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Entomology (Study of Bugs)/Questions Answered by Expert Eric R. Eaton

SubjectDate Asked
Spider Indentification1/30/2012
  Q: Can you identify these spiders found in an apartment near Ft. Collins, CO. Each cocoon contains a ...
  A: Bob: Can't tell conclusively from these images alone. Would need to see the actual spider under ...
Florida Mystery Bug1/27/2012
  Q: Eaton, This insect was found in the wrack line on the beach in northwest FL (Destin). As you can ...
  A: Jessica: Thank you for including the image with your question, as it leaves no doubt what you ...
Invisible insect/ hard to see1/27/2012
  Q: This is a practically invisible to hard to see insect. It comes out of my ears. It is a nuisance. ...
  A: Henry: Promise me that you will read my entire answer before thinking that I am dismissing your ...
wooly bear caterpillar (NOT on forecast)1/22/2012
  Q: I live in Newburyport, MA and this winter I've seen several wooly bear caterpillars. I thought that ...
  A: Jennifer: That is four questions, but I'll do my best to answer :-) First, let me clarify the ...
Mystery Beetle1/18/2012
  Q: On Whidbey Island of Washington State (specifically Coupeville, a small cow town), it was attached ...
  A: April: Without seeing at least an image of the beetle, I can't help you. You don't even give ...
Wood infestations1/16/2012
  Q: When it is said that an insect does not infest finished wood and that an infestation happened before ...
  A: Alan: I have tried previously to answer your question as best as I can. I will try once more.... ...
Insect Identification1/16/2012
  Q: I need help to identify this insect . It brown on clour , rather large body . I found them dead in ...
  A: Machel: Thank you for including the image with your question; and for designating where the ...
mystery bug1/9/2012
  Q: I have never seen a bug like this, especially in Maine. He was found in my friend's bathroom ...
  A: Kaylee: Thank you for your question. The animal in your image is an arachnid called a ...
stink beetle, not shield1/9/2012
  Q: Location: Upstate NY, upstairs bathroom Date: 01/09/12 Time: 11:30 AM Flies about, bumping into ...
  A: Paul: Thank you for including the nice images with your question. The insect is a Western Conifer ...
Strange Bug in Pet Store1/7/2012
  Q: I work in a Midwestern pet store, and today we found a mysterious visitor in one of our back rooms. ...
  A: Cat: Neat sketch, thanks for including that. Judging from the size, description, "habitat," and ...
Spiders1/5/2012
  Q: I found, on a grassy are, a long blade of grass with a mud nest on its side. The nest measured 2 cm ...
  A: What you found was the nest of some kind of solitary wasp, most likely a "mud dauber" in the genus ...
Little black bug looks like mouse droppings1/4/2012
  Q: My Husband went to get his work overalls out of the garage. When he took them out of the bag ...
  A: Nicolette: Unfortunately, lots of different insects fit your description. Were the overalls wool? ...
Kitchen Fiends1/3/2012
  Q: Recently my parents have discovered several permanent guests in their kitchen, particularly in the ...
  A: Carissa: Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the image looks like it is of a nymph of a ...
Margarodidae?1/1/2012
  Q: ..Happy New Year! I was out walking in the woods today in East Brunswick, Middlesex County, NJ and ...
  A: Dave! Oh, dear, I see why you made the identification you did. That is because our "Kaufman Field ...
Where did this come from?12/11/2011
  Q: We found this bug in our handicapped 7 year olds bed. It's winter and she's never outside. She can't ...
  A: Jean: Thank you for including the nice, clear image. Leaves no doubt what you are asking about. ...
drugstore beetle12/7/2011
  Q: I have an infestation of what appears to be drugstore or cigarette beetles. I noticed them in my ...
  A: Brooke: They may not be drugstore or cigarette beetles, but "deathwatch beetles," which are in the ...
red/black striped insect12/2/2011
  Q: Eric, hello there. Saw a bug at New Jersey Motosports Racetrack. It looked like a big ant about ...
  A: Michael: I am pretty sure that you are describing a wingless female wasp known as a "velvet ant." ...
Black Polycaeon Beetle11/30/2011
  Q: I'm hoping you can help me with some questions about the Black Polycaeon Bostrichide beetle. First, ...
  A: Alan: I agree it is very difficult to get information on this particular beetle! I did find this: ...
National Moth Night11/28/2011
  Q: ..love your field guide! Couldn't find an email address, so hopefully this work. I wanted to touch ...
  A: David: I am just overwhelmed right now, and really can't give this immediate attention. Since my ...
Help Identifying Dust Worm Insect11/22/2011
  Q: I've seen these little bugs at our previous house (always in our bedroom and closet) and now they're ...
  A: Liz: The adult beetles are little larger than a pinhead, but do resemble beige and brown lady ...
Help Identifying Dust Worm Insect11/22/2011
  Q: I've seen these little bugs at our previous house (always in our bedroom and closet) and now they're ...
  A: Liz: Thank you for including the image with your question, as it leaves no doubt what you are ...
nest in attic11/21/2011
  Q: I found this (please see attachment). I'm guessing its some kind of a wasp nest, but I'm not ...
  A: Paul: Very nice image! I'd love to have a copy to illustrate presentations I do about wasps, if ...
bug with wings in my bedding11/19/2011
  Q: I have been bitten by a mosquito like bug on my bed. Its long and small with long leggs and wing.
  A: Annie: Thank you for including the image with your question, but I am still at a loss to tell you ...
Wasps11/12/2011
  Q: I bought an older estate in Jupiter, FL. We have lots of space and land with a good deal of nature ...
  A: Jeff: Well, I guess it is good that I haven't yet set up my "tip jar" here, because I am really ...
Found interesting bug in pool11/6/2011
  Q: I live in Pretoria South Africa, my pool have been neglected for some time but I am currently ...
  A: Henk: Apologies for the delay in answering your question. Thank you for including the image with ...
what kind of spider is this?10/27/2011
  Q: my cousin found this spider outside his window in St. Francis, Wisconsin and wasn't sure what it ...
  A: Erin: The image is too tiny for me to make out much detail. Probably an orb weaver in the family ...
beetle identification10/26/2011
  Q: I live in the thumb of Michigan. I have found in the last week about 6 or so of these little ...
  A: Savannah: I'm afraid that without seeing at least an image of what you are talking about (and ...
Mystery Bug10/24/2011
  Q: This bug was found crawling up my sisters leg! It was knocked off but could not be found. The next ...
  A: Shirley: Thank you so much for including the image with your question. This is one of my all-time ...
Spider ID, false widow type?10/23/2011
  Q: Need to know what this is? Its Nocturnal Only. about the size of a dime not including leg span. Its ...
  A: Angel: Nice image, thanks for attaching it! The spider is an orb weaver, likely one of the ...
brown beetle size10/22/2011
  Q: The bug is roughly 1/2 inch long with antennas and about 1/4 inch wide. Mia thinks it looks like an ...
  A: Diana: I don't know who Mia is (your daughter? Sister? Multiple personality?), but the creature ...
Mystery bug10/22/2011
  Q: I've looked all over the net, and still have yet to determine what kind of bug this might be. I've ...
  A: Catalina: Sure, that is an easy one with such a clear image :-) The creature is called a "plume ...
National Moth Night10/20/2011
  Q: ..love your field guide! Couldn't find an email address, so hopefully this work. I wanted to touch ...
  A: David Moskowitz: This is a no brainer! Of *course* I'm on board with that :-) I'll see if maybe I ...
can you tell me if this is a roach?10/20/2011
  Q: Recently I have found three separate bugs in my apartment that resemble roaches; however, they ...
  A: Yes, that is a carpet beetle larva. They may migrate a fair distance from their food source before ...
can you tell me if this is a roach?10/19/2011
  Q: Recently I have found three separate bugs in my apartment that resemble roaches; however, they ...
  A: Bart: No, the insect in your image is *not* a cockroach. That is the good news. The bad news is ...
Walkingstick Bug10/19/2011
  Q: As a backcountry hiker I see Walkingstick Bugs from time to time. But during a hike on Arkansas' ...
  A: Dan: I've certainly heard of walkingstick *eggs* raining down from the forest canopy, but never the ...
Unidentified Bug.10/18/2011
  Q: This bug was sighted in la porte Texas it was about 10pm and it was the 15th of October. I was doing ...
  A: Christina: Wow, this is the second species of assassin bug I've been asked to ID here on AllExperts ...
Thank you10/17/2011
  Q: Eaton, Hello. I was wondering if you could help me identify this ant (image attached). I found it ...
  A: You're most welcome, Michelle :-) Yes, most if not all members of the Myrmicinae can sting. Many ...
Ant identification please10/17/2011
  Q: Eaton, Hello. I was wondering if you could help me identify this ant (image attached). I found it ...
  A: Michelle: Something in the family Formicidae, subfamily Myrmicinae. Not sure enough detail can be ...
Mystery scorpion fly?10/17/2011
  Q: I was hoping for some help on this bug ID. I think it's some sort of scorpion fly, but I can't find ...
  A: Fay: The insect in your images is a female pelecinid wasp, Pelecinus polyturator. Here's more ...
beetle?10/16/2011
  Q: Eric, We have been invaded by these small flying beetle looking insects. They have covered the front ...
  A: Brian: Your image is too tiny for me to tell exactly what kind of insect this is....but a quick ...
Please HELP! Mystery bugs in my home10/14/2011
  Q: I live just outside Detroit, Michigan i have been seeing these bugs since August till now its ...
  A: Gamal: This has to be one of the oddest "pest" problems I've ever heard of. You must not have ...
bugs in tub10/13/2011
  Q: last couple weeks have noticed very small (1/4 ant size) bugs along tub line; then today there was a ...
  A: Mitch: I'm sorry, but this is not enough information for me to conclude anything. Also, there are ...
Pray Mantis10/10/2011
  Q: My name is Jayden I'm a student at Silverton Pirmary School at Noble Park North I'm doing a school ...
  A: Jayden: I'm sorry, but I count seven questions here. I can only answer one at a time from each ...
Large beetle?9/23/2011
  Q: I found this beetle(?)next to the curb in the parking lot of my work this morning (around 8am, ...
  A: Camille: I recognized what you were talking about before I even saw the picture, but thank you for ...
Giant Ichneumon wasp9/22/2011
  Q: Do the giant Ichneumon wasps sting? And are they poisonous?
  A: Jill: No, giant ichneumons do not sting, and they are neither venomous nor poisonous ("venomous" ...
Spider Activity in the Late Summer/Autumn9/22/2011
  Q: Are spiders -- or certain types of spiders -- more active in late summer/autumn? Hiking at this ...
  A: Vesta: That is a great question, and well-phrased. Spiders are more obvious in autumn for several ...
Fulgoridae9/19/2011
  Q: My brother took this image in Manu National Park in Peru. It appears to be a pupated member of the ...
  A: Sebastian: Well, fulgorids don't *have* a pupal stage. This one is a nymph....E-mail me directly ...
alien looking bug9/18/2011
  Q: ok so one morning i woke up and i see this alien looking bug it was 6inch long and it looked mushy ...
  A: Morgan: I'm sorry, but your description is too vague for me to make any kind of identification at ...
Flying Burrowing Insect9/17/2011
  Q: Eric, I live in suburbia North Texas, it has been a very hot and dry summer (the ground is ...
  A: Kathy: It probably *was* a cicada killer, or something closely related in the family Crabronidae. ...
A spider at work in a swedish food-store9/16/2011
  Q: :) My name is Eric and Im working in a food-store in Sweden. My question to you is if it is possible ...
  A: Eric: I can tell you conclusively that the spider in the image is some kind of "cellar spider" in ...
nymph?9/15/2011
  Q: I posted a pic on Bugguide several days ago but haven't gotten an answer. Since you've answered ...
