Household Pests
Ants, spiders, roaches, and other pests that invade homes in Middle Tennessee. Browse 20 entries in our identification guide.
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
<p>White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a common outdoor pest encountered in Middle Tennessee yards. Understanding this pest's habits and lif...
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
<p>Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a common outdoor pest encountered in Middle Tennessee yards. Understanding this pest's habits and lif...
Voles
Microtus spp.
<h2>Voles (<em>Microtus</em> spp.)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Small, stocky rodents, 4–7 inches long including tail. Distinguished from ...
Eastern Gray Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
<p>Moles are suspiciously small for the amount of damage they cause — and the softest animals you will ever touch. In Middle Tennessee, homeowners typ...
Armadillos
N/A
<h2>Armadillos (<em>Dasypus novemcinctus</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Nine-banded armadillo — the only armadillo species in the Unit...
Eastern Gray Squirrel
N/A
<h2>Eastern Gray Squirrel (<em>Sciurus carolinensis</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Medium-sized tree squirrel, 16–20 inches total leng...
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
N/A
<h2>Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (<em>Sphyrapicus varius</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Medium woodpecker, 7–8 inches long. Bold black-and...
House Finches
N/A
<h2>House Finches (<em>Haemorhous mexicanus</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Small, streaky finch, 5–6 inches. Males have a raspberry-re...
Bullfinches
N/A
<h2>Bullfinches (<em>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Stocky, thick-billed finch, 6–6.5 inches. Male is unmistakable: ...
Sparrows
N/A
<h2>Sparrows (<em>Passer domesticus</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> House sparrow — the primary pest sparrow species in Middle Tennesse...
Goldfinches
N/A
<h2>Goldfinches (<em>Spinus tristis</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> American goldfinch — small finch, 4.5–5 inches. Breeding male is br...
Blue Jays
N/A
<h2>Blue Jays (<em>Cyanocitta cristata</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Large, crested corvid, 9–12 inches. Vivid blue upper parts with ...
Crows
N/A
<h2>Crows (<em>Corvus brachyrhynchos</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> American crow — large, all-black bird, 17–21 inches with a wingspa...
Starlings
N/A
<h2>Starlings (<em>Sturnus vulgaris</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> European starling — medium-sized, stocky bird, 7.5–8.5 inches. Bree...
Catbirds
N/A
<h2>Catbirds (<em>Dumetella carolinensis</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Gray catbird — medium thrush-relative, 8–9 inches. Uniformly s...
Flea
Ctenocephalides felis
<h2>Flea (<em>Ctenocephalides felis</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> Cat flea — the dominant flea species on both cats and dogs in Middl...
Lone Star Tick
Amblyomma americanum
<p>Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) is a common outdoor pest encountered in Middle Tennessee yards. Understanding this pest's habits and lifecycl...
American Dog Tick
Dermacentor variabilis
<p>American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is a common outdoor pest encountered in Middle Tennessee yards. Understanding this pest's habits and lif...
Black-legged Tick
Ixodes scapularis
<p>Black-legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis) is a common outdoor pest encountered in Middle Tennessee yards. Understanding this pest's habits and lifecycl...
Chigger
Eutrombicula alfreddugesi
<h2>Chigger (<em>Eutrombicula alfreddugesi</em>)</h2> <p><strong>Identification:</strong> North American chigger — the larval stage of a trombiculid m...
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