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Pest Identification Photos
#401 to 500:
What is this pest?
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#500 Hello! what a great website! i live just outside of Detroit,
Michigan.
this little guy flew up at me one night inside my bathroom, and in my
fright, i squished him. looks like he might have come out of my floor vent
(the furnace register). then, i found another one just like this one,
lurking near another vent in an adjacent room only a day or so later (but
none since then - about a month ago). i THINK it could be similar to #242,
#234, #334 (but without the copper body part), #305, or #473 - the antennae
are short though and the body is completely black (so i think it is not a
kissing bug). looks like it has four wings, black body (no red on the body
at all), about 2cm long (including the wings), and it made a satisfying
'crunch' sound when i squished it. any help in identifying would be
appreciated. just let me know if you think it could be a biting/stinging
insect - thanks! Constance.
This
appears to be another assassin bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), the same
information provided for no. 499 applies.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
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#499 I am trying to identify this bug. I have found several in my
Milwaukee, Wisconsin house recently. They seem to be coming in through my
window frames. I always find them near my kitchen sink or occasionally in
the bathtub. They seem kind of clunky, slow moving and are really easy to
catch.
This leads me to believe they really are at home in the soil or on a plant.
They are all over brownish-black and look like they might have wings that
are tight against the body, however, I have never seen one fly. Why are they
coming inside? Is this some kind of tree bug? We have some extremely large
pine trees nearby. Peg
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#498 I hope you can identify this tiny insect for me. I have searched and
cannot discover the name nor any information about this insect. I live in
Hampton, Iowa. This insect was found in the Northern part of Iowa in early
June. The insect floated past me and landed on my vehicle door while I
happened to be taking pictures of the landscape. I shot a quick macro zoom
shot of it and it immediately flew (drifted?) away. It looked like a fluff
of cottonwood "cotton" as it flew/drifted away. I have only seen these
insects one other time, and did not have a camera ready, so this time I was
extremely lucky. The black "line" in the photograph is the crack where my
vehicle door meets the frame. I measured it at .218 inches, so the "body"
of the insect is approximately one tenth of an inch across. I did not even
see that the insect has wings until I viewed the picture on the computer
screen. I don't know if this insect is a pest, but I would like to know
it's name and a little more about it. Thank you. Sincerely, Steve,
Hampton, Iowa
This appears to be
a wooly aphid (Homoptera: Eriosomatidae), and they can appear quite
ethereal in nature as they drift through the air. Like other aphids and
their close cousins, the adelgids, they are sap feeders, and some species
can be serious pests. Some species also form galls on their host plants,
and many have complicated life histories involving alternation of
generations on differing host plant species. See
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e453woollyaphid.html
for a fact sheet.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
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#497 This is a worm that
I've just noticed crawling around the outside of my house. It is fairly
small in diameter, but when I noticed it, there was a full 12" sticking out
of the ground (this is a picture of the last 3"). It has a flat head &
seems to search blindly when on the move. Christy
From your
description and the image, this could be a terrestrial planarian
(flatworm), such as Bipalium kewense, an introduced species
that preys on earthworms. See
http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/bipalium_kewense.htm
for an image, and http://cals.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/pdf/Nov03.pdf
for more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
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#496 We live in New York City, on the third floor of an apartment
building with "weed trees" behind one window and a dumpster under the other
one. Usually we know it's summer when the fruit flies invade, but this year
instead of fruit flies our apartment has been infested by these tiny flying
beetles. They are only about 1-1.5 mm in length, with brown bodies and red
heads. When distressed they roll up like sow bugs. Every night exactly at
dusk dozens of them swarm through the insulation between my windows and
start crawling up towards the ceiling. They also seem to be living in the
rubber gasket around the window panes as well. They are nocturnal and fairly
easy to catch since they are attracted to the color white and don't move
very fast, preferring to crawl rather than fly. No matter how fast we vacuum
them up, in a few minutes the kitchen is full of them again. WHAT THE HECK
ARE THEY and how can we get rid of them? They don't bite but they're driving
us nuts. In this picture, the top one is on his back, the middle one is on
his tummy, and the bottom one is on his side.
This is just a
guess, but these beetles may be in the family Anobiidae. Most members of
this family are wood-borers as larvae, but a few are pests of dried
vegetable products, including tobacco and spices. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/stored/cigarette_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes images. You might try submitting specimens
to your nearest county office of the Cornell University Cooperative
Extension Service for assistance in identification and control
recommendations. See
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/countyMap.php
for contact information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
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#495 Here is a picture of
a BEAUTIFUL moth that i took last summer. It sat for this photo and didn't
shy away at all! I took several pictures, but the rest are buried on a disc
somewhere. This was also found in Clarksburg, WV. "He" measured probably
between two and three inches in length. What is he and is he common enough
that I'll be lucky to see him again in my lifetime? Thanks!!!
Danny L. - Clarksburg, WV
I cannot be
absolutely certain, but this appears to be a royal or regal moth
(Lepidoptera: Citheroniidae), a family closely related to the
Saturniidae (giant silk moths). Several of these moth species have
become scarce in portions of their ranges because of habitat (forest)
modification and as unintended victims of spraying programs. Their
larvae feed on the leaves of several tree species, but seldom become
abundant enough to cause substantial damage.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd
recognize that beauty anywhere. I see many of them every year in GA, AL, and
NC. It is a Citheronia regalis - a moth commonly called both the Royal Walnut
moth or the Regal moth - both names are accepted. The larvae is a very intense
looking caterpillar that earned the common name, Hickory Horned Devil. From the
look of your photo, the moth appears to probably be a female, as females are
much more plump than the slender males, and also have broader wings. J.D.
Roberts, Entomologist
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#494
I've seen one of these before about 15 years ago need to identify.
I'm holding it on my finger it is about a third of the size of the last one
that I saw. (about 3/4 of an inch in length not including wings). It
was not concerned about me at all just crawled around on my hand and then it
was gone got more pics if you are interested. I live 30 miles west of Ottawa
in a small community called ashton. Many ponds and hay fields around my
house not sure were to start looking for more. Are they an endangered
species, are they able to sting or are they just a type of mantis. Any help
or info on the little fellow would be great. Thanks in advance Brent
Thomas.
This is a
mantidfly (Neuroptera: Mantispidae). They superficially resemble a preying
mantis, but are in an entirely different order. They are harmless to humans,
but are voracious predators on other small arthropods. The larvae feed
primarily on the egg sacs of ground-dwelling spiders.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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 #493
My kids found these bugs
swimming in a bucket of standing water outside our house and wonder what
they are. They were found July 14th in Clarksburg, WV.
Notice the striped body, large
head, and "furry" areas at the base of the head and the tip of the
"tail". There are probably about a hundred of them swimming in a shallow
level of water and the largest of them is about 1/4 inch long. Hope this
will help! Thank you in advance for your help! Danny L. - Clarksburg
WV
These are
mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae), likely in the genus Aedes.
Several species in this genus as well as some in the genus Culex
commonly are found in water-filled containers such as these. I have
found them in just about anything that will hold water, including tin
cans, buckets, styrofoam cups, old tires, wrecked automobiles and
discarded commodes, just to name a few. If you don’t wish the company of
adult mosquitoes, I suggest that you and empty that bucket and seek out
and empty any other containers on your property.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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#492 Hi there, here's one for the bug people; put your
eye-piece in Dr. Saugstad! I live in Calgary and spotted these tiny eggs,
~1mm long on ~1cm long stalks, hanging on the underside of an arm-sized
willow tree branch. A sort of double-column patch about 8cm in length.
See the pocket-knife picture for scale and orientation. I enjoyed trying
my new camera out on them, they are a tough customer to image, they
vibrated like tuning forks. 10 days later out pops some nasty-looking
characters, jaws half as long as the rest of the body. There are now some
extra strands of silk strung between the old stalks and now-empty egg
casings. I'm hoping they are a made-to-order predator for the weevils
killing this tree! Thanks and contact me for more photos of these Tiny
Monsters. Jeff M.
Hi Jeff, very nice pictures of eggs and
larvae of lacewings. These insects are in the Order Neuroptera and the
family Chrysopidae. I'm sure you have seen the adults (check out the
links). The larvae as you suspected rightfully are predators of other
(pest) insects. The only bad news is that they will not be able to eat
adult weevils, because their body armor is too thick, but all the soft
bodied insects like Aphids or caterpillars have to watch out. Here are
some useful links:
http://www.insectary.com/lw/lacewing.htm ;
http://www.rinconvitova.com/lacewing.htm ;
http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/laceid.htm
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff's excellent photos made this one a snap. These are indeed
predators, namely lacewings (order Neuroptera; likely in the family
Chrysopidae). Unfortunately for this tree, they are feeders on
soft-bodied insects, such as aphids, and not on weevils. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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#491 Hello again, we have found several of these bugs in our home in
Edmonton over the years, in all seasons. I have found them in the kitchen
from time to time, but mostly in the living room by the heat register. I
know it's a common beetle, but I'd like to know what they are and what they
eat so I can get rid of whatever is attracting them to our home. Thanks!
Have a great day! Jan
These are larder beetles
(Dermestes lardarius; Coleoptera: Dermestidae). They will infest a wide variety
of pantry items (primarily those of a proteinaceous nature), and will also feed
on any accumulations of dead insects. See no. 408 and 363 as well as
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/larder_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes control measures. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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#490
From my brief online research, I want
to say it's a BLISTER BEETLE, but I cannot find information about blister
beetles in the Moncton-area of New Brunswick. They are massing on the blooms
of the lupines in one area of the yard, and seemingly absent from other
lupine areas within the same 1/4 acre--even though they are quite flighty.