  A: Myra: This looks to me like the nymph of some kind of leaf-footed bug, family Coreidae, but not ...
bug id9/15/2011
  Q: Looking through your excellent field guide, this looks like a midge? but what is with the reddish ...
  A: Mark: Thank you for the kind compliments on the field guide; and thanks for including the image ...
what bug is this?9/14/2011
  Q: my daughter found this bug in her house in minnesota and wondering if its a katydid and if so what ...
  A: Annie: Thanks for including the image with your question! Yes, it is a katydid, a type known as a ...
insect identification9/14/2011
  Q: I live in central Oklahoma. We see this bug all times of the day, and we have noticed it all summer ...
  A: Carolyn: You are probably describing a wingless female wasp known as a "velvet ant," family ...
Tiny Ant-Like Bugs9/13/2011
  Q: I recently noticed these extremely tiny ant like bugs around my bathtub...my husband sprayed them, ...
  A: Whitney: Those appear to be "booklice" in the order Psocodea (formerly Psocoptera). I am not sure ...
Minnesota Spider9/11/2011
  Q: I live in central Minnesota. This fellow has been keeping me entertained all summer long. He just ...
  A: Dennis: The big spider is a "she," and an orb weaver in the genus Araneus. Can't really tell you ...
Spider Identification9/10/2011
  Q: I found a spider who literally appeared over night on my front porch. I am making an educated guess ...
  A: Shelby: Yes, it is definitely an orb weaver that you are describing. No idea what kind, though, ...
Rabid Wolf Spider Egg Sac9/9/2011
  Q: My 5yr old daugter and I cought and identified a very large spider in our home. We have a wolf ...
  A: Amanda: Female spiders can store sperm from their mating(s) with a male, so I suspect she has ...
Swarming Eleodes9/8/2011
  Q: Date:8/30/2011 Time: 7:30am Temp: ~97 degrees Location: Ocotillo Wells SVRA, Borrego Springs, CA ...
  A: Jeff: Wow, I've never seen anything like that! I have no idea why they would be so abundant. I do ...
Hard Shelled Large Bug9/8/2011
  Q: I found this bug right above my bed last night, high on the wall, just sitting there. I sprayed it ...
  A: Susan: I was surprised to find that your image really *is* that of a cockroach. The American ...
Jerusalem cricket bit me!9/7/2011
  Q: Last night I woke up because of I felt something poke me. I turned on the light and it was a ...
  A: Tracy: Definitely a fluke. Look for openings it might have sneaked through and seal them. Also, ...
Small Beetle9/7/2011
  Q: I have been finding a small brown beetle looking bug in my apartment in Huntsville, Texas. I have ...
  A: Brooke: I'm sorry but I cannot make out any detail in your image that would help me ID this for ...
Tiny black and White Bugs9/6/2011
  Q: I moved to Orlando earlier this year and have encountered many new bugs. But most recently I've ...
  A: Haley: Without seeing at least an image of the insect in question, I can't really help. The ...
A bee and a Wasp9/5/2011
  Q: I hope you're doing well. I'm writing to you after a long time, and I couldn't think of anyone ...
  A: Ani: I'm thinking Halictidae family, maybe Pseudapis? I'm not the best one to ask, though. You ...
Can't identify this orb-spider9/4/2011
  Q: Eric- I have a travelling spider in my backyard. It seems to keep moving location every few days, ...
  A: Jason: I can't identify it, either, from a description alone. Even images don't always provide ...
Mystery Insect9/3/2011
  Q: I was reparing my lawn this morning and when I was just about finished (around 11:00) This big (1 ...
  A: Dennis: Well, you managed to kill a harmless, solitary wasp called the "Eastern Cicada Killer," ...
Bee-Cricket in Connecticut9/2/2011
  Q: My young boys and I were out walking near our home in CT. I noticed an insect I had never seen ...
  A: Erica: You are describing some kind of longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) that mimics wasps. ...
Spider Identification9/2/2011
  Q: A few years ago, while visiting Lake Ouachita in Arkansas, I saw two spiders and have tried in vain ...
  A: Linda: Were they in webs? If so, what *kind* of web? If not in a web, then where were they? On ...
is this a Brown Widow spider?9/1/2011
  Q: Can you please help me identify this spider (see attachment)? I live in Encinitas, CA and my yard ...
  A: Tom: No, this is definitely *not* a widow spider of any kind. Not even in the same family. The ...
Ichneumon wasps9/1/2011
  Q: A very large red Ichneumon wasp appears to have stung/bitten our family tortoise in the UK. We found ...
  A: Robert: No ichneumon wasp that I am aware of parasitizes ANY kind of vertebrate. There are some ...
do you have any clues9/1/2011
  Q: This has been hanging on our deck for at least three weeks... I watch it every morning after I take ...
  A: Neilina: I used to live in Cincinnati! Great, green city with lots of strange insects like this ...
a bee type looking insect may not be fully grown8/30/2011
  Q: I have a bug that does not have wings (yet anyway). It showed up in a nickel-sized 1 to 2 inch deep ...
  A: Hollis: Aw, man....no picture? I suppose you *could* be describing the nymph of a cicada, as they ...
katydids/grasshoppers8/30/2011
  Q: My husband noticed grass filled nests in the channels of our screens in the windows, only on right ...
  A: Chris: You are describing a relatively recent phenomenon (or maybe the internet has made me more ...
Blue bottle colored wasp?8/30/2011
  Q: Found this in my doorway at home in Indianapolis IN. Can't find it on any local Indiana sites. I ...
  A: Jill: Thank you for including the image with your question. That leaves no doubt what you have ...
flying insect8/24/2011
  Q: haven't seen one of these in about 50 years. this one appeared about three weeks ago; approx 3" in ...
  A: Mark: You describe the Eastern Cicada Killer, Sphecius speciosus. Please see this website for more ...
Sink Friendly Spider8/23/2011
  Q: I'm curious about this not-so-little spider. I found him about 2 or 3 weeks ago "hangin' out" in my ...
  A: Kelly: Happy Anniversary! LOL! Boy, I can't even get spiders to send me Birthday cards :-) The ...
Bald faced hornet8/22/2011
  Q: Is there any way to keep them away from my humming bird feeders? The keep the birds away just with ...
  A: Jeanette: If you want to have flies everywhere, then go ahead and get rid of the bald-faced ...
What is this bug??8/22/2011
  Q: It's mid August in Northern Indiana and I just started noticing this weird looking bug... it looks ...
  A: Andrea: Thank you for including the image with your question. I would not have given a correct ...
tiny, round shiny bug in my carpets & pet beds8/21/2011
  Q: I was cleaning my apartment today, and upon shaking out my carpets at least 50 of these tiny (about ...
  A: Kate: Thank you for including the image with your question, but unfortunately it doesn't help. ...
What in the world is this?8/20/2011
  Q: My son came into the kitchen this morning (8/20/11) and told me that he had bugs in his poo. I have ...
  A: Natalie: It appears to be a nymph (immature, juvenile, "baby") insect of some sort, but I can't ...
Bee or moth?8/20/2011
  Q: I was mowing on August 18th, in the morning and saw a bee about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. It's abdomen ...
  A: Donna: You are definitely describing a solitary wasp known as the "Eastern Cicada Killer," Sphecius ...
Stinging insect8/19/2011
  Q: This insect has no wings. It has a reddish brown color with a whitish stripe just after the start ...
  A: David: I can't give a concrete answer based on your description. However, if it *looks* like it ...
mystery insect8/19/2011
  Q: I found this insect in my flower garden in Michigan yesterday at about 5:00 and it is making me ...
  A: Ah, ok, this is a "Two-spotted Tree Cricket," Neoxabea bipunctata: ...
what kind of bug is this?8/17/2011
  Q: Can you tell me what kind of bug this is? I live in the White Mountains of AZ it was about 7-8am in ...
  A: Rebecca: Oh, wow, that is a rather uncommon species of lady beetle ("ladybug," "ladybird"). Pretty ...
hornets8/17/2011
  Q: i live in indiana, and a couple years ago we had an ash pile out in our back yard for the wood stove ...
  A: Dale: You are describing solitary wasps known as "cicada killers." Your species there is Sphecius ...
Prionyx in NM?8/15/2011
  Q: We have quite a few prionyx here in my Albuuqerque garden feeding on blossoms of lemon mint – IF ...
  A: Nigel: I believe the wasp in the image to be a male of Triscolia ardens: ...
interesting insect8/15/2011
  Q: I found this insect at 10p.m. in NE Ohio. It looks like a type of beetle or grasshopper. The white ...
  A: Chad: The insect in your image is an adult of the "Ailanthus Webworm" moth: ...
wasp?8/14/2011
  Q: while cleaning in my basment i came across a very large odd looking flying insect .it resembles a ...
  A: Jasmine: Thank you for including the image, as I would probably have made an incorrect first guess ...
strange stinging insect8/14/2011
  Q: There is a big stinging insect in our garden. It is at least 2 inches long- as long as my thumb. It ...
  A: Carolyn: Yes, they specialize in preying on cicadas. When the female wasp stings the cicada it ...
underground wasps8/14/2011
  Q: The last couple of days my husband has found holes about 1" in diameter. They look like large wasps. ...
  A: Debra: My "politeness" rating might go out the window, but this is precisely the kind of letter I ...
strange stinging insect8/13/2011
  Q: There is a big stinging insect in our garden. It is at least 2 inches long- as long as my thumb. It ...
  A: Carolyn: I don't know if you mean "locust" the tree, locust the migratory phase of a grasshopper, ...
odd slug id. please?8/13/2011
  Q: Eric, My friend contacted me today asking if I ever saw a slug that was as he described it "a tan, ...
  A: Paul: I hate to break it to you, but slugs are mollusks, not insects or arachnids. I therefore ...
Weird looking bug8/12/2011
  Q: I found a bug in my room under a brown coaster, it was tiny about the size of a tick and is tan or ...
  A: Scott: Well, it would not hurt to *inspect* for bed bugs. Generally, bed bugs in a private ...
Mystery Bug8/11/2011
  Q: This question was posted - but not answered on website - any new ideas? We have them too - we live ...
  A: Kristin: I'm not sure I understand any of this. Posted to a different website? I recall the ...
paper lice8/11/2011
  Q: I have had an ongoing infestation of this creature in my office/1st time I had a professioal and ...
  A: Maria: Whatever you can do to reduce humidity will help. Consider a de-humidifier for that ...
Weird looking bug8/11/2011
  Q: I found a bug in my room under a brown coaster, it was tiny about the size of a tick and is tan or ...
  A: Scott: Ok, I think this *might* be a nymph of the "Masked Hunter," Reduvius personatus. They are ...
big black insect with long tail8/10/2011
  Q: Can someone send me a photo of this bug? I just saw one in a suburb of Chicago, IL and googled it. ...
  A: Terri: Almost has to be one of the giant ichneumon wasps, probably Megarhyssa atrata: ...
Is this a cricket??8/9/2011
  Q: I live in central NY state, in the finger lakes region and I caught this bug in my apartment on ...
  A: Susan: Thank you for including the image with your question! The answer is: "Sort of." The ...
paper mites8/9/2011
  Q: I have had an ongoing infestation of this creature in my office/1st time I had a professioal and ...
  A: Maria: There is no such thing as a "paper mite" to my knowledge, so you have to be describing ...
wasp nest8/8/2011
  Q: Is it true what they say if a nest is out in the open other wasp bees stay away?
  A: Lorrain: I do not understand the question. I don't even know what kind of nests you mean. You ...
Hymenopteran id requested8/7/2011
  Q: I found this wasp in the vicinity of stored food products infested with bean beetles, sawtoothed ...
  A: Vidhya: I would need to examine the specimen itself to render an absolute identification, but I ...
this kind of bug8/7/2011
  Q: I was wondering if you could tell me something about this bug that landed on me tonight. ...
