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| Subject | Date Asked |
| things that attach to skin | 2/11/2012 |
| Q: For the 4th time in the past 2yrs I have pulled something off my skin. The first one I pulled ... A: Betsy, I'd need to see a picture to be sure but this does not sound like an insect or mite. I think ... | |
| reinfesting insects | 2/7/2012 |
| Q: You had mentioned in a previous answer that sometimes the wreaths that your wife makes have black ... A: Alan, This beetle does not infest dry, seasoned wood so it is not a concern for the guitars (or the ... | |
| insect at the beach | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: I would like to know what kind of insect is biting my legs every morning at the beach. It sucks ... A: William, These are probably biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) also called punkies or no-see-ums. ... | |
| weird insect found in my house very frequently lately | 1/31/2012 |
| Q: I just recently began seeing these weird insects in my house very frequently lately. I don't know ... A: Nadiya, This is called a brown marmorated stink bug. These stink bugs are harmless but can become a ... | |
| Small Bug at Home | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: I recently moved into a condo with carpet. And every now and again i find a single bite on my body ... A: Jennifer, Without a picture I'm just guessing but this sounds like a carpet beetle larva (see ... | |
| insect | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: I have been watching a stink bug on the wall of my room for atleast an hour. I have always wondered ... A: Jasmine, I'm not sure what your stink bug is doing but some insects enter into a type of dormancy ... | |
| Possibly tiny white mites | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: Last night, I was looking at a photograph that was hanging on my refrigerator. As I was looking at ... A: Anthony, These are probably grain mites, also called mold mites (see ... | |
| Brown Marmorated Stink Bug | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: Mr. DeAngelis, I have had one of these little guys on the upper floor of my house for a short ... A: Rudy, If you found one indoors there's probably many more because these insects use houses for ... | |
| question about carpet beetles | 1/26/2012 |
| Q: when changing my son's sheets on his bed I noticed very small larvae on his box spring, I panicked ... A: Jennifer, Carpet beetles and carpet beetle larvae are completely harmless (see ... | |
| Insect infestation | 1/16/2012 |
| Q: I have a drywood termit question. After wood is infested by drywood termites can they emerge out of ... A: The term "finish" generally refers to paint or varnish, or a similar thick coating. Kiln drying ... | |
| Buckwheat Pillow Contents | 1/14/2012 |
| Q: I opened my pillow, to take out the buckwheat hulls, so I can launder the pillowcase. I found lots ... A: Patti, I'd need to see a picture to be sure but I don't think these are anything to be concerned ... | |
| Little white bug on window sill/kitchen | 1/11/2012 |
| Q: We have a number of little white bugs probably about 3-5 mm in length(Sydney, Australia) which keep ... A: Adrian, This is a psocid, also called a booklouse. Booklice are not related to true lice and do not ... | |
| tiny black and tan bugs? | 1/10/2012 |
| Q: I have hundreds of tiny black and tan bugs near my french door. They look like mud when they are ... A: Luke, I can't see enough detail to be certain but from your description I think these are clover ... | |
| Help! No idea what this thing is... | 1/9/2012 |
| Q: I've done a little bit of looking around on the site and I think these may be Case Bearing Moth ... A: Courtney, Your analysis is essentially correct. Inside this sac is a clothes moth larva (see ... | |
| Insect Identification | 1/5/2012 |
| Q: Good day. I do hope you can help with this bug identification. I have been searching the web for ... A: I still can't tell for sure what this is but it does not appear to be a mealybug. I think it is ... | |
| Bugs in Bedroom | 1/4/2012 |
| Q: I have been deathly afraid of catching bed bugs. My grandmother has them and I am so scared every ... A: Jaclyn, This is not a bed bug (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/bed_bug.html for a picture of a ... | |
| Insect Identification | 1/3/2012 |
| Q: Good day. I do hope you can help with this bug identification. I have been searching the web for ... A: Monique, I think your analysis is correct, these are either woolly aphids or mealybugs (I can't see ... | |
| drywood termites | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: I have a drywood termit question. After wood is infested by drywood termites can they emerge out of ... A: Alan, There are no insects that can do this (what was that site selling?). Pressure (CCA) treated ... | |
| what is this small insect? | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: I have an outdoor wooden table in the garden and recently noticed some tiny bugs on it. When I ... A: Keong, These look like psocids, also called barklice or booklice. Psocids are not related to true ... | |
| springtails in NJ | 12/28/2011 |
| Q: .The health Dept. checked a couple of samples and I was told i had head lice (I tutor children for ... A: Janine, Springtails (also called collembola; see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/springtails.html for ... | |
| drywood termites | 12/21/2011 |
| Q: I have a drywood termit question. After wood is infested by drywood termites can they emerge out of ... A: Alan, The coatings on a wood surface (paint, wallpaper, etc.) won't stop drywood termites from ... | |
| white and black bugs in greenhouse | 12/14/2011 |
| Q: I started a greenhouse with various flowers for next years baskets..they are cuttings. All very ... A: Jen, These are called aphids (see this page http://www.livingwithbugs.com/aphids.html for more info ... | |
| Fireflies | 12/7/2011 |
| Q: Hai Is there any insects that glows with white light, especially in India? Months ago, I saw ... A: Pradeep, There are many insects, and other organisms, that produce light similar to fireflies (see ... | |
| Black Polycaeon Beetle | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help me with some questions about the Black Polycaeon Bostrichide beetle. First, ... A: I don't think the old house borer has been reported in California, at least not widely. Since it is ... | |
| larvae/worm identification please | 12/4/2011 |
| Q: We've recently moved to Savannah, GA (home built in 1970) and earlier this week noticed a small, ... A: Tina, These are moth larvae that have recently hatched. Moths lay egg masses which hatch into many ... | |
| Black Polycaeon Beetle | 11/30/2011 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help me with some questions about the Black Polycaeon Bostrichide beetle. First, ... A: Alan, The black polycaon beetle is generally not as destructive as some of the other wood-boring ... | |
| larvae shell found in mini carpet cleaner | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: I am really hoping that you are help me identify these little suckers I found in my Bissell Little ... A: Emily, These appear to be pupal cases from a moth. From your description I'd guess they are clothes ... | |
| How can you successfully keep Vespula vulgaris [common wasp] in captivity? | 11/28/2011 |
| Q: I'm an amateur entomologist,i have been researching about "Vespula vulgaris" in the past 2 ... A: Keep in mind that these social wasps are much more aggressive and potentially dangerous than the ... | |
| microscopic bugs | 11/26/2011 |
| Q: I have been plagued with bugs for about 6 months now. My problem is that I can't seem to catch them ... A: Joan, I think it is very likely that what you are experiencing is not bugs at all. These sensations ... | |
| White-lined sphinx moth | 11/23/2011 |
| Q: My granddaughter found a huge caterpillar on our 4 o'clocks late this summer, so we put it in a huge ... A: Jolene, You are correct that if you release it outdoors it will freeze and die. You could provide ... | |
| can't identify | 11/20/2011 |
| Q: I found this on my deck and have never seen it or anything like it before. Thought it was an ... A: Dan, I can't see enough details to be certain but this appears to be a small true bug (Hemiptera) ... | |
| Mites | 11/18/2011 |
| Q: Like Carol (11/10/11 question), we have had something very tiny biting us (small round brown spots) ... A: Diane, Have you been able to collect any? The first step is to get a good id so we know where they ... | |
| Weird nest found in tree | 11/16/2011 |
| Q: My friend found this weird nest in a tree near his home in South Carolina and we were wondering what ... A: Heather, This is honey bee comb (hive). Normally honey bees build their colonies inside something ... | |
| Identification Of Insect | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: will really appreciate it if u can help me identify this insect, which has been photographed in ... A: Munir, I believe this is a tortoise beetle (Chysomelidae) but there are many species. See ... | |
| Wasps | 11/12/2011 |
| Q: I bought an older estate in Jupiter, FL. We have lots of space and land with a good deal of nature ... A: Jeff, I assume that you are referring to the so called social wasps, the ones that build large ... | |
| Black and white fllying mites | 11/10/2011 |
| Q: I have black and white flying mites that bite. The adult version flies as described. However, the ... A: Carol, Have you collected any of these and had them identified? Since mites don't have wings they ... | |
| A Bite | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: Several years ago the company that I work for built a warehouse to store product we get to use for ... A: Shelley, Most bites from insects, spiders and mites are at least initially painless. There are ... | |
| Advice On Possible Carpet Beetle Infestitation | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: I've recently moved in with my boyfriend and his house seems to be infested with small (0.5cm) black ... A: Jess, Can you post a close-up picture of the larvae? These sound like carpet beetle larvae but I'd ... | |
| new huge spiders in AZ? | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: I've lived in Arizona off & on since 1969 but have never come across the type of spiders I have seen ... A: Pam, Could you post a picture? There are some tropical spiders that get as large as you describe ... | |
| subterranean formosan termites in South Florida | 11/1/2011 |
| Q: Subterranean formosan termites in our condo building have entered 11 units out of 18. I have lost ... A: Joanne, The Formosan subterranean termite is an aggressive and destructive "cousin" to native ... | |
| bug and bite ID. | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: DeAngelis: I am becoming desperate and hope you can help. We live in a pre-war apt. building in ... A: I'd contact the Cooperative Extension service in NYC first. Their address is 40 E. 34th Street ... | |
| bug and bite ID. | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: DeAngelis: I am becoming desperate and hope you can help. We live in a pre-war apt. building in ... A: Julia, Bed bug bites usually resemble a bad mosquito bite - large, red and itchy (see ... | |
| Need help identifying a white bug | 10/30/2011 |
| Q: I saw this bug crawling around on my table http://i42.tinypic.com/x23y44.jpg and if anyone could ... A: T, This is called a silverfish (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/silverfish_firebrats.html for ... | |
| bugs/no-seeums | 10/29/2011 |
| Q: we have a bug problem in our home with teeny black bugs some of them are brown they bite and are ... A: Kay, The best thing to do is collect a few and get them identified. Once we know what they are ... | |
| Bed bug? | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: I found this bug at 6:30 this morning climbing the wall near my washer. My son recently spent a few ... A: Polly, The image is a weevil (Curculionidae) possibly one of the root weevil species. They are ... | |
| Hatched Egg Nest | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: I found an egg nest on my sweater, in my closet. Can you help me identify what insect this may be? ... A: Withane, This does not look like eggs to me. It look more like debris that might collect below a ... | |
| millipedes | 10/17/2011 |
| Q: i found a small 1 inch millipede at school and i was thinking oh feeding it to my gecko but decided ... A: Sam, I think it was good that you did not feed the millipede to your gecko because some millipedes ... | |
| Worm-like bugs | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: I noticed several worm-like bugs on my kitchen counter. I have never seen anything like them ... A: Devin, This is much too small for an insect or mite. There are a few plant feeding mites that are ... | |
| cocoon bites | 10/15/2011 |
| Q: my son put a t-shirt on that had been sitting outside for a few days. He was complaining of being ... A: Carrie, I can't give you medical advice but I can tell you a little about the cause. Certain ... | |
| identification of spider | 10/13/2011 |
| Q: I lifted some papers off my datebooklaying on my couch and this is what I found. What kind is it? A: Wendi, I'm sorry but it is nearly impossible to accurately id spiders from photos alone. Most ... | |
| Larva and flies? | 10/12/2011 |
| Q: For the past two years, we've had a consistent but small number of what look like small larvae show ... A: Katherine, These are dermestid beetle (carpet beetle) larvae. See ... | |
| bugs in a NYC apt that look like black sesame seed when not flying around | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: over the last couple of months I have started getting these little bugs in my apartment. As far as ... A: Costa, The images are a bit dark but these appear to be beetles possibly one of the stored product ... | |
| Bonsai bug! | 10/8/2011 |
| Q: Please help! I've discovered groupings of bugs on my Chinese bonsai tree and I need to know what ... A: Gaby, I can't tell for sure what these are but most small plant pests can be controlled with ... | |
| Small, White insect | 10/7/2011 |
| Q: I just found a small white insect (a few millimeters long) in my house. I own a microscope, so I put ... A: Nasreen, I can't be certain without a picture but the description of "tail feathers" sounds like a ... | |
| It looks a bit like a cockroach and it terrifies me! | 10/6/2011 |
| Q: I found this in my room in South Germany this morning. It looks a bit like a cockroach but doesn't ... A: Jenny, This is not a cockroach, it is a beetle possibly a long-horn beetle in the family ... | |
| mystery bug | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: Here is a pic of a bug we have been dealing with in both bathrooms. This is the biggest one so far, ... A: Lora, Sowbugs usually enter homes because the soils outside are saturated following heavy rains. ... | |
| mystery bug | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: Here is a pic of a bug we have been dealing with in both bathrooms. This is the biggest one so far, ... A: Lora, How long is it? Does it appear to have multiple legs, more than three pairs? This appears to ... | |
| Mites on my rats??? | 10/3/2011 |
| Q: For the past couple of months, my rat has had this tumor-looking growth on her side. Up until a few ... A: Shayna, I think you are referring to rat mites (also called bird mites or nest mites). See ... | |
| Identify Spider | 10/2/2011 |
| Q: DeAngelis, Can you identify the attached image of a spider. It spun a web in our power line and ... A: Sara, I don't recognise the spider but from the little bit of web visible my guess would be this is ... | |
| small black water type tick that has suddenly appeared in my bathroom | 10/1/2011 |
| Q: First on my wall, then around my sink, in the shower and most recently now around my kitchen sink ... A: Tanya, Can you estimate the size? Compare it to something familiar like the period (.) on a page or ... | |
| Bug I found and can't identify | 9/29/2011 |
| Q: I live in Vallejo California, close to San Francisco. I keep finding these bugs in my house, ... A: Jade, If you post a picture I could be certain but this sounds like dermestid beetle larvae (see ... | |
| Black bug with two brown stripes | 9/27/2011 |
| Q: In our condo we keep finding these black bugs with two brown stripes, they are oval about 1/2 inch ... A: Alison, The image is a little dark but I think this is a larder beetle (see ... | |
| Nocturnal Bites, Not Bed Bugs | 9/25/2011 |
| Q: I have been getting bit in bed. It starts about 2:00 am. It is a sharp pinch, and then itches like ... A: Itchy, There are only a small number of insects or mites that actually bite people. Here's a list ... | |
| Harvester Ants | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: Jack, I found two ant nests in a Sparks, NV park that were pretty close to each other - maybe 15-20 ... A: Bob, My guess is that both nests are harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex sp.) as carpenter ants don't ... | |
| Zebra Striped Spider | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what the name is of the Zebra Striped Spider. I found one ... A: Diana, There was no image attached to the question. However, from your description I'd guess you've ... | |
| Wee Biting Bugs | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: I'm really hoping you can help. I have been being bitten by something in my bed for nearly three ... A: I can't see the image clearly enough to be certain but these appear to be either collembola (aka ... | |
| Wee Biting Bugs | 9/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm really hoping you can help. I have been being bitten by something in my bed for nearly three ... A: Emma, Ok, post a picture when you can. If you can't get a clear picture capture a specimen in a ... | |
| Spider | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: I found this spider crawling up my shirt and almost had a panic attack. Please tell me what kind of ... A: Crystal, Spiders are almost impossible to identify from pictures alone, even clear images and this ... | |
| Tiny bugs in my apartment | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: For the past few weeks I have had odd crawling sensations on my body and in my hair mostly when I go ... A: Danny, There are no bugs that match this description but there are a number of things that can ... | |
| tiny eggs found in my daughters hair | 9/11/2011 |
| Q: i am trying to identify eggs i found in my 7 yr old daughters hair. i do not have a camera to take a ... A: Melinda, Head lice are the only insects that lay eggs in hair so if these are not head lice nits ... | |
| Small Larvae on Carpet | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: I live in Ohio and I was cleaning out my Little Green Machine (a small spot carpet cleaner)when I ... A: Jordan, I can't see the images clearly enough to be certain but these appear to by fly larvae ... | |
| Tiny Blood Bugs | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: I live in an apartment in Lincoln Nebraska and have been finding tiny spots on my bed sheets. It ... A: Emily, Could you either take a picture of the bugs or collect a few in alcohol so you can have them ... | |
| crawling biting torment | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: We have had an infestation of almost miscroscopic insects (mere dots) for over 6 weeks. They land ... A: I can't see much detail the image but it does not look like either an insect or a mite. I see no ... | |
| Spider Identification | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: Can you tell me what kind of spider this is(see attachment?) Found in Indiana. Thank you. ... A: The parsons spider is not considered to be venomous however some people can have an allergic ... | |
| Blood drops on windowsills and blinds | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: For the past few years, I have been finding occasional drops of blood on the windowsills and blinds ... A: Jill, There are no insects that leave blood drops, stink bugs feed on plants and don't excrete ... | |
| do wasps sting or bite? | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: My husband and I are trying to find out if a wasp stings or bites! Our daughter was "stung" by a ... A: Nicole, Wasps sting, not bite, and they don't leave behind a stinger like bees do. In fact that's ... | |
| black bugs that bite | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: What kind of bug is it. They are very annoying, what can I do to get rid of them! please help ... A: Tina, I can't tell for sure because the image is so dark but I think this is one of the stored ... | |
| Small bugs on clothes in closet | 9/1/2011 |
| Q: When I looked in my closet around 2am last night I noticed 3 small transluscent bugs crawling on my ... A: Glad Extension worked out. I send a fair number of people to that office but I've never gotten any ... | |
| Small bugs on clothes in closet | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: When I looked in my closet around 2am last night I noticed 3 small transluscent bugs crawling on my ... A: The first place I'd try is the Cornell Cooperative Extension office at 40 E. 34th Street Suite 606 ... | |
| Small bugs on clothes in closet | 8/30/2011 |
| Q: When I looked in my closet around 2am last night I noticed 3 small transluscent bugs crawling on my ... A: Chris, I'm sorry but I can't tell from this description what this might have been. They don't sound ... | |
| Skinny black hard-to-squish insect? | 8/29/2011 |
| Q: Earlier in the spring we had the occasional skinny black hard-to-squish bug in the entry-way of our ... A: Lauren, Your description sounds like some kind beetle. Unfortunately there are thousands of species ... | |
| A Flylike Bug | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: My basement (only half underground) is infested with a bug that I cannot identify (consequently ... A: Could you post a picture? Drain flies/moth flies are the most common tiny flies you find in this ... | |
| A Flylike Bug | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: My basement (only half underground) is infested with a bug that I cannot identify (consequently ... A: Sue, I think you are describing a drain fly, sometimes called a moth fly because the wings are ... | |
| lawn pest | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: a 1.5 -2 cm hard shell black bug w/wings, characterized by 2 distinct orange bands across the back. ... A: I'm out of guesses for the black & orange beetles but here's some info about chinch bugs for future ... | |
| lawn pest | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: a 1.5 -2 cm hard shell black bug w/wings, characterized by 2 distinct orange bands across the back. ... A: Carol, The "C"-shaped grubs are a type of beetle larvae called white grubs (see ... | |
| Insect bites infecting every 2, 3 weeks | 8/26/2011 |
| Q: I am 28 years old and I am Italian. I got the first bites in London, beginning of July. 5 bites on ... A: Albie, I'd ask a dermatologist why these infections keep coming back and follow their advice. I ... | |
| Insect bites infecting every 2, 3 weeks | 8/26/2011 |
| Q: I am 28 years old and I am Italian. I got the first bites in London, beginning of July. 5 bites on ... A: Albie, Unfortunately I can't determine from your description what may have caused the infections. ... | |
| small oval redish brown bugs in my bathroom | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: We have recently found these tiny flea sized bugs that are reddish brown with oval bodies (the shape ... A: Emily, This description does not match any of the common household pests. Your best option may be ... | |
| Small White Insect | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: My sister recently noticed very small solitary insects crawling on her skin when she was laying in ... A: Antonia, The best thing to do is collect a few and get them identified. Use a damp Q-tip to pick ... | |
| stung by the unknown in Alabama | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: I was stung on the index finger while mowing grass in Alabama..It was off white, smushy, slimy that ... A: Leigh, The description of the symptoms of the bite sound like an assassin bug (Reduviidae) but ... | |
| spider ID, possible Steatoda (UK)? | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: itching and inflammation of the lower leg, initially misdiagnosed (we think) as varicose eczema or ... A: This does resemble Steatoda grossa one of the "false black widow" spiders. To be certain you'd need ... | |
| spider ID, possible Steatoda (UK)? | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: itching and inflammation of the lower leg, initially misdiagnosed (we think) as varicose eczema or ... A: Russell, The URL takes me to a login page that I can't get into. Could you post the image here? ... | |
| Strange insect bite | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: I was recently bitten by a strange insect in my moms pool. I was sitting on the stair when I got ... A: Natalie, I think you may have been stung rather than bitten. There are no insects that fit the ... | |
| Bug infestation in loft and spreading... | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: We bought a property(in the UK)just over one year ago, which we have been been completely renovating ... A: Spider beetles are not mites. Mites have eight legs spider beetles have six. I believe I can see ... | |
| Bug infestation in loft and spreading... | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: We bought a property(in the UK)just over one year ago, which we have been been completely renovating ... A: These are mites, possibly oribatid mites. Accurate mite identification generally requires ... | |
| Bugs found in the house | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I have found these bugs on my windowsills in the evening and morning. I've been living in the house ... A: David, I can't see the image clearly enough to id but it does not appear to be any of the usual ... | |
| Biting Flies Prince William Sound AK | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: My dad has a special fishing spot in Prince William Sound Alaska called Jack Pot Bay. Its a few hour ... A: Renee, These are called black flies (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/black_fly.html for a ... | |
| Small dinasaur looking bug | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: Found this at the base of a dying young sow-thistle plant and found another one like it in a raised ... A: Matt, I'm pretty sure this is an immature leafhopper but I don't recognise the species. It is so ... | |
| biting bug... | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: Jack, For over a year now we have been fighting a mysterious bug and it has caused us alot of money ... A: Kate, This question is all too common both here and at my website (http://www.livingwithbugs.com). ... | |
| Bug ID | 7/8/2011 |
| Q: They were in my garage on the wall and looked like they were eating the paint covered drywall. I'm ... A: Steven, You're right it is difficult to id insects without a picture so I'm only guessing. If the ... | |
| House Bugs | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: My roommate and I found quite a few small black beetle like bugs (several dozen) with red legs, the ... A: Melanie, I think these are dermestid beetles, possibly the black carpet beetle. See ... | |
| Black Carpet Beetle or Bed Bug? | 7/6/2011 |
| Q: We found several of these insects in my apartment in NYC. Most were found on the hard wood floor, ... A: Kevin, These are beetles, not bed bugs. The image is not clear enough to be certain (also no ... | |
| Small dinasaur looking bug | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: Found this at the base of a dying young sow-thistle plant and found another one like it in a raised ... A: Matt, The image never made it but from your description you may have found an immature assassin bug ... | |
| Very tiny black bugs: Please help to I.D. | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: Can you please help us figure out what this is so we can get rid of them? They tend to go in and ... A: Lisa, No image is attached however these sound like springtails. Take a look at this page ... | |
| Small bugs | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: My friend has told me that she has found several small black bugs in her hair everyday. She says it ... A: Kaycee, This does not sound like any of these. Ticks and fleas don't infest hair nor do they cause ... | |
| Small caterpillar-like bug in bathroom | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: We have seen these small bugs in our bathroom (on the second floor)for the past month or so. We have ... A: Karen, This is the larvae of a dermestid beetle (see ... | |
| Odd bug on my cucumbers | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a variety of bug on my cucumber plants that I've never seen. For general geographical ... A: Maggie, I'm sorry but there's not enough information here to make an identification. If you get a ... | |
| Need Help Identifying Bites/Stings | 6/25/2011 |
| Q: We feel the bugs more than see them. They start biting as the sun goes down. I see black dots, no ... A: Sharlene, Your description is all too common. I get very similar questions at least once a week ... | |
| Bug and bite type | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: I have many bug bites all over my body. I seem to get them at night. I have checked for bed bugs, ... A: Jamey, Can you post a picture of the football-shaped bugs? I can't tell from this description what ... | |
| mystery bug | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: Could you help me identify this bug? We were visiting an Alpaca Farm in Lancaster County ... A: Tricia, Excellent picture, consider submitting it to www.bugguide.net for their database. This is ... | |
| flying insect id question | 6/18/2011 |
| Q: I live in Lake Havasu city, AZ. My son and I saw a flying insect today and are trying to find out ... A: Laura, Without a picture I'm only guessing but this sounds like a wasp in the family Pompilidae, ... | |
| bugs | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: About two days ago i noticed few tiny bugs (Brown color) on my computer. Then today i had the same ... A: Ashley, I can't tell for sure from your description what these are but they may be clover mites. ... | |
| Could this be a brown recluse? | 6/13/2011 |
| Q: Yesterday, I saw what looked like a brown recluse scurry very quickly across my baby's bedroom floor ... A: Anything is possible but there are so many spiders that can be mistaken for the brown recluse that I ... | |
| Could this be a brown recluse? | 6/13/2011 |
| Q: Yesterday, I saw what looked like a brown recluse scurry very quickly across my baby's bedroom floor ... A: Megan, The brown recluse spider does not occur in New Jersey. See ... | |
| Outdoor Bug? | 6/11/2011 |
| Q: My sister and I live in South Carolina, and we were swimming outside in our pool - I noticed that ... A: Candace, The only insect I can think of that even remotely matches your description, can bite with ... | |
| Ant like bug | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: I found a "nest" of bugs in my garden that I've never seen before. They loOk to be black ants, they ... A: Kate, Without a picture I'm only guessing but this does sound like some kind of ant. I think the ... | |
| Tiny beetle-like bugs in shower coming from attic | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: This is the second year that a lot of tiny beetle-like bugs have descended from my attic through a ... A: Rickey, The image is too blurry to use but from your description and the shape in the image I agree ... | |
| insect bite | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: I was at the Detroit zoo yesterday and a very tiny red flying insect landed on me and bit me on my ... A: Ellen, I doubt that the two things are related. Without more of a description or a picture I can't ... | |
| Bugs! In Tub & Sink | 6/5/2011 |
| Q: I have noticed small bugs in the sink the last few days but didnt think much of it (just disinfected ... A: I think from your description these are springtails (see ... | |
| small bugs on deck | 6/2/2011 |
| Q: I live near Chicago, Illinois. We recently built a treated pine deck. I have noticed small, ... A: Stephanie, These sound like springtails (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/springtails.html for a ... | |
| Tiny brown/gray oval shaped bugs on wood deck | 6/1/2011 |
| Q: These tiny bugs come in 2 sizes: pin head and flea.They are not prevalent in the winter and just ... A: Jessica, Your description sounds like springtails (see ... | |
| Bugs in my Cottage | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: I have a cottage in Lexington, MI, and when opening it the last 2 years I have found evidence of ... A: You are describing pupal cases of clothes moths (see the last photo on the clothes moth page marked ... | |
| Bugs in my Cottage | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: I have a cottage in Lexington, MI, and when opening it the last 2 years I have found evidence of ... A: Carol, These are very likely the pupal cases of either carpet beetles or clothes moths. My first ... | |
| Garden Pest ID | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: I've got an Atlanta vegetable garden planted in late April. When I water recently, I've noted a ... A: Sean, I'd need a photo to give you an id but this might not be a plant pest at all. Most insects ... | |
| Small black bug | 5/24/2011 |
| Q: I have been living in my apartment (wooden floor) for more than a year and a half now. Out of ... A: Andy, I'm sorry but I can't see it clearly enough to id. Probably not bed bugs since bed bugs would ... | |
| Bug that looks like mouse dropping | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: Do any of you know what this is? I first discovered them last year in my bathroom and at first ... A: Still looks like one of the dermestid beetles. My guess is you have a small infestation somewhere ... | |
| very tiny black bug | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: My mom lives in a retirement community, and has recently discovered VERY tiny black bugs in her bed. ... A: Lisa, The first step is to collect a few so they can be examined under a microscope. Use a damp ... | |
| Bug that looks like mouse dropping | 5/22/2011 |
| Q: Do any of you know what this is? I first discovered them last year in my bathroom and at first ... A: Tony, I can't see much detail in the photo but from the overall shape and your description I think ... | |
| cocoon? | 5/20/2011 |
| Q: Is this a cocoon and what type, or is this a seed pod? Found on an oak tree. There appears to be a ... A: Mamie, This is a gall that is made by a tiny wasp called a cynipid gall wasp. The wasp actually ... | |
| I keep finding this bugs in my house | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: Hey, I keep finding these small bugs in my room they seem to look like tiny beetles with a black ... A: Brad, I can't tell much from the image but from your description I think you have larder beetles. ... | |
| Widows | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I am living in Cyprus and so far it appears that widows have only been identified in the ... A: Scott, Excellent photo. I'm always reluctant to id spiders by photos alone because they can be so ... | |
| Bedbug or Stinkbug? | 5/16/2011 |
| Q: I was very alarmed yesterday to find a bug in my bed! Convinced it was a bedbug, I started cleaning ... A: Ian, This does not sound like a bed bug. It sounds like a brown marmorated stink bug. These bugs ... | |
| parasitic worm | 5/15/2011 |
| Q: .I am battling a microscopic worm that I have found on plants, my dogs, and myself. They are ... A: Jane, I'm not able to accept samples but there's an excellent Cooperative Extension network in the ... | |
| tiny bugs in kitchen | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I live in Nashville, TN. I have extra tiny gray or brown bugs appearing in my kitchen sink ... A: Teresa, These sound like springtails. Springtails sometimes jump/hop when disturbed and are very ... | |
| identify a bug | 5/13/2011 |
| Q: I seen a bug and I don't know what it is its about the size of a dime its reminds me of a bumble bee ... A: Crystal, I can't say for sure without a picture but you might be describing a velvet ant. These ... | |
| Flying pest | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: Trying to identify this annoying little flying bug. I live about an hour north of Detroit on a lake, ... A: Aaron, The picture is at an odd angle and I can't see all the characteristics I'd need to be sure ... | |
| PowderPost Attack | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: Last year we purchased a large wooden bookcase which we recently found to be infested with ... A: Melissa, Powderpost beetles can't infest wood that is sealed with a finish so it is unlikely that ... | |
| carpet beetles | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: Jack, We have a vacation home and during the last few years in the spring, we notice carpet beetles ... A: The source of the infestation must be inside the unit. There's no need to be overly concerned ... | |
| carpet beetles | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: Jack, We have a vacation home and during the last few years in the spring, we notice carpet beetles ... A: Cristie, Carpet beetles can infest a wide variety foods and natural fabrics so pinpointing the ... | |
| Tiny brown bugs in house | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: We live in Michigan and recently found these incredibly tiny brown bugs in our bathroom and hanging ... A: Lisa, There are very few insects that actually have blood inside them (mosquitoes, black flies, and ... | |
| BedBugs? | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: We live in Northern CaliforniiaOver the last week and a half alf my boyfriend and I began getting ... A: Kayless, This is not bed bugs. Bed bugs are fairly large (1/4") and easy to find plus the bites ... | |
| Small, black, domed hard-shelled bugs | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: I don't have a picture handy, but I was hoping you could help me identify a bug I keep finding in my ... A: Qwerrty30, My first guess is dermestid beetles (carpet beetles) or possibly spider beetles. Spider ... | |
| Tiny bugs in my apartment | 5/1/2011 |
| Q: I live in Chicago and have been finding little bugs in the kitchen and bathroom of my apartment. The ... A: Lauren, This is a spider beetle. Spider beetles are minor stored product pests which will ... | |
| Small Black Bug with Brown Stripe | 4/30/2011 |
| Q: We have small black bugs with a brown stripe across the middle. They are very slow moving and have ... A: Nancy, This is a larder beetle. The larvae of this beetle feed on high protein food sources like ... | |
| worm on smoke tree | 4/29/2011 |
| Q: Last summer, there were numerous tiny green worms on my smoke tree. This was either the 2nd or 3rd ... A: Kathy, Sorry but I'm not the squirrel expert (see my profile), I only do bugs. However, I'd suggest ... | |
| Flying Insects in my Apartment | 4/29/2011 |
| Q: Just this month I am seeing these bugs on my walls in my apartment. They fly and although small are ... A: Much better pic, thanks. This is a true bug (Hemiptera). Some species (boxelder bug, certain stink ... | |
| Little bugs in my bed (and cat) | 4/28/2011 |
| Q: I just returned from a week long trip and while brushing/grooming my cat, there was some small-- ... A: I don't think the fogger will do much good, foggers to do a very poor job reaching all the nooks and ... | |
| strange cricket like insect | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: I live in southern West Virginia and found this weird cricket like creature under my wooden deck and ... A: Emily, Sounds like a cave cricket but I'd need a picture to be sure. You might google the term ... | |
| RE:- ATTACHMENT | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: I'd be grateful for help in identifying the beetle in the attached photo. The one we have found is ... A: Lorraine, This is a scarab beetle (Scarabidae) which is a very large and diverse group. For a ... | |
| what was the multilegged bug that tried to crawl into my nose | 4/25/2011 |
| Q: I was awakened early this morning by a small (about half an inch or just under) multilegged dark bug ... A: ADJ01, This sounds like a small house centipede (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/centipede.html ... | |
| Fleas | 4/24/2011 |
| Q: Last year in June I had a flea infestion. I have no pets and parents who live a different location ... A: Rachel, Since the dog/cat flea can't survive by feeding on us alone this must be either another ... | |
| Bedbugs | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I first started feeling an itch while at the library. For the longest time I thought it was fleas ... A: Brenda, I don't think these are bed bugs. Bed bugs are fairly large and easy to see (see ... | |
| Bugs biting me | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: to make a long story short I took in a young puppy and he brought in fleas, I put my cat and dog on ... A: At this point your best option is to collect a few in alcohol (use a damp Q-tip) so they can be ... | |
| what is this insect? How can i eliminate it? | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: Recently my whole house has been infested by this small tiny bug (which is <1mm for it's adult bug). ... A: Willy, This is a psocid (booklouse). They can be very common in damp, older structures where they ... | |
| Bugs biting me | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: to make a long story short I took in a young puppy and he brought in fleas, I put my cat and dog on ... A: Cynthia, What you are describing is not fleas. Fleas are large enough to easily see and their bite ... | |
