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Entomology (Study of Bugs)/Questions Answered by Expert Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann
| Subject | Date Asked |
| scale on houseplants | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: Is there a safe way to treat scale on indoor houseplants, or should I just throw them away? These ... A: Sally, Safer soap can kill the crawler stage and is safe to use. The adult scales (hard scales, like ... | |
| Tiny bugs in house | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I live near Ocala, Florida (Central FL) and have noticed these very tiny bugs in the house. The ... A: My best guess is that these are black carpet beetles. See: ... | |
| Bathroom Bug | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: Recently I noticed a small bug roaming on the wall next to the bath sink. I would find one or two ... A: Eric, Springtails! There are lots of types, shapes, sizes of springtails. They can become a problem ... | |
| Holes in Bricks | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: I have come across quite a few pencil-sized holes in some bricks in my house. These bricks are ... A: Brenda, I know of no insects that will bore holes in stone, brick or any type of masonry. It's ... | |
| What are these? | 12/20/2009 |
| Q: I keep finding bugs in our den, mostly under the sofa. They are small %26 black with a beige ... A: Janeese, Ah hah, those are larder beetles I bet. ... | |
| Strange insect(?) | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: Some days ago, while cleaning my room, i found a tiny, insect-like form of life. I didn't take a ... A: I doubt what you've described and carefully drawn is an insect. Insects (except the larvae of some ... | |
| identify please | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: Found this in the attic of my bungalow.Its a little damp at the moment.Cant find any-thing on line ... A: Alex, This really looks like the pupa of some type of moth or butterfly. It particularly looks like ... | |
| Strange crawler in my bathroom | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: Recently, I found several silver-colored very small (like 1/4 of an inch), slug like wormy crawlers ... A: M.L. From what you have described, the crawlers sound like small silverfish. Do they look like ... | |
| Red worm in bathtub | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I've twice found a red flat tiny worm at my son's house when giving the grandbabies baths. I see ... A: Micki, Hi, you are right about this, it is a red worm. That's the actual name of this worm I believe ... | |
| bug | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: I live in California and I have an insect that is about 1/2in in size or less,their body is sleek ... A: Anna, From your description I would guess that you might be seeing silverfish (see ... | |
| tiny cocoons in house | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I have found very tiny cocoons in my house, mostly in the bathroom and laundry room, attached to the ... A: Stacy, It would have to be a wild guess as to what these are, coccoons are very hard to identify. It ... | |
| Pest in kitchen and bathrooms | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: I just bought this house and I have a very small brownish yellow bug that has several legs,a dark ... A: From your description I can't say what the pest might be but I'm certain it is some sort of what's ... | |
| Re: Yellow-ish Bathroom Bug (with picture attached this time) | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I am repeating my question with a picture attached this time. (sorry) I have a yellow-ish bug with ... A: This is definitely a silverfish (could also be a firebrat but they're nearly the same creature). ... | |
| Yelllow-ish Bathroom Bug | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow-ish bug with black stripes that appears in my bathroom every so often. It has lots ... A: Does it look like the following: http://bugguide.net/node/view/67046 This is a house centipede, very ... | |
| Bug Id | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: Hey I keep finding these bugs along the baseboards in the basement. I haven't found any more than 2 ... A: My only other guess, due to where you've found this insect, and the basic shape of the specimen in ... | |
| unidentified bug | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: a friend of mine found this bug on a tree, it doesnt appear to be poisonous but we are not sure what ... A: Tertia, The best answer I have is that this is the larva of a moth or maybe a butterfly. I can't say ... | |
| Bug Id | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: Hey I keep finding these bugs along the baseboards in the basement. I haven't found any more than 2 ... A: Harry, Definitely NOT bed bugs. Bed bugs wouldn't occupy your basement, anyway. So these are ... | |
| bed bugs | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: About 6 weeks ago I woke up with some bug bites and freaked out thinking I had bed bugs. I read ... A: Joe, No from what I can see, these are definitely not bed bugs, nymphs or adults. If you really want ... | |
| What are these? | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I found these beneath my bed. We have wood floors, so it was a bit dusty under there. I am highly ... A: Lisa, Those are carpet beetle larvae. Carpet beetles don't bite but as you can see the larvae have a ... | |
| Identify an Insect | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I have found a few of a certain kind of insect in my basement and cannot figure out what they are. ... A: Jarrett, It sounds like you have house or camel crickets, the juveniles have no wings but are ... | |