  A: Laura: Well, this is one insect that is so distinctive that there is no mistaking it: an adult ...
House bugs8/6/2011
  Q: I have noticed for awhile now these little black bugs in my apartment. The apartment is not new, but ...
  A: Shannon: Do you have any idea how many insect species fit your description? That said, I can ...
Horse guard wasps8/4/2011
  Q: Is it possible to attract horse guard wasps? Do they also sting people? I am having a lot of trouble ...
  A: Julie: Horse guards (Stictia carolina) are solitary, so each female wasp makes her own nest. They ...
Cockroach?8/4/2011
  Q: This huge bug was dead outside my office door. It was over 2 inches long and looked like a massive ...
  A: Brian: The insect in the image is a "giant water bug" in the family Belostomatidae, genus ...
san diego ca usa red bug less than .5 inch with black diamond shapes8/4/2011
  Q: we've been finding bugs like this around our property in ramona in San Diego California there less ...
  A: Kristofer: I'm sorry, but your description is entirely too vague for me to come up with an answer. ...
bees and bee stings8/2/2011
  Q: I live in NJ and I'm an avid gardener. This year I've had 3 separate bee stings. My husband had ...
  A: Patricia: Yellowjackets typically go through "boom and bust" population cycles depending on weather ...
Winged Ants8/2/2011
  Q: Twice in about 2 weeks we've found a swarm of dead winged ants in our bathroom. About 10 percent are ...
  A: Marc: You are describing the aftermath of a "mating swarm." The large winged ants are queens that ...
bees and bee stings8/1/2011
  Q: I live in NJ and I'm an avid gardener. This year I've had 3 separate bee stings. My husband had ...
  A: Patricia: Yellowjackets are social *wasps*, not bees, so there could be no "hybridization" even ...
bigwasp18/1/2011
  Q: Please identify attached wasp photo- can it sting or is the wicked looking sharp end just an ...
  A: Stephen: This is an Eastern Cicada Killer, Sphecius speciosus. Could be a male, as they have a ...
Bug identification7/21/2011
  Q: Could you please identify this bug? We have been inundated by these the past few days, mostly in the ...
  A: Mike: This is an adult mealworm beetle, genus Tenebrio. It means you have infested stored grain ...
Bed Bugs, Psocids, or Other?7/21/2011
  Q: Suddenly, my home in Ohio (within walking distance of Lake Eerie) seems to be invaded by tiny brown ...
  A: Beth: Definitely not bed bugs. No self-respecting bed bug would be caught dead out in the open in ...
spider7/20/2011
  Q: Eric I live in Regina, Saskatchewan. This afternoon, July 19, our daughter Elyse found this spider ...
  A: Marlis: Thank you so much for including the fine image with your question. Makes my job so much ...
Please tell me what stung me7/20/2011
  Q: This insect stung/bite me I never saw one and it's driving me crazy not knowing. It has a wasp ...
  A: Betty: This is a horse fly, genus Tabanus, family Tabanidae. Might be this one, but you don't ...
Yellow jackets vacating the nest carrying??7/19/2011
  Q: I notice a spider web by my back door that was littered with lots of little white bits. Upon further ...
  A: Sarah: I don't know what to tell you. If you haven't been bothered by the yellowjackets, then I'd ...
Grey Slimy Bugs7/19/2011
  Q: Im trying to identify some grey bugs in my Brooklyn, NY apartment that I recently started seeing ...
  A: Arielle: I'm sorry, but your description is not enough to go on. I would need to at least see ...
strange bug in NE7/18/2011
  Q: I live in Bellevue, NE. Recently we have found hundreds of these odd little bugs. They attach to ...
  A: Jolene: Appears to be some kind of bagworm: http://bugguide.net/node/view/122 Without examining ...
ponderous borer," Ergates spiculatus7/18/2011
  Q: We live in Vienna, Virginina (about 15 miles west of DC)in a house built in 1888. We have found TWO ...
  A: Sharon: First of all, Ergates spiculatus does not occur in Virginia, so it has to be some other ...
Please help identify7/6/2011
  Q: we live in central Maine where we have had a lot of rain and humidity lately. I have found these ...
  A: Ally: I still can't reach a conclusion from the image, sorry. Most likely some kind of beetle that ...
Mt. Shasta National Forest7/5/2011
  Q: I saw the bug in the afternoon on July 3, 2011 on the Upper portion of the McCloud Falls in McCloud, ...
  A: Katie: Well, thanks to your vivid description, I actually recognize this one! The insects were ...
Unknown Species VERY Large Brownish Wasp7/5/2011
  Q: Eric, I'm sorry to say I didn't get a picture of this wasp that I found struggling on my porch after ...
  A: I'm sorry but I can be of no help. I specifically state I am expert in NORTH American insects only. ...
Really big bug.7/4/2011
  Q: This guy came crawling out of a tent stake hole near the Snake River, WI/MN border. Found about mid ...
  A: Lisa: Still nothing...well, usually when someone sends me a query like this it turns out to be: A ...
Pictures: Flying insect with 5-6 inch tail.7/4/2011
  Q: I and requesting pictures to confirm if what you had seen is the same insect I have. With ...
  A: Scott: I don't think it is supposed to work this way. You are supposed to send *me* pictures :-) ...
Mystery Bug7/3/2011
  Q: I live in Northwest Missouri and I have never seen these bugs. They are VERY small. Large enough to ...
  A: Katelyn: I'm sorry, but without at least an image of one of these creatures I cannot make a ...
Little white bugs,7/3/2011
  Q: I had recently made a bug zoo out of bordome nd i found this six legged bettle where when on its ...
  A: Rayden: I'm afraid I can't help you with the tiny transparent bug. Just too many possibilities. ...
bug embryo7/2/2011
  Q: I was digging up the decrotive border around my pool, that was old and lots of weeds and dirt, ...
  A: Jacqueline: Sounds like you might have unearthed the pupal stage of a dobsonfly, Corydalus ...
Bit by a Flying Unknown Bug in Illinois6/14/2011
  Q: I was at a baseball diamond today coaching t-ball. After class a parent said it looks like a ...
  A: Amanda: Sounds like you were bitten by a horse fly or a deer fly, but you probably should have been ...
large strange bug haunted me for years6/13/2011
  Q: I was in Northern New Jersey 10 years ago, not too far from the city. I was at a gas station and on ...
  A: Haru: No idea. Could be something that came into the U.S. from a foreign country, given all the ...
Scarab Beetle?6/12/2011
  Q: Eric, I just read your response to Jim, in Michigan. We also live in central Michigan and just a ...
  A: Esther: Oh, wow, it really *is* wounded! Maybe it narrowly escaped a bat or a cat.... It is a ...
Black Carpet bug6/12/2011
  Q: I just found 3 little black carpet bugs in my living room. They are all black but the tail end of ...
  A: John: Your image is plenty clear enough for me to tell that these are "burrower bugs," family ...
Identification6/11/2011
  Q: Ok so I'm weed eating a yard and I come across the strangest thing. What I see looks like a bug nest ...
  A: Philip: You've never heard of a "spittlebug?" There is a whole family of insects by that name: ...
Transparent Spider6/11/2011
  Q: Last night I was in my basement when i noticed a small shadow on the wall. I took a closer look and ...
  A: Jack: Sounds very much like a "long-bodied cellar spider," Pholcus phalangioides: ...
Kitchen bugs6/10/2011
  Q: Eaton, My parents and I have been trying to figure out what kind of tiny little bug has been ...
  A: Annie: Without a clear, detailed image, all that I can say is that they are some kind of beetle ...
Bug on porch6/10/2011
  Q: Thought I was taking a really nice picture of neat bug on my porch, to only then see he was eating ...
  A: Rhonda: There was so much stuff cluttering your image I could barely make out what it was you ...
Beetle like bug in my bed6/10/2011
  Q: Eric. This is the third time I have found one of these bugs in my bed. A few months passed inbetween ...
  A: Aura: The insect in your image is clearly some kind of weevil, family Curculionidae. Weevils are a ...
Moth????6/9/2011
  Q: Black and white biting moth , I am looking for what it is and if it carry's anything i should worry ...
  A: Kriss: Nice image, thank you for including it! Leaves no doubt that you have a "Grape Leafroller" ...
What type of spider is this?6/9/2011
  Q: In the afternoon on April 19 in Newfoundland, Canada while hooking up the water under my parents ...
  A: Tom: I believe the spider in your image is Meta ovalis, a "cave orb weaver." Here are more images: ...
Insect ID6/9/2011
  Q: Eric, I found a flying insect today that has a silver face and burgundy colored eyes. Very exotic ...
  A: Ed: Nice picture! Thanks for attaching that.... It is some kind of flower fly in the family ...
insect hatchling identification?6/8/2011
  Q: My son found this cluster of little red bugs on our front door, near what might a line of little ...
  A: Emily: Nice picture! Thanks to including the eggs, I can tell you that these are some sort of ...
bee pollenation6/8/2011
  Q: I have noticed that there has been very low yellow jackets and other bees that pollinate my flowers ...
  A: Patrick: It is "pollination," yellowjackets are *not* bees (they are social wasps), and they do not ...
Strange bug on my deck6/8/2011
  Q: I found this strange bug on my deck. It appeared to be looking at me, really freaked me out. I did ...
  A: Lori: Your insect is an "eyed elater" click beetle, Alaus oculatus. Here's more: ...
Tiny black beetle looking bugs.6/6/2011
  Q: I'm continuously seeing these random tiny black bugs. In my sheets blankets, and clothes. I have no ...
  A: Kemi: I'm not sure that you don't have more than one beetle involved here. My suspects include ...
insect identification.6/6/2011
  Q: I live in lower Mi. I found this insect early in the morning on 6/6/11. It was about 2am. I thought ...
  A: Cortney: The insect in your image (and I actually could have guessed it given your very vivid ...
tiny black bugs6/6/2011
  Q: I noticed a few weeks ago that were tiny black bugs on my guinea pigs cage and baseboard of my ...
  A: Shaunna: I cannot conclude an identification based on your description. I suppose they could be ...
need to identity bug6/5/2011
  Q: This creepy thing was in the dining room. Having just moved to AZ, I am not familiar with it. I ...
  A: Gloria: No worries. The animal is called a solifuge, aka "camel spider," "wind scorpion," "sun ...
Unknown flying beetle6/5/2011
  Q: I found this beetle in my yard. I've never seen anything like it here in Milwaukee, WI. It's about ...
  A: Dave: Nice image of a giant water scavenger beetle, Hydrophilus triangularis. Here is more about ...
Ladybug exoskeleton6/5/2011
  Q: How long should it take for a dead Ladybug's exoskeleton to decompose, if it does. I ask because a ...
  A: Anon: This has to be one of the most intriguing questions I've ever received. That is a ...
house covered with those insects6/4/2011
  Q: we just started repairing our shed roof and found a lot of carpenter ants. 2 days after we started ...
  A: Matt: The insect in the image is a stonefly of some sort, order Plecoptera. They are aquatic in ...
Beetle problem6/4/2011
  Q: I live in Michigan and get these large black flying beetles this time of year. They come out of the ...
  A: Carole: Ok, which is it, Michigan (body of text) or Indiana (location noted along with your name)? ...
Flying Insect ID? (photo included)6/3/2011
  Q: I am currently in Minnesota USA and have come across a large wasp-like insect in my driveway. It ...
  A: Kallie: Ok, there is enough there to tell me this is a cimbicid sawfly, Cimbex americana. This ...
bug identification6/3/2011
  Q: I am amateur entomologist and I found this banana shaped bug ( or the bug found me ). I have no idea ...
  A: Pierre: Nice image! The insect is indeed an immature bug, one of the "sharpshooters" or ...
Clawed spider6/3/2011
  Q: I have searched long and hard for a picture of this spider. I saw one in my house a couple days ago. ...
