Sometimes, treating for pests requires that you know you have pests, and that’s not always as easy as it sounds. Cockroaches, for example, are excellent hiders. Many people do not notice termites for years. Even rodents as big as rats can be difficult to spot unless you are able to hear them.

That means that there are situations where you’re looking for signs of pests without necessarily knowing if you have them at all. For rats and mice, we look for droppings. But what about bugs? Do bugs have visible droppings and, if so, where are they and what do they look like?

All About Pest Droppings

Most inspects produce waste that is nearly invisible. But Insects do produce waste, and in some cases, those droppings are one of the few visible signs of an infestation. The size, shape, and location of droppings can vary depending on the type of insect.

Cockroach Droppings

Cockroach droppings are some of the most common you’ll find indoors. They look like small black specks, similar to ground pepper or coffee grounds. Larger roaches may leave droppings that resemble tiny, dark pellets with blunt ends. These are often found:

• In kitchen cabinets and drawers
• Around appliances like stoves and refrigerators
• Near plumbing and baseboards

It can be hard to differentiate this from regular dirt, giving how often “small black specks” are common among many forms of cooking. But if you’ve cleaned the area and then see some come back, or you have a magnifying glass to see if they look like droppings (as compared to pepper or other food), it may be roaches.

Termite Droppings

Termite waste is called “frass.” Drywood termites in particular leave behind piles of tiny, hard pellets that are often mistaken for sawdust. These pellets are typically uniform in size and may accumulate near wooden furniture, window frames, or flooring where termites are active. Subterranean termites, however, usually keep droppings inside their tunnels, so visible frass is less common.

Bed Bug Droppings

Bed bug droppings appear as dark brown or black stains on fabrics and surfaces. They are digested blood and can often be seen on mattress seams, box springs, headboards, or upholstered furniture. Unlike solid pellets, these droppings usually soak into fabric or leave small smears.

Ant Droppings

Ants leave behind droppings, but because of their small size, they are not always obvious. What you may notice instead is “ant frass” — a combination of droppings, food debris, and shed body parts — near nesting areas, particularly for carpenter ants. These often look like fine sawdust pushed out of cracks in wood.

Other droppings include:

• Spiders – Spider droppings look like small black or dark brown ink spots, often found on walls, window sills, or beneath webs.
• Pantry Pests – Insects like beetles and moths that infest stored food may leave droppings that resemble fine powder mixed in with grains or flour.

Still, it can be hard to tell when pest droppings are pests or something else. Most pests leave droppings that are very hard to see. If you suspect pest droppings inside your home, a professional inspection can confirm the source and provide targeted treatment before the problem gets worse. Reach out to ExtermPRO today to learn more.