In addition to identification, I want to know: the targets (in addition to
lupines) and extent of damage they can do, whether they should be and if so
how they can be environmentally safely controlled.
Thank you.
--Lynn & Michael
This indeed
appears to be a blister beetle (Coleoptera: Meloidae). The adults feed on a
wide variety of plants (and some species definitely favour legumes – which
include lupines) whereas the larvae are predaceous/parasitic, often feeding
on grasshopper egg masses, and therefore could be considered beneficial.
Usually, control on ornamentals is not necessary, but if they are causing
enough damage for you to be concerned, you can either hand-pick them (use
gloves), dropping them into a bucket of water with detergent added), or
apply the least toxic pesticide registered for home/garden use that you can
locate. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV |
#489 Hi, I live in Maple
Ridge BC (Vancouver area). Could somebody tell me what is this? It's about 1
inch long and shows up at night (in great numbers- looks like an
invasion...) . I think that is the first time I noticed this "moth?"
in my area. Thank you. I.S.
This appears to be a moth in the family
Noctuidae, the largest family (in terms of number of species) in the order
Lepidoptera. It includes several species of economic importance, including
armyworms and the corn earworm. These moths often are attracted to lights at
night; species such as this one often are referred to as ‘moth millers’ or
‘miller moths.’ Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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#488
Hey there. My
daughter found this guy (gal?) crawling through the grass while we were
visiting my brother in Kernersville, North Carolina. It appears to my
untrained eyes to be some sort of large isopod. I’ve tried a couple of
searches on the web, but I’ve come up empty, so I’m hoping someone can
satisfy my curiosity. Thanks, Troy, Colorado Springs, CO
What a lovely millipede! This one appears
to be in the order Polydesmida, the so-called ‘flat’ or ‘flat-backed’ millipedes
(although not all members of this order are truly flat – see no. 484). Ones with
bright colors often give off a defensive secretion that includes a cyanide
compound when disturbed. To check on this, simply pick one up and gently sniff
it. If you detect an almond-like odor, yours is one of the cyanide secretors.
Not enough is given off to harm a human, but other small arthropods may be
killed/incapacitate if kept in a small container with one or more of these
millipedes. They primarily are detritus feeders in moist woodland habitats.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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#487
I live in Northern
New Jersey, USA. This critter is a medium sized one about the circumference
of a can of soda. (that's tips of legs around... not body) We've had larger
and smaller... fortunately.. I was able to get a picture of this one before
the cat's did any more damage. I tried to get another... but the cat's seem
to think they are a treat and eat them. We call them, The Creepy, Crawly,
Hoppy, Jumpy ,Bouncy Things... They resemble a part spider... part
grasshopper. They even seem to chase you and if you swat at them... hop a
great distance. Anyone know what they are or any info. on them? They seem
to be immune to any kind of house insect spray. Thanks for any help.
This appears to be a so-called ‘camel
cricket’ or ‘cave cricket’ (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae; subfamily
Rhaphidophorinae). In nature, they frequent damp, dark places, including
hollow trees, under rocks, and caves. However, they may invade storage
buildings, crawlspaces, basements, garages and indoor areas where moisture
may be a problem (such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.). Although
primarily a nuisance pest, if undisturbed populations build up indoors, they
can damage some stored items, such as garments and other cloth packed in
boxes in a garage or basement, if the crickets cannot otherwise find
suitable food (primarily detritus of plant origin). See
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/eiis/pdfs/hs21.pdf
for a fact sheet that includes control
recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have been searching for weeks to find out what kind of
insect that was when I saw it I was stunned to read that it has been sited in
New Jersey, I have seen them in my house and they are very resilient to say the
least, but my 10 month old likes to chase them :) I live in middle Tennessee
about 45 minutes southwest of Nashville and have for over 10 years and never saw
this before this year. Thanks for the info it was very helpful. Danielle |
#486 I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and recently we've been
encountering a lot of humidity, and thus, insects. I don't usually have
problems identifying them (nor do I typically care about insects), but these
things are really becoming an issue. We're in a 90 year old house, and I
worry that the few (maybe 10) we've killed in the last few weeks are not all
that we'll see... If anyone can ID them, that would be excellent. in this
picture, there are 3 all in different stages of growth, the smallest is
about 1/2cm in length, the largest is about 1-1.25cm in length. The long
dark one has a white underside as well.
These have been found ONLY on the kitchen floor, under the stove and fridge
and around the cat food dish. Also, any thoughts on their destruction would
be good to know as well. Thanks! Moses.
These are larvae of dermestid beetles;
apparently representing at least two different species. These are common
household pests that can infest a wide variety of organic material, from dry
foodstuffs (including dry pet food) to woolen fabrics and hides/furs. I
suggest that you check all infestible food items in your pantry for signs of
infestation, discarding anything that you find infested. Then keep all such
material (pasta, dry cereal, flour, etc.) in sealable plastic containers or
under refrigeration. See
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05501.pdf for
a fact sheet that includes control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 #485
We first discovered these insects on
a grape bush, but since then we have found them on elm trees, our bamboo
fence, a couple of cactus', a willow tree, etc. I believe they may be
aphids...? However, I cannot conform if they have cornicles, or not. Any
help that you can give would be very appreciated! Thanks for your time.
Jessica. Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
This is just a guess, but they may be nymphs of lace bugs (Hemiptera:
Tingidae). I suggest that you take some specimens to your county office of
the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service for assistance
in identification as well as any necessary control measures. See
http://spectre.nmsu.edu/county/county.html?i=Bern
for contact information. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 #484
Sir, I am attaching a photo of the millipedes I have invading my
apartment. I moved in on May 23, 2005, and have been dealing with these
critters since. I did find a site with a picture of the same millipede - and
they identified it as Polydesmida, but I found other sites which pictured a
different millipede by the same name. (aka the flat-backed millipede.) So, I
am submitting my photos in the hopes we can confirm this millipedes
identity. Once I have an ID, then I can try to find information about
possible effects of my cats eating these critters. Thank you for any
assistance. Jason
This does appear to be a
Polydesmid millipede. Although collectively called “flat-backed,” some of
these such as in the genus Oxidus (for an image see
http://www.bioterium.com.br/bioterium/animais/Diplopodos/Imagens/OxilusGracilis.jpg
) are not completely flat in cross-section. BTW, the genus Oxidus includes some species that can be pests on tender greenhouse plants
and that will invade homes to some extent.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV. |
  #483
I
live in northeastern Massachusetts. found this on the tree.
first one flew into the teens face, she thought it
was wasp and going to sting her. I have asked others, they all sent me
pics of a parasitic wasp. BUT i notice things that are similar but NOT the
same.. on the wasp, the wings attach at the back part of the first body
part, on the one that i have, the wings attach right at the neck nearly.
The heads are different sizes.. on ours the head is small, on the wasp,
its as wide as the next body segment. Also, these that we got, have
a *scorpion* like rear. They seem to spin? or stretch a leafy green
membrane? it looks like a leaf section from a distance. and they wave it
back and forth and up and down.. then suddenly its gone.. and ONE of the
long things behind them is sticking in a wood pecker hole.. they are not
aggressive at all..
Josephine & Heather,
This is a large
ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) that specializes in
parasitizing the larvae of wood-boring wasps (see no. 469 for another
example). The long ‘tail' you see is actually the ovipositor of the female
wasp. She uses this to bore through the wood into the tunnels made by the
wood wasp larvae. The green membrane is formed by the stretching of the
intersegmental membrane between the terminal abdominal segments as the
female works her ovipositor into the wood. For more information on these
insects, see
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/Images/Hymenoptera/megarhyssa.html.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #482
These are pictures of a very small bug
that is literally all throughout our house.
I find them mostly in the bathroom
around and in the shower but they're not limited to the bathroom. I have
seen them outside so I think they are coming in from outside. Sometimes we
don't see any for a while, then when you think they're gone they return. I
don't think they bite because we've never been bitten by them. They
all seem to be about 0.5mm in length and are skinny. We live in Hawaii on
one of the smaller islands and our local Orkin man couldn't identify them.
He thinks they might be food borne but I've seen them outside. They're
dark brown with two sections and three sets of legs. Oh, and they crunch
when you squish them with the back of your fingernail. I would love
to know what they are and how we might get them out of the house.
Thanks you in advance for any information you can provide. The
Gaspers
I suspect that this beetle
could be in the family Cucujidae (see
http://members.optushome.com.au/davidavid/tribolium.jpg
for an image). Although this family includes some stored products pests,
your specimen does not resemble any of these species that I am familiar
with. I suggest that you contact the appropriate office of the University
of Hawaii Cooperative Extension program for further assistance – see
http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/extout/extout.asp
for links. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #481
Hi; My daughter found this spider in the bathroom of our house in Waterloo,
Southern Ontario. It is small (1cm) and black with three yellow spots on its
back. Regards, Richard
This appears to
be Phidippus audax, the bold jumping spider (see
www.cirrusimage.com/ spider_bold_jumping.htm for more
images). This is one of the largest jumping spiders in North America, and
can give a painful nip if mishandled. See no. 453 for another species in
this family.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
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 #480
This guy was in the pool yesterday -
thank GOD I wasn't in with it!! My daughter Julia found it and put it in a
margarine container and then told me that she had a baby chipmunk to show
me...so that she could get me to look at it. It made it worse when I
thought I was going to see something cute only to look at this..The good
thing is that the pool water is so clear and clean that they saw it right
away - well, how could you not!! It was dead but floating with all its legs
spread out to it was nearly the size of the margarine container lid.
