Small Black Bugs: Identification and Control

From ants, beetles, to cockroaches, there are many varieties of small black bugs that can damage your home. Find out how to identify and remove each type before it causes property damage.

Written by This Old House Reviews Team Updated 07/23/2024

A bug infestation is high on any homeowner’s list of worst nightmares. Insects arrive in droves to take up residence in your home, eat your food, or even feed on your blood. While most insects are pests, some can also be dangerous. To get rid of bugs, you need accurate identification and sheer determination, along with the right tools for the job. Read our guide to learn how to identify various types of small black bugs and how to locate common insect habitats in your home. We’ll also outline how to remove the bugs once you’ve found them.

Identifying Small Black Bugs

Accurate identification is a crucial part of insect control. Several types of tiny black bugs infiltrate homes. Observing an insect’s size, shape, and behavior will help you determine what type of bug you’re dealing with. Once you have this information, you can get a better idea of where they’re likely to be hiding and how to apply the right control methods.

Common Small Black Bugs

Many small black bugs penetrate homes and quickly establish large colonies. Examine our list of common small black bugs to identify the ones in your home.

Ants

Ants are some of the most common little black bugs in the home, and you can often find them anywhere there is food. They travel in colonies, which means where you see a few, there are likely many more.

Appearance: Ants have three distinct sections—their head, midsection, and rear. They’re dark in color (dark brown to black) and have six legs and two antennae that match their body color.
Behavior: Ants almost always walk in lines, following trails of pheromones (scent trails) left by other ants in the colony. Following the trail from both ends may enable you to find a nest in cabinets, appliances, or door or window frames.
Concerns: While small ants are usually after food, large black ants may be carpenter ants, which can burrow through wood and cause structural damage to your home.
Environment: Ants thrive in warm environments and usually only enter homes during late spring, summer, and early fall.

Bed Bugs

Notoriously hard to control, bed bugs can quickly take over furniture and make your home’s inhabitants miserable.

Appearance: Adult bed bugs are oval in shape with flat bodies and no wings. They’re about 1/4 to 3/8-inch long and are dark in color. Though they might look black, bed bugs are actually dark reddish-brown and get darker after feeding.
Behavior: Bed bugs group together in areas like box springs, mattresses, bed frames, furniture, and behind wallpaper or wall hangings. They become very active at night when they come out to feed.
Concerns: Bed bugs bite people and feed on human blood. An infestation can result in several itchy bites all over the body.
Environment: Bed bugs can infest your home any time of year. They hide in the crevices of mattresses and other furniture, making them difficult to find and eradicate.

Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles are more of a nuisance than a threat. They feed on animal products, including leather, wool, silk, feathers, and hair.

Appearance: Carpet beetles are only 1/4 to 1/2-inch long, with rounded bodies and short antennae. They are shiny black or dark brown with brownish legs.
Behavior: While carpet beetles can disperse widely to find food, they usually don’t travel in large groups. You may find a few beetles around windowsills and baseboards or in lint in hidden areas.
Concerns: Carpet beetles can create tiny scattered holes in your clothing.
Environment: Carpet beetles prefer the outdoors during warm weather, so if you find them in your home, they might be hiding indoors or seeking ways to escape.

Cockroaches

The dreaded cockroach is a nuisance that requires ongoing effort to successfully control. The German cockroach is the most common cockroach found in the United States.

Appearance: German cockroaches are 1/2 to 5/8-inch long and are tan to light brown in color. They have long antennae and spiny legs.
Behavior: Cockroaches usually lurk in damp areas in kitchens or bathrooms. When you see a single roach scuttle into your pantry, there are almost definitely more in your home. As the infestation grows, you might see cockroaches crawling throughout your home, where they will feed on anything from crumbs to paper and glue.
Concerns: Cockroaches reproduce rapidly and can quickly infest your home. They can trigger asthma attacks and carry disease-causing germs.
Environment: You can find cockroaches in your home during any season. They prefer warm humid areas inside the home where food sources are readily available.

Dust Mites

These tiny bugs are too small to see with the naked eye. They are attracted to flakes of skin in dust.

