The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word VERMIN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
V
E
R
M
I
N
More clues leading to the result VERMIN
- Marines board vessel to find pests
- Unwelcome creatures Marines found in vessel
- Rats maybe found inside? Never mind!
- Found in hoover, minute mice perhaps?
- Pests in mood outside room
- Never mind — these nasty creatures have been caught!
- Marine trapped in vessel finds cockroaches, for example
- Some never mind rats?
- Then I’m revising returns to reveal these bad actors!
- Bad people invested in silver mine
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "pests" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case pests = vermin.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does VERMIN mean?
VERMIN noun- Any one of various common types of small insects or animals which cause harm and annoyance.
- Animals that prey on game, such as foxes or weasels.
- Obnoxious, or mean and offensive person or people.