wall, cabinet, mattress, vent, roofline, or surrounding area for context.
3. Include Size Reference
Place a coin, ruler, key, or common object nearby if safe to do so.
4. Share Where You Found It
Mention the room, property area, city, and whether it was indoors or outdoors.
5. Describe Activity Timing
Tell us whether the activity happens during the day, night, after rain, near food, or near entry points.
6. Do Not Touch Unsafe Pests
If there is a nest, aggressive insect activity, wildlife, or unsafe access area, avoid contact and call for support.
Photo Identification Is Helpful, But Not Always Final
Photos, videos, and descriptions can help narrow down a pest or wildlife concern, but they may not always confirm the full issue. Similar pests can look alike, activity may be hidden, and signs such as droppings, stains, odours, nesting material, or damage may require inspection. An on-site assessment may be needed to confirm the pest type, activity level, entry points, and treatment plan.
Some Pests Look Similar
Small insects, droppings, and damage marks can be difficult to identify from a photo alone.
Activity May Be Hidden
Pests and wildlife often hide behind appliances, inside walls, in attics, basements, voids, or exterior openings.
Property Conditions Matter
Moisture, sanitation, clutter, structural gaps, and access points can affect pest activity and treatment recommendations.
Inspection May Be Required
A professional inspection may be needed to confirm the issue and recommend the correct service.