  A: Courtney: Nice image of a jumping spider, Metacyrba taeniola. Here are more images: ...
Small bug in home6/2/2011
  Q: I need help identifying these very small bugs in my home. (about the size of a sharpened pencil ...
  A: Katie: The insect in the image is a "carpet beetle" in the family Dermestidae, genus Anthrenus. ...
Brown leaf-like insect6/2/2011
  Q: I live in Central Wisconsin. There are a number of trees lining my property but I wouldn't really ...
  A: Katy: You are clearly describing some kind of caterpillar or, even more likely, a sawfly larva. ...
tiny winged bugs on curtains and bed6/2/2011
  Q: The other day I noticed several dozen green + brown tiny bugs with wings resting on my white ...
  A: Betty: The insect in your image is a plant bug in the family Miridae. There are literally hundreds ...
Cockroach?6/1/2011
  Q: I am hoping you will be able to help me with some insect ID. I live in Huntsville Ontario Canada ...
  A: Andrew: Yes, it is a cockroach, but a nymph (juvenile, immature, "baby"), so I can't tell whether ...
Mystery bug freaks me out6/1/2011
  Q: I saw two of these bugs in my window. One was about a half inch long brown with yellow pattern ...
  A: I've done the best I can with the sparse information given.... No, some of the ichneumon wasps are ...
Mystery bug freaks me out6/1/2011
  Q: I saw two of these bugs in my window. One was about a half inch long brown with yellow pattern ...
  A: Imani: I am pretty certain you are describing a male and female ichneumon wasp of some kind. ...
spiders5/31/2011
  Q: I had this spider in my home last night. I am trying to identify it if possible. My son seems to ...
  A: Anmarie: No, this is *not* a brown recluse! No species of Loxosceles ranges that far north; nor do ...
A North American mystery bug!!5/31/2011
  Q: I recently saw a bug like that I've never seen before. It looked as if a bumble bee and an albino ...
  A: Mike: I have no idea. Sounds like something that just recently molted, such that pigments had not ...
Is this a beetle?5/30/2011
  Q: Mr Eaton, On May 30, 2011 approximately 2:30 pm my wife, 14 yr old son and I saw what I think is ...
  A: Thomas: Yes, this is an "Eyed Elater" click beetle, Alaus oculatus, family Elateridae. Here is ...
Small green bugs dangerous?5/30/2011
  Q: The past two nights in my dorm room, there have been these tiny green bugs appearing. They've been ...
  A: Kirstee: Did you take the image that you attached? If so, then that is an amazing photo. If not, ...
Mystery Beetle5/10/2011
  Q: I live in northern Illinois, and last summer at around 3PM, I was out on a walk near the forest and ...
  A: Mark: Actually, this is one of the few insects so distinctive that I *can* recognize it from your ...
Bug identification5/10/2011
  Q: Please help me identify this bug. We have found about 20 in our house this evening in Southeast ...
  A: Veronica: This is the second question I have had in two days with images of what I am almost ...
Bugs in my home5/10/2011
  Q: I have these bugs all over my house and garage ( Florida ) and I was sure they were termites however ...
  A: Norman: Actually, I am pretty certain they *are* termites. After swarming, males and females pair ...
bee5/9/2011
  Q: I found a large bee outside, in North carolina and it has a reddish orangeish shade on the "skin" ...
  A: Maddieline: I don't recognize anything from your description, I'm sorry. Few insects are so ...
insect identification5/9/2011
  Q: I found an insect this morning indoors. It was a small black flying insect, probably about the size ...
  A: Michael: I'm sorry but this is simply not enough information to determine anything at all, not even ...
identity5/8/2011
  Q: I've gone through the whole list of butterflies of ND and have concluded that it isn't a butterfly. ...
  A: Bill: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. This is an easy one: It is a ...
Unusual beetle5/8/2011
  Q: I live in louisiana and come across a beetle looking type of insect I've never seen before and was ...
  A: Kim: I wonder if it is either a "Mealybug Destroyer," a type of lady beetle: ...
bug/worm5/8/2011
  Q: I have noticed a large amount of a worm that has six legs near the front of it's body. I have lived ...
  A: Myra: I'm afraid I can't help you based solely on your description. Insect larvae are essentially ...
Yellow/Black Spider5/7/2011
  Q: I came acrossed a medium (?) sized spider in my basement...lol I didn't pray though :P I crushed it ...
  A: Paula: Well, I wonder if it was not a female wolf spider hauling her egg sac (yellowish object) ...
Black moth, yellow stripes, "scalloped" wing.5/6/2011
  Q: Back in 2007 someone from Fort Worth Texas asked about a bug with a similar description as the one I ...
  A: Bruce: Thank you for attaching the image with your query, makes things much easier :-) This is a ...
Wasp nest5/6/2011
  Q: Under my roof in southern California a wasps' nest is slowly growing. Wasps fly to it and die and ...
  A: Kathryn: How do you know the wasps are dying? Doesn't make any sense to me. Sounds like you are ...
Giant Beetle-like creature5/5/2011
  Q: Please send an image of the giant beetle-like creature you found. We have them in NW Iowa. They ...
  A: Karen: I don't know who you are addressing this question to. *I* have not "found" anything like ...
Looks like a bee/wasp, digs holes in the dirt5/4/2011
  Q: I live in Central California (Bakersfield). As soon as the weather gets warm these bugs start to ...
  A: Connie: Sounds very much like you are describing "sand wasps" in the genus Bembix, or Steniolia, or ...
very small biting bug with red body & black wings?5/3/2011
  Q: We've recently begun seeing these very small bugs at our house in NC. Never seen them before. I've ...
  A: Paula: Probably a "true bug" of some kind in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera: ...
Mystery bugs in my house5/2/2011
  Q: Background: I live in Southern New Jersey and have found these bugs on my walls, bathroom counters ...
  A: Marni: The Bugguide.net website addresses only those species found in North America. The GENUS ...
Mystery bugs in my house5/1/2011
  Q: Background: I live in Southern New Jersey and have found these bugs on my walls, bathroom counters ...
  A: Marni: Even without the image I knew instantly what you were describing: carpet beetles in the ...
Large, Aggressive, Brown, Bee-like Insect5/1/2011
  Q: I live in central Va. I sometimes encounter these very large aggressive, bee-like insects. They ...
  A: Nancy: Well, you have eliminated most of the suspects I was considering....except, perhaps, the ...
Unknown bug in pine bark mulch5/1/2011
  Q: I recently notice a complete infestation of two pinebark mulch beds around my house by this unknown ...
  A: Mike: Sorry to make an example out of you, but this is just the kind of mentality I want to ...
bug identification4/30/2011
  Q: trying to identify this bug and in which part of the world it usually lives in. found it in malaysia ...
  A: Jason: I'm sorry, but there is not enough detail in the image for me to tell with certainty even ...
Click Beetles and Stink Bugs.4/29/2011
  Q: Okay, first off let me start by saying that I don't mind bugs... that is, until they come into my ...
  A: Alisa: I think you are probably having nuisance issues with the "Brown Marmorated Stink Bug," ...
Burying beetle infestation4/27/2011
  Q: IMy home has recently been plagued by an infestation of burying beetles. We believe they have come ...
  A: Charles: I have honestly never heard of anything like this, so I can't offer you any answers. ...
luna mounting question, katydid4/27/2011
  Q: My son and I love learning about and collecting insects. We recently purchased luna moth cocoons ...
  A: Shirley: Your best bet might be to contact an entomologist in Massachusetts. I personally know ...
Mystery Bug4/27/2011
  Q: Good Evening, I'm hoping you can help identify this insect. This morning we found half a dozen of ...
  A: Jenni: Well, I have excellent news! Your image is plenty clear enough to tell that this is no ...
spider4/26/2011
  Q: A friend of mine was woaking up in the middle of the night by noise of her cat, when see got up she ...
  A: Gail: When was this? If it was recently, then I can't offer an explanation. If it was during the ...
fire ant or termite4/26/2011
  Q: i would like to see an image of this smallish wasp . i found a cluster of them this a/m in the ...
  A: Todd: Sounds more like a carpenter ant swarm. Look here for images of queens and males, which are ...
My child's insect bite4/26/2011
  Q: My child was bitten by an insect tonight that resembled a mosquito in some ways but larger and had a ...
  A: Jill: I'm sorry, but I don't answer "what bit me?" questions. Does sound like it could be a "deer ...
Mystery bug in my house4/25/2011
  Q: Could u identify this bug ? It is less than 1mm... it started to infest my whole house (especially ...
  A: Pua: Those are some kind of "bookouse" or "barklouse," order Psocodea: ...
What the heck is this LOL4/25/2011
  Q: I found this GIANT insect clinging to the roof of my Patio in Las Vegas. I used a power sprayer to ...
  A: You were right the second time, Rick. It *is* a grasshopper called the "Gray Bird Grasshopper," ...
Beetle4/24/2011
  Q: Today I found a beetle in the dogs's water bowl(outside). I decided to save it as it was a nice big ...
  A: Alan: Ok, you probably found some kind of carrion beetle (family Silphidae) or scarab beetle ...
Identifying Nest4/24/2011
  Q: Need help identifying the nest found outside my home on Stucco. Picture is included. I assume it's ...
  A: You are most welcome, Cindy :-) Nests and other objects created by insects are generally not ...
Identifying Nest4/23/2011
  Q: Need help identifying the nest found outside my home on Stucco. Picture is included. I assume it's ...
  A: Cindy: Have you seen any insect coming and going from this object? I don't think it is ...
un-identified insect4/22/2011
  Q: i just recently moved back into my mothers house to help out with the house restoration project she ...
  A: Chris: Other than a hoax, no, I have no ideas. There is certainly nothing that large here in the ...
Can help to indentify this bug?4/22/2011
  Q: Recently my house is infested with this kind of bug almost everywhere on the wall, and basically any ...
  A: Willy: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is a "barklouse." Here is ...
House beetle4/22/2011
  Q: I have found several small black beetles in the house. About 3/4 " long, oval shaped, with dull ...
  A: Larder beetle: http://bugguide.net/node/view/6450 Find the infested item and discard it (but could ...
Small Beetle like bug4/20/2011
  Q: I keep finding these small beetle like bugs aorund my house but mostly in my garden tub, there were ...
  A: Jessica: Thank you for including the image with your question. These are carpet beetles in the ...
Thinkin the cat brought it in4/20/2011
  Q: So my dad was going through our laundry and found that there were lots of these tiny brown bug ...
  A: Nikki: Might be easier to tell you what they *aren't.* If they have wings then they are not fleas. ...
white 6 legged beetle with long antenna4/20/2011
  Q: There are a lot of these "beetles" on and by my house. They are eating a lot of young eastern ...
  A: Dawn: Thank you so much for including the image! I instantly recognized the "beetle" for what it ...
Junebug silverization4/19/2011
  Q: I am an aspiring entomologist and today was a very morbid one. Using my handheld microscope I ...
  A: Maxwell: I am not an insect physiologist, so I can't help with that I'm afraid. Probably has ...
Andrena bees4/18/2011
  Q: I am looking for a way I can learn more about Andrena bees. I am in love with this species since ...
  A: Selena: First, I'm not sure you have made the correct identification. Second, "Andrena" is not a ...
looks like a roach but was attracted to the light4/18/2011
  Q: Found this bug crawling on one of the family room lamps. It seemed attracted to light. It was about ...
  A: Yes, it is another cockroach, and again, likely a "wood roach" in the genus Parcoblatta, possibly an ...
weird mossy worm4/18/2011
  Q: My mom found this insect while raking. She lives in western TN. It was 4/17/11 @ about 4pm CST. It ...
  A: Tabitha: Looks like some kind of caterpillar, but there is just not enough detail here to be ...
six legs bug4/17/2011
  Q: Saw it sitting in the upper corner of the wall tried to kill it but moved then jumped but couldn't ...