| Worm like bugs in old shower | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I keep finding these worm like bugs in an old Bathtub/shower combo. It was a little moldy around the ... A: Cristina, Do your little worms look like this: ... | |
| Bug Identification | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I have these bugs that are crawling all over my apartment kitchen but especially around the sink, ... A: That is a juvenile cockroach of whichever species you're seeing. The juveniles have no wings, but ... | |
| holes in willow tree | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: i have a 6 yr old willow that seems to be doing well. the leaves have small brown marks on them and ... A: David, There are a handful of beetles that are called borers, and create the shot-hole pattern that ... | |
| tiny brown bugs | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: My sister has recently found these tiny brown six legged flea like bugs, they have feelers i guess ... A: Hmmm, anything I say would be a wild guess. There are spider beetles, but I've never seen them swarm ... | |
| what are these little buggers? | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I had thought that these little white bugs were just plant pests, but I'm starting to notice them ... A: Are you certain that these dots aren't little bits of new fuzzy white mold? Like what is on the ... | |
| nest in light bulb!! | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: i have noticed in 3 light bulbs (in 2 different rooms of my house) there are weird "nests" they are ... A: Many insects are attracted to light, especially moths. Since most light bulbs heat up, it's unlikely ... | |
| Bathroom Bug | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: Recently I noticed a small bug roaming on the wall next to the bath sink. I would find one or two ... A: Hmmm...What you've described still sounds like a tiny juvenile silverfish, especially the almond ... | |
| unknown bathroom bug | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: Over the past few weeks I have periodically been finding these tiny little bugs (usually one at a ... A: Kari, It sounds to me like a milipede. Take a look at this site and see. If so, there is a moisture ... | |
| Bathroom Bug | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: Recently I noticed a small bug roaming on the wall next to the bath sink. I would find one or two ... A: Eric, This could be a silverfish, which are powdery because they have scaly bodies, like moths have ... | |
| Small Flies In Bathroom | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for some help to identify the flies in my washroom. They are small (a teeney bit larger ... A: The only greyish little bathroom flies I know of are the moth flies. They have a little heart shaped ... | |
| what are these little buggers? | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I had thought that these little white bugs were just plant pests, but I'm starting to notice them ... A: Emily, I have a couple of guesses. Are they hanging around on the undersides of the plant leaves? If ... | |
| Little beetles - Look like lady bugs | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: There are these little black/brown beetles with white spots and I've found them in my bedroom. ... A: Colleen, Sounds like varied carpet beetles to me. See: http://bugguide.net/node/view/95010/bgimage ... | |
| mystery bug | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm a resident of Brooklyn, NY. I just found this bug in a box that I recently kept near my bed. ... A: Emily, Sounds like a shiny spider beetle. Not to worry at all. See this to confirm: ... | |
| identify a bug and treatmen | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I keep finding clear bugs in my daughter's hair. They don't look like lice, and I have used lice ... A: The only type of insect that lives in human hair is a head louse. Fleas and ticks are both dark ... | |
| very small beetle | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I am finding small beetles around 4mm in length, with a snout, the snout is very movable, They have ... A: Diane, Beetles that have snouts are generally weevils, and many of them are tiny and found in flour ... | |
| Bug identification... queen ant? | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I was hoping you could help me identify what type of bug this is! I recently saw this bug on a hike ... A: April, The little wings tell me it's a rove beetle, see ... | |
| small abandoned "pods" found with dead bat's body | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: i found a dead bat at my moms house the other day. it was in the bottom of a plastic pitcher in her ... A: Casey, These were definitely the pupal cases of some type of fly, such as bluebottle or greenbottle ... | |
| Bug question | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I keep finding these very tiny bugs on my walls and around stuffed animals. They appear to be a ... A: Michelle, The best way to get rid of carpet beetles is simply to clean out closets, and get rid of ... | |
| Cigarette/Drugstore Beetle Problem! | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I am literally beside myself with trying to deal with a problem that started one or two months ago. ... A: Sarah, It is possible that the beetles are coming from a neighboring apartment or even a shared wall ... | |
| Tiny black bugs that can fly but generally seem subdued | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: It is summer here now, and they have only recently appeared during the heat. I spray them with bug ... A: While I certainly can understand the frustration you must be feeling, I can't say what they are, ... | |