| Insect/spider | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: Found in upstairs bathroom, Southern Ontario. Spiderlike (middle of night so dozy and didn't count ... A: Tony, You are describing a pseudoscorpion (google this name for images). They are completely ... | |
| Cockroaches in the Pacific NW | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: There are a few varieties of roaches you can find occasionally in homes, apartments, etc in my state ... A: Cockroaches don't do this sort of "hitch-hiking", like some other insects do. The peridomestic ... | |
| worm on smoke tree | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: Last summer, there were numerous tiny green worms on my smoke tree. This was either the 2nd or 3rd ... A: Neem oil insecticide (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/neem_oil.html for info) is a good organic ... | |
| Cockroaches in the Pacific NW | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: There are a few varieties of roaches you can find occasionally in homes, apartments, etc in my state ... A: David, Certain species of cockroaches are pretty much cosmopolitan. Peridomestic (associated with ... | |
| Help..2 years and still having bug problems. | 4/17/2011 |
| Q: I am in desperate need of help.. I've been dealing with bites on and off for 2 years and I can no ... A: Michelle, I think you've done a good job of ruling out the usual culprits in these type of cases ... | |
| Little bugs in my bed (and cat) | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: I just returned from a week long trip and while brushing/grooming my cat, there was some small-- ... A: Cristina, Can you post a picture? I can't tell from this description alone what these are. They ... | |
| worm on smoke tree | 4/11/2011 |
| Q: Last summer, there were numerous tiny green worms on my smoke tree. This was either the 2nd or 3rd ... A: Kathy, A wide variety of landscape pests can be managed with a relatively new class of organic ... | |
| Weird Bug- what is it? | 4/10/2011 |
| Q: I was loading the car this morning in Florida (Tampa Bay area) and saw this odd spider ... A: Amanda, This is a true bug (Hemiptera) possibly in the family Reduviidae, the assassin bugs (see ... | |
| Bug Identification | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: Every year, during late Winter and early Spring, large colonies of Flea-like bugs migrate through my ... A: Maggie, This sounds like springtails (Collembola) (see ... | |
| odd grasshopper | 4/8/2011 |
| Q: Sorry I have no photo, but this concerns a strange "grasshopper"(?) I caught about 45 years ago in ... A: JGF, This must have made quite an impression on you to remember it 45 years later! I doubt that it ... | |
| wooly bear | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: I found a live wooly bear caterpillar in my basement 3 weeks ago, out in the middle of the floor. I ... A: Diane, The higher temps probably will cause the moth to emerge earlier than normal, but it would ... | |
| Kentucky mystery bug | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I found this bug, actually there were two last night, 4/3/2011 on my backporch last night, and ... A: Rachel, This is a long-horned beetle (Cerambycidae; see ... | |
| Carpet Beetle? maybe, maybe not. | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: I have seen a couple of these around my house, and I was wondering what exactly there were and how ... A: Tiffany, This is a dermestid beetle, sometimes called a carpet beetle (see ... | |
| What Stung Me? | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: I live in the country, about halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Florida. About four nights ... A: Tony, I suspect you encountered an assassin bug (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae for ... | |
| household flying | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: I am at my wits end . we have found these bugs in cereal, bread etc (nothing in refrigerated items) ... A: Roni, This sounds like Indian meal moth (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mealmoth.html for info ... | |
| something bit me... | 3/29/2011 |
| Q: I got bitten by "something" and only started itching yesterday morning (was sitting on the sofa, so ... A: Sara, Lots of things, both living and non-living, can cause this kind of lesion. However, from your ... | |
| spider | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: I just killed a small black spider in my basement. One got away from me in the same room a few days ... A: Annie, The spider you describe is definitely not a black widow (see ... | |
| Skin and home infestation | 3/27/2011 |
| Q: For over a month now, I've been being bitten whether I'm at home or not (but especially while I'm at ... A: Brandi, I have gotten a lot of questions like your's over the last 20 years. While this generalized ... | |
| Mite id | 3/26/2011 |
| Q: Can you please help to identify the mite in the attached pictures? A: Graham, This mite belongs to a very large group of free-living predators call gamasid mites ... | |
| fleas | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: do fleas make an audible noise? i know this may sound crazy ,but i was combing my cat with a flea ... A: Elisha, As far as I know fleas don't make any sounds like you describe. Could it have been ... | |
| Tiny insect crawling out of crack in deck post | 3/24/2011 |
| Q: Several of these were seen crawling in and out of the cracks in the treated lumber timbers that are ... A: Derek, Do you have a pix that is closer? I know this insect is small (2-3mm?) but I can't see ... | |
| Bed bug or bat bug? | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: .. We've found a few of these critters during the day on our living room floor crawling around. We ... A: The only common way that bat bugs get into homes is when bats roost in chimneys or attics. You can ... | |
| Bed bug or bat bug? | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: .. We've found a few of these critters during the day on our living room floor crawling around. We ... A: Lee, I would not expect to find either bat bugs or bed bugs crawling around on a living room floor ... | |
| carpet beetle advice | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: .I was hoping you could provide me with some advice on carpet beetles. I first discovered a few of ... A: This number probably means you have a small infestation somewhere in the house. Could be from ... | |
| Yellow jackets | 3/21/2011 |
| Q: Its time for me to hang traps out in the vineyard, but at this time Northern California is ... A: Deb, The only yellowjackets flying at this time of the year in your area would be queens that are ... | |
| Tiny, round, flesh-coloured bug? | 3/21/2011 |
| Q: I noticed a very tiny, flesh coloured bug on my skin today. It almost perfectly blended in with my ... A: Ella, I'm sorry but I can't tell from this description what this might have been but it was not a ... | |
| African insect bites | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: I am in Blantyre, Malawi, Africa and 2 days ago I was hiking on mt. Mulange, there was some small ... A: Ok, at this point the only thing to do is collect a few in alcohol so they can be examined more ... | |
| bugs | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: lots of these bugs just invaded my yard and r all over house .what the heck r they? A: Allyson, This appears to be a weevil, but there are thousands of species of weevils. You might want ... | |
| Bug identification | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: Found this in my back garden last week but I'm really struggling to identify it. A: Jen, I can't see it clearly but it is a hemipteran (true bug). This is a very large and diverse ... | |
| African insect bites | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: I am in Blantyre, Malawi, Africa and 2 days ago I was hiking on mt. Mulange, there was some small ... A: Sherry, You are describing a black fly (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/black_fly.html for a ... | |
| Ground Hornets | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: Besides using gasoline, is there anyway I can eliminate ground hornets; Are there any pre-treatment ... A: Dionne, Gasoline should NEVER be used to treat ground-nesting yellowjackets (hornets), it is very ... | |
| Bites every 3-4 weeks | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: I have been getting bitten every 3-4 weeks the bites are never rite next toone another its usually ... A: Jessica, Unfortunately it is impossible to say what's causing these lesions at this point. ... | |
| Bugs in my kitchen. | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: These insects have been in my kitchen for months and I've looked everywhere for an answer. I can't ... A: Haley, Can you tell me approximately how big this insect is? Also, tell me where you live ... | |
| unknown bug | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: I have recently started seeing these tiny, could probably sit on the tip of a pencil. They are tiny ... A: Rebecca, My guess, without seeing a picture, would be dermestid carpet beetles (see ... | |
| tiny black beetles | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I live in the UK and for the past month or so I have found some tiny black beetles appearing on the ... A: Janine, While I can't say for certain without see them, I think these are a type of dermestid ... | |
| carpet beetle advice | 3/10/2011 |
| Q: .I was hoping you could provide me with some advice on carpet beetles. I first discovered a few of ... A: Juliette, You are exactly right about most homes harbouring at least a small number of carpet ... | |
| Oh what is this? | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: Hey there, I was really hoping you could tell me what this strange pod thing is! Thank you so much! A: Laura, This is a case made by a caterpillar (moth) that lives inside. The moths are called ... | |
| tiny black bugs in the kitchen | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: I would like to identify tiny black bugs in my kitchen. Exterminators told me that they are bugs ... A: Nikii, I can't see the image clearly but I think this is probably a grain weevil. Grain weevils ... | |
| black bugs outside | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: There are thousands of tiny black bugs outside my windows, on the window sill and even on top of the ... A: Kelly, These are probably springtails (Collembola). See ... | |
| 0.5mm black bug | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: I have found round black bugs that are <0.5mm to 1mm in my flat. They are found in daylight and ... A: Heather, I can't tell from this description what these are. If you capture a few I may be able to ... | |
| Weird black bugs | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: Lately I have been seeing tiny black bugs and I have no idea what they are.. We have carpet upstairs ... A: Most homes have carpet beetles, they are very common. However, check your stored food products like ... | |
| Weird black bugs | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: Lately I have been seeing tiny black bugs and I have no idea what they are.. We have carpet upstairs ... A: Michael, Can you tell me how large these are in terms of inches or mm? Do you mean the thickness of ... | |
| fluffy worms :S | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: i have found a few of these bugs crawling up my walls and i wanna know what they r, if they r ... A: Chris, This is a clothes moth larva and the larva lives inside the "fluffy" sac. See ... | |
| Moving Cocoons in House | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: I have recently come across some moving cocoons, which are 1cm in length and like a roll, 2mm ... A: Clare, Excellent picture and description of a clothes moth larva. The part that looks like a cocoon ... | |
| small unidentified flying insect/bug | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: these are in one of my bedrooms they are quite small -1/4 inch max-greyish.white.very thin gauzy ... A: We need to first identify them, then we'll know what to do next. Once you catch a few in alcohol ... | |
| identifie insect in my home | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: deangelis, i'm starting to think i should be lodked up. at the begining of summer 2010, i was ... A: Kim, The best thing to do is to collect a few of these and get them identified by a qualified lab. ... | |
| small unidentified flying insect/bug | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: these are in one of my bedrooms they are quite small -1/4 inch max-greyish.white.very thin gauzy ... A: Susan, I can't tell from this description what these are, could you post a picture? Otherwise your ... | |
| Identify insect that bit me.... | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: I was bitten on the waist inside my t-shirt....I have the culprit but it is so small (pinhead) I ... A: Bob, Most of this description sounds like nest mites, also called bird mites or rodent mites (see ... | |
| Fruit Flies | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: Does the presence of house plants (non-fruit bearing) attract and allow for fruit flies to breed and ... A: John, No, house plants will not affect fruit flies (vinegar flies). However, house plants do ... | |
| unidentified household insect(?) | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: In our house,around the top of window recesses there are a number tiny "creatures" to be seen each ... A: Eric, Thanks for re-submitting this question. Since they don't jump, the description sounds like ... | |
| Not typical bed bug look. Is it a bed bug? | 2/24/2011 |
| Q: About 1 week ago I was bitten at night on my left lower back, about 5 bites in a cluster. The next ... A: Erin, Excellent picture of a dermestid beetle (varied carpet beetle), not a bed bug. See ... | |
| black, round bug | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: location: SF bay area a black, round bug with a shiny shell was found crawling on me while I was ... A: Roy, This looks like a carpet beetle (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/carpet_beetle.html for a ... | |
| help! Identify bugs found in laundry room.. | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: I have been seeing these little crawling bugs lately in my laundry room. Not too many.. I thought ... A: Krisondra, I'd need to see a picture to be sure but these sound like dermestid beetle larvae (also ... | |
| cocoon ID in field | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: I live in Ohio, this was found in abundance in the back field. There are many, all about 3 or 4 feet ... A: Jill, The image is a bit dark but I think this is a seed pod rather than a cocoon. It might be a ... | |
| Found a big, creepy bug | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: I found a bug in my home in Topanga, CA. This is the 4th time I've found a bug like this. They have ... A: Amanda, This is called a Jerusalem cricket and they are completely harmless. See ... | |
| Uwanted cabin guests | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: I inherited a cabin my father built in upsate NY and recently found holes that I am unsure what ... A: Abby, There may be a couple of different things going on. The round holes are exit holes of ... | |
| black house bug | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: I live in Halifax, NS, and recently I've noticed a few small round black bugs about 1mm in size. I ... A: Lynn, Most likely these are dermestid beetles, also called carpet beetles (see ... | |
| Nest on my ceiling | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: I woke up this morning and noticed that there was a reddish brown nest on the ceiling over my bed. ... A: Andrew, I think the shape of this is too irregular to be a nest or egg sac, which are generally ... | |
| whitish bugs | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: I found some whitish looking, small flat and thin bugs in a box filled with 2 years old papers. They ... A: David, I can't tell from your description what these are. Your best option is collect a few so they ... | |
| Bugs in jewelry cotton | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: I have recently found tiny bugs (size of a period) crawling in my jewelry case. I believe these are ... A: Cristina, The best thing to do is capture a few of the mites so they can be identified. Use a damp ... | |
| Insect Identification | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: My boys found a very large insect resembling a cross between a spider (just 6 legs though) a bee. I ... A: This is definitely a bee. You can tell by the bent antennae, folded, membranous wings, and dense ... | |
| matresses exposed after a smoke damage fier in the home to freezing temperatures and the warming temperatures,can these be cleaned or will bacteria,mildew,smoke etc.prevent this? | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: can mattresses,bed pillows etc. that has been in a smoke damage fire and then left in the home with ... A: Donnie, This is a bit outside my area of expertise but I'd guess that as long as you can dry the ... | |
| Spider beetle? Please don't be a bed bug! | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I just got out of the shower and found this small bug on my foot. I live in Brooklyn (bed bug ... A: S Smith, This is not a bed bug. It does look like a spider beetle, which are harmless. Don't avoid ... | |
| Sowbugs/woodlice | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I've read your info on these on your 'Bugs site with interest.We have a long-term problem with them ... A: Kevin, I'm glad you found my 'Bugs site useful, thanks for your comments. Your situation is unusual ... | |
| flat, cristal like, minute bugs on skin | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: My brother has been dealing with getting rid of fleas and ticks from his house. He has fumigated ... A: Teresa, There are no stages of either ticks or fleas that look like what you describe. Has he ... | |
| mystery bites | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: I'll give you some history although I'm not totally sure any of it is related. About 8 months ago ... A: If you are unable to locate the nest at least trap and remove the rodent and seal the entry points. ... | |
| mystery bites | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: I'll give you some history although I'm not totally sure any of it is related. About 8 months ago ... A: Meridith, I think these two events may be unrelated but the causes of mysterious "bites" are very ... | |
| What bug is this? | 2/3/2011 |
| Q: First time I found this bug was in the bathroom. Today I find it in the Kitchen area. What is this? ... A: Josh, I can't see it clearly enough to be sure but this appears to be a beetle, with "clubbed" ... | |
| Uknown Biting insect | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: So I'm here in Western Africa, The Gambia to be precise. Spent a week here pleasantly with no bites ... A: Gavin, Skin lesions like you describe can be caused by a variety of insects and mites but also by ... | |
| Bug on my bed | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: I was making my bed and found this bug on my sheets. Two days ago i woke up with hive looking rashes ... A: This a stink bug probably the brown marmorated stink bug. They are harmless, nuisance insects that ... | |
| Bug on my bed | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: I was making my bed and found this bug on my sheets. Two days ago i woke up with hive looking rashes ... A: Brenda, I think it is very unlikely that the bug you found caused the hives. There really are no ... | |
| Confirming Bed Bug Bites | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: Can you confirm if these are bed bug bites? With grateful thanks! Ronald Gross Columbia University A: Ronald, It is impossible to tell from photos what caused a particular lesion because so many ... | |
| mites | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: I had recently moved in and i got my clothes and laptop and video camera :I noticed little white ... A: Anneliece, These do sound like mold mites (also called grain mites). These are common where mold ... | |
| tiny white worms in soil | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: I have investigated many sites to find an answer to this question. Most of the 'experts' have said ... A: Susan, There are a variety of tiny arthropods that live in the soil, collectively called "soil ... | |
| Buds on Bathtub | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: there are teeny tiny bugs are in and around my bathtub? they are only about the size of a pencil ... A: Yes, Extension will be able to help you but call them first. Don't throw away the plants since it ... | |
| Buds on Bathtub | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: there are teeny tiny bugs are in and around my bathtub? they are only about the size of a pencil ... A: Springtails can also live in the soil of potted house plants. If you have any house plants in the ... | |
| insect | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: I found this insect in my yard and have never seen one like it. I'm hoping you can help me identify ... A: Janet, This is a true bug (Hemiptera) possibly in the family Reduviidae (assassin bugs). Some ... | |
| dog mites persisting | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: my dog keeps having retuning mites that i have been treating with revolution every month. I check ... A: Several days of freezing temperatures will kill most insects and mites. However, I urge you to ... | |
| dog mites persisting | 1/21/2011 |
| Q: my dog keeps having retuning mites that i have been treating with revolution every month. I check ... A: Karen-lee, By dog mite I assume you are referring to mange mites, which are also called scabies ... | |
| what is this bug? | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: I was worried that these bugs were bed bugs (I found two tonight), but after looking at them closely ... A: Since it is winter now let's assume these originated indoors. This makes them some sort of "stored ... | |
| what is this bug? | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: I was worried that these bugs were bed bugs (I found two tonight), but after looking at them closely ... A: Heather, This appears to be a beetle (definitely not a bed bug) but I can't see it clearly enough ... | |
| Can you please help | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: I was lying on my bed one day. Suddenly I felt an intense pain on my buttock. My hubby checked it ... A: Fiona, Based on size alone (1cm long) I doubt that these wounds are caused by an insect or mite. An ... | |
| Biting bugs in bed not bed bugs | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: My husband and are being bitten by something,we have not seen the bug.We only seem to get bitten on ... A: Susan, Usually when people report bites but are unable to find a bug it turns out to be caused by ... | |
| bed bugs | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: we found bed bugs last night! Bagged everything in all 4 bedrooms and put outside-lows 15F highs ... A: An extended period (several days) of freezing temperature will kill all stages of bed bugs. Items ... | |
| bed bugs | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: we found bed bugs last night! Bagged everything in all 4 bedrooms and put outside-lows 15F highs ... A: What you are doing is fine. Cleaning and mattress covers is the best treatment. As far as ... | |
| bed bugs | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: we found bed bugs last night! Bagged everything in all 4 bedrooms and put outside-lows 15F highs ... A: Christine, Have you actually had bed bugs collected and identified, or is the diagnosis based on ... | |
| tiny brown bugs in my appartment | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: I've found most of them are crawling on window and adjacent walls. the size of about 1/8 in. can ... A: Gene, If you post a picture I may be able to confirm the identification. If they are flour beetles ... | |
| Buds on Bathtub | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: there are teeny tiny bugs are in and around my bathtub? they are only about the size of a pencil ... A: Louis, These are probably springtails (Collembola). See ... | |
| Big long grubs | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: Just curious - we live in Jupiter, FL. I was chopping up some orange tree stumps and there are big ... A: Jeff, This is probably the larva of a cerambycid beetle (Cerambycidae), also called longhorn ... | |
| Miniscule biting black bug, not a flea | 1/15/2011 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. About a week ago, I started seeing bites on my thighs that looked like ... A: Sarah, The sample can be identified through the Montgomery Co. Extension office at ... | |
| Miniscule biting black bug, not a flea | 1/15/2011 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. About a week ago, I started seeing bites on my thighs that looked like ... A: Sarah, The best thing to do is to get these examined under a microscope and identified. If you tell ... | |
| ID an insect | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: we have an UFO on our patio in Johannesburg, South Africa -- perhaps you can help identify it. Its ... A: Win, Sounds like a typical wood-boring carpenter bee (see ... | |
| possible mite infestation | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: I am in Australia and have noticed what I think must be mites about 1mm long crawling around my ... A: Simon, These sound like grain mites, also called mold mites because they feed on mold (see ... | |
| bird mites | 1/11/2011 |
| Q: I believe I have bird mites in my house. You can't see them but we feel something crawling all over ... A: Michelle, Bird mites are fairly large (as mites go) and easy to see (see ... | |
| small caterpillar like larvae in bed | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: I found a small caterpillar like larvae crawling across my futon/bed today. It is a bit longer than ... A: This is a moth larva, perhaps one of the meal moths. Small larvae are very difficult to id unless ... | |
| Bird Mite | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: I believe my apartment, work place, and I are infested with bird mites. I spent every weekend from ... A: Julie, Bird mites (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/bird_mites.html for a picture) do not infest ... | |
| small caterpillar like larvae in bed | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: I found a small caterpillar like larvae crawling across my futon/bed today. It is a bit longer than ... A: Stephanie, This is not a bed bug larva. Immature bed bugs look like adults except for size (see ... | |
| bugs biting | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: August 18, 2010 I moved into an apt. I started getting bit right away. I thought it was fleas. I ... A: Carrie, There may be more than one thing going on but let's try to sort it out. There are very few ... | |
| what is it | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I have a paper thin bug transparent bug with a thin black line for body that appears in my bathroom ... A: The Mobile Co. Cooperative Extension: Jon Archer Agricultural Center 1070 Schillinger Rd., N. ... | |
| what is it | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I have a paper thin bug transparent bug with a thin black line for body that appears in my bathroom ... A: Sherrie, Your best bet is to capture one so that it can be examined under a microscope. Use a damp ... | |
| powder post beetles | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a client who is having a powder post beetle infestation in their oak wood floors (i do nit ... A: I'm not "clear" what clearing means in this case. If the antiques show signs of beetle infestation ... | |
| powder post beetles | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a client who is having a powder post beetle infestation in their oak wood floors (i do nit ... A: Lisa, It is very unlikely that anything brought into the house caused the infestation. Powderpost ... | |
| spider identification | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I've been through numerous sites trying to identify a type of spider found in our vacation home on ... A: Victoria, Spiders are notoriously difficult to id to species from photos. This one is probably one ... | |
| How long do mites live? | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I have been dealing with a mite problem for about 30 years. It seems that they made a nest in my ... A: Doris, Have you captured any of these and had them identified? Use a damp Q-tip to catch a few in ... | |
| Stinging Bug | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: A few weeks ago something stung my Dad on his chest. After searching around, we found a small ... A: Lauren, I can't give you a species name but from your description and the picture this is probably ... | |
| Electronic Spider/Insect repellant | 1/2/2011 |
| Q: I'm looking into efficacy of electronic spider/insect repellants. I understand from your website ... A: Mike, I don't know of any studies that relate spider behavior to electromagnetic fields. There are ... | |
| Electronic Spider/Insect repellant | 1/2/2011 |
| Q: I'm looking into efficacy of electronic spider/insect repellants. I understand from your website ... A: Mike, I listed the only studies I know of (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/electron.html for ... | |
| tiny white bugs found in my home | 1/2/2011 |
| Q: I have little, tiny (about 2mm long)off-white colored bugs with tiny legs found everywhere in my ... A: Your best bet is to contact CSIRO in Australia (see http://www.csiro.au/org/CES.html for info). They ... | |
| homestructure damaging insects | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: Jack I need your help, I have a 6yr. old home, I see places all over where something ate away at the ... A: Joe, Can you post some pictures? Sounds like there's more than one thing going on here. Also, tell ... | |
| Desperate for identification | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: I've recently discovered some kind of insect in my hair that I know for a fact is not lice. I've had ... A: Brianna, The best thing to do is capture a specimen and get it identified then we'll know what to ... | |
| ridding the house of bugs | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: Since I moved to Missouri from Colorado, I have been experiencing the reality of 'lots of bugs' - at ... A: Alison, Try to catch something "in the act". Until you have something that can be identified it is ... | |
| small black kitchen flies | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: We have been driven crazy by small black flies that look like fruit flies but are all black and hang ... A: Lori, These sound like fungus gnats rather than fruit (vinegar) flies. See ... | |
| Bugs on wall | 12/26/2010 |
| Q: I have these brownish looking bugs on my walls and they seem to keep appearing no matter how i try ... A: Rui, These don't sound like bed bugs. Bed bugs are generally not found on walls. They sound more ... | |
| Beetles | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: floor and on her wood framed bed under her mattress please help me figure out what they are A: Maria, I can't see the image clearly enough to be sure but your description sounds like dermestid ... | |
| Bug bites | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: Several times over the past six months or so I have found a series of bites on my skin -- very ... A: Peter, There are lots of things that cause these types of skin lesions, and most are not caused by ... | |
| Larvae Carcasses on Stucco revisited | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: I saw a question you answered back in March of 2009 regarding larvae carcasses (cocoons) attached to ... A: Sandra, This is a plaster bagworm, a close relative of clothes moths. They feed on a variety ... | |
| identify unknown bug | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: I found 7 pumpkin seed shaped bugs, about 1/4 to 1/2 in. long, sand colored, with a protruding ... A: Sally, Your description sounds like a plaster bagworm, a type of clothes moth (see ... | |
| Please identify | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: Grateful if you could advise what these bugs are in attached photo. They are approx 1 cm in length ... A: Richard, These are mealybugs, a type of scale insect. Like scale insects, mealybugs feed on plants. ... | |
| female anophles mosquito | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: sir , please tell me why malaria spreading protozoan is only carried by female anophles mosquito but ... A: Abhijeet, Only female mosquitoes bite and therefore only females carry blood parasites like ... | |
| Spider beetles | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: A Public health Inspector and a tech from a well known pest control company identified the numerous ... A: Janet, I'm a bit confused because what you describe does not match what is known about spider ... | |
| spider mites on pine trees | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: late december here in missouri. some of the needles on the pine trees in our back yard are starting ... A: Gloria, The spider mite that occurs on pine trees is called the spruce spider mite (see ... | |
| How do I eradicate spider beetles? | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: I have had spider beetles for about a year. I fried al of my clothes in the dryer on high heat and ... A: Janet, Have you had these identified to be sure they are spider beetles? What you describe does not ... | |
| brown recluse spiders | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: I live in a small house (2-bedroom) in southern Illinois that had a second roof built over the ... A: My guess is there is something up in the attic that is feeding the spiders. Until you can clean out ... | |
| brown recluse spiders | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: I live in a small house (2-bedroom) in southern Illinois that had a second roof built over the ... A: Jennifer, I agree that the pest control company is probably not doing you any good. Fogging is not ... | |
| Metallic Cocoon? on Rock | 12/12/2010 |
| Q: I live in North Carolina an i found a metallic cocoon? on a rock. See Attached photo I assume it is ... A: Angela, This could be a spider egg sac (spiders don't have cocoons) but it could be some other type ... | |
| Bird Mite info | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: I have been dealing with what i think are bird mites for a little over 5 months now. i had a bird ... A: If you have cleaned and are still experiencing the dermatitis, and you are not seeing live mites, ... | |
| Bird Mite info | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: I have been dealing with what i think are bird mites for a little over 5 months now. i had a bird ... A: Jared, Unfortunately there's a lot of mis-information being circulated about bird mites. The facts ... | |
| small black bug in hair | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: We have had nits before, so I am familiar with the look and treatment. This is different. These ... A: Beth Ann, I think the best thing to do is catch a few of these and get them identified. Use a Q-tip ... | |
| tiny tan worm-like climbing the wall | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: I saw a tiny tan colored worm-like (maybe caterpillar but VERY tiny)critter on the wall above my ... A: Laurie, There are many different moth larvae that look like what you describe. Your best bet is to ... | |
| Identification of unknown coccoon looking object. | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: I was clearing out my loft today and saw a small brown orb like object hanging from my roof lining. ... A: Keir, If I understand the english to english translation :) (loft, roof lining, isolating lagging ... | |
| Bug Bites. | 12/5/2010 |
| Q: I live in NJ and over the past 3 weeks i have noticed what looks like a dark burn mark, I am African ... A: Noelle, This does not really sound like a bug bite. Most insect and mite bites look more or less ... | |
| identification of insect tower | 12/4/2010 |
| Q: I found this tower built on a wood window stool in a basement apartment. The stool is ground level ... A: Scott, I'm not positive but I think this may be some kind of earthworm casting rather than anything ... | |
| Jellyfish Bugs | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: I read once in a childs magazine intitled 'Bugs', that the jellyfish is actualy a Bug. I brought ... A: Jordan, Jellyfish (Cindaria) are very primitive marine animals. They are not related to insects or ... | |
| Scabies! | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: My daughter has picked up Scabies and has unfortunately shared them with my husband and myself. We ... A: Lori, While scabies mites are very contagious they do not infest homes so cleaning and treating of ... | |
| What kind of bug is this? | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: I found a few little bugs in my house that are a light brown. These little bugs have six legs and ... A: Stacy, Could you post a picture? Your description sounds somewhat like a pseudoscorpion (which is ... | |
| Wasp nest smell | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I saw a reply you had on a wasp nest smell. I have a similar situation. The wasp nested in the ... A: Joel, This is a bit outside my area but it seems to me you'll have to figure out a way to clean the ... | |
| ID Off-white round worms | 11/27/2010 |
| Q: Nov 27, 2010. We found 25+ off-white 1/2" round worms on our fireplace hearth and carpet(picture ... A: Bob, This is a fly maggot but not one that has recently hatched. This one is probably nearly full ... | |
| Reduviitae | 11/26/2010 |
| Q: Sir: I saw a big Reduviitae bug (I'm positive about the type) on my chair in the yard in FL, and it ... A: Irek, Unfortunately, except for very common insects, it is impossible to accurately identify ... | |
| Mites? Bedbugs? I don't know! | 11/26/2010 |
| Q: I have been getting bit for over a month now and have bites mostly on my legs/thighs. They are ... A: Steph, The best thing to do is collect a few in alcohol (use a damp Q-tip to catch them) and get ... | |
| Strange eggs on clothes | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: A few weeks ago I found a tiny cluster of eggs on the hem of a shirt, but the eggs had already ... A: Melenie, Could you post a picture? I can't tell from this description what these are. If you can't ... | |
| bug deterior | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: we had bugs in the cupboard we had food like pancake mix and flour in, and i opened to find reddish ... A: Kathy, With most pantry-type pests the best thing to do is carefully check all stored food packages ... | |
| spider | 11/22/2010 |
| Q: just recently we have a new type of spider in our home we have never seen. I live by wooded area ... A: Riki, I think what you are describing is not a spider but rather a type of cricket called a cave ... | |
| Identification of insect/larvae ? | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: I encountered this group of unusual looking living organisms while on a trail run in Sedona, AZ ... A: Dan, These appear to be a type of springtail (Collembola). These primitive insect-like arthropods ... | |
| Bugs in my window ledge. | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: I have very tiny bugs living under my flower pots, watering can and now my window ledges in the ... A: Joann, These sound like springtails (Collembola). These tiny insect-like critters are very abundant ... | |
| Praying Mantis Strange Behavior | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: My wife was telling me a story about a Praying Mantis that she saw in her driveway in Maine when she ... A: S, You're right, this does sound like a prank question. However, if this is a real memory my guess ... | |
| bugs in my compost | 11/20/2010 |
| Q: I run a large compost site and would like to know where the tiny fly like bugs come from. It's all ... A: Steve, There are lots of different small, flying insects that occur around vegetable compost. Drain ... | |
| 8 leg w/pinchers spider all light tan/brown | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: I keep finding these 1/2in long spiders inside my house and outside the front door. They are light ... A: Jennifer, Sounds like a male spider of some kind but I'd need a picture to confirm. The "pinchers" ... | |
| an ant like bug i found | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what type of bug this is that i found in my room? I have never ... A: Josh, The image is too blurry to id accurately but it appears to be a beetle, judging by the ... | |
| casemaking clothes moth | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: Jack: While trying to identify this moth, I finally found the answer you gave to Erika. My ... A: Patricia, The best way to control clothes moths is to locate the infestation and clean or dispose ... | |
| mites | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: I did a follow up because I was able to catch some of these with tape following the direction of ... A: Benny, Bird/rodent mites CANNOT complete their life cycle on humans. Unless you have training in ... | |
| mites | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: November 14, 2010 Dr. DeAngelis I am writing this hoping you can help my wife and me with the hell ... A: Ben, I can't say for certain whether or not bird/rodent mites are present. However, since these ... | |