  A: I'm afraid nothing comes to mind. Actually, it sounds most like a "roly poly," one of the woodlice ...
Tiny spiders4/16/2011
  Q: These tiny spiders are showing up in increaing numbers around my house. Can you tell me what they ...
  A: Mike: The one in the image looks like a "wall spider," family Oecobiidae. Here's more about them: ...
Giant Hissing Beetle?4/15/2011
  Q: my boyfriend's outside cat brings in all sorts of bugs and rodents for play, but really suprised us ...
  A: Joy: Thank you for including the image with your question! I never would have guessed had I only ...
Bug in the litter box4/13/2011
  Q: I'm worried about a dead bug I found in my cat's litter box. It reminded me of a tick and a worm ...
  A: Monica: Without seeing at least an image of the creature in question, I cannot offer even an ...
Do wasps and hornets produce honey?4/13/2011
  Q: Me and a friend were having this debate the other day and we couldn't come up with any answers.
  A: Anon: Hornets do *not* produce honey, but some other wasps DO: http://bugguide.net/node/view/84824 ...
pretty bug in my room4/12/2011
  Q: I found a bug in my bedroom about 9am (April). It was oblong, black body, with a small head (orange ...
  A: Maria: I'm sorry, but lots of insects fit that description. Without at least an image of the ...
Larder Beetles4/12/2011
  Q: I think these are larder beetles but I have only found them in the bathroom in the basement of our ...
  A: MaryJane: Yes, this is a larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius. I guess you didn't bury the body deep ...
Katydids in NE US?4/12/2011
  Q: Sir! I had spent many nights of my childhood in downstate New York hearing wonderfully melodic ...
  A: Daisy: I made the same assumption as you when I moved to Cincinnati from Oregon (where we do not ...
Cricket/roach/ant?4/11/2011
  Q: Wondering what kind of bug this is... Looks like a cricket / roach /ant. Kind of tries to hop like a ...
  A: Jerm: Thank you so much for including the image! I never would have thought of that insect had you ...
Tiny Reddish Beetles4/11/2011
  Q: I recently read your post here: ...
  A: Julie: The answer to the other question you cited still applies. Note that ziplock bags are NOT a ...
Unknown Flying Beetle Infestation4/10/2011
  Q: I live in Southern Oklahoma, and in the last two years my yard and home has been over-run with ...
  A: Brittany: Those are *not* beetles. You are describing "boxelder bugs" in the genus Boisea. I did ...
Wasp I.D.?4/10/2011
  Q: I live in NE Kansas about 1/4 a mile away from the river(not sure if that's all that important but ...
  A: Justin: Without seeing at least an image of one of these, I can't make a conclusive identification. ...
Bug Identification4/9/2011
  Q: Late last night, probably around midnight, I stumbled across this large bug. I live in Minneapolis, ...
  A: Hallie: Thank you for including the image, and all the relevant information I need to help you! ...
insects4/9/2011
  Q: especially on hot days-our bathroom gets invaded by hundreds of tiny black insects. they seem to ...
  A: Deb: I am not at all familiar with insects in Israel, or any other country in the Middle East. My ...
Bug ID4/8/2011
  Q: We just cleaned out a metal shed in our backyard from the previous owners. It had newspapers, ...
  A: Liz: Not enough detail in your image to tell you much. They appear to be "true bugs" in the order ...
insect larvae identification4/7/2011
  Q: Would you please tell me what insects larvae feeds on fruit in my compost bin. They are about an ...
  A: Donald: I'm sorry, but there are literally hundreds of potential suspects. Most fly larvae feed on ...
insects4/7/2011
  Q: I would like to know the insect that lays eggs on fruit in my compost bin. There are usually ...
  A: Donald: I more or less already answered this question. Probably larvae of the black soldier fly, ...
What's this bug?4/6/2011
  Q: First, I will apologize that I do not have a photo. On numerous occasions lately, starting in ...
  A: Amanda: You are describing some kind of "carpenter bee" in the genus Xylocopa. Bumble bees should ...
Mystery bug?4/4/2011
  Q: I live in Evansville, IN. Morning on April fourth, my dad went walking in the rain, and when he came ...
  A: Sophie: I can't tell you from your description alone. Probably a stingless wasp called an ...
Looking for book recommendations4/3/2011
  Q: Could you recommend books that deal with insects in West Africa (Senegal, Sahel)? I'm particularly ...
  A: Lies: I'm sorry, but the only books I've found on African insects deal with South Africa. There is ...
Unidentified long-horned beetle4/2/2011
  Q: I am a biology teacher in Puerto Rico. My students found a long-horned beetle, and I am unable to ...
  A: Ines: Ok, I looked up the book on Google, then found the creature itself. No wonder I was baffled! ...
Unidentified long-horned beetle4/1/2011
  Q: I am a biology teacher in Puerto Rico. My students found a long-horned beetle, and I am unable to ...
  A: Ines: Difficult to identify from description alone (though you give a very thorough one!), but does ...
Wasp fecal material3/20/2011
  Q: I live in southeast Texas near Houston, and I am trying to figure out what is making these spots on ...
  A: Ernie: I'm not that intimately acquainted with insect droppings, and I'm not sure that is what ...
Tiny black beetles with stripes3/20/2011
  Q: I live in fayetteville, ga. I live in the bonus room above our garage. I've noticed them around my ...
  A: Brittney: You are describing carpet beetles in the family Dermestidae, genus Anthrenus. Learn more ...
Could you identify this spider? URGENT3/19/2011
  Q: For the past week, these spiders have randomly showing up all around my house and there doesn't seem ...
  A: Michael: No problem. This is a "hacklemesh weaver" in the family Amaurobiidae, likely in the genus ...
please help me! identify and eradicate!3/15/2011
  Q: I found a very sexy sleek looking spider almost like a star fish. Tan with a darker brown stripe on ...
  A: Diana: I do not have enough information to make a diagnosis, and you don't tell me where on planet ...
Small black beetle with white stripes3/14/2011
  Q: I found this little bug in the house. It is small, the size of a bead, black with multiple white ...
  A: Twee: Forgive me, but did you even read the information on the web page I linked to? Carpet beetle ...
Small black beetle with white stripes3/13/2011
  Q: I found this little bug in the house. It is small, the size of a bead, black with multiple white ...
  A: Twee: Thanks for including the image, it leaves no doubt what you have there. This is an adult ...
Beetle identification3/9/2011
  Q: I would like to know if you can identify the variety of this beetle. It's about 2" long, ...
  A: Dawn: Actually, it *is* a rhinoceros beetle, but a female. Females don't have the horns. The ...
Bugs in river -Yosemite3/6/2011
  Q: These bugs were found in the river in Yosemite last fall. Weird, pre-historic look. What are they?
  A: Anna: Ok, the image is very small, but I instantly recognize them as the cast-off exoskeletons of ...
Spider Identification Help3/4/2011
  Q: I found this scary spider in my serving spoon drawer. You cant tell from the pic exactly how large ...
  A: Danielle: I'm sorry, but the image does not give nearly enough detail for me to make a conclusive ...
black and red bugs outside and inside3/3/2011
  Q: We live in Amherstburg Ontario and have a lot of these red and black bugs that have wings and ...
  A: Sam: I'm pretty sure you are referring to the Eastern Boxelder Bug. Here is a blog entry I did ...
House bug?2/27/2011
  Q: I found this bug on the wall and am unsure what this is. It is very slow moving and when its flipped ...
  A: Susie: Ok, it is a "soft tick" in the family Argasidae. I don't know anything about them, ...
Wasp Identification and Natural History Information2/24/2011
  Q: I was hoping that you could either confirm my identification or point me in the correct direction of ...
  A: Abraham: I seem to recall seeing this image posted to WhatsThatBug.com?.... The only species I can ...
Household Bugs2/24/2011
  Q: What type of bug is this? I live in Center City Philadelphia in an apartment. I keep seeing this ...
  A: George: Your image depicts a "spider beetle," probably one of these: ...
Mystery bug.2/22/2011
  Q: I found a bug on my bed and have no idea what it is. Very small maybe a few millimeters(1-2) and its ...
  A: Ryan: Was hoping you had included an image.... I don't know. Probably some kind of beetle, maybe ...
Wasps(yellow jacket)2/22/2011
  Q: My son and I saw an educational program that showed yellow jackets stealing a grasshopper from an ...
  A: Christine: Wow, great powers of observation! What program is this? I'll start watching it! Well, ...
Wall or Door Bug2/22/2011
  Q: I'm taking a class on Lakota History and came across an account of a wagon train on the Oregon Trail ...
  A: Jeff: Could be a "fire bug," a type of beetle in the family Buprestidae: ...
What is this bug2/19/2011
  Q: This bug I saw it was huge! About an inch and a half or two inches. It was completely jet black and ...
  A: Tausha: This is not enough to go on. Where (geographically-speaking) did you find this insect? ...
Tiny Black Oval Bug2/18/2011
  Q: I live in NE Ohio, and for the past few months I have been seeing these very tiny (smaller than a ...
  A: Barbara: Ok, at least one of the insects in your image is clearly a beetle, probably in the family ...
GIANT FLORIDA WATER BUG BITES2/17/2011
  Q: MY CAT (2 YRS OLD) WAS BITTEN TODAY (APPROX) 3 HRS AGO BY A GIANT WATER BUG. SHE DID FOAM AT MOUTH ...
  A: Simon: This is a question for a veterinarian. Giant water bugs (family Belostomatidae) can ...
beetle or insect2/13/2011
  Q: I have found hundreds of small insects, 6 legs, a bit like an ant with beetles like body and wings ...
  A: Stuart: I'm sorry but I don't accept attachments from "strangers" to my private e-mail. There ...
More questions about solitary bees:2/6/2011
  Q: Some more questions about solitary bees, with a particular interest in Eucera: How long before the ...
  A: Amy: This is well beyond my expertise...Well, it is not necessarily beyond my expertise, but I ...
grey bug1/31/2011
  Q: twice this week I've seen small grey insects in my house on Long Island. The insect is grey in color ...
  A: Matt: You are definitely *not* describing any kind of bed bug, but who could blame you for such a ...
Insect I.D.1/30/2011
  Q: We saw what looked like a leaf (maybe more like an armored vehicle) probably 2 to 3 in. long. It ...
  A: Cliford: You don't say exactly *where* in the U.S. you saw this (geographically speaking); you ...
firefly1/30/2011
  Q: i would like to ask for a help to identify my firefly. this is for my thesis. i am a biology student ...
  A: I'm not qualified to identify fireflies from outside of North America, so you might want to find ...
A very weird insect1/29/2011
  Q: I was visiting my family in the "Sibundoy Valley" in Putumayo (Colombia)at 2100 meters from the sea ...
  A: The insect in your image is a male "dobsonfly" in the family Corydalidae, probably the genus ...
bugs, mites1/27/2011
  Q: I have recent;y encountered some sort of bug or mite that has envaded my home . I am in desperate ...
  A: Jo: Promise me that you will read my entire answer before thinking that I am dismissing your ...
tiny tiny bugs that are plum colored when large quantity1/25/2011
  Q: We live in North Georgia in the mountains.We had snow Jan 7 to about Jan 13 with about 8 inches.Jan ...
  A: Robin: You are describing non-insect hexapods called "springtails," order Collembola. They might ...
Wasp and Bee1/11/2011
  Q: I once witnessed a wasp and bee tumbling out of the sky seemingly attatched to one another. It ...
  A: Rachel: You don't say WHERE you witnessed this, but.... Yellowjackets (Vespula and Dolichovespula) ...
tinybug like pepper, but black1/8/2011
  Q: We live in Montana in the country. We found tiny black bugs no bigger than pepper grains crossing ...
