This index features various insects, arachnids, and animals commonly considered pests, whose common names begin with the letter S. Click on a pest name to view detailed identification and control information.
A detailed list and link to more information on them is at bottom of the page
Household & Structural Pests (S)
- Silverfish: Primitive, wingless insects that feed on starch (paper, glue, textiles) and thrive in high-humidity areas.
- Spiders (General): Covers common house spiders, including nuisance species and medically significant ones like the Brown Recluse.
- Subterranean Termites: The most destructive termite species in North America, nesting in soil and building mud tubes to access wood structures.
Garden & Agricultural Pests (S)
- Scale Insects: Tiny, immobile insects that suck sap from plants and are protected by a hard or soft waxy shell.
- Slugs: Mollusks that chew irregular holes in plant leaves and leave behind characteristic silvery trails of mucus.
- Sod Webworms: Moth larvae that feed on grass blades near the soil surface, causing brown patches in the lawn.
Wildlife & Others (S)
- Skunks: Mammals that dig small holes in lawns seeking grubs and can create odor problems near or under homes.
Quick Tip: Control for Silverfish focuses on reducing humidity levels (below 50%) and removing their food sources (stored paper, books, starched fabrics).
- Spiders
- Scorpions
- Silverfish
- Springtails
- Stink Bugs
- Sod Webworms
- Soldier Beetles
- Sawflies
- Skunks
- Squirrels
- Spider Mites
- Slugs
- Snails
- Sand Flies
- Snake Mites
- Spittlebugs
- Soft Scales
- Spruce Budworms
- Sowbugs
- Stable Flies
- Spongy Moths
- Sycamore Lace Bugs
- Sap Beetles
- Sorghum Midge
- Scarabs
- Striped Cucumber Beetles
- Salt Marsh Mosquitoes
- Satin Moths
- Seed Weevils
- Swallow Bugs
- Spring Moths
- Sand Wasps
- Starlings