| Bug question | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I keep finding these very tiny bugs on my walls and around stuffed animals. They appear to be a ... A: Michelle, Could your bugs be moth flies: http://bugguide.net/node/view/3128/bgimage or possibly a ... | |
| help! | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I have the strangest bugs in my apartment. They look like daddy long legs. They are light brown, ... A: Brandi Is this what you're seeing? http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=house+centipede If ... | |
| Re: Unknown narrow-winged insects in basement | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I am responding here as the follow up question link wasn't working. I believe the insects I found ... A: Termites should have two pairs of wings, so double check on that. If you have termites, you will ... | |
| Cigarette/Drugstore Beetle Problem! | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I am literally beside myself with trying to deal with a problem that started one or two months ago. ... A: Sarah, The only thing I can think of is there might be a dead mouse in a wall void, OR a live mouse ... | |
| Looking for Bug Identification | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I live in southwest Florida (Bradenton) and we stepped out onto our screened-in lanai ... A: Sarah, My best educated guess is that this creature is a type of conehead katydid. It looks enough ... | |
| black bug in arm | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: My son had a black bug in his arm. I used tweezers to try and remove it. The body was very black ... A: Ellen, To be honest I have no idea what the insect (or arthropod) could be. I also consulted with a ... | |
| Unknown narrow-winged insects in basement | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: I was cleaning my basement today, and vacuumed around my laundry area. About a 1/2 hour later, I ... A: I have a diagnostic question for you. Crush one of these bugs and smell it. Does it smell like ... | |
| Stinging 'worm' | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: I found this creature while inspecting some dug up dirt from what I think is an armadillo that ... A: That appears to be the pupa (resting stage) of the tomato hornworm moth, or a similar species. The ... | |
| Sml bugs in the appartment | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: I live in a very old unit its been built 30 yrs ago. I ve noticed this sml fish like bugs coming out ... A: It sounds as if you have silverfish (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish for an ... | |
| Insect or Larvae ID | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I am not sure I can take a picture of this creature due to the size and color. It is about 8-10mm ... A: Hmmm...without seeing it, I can only guess. If it is clear and fragile, that suggests to me that is ... | |
| FLAT OVAL BROWN BUG | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I am finding in my bathroom a flat oval shaped brown bug pod. The pod is about 1cm long with a ... A: I can't tell what this critter is from your description. Can you photograph it? If you have ... | |
| biting gnats? | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I have to sleep with my window open and happened to look below me to see the neighbor had endless ... A: Juanita, You need to check your mattress, boxspring, bedframe, headboard, and working out from ... | |
| Spider in son's room | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: Sorry for the horrible resolution. My camera battery was dying, plus the spider was in an area where ... A: Marcy, Well you're in luck, it's not a black widow or a brown recluse. From the photo I can't tell ... | |
| bugs | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: My mother has been suffering from what seems to be some type of infestation of a bug that maybe goes ... A: Lisa, I'm afraid to say that your mother's symptoms and her observations resemble a classic case of ... | |
| Moth species | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a photo of a moth and I would like to know the species. ... A: Definitely not a sweetheart underwing. http://www.pbase.com/bowdood/image/33751228 Probably the ... | |
| Mortar Bugs | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: bugs in the mortar of my inside fireplace hearth. Making small piles of very fine ground up mortar, ... A: Marla, Hmm, this is a perplexing question. Generally insects that cause structural damage, such as ... | |
| Caterpillars | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I am a first-grade teacher, and the students keep finding black caterpillars outside. We are keeping ... A: I am suspecting that what your kids are finding are wooly bear caterpillars, which will spend the ... | |
| possible chigger mites in my home? | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I have been getting bitten (it seems only when we are on couch) by something that we ... A: Chigger mites, like you mention, are found outdoors and probably wouldn't survive long indoors. That ... | |
| bug | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a white bug in my home. It is everywhere. It is on the carpet, table tops, and most obviously ... A: You would have to capture or collect these bugs and have them positively identified to know what ... | |
| little black bugs with wings | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: about a week ago I was in a nook of my basement when I looked down to find a few tiny little black ... A: Victoria, You should probably gather up a sample of what you're seeing and bring them to a ... | |