  A: Carol: I would recommend researching "snow fleas" using ".edu" websites. I am not an expert on ...
tinybug like pepper, but black1/7/2011
  Q: We live in Montana in the country. We found tiny black bugs no bigger than pepper grains crossing ...
  A: Carol: You are likely describing "snow fleas" which are actually tiny non-insect hexapods called ...
ACCIDENTALLY squashed bug smelled good?12/27/2010
  Q: I had a really great bug hanging around for awhile; a mostly gray with black stripes beetle-looking ...
  A: MB: Well, "smells good" is in the nose(?) of the beholder! I strongly suspect the insect in ...
unknown spider12/26/2010
  Q: In my area there has been snow for two months. I am reasonably sure this spider came into my home ...
  A: Stephen: Wow, nice image! Considering the size of the spider, and how rapidly it can move, very ...
tiny reddish-brown beetles12/23/2010
  Q: please help me figure out what they are and where they came or come from.
  A: Maria: Without seeing at least a clear image of the beetle in question (and ideally an actual ...
Bug ID-possible caddisfly12/22/2010
  Q: We had a bit of a warmer spell in East Brunswick, NJ on Dec. 12th and I went out looking for moths. ...
  A: Richard: Yes, a caddisfly. You should post this image to: http://www.bugguide.net in the "ID ...
Blue Mud Dauber sting12/21/2010
  Q: Eric. A friend's dtr was stung by a Blue Mud Dauber in the hand and now requires hand therapy due to ...
  A: Betty: I am not a physician and can't comment on this unfortunate situation for your friend's ...
Help, bugs in my tree.12/19/2010
  Q: I have small black bugs in my real Christmas tree, they have -Six legs -two antennas -and a body ...
  A: Jacquilynn: Wow, you should be glad I'm not Santa Claus because you don't even tell me where on the ...
Giant wasp12/16/2010
  Q: Last summer I was working outside building a deck in Minneapolis, MN and this massive bug came up ...
  A: Charles: You are describing a female horntail woodwasp, specifically the "Pigeon Tremex," Tremex ...
Wood Weevil12/15/2010
  Q: we have had a problem with what looks like a wood weevil infestation in our house for a few months ...
  A: Trudy: Ok, then you are referring to "root weevils" in the genus Otiorhynchus: ...
Insect ID12/15/2010
  Q: My cat has found two of these insects so far. Hopefully no more appear. It has 6 legs, the back two ...
  A: Teresa: I think you probably refer to "camel crickets" like these: ...
Wood Weevil12/14/2010
  Q: we have had a problem with what looks like a wood weevil infestation in our house for a few months ...
  A: Trudy: I have no idea what you mean by a "wood weevil." There is no such thing in my experience. ...
Unknown egg case???12/11/2010
  Q: Way back in March of 2008, while photographing wild flowers near the Kitt Peak turn off just off the ...
  A: Janine: I do believe this is the cocoon of the "Calleta Silkmoth" : ...
unu sual insect12/6/2010
  Q: I found an insect in my high rise condo that was quite unusual. It was brown, about 2 inches in ...
  A: Robert: It would help to know *where* in the U.S. you found this insect...what time of year, etc. ...
small flying bug invasion12/5/2010
  Q: Over the past several days there has been an infestation of small, flying bugs in my home. At ...
  A: Heather: Most likely, you are describing "dark-winged fungus gnats" in the family Sciaridae: ...
some sort bug or incect trying to get in my eye's at night12/1/2010
  Q: well let me say by thinking it could of been lice I have treated to be sure i called a nurse and she ...
  A: Nancy: I'm sorry, but I can't possibly help you without any evidence that there is even an insect ...
insect11/30/2010
  Q: Found insect at Monroe, Ohio -Market 1 and 1/2in long- lower body like a brown cricket with four ...
  A: David: Wow, your image is just barely legible enough for me to identify this insect. It is also ...
Insect in Zion Nat'l Park11/27/2010
  Q: I saw this insect on a trail in Zion Nat'l Park and was wondering what it was. Identification will ...
  A: Marietta: The insect in the image (nice and clear picture!) is a "Jerusalem cricket" in the genus ...
Name of the big yellow bee11/24/2010
  Q: I want to ask you the name of big yellow bee that is purely yellow and looks like big honey bee and ...
  A: Afaq: Well, I am no expert on insects of your nation, so there are several possibilities. The two ...
Do you know what kind of insect nest this is?11/23/2010
  Q: This is growing on an enclosed solarium in Northern California. Can you identify it? There appears ...
  A: Kevin: This is most likely the nest of a Black & Yellow Mud Dauber wasp, Sceliphron caementarium: ...
unkown bug11/18/2010
  Q: I live in north Florida and am interested in identifying this insect I found. It is like a tan ...
  A: John: Ok, this is one of the few insects easily identified from a description: A "wheel bug," ...
What kind of insect is this?11/18/2010
  Q: I was by the Frasier river this early fall, and I saw this insect in a bush. It don't remember it ...
  A: Jascha: Wow, great images! Neat find, too. It is a type of clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, ...
false scorpions11/17/2010
  Q: can you tell me what a false scorpion eats as I found one in a paper bark tree. Thank you. (I am 7) ...
  A: Jetson: False scorpions are predators that eat organisms smaller than they are. They typically ...
mystery "lint" bug11/15/2010
  Q: you had another reader post about the Lint bug and I have a pic of what I think she's talking about. ...
  A: Sabrina: Actually, the insect in your rear-view mirror is something that *eats* aphids! That is ...
Red-back jumping spider won't leave11/14/2010
  Q: I've searched the internet but haven't found an answer. Last night I caught a glimpse of a ...
  A: There really are no "repellents" for spiders. Best you can do is caulk, replace worn ...
Red-back jumping spider won't leave11/14/2010
  Q: I've searched the internet but haven't found an answer. Last night I caught a glimpse of a ...
  A: Meagan: I would be surprised if it was the very same individual spider you found the second time. ...
Bugs in our office11/12/2010
  Q: I have recently found about 5 of these bugs in our office. I hope they're not the dreaded ...
  A: Kerry: Well, it is *not* a bed bug, if that is what you were fearing.... It is some kind of beetle ...
gnats11/12/2010
  Q: I just read an question/answer about the "dark winged fungus gnat", I think I have gnats in the ...
  A: Kelly: The two might be related. I'm not an expert on this family (Sciaridae), so here is a link: ...
Stucco Bug11/10/2010
  Q: I've found three of these hard shell, slimy inside bugs attached to the exterior stucco. They are ...
  A: Terri: Congratulations, you just murdered a whole bunch of baby praying mantises! The thing in ...
locusts11/9/2010
  Q: Why don't locusts make a chirping noise like crickets and grasshoppers, or is it just not detectable ...
  A: Chrissie: Ok, by "locusts," I assume you mean the short-horned grasshoppers in the family ...
Can you identify this small insect?11/7/2010
  Q: Caught this little bugger in the process of biting my foot outside of my sock in the carpeted dining ...
  A: Marti: I'm sorry, but despite your image (or maybe even because of it), I remain unconvinced that ...
Mites???11/6/2010
  Q: I have over 100 dark red dots on the front of my house. If they are mites (??) they are all dead. ...
  A: John: Always helps to know your precise geographic location....and including an image would also be ...
Name that bug!11/2/2010
  Q: a team of studets (hs and elementary) were captivated by an insect that found them in Pima Canyon. ...
  A: Marge! What a delight to hear from you :-) No apologies necessary for the image, I know what it ...
More info on tulare cuckoo wasps.11/2/2010
  Q: Someone has taken the time to put Chrysis tularensis into the California Natural Diversity Database, ...
  A: EJ: I am not familiar with this species, sorry. I would check with Doug Yanega in the entomology ...
Beetle-like bug11/1/2010
  Q: My dad found this bug at his cabin in northwestern Wisconsin this past weekend (10/30). Was found ...
  A: Katy: Please don't tell me it ate your kid! LOL! Sorry, the pacifier and all....:-) The insect ...
A possible type of ground beetle from wisconsin10/31/2010
  Q: i found a black beetle that has symetrical red/orange small dots along the wing covers. I went to my ...
  A: Cole: Without seeing the specimen, or at least a reasonably clear image of it, I can't offer an ...
Spider - black widow family?10/30/2010
  Q: I live in UK. Two weeks ago I found a spider in the garage. It is black and has the exact shape ...
  A: Sonya: Would help to know whether the spider was associated with a web, and if so what the web ...
spiders10/30/2010
  Q: i live in eagle,idaho(near boise) and i found a spider i am unfamiliar with it was quite large 1 and ...
  A: Katrina: It was probably some kind of orb weaver in the family Araneidae. Here is a link to which ...
Bug on wall10/29/2010
  Q: Lately I've been getting more of these bugs on my bedroom wall (see picture). I don't know where ...
  A: Bella: Definitely larvae of carpet beetles, family Dermestidae, and probably the genus Anthrenus: ...
mystery bug10/29/2010
  Q: I live in southern alberta, about 2 hours from the Montana border. I have these bugs on my house ...
  A: Kayli: You are almost certainly describing some kind of "true bug" in the order Hemiptera, suborder ...
mystery bug that looks like lint10/29/2010
  Q: i keep seeing these little pieces of what i think is lint. with close observation i see that it is ...
  A: Takia: See if your insect resembles the nymph (immature, juvenile stage) of the "Masked Hunter," ...
black bugs10/28/2010
  Q: I live in Atlanta and currently I am noticing the outside my house covered with small black ladybug ...
  A: Adrienne: You should have a way to attach a picture with your question, provided by the ...
What is this worm?10/28/2010
  Q: My family and I are living in Iran. During the last month my parents suffered from some kind of ...
  A: Maryam: Thank you so much for including the image with your question, it leaves no doubt what you ...
black bugs10/27/2010
  Q: I live in Atlanta and currently I am noticing the outside my house covered with small black ladybug ...
  A: Adrienne: "Black bug" describes about 90% of all insects. I'm sorry, but without a lot more ...
Pine Bark Beetle10/27/2010
  Q: Could I enclose my infested woodpile with tarps and fumigate with carbon monoxide to kill the ...
  A: Kimberly: If you found the larvae in the heartwood, then it is not bark beetles (Dendroctonus genus ...
He is still alive!!10/27/2010
  Q: My boyfriend works in a factory and found this locust on a material box. The box came from new ...
  A: Rachel: Wow! That is amazing! I think these grasshoppers feed naturally on toxic plants like ...
Bees, wasps vs. Flies10/26/2010
  Q: I am separating field specimens for my study and I am having trouble telling bees wasps and other ...
  A: Vanessa: Well, you did not make that clear. When I read "field specimens" I automatically think of ...
Bees, wasps vs. Flies10/26/2010
  Q: I am separating field specimens for my study and I am having trouble telling bees wasps and other ...
  A: Vanessa: My field guide (the "Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America") explains the ...
bug identification10/25/2010
  Q: Southern Ohio, mid-August. When I stepped off the front porch onto damp, shady, mossy soil, 30 or ...
  A: Kate: Aw-w-w, thanks for the compliments on the book :-) You made my day already! Great image ...
Invasion of brown worms10/25/2010
  Q: These are all over my house. Main rooms, closets, you name it. Please let me know what these are and ...
  A: Stacey: Thanks for including the image. I would have misidentified the creatures otherwise..... ...
black larve10/25/2010
  Q: While digging a post hole next to the roots of a short needled pine tree in Suffolk VA, I uncovered ...
  A: David: You are most likely describing a "pupa" rather than a larva, but in either case it sounds ...
potter wasp... will it eventually go away?10/24/2010
  Q: I live in Chandler Arizona. Starting about 4 weeks ago (late Sept), a potter wasp started gathering ...
  A: Michelle: Potter wasps are *not* social. One female makes each nest. When she is finished with it ...
