Found an insect in your house or apartment and not sure what it is? These guides help you recognize it, find out whether it’s dangerous and decide what to do. They cover the insects we come across most often in Montreal, in Laval, on the North Shore and on the South Shore.
How to use these guides
- Find the insect in the table below using its main clue and where you see it.
- Open its guide: appearance, habitat, risks, steps you can take yourself and when to call a professional.
- For the most common pests, our service pages describe the treatment, the visits and the guarantee.
Which insect did you find?
| Insect | Main clue | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture bugs (guide) | Small grey, silvery or brown insects in the basement and bathroom | Basement, bathroom, laundry room |
| earwigs | Long brown body, two pincers at the tip of the abdomen | Garden, balcony, damp basement |
| millipedes and house centipedes | Many, many legs; the house centipede runs very fast along walls | Basement, bathroom, drains |
| woodlice | Small grey segmented shell, sometimes rolls into a ball | Basement, bottom of walls, garage |
| larder and carpet beetles | Small round or elongated beetles; hairy larvae | Rugs, closets, food stores |
| weevils and flour beetles | Small brown beetles in flour, rice, cereal | Pantry, kitchen cupboards |
| Wolf spider and house spider | Large brown spider, fast, on the floor or in corners | Basement, garage, ground floor |
| Deer mouse, house mouse or rat | Size, tail, ears and droppings tell them apart | Walls, ceilings, garage, kitchen |
| Biting midges | Tiny biting flies, almost invisible | Outdoors, near water, in early summer |
The most common pests
For these pests, our service pages describe in detail the method, the number of visits and the written guarantee: Bedbugs · Cockroaches · Mouse · Rats · Ants · Carpenter ants · Wasps and hornets · Spiders · Fleas · Dust mites · clothes moths · Silverfish · Boxelder bugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I identify an insect I found in my home?
Note its size, colour, number of legs, whether it has wings or pincers, and where you saw it. Compare it with the table on this page, then open the matching guide. If in doubt, keep the insect in a closed jar or take a clear photo to show us.
Are these insects dangerous?
Most moisture-related insects, such as woodlice, earwigs and millipedes, don’t transmit disease. Mice, rats, bed bugs and cockroaches, however, call for quick action. Each guide explains the real risks.
When should I call an exterminator?
When the insects keep coming back despite cleaning and moisture control, when you see them in several rooms, or as soon as you suspect bed bugs, cockroaches, mice or rats. An inspection identifies the species before any treatment.
Need help identifying an insect? Our certified technicians serve Montreal, Laval, the North Shore and the South Shore, 24 hours a day. Request a free quote or call (438) 835-8401.