Appearance: Dust mites are tiny round insect-like pests, but you won’t see them in your home because they’re so small.
Behavior: Dust mites live in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets, and curtains.
Concerns: Dust mites are one of the major indoor triggers for people with asthma and allergies. Ongoing exposure can cause severe asthma attacks.
Environment: Dust mites prefer humid environments and soft surfaces like upholstered furniture and carpet.

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are bugs that fly around food sources, and you might mistake them for gnats. They are often a source of aggravation during the summer.

Appearance: Tan, yellow or black in color, fruit flies are about 1/8-inch long, with round bodies and large red eyes.
Behavior: Fruit flies swarm around over-ripe fruits to lay up to 500 eggs in very small amounts of composting material, like that bad spot on your apple. They are also attracted to spilled beverages, alcohol, and garbage cans.
Concerns: A couple of fruit flies can quickly turn into an infestation since they lay hundreds of eggs within a few days.
Environment: Fruit flies thrive in warm environments where sugary and starchy foods are available.

Silverfish

Named for their silvery bodies and fishlike movements, silverfish feast on paper, clothing, upholstery, and more.

Appearance: Silverfish are about 1/3-inch long and gray or silver in color, with long antennae and three trailing appendages extending from the back of their abdomens.
Behavior: Silverfish are nocturnal and hang out in moist or humid places like basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. They feed on sugar and starch in household items like books, photographs, and wallpaper.
Concerns: Silverfish are a nuisance due to their rapid reproduction, and you may need an exterminator to get rid of them.
Environment: Silverfish can be active throughout the year and have a three-year life cycle. They prefer warm, moist environments.

Spiders

Spiders can be helpful since they feed on other insects, but many people are terrified to see them inside their homes.

Appearance: There are thousands of species of spiders, and they range widely in size and shape. Spiders have eight legs and tend to have segmented bodies and short antennae.
Behavior: Most house spiders are nocturnal, weaving webs and hunting food at night. During the day, they often hide in cracks or crevices where you won’t see them and may scurry away when you approach.
Concerns: Spiders can bite when crushed or harmed. In most cases, bites may be red, painful, swollen, and itchy. Since some spiders are poisonous, you should always visit a physician if you have unusual reactions after a spider bite.
Environment: Spiders can be active throughout the year, though you may notice more during fall. When indoors, they prefer dark quiet environments like closets and basements.

Stink Bugs

Known for their unpleasant smell when frightened or harmed, stink bugs come inside to seek shelter from the cold.

Appearance: Stink bugs are dark brown in color and have a wide shield-shaped body with six legs and two antennae.
Behavior: Stink bugs live outdoors during warm weather. You’ll most likely notice them when they group on your home’s exterior or on screen doors when the weather gets cool. Once indoors, stink bugs fly around slowly while emitting a loud buzzing sound, and they spend much of their time resting on walls, windows, or ceilings.
Concerns: Because stink bugs emit a smell as a natural defense, the best way to get rid of them is to capture them and release them outdoors.
Environment: Stink bugs are a common sight outdoors in the summer. As the weather turns colder, they make their way indoors, where they might be found on windows, ceilings, or other surfaces.

Weevils

When tiny pepper-like specks in your flour or oatmeal begin moving around, you’ve likely got weevils in your pantry. While there are many species of weevils, granary weevils are some of the most dreaded.

Appearance: Dark brown, but appearing black due to their tiny size, weevils are less than 3/16-inch long. They have six legs, two antennae, and long snoutlike noses.
Behavior: You are most likely to find granary weevils in food. They lay eggs in food sources to provide for the next generation. When left unchecked, weevils will infest foods throughout your pantry. While they’re harmless, most people aren’t eager to eat these tiny opportunists.
Concerns: Weevils tend to originate from a single food container where larvae might have hatched. Once the bugs are active, they will continue to populate and infest other foods in your pantry.
Environment: Weevils can be found in many pantry staples, including flour, cornmeal, sugar, rice, oatmeal, cereals, and crackers, during all seasons.

Habitats of Small Black Bugs

Bugs that infest your home are usually looking for two things: food and/or water and safety. Since food sources vary for different insect species, identification can help you better understand a bug’s chosen habitat. For example, bed bugs often hide out in bedrooms where they can feed while you sleep, while cockroaches are usually in the kitchen scouring the countertops for crumbs.

