Identify Your Pest: Flying Insects/Bugs
- Pilchuck Pest Control
- Jun 17
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 9
Flies (House Flies and Cluster Flies)
Identification: Two clear wings, large dark compound eyes; house flies have striped thoraxes.
Behavior and Signs: Buzzing around windows, food preparation areas, or clustering in sunny attics during winter.
Risk Factor: Contaminate food and surfaces with filth, spreading food poisoning bacteria.
Resource: Penn State Extension: House Flies
Mosquitoes
Identification: Slender, long-legged flies with narrow wings and a piercing proboscis used by females to draw blood.
Behavior and Signs: High-pitched buzzing near ears; breed rapidly in small pools of stagnant water.
Risk Factor: Vector for dangerous pathogens including West Nile Virus and Zika Virus.
Resource: CDC: Mosquito Control
Boxelder Bugs
Identification: Flat, oval, dark gray or black bodies with distinct, bright red-orange line markings along the back.
Behavior and Signs: Congregate by the hundreds on sunny, south-facing brick or wood siding in autumn.
Risk Factor: Overwintering nuisance; do not bite or damage homes, but can stain fabrics with feces.
Resource: University of Minnesota Extension: Boxelder Bugs
Stink Bugs (Brown Marmorated Stink Bug)
Identification: Shield-shaped bodies with mottled brown coloration and alternating light/dark bands on the antennae.
Behavior and Signs: Gather on windowsills and curtains in autumn; emit a pungent, cilantro-like odor when crushed.
Risk Factor: Major agricultural pest; inside homes, they are a harmless but highly frustrating seasonal nuisance.
Resource: StopBMSB.org (USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative)
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