Household Insects | Mississippi State University Extension Service

June 15, 2024

Many different species of insects invade our homes and apartments. Some, such as Asian lady beetles and other occasional invaders, are just nuisances, but they can be quite bothersome when they occur in high numbers. Pests such as cockroaches and houseflies simply want to live with us and feed on our leftovers, but we do not appreciate their company, and they can cause serious health problems. Others, like sawtoothed grain beetles and other stored product pests, eat our food before we can. Spiders build unsightly webs in our homes, and some, such as brown recluses and black widows, are venomous. Termites and other structural pests damage our homes; pests such as clothes moths and carpet beetles damage our clothes, and some insect pests, like fleas and bed bugs, eat us.

See publication 2443, Control Household Insect Pests, for information on the identification, management, and control of cockroaches, clothes moths, flour beetles, spiders, and many other household insects. This publication also contains information on non-insecticidal methods of managing household insects and information on how to buy and apply insecticides inside the home.

More Publications and Information

Contact

Dr. Blake Layton, Extension Entomology Specialist
Department of Entomology, Mississippi State University
Phone: 662-325-2085
Email: blayton@entomology.msstate.edu

For information on bed bugs, mosquitoes, ticks, and other medically important pests contact:

Dr. Jerome Goddard, Extension Entomology Specialist
Department of Entomology, Mississippi State University
Phone: 662-325-2085
Email: jgoddard@entomology.msstate.edu

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