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.
Carpet Beetles vs. Clothes Moths: The Fabric Pests You Might Bring Out With Fall Storage
Pulling sweaters and blankets out of storage and finding holes? How to tell carpet beetle damage from clothes moth damage, what draws them in, and how to store fabrics so they make it to next fall.
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Earwigs in Southern California Gardens: Should You Be Worried?
Why earwigs turn up in SoCal mulch and bathrooms, why the ear-crawling story is false, and the genuinely mixed verdict on what they do in a garden — plus when indoor numbers mean something.
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Pantry Pests: The Bugs Hiding in Your Flour and Cereal Boxes
How to identify Indian meal moths and flour weevils, why they almost always arrive inside sealed packaging rather than wandering in from outside, and the storage change that actually stops reinfestation.
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Crickets in the House: Why They Show Up in Fall and How to Stop the Noise
Why crickets move indoors in fall, why the chirping suddenly seems louder, how to tell a field cricket from a silent camel cricket, and the exterior lighting change that does more than any spray.
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Silverfish: The Bug You Only Notice After It Is Too Late
Silverfish are a moisture problem wearing an insect costume. How to identify them, what they are eating in your closets and storage boxes, and why finding them says more about your humidity than your housekeeping.
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Brown Widow vs. Black Widow: The Spider You're More Likely to Find in SoCal
Brown widows now outnumber black widows across much of coastal SoCal, and they favor exposed, high-contact spots rather than dark corners. How to tell the two apart — starting with the egg sac — and how the risk actually differs.
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Paper Wasps vs. Yellow Jackets vs. Hornets: How to Tell Them Apart in Your Yard
Paper wasp, yellow jacket, or hornet? The nest tells you before the insect does. A Southern California field guide to the three — body shape, nest type, temperament, and sting risk — plus the three insects people mistake for wasps.
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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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.