Is this a wolf spider? Thanks, Leslie
My best guess
is that this is a wolf spider that accidentally fell/wandered into your
pool, but I will defer to Jacob Duarte for a more definitive diagnosis. At
any rate, it does not appear to be a species of any importance to human
health. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#479 Vancouver, Canada.
I just finished mowing the lawn and was walking on the cement when I
stepped on the snake by accident because i didn't see it. It just slithered
into the corner were it just stayed there. I just wanted to know if anyone
knows if this snake is poisonous or not. John
This is a garter snake (family Colubridae). I
cannot tell for certain from the photograph, but I think that it most likely is
the common garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. They feed primarily on amphibians
and earthworms, taking an occasional mouse or small fish as well. Generally
considered harmless to humans, there are reports in the literature of some
people experiencing a mild reaction to a bite from on, and these only when the
snake held on for a protracted period of time. I have been bitten by them on
several occasions, and never have noticed any ill effects. Their primary
defense when mishandled is to release a very foul-smelling secretion from their
anus. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An interesting tidbit about garter snakes…..tadpoles are attracted to them and
will follow a “swimming” garter snake en masse..which the snake usually turns
around and snakes one up to eat, and if hungry enough will grab more because the
tadpoles are oblivious to their predicament. The only time I had seen this was
at Frater Lake in NE Washington. This school of tadpoles literally followed the
garter snake wherever it went, even if the snake was a foot or two ahead of
them. The tadpoles were of the pacific tree frog. Craig Baker
|
#478 Hi we live in
Victoria BC and we found this bug walking across our hardwood floor. Our
house sits on a crawl space that is dirt floor but covered in plastic. Is
this some sort of ant or termite? We have never seen anything like it
before. Thanks. John
This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera:
Staphylinidae). They differ from most beetles in having very short wing
covers (elytra) and a very flexible abdomen. For the most part, they are
considered beneficial, as they are general predators on a wide variety of
other small arthropods. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
This is a Rove beetle or Staphylinidae. They are
preying on other insects and are only accidently found in houses.
http://www.people.ku.edu/~vlad/Resources.htm
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#477 We live in Vancouver British Columbia and this is the
second one of these creatures we've come across crawling in our living room.
At first I thought they were pillbugs, however, they have longer appendages,
really long antenna, and move fast. Their belly is silver in colour and
smooth. It was about a centimeter in length and not very wide.. If you
could let us know what it is and what this means about our place....Thanks!
Miep
This appears to be a silverfish or firebrat (order
Thysanura) – see numbers 424 and 425 for other examples. These primitive
insects thrive under moist conditions and can be minor household pests. They
seldom do any substantial damage, but cause annoyance by their presence. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2108.html
for a fact sheet that includes preventive and control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
If the insect was silver-white, it is
a silverfish, in the picture it looks more brownish, which could be a
firebrat
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/firebrat.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7475.html
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#476 I found these little insects crawling around underneath my
clock radio on my night stand. I've also found them on a duffle bag on the
wood floor in the same room and a couple on some clothing in the closet of
the same room. Are these booklice? In the picture with the letter A's on it,
those letters are 12-point Times New Roman and Courier New, which should
give some idea of the insects' size. Thanks for your help! Garvey,
Charlotte, NC
This appears to a booklouse
(Psocoptera: Liposcelidae). They most commonly are found in dusty
environments with relatively high temperatures and high humidity that favor
the growth of molds that constitute their primary food source. I often
encountered these insects in the infrequently disturbed stacks in the bowels
of the Purdue University library. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
Yes
this is a booklouse. They like a humid environment and they are often found
near electrical devices like stereos and TV sets, because they accumulate
dust.... Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#475 We live in Ottawa,
Canada. Recently over the past few weeks, we've come across these
bugs. It seems that we always see them in the kitchen around the vicinity of
the sink and cupboards. Also, we never see any during the day, just at
night. Any help would be appreciated on how to combat this problem and to
help identify what they are...hopefully not cockroaches! Thanks in
advance, Michael
Unfortunately, this is a cockroach – if it is a
large one (more than 30 mm long), it likely is in the genus Periplaneta that
includes the American cockroach among others. For a fact sheet that includes
control recommendations see
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/amer_cockroach.htm
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
Sorry to say, it looks like a cockroach. We live in
roach country (New Orleans, LA). We get them big and bigger. If you don't
mind some advice from the long-suffering: Bag up all your food, then clean
and spray the area. Don't leave food in the dog or cat dish overnight.
They're going for the food. If you have a door to the side of your kitchen,
you might want to think about a screen door. Good luck! Mo.
I'm
afraid to disappoint, but this is definitely a cockroach. Looks like a native
species.. probably a Wood Roach. These
are rarely found in homes in urban centres and probably never in apartments.
Your home is probably in a wooded area. Best solution is sealing and keeping
them out. These are not uncommon in cottages. Sam Bryks, M.Sc. B.C.E.,
Manager, Environmental Health Services,
Integrated Housing Services,
Toronto, Ontario
This is indeed a nice cockroach. Major cleaning necessary, then
spray some stuff or boric acid powder where they like to hide. Keep food in
sealed containers and trash can empty. Avoid water leaks. Rattus
That's
definitely a cockroach; in fact, it resembles the tropical strand that I've seen
in Puerto Rica and brazil. it's much bigger than any cockroach you usually find
in the northern USA and Canada. Fern
Unfortunately, you
have answered your own question posted as to the identification of this insect.
It is indeed a “cockroach”. Likely that being
“German” cockroach species.
Danny Martin, Supervisor ,Environmental Health
|
#474 Please identify this insect. We found it on the wall, of our
apartment in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 2005/06/15, 9:35PM. It has no
segmentation, spots on the body, is mostly flat, and seems to have pores on
it's body. It has 6 legs and antennae. My fiancée thinks it's a bed bug, but
I'm not sure it's some sort of tick or beetle. Ceyshe'
Although the photo is unclear, its
appearance is consistent with it being a lady beetle (Coleoptera:
Coccinellidae). The vast majority of lady beetles are considered beneficial
because they feed primarily on pest insects such as aphids and scale
insects. A very few (such as the Mexican bean beetle) are plant feeding
‘black sheep,’and some may occur indoors in such numbers as to be considered
pests. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hse-fact/1030.html
and
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/lady/
for some lady beetle images. If after viewing these you believe that your
specimen is something else, please take another photo showing the dorsal
(upper) side of the insect, and submit it to this site.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#473
Hi there; My
daughter was bitten by this bug and the bite was relatively large. Luckily
no huge reaction but it was painful. We live in Fergus, Ontario which is
about 20 KM north of Guelph. The bug was found inside our house but I
suspect it originated outside. We live on the edge of the town with large
maple trees surrounding our property. Thanks
for your help. Concerned
parent.
This appears to be a
nymph of a large assassin bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). They are general
predators on other small arthropods, but some tropical/subtropical species
feed on human blood and can transmit a protozoal disease (Chagas’ disease)
to humans. However, although some species in Canada can give a painful
‘bite,’ none are of any real medical importance. Your specimen undoubtedly
did wander indoors accidentally. See
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/CritterFiles/casefile/thumbs/wheelnymph.jpg
for an image of a nymph of the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus),
the largest reduviid likely to occur in your area.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#472
Hi, we found
this in the soil beside our home on the southern gulf island, Gabriola
Island, BC. It’s quite common. We think it’s a moth pupa?
But which one? If it isn’t a moth pupa, is this
critter going to beneficial or not? Thanks, Penny and Tina
From its size and location (in
soil), I suspect that this most likely is the pupa of a moth in the family
Noctuidae. This is a very large family that includes several species of
economic importance (mainly the so-called army worms). For a more definitive
identification, you might try keeping one or more of these pupae on some
soil in a glass/plastic jar with air holes in its lid, and when a moth
emerges, take a photo and post it on this site.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
Our parents kill these all the time they call them lilly beetles found on
day lillys? Paul, Uk
|
#471 Please identify this spider.
It lives in our shed that is over 100
ft back from our house, in a wooded area at the edge of the East Don Ravine
in Toronto Ontario. I'd say it's at least 3 inches total in length.
Thanks! Kristyn.
That is definitely some
kind of Tangle weaver, but it's much bigger than any of the species I've
seen. The species, however, that most resembles it would be the Cob Web
spider. But, as I said before, that spider is much larger than any I've seen
of the Tangle Weaver family.
Jacob Duarte,
aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to see some more photos showing
different views of this spider. It does not look like any Theridiid with which I
am familiar, and although I am inclined to think that it might be an Agelenid or
Araneid, I am not really comfortable with either choice at this time.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We see these quite often in our cottage on
Manitulin. The locals call them Hard Wood spiders. The first one I saw was the
largest one I've seen yet. It was sitting on a 2x4 board, and it's width
spanned the 4" (actually 3 and 3/4 ") side of the board. It's length was
longer than 4". Margaret.
|
#470 I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia and today I found an odd little
cluster near my door. It turns out that it was a ball of little spiders. I
have never seen these here before. What are they and are they nasty in any
way? Steve
The problem with pictures
of baby spiders is that some species develop thier more distinctive markings
later in life, luckily this isn't one of these spieces. In fact I saw a
couple of these guys in my backyard just two days ago. They are known as
Pyramid Orb-Weavers called so because of the black marking on the abdomen.
-Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suspect that these may be
spiderlings of an orb-weaver, such as Argiope spp. or Araneus spp. (see
http://www.nicksspiders.com/nicksspiders/spiderlings.jpg
for an example).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
The same thing in UK the boys love them fascinating.