| Mites in the kitchen | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: We have had a case of mites in our kitchen. they are too small to take a photo of, but from reading ... A: Andy, To control mold/grain mites eliminating the moisture is enough because this will eliminate ... | |
| Mites | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: I am experiencing an issue with little white mites that seem to be coming out of the containers with ... A: Lydia, Thanks for re-submitting the question. These are very likely mold mites, also called grain ... | |
| Clothes Moth ... | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: It's a long-winded question. I live in Llandysul, West Wales, UK. I've just found an infestation ... A: Sue, Thanks for clearing up what a 'sea grass" box is. I doubt that your clothes moth is a ... | |
| Can you identify this bug? | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: Forgot to attach image in last request I found many of these bugs (20-30) on my mattress & box ... A: Jeff, No, these are not bed bugs. They are larvae of a dermestid beetle, sometimes called carpet ... | |
| stink bugs | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I am doing a school science experiment with stink bugs and homemade organic pesticides. I was ... A: Daisy, We are not supposed to answer school work-type questions on AllExperts. However, there's a ... | |
| Orange "nest" found in trailer | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I found what looks like a nest in my trailer. It was small and very orange, almost translucent with ... A: Sharon, I'd need to see a picture to be sure but this does not sound like a nest. I'd guess it is ... | |
| fleas on indoor 8-month cat | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I have been to your Bugs website and am very pleased to see that I seem to be doing what you ... A: Kerri, Zodiac (tm) contains methoprene which is an insect growth regulator. This type of ... | |
| grasshopper | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: I keep finding heads of grasshoppers... their bodies are missing and just the head, antena and 4 ... A: Danielle, I'm only guessing but it sounds like an animal like a opossum or skunk is biting the ... | |
| Fleas! | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a persian cat who attracted fleas She lives indoors, however I allowed her to sit on the ... A: MaryLou, If you've been unable to find any live fleas I think it is possible, and even likely, that ... | |
| What is this bug? | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: this fly was in my room i have never seen before. It looked almost silver from far away but up close ... A: Tara, I think you found a fly that was infected with a pathogenic fungus. The fungus was the white, ... | |
| insects in our house | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: We are having a problem with insects in our home. (infested) they bite and sting. On my husband ... A: Clark county Extension (http://clark.wsu.edu/) is the best place. They can look at the sample or ... | |
| insects in our house | 10/31/2010 |
| Q: We are having a problem with insects in our home. (infested) they bite and sting. On my husband ... A: Kathy, Your best bet is to get these identified so you know for sure what you are dealing with. ... | |
| What is this worm? | 10/30/2010 |
| Q: My family and I are living in Iran. During the last month my parents suffered from some kind of ... A: Maryam, This is a larva of a dermestid beetle (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/carpet_beetle.html ... | |
| tiny black bugs | 10/29/2010 |
| Q: We found tiny black bugs crawling on our bedding yesterday.It is hard shelled and has what looks ... A: Tina, These are not bed bugs. You would never find bed bugs "crawling across the carpet". From your ... | |
| Desperate for Help | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved to Costa Rica. Shortly after my arrival, I started noticing bug bites appearing ... A: Geneva, This is a very common question, "bites" with no apparent culprit. There are in fact very ... | |
| teeny tiny black bug | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: Last night my 11 year old daughter noticed dozens of almost too small to see, black bugs crawling ... A: The Univ. of Ill. Extension office is in Marion (http://web.extension.illinois.edu/williamson/). ... | |
| teeny tiny black bug | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: Last night my 11 year old daughter noticed dozens of almost too small to see, black bugs crawling ... A: Jen, The best thing to do is collect a few in alcohol and get them identified, then you'll know ... | |
| Small dark brown bugs | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: In the last few weeks I have found about 10 of these bugs in different areas in my home (a few in ... A: These are not bed bugs. The description of the larvae now sound more like dermestid beetles than ... | |
| unknown bug in room | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: Can you please identify this bug I found on some of our clothes. The clothes were in a pile on our ... A: Mark, This is the larva of a carpet beetle (Dermestidae). There are several species that infest ... | |
| Small dark brown bugs | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: In the last few weeks I have found about 10 of these bugs in different areas in my home (a few in ... A: Kelly, I can't see the image clearly enough to be sure but from your description I think this is ... | |
| What is this bug? | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: I just moved to Pennsylvania (near State College). The side of our condo and the doors are covered ... A: Lynn, Sounds like a boxelder bug. See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/boxelder.html for a picture. ... | |
| Bugs are biting us, but we have more than one type of bug. And I only know what one of them is!!! | 10/25/2010 |
| Q: I live in Arlington, Texas. We had gotten a couch from Mission Arlington. But soon after everyone ... A: Elizabeth, The genus Harpalus contains beetles in the family Carabidae. These are not know to cause ... | |
| insect eggs? | 10/25/2010 |
| Q: In the last three to four weeks we have found a great number of seed (egg) shape bugs? in areas of ... A: Christian, This does not sound like bed bugs. If you can't post a picture the next best thing to do ... | |
| what is this bug?? | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: i found this bug on the side of the box spring mattress set. i've looked online and can't find a ... A: Cori, The best thing to do is collect a few in a vial of alcohol and have them identified. Use a ... | |
| What is biting me? | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: I do hope you can help solve this mystery - it is driving us crazy. On several occasions, I am ... A: Rob, There's only a fairly small number of insects that cause pain when they bite or sting and none ... | |
| tiny white pests | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: i have tiny little white crawling things that look like sugar crawling all over my kitchen ... A: Colette, These are called grain mites or mold mites. These mites feed on mold and are often found ... | |
| teeny biting critters...........like black chiggers | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: I went for a walk near my home in central Florida. I wore shorts, so I sprayed to my knees with ... A: Could have been some type nest mite (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/bird_mites.html for a ... | |
| teeny biting critters...........like black chiggers | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: I went for a walk near my home in central Florida. I wore shorts, so I sprayed to my knees with ... A: What do you mean by "sand flea"? This sometimes refers to a tiny biting fly in the family ... | |
| teeny biting critters...........like black chiggers | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: I went for a walk near my home in central Florida. I wore shorts, so I sprayed to my knees with ... A: Lowell, These sound more like ticks than chiggers. Tick attach more tightly than chiggers which ... | |
| not bed bugs, not lice...what could it be? | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: I was curious if the person with the black bugs that shook out of her hair ever posted a follow up? ... A: Meghan, The best thing to do is collect some of these in alcohol and have them identified. Use a ... | |
| thin black insect | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: I have attached a picture, though blurry. It is a think black bug, about 1/4 inch. Has what appears ... A: Ed, The image is too blurry to be certain but it appears to be a larva, probably a moth larva. If ... | |
| insect in house - ID Please! | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: My parents live on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and have found a number of these insects - usually ... A: Chris, This appears to be a dermestid beetle larva (see ... | |
| mites? | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: Let me begin that neither my girl friend or myself use drugs of any kind .I do take Allegra for ... A: Roy, There are very few insects or mites that actually bite people but lots of things that mimic ... | |
| What is it and how do i get rid of it? | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: Recently i ripped out a kitchen counter and found these small littel bugs living on the crumbs that ... A: Jess, This looks like a dermestid beetle larva (see ... | |
| Chiggers and Global Warming? | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a question about chigger larva and the environment. I know that they generally stick to warm, ... A: Sara, Chiggers occur worldwide, even in cooler climates (see ... | |
| Tiny bugs found in my room | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: This is the second time in a while, that I found these small bugs near my mattress, which lays flat ... A: If you search around you'll probably find some dry food or natural fabric that is infested (as an ... | |
| What are these worm looking creatures? | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: I recently bug bombed my house, and I'm finding a lot of these tiny, brown, worm-looking creatures ... A: Can you see more than three pairs of legs? I can't tell from the photo. If there are multiple pairs ... | |
| Tiny bugs found in my room | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: This is the second time in a while, that I found these small bugs near my mattress, which lays flat ... A: Sanny, This is the larva of a dermestid beetle (see ... | |
| American Oil Beetles! | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I just discovered (then identified, online) about 1,000,000 huge Oil Beetles ('blister bugs') all ... A: Jen, I'm not sure why you have so many (1 million, really?) but these are fairly common ... | |
| Thrips Invasion | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: My condo has been invaded by thrips. After 6 months of lice treatments on my scalp, dry steam ... A: Debbie, I'm not sure what you are experiencing but thrips don't infest homes. They do occasional ... | |
| very large bug | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I was changing out my dogs water in back and found this extremely large bug floating in the water. ... A: Carol, I'm sorry but the description does not match anything I can think of. It was probably ... | |
| What's this bug | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: First, THANK YOU for doing this for us. We have found 3 of these in our SLC, Utah home in the ... A: Not so much "hairy" as "fuzzy" or "furry". The photo appears this way to me. There are a number of ... | |
| What's this bug | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: First, THANK YOU for doing this for us. We have found 3 of these in our SLC, Utah home in the ... A: Troy, This is a dermestid beetle larva (Dermestidae). I can't tell you where this came from but ... | |
| Bugs on Fridge | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: This bugs appeared on our fridge a couple of days ago. They look like little white specks and when ... A: Britt, These sound like mold mites, also called grain mites. These tiny mites feed on mold so ... | |
| a bug I've never seen before | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: Ok, basically, we live in NYC (Manhattan) and this little critter has popped up only a couple of ... A: Matthew, This is a spider beetle (Ptinidae). They are minor stored product pests but there's no ... | |
| ants | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: I've recently started seeing ants crawling around in the kitchen and in my bedroom. They seem to be ... A: Sageda, Most ant problems can be managed with baits. Simple, inexpensive liquid boric acid baits ... | |
| Tiny long skinny black bugs | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: Help! My daughter who is 8 has found tiny long skinny black bugs in her bed. They move ... A: Shellie, The best thing to do is collect a few in alcohol and get them identified. Use a Q-tip ... | |
| i just got bit or stung by an unknown insect | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: ok so this bug was on my window at home in virginia and i had never seen something like it before. ... A: Alex, The image is too blurry but from your description I think you have a wheel bug (Reduviidae). ... | |
| Spiders | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: From southern Ontario Under deck A spider about as large as the end of your thumb Black with a red ... A: Liz, Except for a few common species, spiders are almost impossible to id from a description or ... | |
| I can't figure out what this bug is | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: I currently live in NE Ohio, and lately around the kitchen, bathroom and sometimes in the bedroom I ... A: Christin, I can't be certain without a photo but you might be describing a house centipede. See ... | |
| stink bug or spined soldier bug? | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: I live in columbus, ohio, on the 3rd floor of a brick apartment building covered in ivy. I have a ... A: Alli, Spined soldier bugs are a type of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) (see ... | |
| tiny insects | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: I've had this problem for quite a long time now. these bugs come at the end of the winter and stay ... A: If you live near agricultural fields (such as alfalfa) they may be coming from those fields. In this ... | |
| tiny insects | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: I've had this problem for quite a long time now. these bugs come at the end of the winter and stay ... A: Joe, This appears to be a planthopper (see http://bugguide.net/node/view/12744/bgpage for more ... | |
| Head buggery | 10/7/2010 |
| Q: I have these weird bugs that have been plaguing me for almost a year and now I'm concerned because ... A: Jen, The best place to take a sample is the LA Co. Cooperative Extension office ... | |
| Very minute white crawling insects | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I live in Nuremberg, Germany. 3 months back I noticed very minute white crawling insects on the ... A: Vasanth, These sound like mold mites, also called grain mites. These mites feed on mold that grows ... | |
| small bug in tub that resembles head louse | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: Our family had a bout with head lice back in April. We've cleared that up, but we may have ... A: Margaret, The photo is too small to be certain but from your description I think you are seeing ... | |
| Bug in basement | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: I really freak out when I see unknown insects so I really want to find out what this is. I've only ... A: Ezak, I'm sorry but your description is too vague for an id. If you post a picture I may be able to ... | |
| House Centipede in dorm room | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: My roommate and I were just sitting in our room when this nasty centipede looking thing ran across ... A: Baylie, This does sound like a house centipede (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/centipede.html ... | |
| Small, worm-like bugs | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: For the past few years, I've been seeing these little worm like bugs on clothes and piles of other ... A: Carpet beetles are not a major problem and are very common in homes. Cleaning is the best remedy. It ... | |
| little red bugs | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: i live in botswana and there are millions of these little red bugs everywhere. not exageratting ... A: Bushrider, This sounds like an immature true bug (Hemiptera) but to id it further I'd need to see a ... | |
| Mites? Scabies? | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: I'd appreciate your help. Here are the facts Sat. eve- 9/25- 9/26 found small black specks in my ... A: Elizabeth, Without a critter to id I can't even hazard a guess but this does not sound like an ... | |
| Small, worm-like bugs | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: For the past few years, I've been seeing these little worm like bugs on clothes and piles of other ... A: There are several different species of these dermestid beetles. Some will look more fuzzy than ... | |
| Small, worm-like bugs | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: For the past few years, I've been seeing these little worm like bugs on clothes and piles of other ... A: Amanda, What you've described is pretty typical for dermestid beetle larvae, sometimes called ... | |
| tiny insect egg clusters | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Piedmont section of North Carolina, and for years have noticed clusters of tiny ( ... A: Cynthia, This is probably eggs from some type of moth. The tiny larvae sound like moth larvae and ... | |
| bed worms? | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: I found small whitish/reddish worms all over one of our beds. There must've been at least 30 that I ... A: Insook, This appears to be the larva of a meal moth, possibly the Indian meal moth. See ... | |
| invisible biting bugs | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: I have been plaqued with crawling and pricking from head to toe(much more at night) since we rescued ... A: Vanessa, I don't think this is related to the fleas. There are very few insects or mites that ... | |
| Beach fleas | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: While in Cape May this past summer (June 30th of 2010 ). I stepped on a nest of Beach Fleas ( no ... A: Mimi, I don't know the term "beach flea". No-see-ums are tiny midges that bite but don't burrow in ... | |
| Tiny beige bugs in bed | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: My roommate and I have both found these tiny beige bugs in our beds. They are the size of a flea and ... A: Lisa, These sound like springtails (Collembola). Springtails live in soil feeding on organic ... | |
| northern fowl mites | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: DeAngeli, I recently read your very helpful article about mites, and I was wondering if you could ... A: Robin, Northern fowl mite belongs to a group of mites that are referred to as "bird mites" or "nest ... | |
| cocoon | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: We have found a monarch butterfly cocoon attached to our front door. It is green with a gold stripe ... A: Patti, A Tupperware-type container will work. Put a small piece of damp (not wet) paper towel in ... | |
| ticks and weevils | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: I'm just wondering if ticks and weevils are the same thing or just close cousin of species? A: Tanya, Ticks and weevils are not closely related. Ticks are a type of mite so would be more closely ... | |
| Unidentified insect in garage | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: I live in SE Virginia border NC. I have a strange brown insects living in my garage. they appear ... A: Christie, I'm sorry but I don't recognize this from your description. If you can't post a picture ... | |
| scorpion id | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: PLEASE HELP! We keep finding scorpions (approximately ten over the past three years) inside our ... A: David, You'll need to take the picture, or better yet an actual scorpion, to your county extension ... | |
| Mites in the workplace | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: My question involves an environmental health problem at the workplace. Several people who work in ... A: Deborah, Has scabies actually been diagnosed? Scabies is fairly rare in this country. However, it ... | |
| how long do rodent mites live? can they hitchhike on clothes? | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: I'm living in an apartment with a serious mouse issue and a confirmed rodent mite infestation ... A: What I meant was that the mites can't reproduce on our blood so the population will die off if their ... | |
| how long do rodent mites live? can they hitchhike on clothes? | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: I'm living in an apartment with a serious mouse issue and a confirmed rodent mite infestation ... A: Itchy, Rodent/bird/nest mites normally live in the nest of their host animal (rodent or bird) but ... | |
| Bird mites | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: My friend thinks that she is having a problem with bird mites and has tried everything imaginable ... A: Marilyn, Bird mites (also called rodent or nest mites) normally occur in the nest of their host ... | |
| follow up | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: the expert I was talking to before is no longer available I was wondering if you could help? He ... A: Jaime, I agree with Eric, these look like drugstore or cigarette beetles. See ... | |
| small, red bugs that look like miniature centipedes | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: I was down stairs about to turn on a movie when I saw a small red bug crawling around on the counter ... A: Charles, If it looked like a small centipede it probably was. Large centipedes can bite but small ... | |
| bedbugs | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: can the bugs live in your body hairs or under your skin A: Dominique, No, bed bugs are too large to live in these places. See ... | |
| Tiny biting bug | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: Texas and started noticing bug bite welts around my waist 10 days ago. It's progressed to sporadic ... A: I'm glad that worked out and I completely agree with the advice. Here's a page about bird mites ... | |
| white creeping bugs with legs | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: i have a large gumbo limbo tree in my yard in south Florida. I saw white, crawling bugs of some sort ... A: I can't really tell what these are. They could be scale insects or woolly aphids or even whiteflies. ... | |
| ant-like insect | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: Jack DeAngelis: I have witnessed some ant-like insect in my house. I think that this incest came ... A: Dodoshka, I can't tell from your description what this is. Your best option is to collect a few in ... | |
| Seeking advice on how to rid apartment of mites | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I had an unknown problem in my apartment for a long time. I was being bitten and very itchy without ... A: Cleaning and nest removal are the best ways to eliminate bird mites since there are no miticides ... | |
| warehouse beetles | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: can warehouse beetle(Trogoderma variabile) parts? be harmful to a baby if ingested? Very concermed ... A: Georgette, I can't speak to specific medical issues. However, in general ingesting insects is not ... | |
| Tiny biting bug | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: Texas and started noticing bug bite welts around my waist 10 days ago. It's progressed to sporadic ... A: Heidi, The best thing to do is to take your specimen to your county Cooperative Extension office ... | |
| Seeking advice on how to rid apartment of mites | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I had an unknown problem in my apartment for a long time. I was being bitten and very itchy without ... A: Mark, I think there may be a couple of different and confusing things going on here. First, scabies ... | |
| need help badly! | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: few weeks ago I've found a green worm on my clothes and it bite me on the neck,and my sister ... A: Sara, This is the larva (caterpillar) of a moth, possibly a looper. These larvae don't bite so ... | |
| The same mysterious bites at night | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: my wife is experiencing the exact same thing as the previous questioner. She wakes up with a ... A: Kyle, I don't know what previous question you are referring to. However, most of the time when ... | |
| Flying Solitary Gnats Everywhere? | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: My GUESS is these are gnats. I don't know anything else that are this small and want to drive you ... A: Do you know what county? I'd like to direct you to the county Cooperative Extension office because ... | |
| Flying Solitary Gnats Everywhere? | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: My GUESS is these are gnats. I don't know anything else that are this small and want to drive you ... A: Mandy, Your best bet is to capture one of these in alcohol and get it identified. An id will tell ... | |
| Golden Silk Spider | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: How long does it take a golden silk spider to make an egg sac, and how long before the eggs hatch? ... A: Marcia, I can appreciate your concern about this large spider, especially if you don't like spiders ... | |
| Bee identification | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently had what appears to be a colony of bees move into my garage roof. However, they look like ... A: Brenda, Could you post a picture? These are too large for honey bees but there are no other insects ... | |
| large beetle? | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: Someone found this large dark brown beetle at our church this morning. He came and asked me if I ... A: Janet, This is called a giant water bug (Belostomatidae). They live in freshwater and prey on other ... | |
| Bugs on milkweed plants | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I planted some milkweed plants last year, in the hope of nurturing monarch butterflies, but this ... A: Ruth, These sound like either aphids or soft scales. Both can be managed with insecticidal soap. ... | |
| powderpost beetles | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I built my girl friend a stand out of a wood stump for a lamp. Now that it is set up at home there ... A: Brian, The best treatment is to seal the surface of the wood with paint or varnish. This will ... | |
| ID a chrysalis | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I am a STEM Coordinator at a school in Henderson, NC, about 50 miles north of Raleigh at the VA ... A: Renee, The pupa may be diseased, or it could be ready to eclose (emerge as an adult). They often ... | |
| tiny white bugs on soil | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I trimmed my rosemary, left the tiny branches in the water until some roots came out, & planted them ... A: Mary, These look like sprintails (Collembola) (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/springtails.html ... | |
| unknown insect/spider/cricket? | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: This evening as I was putting my daughter to sleep and picking up her clothes off the floor we ... A: Joanna, How large was this critter? Could you post a picture? Often when people describe something ... | |
| Bug eating leaves | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to find out what this bug is that's eating my tropical almond tree. It also feeds on ... A: Lisa, This is a weevil (Curculionidae), a type of beetle. It is probably a root weevil but I don't ... | |
| Household pest | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I apologize the picture is not clear, these guys are small and it is mostly for scale. I have ... A: Jen, The image too blurry to be certain but the shape and size are right for a dermestid larva ... | |
| Tiny white bugs in my kitchen drawers. | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I don't keep any food in the drawer, it's where we put odds and ends like computer cables, chargers ... A: Rebecca, Sounds like a computer bug to me (sorry, I could not resist). These are probably grain ... | |
| Long skinny 'worm' in tub with hundreds of legs | 9/16/2010 |
| Q: My wife called me today in a panic when she found a long, very skinny, almost transparent, brown ... A: Matt, Parasitic worms don't have legs so I think we can rule that out. Sounds like a centipede of ... | |
| Bed Bugs? | 9/16/2010 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can solve a little problem for me. I have been having hives for the past 3-4 weeks ... A: Danielle, I agree that these hives don't sound like bites. Bed bug bites generally look like bad ... | |
| Tiny bugs swarming all over exterior of house in CO | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: Just today we noticed tiny black bugs swarming all over the SE exposure of our house in Colorado. I ... A: Mollie, These sound like springtails (Collembola). See ... | |
| identify this spider in BC, Canada | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: I found this spider today, and it was very large, fat and something I have never seen up here ... A: Jayson, Spiders are very difficult to id from photos alone but I believe this is one of the orb ... | |
| swarming, flying bugs | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: Sept 13th This evening I saw a few hundred bugs swarming and flying in the back yard. They are ... A: Nancy, These sound like flying termites (reproductives) and depending on where you live they could ... | |
| small poppy seed looking bugs that attatch and suck blood | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: fHusband and I went camping with 2 min pin dogs. I awoke with many red itchy bites..no sign of ... A: Rose, The initial bites on you do sound like classic chigger bites (see ... | |
| scabies or lice or what? help! | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: We have been battling a bug infestation in our family for almost nine months now. We were inititally ... A: Elaine, Have you seen a doctor about this? It does not sound like scabies at all. Scabies is very ... | |
| bed bugs | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I find these bugs in the shower and occasionally the sink, but googling them, they look like bed ... A: Sarah, I can't see it clearly but I don't think this is a bed bug (plus bed bugs generally don't ... | |
| Springtails, is it common? | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I moved into my house 1 year ago. It's a brand new house. Last year I never saw any of these bugs ... A: Kristin, Springtails (Collembola) are primitive insects that live in the soil feeding on organic ... | |
| weird black bug | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I live in North Dallas, TX, and I have been noticing a strange insect crawling around my apartment, ... A: Steve, Sounds like an earwig. See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/earwigs.html for a picture and ... | |
| Bugs | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: Where can I send a bug so it can be identified. I live in Dallas,TX and have this small bugs walking ... A: Lyann, The best place to take a specimen is your county Cooperative Extension office. For Dallas ... | |
| Cocoon | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: My husband found a cocoon stuck to our cooler. It is a shiny smooth almost crystal blue color. Also ... A: Christina, Sounds like a chrysalis. A chrysalis is the cocoon of a butterfly. If you put this one ... | |
| Mounting Insects | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: To whom it may concern; Fall is approaching and with the cold weather I am beginning to find dead ... A: Sarah, I'm happy to help someone with a shared interest in insects! There are some good books ... | |
| powder post in furniture | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: Greetings Jack - I did visit "bugs". I was completing the re-upholstery of an older bench when I ... A: Jerry, Thanks for mentioning 'bugs. The bench may not be as infested as you think. Often old, ... | |
| Small Mini Cockroaches on my wall | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: Recently i have been seeing very very small bugs on my wall. the smaller one's are offwhite in color ... A: I can't see it clearly but the shape of the body and legs looks more like a beetle or possibly a ... | |
| Need help on identifying bug | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: Good Day- I am so glad I came across your site. This past weekend my bright idea was to take my ... A: Rebecca, Sounds like it could be chigger bites but chigger mites don't look like what you described ... | |
| What knid of bug could this be? | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed small black bugs, less than a 1/4" long and oval in my bed that look like small Lady ... A: Mike, These are probably dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. See ... | |
| Identify tiny bug in house | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: We have these tiny brownish red flying bugs being seen in our bathroom by the windows. We spray ... A: Nicole, I can't tell from your description what these are. Could you post a picture? The only thing ... | |
| Tiny black ants & even smaller black insects | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: Like many of those who ask questions, I idiotically used an exterminating company whose employees ... A: Kat, The small, black bugs that jump are almost certainly springtails (Collembola). See ... | |
| red ants | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: i just noticed my dog was licking at his paw and limping a little , i observed his pawans saw a red ... A: David, I'm not a vet so I can't really comment on medical issues but the only ants in the US that ... | |
| 7 legged spiders? | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: I have been seeing spiders around our house in Indiana that only have 7 legs. At first, I thought ... A: Adam, Since there are no seven-legged spiders we have to assume these are either injured, deformed ... | |
| Springtails | 9/5/2010 |
| Q: Recently I decided to organize my things in my unfinished basement. I stored most of my old things ... A: If they are psocids it means that the area is too damp so anything you can do to dry it out will ... | |
| bright blue insect | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: I moved to east Texas in April and today I saw a very bright blue flying insect for the first time. ... A: East Texas (sorry, I could not help the reference to "The Stand"), The are a number of bright blue ... | |
| Springtails | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: Recently I decided to organize my things in my unfinished basement. I stored most of my old things ... A: Terri, I don't know the Canadian university/extension system as well but this site ... | |
| Springtails | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: Recently I decided to organize my things in my unfinished basement. I stored most of my old things ... A: Terri, The best thing to do at this stage is to collect a few in alcohol and get them identified. ... | |
| bug question | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: I have found a few of these bugs around the house, one in the bathroom, a few in the carpet near the ... A: Amy, The picture is too blurry to make an accurate id but from your description of where you are ... | |
| Weird spider looking bug | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: I seen this bug that resembles a spider but the legs are just to big. I am attaching a picture so ... A: Jessica, I can't see it clearly but I don't think this is a spider. I think it is a true bug ... | |
| Yellow Jackets | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: Jack! My husband and I live in New Hampshire, and we have a metal gazebo on our deck. My flower ... A: Fran, I don't think these are yellowjacket wasps but rather a paper wasp called the European paper ... | |
| Comparison and clarification | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: In this post http://en.allexperts.com/q/Entomology-Study-Bugs-665/2009/9/Mystery-mouse-parasite.htm ... A: Creig, Bot flies are somewhat host specific but I would not be surprised if the same species could ... | |
| Brown Winged Jumping Bug | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: In the past two days we've noticed these small brown winged jumping bugs on our couch. They are in ... A: John, I can't see it clearly but I think this is a planthopper (see ... | |
| Carpet Beetles | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: I have identified that we are finding a certain type of carpet beetle larvae around our house. ... A: Bob, Carpet beetles are very common in homes so finding a few larvae is not unusual. See ... | |
| skin itching(mites)??? | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: Itching seems worse at night but also when I get hot and sweaty. It looks like little peaces of dry ... A: Mike, There are no insects or mites that do what you describe. The scabies mite (see ... | |
| beetle-looking insect | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: Do you know what this insect is? (picture attached) A: Teresa, Excellent photo (can I use it on my blog?). This is the drugstore beetle. See ... | |
| I can't figure out what this worm is... | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: I looked in my cabinet a few months ago and noticed a little worm no longet than my fingernail and ... A: This is a moth larva, probably a meal moth. See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mealmo_2.html for a ... | |
| small tan/black insect | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: I found this on a hot summer day in my backyard. It was resting on the patio table. The shell is ... A: Pierre, Interesting insect pin substitute! This is a beetle, possibly a weevil (Curculionidae). I ... | |
| Help identify mite-like insect | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: These insects are very small - about the size of a pin head. So they are difficult to see much less ... A: Greg, Excellent photo. These are called springtails (Collembola), they are not related to mites but ... | |
| very large queenish ant eating voodoo lily | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: I found this ant on my voodoo lily. The plant had been pretty much skeletonized and I am thinking ... A: Elizabeth, I can't see it completely but I'm pretty sure this is a beetle rather than an ant. I ... | |
| We found this huge spider in our home | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: We live in northern San Diego and have a well kept home. This is the second spider of this kind that ... A: Kenny, It is nearly impossible to identify spiders from photos alone. I can tell you that this is ... | |
| Bed Bugs question. | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: I would guess that bed bugs have been around for a long time, like most insect species. Where did ... A: David, Excellent question. Researchers have proposed that bed bugs evolved from a blood-feeding bug ... | |
| large very bright green...caterpillar? | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: Live on Eastern Slopes of Washington Cascades elev 2000 ft - can you tell me what this is? Approx ... A: Peg, This is either a tomato or tobacco hornworm (see the "horn" on the back end). The adult is a ... | |
| Black bug in apartment? | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: Tonight I found a black bug crawling around in one of my lower kitchen cabinets. I'm living in ... A: Chris, If the building has just recently been finished, say within the last few months, this could ... | |
| bugs identity in picture frame | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I have attached a photo of super tiny clear/ tan - i belive 2 segmented insects about the size of a ... A: Faye, These are not bed bugs nor anything else that you need be overly concerned about. While I ... | |
| Powderpost Beetles | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: Approximately for a year we are noticing small beetle like bugs in our pantry. We have destroyed all ... A: Satya, These don't sound like powderpost beetles (see ... | |
| Extremely small and fast white bugs near my bed? | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I've seen three or four very small white bugs (so small I could barely see them) and two or three ... A: Ari, I'm sorry but I can't make an identification from this description. Try to catch a specimen ... | |
| Winged insect coming out of drain | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: There are winged insects coming out of my sink and tub drain. They have long wings and have a red ... A: Tina, This profile looks like a winged termite, possibly a dampwood termite. Could it be that these ... | |