ARE MY KIDS in DANGER???10/23/2010
  Q: I have a question about a flying insect i have found inside of my house.It has a ant/wasp like red ...
  A: Heather: An image would really help here, but I can just about guarantee that whatever it is poses ...
Black Jumping Bug10/23/2010
  Q: Black bugs that look like a spider body is black and round about the size of dime, with long legs ...
  A: Alanna: You don't state where (geographically) on the planet you live. That might help quite a ...
i found a cocoon and need to know what it is10/23/2010
  Q: excuse me but i just found a cocoon it's black and when i found it it smelled really bad and i was ...
  A: Bri: It is more than likely the pupa of a moth of some kind, or maybe a butterfly. I don't know of ...
brownish black bug10/22/2010
  Q: ..I was just taking my laundry out of my wicker laundry basket, which is in my bedroom and noticed ...
  A: Tara: You are definitely describing the larvae (and shed molts) of carpet beetles, family ...
Little Black Bug10/22/2010
  Q: I Am hoping that you can tell me what kinda bug this is and how to get ride of it. I live in a ...
  A: Ashley :-) Thanks for including the nice image (I know how tiny those are!). The insect is a ...
wasp with thin red body and yellow and black wings10/10/2010
  Q: I keep spotting a wasp in my garden and wonder (1) what it is and (2) if it's friend or foe in an ...
  A: Kim: Nice image, thanks for including it! I could not have even imagined this is what you were ...
Insect found in Tunisia10/10/2010
  Q: Please could identify this black wasp-like insect with a red band across the back. The legs are ...
  A: Irene: I am no expert on insects outside of North America, but I can at least tell you that the ...
flea-like but flies!10/10/2010
  Q: We have seen tiny brownish red bugs around our home that look just like fleas but... they can fly! ...
  A: Bethany: Ninety percent of the time, this description turns out to be "carpet beetles," family ...
Lady beetles10/9/2010
  Q: this past summer i have noticed some beetles which I have never seen before.They are about the same ...
  A: Chad: Very well could *still* be a lady beetle, maybe similar to these: ...
Insect i.d. needed10/8/2010
  Q: Eric. Alex Wild suggested I try you with my "are these bees" questions. This guy was shot on 4-16-10 ...
  A: Rusty: Nice image! I'll have to thank Alex for referring you.... The insect is a kind of wasp ...
question about spider eggs10/8/2010
  Q: Mr. Eaton, I live near Birmingham Alabama. I have a Garden spider on my house. It will be cold ...
  A: Chris: It really isn't a very good idea to move egg sacs. They are attached to whatever they are ...
Huge Spider10/7/2010
  Q: I am currently in Valparaiso, Indiana, and me and my roommate found a HUGE spider in our window. It ...
  A: Julia: Thank you for your very reasoned reply and explanation. I have to confess I am growing ...
2 bug id questions10/6/2010
  Q: Is there any way to send/post pictures of the bugs i'm trying to id? One is a small plain black bug, ...
  A: Gretchen: I can't help you from your descriptions....There should be an obvious prompt to upload ...
Huge Spider10/6/2010
  Q: I am currently in Valparaiso, Indiana, and me and my roommate found a HUGE spider in our window. It ...
  A: Julia: If it was on the outside of the window it was probably some kind of orb weaver in the family ...
pls help identify this beetle10/6/2010
  Q: I am trying to identify over 30 bugs for a science project and I have found them all, but I am ...
  A: Josh: Good work to have identified every other specimen for your collection! Thanks for including ...
flesh flies10/5/2010
  Q: i red about the flesh flies that someone had in their apt. and i have the same problem in my house. ...
  A: Linda: Well, carrion will attract all kinds of insects, especially blow flies (family ...
Tiny White Flying Insect10/4/2010
  Q: I saw tiny white flying fluff and got one of them on my hand. I zoomed in close and took a picture. ...
  A: Linda: Finally, a question I can answer concretely! People have been sending lots of questions ...
unknown insect10/4/2010
  Q: I was at a camp in Oregon this summer, and one of my campmates found the strangest insect I'd ever ...
  A: Jascha: I grew up in Oregon, but never saw one of these particular flies....Thanks so much for ...
large insect with wings10/3/2010
  Q: We found this insect on our patio--it apparently flew into the wall. We've never seen anything like ...
  A: Nancy: Thank you so much for including the image with your question. The insect is a shield-back ...
egg found10/3/2010
  Q: Eric: Location: Bradenton, FL. Site: My neighbor was working on his hot water heater in his ...
  A: Rick: Without at least an image of the "egg" I can't be of much help. It does sound the egg of a ...
mystery bug! i think it is a beetle of some kind10/2/2010
  Q: i have never seen this kind of bug before, my son found it on the driveway. we thought it was dead ...
  A: Shonda: Thanks for including the image. You didn't say where (geographically) you found this, so I ...
weird bug10/2/2010
  Q: I live in centralia wa. At about ten o'clock today I foud a flying bug that looked a lot like a ...
  A: Melissa: I'm envious! I never saw a living specimen of what you are describing, even though I ...
mystery bug10/1/2010
  Q: I spotted this winged bug, on my deck in Noblesville IN (suburb of Indianapolis), yesterday and ...
  A: Sandy: Thank you for including the image with your question. Ironically, this is one of the few ...
Bug ID9/30/2010
  Q: I have been looking into what kind of bug is this. I have ruled out beetle, cicada, cricket. I ...
  A: Bernie: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. No doubt as to what you have there: ...
Shiny black flying insec9/29/2010
  Q: Florida Panhandle Today I saw shiny black flying bug with long yellow antennae and it's body was ...
  A: Dennis: I'm sorry, but your description fits all kinds of different insects, from ichneumon wasps ...
JUMPING BUG?9/29/2010
  Q: When in my kitchen cooking, I saw this black spot on my floor (I am a clean freak) I bent down to ...
  A: Midge: Did you know there are flies named after you (midges, gall midges, biting midges....:-)? ...
Spider identification9/29/2010
  Q: I just moved to Vermont recently and we've found quite a few of these spiders hanging out at night ...
  A: Mike: A dorsal (top) view of the spider would have been infinitely more helpful.... Definitely ...
Small brown-red bug infestation9/28/2010
  Q: I live in the Canadian Maritimes and we just had an abnormally hot humid summer. Recently I have ...
  A: Stacy: Still sounds most like some kind of "stored product pest," most of which are beetles. Try ...
tiny little black worms9/28/2010
  Q: I live in southeastern WI. I have a LOT of tiny black "worms" that seem to be coming from a crack in ...
  A: Amber: Not worms, but millipedes. Several species have been introduced from Europe and they ...
Mystery Bug9/28/2010
  Q: My son and I found this bug crawling in our garage tonight and I have no idea what it is. We live ...
  A: Rick: I'm very envious! I still have yet to see a living example of this insect myself.... The ...
What bug it this?9/27/2010
  Q: I was sweeping my apartment a couple weeks ago and found a bug in the dust pan. I live in a loft ...
  A: Jim: Definitely a beetle, and definitely one that is a "stored product pest." Unfortunately, the ...
wasp bites9/27/2010
  Q: I wonder if you can answer a question that has apparently long caused controversy in my area. I ...
  A: Don: I have occasionally been "bitten" by yellowjackets (Vespula spp) in Oregon and Cincinnati, ...
Bee9/27/2010
  Q: What type of Bee is this? Picture taken 7/2010, approx 9:00am. Taken in front of my house, Buena ...
  A: Teresa: Thank you for including the image with your question. Very nice photo.... It is not a ...
ID small green grasshopper(?)9/26/2010
  Q: Observed at dusk 09/25 southeast Portland, OR; landed on my head just outside back door, so not sure ...
  A: Genn: Thanks for including the image with your question. Very interesting! This is an adult ...
What kind of bug is this9/26/2010
  Q: Eric, about five minutes ago my brother and boyfriend got home from riding dirt bike and they found ...
  A: Jade: You don't tell me where on the planet Earth this all takes place! I need basic information ...
hello and thank you9/25/2010
  Q: just wondering if you can give me some feedback on the spider that has taken up residency outside my ...
  A: Diane: You don't state where you live (geographically), which might help. You don't say what kind ...
What are these9/25/2010
  Q: I hope you can help me. These tiny little bugs have been coming in my room for a bit now. It ...
  A: Jaime: Well, you don't say where you live (geographically), which might help, though you already ...
Western conifer Leaf Bugs9/24/2010
  Q: We use window air conditioners in our home and up intil this year had little or nor problems with ...
  A: Lorena: I do not offer advice on pest control. You might this website for that: ...
unknown9/24/2010
  Q: It was around 1 inch, had wings, a sectioned body, with orange legs. I think it had 6 leg, and also ...
  A: Lyndi: Ok, ok....I am generally more polite, as I'm sure you can tell from my prior ratings. Right ...
Caterpillar Identification9/21/2010
  Q: I have literally found this caterpillar just now, Tuesday 21st September, 2:30pm. I have attached a ...
  A: Stuart: The caterpillar is that of some kind of "tussock moth," family Lymantriidae. Since you are ...
unknown9/20/2010
  Q: It was around 1 inch, had wings, a sectioned body, with orange legs. I think it had 6 leg, and also ...
  A: Lyndi: I'm sorry, but your description fits quite a few insects, and there is nothing "novel" ...
What is this yellow & black beetle?9/20/2010
  Q: These bugs have recently shown up in my "craft room." This is a building adjacent but disconnected ...
  A: Jamie: No apologies necessary for the picture quality. This kind of beetle is so distinctive there ...
tiny black bugs i saw via yer page (ticks) nymphs~my house is infested9/19/2010
  Q: my fiance and my apt have been empty for 3 months and hoped and parasite died, i keep seeing these ...
  A: Sure does sound like you are describing some kind of weevil.....Try these links, though the black ...
tiny black bugs i saw via yer page (ticks) nymphs~my house is infested9/19/2010
  Q: my fiance and my apt have been empty for 3 months and hoped and parasite died, i keep seeing these ...
  A: Bucky: I would hope that I did not reach any conclusive identification previously if all I got was ...
strange bug9/18/2010
  Q: I'm desperate for some help identifying this mystery creature. I found it crawling under my pillow ...
  A: Kathryn: Thank you for including the image with your question. I would have been way off in my ...
bugs in and around our house9/18/2010
  Q: I live in S.W. florida, there are bugs on the outside of my windows and now some inside on windows, ...
  A: Sharon: I'm sorry, but your description fits w-a-a-a-a-y too many insects for me to be able to make ...
Bees9/18/2010
  Q: please ID a species of bee, we found in Papua New Guinea. Its a bout 14mm long, a rounded bottom ...
  A: Frankie: Your description of the behavior is more telling than your assessment of color, etc.... ...
What is this?9/17/2010
  Q: I found this last year when I was walking on the beach in North Myrtle Beach, SC. It was just after ...
  A: Beth: This is a female "two-striped walkingstick," Anisomorpha buprestoides. Here is a link with ...
Bostrichidae in Minnesota9/17/2010
  Q: I have found 6 bugs in the last week in my ground level apartment that look like kind of like a ...
  A: Nicole: Well, "very fast" does not describe a powder-post beetle! They tend to "play dead" if ...
small round black fuzzy bugs in bedding. not bed bugs9/15/2010
  Q: my toddler keeps getting little red bites on her arms and legs while she sleeps. here's some info on ...
  A: Caitlin: Thank you for your very thorough treatment in your question! It really *does* help. ...
Can't find any pictures to support answer9/15/2010
  Q: Like another here - I have a huge spider nested above some outdoor shrubs - and the outside wall of ...
  A: Michael: Your description fits one of two common species of orb weavers: Argiope aurantia and ...
worm like bug in house9/15/2010
  Q: My question is my tenant told me that she has a lot of worm like bug in her basement. We live in ...