Paul, UK
|
#469 I am in North Bay Ontario. I discovered these "nesting" inside
holes that were made by a woodpecker in my maple tree. I can't find anything
anywhere about these things. Some are all black, some have the yellow
on them. Some of the larger ones are 'blowing' green discs out their butts
(and can suck them back in again) some have tails, some don't. some are only
an inch long others are closer to 8 inches? Good Luck. Dawn
These are large ichneumon
wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) that specialize in parasitizing the
larvae of wood-boring wasps. The ‘tails' you see are actually the
ovipositors of the female wasps. They use these to bore through the wood
into the tunnels made by the wood wasp larvae. The ‘bubbles’ are formed by
the stretching of the intersegmental membrane between the terminal abdominal
segments as the female works her ovipositor into the wood. For more information
on these insects, see
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/Images/Hymenoptera/megarhyssa.html.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#468 We have discovered a voracious leaf eater caterpillar in our
flower garden.
About 3/4" long, white they have, in quick order, "eaten"
most leaves on ground cover
as well as the base of soft- leafed plants. Highly
unwelcomed and our concern is how to eradicate these crawlers ahead of
their complete devouring of plant life. Moreover, we are unsure if these
pests will migrate onto the lawn or into our neighbours vegetable garden
on the other side of the fence. An identification would be beneficial as
well as typical habits and control methods. R. Thibert, Newmarket,
Ontario
Could the submitter of this insect please provide a
closer view of the critter(s) in question? The image provided is simply
too small to see diagnostic characters.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#467 Hi, I live in Aurora, Ontario (just north of Toronto) and i found
two of these in my basement apartment. I think they might be cockroaches but
I certainly hope they're not...can you tell me what they are? Anthony.
Definitely not a cockroach,
but a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae). This is a very large family
with the vast majority of species (including this one) being general
predators on other small arthropods and thus deemed ‘beneficial’ by human
standards. Of course, as in many large families, there are a few black
sheep. Among carabids, these include the seed corn beetle.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#466 Hi, my
name is Donna and I live in
Barrie ON. I was wondering if you knew what kind of bug this was. I found it
outside walking along the curb in the water YUK! 2 inches long.
I would have to say that this is
a "Giant Water Bug" (Order-Hemiptera, Family-Belostomatidae). An unforgiving
predator with a nasty bite! My favorite bug! Andy Mark, Stratford,
Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is giant water bug (Hemiptera:
Belastomatidae); sometimes called ‘toe-biters’ or ‘electric light bugs.’
They are voracious predators on other small aquatic animals (mostly
insects, but occasionally including small fish). When they capture prey
with their powerful front legs, they inject enzymes that break down the
prey’s tissues so that the bug can then ingest the resulting ‘soup’
through its beak. If mishandled, they can deliver a very painful ‘bite’
with that beak.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
#465 Hi, This little guy
shows up in the summer months and appears out of no where. We have
identified a different beetle appearing in our home as a larder beetle but
cant find a match for this one. His body is about 3/16th" or 5mm not
including antennae. Roy
This appears to be a small
weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). It does not resemble any of the
species commonly associated with stored food products, and likely is an
accidental intruder in your home.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#464 I found this spider who's diameter is about the size of a coke
can crawling quickly across the ground in New Jersey. is it a wolf spider
and what is it doing and is it harmful to people? Dan
This spider looks quite a bit like a female wolf
spider. It has two large front eyes, and it carries it's egg sac which
indicates that it has no web. The problem is that there are many different
species of wolf spider so I can't give you much more information than that
printed above. This spider is not harmful to people but it's size indicates
that it could bite if handled roughly. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring
arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is indeed a female wolf spider
carrying her egg case. They usually do this until the eggs hatch, then
often carry the spiderlings about on their back for a time. Although some
of the larger species can deliver a painful bite if mishandled, they are
not aggressive, and none are dangerously venomous to humans.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
 #463
I found this little guy disguised as an apple blossom on our apple tree in
New Jersey. What is he and what does he do. (his little tentacles on
his back move) Dan
This appears to be an
‘inchworm’ caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in the genus Nematocampa.
They often are called ‘filament bearers,’ presumably because of their
rather bizarre projections of uncertain utility. In this instance at
least, they certainly help disguise its appearance as a caterpillar.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
 
#462 Found this bug flying around and running across room pretty
quickly. Its 3/4" in size. I'm in Toronto, Canada. Thanks.
Tony
This appears to be a
soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae). The adults primarily are pollen
feeders whereas the larvae are predaceous.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#461 I live in Labrador City, NL, Canada. Found this ( what looks to
be a grasshopper) in the woods while walking the ski trails. I've lived in
this area 40 years and never seen grasshoppers here before. What is it?
Tom
This
appears to be a pygmy locust (also known as pygmy grasshoppers or grouse
locusts; Orthoptera: Tetrigidae). To the best of my knowledge, none are
known to be of any real economic importance. Some species are semi-aquatic,
often being found near water into which they may leap when disturbed.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#460 I found this guy crawling around our back deck, after flying
around the light out there. By the time I had fetched the camera, it had
made its way down to the yard light, which it whacked into a few times
before falling on the sidewalk. It went pretty slow when it was crawling.
I'm afraid this picture doesn't show it that well; it was more of a shiny
green. I also saw it up close while it had its wings stuck out. It looked
like two wings on each side (plus the covers on its back. Its head and some
of the thorax stuck out quite a way from under the wing covers. I hope
someone knows what it is, because I am worried it could be one of those
"non-native" species that we hear about from time to time. Matt, Prince
Albert, SK
This
appears to be an adult stonefly (order Plecoptera). The larvae are aquatic,
usually found under stones in streams or at edges of lakes, and often
comprise an important source of food for fish. Adults of some species
readily fly to lights at night. They are completely harmless from a human
standpoint.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#459 Do
you know if the attached is a tick or a spider or what? The more I think
about it, I don’t know if it bit me or I just felt it crawling on my neck
and I smushed it into a brown streak of goo.
It was a little later that I caught one of his friends. It’s the third one I
found in a month – always on my neck. Maybe they think I’m their mommy?
Maybe I am? The tick photos I found online show 8 – not 6 - legs and
a different pattern on the back. I am in the suburbs of Albany, NY,
and while the discovery of the bugs was always inside, it was preceded by
spending ~10 minutes outdoors. Thanks, Glenn.
This is the larva of multicolored
Asian ladybug. They are considered a very beneficial insect so don't
kill them. An
average ladybug larva can eat about 500 aphids or other soft bodied prey
like caterpillars or other insect eggs. This food preference continues in
the adult beetle stage.
For more information see this web page:
Ladybugs |
#458
I live in Suffolk county New
York, I found this insect in my back yard. I just
built a new wooden swing, and slide set, and now these things are crawling
all over it. Please if anyone knows the name of this insect, and where I can
find information about it. Thank You, Mike
Like the photos above
(#459), this is the larva of the multicolored Asian lady bug. |
#457 We found this insect in Northern WI. It was crawling across our
driveway when our cat found it and was playing with it. It's 2.5" long and
stings like a scorpion with it's tail. 6 legs with two leg type feelers on
it's round head and two round prongs on the front of it's mouth that makes
one big pincher. It is extremely aggressive when poked with a stick. It's
black and it's belly is tan. Jessica.
This appears to be the larva of a predaceous
diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). See no. 438 for another example. The
larvae of some species of water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
can be quite similar in appearance. The easiest way to distinguish them is
to examine the jaws – they are quite slender and needle-like in dytiscids
and more robust with tooth-like projections in hydrophilids.
Ed Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#456 This is a very large beetle almost 2 inches long (see attached
jpg file) I found it in Johnson City Texas (central Texas). We couldn't find
it in any of the Texas bug books or online. We're not sure what type
of beetle it is, or what it eats. We live in an agricultural area, and
the climate here is pretty warm.
Would appreciate any information you can gather on this interesting
creature. Thanks, Kary
This is a female
Eastern Hercules
beetle, (Dynastes tityus;
Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), probably one of the heaviest insects in the
United States. The males have ‘horns’ protruding from their head and
prothorax (see
http://www.webcom.com/beetle/dynastes/tityus/D-tityus04.jpeg),
and the larvae develop in punky rotting wood of dead
trees, particularly deciduous hardwood species.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#455 Southern California. at least one found each day, inside the
suite. usually half dead when found.
Thanks, Bobby
This is another long-horned wood-boring
beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae); see no. 450.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
This is the Eucalyptus borer Phoracantha recurva, which is native to
Australia (so are the Eucalyptus trees). Some people consider them as a
pest in Eucalyptus trees, others consider the trees a pest and welcome the
beetle to get rid of the trees. There are two species in this genus.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PDF/PESTNOTES/pneucalyptuslonghornedborer.pdf
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois
|
#454 Hi, We live close to Milwaukee, WI, and we've been getting
this bug at our home lately. They are mostly close to our sun room. So, it's
possible that this comes from our yard. And it also looks like they can jump
(about 3 inches in distance). They are very small, maybe about 1 mm in
length. Could someone please let us know what this bug is, where they
normally come from, and how to get rid of them? Thanks, Jack.
This appears to be another
springtail (order Collembola); see no. 448. The best control indoors is to
maintain relatively low humidity levels, and reduce/eliminate unnecessary
sources of moisture. In most instances, they are merely nuisances rather
than serious pests. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2070.html
for a fact sheet that includes control
recommendations.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#453 I've owned the same home for a few years now and this may
I've seen many of these spiders in which ive never seen or noticed before.
It is about the size of a quarter, black with a reddish orange back. it has
four small white dots on its back with two larger ones closer to its head.
We find them in our house on the walls in corners and outside around our
wooden staircases. R. H.
This is a jumping spider (family Salticidae), possibly the
boreal jumping
spider, Phidippus clarus.
