What's bugging you?
47 pests common to Will, DuPage, and eastern Kendall counties — with ID tips, behavior notes, and what we'd do about each one. Browse by category below, or just send us a photo and we'll tell you what you've got.
Ants (6)
The most common household pest in Will County. Different species need different treatment — IDing the species correctly is half the job.
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Carpenter Ant
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
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Pavement Ant
Tetramorium caespitum
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Odorous House Ant
Tapinoma sessile
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Pharaoh Ant
Monomorium pharaonis
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Citronella Ant
Lasius interjectus
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Little Black Ant
Monomorium minimum
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Spiders (7)
Most spiders in Illinois are harmless and helpful. A handful are worth knowing how to identify — especially brown recluse.
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Brown Recluse Spider
Loxosceles reclusa
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Wolf Spider (Family Lycosidae)
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Cellar Spider
Pholcus phalangioides
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Common House Spider
Parasteatoda tepidariorum
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Garden Orb Weaver
Argiope aurantia
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Jumping Spider
Family Salticidae
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Yellow Sac Spider
Cheiracanthium mildei
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Stinging Insects (6)
Wasps, yellow jackets, and bees. Some build small papery nests; others build paper-mache colonies under your eaves.
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Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica
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Paper Wasp
Polistes spp.
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Yellow Jacket
Vespula spp.
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Bumble Bee
Bombus spp.
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Eastern Cicada Killer
Sphecius speciosus
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Mud Dauber
Sceliphron caementarium
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Rodents (5)
Mice, voles, and the occasional rat. Trapping is half the job — exclusion is the other half.
Ticks (4)
Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, alpha-gal — Illinois ticks carry serious risk. Knowing which one bit you matters.
Mosquitoes (2)
Will County mosquito pressure is heaviest near creeks, retention ponds, and forest preserves. Some species are local; some are recent invaders.
Occasional Invaders (12)
Pests that wander indoors but don't establish colonies. Nuisance more than threat — usually solved by sealing the gap they came through.
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Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
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Boxelder Bug
Boisea trivittata
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Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Halyomorpha halys
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Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus spp. / Attagenus spp.
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European Earwig
Forficula auricularia
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House Centipede
Scutigera coleoptrata
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Silverfish
Lepisma saccharina
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Cluster Fly
Pollenia rudis
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Millipede
Narceus spp. / Oxidus gracilis
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Pill Bug & Sowbug
Armadillidium vulgare / Porcellio laevis
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Western Conifer Seed Bug
Leptoglossus occidentalis
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Clover Mite
Bryobia praetiosa
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Flying & Biting Pests (3)
House flies, fruit flies, drain flies — small but persistent.
Wood-Destroying (2)
Termites and powderpost beetles. Sanctuary does inspections — for treatment, we refer to specialists with the right warranties.
Don't see your pest?
Take a photo and send it our way — we'll identify it and tell you whether it's something we treat.