Common pests in Los Angeles.

LA's most common household ant. Small, dark brown, and found in long trails. Colonies move indoors during heat waves and after rain looking for water and sweets.

Signs: Trails along counters, baseboards, and window sills

Small, light-brown roaches that live indoors — especially in kitchens and bathrooms. They reproduce quickly and spread between units in multi-family buildings.

Signs: Pepper-like droppings in cabinets, roaches at night

Large reddish-brown roaches that live in sewers, drains, and damp areas, then wander into homes — especially in coastal neighborhoods.

Signs: Large roaches near drains, garages, and water heaters

Shiny black spiders with a red hourglass. Common across LA in garages, block walls, woodpiles, and outdoor furniture. Their bite is medically significant.

Signs: Messy, tangled webs low to the ground in dark corners

Agile climbers that travel along power lines, fences, and trees — then nest in attics. Fruit trees, palms, and ivy are their favorite habitats.

Signs: Noises in the attic at night, hollowed-out fruit

Small rodents that can squeeze through a dime-sized gap. They nest in walls, cabinets, and garages and contaminate food and surfaces.

Signs: Small droppings in drawers, gnawed food packaging

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes that bite during the day, stay low, and breed in tiny amounts of water. Now established across Los Angeles County.

Signs: Daytime bites around ankles in shady areas

Termites that live entirely inside wood — framing, eaves, window frames, and furniture. Common throughout Southern California.

Signs: Small piles of sand-like pellets, tiny holes in wood

Termites that live in the soil and travel into homes through mud tubes. They can cause serious structural damage before they are noticed.

Signs: Mud tubes on foundations, spring swarms

Tiny jumping insects that hitch a ride on pets and wildlife. Infestations can build quickly in carpets, pet bedding, and shady yards.

Signs: Itchy pets, bites around ankles, specks in pet bedding

Paper wasps build nests under eaves; yellowjackets often nest in the ground or in wall voids and get aggressive around food in late summer.

Signs: Nests under eaves, wasps going in and out of a hole

Silvery, wingless insects that love moisture. They feed on paper, glue, and fabric and are common in bathrooms, closets, and garages.

Signs: Damaged paper or fabric, insects in sinks and tubs

Brown insects with pincers on their tails. Harmless to people but they invade homes and gardens in damp weather.

Signs: Insects under doormats, in damp areas, and in plants

Field and house crickets move indoors in fall when nights cool down, and their chirping can keep you up at night.

Signs: Chirping at night, crickets in garages and basements