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Pest Identification

Not sure what you are dealing with? These guides help South Bay and Los Angeles homeowners identify common pests by their signs, behavior, and look — so you can act before a few bugs become an infestation.

Pen-and-ink illustration comparing a male Turkestan cockroach (left, with long full wings covering the abdomen) and a female (right, with short wing pads and an exposed segmented abdomen) — the invasive roach now common in Southern California.
Pest Identification
July 15, 20269 min read

Turkestan Cockroaches: The Roach Taking Over Southern California Yards

A fast-moving invasive roach is quietly replacing the Oriental cockroach across Southern California — and it is constantly mistaken for two other species. Here is how to identify the Turkestan cockroach and keep it out of your home.

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Black widow spider with distinctive red hourglass marking on its abdomen — the western black widow is the most medically significant spider in Southern California
Pest Identification
June 17, 20268 min read

Where Black Widows Hide in SoCal Homes — and How to Find Them

Black widows are predictable — they concentrate in specific, recognizable locations on SoCal properties. Here's where they hide, what the signs look like, and why one sighting means professional treatment is warranted.

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Side-by-side comparison of Southern California termite evidence — drywood termite frass pellets piled beneath infested wood on the left, and subterranean termite mud tubes climbing a home foundation wall on the right
Pest Identification
June 16, 20269 min read

Drywood vs. Subterranean Termites — What Every Southern California Homeowner Needs to Know

Drywood and subterranean termites both eat wood — but everything else about them is different. Here's how to tell them apart, read the evidence each leaves, and understand why the treatment for one doesn't work for the other.

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German cockroach on a Southern California kitchen floor at night, by the base of the cabinets and dishwasher — the most common indoor cockroach species in the LA Basin
Pest Identification
June 12, 20268 min read

German Cockroaches vs. American Cockroaches — Which Do I Have, and Why It Matters

German and American cockroaches are the two most common species SoCal homeowners encounter — and they require completely different treatment. Here's how to tell them apart and what that means for getting rid of them.

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Roof rat entry point at attic vent on a Southern California home — gaps in screens and roofline intersections are the most common access routes
Pest Identification
June 11, 20268 min read

Rats in the Attic — Signs You Have Them and What to Do

Scratching in the ceiling at night? In Southern California it's almost certainly a roof rat. Here's how to confirm it, why poison makes it worse, and what professional control actually involves.

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A Southern California home at summer twilight with a glowing entry light and landscape lighting — the warm early-summer evenings when June bugs are most active
Pest Identification
June 3, 20267 min read

June Bugs in Southern California — What They Are and What They're Doing to Your Yard

June bugs at the porch light are harmless — but their grubs damage lawns from below. Here's what to watch for and how to catch grub damage before it spreads.

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A homeowner using a flashlight to inspect a wooden door frame for the subtle wood damage and hollowing that signal a termite problem in a Southern California home
Pest Identification
May 30, 20268 min read

7 Signs You Have Termites — and What Each One Means

Termites cause $5 billion in US structural damage annually — most uninsured. Here are the seven warning signs every SoCal homeowner should learn to recognize.

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A close-up of a cockroach, representing the five pests that cause year-round problems for Southern California homeowners.
Pest Identification
May 8, 20269 min read

5 Pests That Never Stop Causing Problems in Southern California

We've been in the field long enough to know which pests Southern California homeowners face most. Here's the honest breakdown — and what actually works.

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A trail of Argentine ants, the dominant ant species invading Southern California homes year-round.
Pest Identification
May 1, 20267 min read

The Tiny Invaders Taking Over Southern California

Everything you need to know about Argentine ants — and how to stay ahead of the supercolony.

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Specialists you can count on.

Xtermicon was founded in 2015 with one focus: protect Southern California homes and businesses from the pests that threaten them. The name says it all — eXterminate TERmites & pest CONtrol — and that's exactly what we do. We're a family-owned team specializing in termite control, pest control, and rodent exclusion. From West LA and East LA to the beach cities and Orange County, we're local neighbors who treat your property like our own.

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