These spiders are active
hunters, having arguably the keenest eyesight of spiders. Among jumping
spiders, some larger Phidippus species can inflict a bite if
mishandled, but the consequences usually are less serious than a bee sting.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with Ed. Just a bit of extra information: Jumping
spiders have such excellent eyesight because of the positioning of the eyes; two
in the front, one on each side, and two pairs on parallel sides of the top of
the head. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jumping spiders are actually the only
spiders that have color vision, and they can see all colors that humans can
distinguish (and potentially more) with the large pair of eyes in the front. The
other six eyes can see 350 degrees around the head for motion detection, but
have no color vision. ~Nicole VanderSal, arachnology graduate student, UC
Berkeley |
#452 Thank you for your site. I
had no idea what this bug was until I saw somebody has the same bug. Here is
another picture. Daniel
Yes, this is another
house centipede like the specimen below (#451) |
#451
I live 50km
south of Tokyo and I have found these critters in my dryer and in my shoes.
What is it? Thank you. Milne
This is a house centipede. House centipedes feed on small insects, insect larvae, and
on spiders. Thus they are beneficial, though most homeowners take a
different point-of-view and consider them a nuisance. Technically, the house
centipede could bite, but it is considered harmless to people. The house
centipede is up to 1 1/2 inches long and has 15 pairs of very long, slender
legs. |
|
Click on the photos
to enlarge |
#450 Hi i live in Edmonton Alberta i have a lot of these guys coming
from under my wooden stairs not sure what they are or the damage they can do
can some one help me to identify these guys and how can i remove them.
Thank you.
Manuel
This appears to be a
long-horned wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). You might find the
site
http://weaselhead.org/learn/insects/alberta.php
(Insects of Alberta) of interest – they are looking for more records of
cerambycids.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #449
I have seen these very tiny, almost hard to see bugs mainly around my window
sills.
I have a brick house with vinyl siding / windows and they
seem to be on the brick and around the windows and doors and
some get inside from under the windows. I have seen a few in the bath
room right around the molding on the floor and around my kitchen sink
window. They don't seem to be doing any kind of damage, but what do they
mean, moisture??? They are so small my zoom lens couldn't hardly get them
captured. They are not fleas. They are solid gray to my eye.
in the
pictures they look brownish, but my flash went off. These were taken at
the bottom of a door frame outside where I noticed them today. In the
pictures I noticed they do have 2 longish antennas. I live in North
Carolina close to Charlotte, NC. Our temperature in the afternoon here
has been in the 70s &, 80s, so far but we do see high 90's later in the
summer. You almost need a magnifying glass to see them. Any help
would be appreciated in how to get rid of them. We also have lots
of ants. We treat the surrounding of our house and that seems to keep
them under control from coming inside. Thanks in advance! Patricia
Images are too fuzzy for me to make a
determination. If no one else on this forum can provide a definitive i.d.,
I suggest that you take some specimens to your county office of NC State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service Office to see if someone there
can assist you in that regard. See
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/counties/ for links to
contact information.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#448 Hi, I live in Montreal and I
just found loads of these bugs in my kitchen under the cat's placemat. We've
got very old vinyl tiles, and they are lifting up under the placemat because
the cat's forever spilling his water bowl. The bugs are flea size, some
smaller than a pinhead. They are very fast and don't like the light, because
when I lift up the placemat they run under the tiles. I took the picture
using a 10x magnifying loupe. Thanks, Katrina
This appears to be a
springtail, a primitive insect in the order Collembola. They require a very
moist environment for survival. For the most part, they are harmless
detritus feeders, but a few species can be plant pests. Yours appear to fall
into the first category.
Ed
Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#447 Found all 4 of these
guys when I was cleaning up my basement area. I put them into a plastic
container and one of the smaller guys killed 2 others instantly. Any
idea what kind of spiders these are? Thanks, Gino
These appear to be cobweb
spiders (family Theridiidae). They are harmless to humans, unlike their
cousins, the widow spiders.
Ed
Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with Ed that they're from the Tangle Web family but they
don't look very much like Cobweb spiders. The black colouration and the fact
that the males (the smaller ones in the photo) are tiny in comparison to the
females (Cobweb males are only a bit smaller) makes these spiders look more
like Cellar spiders. These spiders are mildly poisonous but they only bite
if handled roughly. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist. |
#446 We live in
North Central Florida and were inundated (June) on the living room carpet
with what seemed to be giant flea-like insects one night. They ranged from
about 1/3" to 1/2" in size. We came across your site and another posting (#
280) that matches our description exactly as looking like "giant fleas" or
"small shrimp" and they hop. The photo submitted by #280 was too poor to get
an accurate ID. After a bit of searching, I believe they may be crickets in
an early nymph stage. Joan and Falcon.
I believe that these are amphipods,
crustaceans that usually are aquatic, but include a few species (sometimes
called ‘lawn shrimp’) that may occur in very moist terrestrial habitats. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/amphipods.htm for
more information including images.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#445 Hello, Recently, I have been noticing these insects outside my
kitchen window sill. Yesterday, I found one of them on the inside and took
the following 2 pictures. It looks similar to a rootworm beetle. I notice
that they are aggressive to one another. I was watching one walk across the
window and soon another jumped and "tackled" him off! I live in central
Illinois. Thanks! Christopher
At first glance, I thought that this might be a
bombardier beetle, but a closer look at the tarsi made me question that
possibility. If the beetle is more elongate than evident from the angle at
which the photo was taken, and the elytra are relatively soft/leathery, it
might be a soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae). Compare the tarsi of this specimen with those on number 462.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#444 This spider was captured and frozen (to take photo's) near
St Cloud, Mn. It was under a roll of rubber roofing outside a trailer. I
think it may be a wolf spider but the marking on the back throws me.
Noel
This looks more like a wolf spider than
anything else. There are hundreds of species in this family, and they do
vary in markings.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This spider looks almost
exactly like a Northern Wolf Spider. This spider is harmless but may give a
nip if handled roughly. They live mostly near stony or sandy riversides and
lakesides. Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The eye pattern and leg orientation of this spider actually
indicate that it is a giant crab spider in the family Sparassidae. Their
toxicity is thought to be a mild skin would (necrotic) if anything. ~Nicole
VanderSal, arachnology graduate student, UC Berkeley |
#443
Hi I have found
two or three of these outside my home over the last week, usually dead
sometimes lying upside down, not sure what they are or what they eat its
about 25mm long can anyone help? Thanks Chris
This is a scarab beetle (Coleoptera:
Scarabaeidae), an extremely large and diverse family that includes some of the
bulkiest and heaviest insects known. Common members of this family include the
so-called May beetles/June bugs, the rose chafer, the Japanese beetle, and dung
beetles. Many species can cause extensive damage either to foliage as adults or
to plant roots as larvae (‘white grubs.’) From your description and photo, I do
not recognize this particular species as being one of major economic importance. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#442
Hi. I hope someone can help me with this one. The bug is about 1/2" long,
with six legs and straight antennae. The head is darker and smaller than
the soft, cylinder-shaped body. It's reddish brown in color. It doesn't
curl up like the other insects described here. I've found 3 of them in the
bathroom March-May. Last year I had a termite problem but had a full
treatment done. Our termite guy said it's not a termite. I live 9
miles from New Orleans, LA, USA. I would appreciate ANY help anyone can
give. Thank you so much for this site.
The photo is too fuzzy for me
to make an identification. If no one else on this forum can identify it, and
you cannot submit a clearer photograph, I suggest that you take specimens to
your parish office of the LSU Cooperative Extension Service for assistance.
See
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/our_offices/parishes/
for links to contact information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#441 Hi- I just
discovered these tiny black bugs all over the tips of my burning bush
today.. It is a very heavy infestation. Could you please let me know what it
is and how to get rid of it.. I live in Toronto near the lake. Thanks,
Lillian
These are aphids (Homoptera:
Aphididae), sometimes called plant lice. In one of the photos, you also can see
an ant, possibly attracted by the sugary secretion (‘honeydew’) produced by the
aphids as a result of their feeding on the plant’s sap. They can be knocked off
the plant or even killed by directing a strong stream of water from a hose at
them. Also, you can spray them with a weak soap (such as dish detergent)
solution, or use an insecticidal soap such as can be found at most gardening
outlets. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#440 Hello - we found these little pods on the back of pear tree
leaves on Lopez Island in WA. We are hoping someone might tell us what they
are and if they are harming the trees in any way....thanks, Liam
Bailey
These are scale insects (Homoptera: Coccidae).
Although unsightly, with the exception of the San Jose scale, they usually
do not cause serious damage to pear trees.
See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1425.html
for a fact sheet that includes control
recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#439
This pest was found under earth
in planters at Shuswap Lake BC. I think that it might be a sow grub of some
sort? Please advise. Thanks. John
This is a sow bug. Note the two
appendages at the tail which prevent it from curling up into a ball like a
pill bug. For more photos and information see this web page:
Sow bugs, Pill bugs
and Centipedes.
Sow bugs and pill bugs are good
"composters" like worms but they will eat tender young plant shoots in the
garden. Larry Cross. www.nobugs.ca
We call these cheesybobs woodlice (nickname) in the UK and there
are literally thousands of them turn over a dead log and there they are
pets for the boys. Paul, UK
|
#438 Hi, I think your
site is just wonderful. I live in Ontario, Canada and found this in my
pond. I was hoping someone could tell me what it is. Thanks.