| Winged insect coming out of drain | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: There are winged insects coming out of my sink and tub drain. They have long wings and have a red ... A: Tiny, Can you post a picture of the insect? Normally the only insects that emerge from drains are ... | |
| need help identifying a bug | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: the other day i was bitten by a but, the only thing i know about said bug is that it was quarter ... A: Stefanie, I don't think that the insect you saw and the injury are necessarily related. Usually ... | |
| itch | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: About 2 months ago I felt like bugs were in my hair It felt like they would fly in my hair and when ... A: Teri, There are lots of different things that can cause itchy skin and a sensation of "crawling" ... | |
| Spider in bathroom | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: My daughter saw this spider in the bathroom this morning on the wall. It's a very fast moving ... A: I'll need to know the city or county you live in to suggest a Cooperative Extension office to take a ... | |
| Spider in bathroom | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: My daughter saw this spider in the bathroom this morning on the wall. It's a very fast moving ... A: Mandi, It is nearly impossible to identify spiders by pictures alone. This one is a male but beyond ... | |
| Insect I found in house this morning | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: I am trying to identify an insect I found in my house this morning and attach a photo. My house has ... A: Karen, This is a cave cricket (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphidophoridae for pictures and a ... | |
| Caterpillar bite | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: Hello I was bitten by a caterpiller with green fuzz and black spikes can you help me A: Will, Caterpillars don't bite but there are some that have hairs and spines that can deliver a ... | |
| I can't figure out what this worm is... | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: I looked in my cabinet a few months ago and noticed a little worm no longet than my fingernail and ... A: Stefani, Post a picture if possible but these sound like beetle or moth larvae. Something like meal ... | |
| Thrip infestation in home and in hair | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: Approximately 3 weeks ago, my daughter complained about having gnats in her hair, which was strange ... A: The best place to take a sample is the Brevard county extension office ... | |
| insect ID | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in Denver, CO. And just got a visit from something I've never seen before. When it first ... A: These are native to Colorado but they are not commonly encountered insects. They tend to occur ... | |
| insect ID | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in Denver, CO. And just got a visit from something I've never seen before. When it first ... A: Clint, I can't be sure without a picture but this sounds like a horntail wood wasp (Siricidae). ... | |
| What's biting me? | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: i do not have a photo as i have sighted no insects. i have examined my bed and furniture, and found ... A: Bella, I doubt very much that whatever is causing this is an insect or mite, especially since ... | |
| Thrip infestation in home and in hair | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: Approximately 3 weeks ago, my daughter complained about having gnats in her hair, which was strange ... A: Sally, I can't find any reports of banana thrips infesting a home and biting. While thrips do bite ... | |
| Thrips in my house | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: Early this spring i noticed little bugs all over the siding outside my house especially by the ... A: You might want to take a sample to the OSU Cooperative Extension office there in Mansfield ... | |
| Thrips in my house | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: Early this spring i noticed little bugs all over the siding outside my house especially by the ... A: Michelle, Have you had these identified by someone other than the exterminator? Thrips don't infest ... | |
| Flying insect | 8/20/2010 |
| Q: I live in Sylmar ,CA on the northern end of the San Fernando Valley. I found an unusual Flying ... A: Linda, I don't recognize this from the description. Could you still get and post a picture? I'm ... | |
| White larvae type thing in dead oak tree | 8/20/2010 |
| Q: A couple of years ago one of my burr oak trees fell over in a storm. I recently cut it up to use as ... A: Adam, These were the larvae of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae). These are common wood borers in ... | |
| kitchen bugs | 8/20/2010 |
| Q: recently I have had tiny black incects on my kitchen worktop under the window near the sink. They ... A: Edith, These sound like dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. See ... | |
| never seen this one before | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: I found 2 of these on my shrubs at , they have a rather large web, pictures may not show it but have ... A: Rod, This is a garden spider (Argiope sp.). See http://bugguide.net/node/view/2007 for pictures of ... | |
| swarmingblack tiny flying beetles | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: Thousands have invaded Duluth, Ga. driveway, crawling into builds constant last two weeks??? whats ... A: Tony, Can you post a picture? Also, describe what they look like in terms of size and shape. Jack ... | |
| Tent caterpillars/websorms | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: There are about 15 pecan trees surrounding my home that are around 100 years old, and about three ... A: Isabelle, Unfortunately there's not much you can do to treat webworms in tall trees. If you call an ... | |
| a pile of teeny tiny bugs...thousands of them | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: My husband was heading outside to clean the tires on our truck. He noticed what he thought was some ... A: Jill, These are called springtails (Collembola). See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/springtails.html ... | |
| bites | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: i was wandering if there was any thing similar to a white tail spider bite and a common australian ... A: Jason, The venom from the white-tailed spider causes localized pain, swelling and redness, ... | |
| Insect ID | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I have lived in northeast Georgia my entire life and have never seen this type of bug. Can you ... A: Amy, This is a walking stick insect (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phasmatodea for more info and ... | |
| Hundreds and hundreds of tiny crawling insects | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: Just yesterday, I noticed these teeny, tiny little bugs crawling all over my driveway and fence. ... A: Usually when insects enter houses it is because the are attracted to water. It is dry outside and ... | |
| Hundreds and hundreds of tiny crawling insects | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: Just yesterday, I noticed these teeny, tiny little bugs crawling all over my driveway and fence. ... A: This is definitely a true bug, an immature (notice the wings are not completely developed). Again, ... | |
| what type of bug is this? | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: My friend lives in Florida and this bug in her apartment. I have enclosed a picture for you to ... A: Naomi, I can't see this clearly enough to make an id. Could you post another image that shows ... | |
| Hundreds and hundreds of tiny crawling insects | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: Just yesterday, I noticed these teeny, tiny little bugs crawling all over my driveway and fence. ... A: Vicki, I can't see them clearly but from the shape and size I'd guess they are a small true bug ... | |
| insect | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: Helo,i found something in my garden,looks like a snake,but is the width of a middle finger and about ... A: Julie, This is a type of hornworm, the caterpillar of a sphinx moth. There are many species, some ... | |
| Sudden appearance of small spiders | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: We woke up to our yard and the neighbors yard being covered with tiny web spider webs this morning. ... A: Anna, I don't think this is unusual. Spiders commonly construct this type of web in grass. I think ... | |
| Bug ID? | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: I've found a bug I'd like to know more about, particularly if it stings or bites or ruins anything ... A: Jacob, If you post a picture I may be able to give you a more definite answer but this sounds like ... | |
| cockroaches in my compost bin | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: Please help! I have been working on a compost pile since April. Well today, I saw a BUNCH of maggots ... A: That's definitely a cockroach, at least the front half. The thing on the backend was probably an egg ... | |
| cockroaches in my compost bin | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: Please help! I have been working on a compost pile since April. Well today, I saw a BUNCH of maggots ... A: Tyfani, I think a good solution might be use a weather resistant cockroach bait that is intended ... | |
| caterpillars | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I live in the SF bay area of northern California and have recently noted my patio has several dozen ... A: This is the larva of the black soldier fly (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_illucens for a ... | |
| cockroaches in my compost bin | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: Please help! I have been working on a compost pile since April. Well today, I saw a BUNCH of maggots ... A: Tyfani, Cockroaches don't normally infest compost bins. First, are you certain they are ... | |
| mysterious biting insect | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I live in eastern WA state, and for the last year or so we've been having intermittent problems with ... A: I'd agree that it could be biting midges or mosquitoes except for the location of the bites. Since ... | |
| Green Worm | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: My question is: I found this very bright green neon worm in my Blackberry patch today ,can you tell ... A: Robert, This is the caterpillar of the saddleback moth (see ... | |
| mysterious biting insect | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: I live in eastern WA state, and for the last year or so we've been having intermittent problems with ... A: You're right, fleas can not maintain an infestation on human blood alone so houses without pets ... | |
| mysterious biting insect | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: I live in eastern WA state, and for the last year or so we've been having intermittent problems with ... A: Melissa, Do you have pets in the house? Bites that are confined to the lower legs usually means ... | |
| Small brown flying bee-like insects - LOTS! | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: Well, my subject says it all. I noticed that my yard in Michigan (early August 2010) was literally ... A: Adele, These are ants. The larger ones with wings are the "reproductives" of the colony. The ... | |
| Small Skin coloured bug or mite | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: I have recently noticed small skin colored bugs or mites about 2mm, round in shape. I saw them fist ... A: Clara, You may be describing a type of mite called either a bird mite, nest mite or sometimes ... | |
| tiny6 black worms | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: I am finding many many tiny black worms in my jacuzzi tub. It seems they are inside the jets. There ... A: Gerry, Sounds like some kind of nematode. Your best bet is to collect some and have them examined ... | |
| Mystery bug?! | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I found what looked like a black ladybird with white spots in a wood near my house yesterday, have ... A: Caroline, Ladybird beetles come in many colors and patterns. If it was about the size and shape of ... | |
| photo of biting bug | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I felt this biting my ankle yesterday as I sat on the sofa & was lucky enough to nab it. Perhaps ... A: Rae, I can't see this clearly enough, even enlarged, to identify but it is not a flea (per your ... | |
| Ant like mounds | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: Can you please help me? From S. Florida, My next store neighbor has many small sand mounds, all ... A: Donna, I'd need a picture to be sure but I think you are describing an antlion (Neuroptera). These ... | |
| biting flying insects | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: I live in Rhode Island. In several places in my yard, usually under piles of last year's leaves that ... A: Anne, Unfortunately there are no insects that exactly match your description. Have you gotten a ... | |
| black furry flying insect | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a large black fly about 2 cm in length. It has a light yellow face with a furry oval shaped ... A: M, Based on the "small black antennae" this is probably a fly. There are flies that resemble bees ... | |
| Calico Scale | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: Our honeylocust tree has a major infestation of calico scale. Recently I noticed some strange spiked ... A: Tom, I don't think thee are related to the scale. I thought at first they might be eggs but they ... | |
| Tiny, tiny tan bugs? | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: In the past few days, I've seen one of these tiny tiny tab looking bugs in our bathroom counters ... A: Vincent, Could you estimate their size by comparing them to something? For example, are they larger ... | |
| What is it and are there probly more? | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I found a 1 inch long worm looking larvae wiggling out from underneath my washer. Copper brown, ... A: Sara, Immature crickets (nymphs) look like adult crickets except they are smaller and lack ... | |
| Bug bite from a bug that looks like tree bark | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: My wife was running in a park in Nashville, TN. The park is close to the Cumberland river. A bug ... A: Jeff, If the bite was painful I'd say it was probably an assassin bug (Reduviidae). The bite of ... | |
| unusual nest | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: When cleaning out my condo after a renter moved out, I found this nest clinging to my curtains. I ... A: Holley, This is likely a moth or butterfly cocoon rather than a nest. If you place it in a covered ... | |
| little bug | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: i have these little tiny small, shiny, and silverish bugs i seen in my bedroom. its a little bit ... A: Tom, You almost named your critter in your question. I think you are describing a silverfish (see ... | |
| Carpet beetle larvae in couch | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I recently found some bugs underneath and in the bottom of my couch on the carpet and on the metal ... A: Tori, Carpet beetles only infest natural fabrics and dry foods so any part of the couch made from ... | |
| Help identifying house bug | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I've been finding these shells of bugs in my house for years. Their favourite hiding places are in ... A: Joyce, These are cast skins from the larvae of dermestid beetles (Dermestidae), sometimes called ... | |
| playing dead | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: found this bug that was stuck to out deck railing and we picked it off and put it in a container.the ... A: Lexi, If you'd like me to try and identify this insect I'll need more of a description, but a ... | |
| mite or tick? | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I found many of these insects under an Alyssum plant as I was clearing it off the sidewalk. It's an ... A: Judy, Neither. These are nymphs (immatures) of true bugs (Hemiptera). There are lots of different ... | |
| My tree is infested!!! | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a swirl tree in the front lawn that has died. I realized today that it is infested with at ... A: Most of the time bagworms (tent caterpillars) can be managed by physically removing the silken tents ... | |
| bug in clothing | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: Almost everytime i do dirty laundry or go through clean folded clothes i find this orangish colored ... A: Nicole, I'd need a picture to be sure but you may be describing a small centipede. Look closely ... | |
| odd insect that may have been biting me | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: I have had 4 incidents in the past month, while visiting a family member ( who travels a lot and was ... A: Rae, One way to try and solve the mystery is to look at the insects and mites the do bite people ... | |
| strange one | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: Can you identify this insect? I thought it was just poo from a bird or something, but then i saw it ... A: Debi, Sorry but I don't recognize this insect(?). Do you have any other pictures/views? One of the ... | |
| Identify fly like insect | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: We have Carpenter Bees (CB), that we love and allow them to have their way with our old deck ... A: Amber, This is probably a wasp predator rather than a horse fly. Horse flies do not prey on ... | |
| largest bug i have ever seen | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: At our evening softball game the largest bug anyone at our game had seem walked along the ground and ... A: I'm stumped. There are not many insects this large (4-1/2") and except for the dobsonfly none with ... | |
| house bugs at windows & floors | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: DeAngelis, found tiny bugs in house. First at wooden windowsills, tiny as <1mm(body) in black, some ... A: Mia, These are called springtails (Collembola). They don't fly but rather jump when disturbed. They ... | |
| largest bug i have ever seen | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: At our evening softball game the largest bug anyone at our game had seem walked along the ground and ... A: Sarah, I think what you saw was a dobsonfly (Neuroptera) (the main clue being the "huge ... | |
| praying mantis | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: I have a strong interest in praying mantis. They are mysterious to me, even thou I seem to ... A: Nicole, No reason to be afraid of these insects, they are pretty docile. Larger ones can bite, like ... | |
| Widespread Lice/ Nits. How to treat? | 7/30/2010 |
| Q: I am an experienced health care provider working at a co-ed summer camp for children in Maine. I am ... A: Leslie, Nits and lice eggs are the same, "nit" is just another name for egg. Are you using good ... | |
| Strange flying insect | 7/30/2010 |
| Q: Just curious about a flying insect I saw the other day. The body was about 3" long with 6 ... A: Nick, This was probably an ichneumonid wasp. Some of these wasps have really impressive ovipositors ... | |
| furry bug question | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I saw this bug up in Crab Flats near Green Valley Lake in the Big Bear area of Southern California. ... A: Amy, I had to look close, my first reaction was "there's nothing there!". Then I saw it, a velvet ... | |
| a vase shaped nest | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a nest in the eve of my house over the front porch. It looks like a vase. The vase, nest is ... A: Doreen, This is probably a social wasp, possibly the European hornet Vespa crabro (see ... | |
| Tiny White worms with black heads | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I found these tiny white worms with small black heads squirming around underneath my toothbrushes in ... A: Courtney, The best thing to do is collect the worms in a small bottle with alcohol (use a Q-tip ... | |
| Red bugs in bathroom | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved into a new home (newly built) and have started to have a bug issue in my master ... A: Katy, I can't be sure because this description could fit a lot of different insects. However, ... | |
| id these for me please!! | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: So today I decided to finally start cleaning my basement. I live in my basement at home and haven't ... A: Lauren, Your description is a pretty good description of a varied carpet beetle, definitely not a ... | |
| Identify large hornet-type | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: I have seen many of these in my yard this week(southeast U.S.), specifically they seem to be ... A: Lynn, Excellent picture comparing a yellowjacket (vespid wasp) to a cicada killer (see ... | |
| spider mites | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: i grow veggies indoors and recently had a spider mite infestation which i have under control now ... A: Craig, No, spider mites don't feed on animals, just plants. Scratching in pets can be caused by a ... | |
| bugs biting head not lice | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: my son and I are getting bit on our heads and neckline. The bites are itchy, and irritating. They ... A: Sherry, The best thing to do is capture a few in alcohol and have them identified. 70% rubbing ... | |
| mites | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: .. Bugs... Two questions, please... Living area/home is literally in a circular wooded area in south ... A: Sue, Second question first. I think this is something other than a mite or insect. There are very ... | |
| Clicking Noises | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: I captured a small bug earlier in a clear bag. When I held it against my white laptop screen to ... A: Kate, I commend your curiosity, most people it seems just want to kill insects. What you probably ... | |
| Mites | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: I have tiny white bugs all over my kitchen. I am thinking they are flour mites but I am not sure and ... A: The dog food should not make any difference in this case. The most important factor is ... | |
| Mites | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: I have tiny white bugs all over my kitchen. I am thinking they are flour mites but I am not sure and ... A: Christine, These appear to be grain mites, also called mold mites. They occur mostly as pests in ... | |
| flying oklahoma bug | 7/24/2010 |
| Q: we have a large over 2inch flying bug here in oklahoma. it is a metalic shiny green and orange bug ... A: Jared, If you post a picture I may be able to give you a more definite id but this sounds like a ... | |
| Deer ticks | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: We are in Connecticut and our home is on a deer trail. We are appropriately wary of ticks but have ... A: A, All stages of Ixodes scapularis ticks can transmit the Lyme disease parasite but not all ticks ... | |
| powder post beetles | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: My house is five years old and I have discovered the powder post beetle holes and dust in my kitchen ... A: John, This is usually the $64,000 question when evidence of powderpost beetles is found. Most of ... | |
| is it a bedbug? | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: I was bitten numerous times (about ten bites, I think) on my back while sitting in a recliner. I ... A: Karen, Does not sound like a bed bug but I'd need a picture to be sure. Bed bugs are pretty ... | |
| Springtails...please help! | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: So, I've been in my brand new house for a year. Until recently I had never even heard of ... A: As I said above, springtails don't become established (infest) in homes but they do occasionally ... | |
| Springtails...please help! | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: So, I've been in my brand new house for a year. Until recently I had never even heard of ... A: I think the termite treatment would eliminate any springtails living in that soil. At this point it ... | |
| Beetle or weevil identification | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: We have cleared our broad beans as they had (I think) root rot and put them in our Council compost ... A: Margaret, Could you post a picture as there are lots of beetles that fit this general description? ... | |
| Springtails...please help! | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: So, I've been in my brand new house for a year. Until recently I had never even heard of ... A: Kristin, Springtails (Collembola) do not infest homes so there's no danger that they are living in ... | |
| critter in home | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: Can you help me identify this critter that likes to live in our house? It moves very quickly and ... A: Barry, This is a house centipede (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/centipede.html for another ... | |
| bug identification | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a few large bugs living under the wood steps in my garage. They have long legs like a spider, ... A: Diana, Sounds like some kind of cricket, perhaps a cave cricket which often occur in basements and ... | |
| Question ab. an unusual looking bug/insect outside my home | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: DeAngelis. I corrected the error in print from the first message sent. (see below). I didn't see ... A: DM, Thanks for re-submitting your question. Your description does not fit any common insects ... | |
| caterpillars | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: I live in south florida and for the first time I noticed my sea grape plant covered with ... A: Mary, Excellent photo - unfortunately I don't recognize the species. There are lots of different ... | |
| bug on my neck | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: I woke up this morning and found this wormy thing stuck to my neck. I live in Nashville, Tennessee. ... A: Suzy, This is a centipede. Large centipedes can bite but this one appears too small to bite. ... | |
| Unidentitified insect | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: I would like you to identify this insect. I was sleeping at home in Brooklyn, New York City and felt ... A: Elyse, I'm a little stumped by this image. It is definitely an immature insect. The "prongs" at the ... | |
| flying digger bees? | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I live in South Carolina, USA. I have something digging at the base of plants I have planted on a ... A: Pamla, Are the bees covered in dense hairs like a bumble bee or are they shiny like a wasp? Could ... | |
| how to tell the differ.between a deer tick and pseudoscorpions | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: My question is just that of the subject..my 7 year old found what i thought was a tick beside his ... A: Jessica, The best way would be to post a picture. Are you sure it is either a pseudoscorpion or a ... | |
| tiny gray bugs | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I have tiny gray beetle like bugs that are on my floors most noticable in the bathroom. They aren't ... A: Tiffany, Could you post a picture of your bugs? Can you describe what you mean by "beetle-like"? ... | |
| small red worm | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: Over the past 2 weeks I have found in my bathroom sink and counter several Very small red ... A: This could be a nematode (basically an unsegmented worm), however nematodes do not have antennae. If ... | |
| FLEAS - HELP ME | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: 8 wks ago, I went to a farm that was infested with fleas. They got into my car, luggage, and on my ... A: I have to suggest again that you capture a few and get them identified because there are no fleas ... | |
| insect id | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I live in belfast ,northern ireland and saw an insect which was black and about 3inches long it had ... A: Susan, I'm sorry but I don't recognize this one. The size and coloring sound like a grasshopper but ... | |
| Larvae Sample | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I found a larvae in the woods when I was working. 1 1/2 inches long, completely white, 6 legs near ... A: Emily, Where did you find the larva, in the soil, leaf litter, under bark? Three pairs of legs near ... | |
| Unknown Bug | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: My husband was standing in our back yard and felt a terrible pain shooting up from his hand, up his ... A: Deborah, You may be describing a "velvet ant" (Mutillidae). The females of this wasp are wingless ... | |
| Weird bug! | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: So I was in my home(in Central MD) and I look on my shoulder and see something that looks like ... A: Al, This is the larva of a lacewing (Neuroptera) that has covered itself with debris. See ... | |
| unknown larvae | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I am at college and i have been studying plants but whilst repotting a plant i found this larvae ... A: Trisha, There are lots of insect larvae that develop in soil. If you post a clear picture I may be ... | |
| very small gray-ish bugs that hop | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I noticed s=very small, gray bugs in our bathroom about 1 month ago. My husband ... A: Ann, Sounds like springtails (Collembola). These primitive insects live in the soil where they feed ... | |
| household bug | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: Last year, Aug./Sept. we had an infestation of bugs that were found in the basement. They were in ... A: Bill, This sounds like one of the dermestid beetles. There are a number of species that infest all ... | |
| bug id | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I have found 4 tiny, tiny bugs in the past 2 days... 3 in my house and one more in my car. These ... A: Marifer, These are probably casemaking clothes moths or a type of clothes moth called a plaster ... | |
| Fountain bugs | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a rock fountain that circulates 4 hours per day, I have noticed thousands of tiny white bugs, ... A: Nina, I suspect these are collembola (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/springtails.html for a ... | |
| Apartment Bugs | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm pretty sure I found one bed bug in my apartment. It's reddish-brown and seems to have faint ... A: Dee, I can't tell much from the photo. Bed bugs are normally pretty easy to find unless you are in ... | |
| Tiny bugs invading our deck | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: We live in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and just this week we've been inundated by these tiny walking ... A: Betsy, The best place to take a sample is the UW Entomology Insect lab ... | |
| Infestation of tiny black insects | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: I hope you can help me with this question. I did forward it to Tea, but only afterwards read that ... A: Maura, This looks like a thrips (Thysanoptera). See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/thrips.html for a ... | |
| bugs in house | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: For the last few weeks I have been getting a large number of bites while in my apartment. I don't ... A: Maggie, If you have looked for bed bugs and not found them then it is very unlikely that bed bugs ... | |
| FLEAS - HELP ME | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: 8 wks ago, I went to a farm that was infested with fleas. They got into my car, luggage, and on my ... A: Kevin, Have you captured any and had them identified? If not this would be the first step. There ... | |
| Little Brown Bugs in Bathroom | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: We live in Wisconsin. During the hot summer months, we have little brown/black beetles in our ... A: Lisa, I'd like to try to confirm the identity because there are lots of different weevils and a ... | |
| Small crawling bugs... | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in an old house, it has a basement and an upstairs. The kitchen, bathroom, and living room ... A: Jessica, These sound like springtails (Collembola). These tiny, primitive insects live in the ... | |
| tan bugs in paper | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in NYC and have recently been finding these little tan almost translucent bugs in pieces of ... A: Maria, How did the bugs get inside the pieces of paper? What is this paper? Your best bet is to ... | |
| Very tiny little bugs invading our garage & home! | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: Please help me. Our garage, decks and interior of our home are being invaded by these very little ... A: The nearest office is Vilas County - UW Extension Courthouse 330 Court Street Eagle River, WI 54521 ... | |
| Very tiny little bugs invading our garage & home! | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: Please help me. Our garage, decks and interior of our home are being invaded by these very little ... A: Tricia, I could guess what these are but the best thing to do is catch a few and get them ... | |
| tiny black insect | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: We live in the country in the South of England. For some time we have noticed tiny black insects in ... A: Ann, Sounds like psocids (also called booklice but they are not related to true lice). These ... | |
| Huge green caterpillar | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: This caterpillar was on our pepper plant. We live in central Indiana and online pictures indicate it ... A: Amy, Excellent picture. This is a either a tobacco or tomato hornworm (notice the "horn" at the ... | |
| insects | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: I live in chelmsford in essex, england, i have found in my fan light window a length of very thin ... A: Elaine, Is the nest material around the window frame or is it on the glass? Could you post a ... | |
| insect indentification | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: I was inspecting a very tiny insect on my hand yesterday when it nailed me with its tiny front ... A: Marilyn, I think you are describing a lacewing larva. Both adults and larvae are predators on small ... | |
| Flying ants | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: I live Iin Toronto, Canada and I'm having problem with ants. Over the past 4 mornings, I have found ... A: Rodney, This many winged ants found indoors generally indicates that there's a colony in the walls, ... | |
| Pest killing my pyracantha bush | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: I hope you can help ID'ing the pest which is killing my pyracantha. It appears to be some sort of ... A: Tammy, I don't think this is an insect gall but even if it is, it is probably not the cause of the ... | |
| Help Identifying small brown house bug? | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: I am finding several of these small little guys all of a sudden in my study and the utility room ... A: Rande, This is a weevil (beetle in the family Curculionidae) possibly one of the root weevils. Root ... | |
| chicken fleas? | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: i'm having a problem with fleas on my pet chickens - i believe they are called stickfast or ... A: Debra, This is a bit outside my area of expertise. Here's a site at the U. of Florida the addresses ... | |
| What is this bug and could there be more of them in my house? | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: I found a bug in my room that is a little over an inch long with a lot of legs, a lot of which had ... A: Ryan, I think you are describing a house centipede. See ... | |
| biting beetle??? | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: This is a rough drawing of what I found biting me while in bed when I scratched it off my back. It ... A: Lena, The only thing that looks like what you drew that I can think of is a pseudoscorpion. These ... | |
| black caterpillar | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: There is an infestation of colonies of black caterpillars in my yard. I allowed some "volunteer" ... A: Deanna, I'm not sure where the recipe for Dawn plus DE came from, this one is new to me. A strong ... | |
| Carpet Beetle bugs found in window & curtains. | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: Las weekend I woke up one morning to open my curtain and found about a hundred little black bugs in ... A: Dora, Carpet beetles are not dangerous in any way. They feed on natural fabrics and dry foods like ... | |
| Small jumping insects near bed | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I found 10 or so crawling on the wall near my mattress and window. I'm using a used mattress, so I'm ... A: Jensen, This is called a springtail (Collembola). These primitive insects live in soil and leaf ... | |
| Irridescent blue spider-like bug | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: We found a beautiful dark blue bug (6 legs-2 antennae) which looked so much like a spider that we ... A: Jenny, There are lots of iridescent blue insects. Most of the ones I can think are either beetles ... | |
| Small Reddish Orange Bugs | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: We live in mesa, arizona. This afternoon we noticed a large gathering of about 20-30 insects by our ... A: This is not a carpenter ant so there's no danger of a infestation that will damage the structure. In ... | |
| egg sac | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: i found an egg sac under a mossy type ball an orchid was growing on it had some sort of black ... A: These do look like eggs but I don't think they are insect eggs. You may have to contact someone with ... | |
| Small Reddish Orange Bugs | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: We live in mesa, arizona. This afternoon we noticed a large gathering of about 20-30 insects by our ... A: This is definitely an ant. The winged ants are called "reproductives", essentially the "kings" and ... | |
| Possible bird Lice | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed an infestation in two of my upstairs bedrooms of a bug that is the size of a ... A: I don't think the springtails could have moved from the basement to the second floor. They only ... | |
| mystery insect | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: we are unable to identify an insect - it is about 1/2 inch long, black body, head is small and ... A: Gudrun, Could you post a picture? Take a look at this site about earwigs (they have two ... | |
| Small Reddish Orange Bugs | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: We live in mesa, arizona. This afternoon we noticed a large gathering of about 20-30 insects by our ... A: Julisa, I'll have to wait for the picture. But tell me -- do you think the small, bright red ... | |
| Possible bird Lice | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed an infestation in two of my upstairs bedrooms of a bug that is the size of a ... A: Patrick, Are you sure these are springtails? Several things (except size) sound more like ... | |
| Tiny brown insects on deck | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I've been finding these small brown insects on my deck railings. I have sprayed all the railings ... A: The only other insects or mites that are common in this situation are clover mites and you've ... | |
| Wasp in catcus | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I put a small, thick cactus outside for summer. I have noticed one or two wasp just hanging on it. ... A: Patty, This one is definitely a wasp, probably a mud dauber judging by the narrow waist. These are ... | |
| tiny black beetles | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have many, many tiny, black beetles that are entering by crawling under closed, 3rd floor bedroom ... A: Judy, The problem is there are lots of beetles that fit this description. The best thing to do is ... | |
| Tiny brown insects on deck | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: I've been finding these small brown insects on my deck railings. I have sprayed all the railings ... A: Christine, These sound like a small insect called a psocid, or barklouse (Psocoptera). They are not ... | |
| tiny black beetles | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: I have many, many tiny, black beetles that are entering by crawling under closed, 3rd floor bedroom ... A: Judy, Could you post a picture of the beetles? If not, collect a few in alcohol (use a Q-tip dipped ... | |
| tiny green biting bug | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: My husband is working out in the methane fields just outside of Buffalo, Wyoming, and he keeps ... A: Kimberly, There are a number of small insects that bite like this, none of them are dangerous in ... | |
| Wasp in catcus | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: I put a small, thick cactus outside for summer. I have noticed one or two wasp just hanging on it. ... A: The type of wasp that looks like this insect is called a yellowjacket (Vespidae). Yellowjacket wasps ... | |
| Possible bird Lice | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed an infestation in two of my upstairs bedrooms of a bug that is the size of a ... A: Patrick, These sound like silverfish (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/silverfish_firebrats.html ... | |
| termites | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I need help finding someone who could look at the damage on the front of my house and identify if ... A: Judy, I'm guessing you want someone other than a pest control company. Unfortunately I don't know ... | |
