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Insect & Spider Identification, DIY Home and Garden Pest Control, Safe and Eco-Friendly Pesticide Use



Wood Pests

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Bees (wood boring bees)

Drywood Termites

Dry Rot

Identifying Wood-Damaging Pests

Powderpost Beetles

Subterranean Termites

Termite Baits

Bora-Care Wood Preservative

Tent Fumigation

Termidor Insecticide

Timbor Insecticide

Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Identification

Bed Bug Control

Which Dusts or Sprays Work Best?

Cleaning Personal Items

Cockroaches

Cockroaches

Identifying Common Species

Cockroach Control

Cockroach Baits

Ants

Ants That Invade Houses

Ant Control

Ant Baits

Lice

Head Lice

Treating Lice

Lice Nits/Eggs

Lice Combs

Lice Shampoos

Body Lice

Pubic Lice

Wasps

Yellowjacket (Social) Wasps

Yellowjacket Wasp Poison Bait

Paper Wasps

Pest Control Services

Do You Need An Exterminator?

"Rules" for Selecting Services

Local vs. National Firms

Fumigation Service

PCO Oregon

PCO Texas

Welcome to 'Bugs! This site is about helping you manage the pest insects, mites, and spiders that are found around homes and gardens.

We emphasize the safest and most effective approach to any particular pest control situation. Our information is research-based and draws on my 25 years of experience helping farmers and homeowners solve their pest problems.

bugs at home

My name is Jack DeAngelis and as an extension entomologist for Oregon State University and North Carolina State University (1985-2004) I helped homeowners and farmers manage their insect and mite pests in safe and environmentally responsible ways. Since retirement in 2004 the 'Bugs website has been a continuation of that work (see my Resume and About Us).

I have found that most insects and mites can be safely ignored because they pose very little threat to you or your home, in fact most are beneficial or at least not harmful!. A very few pest species, however, might require some action on your part. My aim is to help you tell good bugs from the potentially harmful ones, and to manage these "bad bugs" in safe and responsible ways.

Household pests fall into one of three categories - Bugs That Bite or Sting, in other words insects and mites that can injure you, Structural Pests like carpenter ants and termites, which cause damage to our homes and property, and finally Garden and Landscape Pests, which damage plants. For the complete list see the Index.

Many times people just want to know if they can manage a certain pest situation themselves or if they need professional help. This DIY Pest Control article will help you make this decision.



Popular Articles

Aphid Control in Gardens and on Houseplants
Aphids, also called plantlice or greenbugs, can be very difficult pests in gardens and on houseplants. The trick is to start your control program at the first signs of infestation. Use insecticidal soap ... [more]
Boxelder Bug/Maple Bug Home Invasions
Boxelder/maple bugs are one of several true bugs (Hemiptera) that exhibit an especially distressing habit of "invading" homes at certain times of the year. The bugs are harmless but ... [more]
Carpet Beetle ("Carpet Bug") Infestations in Homes
Carpet beetles (dermestid beetles) are very common in homes and nowadays generally infest stored food rather than wool carpets from which their common name is derived. [more]
Common Household Pest Control
These are the most common household pests. Select individual pests for detailed identification and control options. [more]
Dust Mites and the Allergies They Cause
These tiny mites produce allergens that cause severe respiratory allergy in susceptible individuals. The best options are to control the allergy symptoms with antihistamine drugs and reduce exposure to the allergen ... [more]
Do Electronic/Ultrasonic Pest "Repellers" Work?
These inexpensive devices claim to repel a variety of pests using high frequency sound. Do they work, are they worth the money? [more]
Fleas and Flea Control in Homes
Fleas are the bane of every pet owner at one time or another. Effective treatments are now available that can eliminate these pests. [more]
Fly Identification Based On Where You Find Them
Flies can often be identified based on where they are found. Once you know the "breeding source" fly control becomes much easier and more effective. [more]
Insect Identification Guidelines
You can learn to "sight id" common insects but accurate identification of the less common species requires experience and good reference sources ... [more]
Mites are Tiny Eight-Legged Arthropods Related to Spiders
Mites are an extremely diverse and important group of potential pests. Some species feed on plants while others are ectoparasitic on animals. Mites occur in a wide variety of habitats. [more]
Mosquito Control = Larval Source Control
The best way to control adult, blood-feeding mosquitoes is to control larvae and drain the standing water sources that they need.  [more]
Mystery Bug Bites
Bites sometimes appear, or people feel "infested", when no obvious culprit is found. These "bites" have a variety of causes but often are not related to insects or mites ... [more]
Natural Pesticides - Effective and Safer To Use
There are now very effective pesticides that are made from natural and relatively low toxicity ingredients. The trick is to select the one that is made for your particular pest problem ... [more]
Pantry/Meal/Kitchen Moths
The larvae ("worms") of these tiny moths infest stored foods like cereals and dry pet food. [more]
Pantry/Grain Beetles
Small beetles that infest stored food and some natural fabrics. Locating the primary infestation is key to control ... [more]
Slugs and Snails in Gardens
Slugs and snails can cause extensive damage in gardens but new low-toxicity treatments are available ... [more]
Spider Identification - Which Spiders are Venomous?
Accurate spider identification can be difficult but most of the time just being able to tell venomous from non-venomous species is enough ... [more]
Spider Mites Can Cause Severe Damage in Gardens
Research has shown that spider mites can cause more damage in gardens and agricultural plants worldwide than any other plant pest. [more]
Ticks - Protecting People and Pets
Tick bites can result in a number of very serious diseases including Lyme disease. The most important thing you can do to avoid these diseases is ... [more]


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Mission: To provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information for solving common insect and mite problems in least-toxic ways.

Jack DeAngelis, PhD, , email: livingwithbugs@gmail.com

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