Sandi
This appears to be a larva of a predaceous
diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Sometimes called ‘water tigers,’ they
are voracious predators on other small aquatic life – usually other insects
(including their own kind!), but also the occasional tadpole or small fish as
well. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
|
#437 Hi, My neighbor found this aggressive spider in an upstairs
bedroom of an old second story house. Inner city in Calgary, next to park
and river valley. We believe that it is a wolf spider. He is quite pretty,
and like I said, very aggressive.
This is a male spider; if not a wolf spider, then
possibly an agelenid (grass/funnel web spiders) such as those in the genera
Tegenaria or Agelenopsis. It's
definitively is not a hobo spider (because of the banded legs); perhaps
Jacob Duarte can be more precise on this one.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#436 Found in shower and sinks
in Victoria BC. Very small less than a mm in length. Black in colour, does
not appear to fly. Tammy
Could you try
submitting a clearer photo? This is a beetle, but other than that, the image is
too fuzzy for me to make a determination. If the antennae are thread-like (filiform)
it might be a very small ground beetle – we sometimes find these in our bathroom
when they have wandered in through an open window. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#435 I am
from Caroloine Alberta, I have never seen a spider like this around here. I
found it in my home. Here are some details: the web it spun in the container
was around the outside edges, very fine with no conformity. thick in some
spots thin in others. It had a very flat face like a tarantula, a shining
green mouth, and fangs that were black on the base, and red on the ends. A
very hairy body with the distinct markings on the abdomen. It didn't like
water at all. I fed it 1 larder beetle larva which it devoured in less than
2 mins. I then fed it 2 smaller house flies which it consumed in less than
10 mins each. Please let me know if it is common to my area. If it is
poisonous or not and what exactly it is called. Tracey Gramlich.
Thank you.
This
is a jumping spider (family Salticidae), possibly Phidippus
borealis, a species widespread in Alberta. With a few very rare
exceptions, all spiders are venomous, but only a small percentage are
capable of envenomating humans. Among jumping spiders, some larger
Phidippus species can inflict a bite if mishandled, but the
consequences usually are less serious than a bee sting.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is in fact a
jumping spider, and one of the larger ones to boot. The specific
species is that of the Audacious Jumping spider, characterized by the
iridescent green jaws. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All spiders in the Phiddipus genus have iridescent green
chelicerae. This is not a P. audax, but the P. borealis as Mr. Saugstad
posits ~Nicole VanderSal, arachnology graduate student, UC Berkeley |
#434 We
found about 10 of these bright green balls on a young pin oak tree in PA. A
small grub of some sort was in the middle of the one I cut open. Can you
tell us what they are? Rainbow.
This is a
gall, most likely resulting from a ‘sting’ by a small wasp. The wasp’s secretion
causes the plant cells to proliferate abnormally, resulting in the gall
formation. The wasp’s larva (the ‘grub’ you noticed) completes its development
within the gall. As a whole, oaks probably are preyed upon by more gall-forming
arthropods than any other plant group. In addition to wasps, galls also may be
formed by some flies and mite species. Most galls of the type you photographed
do no real harm to the tree.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#433 Hi! We don't live in Canada.. But we are very much hoping you can
help. We found this insect in Morse Mill, MO. On the Big River. It's
about 3-4 inches long, and is very aggressive. The front pinchers are more
like horns.. And the eyes are just under the "horns". Not sure what it is,
but we are definitely fascinated by it. If you could help. We would really
appreciate it. Andy
This appears to be a male dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus;
Neuroptera: Corydalidae). Although the mandibles appear fearsome, they are
incapable of inflicting more than a mild pinch. The females have much shorter
mandibles, and can give a quite painful nip. Their larvae (called hellgrammites)
are aquatic, often found under stones in streams, and frequently used as bait
for fish. They also can give a sharp bite if mishandled.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
It's an adult male dobsonfly (Family Corydalidae). Juvenile stages
are aquatic, are called "hellgrammites", and are sometimes used as bait by
fishermen. Dean Morewood, Entomologist, Pest Management Regulatory Agency,
Ottawa.
Photo # 433 is a Dobson fly, I found one in my
suit jacket once after I had hung it out to dry, I think the males have the
huge pinchers. Have a great day!
Tracy
Hey, i actually know this one! It's nasty
looking, but those tusks are for the most part harmless (scared teh bejeesus
out of me first time I saw one). It's called a dobsonfly, and can reach
several inches in length. Just Google the name dobsonfly and I'm sure
you'll find a wealth of information. -kr
|
#432 We saw this today in a home we're looking at buying. Its in
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Any idea what it is? Steve
I cannot be certain, but this might be a sawfly in
the family Tenthredinidae. Their larvae resemble caterpillars and usually
are foliage feeders (a few are leaf miners). Some species, such as the larch
sawfly, can be serious defoliators, but none are any threat to homes.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
It's an adult
sawfly. Although related to bees and wasps, the juvenile stages of sawflies
look like caterpillars and are herbivorous, usually feeding on the foliage
of some coniferous or deciduous tree or shrub, depending on the species.
Dean Morewood, Entomologist, Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Ottawa. |
#431 This was found in a carpeted area of my unfinished
basement suburban Chicago, Illinois. What is it????? Kier.
This is a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
in the genus Scarites. They are considered beneficial, as they are
voracious predators on other small arthropods.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
It's definitely a beetle
and almost certainly a "ground beetle" (Family Carabidae). Ground beetles
are almost all predators (check out those jaws!) that prey on other insects.
Dean Morewood, Entomologist, Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Ottawa. |
|
Most pest professionals will gladly help you identify a
pest. Find a pest
professional near you.
|
#430 slug? worm? leech? I found two of these creatures in the mud in my
garden near the kale. San Joquin Valley, California. It has a 3" long 1/16"
wide stretchy roundish worm like body (no segments) with a flat spade shaped
head. And two black stripes run the length of its sides. It does leave a
light slime trail. It lifts its head and sways feeling around like a blind
snake. What is it? and how do I get rid of them?
This looks like a terrestrial
planarian (flatworm), such as Bipalium kewense, an introduced
species that preys on earthworms. See
http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/bipalium_kewense.htm
for an image, and
http://cals.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/pdf/Nov03.pdf
for more information.
According to the latter reference, about the only control method available
appears to be to dry out your planting areas as much as possible.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#429
Hello, I found
this fly out on an elderberry shrub. I have never seen one like it before.
There was only one single fly and I have been able to find the same fly many
times on the same plant in the last two weeks. It isn’t a pest as far as I
can see, but it was such a bizarre looking fly, and I can’t get an ID of it
from anywhere off the internet, so I turned to your website hoping you might
be able to ID it. I live near Port Angeles, Washington. Thanks for your
time. Eli O.
This fly bears a striking resemblance to
Paracantha culta (Diptera: Tephretidae). However, Washington state appears to be
outside the reported range for this species, so if you can capture one, I
suggest that you take it to the nearest Washington State University Cooperative
Extension Service office for assistance in identification. See
http://ext.wsu.edu/locations/ for
links to contact information. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#428 hi there, my bathroom has suddenly become covered in this
tiny beetle things! they seem to like the shower curtain most, and they have
only appeared in the last three weeks, but they are popping up everywhere in
there now. i keep hovering them up, and within the hour a whole load more
have appeared. the don't really do anything, just sit on things, and
occasionally jump (fly? not sure--too fast!) to a new location. i live in
England, so they may not exist in Canada/USA. i couldn't find any English
sites that offered an identifying board thanks Pete :(
I cannot be certain, but because of
the way the head is positioned beneath the prothorax, it may be an Anobiid
(drugstore/deathwatch beetles) or a Bostrichid (twig borers). Some members
of either family can be household pests, including boring into old timbers
in wooden structures. Are there any professional pest control companies in
your area that you could consult? See
http://www.pestcontrolportal.com/sort_search2.asp?txtSearchText=pco
for some links.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#427 Hello, We have this bug in our flat in London, England. It
looks similar to, but not the same as, a beetle on your invaluable website.
Wed be very grateful if you could let us know exactly what it is, and, more
importantly, how to get rid of it. Thanks, Ian
I hesitate to guess on
this one, but if it is relatively soft-bodied, it might be a soldier beetle
(Coleoptera: Cantharidae). These beetles often are found on flowers. The
adults primarily are pollen feeders whereas the larvae are predaceous.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
#426 I sure hope someone out there can help us! This is the second one
of these Mommas found near entrances of our home. They carry lots of babies
on their backs that make them appear "fuzzy". We live in the SE area of
Tennessee in a wooded area. (found April and May) Thank you, Alicia
This appears to be a female wolf
spider. They often carry their young about on their back for a short period
after the spiderlings hatch. See
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/CritterFiles/casefile/spiders/wolf/wolf.htm
for more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
This is
definitely a wolf spider of some kind. Many wolf spiders don't have webs so
they have to become nomadic which means that they have to carry their egg
sacs with them until they hatch and are able to fend for themselves. Not
very many wolf spiders have banded legs so I'm going to say that it's a
northern wolf spider, but you may want to check other sources. Jacob Duarte,
aspiring arachenologist |
#425 Hi, we live in
Williams Lake, BC. And we have these little bugs that we cannot identify.
They are in our house - as well as being all over outside. These
little guys look grey and are about 1/2 inch long. They are soft bodied and
don't seem to have a "shell". They like to jump - about 2-3 inches - when
you disturb them. They seem to like darkness and move a lot during the
night. The top right photo is a scan of the underside of the bug. The rest
are digital pictures taken with a webcam. We would really appreciate
knowing what they are. Thank you very much! Have a great day!