| Wasp in catcus | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I put a small, thick cactus outside for summer. I have noticed one or two wasp just hanging on it. ... A: Patty, There are lots of different types of wasps so I'd need to see a picture to be able to tell ... | |
| Weird Red bug | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I live in the South east part of tennessee, near GA and NC. I Recently moved into a new trailer. The ... A: Mandy, There are a couple of possibilities. These are mites probably either in the family ... | |
| chigger infestation in home | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: Jack, Our family went camping overnight (one night) a couple of weeks ago in the Dallas, TX metro ... A: John, The web is a great source of information but unfortunately not all of the information is ... | |
| Winged Green Bugs in Bathroom | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I just cleaned my 2nd floor bathroom yesterday and already on the counter are 6 of these bugs and ... A: Grace, Do you have any plants in this bathroom? I think these may be green lacewings, a type of ... | |
| bug-ID | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: Tiny little red spider. Well, it has eight legs, so I think it's a spider. Perhaps one thirty ... A: Duane, Excellent photo of such a small subject! This is a mite rather than a spider. Specifically ... | |
| Swarm of insects | 6/26/2010 |
| Q: I was driving a semi truck through new mexico on i40 just east of Albuquerque at about 10:30pm on ... A: Stephanie, This is a beetle, possibly a chafer of some kind. There are many species of chafers but ... | |
| Unknown insect | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I found a bug in my raspberry patch that's next to a woodpile. It's an insect with six legs and two ... A: David, I'll need a picture because this description could fit a lot of different insects. If you ... | |
| please help identify this bug invading my home | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: Hey, so I've been noticing these bugs crawling on my desk and on my computer lately, maybe have seen ... A: Alex, These are called springtails, or collembola (see ... | |
| unidentifiable bug | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a major infestation happening in my home. Thousands of small, maybe 1/8th inch long, clear ... A: Kimberley, Your best bet is to contact your county Cooperative Extension office or NMSU in Las ... | |
| tiny black bug | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: We have tiny black bugs like a speck of dirt. They are on our porch and vinyl railing. They get on ... A: Can you describe what they do look like (how many legs, what does the head look like, antennae, ... | |
| tiny flea like bugs | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: I live in Kuna Idaho in Ada county. I have thousands of tiny flea like bugs all over my cement patio ... A: Amanda, These are called springtails or collembola (see ... | |
| white bugs | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: i am finding a white, cottony substance on most garden, and flowering plants in my yard. there are ... A: Patti, I think you are seeing two different insects. The white cottony masses may be cottony scale ... | |
| strange worm mass on ceiling | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday my wife notes that there is a black spot on the ceiling. Today the spot is a mass and ... A: Don, These are moth larvae that have hatched from an egg mass. Moths will lay egg masses on ... | |
| tiny black bug | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: We have tiny black bugs like a speck of dirt. They are on our porch and vinyl railing. They get on ... A: Brian, There's a couple of possibilities. Psocids or clover mites are the two most likely. With a ... | |
| Bugs in Room | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: I have these extremely annoying bugs in my room! I will be laying on my bed in the dark on my ... A: Jacea, I can't tell from your description what this is, can you post a picture? If it does not hop ... | |
| bugs | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: I have tiny brownish bugs in corner of the bath tub around the grout (it is a little mildewy from ... A: Tricia, Could be clover mites. These mites are greenish/brown with a pair of long front legs that ... | |
| Michigan dusk flying bug | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: I live in Michigan and every summer our neighbors and I get swarms of a tan/brown flying bug about ... A: Amy, Do you live near water (stream, pond, lakeshore)? This sounds like some kind of aquatic insect ... | |
| Identify this insect for me please | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: I was out in my parents yard in plant city fl today, and this bug bit me on my ankle. it felt like a ... A: Rachel, Must have been an assassin bug based on your description. The bites can be very painful but ... | |
| Maggots/flies | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a problem with maggots that become flys in my house. Cocoons in my lounge that contain maggot ... A: Katherine, I think there may be two different things going on. The carpet damage and "gold coloured ... | |
| Little_brown _bugs_on_wet wall | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I discover today on a on a wall of my bedroom a lot of very little and light brown bugs. Their ... A: Davide, Excellent pictures, thanks for including them. These are called psocids, or booklice. They ... | |
| Odd little flying black beetle/bugs | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I can't provide a picture right now but I can describe them pretty well. But there is a bit of a ... A: Most insects become inactive around 55 degrees so that may be what's going on. I don't think the ... | |
| Odd little flying black beetle/bugs | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: I can't provide a picture right now but I can describe them pretty well. But there is a bit of a ... A: Kat, I'm afraid I'll need a picture. If the wings are covered by a hard shell then they are ... | |
| garden spider bite | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: There was a brown spider in my garden. Same size and shape as a wolf spider...however, it had a ... A: Andrea, Spiders are almost impossible to identify from a description or even a photograph alone. ... | |
| Black bug/insects attacking earthworms | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: I am located in Seattle, WA, and this is the third time in about a month (may and June) that I have ... A: Jordan, The only thing that I can think of that might do what you describe are centipedes. ... | |
| Six legged Nuisance? | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: Within the last few months (May & June in the Midwest Region), my home (inside & out) has been ... A: Tony, I think you are describing an earwig. See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/earwigs.html for a ... | |
| House Bugs | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: I've noticed that after our remodel (SoCal) 3 years ago we have started seeing a lot of small ... A: Ana, Could you post a picture? Your description fits a number of different things. Also, do you see ... | |
| Tiny Spiders on Bedroom Ceiling | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: My wife (terrified of spiders) entered our bedroom a few evenings ago to discover ~50 tiny white/tan ... A: Bob, Spiders lay their eggs in clumps enclosed in an egg sac. These sacs are generally round balls ... | |
| green caterpillar | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: i have an infestation of fuzzy green caterpillars with a brown streak down their sides. i have ... A: Joyce, There are many different species that feed on roses so I can't give you a species name. ... | |
| Swarming Termites | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: So backstory, I live in a one-bedroom leased apt (11 months left). Previously I had a drywood ... A: I think you are right about the landlord spraying while you are away. That would account for the ... | |
| bug bites | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: for the past 2 summers my daughters have been plagued with this bites that are in their room. I've ... A: Jessica, I'm pretty sure these are not bites because of the time-line (regular "bites" over a long ... | |
| tiny bugs | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: Ok i live in middle California and i just sweep my kitchen floor while i was sweeping it in the dust ... A: Chelsey, There are a couple of possibilities but I think the most likely are springtails, also ... | |
| Swarming Termites | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: So backstory, I live in a one-bedroom leased apt (11 months left). Previously I had a drywood ... A: Nicky, The only reason I can think of for the dead termites would be that the walls have been ... | |
| bug bites | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: for the past 2 summers my daughters have been plagued with this bites that are in their room. I've ... A: Jessica, There are very few insects or mites that would cause these sorts of "bites" but there are ... | |
| swarms of tiny flying insects | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: I live in Birmingham, Alabama. My front lawn was just planted last year and still has some bare ... A: Vicki, About how big are these insects and what color? They sound like a chironomid midge (gnat) of ... | |
| bedbugs | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: i recently read a book on vietnam conflict,scientists supposedly were experimenting w/ bedbugs as ... A: John, I've never heard this story before. Bed bugs create a distinctive odor but I've never heard ... | |
| Little white swarms. | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I have soybeans planted in an open field in my backyard. I live in southeastern New Hampshire. I was ... A: Cory, These may have been whiteflies. Whiteflies are related to aphids and scale insects and can be ... | |
| ichy red welts | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I woke up this morning and I have large ichy red welts on my right arm and back. I don't think that ... A: The gnats you found in the bathroom were probably drain flies. See ... | |
| help identifying subterranean insect cocoon | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know what these things are and if they're "bad" for my garden. I live in Victoria, ... A: Alison, These are the pupal stage (the stage between larvae and adults) of a moth, possibly a ... | |
| Small brown bug in son's bedroom | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: My son has been complaining about bugs bitting him at night. I looked in his bed and he has very ... A: Lisa, I think you may be referring to bird mites rather than bird lice. Bird mites are tiny mites ... | |
| ichy red welts | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: I woke up this morning and I have large ichy red welts on my right arm and back. I don't think that ... A: Jason, The "little green mosquito" might have been a green lacewing. Lacewings don't bite. There ... | |
| Please help identify | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: We often find a worm or caterpillar, dark brown to black, very short legs, about 1 1/2 inches long, ... A: Don, A picture would help me be certain but I think you are describing a millipede. You should see ... | |
| Is this a mite? | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: This fell out of my hair and it was red. I have seen this smaller and black as well as light, some ... A: Marie, This appears to be either a spider or a mite however neither would cause the symptoms you ... | |
| what is this? | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: This looks like a roach to me but I have never seen one look like this. So I was just wondering if ... A: Ashley, Not a roach. This is a giant water bug (Belostomatidae). These insects live in water and ... | |
| Spiders in home | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: I moved to NY when we purchased a home. We have been finding spiders left and right and I have been ... A: Nichole, Spiders can be very difficult to identify by photos alone and I don't recognize this one. ... | |
| thrip infestation | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: I have been dealing with a thrip infestation for the past 9months. They are definitely thrips ... A: Yad, I've never heard of thrips invading a house the way you describe. They will occasionally blow ... | |
| Is this a tick? | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: My house is swimming with these bugs. (Northern Michigan) ... A: Ok, if you are finding them outside they probably are not grain weevils but rather a plant-feeding ... | |
| Is this a tick? | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: My house is swimming with these bugs. (Northern Michigan) ... A: Dee, This is NOT a tick (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/ticks.html for picture of ticks). This ... | |
| What is this insect? HELP | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I would need your help in identyfing this bug: http://www.shrani.si/f/r/Ok/NGib9av/img3124.jpg ... A: Milan. This is a fly but it is not one of the biting flies, at least not one I'm familiar with. If ... | |
| American oil beetles | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I live in SE Michigan, just between Pontiac and Flint. I discovered what I highly suspect to be an ... A: Mona, I think these meloids (Meloidae) are native to your area so the dairy has probably dealt with ... | |
| Cottony scales | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a small Japanese maple where it appears the leaves are completely wilted and dry due to the ... A: Matthew, The crawlier stage of scale insects is the immature (young) stage so has already occurred ... | |
| Small Bathtub Bugs | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I live in Charlotte, NC. I moved into a new contruction home about a year ago. Recently I have ... A: Dusty, Excellent picture, thanks for posting it. This is a springtail, also called a collembola. ... | |
| Bug identification | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: my name is jennifer and I bought my first flat two years ago. I have no pets but found over a year ... A: Jennifer, Unfortunately I can't give you an accurate identification without at least a picture. ... | |
| little brown bugs that tick along | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: I have been seeing little brown soft body bugs that "tick" along. From all of the reading I have ... A: Jai, I'm not sure what you mean by "tick along", can you explain? Also, could you post a picture, I ... | |
| clump of brown (eggs) in corner of carpet | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: This was seen 05/30/10 in a very small closet that is never used. I vacuum it regularly so it must ... A: Still can't see it clearly but if the mass is solid it is probably dry rot but if it is a pile of ... | |
| clump of brown (eggs) in corner of carpet | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: This was seen 05/30/10 in a very small closet that is never used. I vacuum it regularly so it must ... A: The picture is a bit too blurry to be certain but I think this is mold/fungi that has come through ... | |
| clump of brown (eggs) in corner of carpet | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: This was seen 05/30/10 in a very small closet that is never used. I vacuum it regularly so it must ... A: Nat, The picture didn't get posted. There's a label "Nest" but no picture. From your description ... | |
| Carpet beetles | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: silly question for you. When spring started I found loads of carpet beetles on the carpet but after ... A: Allie, The dermestid beetles (carpet beetles and their allies) have a rather fuzzy-looking larva. ... | |
| Please identify this insect | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: Please identify this insect, we found one last night and then 3 more today. Should we be worried ... A: Ryan, This appears to be a winged ant (the image is too small for a species id). Ant colonies ... | |
| Night-time bites around hairline, neck | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: While staying overnight in Northern Vermont this weekend, my youngest daughter and I woke up to red, ... A: Suzanne, I really think it is unlikely that these are spider bites. There are no spiders in your ... | |
| cocoon | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I reside in Bronx, NY. A few weeks ago I noticed a dark gray thing growing from the ceiling in my ... A: Lugo, I can't see enough detail in the photo to even make a guess. Post a follow up and tell me how ... | |
| Big black bug | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I live in Dallas, Texas and last night ii heard a loud buzzing in my ear then out of nowhere theis ... A: Julie, This sounds like a beetle but I'll need more of a description or better yet a picture. Many ... | |
| Cat mites infecting people? Help! | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: We have a 12 yr old cat that has had a skin condition around the neck area with sores that itch. The ... A: Thorbjorn, Scabies/mange infestations are really medical problems rather than entomological. I'd ... | |
| Rat mites | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: My house apparently has rat mites. I have spent hours reading about them but it seems limited. It is ... A: Don't assume you have bird/rodent (rat)/nest mites based on a single id. I think before going any ... | |
| Night-time bites around hairline, neck | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: While staying overnight in Northern Vermont this weekend, my youngest daughter and I woke up to red, ... A: Suzanne, The location of the bites sound more like head lice (hairline, behind ears, back of neck). ... | |
| what type of bug is this | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I live in Kansas City, MO and I found a very small bug on my back deck the is six legged, black with ... A: Carolyn, The only thing I can think of that even comes close to this description is a immature ... | |
| Rat mites | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: My house apparently has rat mites. I have spent hours reading about them but it seems limited. It is ... A: Syliva, Have you actually collected the mites and had them identified? They can be picked up with a ... | |
| Miniscule Pests by the loads. | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: Well, frankly the title pretty much sums up the general gist of the matter at hand. We woke up one ... A: Jessica, Describe the bugs, use a magnifying glass if possible. What color are they, how many legs, ... | |
| black and yellow insect | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: We live in upstate New York, in the Adirondack mtns and for several years now we have had these ... A: J, Sounds like a striped cucumber beetle (see http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef311.asp ... | |
| Is this a cockroach? | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: Found several of these bugs on the counter last night. We had been camping and at first I assumed I ... A: These are earwigs (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/earwigs.html for a picture). Earwigs feed on ... | |
| bug identification | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: We have found very tiny black bugs in our bed the last couple of days - until they move I wouldn't ... A: Nancy, These sound like dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. See ... | |
| micro bugs | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: Please help me identify these little devils so I can can get rid of them. I have only seen them on ... A: The nearest extension office is Sacramento County Cooperative Extension Sacramento County 4145 ... | |
| Insect that mimics a boxelder or other maple key | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: Mr. DeAngelis -- I was working outside today and my wife brought me an insect (?) hanging from a ... A: Jon, I'm not getting a good mental picture but one possibility comes to mind - is this something ... | |
| micro bugs | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: Please help me identify these little devils so I can can get rid of them. I have only seen them on ... A: Tara, I'm afraid there are no insects or mites that do what you describe. Are you sure the bites ... | |
| white fluffy spider? | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I've been on your site (and some others# and going thru other questions, but so far not seeing any ... A: Marcia, I'm afraid I don't recognize the species but I agree it is probably a spider with eggsac. ... | |
| Ants | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: What is the best way to eradicate the small(less than (1/4 in.) black common household ... A: Dan, The best way to eliminate the small, house-invading ants is with baits. Baits are formulated ... | |
| studying | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: sir when studying entomology did you had to do a lot of drawing? is studying this career hard? ... A: John, Modern cameras have largely eliminated the need to draw specimens nowadays in all of the ... | |
| microscopic parasite | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: My indoor cats were recently exposed to an outdoor cat who was loaded with what looked like dandruff ... A: Patrick, I see three different structures in the image. Long filaments that are probably hairs, ... | |
| mystery rash on leg - caused by stink bug urine? | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: I live in Costa Rica and am wondering if I have had a nasty encounter with an insect. On MOnday may ... A: Raven, I think the word "chinche" means "bug" not necessarily a stink bug. However it is entirely ... | |
| flying biting large mean bug | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: I recently got bitten by what looks like a really big mosquito (approx one 1/2 inch). It left a ... A: Gayle, Everything in your question points to a male crane fly (Tipulidae) EXCEPT the pinching. See ... | |
| Should I be worried? | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I first found this bug in my parents' bed and later in their bathroom, on the couch, and in one of ... A: Kayleigh, If you post a picture I'd be able to give you a more definite answer but what you ... | |
| Biting Bug ID. | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I live just north of Atlanta in Georgia. This year I discovered that our yard became home to a mess ... A: Brian, I can't see enough detail for a species id but from your description I'm certain this is a ... | |
| Bed Bugs | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: Jack. Tom again. I can't reply on that thread any more. I'm quite certain these are bed bugs. They ... A: Tom, All of my suggestions for finding and treating bed bugs are explained in the pages I cited ... | |
| Weird small pods on my wall | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed these weird "pod" type things hanging off my wall in my back utility room for a few ... A: OTown, The picture is a bit blurry but I think these are casemaking clothes moth larvae. The sacks ... | |
| what bug is this and what to do | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: my husband and i were just outside and noticed about thirty or forty of these insects crawling along ... A: Bre, Did you intend to attach a picture (there was no picture attached)? Your question sounds like ... | |
| Bugs In Bed! | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: Jack. It's Tom again. AllExperts wouldn't allow me to reply back anymore. It said "too many ... A: I can't really comment on these devices because I've not used them. However, bed bugs are generally ... | |
| little white worms | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: We live in MA and are having an issue with these little white worms that look like a smaller version ... A: Kim, There are a number of different insects that these could be, fortunately all are harmless. ... | |
| Curious about an | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: I live in Florida and recently found what looks sort of like an ant, or a very tiny wasp with no ... A: Again, hard to say without a picture but perhaps it was an ant afterall. Carpenter ants are large ... | |
| Bright Blue Umbrella bug | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: I saw this bug and took a photo of it. Shiny bright blue round umbrella body and black legs. I have ... A: Tommy, I don't recognize this insect and the image is so small I can't see many details. If you get ... | |
| Curious about an "ant" | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I live in Florida and recently found what looks sort of like an ant, or a very tiny wasp with no ... A: Jennifer, Without a picture I'm only guessing but your description sounds like a velvet ant ... | |
| little bugs | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I have these little bugs all different sizes the biggest being about the size of a pencil tip and ... A: Eric, I'll need more of a description or a picture. Tell me what they look like, how many do you ... | |
| Unidentifiable Bites | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I live in San Diego. My daughter gets bites on her fingers and arms, sometimes her legs & tops of ... A: Ok, I think I'm convinced that this is not related to insects or mites, and definitely not bed bugs. ... | |
| Unidentifiable Bites | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I live in San Diego. My daughter gets bites on her fingers and arms, sometimes her legs & tops of ... A: Judy, Most of the time (99/100) when no insect or mite is found the cause of mysterious bites is ... | |
| Please Identify... | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: we noticed a number of these bugs eating the cherries on our cherry tree in Bergen County, NJ. Can ... A: Tom, The image of the insect is a bit small and blurry (try getting closer and focusing on the ... | |
| Redbud Tree (bugs, webs) | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a young Redbud tree in my backyard, it is probably about 2 or 3 years old and is about 5 or 6 ... A: Lindsey, What you are describing is classic spider mite damage. Spider mites are tiny plant-feeding ... | |
| mites? harmful? | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: I have just noticed a bunch of tiny bugs in my bathroom and bed room. They are black in color and ... A: Sarah, The only tiny insects that jump are collembola, also called springtails. See ... | |
| Little Black Bugs In My Bed! | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: I recently started discovering these little black bugs in my bed. I'll feel something crawling on me ... A: That wasn't very helpful of them - sorry for the wild goose chase. You might want to call and talk ... | |
| biting fly | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: I have recently been bit by a grayish green flying insect with clear wings with brown dots on them. ... A: Mary, Both the yellow fly and deer flies belong to the family Tabanidae, a large group of biting ... | |
| Bites in Bed | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I moved into my Los Angeles (Koreatown) apartment in January. One week ago I started waking up with ... A: Jill, Bites in these locations (hands, arms, chest) often indicate something you are working with. ... | |
| Help ID bug | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I just noticed tiny bugs (1 mm or less) all over my house (bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen, & on the ... A: Jessica, A few questions - Do you have pets in the house? Are you certain that the bugs have wings? ... | |
| Follow-up on Biting Bug | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: Attached is what I hope is a better picture. Sorry for the quality, it is the best my camera will ... A: John, This appears to be an immature silverfish or firebrat, it is definitely not a bed bug. I ... | |
| a Vase from Vietnam has some burrowing insect | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a lacquerware vase from Vietnam that constantly has mounds of dust from some kind of ... A: Catherine, The powder is likely caused by a small beetle called a powderpost beetle. If the vase is ... | |
| green biting insect | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: We live in San Antonio, TX and have had a lot of rain this year. We have recently had some students ... A: Susan, My guess is green lacewings. These predators feed on a variety of other insects and will ... | |
| Do beetles bite? | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: My aunt was out in her garden several weeks ago and leaned near a plant, then felt something on the ... A: Crystal, Some beetles are able to bite but none that I know of have a venomous bite. In fact I ... | |
| iron phosphate | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I am considering the use of an iron phosphate product for the control of slugs and ... A: Brad, Thanks for re-submitting to AllExperts. Often slugs and snails can be ignored in the ... | |
| Biting Bug | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: My wife keeps getting bit in bed and on the living room furniture. We've tried sprays, foggers and ... A: John, I can't see the bug in the image clearly enough for a definite id but the overall shape is ... | |
| seed ticks | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: Please Help! Last summer my husband got what we believe to be seed ticks. Each time he went outside ... A: Beth, I'm not sure what's causing this reaction but I'm sure it is not ticks. Ticks are usually ... | |
| Is it a mite or flea | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: This morning while checking the back yard I thought someone had spilled purple paint on the cement ... A: Beverly, These sound like collembola, aka springtails, which can be many different colors including ... | |
| bugs on a tree | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: On my maple tree there are leaves that are covered in this white feathery stuff and it just floats ... A: Tangie, These sound like woolly aphids (subfamily: Eriosomatinae). You could google "woolly aphids" ... | |
| Bed bugs | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: Okay lately I have been feeling like something is crawling on my arm when I sit on the couch at ... A: M, The best evidence of bed bugs is to actually find bugs. They are fairly large and easy to ... | |
| bugs in hair/Not Lice | 5/14/2010 |
| Q: so i am a kindergarten teacher and i thought i had lice but the nurse couldn't find any evidence. ... A: Kim, These don't sound like head lice. head lice don't drop out of the hair this way. Here's a ... | |
| bug I.D | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: I've seen them outside as well hidden in folded up fabric chairs. I have checked my pantry and dry ... A: Porsha, This is a weevil, a type of beetle that has a long "snout" (look carefully at the ... | |
| BLACK FLIES | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: i have a swarm of little black flies at the front door of my house.they only seem to be there when ... A: These are primitive flies (Nematocera) possibly the family Bibionidae (march flies). These flies are ... | |
| BLACK FLIES | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: i have a swarm of little black flies at the front door of my house.they only seem to be there when ... A: Desi, Let's try to figure out what these flies are first. This will tell us where they are coming ... | |
| Bagworms | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: I have just planted a butterfly bush. Do they attract bag worms - or are these 2 totally different ... A: Janet, This is called a bagworm moth, the "bag" contains a larva that is turning into an adult ... | |
| Bugs at Corrugated Manufacturer | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: I live in North Alabama, and work at a corrugated box manufacturer. When we go outside to smoke ... A: Scott, These sound like thrips. Thrips are tiny insects shaped like "slivers" (see ... | |
| Wood eating bugs | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: My dad brought me some mesquite wood from Texas to Florida and we piled it up and the other day ... A: Oliver, The sounds you hear are made by the larvae of a wood boring beetle (probably the family ... | |
| Gold insects on radish leaves | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: I noticed my radish leaves were displaying yellow discolorations in the shapes of a termite tunnel. ... A: Judi, If you post a photo in a follow up I may be able to give you better ideas. However, the ... | |
| diplopod | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: from my garden in Spartanburg, SC: I think what I saw was a millepede with a chitonous exoskeleton, ... A: Sue, I agree, it sounds like a millipede. If you google images "millipedes" you'll see some similar ... | |
| Small Bug - Mimicking a turtle! | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: I just found a very tiny bug (about a millimeter long) in my bed. I saw it out of the corner of my ... A: Meredith, I think this is a dermestid beetle, one of the carpet beetles. See ... | |
| What is this bug? | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Attached is an image of a bug. Can you identify it? It is just a tiny, tiny speck. Thank you! A: Carolyn, This is called a psocid, common names are booklice and barklice. They are not related to ... | |
| Bug bites | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: My Grandson got several bites on the back of his neck / top of head. The bug had wings,fly, and ... A: Susan, Did the bites bleed? This sounds like it could be black fly and a characteristic of black ... | |
| Insect larvae | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: I am trying to identify a home pest. It has 6 appendages on each side. two antennae, two tail ... A: Harvey, Could you post a picture in a follow up, I'm having trouble getting a mental picture? ... | |
| Bug in my house | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: What is this bug I found in my apartment? I don't like the looks of it. Debbie in NYC A: Debbie, This is a cockroach nymph. Cockroaches are very common in apartment buildings and can be ... | |
| Pine Bark Beetle | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: Listening to 'Silent Spring' by R. Carson. What an eye opener. My question is about pine bark ... A: Sandy, Thanks for re-submitting through AllExperts. Since all bark beetles target stressed or ... | |
| grass carrying wasp | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: I have been reading up on the grass carrying wasps after finding two nests in my windows, but the ... A: If you get a good picture or a specimen you might contact the folks in Extension at U Mass (see ... | |
| identification of caste skin | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: I went to get my makeup case out of the closet and near the zipper was this caste skin. I have two ... A: Carolyn, I can't see enough detail in the photo to id this specimen. However, given where you found ... | |
| what is in our home? | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: For weeks now my husband, children and i have been being bitten by unseen insects. my 20 month old ... A: Cindy, I'm not sure what this is but there are very few insects/mites that actually bite people. ... | |
| Centipede Like Bugs | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: we've noticed the last couple of years little worm like bugs in our basement. These little worms ... A: Sherry, These are probably millipedes rather than centipedes. Millipedes commonly enter homes when ... | |
| Insect bite. | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: This is an amazing service. I was bitten by a tiny little moth looking creature 2 days ago. It felt ... A: Linda, I'm not sure what may have bitten you. Your reaction is very unusual and probably needs ... | |
| grass carrying wasp | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: I have been reading up on the grass carrying wasps after finding two nests in my windows, but the ... A: Charlene, You may be describing a different wasp. Your best bet is to post a picture along with a ... | |
| Chrysalis?? | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: We bought some play sand for our kids and my son found this black worm looking thing in it. He told ... A: Amy, I can't see enough detail to identify. However, it has the shape and color of a pupal case (a ... | |
| Possibly a Bed Bug? | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: Jack, you helped me identify a bug once before. I found this today on my body. I've been treated ... A: The picture is a bit fuzzy but the long front legs and color are characteristic of clover mites. ... | |
| Some Type of Bug is Attacking in the Bedroom | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: DeAngelis, A few days ago I purchased a new mattress cover (my five year old decided to make mango ... A: Nicole, This really sounds more like some kind of chemical/dust irritant than an insect or mite. ... | |
| Possibly a Bed Bug? | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: Jack, you helped me identify a bug once before. I found this today on my body. I've been treated ... A: Carolyn, This is not a bed bug but rather a beetle, possibly a scarab beetle. These beetles don't ... | |
| tiny bugs? | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I found tiny little bugs in my daughter's bed. They sort of looked like tiny, reddish black baby ... A: Amy, Two possibilities ... either clover mites or nest mites (also called bird and rodent mites). ... | |
| Tiny black/dark brown bugs | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I have started to find little bugs in my home. I live in Boulder, Co and it is late April/early May. ... A: Rebeca, If you post a picture I'd be sure but I think you are finding dermestid beetles, also ... | |
| SPIDER? Beetle? | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I found two spiders (?) in our house in Chino Hills, CA. It had skinny legs (striped I believe) and ... A: Marie, Spiders are very difficult to identify from a description alone or even a photograph. Your ... | |
| Little Black Bugs In My Bed! | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: I recently started discovering these little black bugs in my bed. I'll feel something crawling on me ... A: The closet office is: Los Angeles County UC Cooperative Extension, Los Angeles County 4800 E. Cesar ... | |
| Little Black Bugs In My Bed! | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: I recently started discovering these little black bugs in my bed. I'll feel something crawling on me ... A: Tom, These could be some kind of mite, they are too small to be bed bugs. The best thing to do is ... | |
| little red mite or bug? | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: they are very tiny like say the size if the tip of a lead pencil maybe just a bit bigger not much ... A: Cassandra, The best thing to do is capture a few of these and have them identified. Use a Q-tip ... | |
| little brown bug that likes my dog's treats | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have recently found these little brown bugs in my pantry where I keep all my dry/canned foods and ... A: Kari, This is called a drugstore beetle. They are important pests of all sorts of stored foods like ... | |
| insect | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Please tell me what kind of bug this is. Thanks ANSWER: Brenda, Did you intend to attach a ... A: Brenda, This is a weevil. There are thousands of species of weevils, a few are pests of stored ... | |
| tiny black hard shelled bugs???? | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Good afternoon! I live in Pittsburgh, PA USA. I am sorry I do not have a photo at this time - I ... A: Dawn, This is about the best description of a dermestid (carpet) beetle I've seen (and I get A LOT ... | |
| tiny swarming bugs | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I live in San Antonio, Texas. The past two days while out in my yard I noticed what appeared to be ... A: Alanna, I think you are seeing midges (Chironomidae). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chironomidae ... | |
| Buzzing, flying bug in Issaquah, WA | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I live in Issaquah, WA and this year we have a large bug that makes a loud buzzing noise as it ... A: Cortney, You may be describing one of the rain beetles (Pleocoma). These fairly large beetles ... | |
| Drugstore or cigarette beetles in car | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: Last year, I developed an infestation of what I believe (from viewing photos online) are drugstore ... A: Emily, Both beetles require a food source to develop and neither beetle lives in a "nest". See ... | |
| small/tiny insect identification | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: We live on the far reaches of the eastern San Francisco bay - not too far from Tracy. The ... A: Kenny, If you post a photo I'd be sure but your description sounds like a small beetle, probably ... | |
| tiny white bugs | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I've got lots of tiny white bugs in a variety of places. I first found them in my laptop and thought ... A: Jamie, I can't see much detail in the photo but your description sounds like one of a grain or mold ... | |
