Free, plain-English pest control advice.
From Greg Baumann, Pest Control Expert with 40+ years in the field.
Identify the pest. Stop the problem.
Know when to call a pro.
Know your pest? Jump to its guide.
Each guide starts with how to identify it, then what to do first.
Popular Guides
The guides readers look up most right now. If one of these sounds like your problem, start here.
Millipedes in the House
Curled brown bugs on the basement floor after a rain? Here is why they come in and how to dry things out.
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Green Bottle Flies
Shiny green flies near the trash or the grill usually mean something is rotting nearby. Find that first.
Read guide
Drain Flies (Moth Flies)
Fuzzy little flies around the sink or shower are breeding in the drain. Clean out the film, not just the flies.
Read guide
Drywood Termites
Small piles of pellets under wood are the classic sign. Learn what they look like and when to call a pro.
Read guide
Furniture Carpet Beetles
Holes in wool, fur or upholstery? The larvae do the damage. Here is what to check.
Read guide
Pharaoh Ants
Tiny yellow ants trailing through the kitchen. Do not spray them, or the colony can split. Bait is the answer.
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Black Carpet Beetles
Small black beetles on the windowsill often point to larvae feeding in a closet or rug nearby.
Read guide
Australian Cockroaches
A big roach with a bright yellow band behind the head, common where it is warm and humid. Here is how to tell it apart.
Read guide
Right now: November
What to watch for this month
- Mice and rats want in now. Seal any gap you can slide a pencil into before the first hard freeze. Signs of mice and where rats go in winter.
- Deer ticks are still out. Adult deer ticks stay active on mild days, so check yourself and your dog after raking leaves or a day in the woods. What to do after a tick bite and the deer tick guide.
- Stink bugs and lady beetles are moving into the walls. Vacuum the ones that get inside instead of squashing or spraying them. Fall Invaders guide and keeping lady beetles out.
- Holiday travel can bring bed bugs home. Check the hotel bed before you unpack, and run your clothes through a hot dryer when you get back. 5-minute hotel room check and the traveler pocket checklist.
Updated November 2026
Control the problem. Protect the house.
Pest Control
Identify the pest, take away what draws it in, block entry, then treat with the right tool. Plus what DIY can and cannot fix.
Termite Control
Inspections, bait vs liquid treatments, warranties and what drives the cost, before you sign a termite contract.
Ask the Sherpa
What are you seeing, and where? Tell me, and you’ll get a short, direct answer from the field. Free, no signup or paywall.
“Most infestations I inspect were preventable. The trick is knowing what matters, and what doesn’t.”
Pest Sherpa
Meet Greg Baumann | Pest Control Expert
- Pest Control Expert
- PMP Hall of Fame, Class of 2013
- 40+ years in pest management
- Former NPMA, Rollins / Orkin, Nisus
Greg Baumann founded Pest Sherpa after more than 40 years in professional pest management. A 2013 Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame inductee, Greg has held senior leadership positions with the National Pest Management Association, Rollins / Orkin, and Nisus Corporation.
Every article on Pest Sherpa is built on decades of field experience, technical leadership, regulatory expertise, and consumer education, not generic AI summaries or marketing copy.
Explore Greg Baumann’s professional biography, career highlights, media appearances, and contributions to the pest management industry.
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Recently quoted in Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Good Housekeeping UK and Netmums. See the full media list.