Christina
|
#424 Hi there, This pest is about 1 - 1.5cm in length , is
usually silver in colour and black at the tip, with a pair of antennas. It
has been crawling out of under cracks beneath the bathtub and cracks between
the kitchen shelves and the floor. It usually crawls out one or two at a
time. I was hoping that you could help me identify what kind of pest it is
and whether it is harmful. . Thank you very much. Sincerely, Pai
Although the photo is very fuzzy, the
general shape of the insect as well as the description is consistent with it
being a silverfish or firebrat (order Thysanura). These primitive insects
thrive under moist conditions and can be minor household pests. They seldom
do any substantial damage, but cause annoyance by their presence. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2108.html
for a fact sheet that includes preventive and control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
#423 hi, i live in
Cockeysville, Maryland, USA. It was about 8 o clock on may 26th(today) when
we saw this HUGE bee looking insect buzzing around our light in the kitchen.
I sprayed it with RAID so that is why its all curled over, i just found it
odd that this insect was so large. We also have a bumble bees nest outside
close to that house if that helps. Thank you in advance for your help.
Scott
This is Vespa crabro, the European
hornet. It was introduced into the US, and has spread rapidly in the east.
The good news is that unlike their smaller native cousins, they do not
appear to be particularly aggressive. We have a colony off one end of our
house, but we never have been stung by them. My main beef is that they strip
the bark from the twigs of our lilac bush! See
http://www.vespa-crabro.de/hornets.htm
for more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#422 We live in mid-Michigan. This little beetle often appears in the
house (we find maybe one or two a week), more often in summer, mostly on the
paintwork though that might be just because that's where they're easily
seen. They seem to range from about 1 to 3 mm long, with this one being
about 2mm (so sorry about the fuzzy pic). This is the first one I've seen
with wings... he could fly in short hops at least. I thought it was a larder
beetle at first due to the colouring, but as I can see from other parts of
your site, it's not the right shape. Any ideas? Sam
This beetle appears to
be one of the so-called ‘carpet beetles’ in the genus Anthrenus. They belong
to the same family (Dermestidae) as the larder beetle. The adult beetles are
pollen feeders and do no damage; they often are found indoors on window
sills. The larvae are the ones that do the dirty work, attacking a wide
variety of proteinaceous materials, including woolen materials. If you have
any carpets that contain wool, you may wish to examine them closely for
signs of damage. See www.fsd-vss.ch/schadlinge/
anthrenus_larve.htm and
http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/BEETLE94.gif for images of
larvae.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 #421
We just today (May 22, 2005) discovered a great many of these iridescent
blue-green caterpillars in our sage bushes (and nowhere else). This is in
northern New Mexico, US, elevation 6000 ft. They're pretty, but will they be
beautiful butterflies, or some kind of pests? Thanks for help. John M.
Although the
photo is not entirely clear, I believe that I can see prolegs on the first
two abdominal segments. This would identify them as larvae of sawflies
(Hymenoptera, most likely family Tenthredinidae) rather than caterpillars. I
am not aware of any sawflies being economically important as sagebrush
pests, but you may wish to take specimens to the nearest county office of
the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service
(affiliated with New Mexico State University in Las
Cruces) for further assistance in identification and any control advice. See
http://cahe.nmsu.edu/county/ for contact
information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These
could be leaf beetle larvae, family Chrysomelidae. Many species have larvae
that are dark metallic blue-black like this. For several examples, see:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/180/bgimage?from=24 Jim
McClarin |
#420 Hi ; Last summer my husband noticed this spider in our
garden. It stood out because of the colour and markings. In the picture that
I'm sending, the hand you see is not touching the spider, it is being held a
couple of inches away. We live in Ottawa, Ontario. Is this a common
spider? I've never noticed it before. My biggest concern is whether or not
it is harmless. Thank you for your help. N. Mallory.
This is a harmless (to humans) orb
weaver (Argiope aurantia), known as the garden spider or the black and
yellow argiope. If you scroll down through the postings on this forum, you
should find several other examples. They usually are noticed in late summer
as the females mature and reach their full size. We often have them in our
flower beds as well as in our vegetable garden. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#419 This little group of insects was on an outside wall of my home in
Dallas. There appear to be very young ones, that were almost transparent, in
among the adults. The larger ones have little spines on their abdomens and
their eyes are black. Was this perhaps a swarm around a queen? Are they in
the ant family? If so I haven't been able to find them. What are they? I am
so curious! Deborah
These are nymphs
of true bugs (order Hemiptera); however, at this early stage in their
development, I cannot be certain as to what family these belong. The ‘almost
transparent’ ones are actually just the empty exoskeletons shed during their
first molt. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#418 Please help me identify
this flying insect. I found many on an Oak tree last night. I live in
Virginia Beach, VA. they're about 1cm long, with blue black wings and an
orange/yellow thorax. I'm concerned they may be wood-boring insects.
Thanks,
John
These are not wood borers of any
kind, but likely are fungus gnats, whose larvae feed on a variety of decomposing
organic matter as well as on fungi. See # 401 for another example.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#417
I live in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Last
night while outside I heard a wood munching sound coming from my neighbors
fence. Then there were piles of wood/ saw dust around the fence. Upon
tearing down the board of wood from the fence and cracking it open we found
cocoons inside perfect burrowed holes. There was not a living or
moving organism in there that we could see. We shined the flashlight on the
board and there were extremely small holes in the wood at different
intervals down the wood, they were only visible when shining a light through
the hole. Before we pried the board off completely, we thought a yellow
jacket or some other flying bee/wasp flew out and landed on the ground but
it was dark and we could not see it. I have attached pictures of the cocoons
and of the tunnel inside the board. Please help us figure out what this is,
I am very interested and would like to tell my neighbor what I find out!!
Thank you- Sheryl Duncan
This appears to be a
nesting tunnel excavated by a carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) The female bores into
wood and constructs cells for rearing her young. The males often can be seen
hovering about as ‘guards’ in the vicinity of the nests. Although they appear
aggressive, they lack stings and are entirely harmless. The females can sting,
but usually will not do so unless actually handled. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/bees/xylocopa.htm
for a fact sheet and
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7417.html
for control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV.
|
#416 These little bugs were discovered by my wife when
she noticed she was getting bit all over whenever she sat on the couch. Sure
enough, under CLOSE inspection, I could see some of these things crawling
around on the couch. They measure 1/32 of an inch and NO bigger. They leave
no stains, residue, exoskeletons, or any evidence of their presence except
the welts on my wife. I probably won't believe you if you tell me they are
scabies, lice, common dust mites or bedbugs, (I have looked at hundreds of
pictures of each, they don't match) none of them are the right look, shape
or size. Though I suppose they could be a "young" form of one of those, but
then again I haven't seen any larger or "older" bugs on the couch. Two
Questions: What are they? And how do I get rid of them? One last note, we
live in the country (central Illinois) and we have an outdoor cat that is
very clean, but VERY suspect! Thanks for your help.
Although the image is unclear, these do
indeed appear to be mites. What kind, however, is very difficult for me to
say, as there are countless thousands of species of mites. Although your cat
may be a suspect, you also may wish to inspect any house plants for the
presence of mites. Plant pest species usually will not bite humans, but some
people can experience an allergic reaction from them. Also, some species
normally found outdoors may invade houses in large numbers. See
http://www.pestproducts.com/pests/bitingmites.htm
for a fact sheet on pest mites in general. Finally,
you might try contacting your nearest University of Illinois Extension
Service office for assistance – see
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/cie2/offices/findoffice.cfm
for contact information. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#415
Hello, I found this beetle in the
bathtub on the ground floor of our house in Victoria BC, though I’ve see
like bugs in other ground floor rooms as well. I think it’s a harmless
(beneficial ground beetle), but can you please identify? The body is around
8-10mm long by 1-2 mm wide – the stripes appear white. Thanks very
much. Dana
This appears to be a
long-horned wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), but is not a
species known to infest house structures. Because of its distinctive
appearance, a specialist in this group should be able to provide a positive
specific identification. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#414
Hello, kudos on the site... great job! I live in a 30-unit apartment
complex in downtown Toronto. Since the Spring weather has been setting in,
I've been noticing this bug everywhere: in my hallway, kitchen, bedroom, and
the main apartment laundry facilities, mostly during the day time. From
research on this and other web sites, it appears to be some sort of grain
beetle, but I don't know for sure? Any help would be great! Thanks.
Vince
This specimen does not appear to be any
species of grain-infesting beetle with which I am familiar. It could be a
cerambycid (long-horned wood-boring beetle), but what it would be doing in such
numbers in your apartment as you describe is puzzling. Hopefully, someone else
can provide a more precise identification. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#413 i found this large beetle on the ground crawling very
quickly in my backyard at night in new jersey. Dan
This is ground beetle (Coleoptera:
Carabidae) in the genus Calosoma. Often called ‘caterpillar
hunters,’ they are voracious predators on other insects. Years ago, one
species in this genus was imported from Europe to help with Gypsy moth
control. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This fairly
common beetle is Carabus nemoralis, belonging to family Carabidae. Can often
be seen in search of prey after dark. Randy Lyttle- North Rose, NY |
#412 Young entomologist son found this bug with a very long tail in
our garage. Looks like a wasp or hornet, but can not find similar picture.
We live near Kansas City MO. Please help identify the bug for curious young
man. GRC
This is an ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae),
possibly in the genus Megarhyssa. The females use their long
ovipositor (visible in the photo) to penetrate wood to lay their eggs in the
tunnels of their prey (usually larvae of wood-boring wasps or beetles). They
are harmless to humans.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#411 Please help! I saw this bug on the floor of my kitchen this
afternoon in New Jersey. I have previously found a long-horned beetle in my
home (your site ID'd it for me back in March), but this one looks a little
different. I am TERRIFIED it is a roach. Please let me know what you think.
