Infested with vs infested by

Is there a rule regarding "infested with" and "infested by"? Which is more appropriate?

Solution 1:

Both are correct, infested with has a more idiomatic usage. Insects, vermin or other nuisances may infest something. The object of the infestation (e.g., a place, a person, an animal) is infested with (or occasionally by) that nuisance. As a modifier, infested is always hyphenated with the preceding word (e.g., a rat-infested cabin).

Ngram: infested with vs infested by.

Infested with something:

• to be contaminated with a swarm or throng of some pest. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) All the campers are infested with lice. The dog is infested with ticks.

(McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs)

Solution 2:

In my experience, "infested by" is only used if one is specifically describing the action(s) of the "infestee":

"Our campsite was infested with ants."

-but-

"Our campsite was infested by ants, last night."

Solution 3:

"Infested with" is for general nouns.

The house is infested with spiders

"Infested by" is for specific nouns.

The house has been infested by a giant spider