Most often, bugs seek dark habitats for safety. This means they hide under furniture, clothing, blankets, and other items found around the home. Cabinets, basements, attics, and rooms without much traffic can also be attractive to bugs. Since bugs also need water, kitchens and bathrooms can become hotspots for activity.

Control Methods for Small Black Bugs

Many species of bugs infest residential homes. Once they get in, they can be hard to get rid of. Fortunately, there are many methods for controlling bug infestations.

DIY Control Methods

DIY control methods for bugs can include both preventive and eradication techniques.

Ants: To get rid of ants, you’ll need to find the colony. Follow the ant trail marching through your kitchen in both directions to find the colony, which might be hiding out in cabinets, under appliances, or behind door and window frames. If you can find the nest, you can spray insecticide to kill the infestation. If you can’t get to the nest, you can use bait traps to get ants to take a slow-acting poison back to the nest.
Bed bugs: It’s a good idea to call a professional to rid your home of bed bugs. However, some DIY pesticides are available at home improvement stores. Follow manufacturer instructions to the letter when using insecticides.
Carpet beetles: Vacuum carpets, floors, and areas around windowsills—anywhere you might find carpet beetles. Wipe down hard surfaces with rubbing alcohol. You can also find insecticides effective for killing carpet beetles.
Cockroaches: Getting rid of cockroaches requires consistent effort and almost always requires professional help. When attempting to get rid of them yourself, remove food and water sources and set out bait stations. Roaches will carry poison back to their nests. Insecticides are also available; follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you decide to use them.
Dust mites: Vacuum and dust regularly to remove dust. Remove upholstered furniture and carpets to reduce places where dust mites live. Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen encasements and wash bedding and stuffed toys weekly in hot water.
Fruit flies: Avoid leaving food out, and clean your kitchen surfaces frequently to eliminate sugary residue. You can also use household products to create fruit fly traps.
Silverfish: Prevent silverfish by reducing food sources, using humidifiers, and sealing entry points. To get rid of silverfish, you’ll likely hire a professional pest company.
Spiders: To get rid of spiders, remove hiding places and place strong-smelling mixtures like vinegar, mint, or citrus in corners that spiders tend to prefer. Spider traps can be effective for catching spiders.
Stink bugs: The best way to get rid of stink bugs is to capture them and release them outdoors.
Weevils: You can only get rid of weevils by eliminating their food sources. Dispose of all infested food, and store dried goods in airtight containers.

Professional Pest Control

When you see one bug in your home, there’s almost always more. Many bugs that infest homes lay hundreds of eggs at a time, quickly leading to infestations. When facing a bug infestation, you may need specialty equipment and professional expertise to get rid of the critters. Any time you have an infestation that’s out of control, or you’re unsure about your ability to safely exterminate the bugs in your home, you should call a professional pest control expert.

Professional pest control may require a simple one-time visit for insecticide application or monthly visits to completely exterminate a tough infestation. In most cases, you’ll also get a guarantee of elimination and professional advice to prevent another infestation. One-time pest control services average between $300–$500, monthly visits can range from $40–$70 per visit, and quarterly pest control services cost an average of $100–$300 per treatment.

Our Conclusion

Many species of small black bugs can get into your home. Identifying the bugs in your home can help you find the best way to get rid of them. While there are some DIY methods for getting rid of bugs, most large infestations will require help from a professional pest control company.

FAQ About Small Black Bugs

Are bed bugs tiny and black?

Bed bugs are small, but not tiny in comparison to some types of bugs. They’re 1/4 to 3/8-inch in size. Because of their small size, bed bugs appear black from a distance but are actually dark reddish-brown.

What bug looks like black pepper?

Aptly named, black pepper mites look like black pepper. They live in animal nests, so if you have birds or rodents nesting in your home, you may end up with an infestation of black pepper mites.

Are baby bed bugs black?

Baby bed bugs aren’t black. They’re translucent at very young ages and darken from yellowish- to dark reddish-brown as they grow.

What are the tiny black bugs around windows?

Many different types of small black bugs are attracted to windows, but clover mites are the most common tiny black bugs you might find there. Clover mites eat plants and often come indoors when the weather changes. Vacuuming is an effective way to get rid of clover mites.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.