Many thanks! Michele
This appears to be a click beetle (Coleoptera:
Elateridae). Although the larvae (“wireworms”) of some species can be
important agricultural and garden pests (see
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/wireworms.htm),
the adult beetles do no significant damage, and will not infest anything in
the house. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist, Sinks Grove, WV. |
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Click on the photos
to enlarge |
#410 Great site, very informative. Lately we've had a bunch of these
(not so) little critters scurrying around our old Montreal home. The adults
can reach up to ~4cm in length, yellowish-brown with stripes/body segments.
Sorry about the squishy-ness of this guy - he got flattened in a doorframe -
but its pretty much what they look like. Live ones don't usually wait around
for me to take their photo - they're pretty quick. On the off chance that my
roommate or I imported them, we've been to India, Europe, Taiwan and the
Philippines in the last couple of months (though we never saw them before
except here). I appreciate any help, thanks. Joanne
This is a very dead house centipede,
Scutigera coleoptrata. They are cosmopolitan in distribution, and are
general predators on other small arthropods. Although large specimens can
give a painful nip if mishandled, they are not aggressive and are for the
most part harmless to humans. See
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/housece.html
for a fact sheet. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist, Sinks Grove, WV.
This looks to be a house
centipede. You can see more detailed pictures here...
http://images.google.ca/images?q=house+centipede+picture&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ii&oi=imagest
More information can be found on this site at
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INSECTS/pill_bugs_sow_bugs_centipedes.htm
Brad Beresh |
#409 what is this creature i find under flat rocks and in the soil of
my vegetable garden and how might i get rid of them, ive tryied even digging
down 3 feet and removing each one but ther seems to be a endless supply of
them. i live in nj. -dan
This appears to be a larva (grub) of a
scarab beetle, a very large family that includes many pests (such as the
infamous Japanese beetle) as well as many valuable recyclers of organic
waste material (the ubiquitous dung beetles). Ones found in garden soil are
less likely to be important pest species than those found in lawns.
Collectively known as ‘white grubs,’ the latter can be devastating to lawns
and turf grass in general. See
http://www.caes.state.ct.us/FactSheetFiles/ValleyLaboratory/fsvl006f.htm
for information, including control recommendations, on
white grubs. We often find grubs in our vegetable garden, but have yet to
notice them to cause any real damage. We just simply remove any that we find
while digging. See
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN202 for information on
the white grubs in general. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist, Sinks Grove, WV. |
 
#408
Two pictures of
the same bug. I live in Wooded Wetlands Upstate, NY and I have found a few
(4) of these little guys over the past month. 3 in the bathrooms, 1 in the
kitchen. My thought was German Cockroach Nymphs. Although 2 of these were
dead when found, and the other two did not move very quickly. Also, I do
not see the typical antennae on these. I have been probing around with my
flashlight at night in dark rooms (under counters, fridge, stove, bathrooms)
trying to catch any adults or others, but have not seen any. I am hoping
that I am wrong. Also – due to the lack of visibly activity – any
suggestions on a remedy? D.G in NY
This is a larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius (Coleoptera:
Dermestidae). A common household pest, they will feed on a very wide variety
of proteinaceous materials, including dead insects.
See # 363 for another
example, and http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/larder_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes control
measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#407
This is a great site. It has been extremely
helpful in eliminating a few pest problems for myself and friends. I
discovered this insect in my basement. I thought it was a dust bunny because
the entire body appeared to be covered in a layer of dust (although there
was no dust in the area that I found it). It has 6 legs and antennae that
are approximately 1/2 to 3/4 its body length. It does not move quickly. Joel
Faragher, London, Ontario.
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#406 Hello, I recently found some egg cases on
our plum trees (Italian prune plums) that I haven't seen before. While I'm
not 100% sure, I think they were laid during the last month (April to
beginning of May). The cases are around 4-5 mm in diameter, dark brown in
colour, roughly spherical shape. We are located on North Pender Island, BC,
the orchard is on a south facing slope with most of the egg cases located on
the northern side of the trees. They appear to be only in our plum trees, we
also have apple trees that only have the traditional tent caterpillars ...
Any ideas what these are ? Should I be removing them or what ? Thanks ...
Niall Parker
These might be scale insects (Homoptera: Coccidae). In several species, the
females die after ovipositing in the autumn, and the eggs overwinter under
their now dead mother’s scale. However, these do not look like any of the
species that I am familiar with that are pests on plums. If no one on this
forum can provide a definitive identification, I suggest that you try
contacting entomology staff at the University of British Columbia in
Vancouver or the British Columbia Fruit Growers' Association in Kelowna to
see they may be of assistance. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
Thanks for the tip, further research
indicates it is most likely European Fruit Lecanium (Parthenolecanium corni),
the pictures I've found seem to match the scale quite closely and the life
cycle seems to fit as well (immature females overwinter, then feed and lay
eggs in May). ... Niall Parker, Pender Island, BC |
   #405
Hello - we are finding these wee buggers all over a few of our fir trees.
Can't find any info anywhere in regard to their big red bellies, two white
stripes and white hair everywhere. They seem to be chewing up the trees
(mainly the bark I suppose - boring holes) as there is sawdust all over the
bases of the firs.
Hope someone can help before they fall into our house. We are on
Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. South of
Vancouver. Thanks, Liam
These
are not wood borers, but more likely are predators on other insects on the
trees. Although I cannot be certain, they may be checkered beetles (Coleoptera:
Cleridae). Hopefully, someone more familiar with the beetles of British
Columbia can provide a better answer.
Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#404 Attached is
a picture of my big bug. It was found desiccated in my work room, behind
some lumber. This room is adjacent to our mechanicals room. Here in New
Mexico (near Albuquerque) we don’t see these critters often. Even our pest
control guys have never seen one. There were some more pieces to this guy
originally, skinny leg parts which got lost in the translation to a Jpeg
file. Someone said it might be a “vinagaroon” or staghorn. Can you all
identify it? Thanks, Gary, Corrales, New Mexico
This is a whip scorpion, an
arachnid in the order Uropygi (also placed in Pedipalpida or
Thelyphonida by some authorities). Some species in this group are called vinegaroons
because they give off a vinegar-like order when disturbed. They are
general predators on other small arthropods and are non-venomous – see
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/arachnids/whipscorpion/Vinegarroon.shtml.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#403
This little
beetle was found in San Diego, CA. The biologist doing our nature walk had
no idea what it was. I don’t know if it caused the holes in the leaf that
you can see here, because I didn’t see it eating. It did move quite quickly
to hide under the leaf when it noticed us, however.
This is a true bug (order
Hemiptera) in the family Pentatomidae. They do not chew holes in leaves or
anything else as they have piercing-sucking mouth parts. Most are sap
feeders on plants, but a few are predaceous on other small arthropods. Yours
has some resemblance to the Harlequin bug (
Murgantia histrionica), a serious pest on members of the cabbage
family. For images see
http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~pjbryant/biodiv/hemipt/10.jp .
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#402 I
was opening the cottage in Port Stanley, Ontario and had been crawling
under the cottage which has a dirt floor. When I was finished and was
changing back to my street clothes I saw this bug on my ankle. I tried
picking it off and it seemed to have a grip on me with tiny pinchers ( you
can't see them in the photo). Once I had it off, I tried squishing it in a
cleanex. It had a hard back and could withstand a great deal of pressure.
It has six legs and two antennae and in the picture I sent the bug is
under the ruler so the legs may not be arranged as they normally are.
Unfortunately, on my way home I found a few more on me. So this makes me
wonder if the bugs didn't crawl onto my street clothes while they layed on
the bed and are actually from inside the cottage and not under. I hadn't
thought much of it when there was only one, but now that I had found a few
more it became a little more disconcerting. I found your web site trying
to find out what these are. Great web site. So what are these bugs?
J.P. in Port
This is a tick in the genus Dermacentor, likely the
so-called "wood tick" or "American dog tick," Dermacentor variabilis,
something you definitely do want to have attached to you! It is not out of
the question that they had been on the bed, particularly if you have cats
or dogs in the house. We frequently find ticks on our bed, courtesy of one
of our cats. We also have found them waiting for us on the frame of the
door leading from our enclosed porch to a yard facing our pasture. You can
decrease your chances of finding them indoors by keeping grass and other
vegetation close to the cottage as close-cropped as possible, and by
carefully examining pets for ticks on a daily basis. See
www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/pdfs/fs092.pdf
for a fact sheet.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
Definitely resembles a
deer tick. Common in wooded areas. Did you experience any rash, bruising
or swelling around the area where it attached to your skin? If you saw
anything like this – you should see a doctor for a Lyme disease test.
Gregg
Looks like a tick.
Craig
|
 #401
This pair of insects were found in my
back yard in Aiken County, S. Carolina. They appear to be in a swarm or
hatch stage. I suspect that the smaller is the male and the larger is the
female. The thorax of the larger appears somewhat orange, although it
doesn't show in the photo. They seem to gather around the trunks of Sweet
Gum trees and Water Oak or Pin Oak trees. Jackson, SC
These might be one of the many species
of fly known collectively as fungus gnats. The larvae are found in a wide
variety of moist, decomposing organic matter, and occasionally can be pests
indoors or in greenhouses (see
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/images/fungus1.jpg).
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
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Click on the photos
to enlarge |
A little background on a volunteer expert respondent:
Ed Saugstad.
B.S. in Entomology - NDSU, 1963.
M.S. in Entomology - Purdue University, 1967
A life-long interest in natural history. Formally trained in entomology, he
also has a personal interest in herpetology and has read widely in many
biological fields. He is a member of Entomological Society of America,
Society for Vector Ecology & National Speleological Society.
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