| Found these along the wall | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: we found these along one wall of our house. From a distance we though maybe they were rodent ... A: Justine, These are fly pupae, the stage between larvae (maggots) and adult flies. There are lots of ... | |
| Silverfish | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: I live in a highrise apartment (36th floor)in a brand new building in Miami. Keep seeing silverfish ... A: Jaime, Silverfish need moisture, even a wet surface to survive (see ... | |
| strange bug/grub?? | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: i found a strange looking, well i'm not sure what to call it, but a grub or bug in my grass ... A: Bronwyn, This is a sphinx moth caterpillar, also called a hornworm caterpillar. It is the larva of ... | |
| beetle in chair | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: We bought a dinning room set in So. California that originated from thailand. Two years later we ... A: Sylvia, Sounds (no pun intended) like some kind of wood boring beetle. Large larvae of wood boring ... | |
| bed bugs or spider bite? | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: have been bitten at least once continually for the past two weeks by something at night or early ... A: Peter, A bed bug infestation is pretty easy to find, see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/bed_bug.html ... | |
| Apartment Bug | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I live in London, Ontario and live in a high rise building on the 12th floor. There are these bugs ... A: Firebrats can be difficult to control in large apartment buildings (but they are also pretty ... | |
| Identification + Response | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: Recently I have noticed some small white insects that sit on the top of the water, in a bucket I use ... A: Ben, I agree this sounds like springtails (Collembola). See ... | |
| small stinging insects | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: Several children in the playground have been stung with something that is never seen--they just jump ... A: Ruth, There are a number of tiny insects that can bite in this way. The bites are harmless but can ... | |
| spider identification | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: This spider (image attached) was in our bathtub. We live about 1 hour north of New York City in ... A: Eric/Rick, Spider id is very tricky and the id of all but the most common species requires ... | |
| Followup to "what bugs make this" | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: Sorry but the past question won't allow me any more followups. So today I saw this beetle walking ... A: Lisa, This does look like a typical dermestid carpet beetle (see ... | |
| identify this larvae | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: this little worm or larvae was found in our beach house in Myrtle Beach, SC last week. I found them ... A: Dawn, This is a larva of a moth or butterfly (Lepidoptera). I can't identify it further because the ... | |
| What bugs make these? | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: So I have found multiple of this tiny holes throughout my apartment. Sometimes I only see one while ... A: Powderpost beetles won't do significant damage in this situation but you should make your landlord ... | |
| What bugs make these? | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: So I have found multiple of this tiny holes throughout my apartment. Sometimes I only see one while ... A: The building is probably too old for powderpost beetles unless there are new studs inside these ... | |
| Apartment Bug | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: I live in London, Ontario and live in a high rise building on the 12th floor. There are these bugs ... A: Laura, You may be describing firebrats. Firebrats and related silverfish are common pests in ... | |
| What bugs make these? | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: So I have found multiple of this tiny holes throughout my apartment. Sometimes I only see one while ... A: Lisa, There are no insects that specifically make holes in drywall. However, if powderpost beetles ... | |
| Small Red Mites | 4/16/2010 |
| Q: I have noticed these small red mites (about the size of the tip of a sharp pencil.). I found them on ... A: Jennifer, Look closely at the mites with a magnifying glass if you have one. Do they have long ... | |
| Grain Beetle Infestation!! | 4/16/2010 |
| Q: Let's get right to it... I have a TERRIBLE infestation of these damn critters. I first started ... A: Christina, These beetles would not cause the wall damage you describe. However the infestation ... | |
| Ground Burrowing Insects | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: I have some bee-like insects That have been making individual burrows that look like large ant ... A: William, These are indeed ground nesting bees. These solitary bees are not aggressive like certain ... | |
| insects nest | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: on a old log in the garden there is black and brown shiny hard dome like object ,about the size of ... A: Steven, Could you post a picture? I may be able to give you a better idea of what you have if I ... | |
| tiny bugs in my bathroom | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: I have these small bugs in my bathroom and the bedroom next to it. They are black maybe dark dark ... A: Becky, This is some kind of weevil, a type of beetle. It is probably a grain weevil so the source ... | |
| Help! Bug ID - Cross between a flea and a beetle?? | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I recently found a bug on the back of my neck that I have seen once or twice around the ... A: Amy, Without a picture it is difficult to give you an accurate id but there are very few insects or ... | |
| FOUND IT! | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: AH HA! JUST figured it out but still need help. It's a meal worm...and make sense because every ... A: Caren, Mealworms need some type of ground grain (meal) such as corn or wheat. They are not common ... | |
| Unknown bug that bites | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I've lived in my apt. for 8 years and never had a bug problem. They spray here ever 3 months. About ... A: Vickie, There are very few insects or mites that actually bite people. See ... | |
| Tiny Brown/Black Sesame shaped bug | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: recently in my lawn, I have noticed the above referenced type of bug. Well,I can't see them in the ... A: Jessica, Yes, post a picture if you can. The only insects that commonly jump onto legs are fleas, ... | |
| Orange Mites? | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: About 2 weeks ago an brought a planter with plants in it from home into my office and didn't see any ... A: Karen, Your description sounds like clover mites. These mites are orange/green in color, feed on ... | |
| Small Green Bug's | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I have found small green bug's on my Rosebush, I have sprayed with soap and water and they are ... A: Rena, These are probably aphids. Aphids are small insects that feed on plants, often in large ... | |
| FOUND IT! | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: AH HA! JUST figured it out but still need help. It's a meal worm...and make sense because every ... A: Caren, What's on the other side of the wall? Is it an outside wall? Is it on the ground floor and ... | |
| What type of bug is this? | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: Do you know what type of bug this is? It is between 1.5-2mm long and light tan. Could this be a ... A: Carolyn, This is not a mite since mites don't have wings. The long feathery wings on this insect ... | |
| Mosquito like flying insects covering the sides of house... | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: We live in northern Indiana, Columbia city to be exact. We do live on a lake, but I have been having ... A: Heather, These are likely some kind of midge that has emerged from the lake. There are hundreds of ... | |
| Mosquito? | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: My son’s kindergarten teacher is calling a large flying insect around here (Tucson) a mosquito ... A: Bruce, The teacher is correct. This is a crane fly (Tipulidae), also called "mosquito hawks" and ... | |
| tiny bugs in bathroom | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I have been researching for hours and came across an answer to a question you responded on 5/17/2009 ... A: Lila, This is not typical and your welts may be caused by something else but it is also not ... | |
| tiny bugs in bathroom | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I have been researching for hours and came across an answer to a question you responded on 5/17/2009 ... A: Lila, People react differently to bug bites of all kinds. It is entirely possible that you are ... | |
| afraid of termite infestation... and curious about their behavior | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: a few easy questions - first - do i have termites? second - why do i keep finding them upside down & ... A: The exterminator won't have to cut into the walls. They will inspect under the house for termites ... | |
| afraid of termite infestation... and curious about their behavior | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: a few easy questions - first - do i have termites? second - why do i keep finding them upside down & ... A: Morgan, How many of the winged ones have you found? Only winged termites should emerge from inside ... | |
| Tiny Gray Bug | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I have these tiny black bugs with gray spots on them that are really irritating me. This is the 1st ... A: Christine, If you could post a picture I'd be sure but these sound like one of the dermestid ... | |
| found another one of these | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm going to link to the post below and say that I've found another one in my house in Greenbelt, ... A: Emily, I have not identified this spider further. The university of Maryland has an excellent Urban ... | |
| afraid of termite infestation... and curious about their behavior | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: a few easy questions - first - do i have termites? second - why do i keep finding them upside down & ... A: Morgan, The image looks like a termite. Finding winged termites indoors is a sign of an infestation. ... | |
| tiny bug in bathroom | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I have these mystery bugs in my house - they're mostly in my bathroom. I find them on the sink and ... A: Actually your description is very good. I'm leaning toward spider beetle now (the "tear-drop" shape ... | |
| tiny bug in bathroom | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I have these mystery bugs in my house - they're mostly in my bathroom. I find them on the sink and ... A: Ashley, I can't see enough detail in the image to be sure but your description sounds like a ... | |
| Ants in Drywall | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I found some rotting drywall and pulled the paint/paper back to discover some sand behind it in ... A: Ellen, I don't think the holes were caused by ants or any other insect. I've not seen ants do the ... | |
| unknown bug | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to identify the attached bug/spider. I found it on my son after a day visiting the ... A: Amanda, This is a tick, probably the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). Ticks attach and ... | |
| Noseeems | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: We live in Melbourne Beach, FL. Our home is located on a moving canal the leads to the Intercoastal ... A: Richard, No-see-ums are tiny flies (Ceratopogonidae) that bite to obtain blood like mosquitoes and ... | |
| bugs | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: I have these tiny bugs that look like ants, but are not. They are on my countertop, on the side of ... A: Brenda, There's a couple of possibilities but I'd need a picture or more description to be sure. ... | |
| House beetle | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: I have never before seen this type of beetle in my house before, now I have seen several. (Northern ... A: Ken, Thanks for including a picture. This is a stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) rather than a ... | |
| Carpet Beetle and dogs | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: We have carpet beetles, the variated kind, in our bedroom. I cleaned everything including behind ... A: To answer the initial question - no, carpet beetles don't specifically live on dogs or in fur. In ... | |
| Carpet Beetle and dogs | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: We have carpet beetles, the variated kind, in our bedroom. I cleaned everything including behind ... A: Linda, Are you sure these are carpet beetles? Your description of their behavior and numbers does ... | |
| mosquito eater | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: are mosquito eaters real? do they eat mosquitoes? or are just huge mosquitoes? A: Monica, I think you are referring to crane flies (Tipulidae), sometimes also called "mosquito ... | |
| Brown spider with white stripe on back | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: I found a brown spider about 1.5cm long. It had a very noticeable white stripe on it's back all the ... A: Heather, Spider identification is tricky and usually requires examining the specimen under ... | |
| petrified plant, bug or alien ? | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: I found this in an open field bordering a reservoir and a plowed under corn field outside of Boston, ... A: Lou, I'm afraid I don't have any good ideas. Looks like a seed or seed pod of some kind to me. You ... | |
| Tiny bugs | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: We are in Arizona and I will do my best to describe them. They look black on the floor like a speck ... A: T, I think you are describing clover mites. These mites are about the size of spider mites, ... | |
| Chigger Bites in South Florida in March??? | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved to Eastern South Florida and was out fishing in the Intercostal waterway around ... A: Kevin, Chigger mites occur worldwide but are more common in tropical and semi-tropical climates ... | |
| In pain!!!!! | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: I been invaded by a small black speck I find on the floor,bed clothes and me It's bite is painful ... A: Brenda, I know there are many medical conditions that cause bruising. Some of these conditions are ... | |
| "red ticks" ? | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: I too came across a "red tick" on my leg this evening after walking through a field near Lumber 84 ... A: Ron, What does the "too" refer to? Have you seen a similar question somewhere? The size is too ... | |
| id of insects | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: hi here are some photos of some insects can you identify them? A: Tom, I don't see any photos. AllExperts allows only one photo at a time so if you have more than ... | |
| Spider in Afghanistan | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: I am in Southeastern Afghanistan. I found a large hairy tan spider in my tent yesterday. It was ... A: Jimmy, This is a true spider, probably a tarantula (Theraphosidae). I can't tell the species but ... | |
| flys | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: i was living at a house that was owned by a hoarder she created insect problems i have since moved. ... A: Tom, I'm not sure what you are asking. There are no insects that I know of that do what you ... | |
| Bug identification | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: I can't find out what type of bug this is. Please help. I live in the Los Angeles area of ... A: Tracey, Your description sounds like dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. See ... | |
| Tiny bugs on wall | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: I keep getting little mites on my wall, i see about 2 a day and at first thought they were dust ... A: Ben, Dust mites are too small to see with the naked eye and I don't know the common name "carpet ... | |
| small flat bug with yellow stripes on back | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I found this one bug in my kitchen. It is very small and flat. It has yellowish squigly stripes ... A: Tanya, Could you post a picture? Your description does not fit anything I'm familiar with. About ... | |
| Beetle type bug that smells | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I live in Connecticut. The gym I belong to has a black beetle type bug that look "pre-historic". ... A: Paul, You may be describing one of the stink bugs (Pentatomidae). There are many species of stink ... | |
| parasite | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: Please be careful telling people that parasites don't do things. We have been dealing with parasite ... A: BJ, Sorry for your troubles but I don't think I ever said that parasites don't do things. In fact ... | |
| rodent mites | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: where do they come from and how do they get them? A: Tracey, The term rodent mites refers to a large group of mites that are parasitic on rodents and ... | |
| Black and orange bug in my house | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: Since we have move to our home we have been finding an abundance for bugs crawling around. Most of ... A: Kristy, Your description sounds like one of the true bugs (Hemiptera), possibly a seed bug ... | |
| SPIDERS around home | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in a suburban area about 20 miles outside of NYC. I have MANY different types of spiders ... A: Nicole, Except for a few of the most common species it is almost impossible to accurately identify ... | |
| worms in house (on floor) | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: I keep finding worms crawling across my dining rm floor -- 1 or 2 per day.......like a tiny ... A: Carol, These sound like millipedes. Millipedes frequently enter homes because the outside soil is ... | |
| widow spider? | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: i found this spider last night (sorry for the horrible image) and i believe it might be a widow ... A: The spider in the photo does have the male "boxing gloves" but these can't be used to determine ... | |
| Fly wings | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently found a pile of what appeared to be fly wings - enough that they scattered like ashes ... A: Steven, Could you post a picture of these wings? I doubt they are fly wings but they could be ... | |
| widow spider? | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: i found this spider last night (sorry for the horrible image) and i believe it might be a widow ... A: Gretchen, The image does not look like a widow spider but it is too small to be certain. Widow ... | |
| my sister was bit by a hissing bug | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: My sister was outside when she felt some kind of bug crawling on her. She reached up and grabbed it ... A: Kimberly, There are lots of insects in se Texas that can hiss and bite or sting (the hissing sound ... | |
| tick like insect | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: Today I found a black tick like insect on one of our horses. It was about 4 cm long and had wings, ... A: Jan, I can't tell from the description what this might have been but there are very few dangerous ... | |
| bug ID | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I have been getting some small bug bites on my upper arm and inner legs that are like small mosquito ... A: Anne Marie, These sound like they could be some kind of mite. There's a group of mites that feed on ... | |
| Thin Black Bug | 3/17/2010 |
| Q: I live in southern michigan (ohio side) also close to the lake if that helps. The other day I saw a ... A: Erica, Unfortunately there are lots of insects that fit this description. If you see another try to ... | |
| insects that damage homes | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: UPON REMOVING SHEET ROCK AND INSULATION WE NOTICES SOME WOODEN BEAMS HAD GRAYISH GRAINY SUBSTANCE ON ... A: Naveed, Sounds like you have uncovered subterranean termite shelter tubes. If you break open the ... | |
| Rat / bird mites? | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: I am very interested re. Bird- rat mites. My little girl and I have very itchy red bites. Two weeks ... A: Valerie, Bird/rodent/nest mites belong to a group of parasitic mites that infest birds and rodents. ... | |
| Worm found in bed | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I recently found a very very small worm like insect. It has a tiny black head and it seems to have ... A: Spencer, Does the worm appear to have a sack around it? You might try searching Google or ... | |
| Beetles | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: These beetles are outside of my house everyday. I noticed that they especially come out when it is ... A: McKenna, This is a true bug (Hemiptera), rather than a beetle. This species is related to boxelder ... | |
| Very Interesting Insect | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: I am currently living in an old apartment building in Mumbai, India and i have noticed a very ... A: Dhruv, This is the larva of a clothes moth. The larva (small worm) lives inside the case that it ... | |
| Bug larvae id request | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: Writing from Sydney Australia. Recently found numerous small(less than 1mm)worm-shaped insect larvae ... A: Stuart, Cockroach nymphs look like adult cockroaches except smaller and wingless (see ... | |
| Ants and mulch (I've read one of your answers) | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: We have had a serious ant problems the last two years. The exterminator came last fall and sprayed ... A: No problem. These ants are often confused. Most small ants that nest in the soil are harmless and ... | |
| Identification | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: I keep finding these small black (or possibly a dark brown) bugs in my house. They look similar to a ... A: Shelby, These are almost certainly dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. See ... | |
| bug | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: i live in wigan, england. i have recently been seeing little flea like bugs in my first floor flat. ... A: David, This sounds like one of the dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles (see ... | |
| Ants and mulch (I've read one of your answers) | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: We have had a serious ant problems the last two years. The exterminator came last fall and sprayed ... A: Lisa, I think there are a couple of different things go on. First, mulch around the foundation has ... | |
| spiders in my basement | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: i have found allot of little brown spiders in my basement, it is also my bedroom, they look like ... A: Nicole, The vast majority of spiders are completely harmless (see ... | |
| Follow-up to Powerpost beetle question responded to on 3/1 | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: Jack, Thank you for answering my original question on 3/1 about the powderpost beetles infestation ... A: I think it is very unlikely that beetles would bore through plastic wrap and cardboard to lay eggs ... | |
| Lyctus Powderpost Beetles | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: Can the fras from a major Lyctus Powderpost Beetle infestation ( Lyctus Powderpost Beetles emerging ... A: Debra, Most of this material is made of small particles of wood so if you are allergic to wood I ... | |
| Little Brown Eggs | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: I found a whole group of what I suspect is insect eggs, at the corner of my wooden door, hinge area, ... A: Nothing is impossible but I doubt these are eggs. There's no reason that an insect would lay ... | |
| un- identified bug? | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: i wondered if you could help answer a question, i have been trying to gain information on for a ... A: Kitty, I think your "blackhead" was probably a small tick. When ticks bite they embed their ... | |
| Question about an Organic Mulluskicide and Ovicide and Repellent | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: I was looking for an nature friendly product to kill slugs and snails (kind of an oxymoron huh?). ... A: IB, I've not heard of this material so I checked their site. I think it is new and they are just ... | |
| bug in my apt | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: I go to school in Pittsburgh and I have found several greyish color spotty bugs with six legs and a ... A: Scott, I'll need a bit more information. How big are these bugs and where did you find them in the ... | |
| What keeps biting me?? | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: For the last few months, I have been getting bitten by something that looks like mosquito bites. ... A: Saskia, There are only a small number of insects or mites that bite people and cause the sort of ... | |
| Something is biting me... | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: Jack. I considered writing to a dermatologist, but thought that you may be able to shed some light ... A: Artemis, I think your initial thought about contacting a dermatologist was correct. This does not ... | |
| please indetify | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: Please identify this bug. It is barely visible with the naked eye. I have them in my bedroom. My ... A: Nate, I can't tell you the species but it is probably one of the fowl mites (also called bird ... | |
| Little Brown Eggs | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: I found a whole group of what I suspect is insect eggs, at the corner of my wooden door, hinge area, ... A: Natasha, I don't think these are insect eggs because insects don't lay eggs in this way. This ... | |
| Small crawling thing | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: I found a tiny bug on my apartment wall tonight. It looks like it has six legs, antennas, a brown ... A: This is a psocid (pronounced "so-cid"). One species that commonly occurs in homes is called a ... | |
| cacoon identity | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: Can you help me identify this cacoon please. A: Jeff, The nest was made by a mud dauber wasp (Sphecidae) and the exposed pupae are probably mud ... | |
| Small crawling thing | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I found a tiny bug on my apartment wall tonight. It looks like it has six legs, antennas, a brown ... A: Dmitri, I've narrowed this down to a couple of different insects but I need more information. Where ... | |
| Acoustic Bug Deterrent | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: This AM Marketplace show had a segment on Bark beetle deterrent using acoustics. Would this be ... A: Pat, Interesting article. Whether or not this will work for the mountain pine beetle infestations ... | |
| powderpost beetles in new hardwood flooring | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: Jack, Our pre-finished oak hardwood flooring (installed 4/2008) is infested with lyctid powderpost ... A: Susan, The floor manufacturer cannot really prove whether or not the wood was infested when it left ... | |
| caterpillars in seagrass boxes | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: we have just discovered that our seagrass boxes (gloucestershire UK) are home to some kind of thin ... A: Martin, I'm not sure what seagrass boxes are but the caterpillars sound like some kind of ... | |
| Possible Mite Problem | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: I have been battling a culprit for about 1 month. Tiny white roundish bug that I feel around my ... A: Kevin, This is probably not bird mites because these mites are fairly large and relatively easy to ... | |
| Ants in bathroom | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: We have small black ants in our bathroom. Everyone else I speak to say they are carpenter ants ... A: There are a half dozen or more small ants that commonly nest in homes (see ... | |
| Mites???? | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a closed in heated porch and just discovered this AM that 3 herb plants scallions and ... A: If you are seeing them on walls and windows this eliminates spider mites because they normally won't ... | |
| Small white Bug | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: I apologize in advance for not having a picture, but we moved in to our "new" home in August of 09'. ... A: There are a number of different insects and mites that fit this description. All are associated with ... | |
| Little Black Hoppies | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: I live in Southeastern Wisconsin and at the start of winter I got these tiny black bugs. The first ... A: Ryan, There are several different insects that will congregate on snow this way but from your ... | |
| Mites???? | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a closed in heated porch and just discovered this AM that 3 herb plants scallions and ... A: Karen, If they had wings they were not mites because mites don't have wings. My guess is they are ... | |
| Termidor SC | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: Will just spraying the exterior foundation walls ( not trenching and rodding) but would exterior ... A: C, Termidor SC is labeled for both carpenter ants and termites. Carpenter ants can be treated with ... | |
| Ants in bathroom | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: We have small black ants in our bathroom. Everyone else I speak to say they are carpenter ants ... A: Phillip, It is hard to tell from the photo the size of these ants. If they are more than 3/8" they ... | |
| entomology | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: .. I was wondering if you could give me an idea of what my wee boy would have to study / or be best ... A: Albi, I basically agree with the advice to study general biology at the undergraduate level then ... | |
| tiny house insects | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: In the last two days there have been 100's of tiny, black insects along my windowsills. They just ... A: Barbara, These are very likely some kind of fungus gnat, possibly the dark winged fungus gnat. ... | |
| Head/scalp bugs | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: My friend is experiencing a very irritated scalp, loss of hair, and small brown/black bugs that ... A: Danielle, The only insect that lives on our head is the head louse. Head lice and their eggs (nits) ... | |
| dengue mosquitoes | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Currently I live in a tropical country called Malaysia where Dengue fever is prevalent, spread by ... A: Roy, I think this has merit but I suspect the public health folks see it as too labor intensive and ... | |
| Bread Eaters? | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: I'm from Australia and have recently been discovering strange circular patterns eaten out of my loaf ... A: Trish, This does not sound like an insect because the area of damage is so large. I'd guess this is ... | |
| bedroom mite identification | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I hope you'll be able to help me. I thought I had a bedbug infestation, but I've been assured on ... A: Tony, Like all mites, bird mites vary in size depending on the stage and gender. Immature, unfed ... | |
| WHAT IS BITING MY FAMILY?? | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: WE MOVED TO OUR PLACE OCT 31 LAST YEAR (Tampa, Florida). AROUND LATE DEC EARLY JAN I STARTED GETTING ... A: Christina, Have you consulted with anyone else about this, such as a dermatologist? My initial ... | |
| identifying house mite/tick/bug? | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: I have found several small insects about 1/4 inch in length with an oval shaped/tear drop shaped ... A: Sara, What you are describing is called a pseudoscorpion. They are not related to true scorpions ... | |
| Bug bites | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: Like Lois who posed a question April 10, 2009, I also have similar bite-like hives in my arms and ... A: Marilee, The photo is a bit too dark to make an accurate identification. However, the shape is ... | |
| Lice | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: I discovered two lice on my two year old's head earlier in the week. He has very fine hair. I ... A: Maggie, If the two-year-old is attending daycare and on one else in the house has lice then the ... | |
| Bugs all over the house | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: We had these small black bug no wings looks like 4 legs - (too small for a picture) invading our ... A: Ann, There are lots of insects that fit this description so I'll need more information. About how ... | |
| tiny flying black bug | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: Have tiny black bugs (less than 1/8", 2 winged, long jumping type back legs)on some windows, most ... A: The only sources I know of are the link on the page cited above (Arbico Organics) and Gardens Alive! ... | |
| tiny flying black bug | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: Have tiny black bugs (less than 1/8", 2 winged, long jumping type back legs)on some windows, most ... A: The nematodes are applied to the houseplant soil and are safe to use indoors. The adult flies don't ... | |
| tiny flying black bug | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: Have tiny black bugs (less than 1/8", 2 winged, long jumping type back legs)on some windows, most ... A: Mary, These are probably fungus gnats (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/fungus_gnat.html for ... | |
| Mystery blackberry bug | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: i don't know what this bug is. it is really small and white. i could hardly notice it. i saw it ... A: Kayley, No need to be scared. What you saw was probably an aphid (see ... | |
| Indoor bug | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: living at the moment in an air-con flat in Jomtien, Thailand. Every day I am picking up these bugs ... A: Anna, This is called a casemaking clothes moth (sometimes called a bagworm or plaster bagworm ... | |
| house bug | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: For months now I've been finding this insect in corners of my house where dust tends to accumulate. ... A: Silverfish would look definitely silvery while firebrats are more mottled brown, grey, black with ... | |
| house bug | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: For months now I've been finding this insect in corners of my house where dust tends to accumulate. ... A: Arlin, Some of your description sounds like cockroaches but you could also be describing silverfish ... | |
| household insect | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: I have been finding dead and alive tiny dark brown/black flying insects with a hard shell, mainly in ... A: Amy, These are probably dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles (see ... | |
| 80 year old formulation | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: We have a family formulation (patented in 1930)produced and marketed by our grandmother in ... A: Nico, I'm guessing this is some kind of insecticide, since you are asking the question in this ... | |
| Tiny bugs identification please | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: There are some black colour mold growing in my kitchen drawer. Upon close up inspection, these mold ... A: Hana, Your description sounds like grain mites, also called mold mites. These tiny mites feed on ... | |
| Camel Spider | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: Now I'm sure you get a lot of questions surrounding Camel Spiders after all the photos circling the ... A: Chris, You are right. Camel spiders (sunspiders, windscorpions) are common worldwide in deserts. ... | |
| Identification | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I have just found a lavae like bug in my home and wondered what it was, it was about 10-12mm long ... A: Andrew, Can you see any long bristle-like "tails" at the pointed end? Can you see any antennae ... | |
| bug that bites only at nite in bed | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I am getting bit almost every night by an unknown bug, that I cannot seem to catch or even get rid ... A: Tracey, I think there are two possibilities. There's a mite that sometimes enters homes from an ... | |
| bedroom mite identification | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I hope you'll be able to help me. I thought I had a bedbug infestation, but I've been assured on ... A: Tony, The mite could be one of the so called bird mites (also called rodent, poultry, nest or ... | |
| Mite infestation, possibly Ornithonyssus sp. | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: We have a mite infestation but are confused about the source. Some background... Bites began 3 ... A: Megan, Mite identification even to just the family level is pretty complex. You'll probably need to ... | |
| insects | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I need to identify some insects i have. where in chicago can i take them to be identified? A: Diane, Your best option is to contact the U of I Cooperative Extension office in Cook Co. ... | |
| Insect ID request followup | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I live in Michigan and it is a sunny winter day and it is a south facing window so quite bright. I ... A: This is definitely a weevil (the "snout" is characteristic of this group). In this case it is ... | |
| Insect ID request | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I live in Michigan and it is a sunny winter day and it is a south facing window so quite bright. I ... A: Shirley, This is a beetle, possibly a flea beetle but it also might be a weevil (I can't see the ... | |
| Gnats | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: The gnats in the summer time are becoming unbearable and make me want to stay indoors. I live in ... A: Helen, Do you know what kind of gnats these are? Are they indoors? The only gnats that usually ... | |
| cocoons | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: Last summer we had honey bees in our attic space in our southern California home-an exterminator ... A: Robert, I think whatever it is that you are finding now is unrelated to the bees that were removed ... | |
| Mite infestation, possibly Ornithonyssus sp. | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: We have a mite infestation but are confused about the source. Some background... Bites began 3 ... A: Megan, I think you are on the right track. If the mite is identified as one of the bird/rodent ... | |
| What kind of bug is this? | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: Found two of these tiny but menacing looking things at two different ends of our house. Any idea ... A: Bruce, The picture is a bit blurry but this appears to be an earwig. See ... | |
| Mite infestation, possibly Ornithonyssus sp. | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: We have a mite infestation but are confused about the source. Some background... Bites began 3 ... A: Megan, Is it possible that the bites are not related to the mites? It seems unlikely that you would ... | |
| Tiny Jumping Bugs Outside | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: I can only see them on my old worn wooden deck out back or on my front lawn on a few old branches ... A: Could be jumping oak galls. These galls are round and spring upward sort of like tiny Mexican ... | |
| Identification of cocoon | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: We found 5 small clay cocoons attached to a curtain (we live in S-W France) I attach a photo & would ... A: Marek, To be honest I'm not sure what this is however based on the photo and your description of ... | |
| Tiny Jumping Bugs Outside | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I can only see them on my old worn wooden deck out back or on my front lawn on a few old branches ... A: Roger, Your description sounds like collembola, or springtails. These tiny soil arthropods feed on ... | |
| spiders | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: HELP! oh please i am desperate to find out why spiders are so attracted to my nephew. This all began ... A: Betty, I have to agree with your suspicions that this is not about spiders. I frequently deal with ... | |
| Little flying insect | 1/24/2010 |
| Q: These little buddies showed up in my house a few months ago. They are definitely not fruit flies but ... A: Jennifer, This is a primitive fly, related to gnats, midges and mosquitoes. There are several ... | |
| help! smooth spider beetle bites? | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: have been searching in circles, hope you can help me. have fairly large red bites on my body and had ... A: Ana, Spider beetles don't bite so your skin problem must be caused by something else. If you post a ... | |
| bird mites | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I sent a questions to George Serdes regarding bird mites that came from a nest in my bedroom window. ... A: Sunny, I agree with George that bird mites don't live for long once the nest and birds are gone but ... | |
| Tiny red bugs rat mites??? | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I am being biten by something. It think it started around Christmas time when my shower backed up ... A: Again, I don't believe that rat mites are causing your skin problems. These small mites could not ... | |