| MAGGOTS | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: CAN YOU GET MAGGOTS FROM A DEAD RAT OR MOUSE? HOW CAN I GET RID OF MAGGOTS THAT ARE DROPPING OUT OF ... A: If there is a dead animal (rodent, bird) up inside the ventilation system, there will be maggots for ... | |
| Bug found on bedroom walls | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: I have found 4 of these now over the past few months. The first was on my 2 year old's bedroom wall ... A: Krysti, These are carpet beetle larvae (larvae, like caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies or ... | |
| little bugs on window screens | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently have an infestation of little bugs on my window screens. The little creatures cant be ... A: Patrick, Your critters could be one of a number of things, moth flies, psocids (booklice), ... | |
| Borer??? | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm writing from Southern Vermont. This bug is about an inch long. 6 legs. 2 long antennae. It ... A: Well without a photograph I can't say for sure if it is western conifer seed bug, but they regularly ... | |
| 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: You will first need to collect some of the little bugs and have an entomologist or pest control ... | |
| worm like, in cloth, sticking straight out, tan | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: In terry cloth, folded, and put on a shelf (house 1920's) I found 3 little worm like bugs, sticking ... A: Massachusetts has many cooperative extension offices. See this website to find the one closest to ... | |
| Strange bug | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I found this group of creepy looking bugs laying eggs at the rim of my toilet window. I wonder why ... A: Well these are the nymphs of some kind of true bug, like a western conifer seed bug (which come ... | |
| Help! | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: Ok...So I live in Central New York and I started noticing this bug in the summer of 2008 when we ... A: Do you have a photograph? Does it look like the insect in the following photograph? ... | |
| small black wom like things | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I have found thousands of these little, about 1/2 inch, worm like things around our house. They ... A: These sound to me like millipedes, which can appear in huge numbers when weather conditions are ... | |
| Small, white bugs swarming on a cell phone | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I was surprised today when my wife screamed out and I went to find a swarm of small, white bugs ... A: Booklice are harmless, they do not invade your hair or body. They simply exist in moist places as ... | |
| Small, white bugs swarming on a cell phone | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I was surprised today when my wife screamed out and I went to find a swarm of small, white bugs ... A: It sounds like they could be either booklice (psocids - see ... | |
| Identification | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I keep getting these 'things' blown in through my bathroom and kitchen windows. They are light ... A: Well it's not a carpet beetle adult or larva. The image isn't terribly detailed and truthfully, it ... | |
| worm like, in cloth, sticking straight out, tan | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: In terry cloth, folded, and put on a shelf (house 1920's) I found 3 little worm like bugs, sticking ... A: Very strange. I do not know what these are but since they look large enough to collect, I would ... | |
| This bug stung me in my bed. | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I live in Chicago, Illinois. I was taking a nap and woke up to a stinging pain on my shoulder. I ... A: From your description, I can't say what the critter was. Any arthropod that has wings is an insect. ... | |
| bed bug | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: my building was recently found to have bed bugs in some suites. I personally have not had any ... A: Nicole, What you found in the cupboard is some type of stored product pest, probably the larvae or ... | |
| Panama caterpillars | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: What are these Panama caterpillars? Found on the ground at elevation 5000+ last week A: John, Although it would be very hard to figure out the species of these larvae, they appear to be ... | |
Entomology (Study of Bugs)
Answers by Expert:
Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
General insect questions, household pest questions, insect identifications (can be difficult in photos but it's what I do).
Experience
Senior Extension Associate for Cornell University's NY State Integrated Pest Management Program for 10 years, technical advisor to the New York State Pest Management Assoc. PhD in entomology, Cornell 1999.
Organizations
Entomological Society of America
New York State Pest Management Association
Northeast IPM Center - Community IPM Working Group
NYC Bed Bug Advisory Board
Publications
American Entomologist
Pest Control Technology
Pest Management Magazine
online at www.nysipm.cornell.edu
Journal of Economic Entomology
Education/Credentials
PhD Entomology - Cornell University 1999
BA Biology - New York University 1992
Awards and Honors
"Partners in Health Award" Nassau County Department of Health 2009
Award of Recognition from the New York State Pest Mgmt Assoc, 2007.
Past/Present Clients
I work for the State of NY, statutory college. I have no clients, as a private consultant would.
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