| preserving spiders | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: I have seen spiders kept in jars and their legs are spread out and they look so alive and they don't ... A: Josh, I'm sorry but insect/spider preservation is not my specialty. I'd suggest contacting a museum ... | |
| Tiny Black Worms-What Could They Be? | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: My home is in Massachusetts. The other morning I discovered approximately 20-25 spots close in ... A: Denise, Could you possibly post a picture? Also, could you look closely at the spots, perhaps with ... | |
| sesame bugs or shells | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: not sure what they r, but we have had a well known bug company come in and said we had bed bugs and ... A: Rainy, I'm sorry but it is impossible to say what these are without a sample to describe or ... | |
| sesame bugs or shells | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: not sure what they r, but we have had a well known bug company come in and said we had bed bugs and ... A: Rainy, Could you post a picture of the bugs? Bed bugs are very easy to identify so your pest ... | |
| bites | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: A past reader had said they were getting bites and they didn't find any bed bugs. Well I am having ... A: Elayna, Carpet beetles don't bite. I'm not sure what the pest control person was thinking about but ... | |
| Large gray sheild shaped bug | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I just killed the fourth one of these in the house this winter. Where could they be coming from? ... A: Jean, If you post a picture I could be sure but you may be talking about a stink bug ... | |
| Please identify this insect found in bed | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I've twice found this insect in my bed. It's about 4mm long, a bit hairy and the dark part is its ... A: George, This is the larvae of a beetle, probably a dermestid beetle (Dermestidae). These beetles ... | |
| Tiny red bugs rat mites??? | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I am being biten by something. It think it started around Christmas time when my shower backed up ... A: Your Cooperative Extension office is: Los Angeles County UC Cooperative Extension, Los Angeles ... | |
| Tiny red bugs rat mites??? | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I am being biten by something. It think it started around Christmas time when my shower backed up ... A: Denise, This is not a rat mite (also called bird and nest mites). Here's a picture of a typical ... | |
| Unknown Worm/Maggot | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm resubmitting this question because my previous one was marked as "private" for some strange ... A: This is one of the less "fuzzy" dermestid species. Black carpet beetle larvae feed on a wide variety ... | |
| Small Black Bug Swarm | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: Outside I recently found a swarm of very small black jumping bugs. They resembled a black mold ... A: Mike, These are called springtails, or collembola. They are primitive wingless insects that live in ... | |
| Giant Wheel Bug? | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: Last spring an incredible insect leaped into my house in northwestern Virginia at about 11pm. ... A: Anne, I'm not sure what you saw but there are very few insects that are 3" long. Plus, wheel bugs ... | |
| chemoreceptive hairs on spiders | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: I can understand why you don't answer homework questions, but this isn't. I am 42 years old and I ... A: Cathy, Sorry for the delay. We do get a lot of homework/exam-type questions. Yes, chemoreptors are ... | |
| Unknown Worm/Maggot | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I'm resubmitting this question because my previous one was marked as "private" for some strange ... A: Adam, Thanks for re-submitting. If the larvae appear "fuzzy", like they are covered with short ... | |
| flies | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in Montreal. A week ago, flies started during the day to be inside at the windows and at ... A: Judith, You've covered all the usual suspects. From your description of "blue tinge" I'd guess that ... | |
| little green bug buddy | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I live in Minnesota (Brrrrrr)I found this little bug crawling across a piece of paper in early ... A: Chris, I'm not sure what you are asking but this is an immature hemipteran (true bug). I can't tell ... | |
| lg black cacoon chyrialis | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: we foun this lg blk chryilis back in Sept under the oak tree attached to a rubber tree plant ... A: Marion, This is a moth or butterfly and may eventually emerge as an adult. When it does you'll be ... | |
| ID Needed for Bug in NJ Apartment Kitchen | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: We keep finding these small bugs in our kitchen for the past 2-3 months but it has gotten worse in ... A: Amanda, This is an immature cockroach. I can't tell from the picture the species but based on size ... | |
| Ant Eggs?? | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: I am repairing around a window which has had some water damage on the inside. Upon removing the ... A: You are welcome, and good luck with the project. Be cautious if the pest control company suggests ... | |
| Ant Eggs?? | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I am repairing around a window which has had some water damage on the inside. Upon removing the ... A: That was fast! Drywood termites have ridges on the fecal pellets. This is one way they are detected ... | |
| Ant Eggs?? | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I am repairing around a window which has had some water damage on the inside. Upon removing the ... A: Kathy, Where do you live (city, state)? This looks like it could be frass from drywood termites but ... | |
| centipedes | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: can centipedes host on homeless humans living under old bridges, or cause human infestation over a ... A: Stevie, No, centipedes don't infest people. Large ones can bite like any large arthropod but the ... | |
| Bugs in Big Sur, CA | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: My spouse has been plagued with what appears to be bug bites but we can never see the bugs. We live ... A: Diann, Sounds like biting midges. These tiny biting flies are sometimes called "no-see-ums" because ... | |
| Cannot Identify This | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I have found three of these (alive) in my pantry / laundry room crawling on the wall over the last ... A: Michelle, This is a tick, possibly the American dog tick, and it is engorged which means it has ... | |
| wood boring insect | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I found some tiny grublike insects eating only on a old wood knife handle I had in a wood dresser ... A: I think the powder could be from powderpost beetles that are boring out of the handle (see ... | |
| Fly larve | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I have been to your website and am now familiar with your work. I am builder and I am building my ... A: Neither treatment is necessary because there won't be any wood boring larvae in the old barn wood. ... | |
| About the reflexes of flies.. | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a tricky one....if we are travelling by train or bus or a car and we see flies inside our ... A: Nishant, This is a physics question, and a classic one. Asked another way - if the earth is ... | |
| Fly larve | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I have been to your website and am now familiar with your work. I am builder and I am building my ... A: Randle, Thanks for re-posting here. The flies that were enclosed in your new house were probably ... | |
| ?bed bug | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: we found this beetle like bug in our 7 yr olds bed today. No-one has had bites and I did not find ... A: Paul, This is a bug, but NOT a bed bug. Bed bugs are never more than about 1/4" long (see ... | |
| wood boring insect | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: I found some tiny grublike insects eating only on a old wood knife handle I had in a wood dresser ... A: Gerald, I need a little more information. Why do you think the insects are eating the knife handle? ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: Jack, I purchased a new cooler to take my lunch to work. Prior to throwing out the old cooler, I ... A: Allisandro, I believe this is an immature cockroach. The things that look like flaps may be wing ... | |
| worms in my clementines | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: my wife ate some worms with her clementine. they are Black about 3/8 in long and about 1/16th in ... A: Russ, The worm was probably some type of insect larva, possibly a vinegar fly larva. Usually ... | |
| tiny blue bugs | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: My husband & I are curious about an extremely tiny blue/gray bug that is infesting our parking pad ... A: Peggy, I'm pretty sure you are talking about collembola, also called springtails. Without a picture ... | |
| true powderpost beetle infestation in new floor boards | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: We have lyctid beetles, identified by the county extension service, in recently installed ... A: Bruce, If the alder is completely finished in sealer it is probably protected as lyctids need ... | |
| little black house bugs | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: Have some little back bugs in house (look similar to shape of short grain rice, and hard) which I ... A: Eleanor, I think you are describing a black carpet beetle. There are several beetles, called ... | |
| larvae follow-up | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I forgot to mention that I found quite a bit of cat hair underneath my bed and behind my dresser. ... A: Cleaning is the best thing to do. Keep an eye on anything else made of natural animal-based fabric. ... | |
| larvae? | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: Over the past few days I have noticed these caterpillar like bugs encased in some sort of soft ... A: Aki, This is indeed a casemaking clothes moth. The case is made from bits of fabric that the moth ... | |
| black house flies | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I live north of boston near the ocean and since late October have been plagued with large black ... A: Sounds like the poison bait worked, sort of. This is very common with baits and usually not a ... | |
| black house flies | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I live north of boston near the ocean and since late October have been plagued with large black ... A: Denise, The "black furry hair" is indicative of the calliphorid/sarcophagid flies. Without a ... | |
| Spider Beetles, Bed Bugs, Etc | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I know spider beetles are quite common, especially in nyc, where I live. I found one soon after my ... A: Arlen, Alcohol is not a good insecticide because it evaporates very quickly (especially 91% ... | |
| black house flies | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I live north of boston near the ocean and since late October have been plagued with large black ... A: Denise, Two possibilities, cluster flies or calliphorid/sarcophagid flies. Cluster flies look like ... | |
| kitchen cabinet pests | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: I have laminate-covered plywood kitchen cabinets with press-board counter tops. I am now noticing ... A: Lou, Your best option may be to treat all bare wood surfaces with a borate insecticide which will ... | |
| Seeking professional advice | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: Dr. DeAngelisI am looking for more career options that task my writing, experimental and ... A: Ethan, I'm not sure I can be of much help but here's a few suggestions. I think your most ... | |
| Bug | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: I found this dead bug in the rim of the mattress. It was very tiny. I really hope you can help me ... A: Maria, I can't see enough detail in the picture for an accurate id. However, I'm guessing that you ... | |
| biting insect | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: We slept fine and then maybe about 3 weeks now my mom started complaining that she was being bit by ... A: I'm glad you were able to get a specimen. With a Q-tip dampened with alcohol you should be able to ... | |
| biting insect | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: We slept fine and then maybe about 3 weeks now my mom started complaining that she was being bit by ... A: Paula, Sorry you are having these problems. You're right it does not sound like bed bugs or fleas. ... | |
| A strange bug in my home... | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I live in Tampa, Florida. I just found a strange..long oval shaped bug in my living room. It is ... A: Kim, This is called the eyed click beetle. Click beetles get their name from the clicking sound ... | |
| kitchen cabinet pests | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: I have laminate-covered plywood kitchen cabinets with press-board counter tops. I am now noticing ... A: Lou, The description of the powder sounds like powderpost beetles rather than drywood termites ... | |
| kitchen cabinet pests | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: I have laminate-covered plywood kitchen cabinets with press-board counter tops. I am now noticing ... A: Lou, Look carefully at the powder. If it appears to be gritty like pellets it could be drywood ... | |
| White mite identification | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying to identify a mite that has recently infested an indoor room my house, near San ... A: Andrew, These are called grain mites, or mold mites. They feed on mold and are often associated ... | |
| Dirt balls | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: What in the world is producing these clumps of mud, they are all over my yard in the soil. I live ... A: Valerie, Some kind of burrowing insect made this mound. It is too big to be an earthworm which also ... | |
| rice looking egg | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: I live in tennessee and last night.I found these very small rice looking eggs in the bed. It looks ... A: Jeremy, Could you post some kind of picture? I'm afraid I don't have a good idea of what this might ... | |
| flat black bug | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I was laying in bed and found 2 very very small black flat bugs they looked like they Had wings ... A: Heather, This does not sound like fleas or bed bugs. Both insects are easy to recognize once you ... | |
| Mites/Bed Bugst/Etc ...-Followup | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: Since mid-September I have been experiencing horrible itching on my left arm. It started at white ... A: Bed bug bites generally look like severe mosquito bites, inflamed, slightly swollen and they usually ... | |
| Mites/Bed Bugst/Etc ... | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: Since mid-September I have been experiencing horrible itching on my left arm. It started at white ... A: Jason, I agree with the dermatologists, this does not sound like insect/mite bites. It is ... | |
| Belostomatidae | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: I am a ninth grade honers biology student. I was wondering if you could help me verify my species i ... A: Will, I'm not an expert in this group but I believe it won't be possible to get a species level ... | |
| Unknown Bug bite | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: My daughter had a bulls eye rash on her inner thigh. I took her to my doctor who said that it was a ... A: Joan, Most insects or mites that bite can cause this type of rash. The rash is caused by the body's ... | |
| Bed bugs | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: I stayed in a infected hotel room a few nights ago. I threw away almost everything that could not ... A: Mary, The heat from the dryer was probably high enough to kill all stages of bed bugs. It only ... | |
| Bug found on cat | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: What is this bug found on my cat is it harmful to humans? It is small and worm like 6mm long. At end ... A: Glad we figured it out. There may be an infestation nearby. Usually these insects are pretty ... | |
| Bug found on cat | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: What is this bug found on my cat is it harmful to humans? It is small and worm like 6mm long. At end ... A: I still can't see much detail (you might take it out of the bag to photograph) but it still looks ... | |
| Bug found on cat | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: What is this bug found on my cat is it harmful to humans? It is small and worm like 6mm long. At end ... A: Jan, I can't see much detail but the shape and your description sounds like a dermestid beetle ... | |
| black worms | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: i have little black worms in my shower and could they cause health proplems..? A: Katie, I'll need a bit more information and a photo if possible. How big are the worms? Where do ... | |
| possible bite | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: My husband has developed bumps that the dermatologist thinks are arthropod bites. His symptoms are ... A: Carolee, I hesitate to diagnosis an insect or mite problem without a specimen to identify. However, ... | |
| Spider Bite... | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: I noticed about two nights ago a small pimple looking bump on my upper calf. I didn't think nothing ... A: Brown recluse spiders do occur in Texas but it may be impossible at this stage to tell for sure ... | |
| Spider Bite... | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I noticed about two nights ago a small pimple looking bump on my upper calf. I didn't think nothing ... A: You did not mention where you live (city/state) so I can't specifically discuss what spiders are in ... | |
| Rove beetle (devils coach horse?) and ant/termites | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I have recently found three rove beetles over the course of the last couple of weeks in my finished ... A: John, The common name rove beetle refers to a large family of short-winged beetles, the ... | |
| red bug identification | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: Im from the Philippines, my husband found a red bug with blue feet, 2 blue spots at the back of its ... A: Eden, I'm sorry but there are many insects that fit this description, especially in warm, tropical ... | |
| rodent mites | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I hope that you can help me. I have feeder mice to feed to my snakes. My little daughter likes to ... A: Holly, I'd like to contact Dr. Anderson because this information is completely counter to what I've ... | |
| tiny white-ish bugs | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I am living in Durban, South Africa, and have recently moved into a new furnished flat. Recently, ... A: Erin, These could be related. The first sounds like a mite, possibly one of the nest mites. Nest ... | |
| Tiny dot like insects on my hoover | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: when i took a closer took they were moving. I am not sure what they are i cleaned my hoover out ... A: Elaine, These are probably grain mites, also called mold mites. These mites feed on mold/fungi and ... | |
| Bug Idetification | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I Found a bunch of Little white Larvae looking bugs with pointed brown head and leg looking things ... A: Robert, Could you post a picture of your bugs? The description does not fit anything common. How ... | |
| rodent mites | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I hope that you can help me. I have feeder mice to feed to my snakes. My little daughter likes to ... A: Holly, I'm not sure what's biting you but I don't think it is rodent nest mites. These mites do not ... | |
| silver fish ? | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: I think I saw a silver fish. Didn't see any antenna. It was silver/gray very smooth looking and ... A: Linda, Your description does sound like a silverfish. Here's a picture ... | |
| Small jumping black bugs | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in NW New Jersey. The last few mornings have been warmer than usual(40's) and damp. I have ... A: Tom, I'm pretty sure you are describing a springtail or collembola. These primitive, wingless ... | |
| This bug is really starting to bother me :( | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I have been seeing this bug for a while now. It's small and red and bites like heck when i lay in my ... A: Both pictures appear to be bed bugs but both are pretty fuzzy. BTW, you can post pictures directly ... | |
| fleas | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: i have 2 dogs one of which is a 6 month old house-bound chihuahua. my other dog, a jrt, brought ... A: Jessie, The only way to effectively control fleas is to treat BOTH the animal and the home at the ... | |
| This bug is really starting to bother me :( | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I have been seeing this bug for a while now. It's small and red and bites like heck when i lay in my ... A: Jessica, Bed bug bites generally don't hurt, just itch like a mosquito bite. Your best bet is to ... | |
| Help me identify this bug and how to get rid of it, please | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: We found this bug up one wall in our kitchen, on our kitchen ceiling and along the area where the ... A: Kelly, The picture is too small to see clearly however from your description I'm pretty sure this ... | |
| unknown bug name | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in the WV panhandle and this past summer the kids started seeing this bug in our home that I ... A: Jennifer, Sounds like either a millipede or centipede. Both have multiple legs and millipedes in ... | |
| thousands of tiny white bugs on florida lanai | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: we have thousands of these tiny white bugs that look like a speck of salt when they die on the ... A: Angela, I'll need more of a description. I'd suggest catching a few in alcohol and take them to ... | |
| no see em bugs | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: i am in ft. myers fl for 5 mo. these bugs are driving me crazy day and night.do they have a season ... A: Tara, If by "no-see-ums" you mean biting midges I'm afraid they could be around all year in the ... | |
| Tiny white bug infestation | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: For the past few days I've been noticing and constantly cleaning up what looks like white powder all ... A: Laura, These are called grain mites or mold mites and they generally indicate a moisture problem of ... | |
| help with diptera | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I am in need of some help identifying a fly to the species level. I have spent time looking for ... A: Richard, I have to confess I'm not an expert in Diptera. It looks like a robber fly (Asilidae) but ... | |
| Tiny Reddish Flying Bugs | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I just recently started seeing a tiny reddish (maybe maroon) bugs flying in my bathroom. They seem ... A: John, "Fruit flies", or vinegar flies, don't nest per se but rather develop in some kind of rotting ... | |
| Tiny Reddish Flying Bugs | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I just recently started seeing a tiny reddish (maybe maroon) bugs flying in my bathroom. They seem ... A: John, The only small flies we typically see in bathrooms are drain flies, also called moth flies. ... | |
| Bug #3 | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning Jack, I just typed you a message and lost it so if this is a duplicate, sorry. I had ... A: The good news is that nest mites don't infest homes but only "invade" from an abandoned nest. We are ... | |
| Please help identify this insect | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I started noticing random bugs about a week ago. I am now noticing they are everywhere around/in ... A: Kerrie, These are larvae of a dermestid beetle, sometimes called carpet beetles. They are very ... | |
| Bug #3 | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning Jack, I just typed you a message and lost it so if this is a duplicate, sorry. I had ... A: Mark, This is either a wasp or winged ant. Either could potentially sting but not bite. I doubt ... | |
| Nat like bugs on lani | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: We have swarms of these tiny beige bugs on our lanai. We live in SW Fl. They are defiantly attracted ... A: Karyn, This is some type of weevil (Curculionidae) but there are roughly 30,000 species of weevils, ... | |
| Picture per previous emails | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: Jack, OK, here is pic #2 of bug #1 I am sorry about the large file size, don't know how to reduce ... A: These are definitely not bed bugs but rather beetles, possibly cigarette beetles (Anobiidae). These ... | |
| biting flying "bed bug" type indentification | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: I am an American living on a small island in the Western Caribbean part time. I have lived here ... A: Mark, A picture would help. You can attach 1 picture to each question, there's a check box on the ... | |
| small black scorpions in the home in Johannesburg | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: we moved into a new home a few months ago, and we have already killed 4 small scorpions, size is ... A: Telmo, If this is a newly-built home it may be that the scorpions and various other critters were ... | |
| Clear bodied insects in my body hair | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: In the past week I started itching a lot in pubic and chest hair regions. I found what looked like ... A: Andrew, This sounds more like pubic lice than fleas. Here's an article about pubic lice with a ... | |
| Cricket like looking insect | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: There are these hoping very thin framed, grayish in color approve. 1 1/2 - 2" long, they don't make ... A: Feesha, I'd need a picture to be sure but you might be describing a tree cricket. If you post a ... | |
| baby scorpions | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: We live in Georgia, about 50 miles south of Atlanta. We have several wooded acres and for the last ... A: Kerry, Could you post a picture? I want to make certain these are scorpions and not something else. ... | |
| small biting insect with wings | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: I found a bug crawling on my dining room table that looked like a flea or a gnat. I squished it ... A: Vinegar flies (aka "fruit flies") don't bite so I think you have at least two different flies. My ... | |
| small biting insect with wings | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I found a bug crawling on my dining room table that looked like a flea or a gnat. I squished it ... A: Kathy, I can't see the picture clearly enough to be positive but I think this is a black fly ... | |
| Black bug in bathroom | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: We found a bug in our bathroom tonight. It was about 1 inch long, about 1/2 wide, plump, and shiny ... A: Karen, Your description sounds like an oriental cockroach. Here's a wikipedia page ... | |
| a Bug in my apartment? | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I was cleaning my apartment today when I found something on the floor I thought it was a pebble or a ... A: Brandi, I don't know what kind of bug you found but since 99% of insects are harmless I'm sure this ... | |
| Tiny Tiny white bugs | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I have started a new job and where I sit, I get bitten all day by tiny, tiny white bugs. Nobody ... A: DS, Is it possible that this is not an insect or mite, per se, but rather some type of allergic ... | |
| Window stains left by dead house flies | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: My neighbors and I are curious - what causes the stains left on a glass window when a fly dies while ... A: Shirley, This is a fungus (mold) and it was responsible for killing the fly. These fungi are ... | |
| Not something i want to keep waking up to | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: This morning i found a bug on my bathroom floor. It was ~1.5 - 2 inches long. Light tan color. No ... A: Amanda, There are not a lot of insects as large as you describe that are commonly found indoors. ... | |
| white worms in bathtub | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: In recent days I have been noticing little (3/8-1/2) inch long white worms/larvae with little black ... A: Angie, I'm afraid I'll need a picture because there are a number of insect larvae that match your ... | |
| Is it a black fly? | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I have been reading your website, http://www.livingwithbugs.com and trying to identify what ... A: Pam, The Fairfax Co. Extension office site is http://offices.ext.vt.edu/fairfax/ and if you call ... | |
| Going Buggy Over Odd Bug | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I've had a really bad cold or something the last week and was taking a steaming bath this morning, ... A: Meg, Excellent diagnosis, this is indeed a spider beetle. They are minor stored product pests. No ... | |
| Is it a black fly? | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I have been reading your website, http://www.livingwithbugs.com and trying to identify what ... A: Pam, This is not a black fly but rather a small wasp. Small insects and mites can be very difficult ... | |
| BUGS KEEP BITING ME! | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I live in an apartment in manhattan. I have these bugs that lovee my white walls every time I find ... A: Jimmy, Your description does not match any insect I'm familiar with. Your best bet is to capture a ... | |
| overwintering yellow jacket queens | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: The house I purchased in August has yellowjackets in the roof of the porch. They are occasionally ... A: Christine, As you probably know these yellowjacket queens likely came from the now dead nest in the ... | |
| Brown worm / larvae in bed sheets | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: I'm really freaked out so i'll get straight to it. Over the past 2 days i've found 2 worm like ... A: A few sunflower seeds would not support an infestation of meal moths. The actual infestation could ... | |
| what is under my skin??? | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: I am being plagued by who knows what and it is making me very Ill. This is under my skin on the palm ... A: Belinda, I'm not sure what is pictured here but I'm sure it is not insect or mite related. There is ... | |
| Brown worm / larvae in bed sheets | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: I'm really freaked out so i'll get straight to it. Over the past 2 days i've found 2 worm like ... A: Mili, This is some kind of moth larva but I can't identify it further from the photo. There are no ... | |
| bugs on stove | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: I have these tiny winnie brownish beige bugs, they only seem to be on the stove, I turned the oven ... A: Debra, These sound like grain mites, also called mold mites. These mites feed on mold so are common ... | |
| tiny!,tiny!!!! black bugs on ground | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I have spent many hours in the woods in NH and late summer into the winter I have come across ... A: Roy, These are called collembola or springtails. They live in the leaf litter and organic layers on ... | |
| spider | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: What results from the bite of black widow spider A: Rahaf, Black widow venom is a neurotoxin. This means that the venom is toxic to the nervous system ... | |
| What is biting me and what can I do about it? | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm being bitten by something that seems like bedbugs but now I'm not so sure. We moved into a new ... A: Casey, The "bug" in the photo is a cockroach, probably an immature one. Cockroaches don't bite so ... | |
| American Oil Beetle | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: We have hundreds of these oil beetles (varying in length from 1/2" to 2") on the 5 acres of our ... A: Stephanie, Members of Meloidae, the family to which the oil beetles belong, are also called ... | |
| Bug found on back of Bed | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I found a couple of bugs on the back of the box springs on a bed. They are about a sixteenth of a ... A: Adam, Could you post a picture? These could be very young bed bugs but I'd need to see a picture. ... | |
| paper bugs | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I recently encountered some bugs that resembled maggots. These bugs seemed to be infesting paper ... A: Good picture. This is a larva of a moth, probably a meal moth. The larvae are not living in the ... | |
| paper bugs | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I recently encountered some bugs that resembled maggots. These bugs seemed to be infesting paper ... A: Greg, Could you post a picture? Your description does not match exactly anything I'm familiar with. ... | |
| Strange looking bug? | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: Yesterday I was in my bathroom when I noticed something small moving on the floor. At first I ... A: Dave, I think you are describing a casemaking clothes moth larva or plaster bagworm. I don't know ... | |
| Worms | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: We have lived in our home for 15 years and this is the first time I have encountered this problem. ... A: Sheri, Your description of the size, shape and movement sounds like a small centipede but it is ... | |
| HELP!!! Are these bed bugs? | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: Three months ago my two dogs started to get itchy skin with bites on them. They had very few fleas. ... A: The picture is too small to be sure but it has the overall shape of a psocid or booklouse. Psocids ... | |
| HELP!!! Are these bed bugs? | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: Three months ago my two dogs started to get itchy skin with bites on them. They had very few fleas. ... A: Marie, I can't see anything that looks like an insect or mite in the attached picture. Also, your ... | |
| Little Black Bugs | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: I have actually seen 4 little black bugs on my bed and pillows. They are very small oval shaped with ... A: Thera, I agree with your husband (sorry) that it is premature to hire an exterminator. In fact I ... | |
| Tiny red-brown worms 2 | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: Recently my grandmother bought several secondhand clothing items for my children, and gave them to ... A: Megan, Could you post a picture? Your description does not fit anything I'm familiar with. They are ... | |
| Large grey bug in flower pot | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: I found a large grey bug on a leaf in my flower pot this week (mid-October). I am on a 4th floor ... A: Heather, This is a true bug or hemipteran, probably the family Coreidae. I don't know which species ... | |
| Bitten in a hotel | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: We stayed in a hotel and the next morning my 6 year old had several bite marks on her face and neck ... A: Jane, What you describe does indeed sound like bed bug bites. As far as how easy it is to miss a ... | |
| Bug ID | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I live in Orlando Fl, there are these black slither or slug bugs that crawl from outside into my ... A: Princess G, This sounds like a small millipede. Millipedes are scavengers that feed on organic ... | |
| tiny worm-like bugs in laundry basket | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I had 3 laundry baskets full of clean clothes (that i washed at the laundry mat) that had been ... A: Alcohol of some kind would be better. If you have any gin or vodka mix it with equal parts water. If ... | |
| Mystery Insect | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: There is a mystery insect in our basement we are trying to identify. We've seen four, and we've ... A: Ali, The only thing I can think of that's this size, shape and color is the brown marmorated stink ... | |
| Powder Post Beetle | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I found evidence of Powder post beetles in some rough sawn cherry lumber in my garage. Is it true ... A: Larry, Unfortunately it is not true that powderpost beetles are restricted to cherry. In fact ... | |
| tiny worm-like bugs in laundry basket | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I had 3 laundry baskets full of clean clothes (that i washed at the laundry mat) that had been ... A: Alicia, I'm afraid I'd need a picture to id these. If you see them again capture a few in a vial of ... | |
| bug ID? | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: We are seeing an infestation of small black/brown bugs about the size of seasame seeds in our ... A: Ben, These are anobiid beetles probably either the cigarette beetle or the closely related ... | |
| small brown bugs | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: I have been getting eaten alive at night by tiny small brown bugs. I have researched the bed bug and ... A: Jessica, Can you describe what these look like? It sounds like nest mites but more information ... | |
| Insect identification | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: We live in SW Utah, in the pinon/juniper/sage forest at 5400 feet. Just saw this bug for the first ... A: Caralee, Excellent picture of a Jerusalem cricket. Like other crickets (related to grasshoppers) ... | |
| Tiny tiny white bugs on mulch | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: After having put some mulch on our garden (its like coir, not pea straw, its a red barky looking ... A: Lise, These are some type of soil mite. There are literally thousands of species of so called "soil ... | |
| Daughters getting tiny bites *URGENT* Please help | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: Both my daughters are getting tiny bites all over their bodies.. My 17 year old told me she saw a ... A: Dawn, These could be from what are called nest mites. These mites normally live in the nests of ... | |
| Toilet Insect | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm not sure if you are the right person to ask but the other day I found a creature swimming around ... A: Jesse, This could have been a house centipede that fell into the toilet. I'm not sure if this ... | |
| Small Black Bug/Beetle with White Stripe | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning. I found several of these insects on the window sill of my son's bedroom. Can you tell ... A: Brian, This is an immature cockroach but I can't determine the species from the photo. Here's an ... | |
| flying bug in crete | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: i have recently returned from crete whilst there a flying bug went into my ear it started to sting ... A: David, I doubt that whatever flew into your ear is responsible for your health problems. I don't ... | |
| Cicada bees | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: The Cicadas made a large nest in our house between the brick and stucco about 10feet up. Will they ... A: The large cicada killer wasps don't make big nests with hundreds of wasps like yellowjacket wasps. ... | |
| Little black bugs that fly these are not fruit flies | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: i have the very tiny black bugs that are able to fly and they seem to stay low to the ground.They ... A: Jennifer, These may be fungus gnats. Fungus gnat are tiny, dark flies that develop in soil feeding ... | |
| Biting Mites? | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I live in Atlanta, Georgia and think I may have been attacked by biting mites. While staying ... A: Sage, I think your diagnosis is probably correct, these sound like bird or rodent nest mites. My ... | |
| tiny worms | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: With all the rain here in North Georgia, I've noticed thousands of tiny pink worms being washed down ... A: James, I think this is unrelated to the tent caterpillar infestation. These are probably ... | |
| Removing hard insect case from stucco | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: do you have any advice on how to remove a very hard, mud-colored insect case from the stucco near my ... A: Mary Anne, I'm not positive but my guess is a mud-dauber wasp nest. The wasps make these mud nests ... | |
| Can you identify? | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: On this cool and cloudy afternoon in Nashville, TN as I was sitting outside on the patio, a black ... A: Diana, Could you post a picture? The "triceratop" ridges could be a wheel bug. Google "wheel bug" ... | |
| Cicada bees | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: The Cicadas made a large nest in our house between the brick and stucco about 10feet up. Will they ... A: Harry, I think these are probably yellowjacket wasps rather than cicada killer wasps which nest in ... | |
| Yellow jacket behavior | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: my situation is similar to the gentleman in Seattle with a nest of yellow jackets in his wall, but ... A: Steve, Social insects like yellowjacket wasps often beat their wings in unison to either heat or ... | |
| tiny fast moving bug | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: I am staying at a hotel in Key West, FL. Nice warm climate is great for humans & bugs! I have seen ... A: Cyndy, These sound like some kind of mite but without more description I can't be sure. Ants don't ... | |
| Bedbug, booklouse or something else? | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I'm aware that these photos are far from being clear, but their subject was no more than ... A: Pedro, I can't tell for sure but I don't think these are bed bugs, the overall shape is not right. ... | |
| tiny red flying bugs - what is it? | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: My kitchen floor is filled with these tiny red flying bugs with mostly appearing dead (because I ... A: Freddie, I can't see these clearly but I'm pretty sure they are vinegar flies, sometimes ... | |
| Is it a moth or a butterfly | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: On the cartoon Monsters vs. Aliens there is a monster called insectosaurous it is stated a the ... A: Rachel, I'm not familiar with this cartoon. However, the term "grub" usually refers to an immature ... | |
| bug identification | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: i found a six legged grey bug in my car and would like to know what it is. it was about an inch and ... A: Maranda, I think you are describing a wheel bug. Wheel bugs can bite and the bite is very painful ... | |
| Cockroach? | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: This insect was found in my backyard in the area around my pool in northeastern Pennsylvania. It ... A: Sarah, This is a beetle, possible a carabid beetle (Carabidae). Here's a wikipedia article ... | |
| A mysterious visitor | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: You were kind enough to help me try to identify what was biting me this summer, and now I've got ... A: Becky, This is a stink bug, possibly the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). This is a relatively ... | |
| Brown Widow | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I have found in our backyard and around the house a spider that has the same body style of a black ... A: Beth, Yes, in fact there's a lot of variation both within species and within the widow spider genus ... | |
| Weird TINY black bug in Virginia | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I live in Southeast Virginia and was sitting at my computer today when I saw something crawl (rather ... A: Paige, My first thought was indeed pseudoscorpion. There is more than one species and perhaps the ... | |
| Spiders | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I was sitting in my truck with a breeze coming thru one window and out the other. A spider on my ... A: David, You might be crazy but not because of this :). What you describe is called "ballooning" and ... | |
| yellowjackets | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: Last weekend in Portland, OR I was attacked by a swarm of yellowjackets and got stung at least 20 ... A: Bob, There are several species of ground-nesting yellowjackets in your area and they all look ... | |
| Small Black Bugs | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: These little guys are always on my window inside the home. They fly around for a short distance and ... A: Could be "fruit flies" or vinegar flies but these are generally brownish in color and don't ... | |
| insects in kitchen? | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me identify these little critters and suggest ways to get rid of them. We have ... A: Moira, I think your diagnosis is exactly right. These are almost certainly psocids (barklice, ... | |
| Small Black Bugs | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: These little guys are always on my window inside the home. They fly around for a short distance and ... A: Jay, There are lots of insects that could fit this description. If they are small, dark gnat-like ... | |
| powder post beetles | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: In 2007, upon the advice of a pest control service,my oak hardwood floors were stripped, treated ... A: Beetles may die as they emerge through the layer of borate but the most important thing the borate ... | |
| powder post beetles | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: In 2007, upon the advice of a pest control service,my oak hardwood floors were stripped, treated ... A: Jeanne, Treating with borate (Timbor or Bora Care) does not kill the beetle larvae that are already ... | |
| Small white 1/4 inch larvae all over kitchen floor | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: about once every couple months we have our tile kitchen floor crawling with 1/4 inch white larvae ... A: Geoff, These are probably meal moth larvae, possibly Indian meal moth larvae. Do you see small ... | |
| white spider looking bug??? | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: Today I was in our basement in Ontario. I noticed a white bug about 1/4 inch long that looked like ... A: Dan, Could you post a picture? What is the shape and can you estimate how many legs? My guess is ... | |
| Flies | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: Today i seen a fly that i have not seen before. It looked like a fly, but after it was dead,and i ... A: Doris, There are literally thousands of species of flies, from tiny gnats to horse flies, and ... | |
| Home Pest/ Orange County CA | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: Laguna Woods; and Aliso Viejo)? It seems to live inside homes or garages on vertical drywalled ... A: Paige, This is called a casemaking clothes moth larva. The larva or caterpillar, your "black worm", ... | |
| Strange Bug | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I am terrified of spiders and insects, all of them. I have this strange bug in my house and I can ... A: Rebekah, This is called a camel-spider (or camel spider) or sunspider. They are not true spiders. ... | |
| Response: Tiny brown bugs on bathroom floor | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: This was written by someone else a month ago. They wrote: Hello, we have been experiencing very tiny ... A: Emily, This image does look like a silverfish. Silverfish are common pests in homes where they feed ... | |
| Mud structure | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Found a mud structure in my garage that is completely enclosed and is square shaped. It is slightly ... A: Ed, I think this is probably a mud dauber nest. Moths and butterflies don't make these sorts of ... | |
| What is it? | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I found this little critter on my machine at work. It was already dead but I would really like to ... A: Tom, This is a house centipede. They tend to occur in older houses or buildings and are often ... | |
| black crawling bug with pointed nose | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: We have a black bug about 1-2cm long. It has a pointed snout with 2 antenna coming off the nose. It ... A: Natalie, You are describing a weevil, a type of beetle. Unfortunately there are about 30,000 ... | |
| small sac with black worm?? | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: attached to the walls in my garage i have seen a few small gray things, they are like a sac and ... A: Jean, Your description sounds like a casemaking clothes moth larva. There are several species and a ... | |
| lobster looking bug | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: The following bug has been seen in the vicinity of my house twice. The first time it was crossing ... A: Elizabeth, This sounds like a true scorpion or a vinegaroon (whip scorpion). Here's a wikipedia ... | |
| Grain Mites | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I am hoping you can provide some help with a problem I am having. I have had a bad of Purina Beneful ... A: Elisha, This looks like a very bad infestation of grain mites. I think you are correct about the ... | |
| I would like to know what kind of insect is this (picture attached) | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: this morning I spotted this insect on the wall, I've never seen this insect before, and it looks ... A: William, This looks like an engorged (fed) tick. If you have pets I'd guess that it came off the ... | |
| Id our bugs | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: I have attached a picture of some worm/bug like insects that we just discovered in our second home. ... A: Allen, This is the larva of a dermestid beetle. Dermestid beetles feed on a variety of organic ... | |
| Biting bug | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: My 4 month old son got bitten by a bug that crawled into the arm of his sleeve while he was outside ... A: Joelle, I'm afraid your description fits a number of different small bees and flies. Most small ... | |
| Bright Green Bug | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: We are in the Pittsurgh PA area and are seein ga large number of bright green bugs inside our house. ... A: Michelle, The photo is very blurry but this may be a green stink bug. Here's a wikipedia page about ... | |
| found a smaller insect on the same wood pile | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: On Sept 11 our discussion was about the "red-ant-look-a-like" on my wood pile in SW Minnesota. ... A: Craig, The red bug is not a wood-boring beetle but the holes are made by so called powderpost ... | |
| black insect with white wings | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: These tiny bugs are all over my backyard. When I go outside they gather on my clothes. At first they ... A: Charlene, There are lots of insects that fit this description. If you could post a picture I might ... | |
| biting midges | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible to have biting midges inside a day care center. If so what are the possile ways the ... A: Ron, Biting midges develop in poorly drained soil or soil that is over irrigated. If midges are ... | |
| weird bug | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: Last night while sitting on the couch, I saw this odd looking bug, it had the body of a caterpillar ... A: Mary, If it had multiple legs it was probably a house centipede. Take a look at the picture of this ... | |
| weird looking bug that seems to be all over my house, Portland Oregon | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: So there is this little flying bug all over my house, they seem to want to come inside. They are in ... A: Paul, This is a stink bug (family Pentatomidae). I can't see enough detail in the picture to do a ... | |
| little white bugs in kitchen | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: We had a leak outside behind the kitchen sink, where the outside faucet is. We got that fixed and ... A: Tala, What you describe is a textbook case of grain mites, also called mold mites, feeding on mold ... | |
| Tiny black bugs in kitchen cabinet | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me, Jack. I live near Miami, Florida & recently found tiny black bugs in my ... A: The only other thing it could be is a psocid or barklice or booklice. These tiny insects are ... | |
| Tiny black bugs in kitchen cabinet | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me, Jack. I live near Miami, Florida & recently found tiny black bugs in my ... A: Franny, These sound like dermestid or carpet beetles. These beetles infest a variety of stored ... | |
| glowing blue miiliped | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: Last night we noticed many many little spots on the ground that would glow blue and fade. i picked ... A: Ed, What you are seeing is called bio-luminescence, just like fireflies and glowworms. There are ... | |
| flea larva? | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: My daughter found tiny dark brown or black worm -like creatures in a pile of clothes that were on ... A: Nancy, This is much too large and the wrong color for a flea larva. Here's a picture of a flea ... | |
| Identification of mites | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I have tiny mite like insects throughout my house and I don't have a clue what they are! They tend ... A: Kaitlin, These could be a type of mite called a grain mite or mold mite. These mites are common ... | |
| Bug ID | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I've had these in my garage in Barnegat NJ for the past few years. They winter over, jump faster ... A: Bill, Good photo of a cave cricket. This critters are related to grasshoppers and field crickets ... | |
| tiny black bugs | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Two months ago I had an infestation of tiny black round hard shelled bugs in my kitchen. I cleaned ... A: Barbara, Your description sounds like dermestid beetles, sometimes called carpet beetles. You ... | |
| infected with unknown bugs!! | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm living in Singapore, it's in Asia, right beside Malaysia. So it's quite humid here. Recently ... A: Justin, Your description sounds like grain mites, also called mold mites. These mites feed on fungi ... | |
| identify small beetle | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: This is a harmless beetle, but very annoying. Emerges in July with summer-temps above 95.Is present ... A: Carolyn, I can't id the beetle from the photo but the only beetles that occur in homes in the ... | |
| large 6in or bigger cricket type bug | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: We have a large thing jumping around the basement there are smaller ones too. But the large one is ... A: Cindy, I think you are probably talking about a cave cricket. Take a look at this page ... | |
| Is this a poisonous spider? | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I found this spider in my house in New Brunswick, NJ. I had no way to get the scale, but it the ... A: Kristin, There are a number of different spiders that look like this one so it is impossible to ... | |
| Bird Mites | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I currently are residing in Landsthul Germany at the edge of a forest. We have many ... A: Paul, I think initially you may been bitten by bird/nest mites but now I think something else must ... | |
| thin tiny speck on clothing | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: Today I discovered a large quantity of very small bugs in my closet. They are dark brown, very ... A: Will, I agree. The best thing to do is collect a few in alcohol and take them to a lab for id. ... | |
| Fleas | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I hope I have the right Jack, the apartment above mine has fleas and they haave made their way down ... A: Kim, Fleas don't fly, they don't even have wings. I'm not sure what you are seeing but it must be ... | |
| spiders | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I am doing a school project on spider's sense of taste. Do they prefer a taste such as sweetness ... A: Kaylen, Spiders don't taste the same way we do so I think it would be hard to talk about "sweet" or ... | |
| spider bites | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: About 3 years ago I was bitten by a spider that mimicked the brown recluse. Since then I have gotten ... A: Diana, I don't think this is possible. Are you certain that the original "bite" was in fact a ... | |
| spiders in dried mud nest | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I found a dried mud nest (2"x2")in the folds of my umbrella on my deck. It looked like a wasp nest ... A: Barb, I think your first instinct was right. This was probably the nest of a mub dauber wasp. The ... | |
| Yellow Jacket | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in Toronto, Canada in a condo on the 7th floor of a building, which is also the top floor. I ... A: Karen, I've not heard specifically of this behavior but it doesn't surprise me either. I suppose ... | |
| Insect bites | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: My son was bitten overnight at a cottage - when he woke up, the side of his face was swollen, and it ... A: Christine, I doubt that these are spider bites. First, spiders rarely bite and when they do it is ... | |
| pin sized jumping bugs | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I am visiting my daughter and family near Jackson TN and she has these tiny little dark bugs that ... A: Sherie, I'm not sure what your daughter means by "sand fleas". This name is usually applied to ... | |
| Tiny White Clear/soft bodied Bugs | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: These mini bugs were first found in my old home around the bathroom sink area, they seem to be ... A: I don't recommend bleach because it is very toxic, you don't want to replace a harmless insect with ... | |
| Tiny White Clear/soft bodied Bugs | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: These mini bugs were first found in my old home around the bathroom sink area, they seem to be ... A: Dot, These are called psocids or barklice, but they are NOT relate to true lice. Psocids feed on ... | |
| SPIDER | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: IS THIS SPIDER HARMFUL TO MAMMALS? LOCATION: SOUTHEAST WHIDBEY ISLAND; ENTRANCE TO HOUSE, WOODEN ... A: Case, There are no venomous spiders by that description in your area. If you want to get a species ... | |
| Insect damage to stacked firewood | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I live in Southwestern Minnesota. I have some 1-2 year old firewood stacked outside. I found ... A: Craig, The picture is a bit too fuzzy to id but the holes in the firewood are probably from some ... | |
| Tiny Tiny Bug | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I found some tiny, tiny bugs that are about the size of a poppy seed but flatter and brown in color. ... A: I doubt the dog is picking these up in the woods. Does this dog lay near the others or is he ... | |
| Tiny Tiny Bug | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I found some tiny, tiny bugs that are about the size of a poppy seed but flatter and brown in color. ... A: Lori, This sounds like some kind of mite, perhaps a grain mite or nest mite. How many of these are ... | |
| wasp issue | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I'm an American transplanted to Israel. I've managed to grow a beautiful fig tree that produces ... A: Bill, Excellent picture, thanks for including it. This is not one of the cosmopolitan scavenger ... | |
| About spiders' webs.. | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: Hey is it the male or female spider that constructs webs? and which one of them is responsible for ... A: Mazen, Every species does things a bit different. Some species don't construct webs while others ... | |
| Spider Identification | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I had to take my daughter to urgent care over the weekend for what we were told was a spider bite. ... A: Elaine, Except for a few species it is nearly impossible to identify spiders from photographs. The ... | |
| bed bug or louse? | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: My brother found a tiny bug on his pillow case the other day. And we're not sure if it is a bed bug ... A: Head lice and bed bugs are very easy to tell apart. Bed bugs are much larger than head lice and dark ... | |
| small black bug | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: This is the 3rd one today! It is approx. 4mm long. it has 6 legs and a 'characteristically' longer ... A: Jessica, I'd need to see a picture but I think this is some kind of weevil. If you can't post a ... | |
| Mysterious Holes/Bugs... going NUTS! | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: Mr. DeAngelis! I am writing to see if you can help in identifying a creature that has puzzled and ... A: Kelly, You now hold the record for my longest question, of over a thousand!. Congrats. I initially ... | |
| Entomology | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I am really interested in Entomology and I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about ... A: Taylor, Instead of me trying to explain entomolgy in a few words I'd suggest that you talk with the ... | |
| yellow flying insect | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I was bitten by a very small yellow bug. It was as small as a gnat. It drew blood and hurt. What ... A: Pat, I think you may have been bitten by a thrips. These tiny "sliver-like" insects mostly feed on ... | |
| moth larvae (?) i.d. | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: sorry I have no photo, but here's the situation:I am in San Gabriel, CA, have a small ... A: Michelle, As you found out insecticidal soap does not work very well on moth larvae, or ... | |
| identification | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I found a brown color, hard shelled bug. I first noticed it sticking out of my worm bed looking like ... A: Dennis, This sounds like a pupa of some kind, probably a fly pupa. The pupa is the stage between an ... | |
| Chiggers | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: Mr. DeAngelis and thank you for answering my questions: I went on vacation to Tennessee (I live in ... A: mnorman, Chiggers are the larval (six-legged) stage of a mite. Chigger mites bite causing an ... | |
| Small Reddish-Brown Bugs Appear After Washing Dishes | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: In the past few days I've noticed tiny reddish-brown bugs that appear after I wash dishes. I don't ... A: Leah, Except for the color you are describing grain mites, sometimes called mold mites. These mites ... | |
| RED VELVET ANT | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: We have lived in the S.W. corner of Tennessee for eight years. I haven't noticed this kind of bug ... A: Donna, Velvet ants (Mutillidae) are a type of wasp. They occur nearly everywhere but they are not ... | |
| bites | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: for about a week I've been getting mosquito like bites on my body where the skin seems to be ... A: Chelsea, This sounds like a mite of some kind. There are lots of different mites, in fact ticks are ... | |
| BUGS | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: At work today I found a black bug about 1 inch long with a sort of fat body. When I went to touch it ... A: I think the pincers would be obvious if it was a scorpion even in a small specimen. If the body was ... | |
| Small White Biting Insect/Bug | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I am getting bit by tiny white things. They look like a lice nit, but they bite and it stings ... A: I'm afraid I'm out of ideas. Spider mites don't bite. I think you are back to the possibility of ... | |
| BUGS | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: At work today I found a black bug about 1 inch long with a sort of fat body. When I went to touch it ... A: Cecelia, Could it have been a small scorpion? There are scorpions in southern and eastern Oregon ... | |
| black bug, hard outer shell -insect | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I do not yet have a picture of the bug in question. I will do my best to describe the ... A: Jean, I think a better and faster option is to take the sample to your county Extension office ... | |
| Small White Biting Insect/Bug | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I am getting bit by tiny white things. They look like a lice nit, but they bite and it stings ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by "from another country". There are no insects or mites from anywhere ... | |
| BLACK BUGS | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: LIVE IN MARYLAND - A COUPLE DAYS AGO AFTER DARK THER ARE A LOT OF BLACK ROACH TYPE BUGS ON MY FRONT ... A: Paul, Could these have been crickets? There are some dark-colored crickets that can enter houses at ... | |
| Flying Ant or Wasp? | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: We live in South Texas, around the Corpus Christi area. Over the past few months we've been finding ... A: April, These sound like ants. Whenever large winged ants ("flying ants") emerge indoors the first ... | |
| Bug bites | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: I am aware you may not be able to answer this question, but I don't know who to ask!! Everyone in ... A: If you live in the northern part of the state it is possible that these are bites from the brown ... | |
| Bug bites | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: I am aware you may not be able to answer this question, but I don't know who to ask!! Everyone in ... A: These don't sound like insect bites and the pus indicates an infection so I think you should consult ... | |
| Bug bites | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I am aware you may not be able to answer this question, but I don't know who to ask!! Everyone in ... A: Kayla, You describe the bites as mosquito-like but also like a burn. Are these two different or ... | |
| White Bug On File Cabinet | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: Sorry to bug you again, but I am trying to ID a bug I just found on my file cabinet. Please take a ... A: Allisandro, This looks like some kind of leafhopper, possibly a psyllid. These are plant feeding ... | |
| Small White Biting Insect/Bug | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I am getting bit by tiny white things. They look like a lice nit, but they bite and it stings ... A: Dana, I'm not sure what this is but I am sure that it is not insect related. There are no insects ... | |
| slimy pod on my wall and ceiling | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: Today I noticed several slimy splotches on my foyer wall and ceiling. To be honest and gross, some ... A: Sally, I don't think these are insect related. They sound more like some kind of fungus and I'd be ... | |
| Bugs found in my home. | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: Jack, I found a couple of bites on my arm on Sunday and decided to check around the house to see ... A: Allisandro, The marks on your arm and stomach probably are not caused by insects or mites. Bites ... | |
| Your expertise in bug identification... | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: It's the end of summer here in Brooklyn and I've been noticing a certain type of bug in my bedroom ... A: Ok, post a follow up if you get a picture. My guess at this point is that the bug is not biting ... | |
| tiny little caterpillar thingys | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: so my mum hangs our clothes out to dry in the summer and part of the clothes line is by a tree in ... A: Gillian, There are many species of caterpillars that feed in trees so it would be nearly impossible ... | |
| Your expertise in bug identification... | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: It's the end of summer here in Brooklyn and I've been noticing a certain type of bug in my bedroom ... A: Becky, I'm afraid I'll have to wait for a photo because the description does not match anything I'm ... | |
| Ant ID | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: I am looking to find out the name of a strange ant I saw outside my house. Sorry no picture But it ... A: Joe, What you found was not an ant but rather a wingless wasp. The common name is velvet ant or ... | |
| i have a photo this time | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I have been getting bit at night for a couple weeks and we now just started seeing these bugs we ... A: There are lots of small beetles that look like this one so you'd have to have it identified by ... | |
| yellow and black flying insect | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in Southern NH near a wooded area and have seen two yellow and black flying insects that look ... A: Ann, Sounds like a cicada killer wasp. These large wasps hunt cicadas and are not as aggressive as ... | |
| blue spiders | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: My landlady is totally freaked out because she found three blue spiders on the wall of our brick ... A: Charlotte, There are no bright blue venomous spiders. In fact where you live there is only one ... | |
| i have a photo this time | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have been getting bit at night for a couple weeks and we now just started seeing these bugs we ... A: Olevia, This is indeed a beetle but not one that bites. Your bites must be caused by something ... | |
| Weird crab-looking bug | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: My mother was cleaning out her drawer of clothes that she never wears and she found a black bug ... A: Sarah, What you found is called a pseudoscorpion. They are not related to true scorpions but look ... | |
| tiny light brown bug eggs | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in northwest Texas and I have piles of light brown bug eggs appearing in my bathroom. they ... A: Amy, I don't think these are eggs. These sound more like either sawdust from some kind of ... | |
| big striped spider ID | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I stumbled across this zebra-striped spider on a trip through Utah/Oregon. I's rear was about the ... A: Michelle, This is an Argiope spp. spider sometimes called a St. Andrews cross spider because of the ... | |
| Fly Larva | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I raise chickens for fun an I was recently cleaning out the coop. I use a deep litter method and ... A: Tim, I think you are describing a rat-tailed maggot. Here's a wikipedia page ... | |
| spider id | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: Good morning Jack, I just moved to Georgia, and at night I see this spider making a beautiful web, ... A: Jon, I'm not sure of the species but you have only a couple of venomous spiders around you and this ... | |
| Yellow and black biting bug | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I was hiking with my friend in Big Basin State Park when he found it in his hair, biting his scalp. ... A: Helen, Are you sure the bug you describe is associated with the bleeding? The only biting insect ... | |
| Larve sealed in wax kills intercom | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I work at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and am responsible for most of the electronic systems in the ... A: Paul, The behavior you describe sounds like one of the solitary bees. The mason bee is a familiar ... | |
| Tiny brown bugs on Bathroom Floor | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: we have been experiencing very tiny brown-black bugs that are tear drop shaped in our home. Mostly ... A: Annette, Your description of color and shape sounds like some type of mite but the description of ... | |
| Cicada | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I saw a mystery insect a few days ago that looked quite a bit like a cicada. It matched the size ... A: Khan, Not all cicadas are the type that have synchronized mass emergences. Look up "periodical ... | |
| stinging flying insect | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: We live in southern Oregon. My mother was stung by a flying insect. It landed on her while she was ... A: Brooke, Sounds like some kind of wasp but without a picture that's about the best I can do. If you ... | |
| getting bit; can't find source | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: the strangest thing is going around my family. we are all getting bit by something, but there is ... A: Catherine, They are only a small number of insects and mites that actually bite people. Here's a ... | |
| ground termites vs ants | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I read an account the other day describing how ant colonies can overrun and destroy colonies of ... A: Mark, Some ants prey on termites but there are no strategies for using ants to protect a property ... | |
| What is killing my trees | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: There are some strange bugs that look like a large ant, colored like a bumblebee. They can crawl ... A: Mylinda, I'm not sure what these are but your description sounds like a wasp of some kind. If you ... | |
| Beetle | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: We found this beetle in our egress window well and are wondering what it is. It is enormous in size ... A: Kerri, This is not a beetle but rather a true bug, the giant water bug (Belostomatidae). Here's a ... | |
| Water Bugs/Organisms? | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: After a hard rain in Michigan, my daughters bucket filled with water from the storm. The next day ... A: Laura, I think you've drawn a mosquito larva. Mosquito larvae develop in fresh water and are called ... | |
| Very tiny white bugs | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I have just noticed thousands of tiny white bugs all over my kitchen faucets & black appliances. ... A: Mindy, I can't see much detail in the photo but your description sounds like a grain mite. Grain ... | |
| stung/bitten by unusual bug | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I was at an outdoor fundraiser last evening in the town of Murphy's in Northern California. ... A: Susan, I'm not sure what this is. Could you post a picture? You description does not match any of ... | |
| Home invasion! | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I have these tiny insects in my home. I have killed about 10 of them. They are in my kitchen, ... A: Donna, This looks like a beetle but I can't see enough detail to id it any further. However, from ... | |
| black bug, hard outer shell | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: DeAngelis, I do not yet have a picture of the bug in question. I will do my best to describe the ... A: Jean, I can't tell from your description what this is (size of a dime and black). Could you post a ... | |
| Tiny biting, flying white insects | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: "I had a rental car for about a week and continually felt like something was biting me, but I ... A: Jean, This may not be an insect or mite. There are relatively few insects and mites that actually ... | |
| thousands of tiny dead bugs | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a clean freak, so this has really gotten me upset! I found THOUSANDS of tiny (dead) gnat-like ... A: Stacia, This sounds like fungus gnats. If you post a picture I may be able give you a definite id. ... | |
| strange oval shaped bug in bathroom | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: recently i have noticed these very strange bugs on my bathroom floor they are completely flat,oval ... A: Alex, The picture is a little fuzzy but it has the overall shape of a casemaking clothes moth ... | |
| small red bumps | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: We recently had to get rid of our cat who has had fleas before. Now my mother and I are starting to ... A: Lynn, Lots of different things can cause these red bumps. Some biting insects and mites can cause ... | |
| big orange insect | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: We live in inland, north San Diego county and we just witnessed a crazy bug. A large (about 4 ... A: Janet, These large wasps are called tarantula hawks (family Pompilidae). Here's a wikipedia page ... | |
| worm-like things | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: Since summer started, I have been finding worm-like things in my bathroom and now I'm finding them ... A: Jen, These sound like some kind of larva, possibly a meal moth larva. If you could post a picture I ... | |
| Cricket/Centipede/Mayfly looking bug | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: My husband found this bug in our finished basement. We live in middle Tennessee. He found it on ... A: Amber, Your second choice is correct. This is a house centipede. They are very common in some older ... | |
| bug identification | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: My daughter hasw an area rug that has many, many burrowing larve-like insects. They are smaller than ... A: Janet, These sound like some kind of pupa, the stage between some insect larvae and the adults. If ... | |
| Help with bug problem | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: Need help identifying a bug I found in my house. Its small about 2-3mm,its head is red and looks ... A: Jane, Unfortunately I can't see enough detail in the photo to id this critter and there are lots of ... | |
| Multiple yellow jacket nesting | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: The yellow jacket colony ostensibly starts from a fertilized queen each spring and grows as new ... A: Don, Excellent questions, you've clearly done some homework. I think I can resolve some of the ... | |
| possible mites?? | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I have now seen (at first I couldn't find anything) a very small dark, round (like a speck of dirt) ... A: Betsy, Sounds like you think it might be a bird, or nest mite (or possibly a rat mite). I agree. ... | |
| very strange bug | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: thank you A: Julian, I think you are describing a silverfish or a firebrat. These primitive insects are ... | |
| Small brown bugs | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Hey Jack, Thanks for your earlier help with the carpet beetle problem. I have another kind of bug ... A: Mansi, There are lots of insects that would match that description. If you can't get a picture I ... | |
| Pill bugs and bedbugs | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Do dead bedbugs resemble pill bugs at all? I've found more than a dozen definitely identified dead ... A: I don't think you would confuse a bed bug and a pillbug. Bed bugs are mahogany in color and about ... | |
| bites and the culprit - earwigs? | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: My 20 month old child has been experiencing bites since we moved into a new house approx 8 mos ago ... A: Dee, Earwigs don't bite. The pincers can pinch but would not leave marks like those in the picture ... | |
| insect found | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: my 5 year old son and i found a very strange insect today, it is mostly black with VERY red ... A: Allison, I can't see the picture clearly but from your description I think this is a velvet ant ... | |
| house and garden bugs | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to id a bug that I've seen in the area and arond my house.It is an insect,black in ... A: Gerald, I think you are describing an earwig. Earwigs feed on plants and despite the look of the ... | |
| Celing fan as a habitat? | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: Found a tribe of flying black bugs with it's own habitat on a ceiling fan blade(s). Embarrassed to ... A: John, I'm not sure what these are. If you post a picture I may be able to give you an id. There are ... | |
| Locust like insects | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I live in CT and for the past few summers have been bothered by large flying insects that seem to ... A: Jean, I think you are describing a cicada killer wasp. Despite the name these relatively ... | |
| House Centipede noises. | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: Do they make any noises because i believe i have one in my house and i have heard strange squeaking ... A: Mathias, I don't think house centipedes make any noise, at least that humans can hear. House ... | |
| roach? | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: Need confirmation on what I think is a roach. I tried all kinds of settings on my digital camera ... A: Nick, I can't tell you what species this is without a picture but based on your description of the ... | |
| Biting Bugs | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I work in a Lawn and Garden area of a retail store. While there are many bugs that I am exposed to, ... A: Kelly, The only thing that matches this size, shape and color are thrips. Thrips are mainly plant ... | |
| What could this be? | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: We live in the Hudson Valley of New York State (and have had a wet a cool summer so far. We just ... A: I can't see any legs in the photo. However, if they have legs then they are probably beetle larvae ... | |
| What could this be? | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: We live in the Hudson Valley of New York State (and have had a wet a cool summer so far. We just ... A: Risa, These look like some kind of meal moth larvae, perhaps Indian meal moth. These insects infest ... | |
| Biting Bugs | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: I work in a Lawn and Garden area of a retail store. While there are many bugs that I am exposed to, ... A: Kelly, Could you post a picture? Your description does not match anything I'm familiar with. Are ... | |
| Stinging Insect | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: This morning my 2 year old son was painfully stung three times by an unknown insect while sitting in ... A: Kate, This appears to be a reduviid or assassin bug. This one is probably a juvenile (nymph) ... | |
| A casing of web filled with worms | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: What made this? It is filled with about 100 small, like 1/4" white worms, who are very much alive ... A: Abbi, This is probably some type of tent caterpillar or webworm (the exact species varies with ... | |
| GIANT beetle in Tijeras, NM | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I almost stepped on this huge beetle on my front porch in | |