  A: Frank: I'm betting that they are actually millipedes, and probably one of the several introduced ...
big black and orange wasp9/14/2010
  Q: I went to the dumb here in Butte, MT. with my father and seen what i thing is some type of wasp. It ...
  A: Patrick: Hm-m-m, I don't know what the "dumb" is....maybe you meant "dump?" Don't know what you ...
What is this thing!?9/14/2010
  Q: This was seen at my neice's house in Choctaw, Oklahoma last nite. Freaked her out. She took this ...
  A: David: Well, congratulations. You all killed a harmless insect known as a "Jerusalem Cricket" in ...
Unidentified bug9/13/2010
  Q: I live in New York City and have noticed over the last several weeks a number of similar bugs in my ...
  A: Joy: Thank you for being so polite and appreciative! I don't suppose you're single? LOL! Ok, ok, ...
tiny black bugs9/13/2010
  Q: have tiny black bugs in bathroom on floor, in kitchen on window sills. killed easily, dont fly that ...
  A: Nicholine: You don't tell me where on planet Earth you live, and don't give me a very complete ...
camel crickets9/12/2010
  Q: i live in memphis tn and these bugs seem to be prevalant in the south as i have lived in chattanooga ...
  A: Carrie: My bad then....I'm sorry, but I don't offer pest control advice. I suggest that you visit ...
camel crickets9/12/2010
  Q: i live in memphis tn and these bugs seem to be prevalant in the south as i have lived in chattanooga ...
  A: Carrie: From your generic description I can't begin to tell you what you are dealing with. I would ...
bugs9/12/2010
  Q: kate
  A: Kate: Just noticed you are in the United Kingdom. I can't be of much help then, without seeing a ...
Bees and cat food9/10/2010
  Q: I'm writing from Whitney, TX. I recently got an outside cat and have noticed that bees swarm his ...
  A: Michelle: You are not describing bees, but "yellowjackets," a type of social wasp in the family ...
Confusing Mystery9/10/2010
  Q: I come to you from San Antonio (i.e. central) Texas. Recently, in the morning, my sister stumbled ...
  A: Joseph: It is a mystery to me, too! Only thing I can think of is the nymph of a "masked hunter" ...
yellow and black bug9/10/2010
  Q: I am in 3rd grade and my teacher assigned me to know facts about this bug.But I don't know what it ...
  A: Aria: Well, thanks to the image I can tell you it is a "leaf beetle" of some sort, family ...
yellow and black bug9/9/2010
  Q: I am in 3rd grade and my teacher assigned me to know facts about this bug.But I don't know what it ...
  A: Aria: I'm afraid that without seeing the actual insect, or at least an image of it, I can't be of ...
Preserving insects9/9/2010
  Q: We homeschool and have found already dead dragon flies and a butterfly. We would like to maybe ...
  A: Anna: I'd stick the insects in a container in the freezer to begin with. Then I would look for ...
Mystery bug9/8/2010
  Q: I live in northern Ohio, in a small, somewhat rural town. A mystery bug flew into my kitchen last ...
  A: Marta: I think you must be describing some member of the family Membracidae, known as ...
large hornet looking bee9/7/2010
  Q: We live in Winchester, VA up near the eastern panhandle of WV. This summer 2010 I noticed a few ...
  A: Leanne: No question about it, your images shows an adult worker of the "European hornet," Vespa ...
Caterpillar9/6/2010
  Q: I found this large caterpillar crawling on one of my tomato plants this morning. He is about 5 ...
  A: Arianna: Your own image is quite spectacular in its own right! Yes, you are correct, it is the ...
bugs9/6/2010
  Q: I live in Terre Haute In. in my basement I saw a brown spider looking insect that also jumped it was ...
  A: Nancy: I think I'm the only one you addressed this question to....:-) Sounds like you are ...
Odd brownish bug9/5/2010
  Q: I live in southeastern Tennessee. I found a bug on my ceiling over my chair which I thought was an ...
  A: Wanda: Too many possibilities from your description. Try one of these... ...
what is it9/4/2010
  Q: i found a wasp like bug with head/front legs like a praying mantis,i found it in south La.around 3 ...
  A: Steven: Second time I've been asked this question today. Odd, considering the insect in question ...
Pls id this insect9/4/2010
  Q: I found this insect in my kitchen in New Jersey this morning. It's so cool looking. Can you help ...
  A: Cathy: Thanks for including the image with your question. The insect is a "mantispid" or ...
monsterNymphs.photo9/4/2010
  Q: Do ladybug/ladybird nymphs cluster on tomato plant stalks? These appeared w/in the past week ...
  A: Ellen: Your image is so tiny that I can't tell anything from it. Lady beetle larvae typically ...
I have a house guest...9/3/2010
  Q: He's (or she) a big brown beetle, with funky antennae. He makes noise when you touch him, but I ...
  A: Cora: Well, you got it right, it *is* a male beetle! LOL! Specifically it is the California ...
large black bug9/3/2010
  Q: Could you identify a large black beetle appears to have pinchers i have seen them in size of 2-3 ...
  A: Shawn: I have no idea what you are describing, unless it is possibly a Jerusalem cricket: ...
Hornet/Wasp?9/2/2010
  Q: Hey Eric, i'm very curious about an insect someone found today at a construction site in Culmore, in ...
  A: Karl: You give a great description of a female "horntail" wasp in the family Siricidae. It is ...
Larvae9/2/2010
  Q: Dr Eaton My wife %26 I found a small larvae in the toilet when she went to pee. She thought she felt ...
  A: Jay: Hm-m-m, biggest mystery here is how come the word "and" comes out as "%26" in your question. ...
wasp id9/2/2010
  Q: 8/31/10-West Virginia-noticed these (about 100) last night, not sure how long been there...very few ...
  A: Craig: Thanks for including the image with your question. These are all female "paper wasps" in ...
Yellow Jackets9/1/2010
  Q: Does the yellow jacket nest protect them from flood and rain? (4-h club question)
  A: Shianece: The answer is "no." Flooding is a real danger to underground nests of yellowjackets. ...
Strange Beetle?9/1/2010
  Q: I currently live at an RV park outside of Weiser Idaho. I went to the park bathroom Aug 23-24 about ...
  A: Chantel: Thank you for including the image with your question. I would not have been able to ...
Outer shell of "bug"9/1/2010
  Q: I cannot remember the exact number of years between the shedding of the outer skin of this bug---but ...
  A: Laura: Sure, you are talking about "cicadas." There are lots of different genera and species in ...
Question regarding spiders8/30/2010
  Q: My wife called me at work to say she had found an unusual spider hiding in our washing machine. She ...
  A: Bill: Refrigerating the spider should indeed work, especially if it is for only a few hours. ...
insect identification8/30/2010
  Q: Recently discovered these insects in the basement. They are approx 1/4" long and are mosquito like ...
  A: No, camel crickets have no wings and can't fly. Crap, can't believe I ignored that... Try these: ...
insect8/29/2010
  Q: i found a bug on my back porch i have never seen one like this i have tooken a pic and wonder if you ...
  A: Debra: No mistaking the bug in your image! It is a.....(drum roll please): "Wheel bug," Arilus ...
Mystery eggs?8/29/2010
  Q: I was outside today and noticed these weird circles on my walls outside. I went and looked closer ...
  A: Marie: It shall remain a mystery, then. You really have to describe what hatches out of them. As ...
Small bugs showing up in groups of 6 or 78/29/2010
  Q: http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/tj54020/100_1421.jpg ...
  A: TJ: I can tell (barely) from the images that what you have there is an "ant-like flower beetle" in ...
insect identification8/28/2010
  Q: Recently discovered these insects in the basement. They are approx 1/4" long and are mosquito like ...
  A: Kevin: An image would really help, as would knowing where you are living (in the geographical ...
Bag worm?8/28/2010
  Q: I'm located in southern California, I have seen this "worm in a flat football shape pouch" mostly ...
  A: Rick: Yes, you are describing the "household casebearer," aka "plater bagworm." Not the same ...
What type of spider is this?8/27/2010
  Q: Saw a spider the other day that was intriguing. Almost 4" long from legtip to legtip and guarding ...
  A: Robert: Great shot of an adult female white-banded fishing spider, Dolomedes albineus. Here is a ...
Looked like a wasp8/27/2010
  Q: Live in North Texas. Had a huge Pecan branch fall in my yard. As I cut it down and got close to the ...
  A: Chuck: Almost impossible to give you an ID from just a description, but the behavior strongly ...
Identify insect in South Florida8/27/2010
  Q: In Florida, there are red insects which appear to be in a symbiotic relationship with a bushlike ...
  A: Barbara: It would really help to have an image or specimen to look at. The only thing I can think ...
Ant/Scorpion like creature8/26/2010
  Q: First off, I live in North Carolina and have seen a lot of odd insects. The other day I was in my ...
  A: Dillon: The only thing I can think of would be some kind of earwig: ...
Brown Spider in Atlanta8/26/2010
  Q: I found this spider in my apartment (the top floor of an older home) in Atlanta, GA around 9pm. ...
  A: Lachlan: Great pictures, thank you for including them! The spider is a male "Southern House ...
coccoon8/26/2010
  Q: I'm looking for help in identifying a small green cocoon I have hanging from my wooden deck. Its an ...
  A: Georgia: Have no idea where on planet Earth you found this, but I'm relatively confident it is the ...
wasp8/25/2010
  Q: I have a single pane window in my kitchen with a small crack in it. I am in Oklahoma & the ...
  A: Dave: The wasps are paper wasps in the genus Polistes: http://bugguide.net/node/view/572 They may ...
same gigantic bee8/25/2010
  Q: but the photos of Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp,- which I had seen on the web before,--do not even come ...
  A: Sherrill: BOTH the carpenter bee and the giant resin bee occur in your area. I don't know what ...
same gigantic bee8/24/2010
  Q: but the photos of Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp,- which I had seen on the web before,--do not even come ...
  A: Sherrill: Ok, you are describing a carpenter bee, Xylocopa virgnica. Try this link: ...
Red insects which live on coastal bush8/24/2010
  Q: In Florida, there are red insects which appear to be in a symbiotic relationship with a bushlike ...
  A: Barbara: First, apologies for the delay in responding. Your query went to our apparently neglected ...
gaint wasplike insect8/24/2010
  Q: I live in on vancouver island in BC and i saw this bug about the size of a golfball that kind of ...
  A: Sean: Pretty sure you are describing a "horntail," a stingless wasp in the genus Urocerus, family ...
6 black & white legged insect8/24/2010
  Q: I saw a bug about 11:00 am on the hood of my car.On 8/23/10.North central Minnesota.It had 6 long ...
  A: Ed: I think you are describing a "phantom crane fly" like this species: ...
Ticks/bugs on wild deer/pigs8/23/2010
  Q: i live in morgan hill,ca about 1 mile west of Henry Co state park of off East Dune Ave.My family and ...
  A: Derek: I think you are giving a very good description of a type of fly (I know! It really is a ...
Mystery bug8/23/2010
  Q: I live in the South. I recently saw a bug in my house. It's very humid outside and it's about 2 am. ...
  A: Abbey: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect in the picture is a ...
Black bug with white stripes and orange spots on my corn8/23/2010
  Q: I'm in SoCal and found this bug on one of my corn stalks. Could you please tell me what it is and ...
  A: Lara: First, apologies for the delay in responding. Your question went to our apparently neglected ...
Orange lightning bug?8/22/2010
  Q: On 8/20 approximately 10:30 pm on LI, N.Y., I saw what appeared to be an orange lightning bug. Then ...
  A: Donna: I admit I'm a bit puzzled because it is a little late in the year for fireflies. Still, I ...
tiny black flying insects.8/21/2010
  Q: how do I get rid of no see ems?
  A: Terri: I do not give pest control advice. Please consult any ".edu" website for such information ...
Mantis type bug8/21/2010
  Q: We were at a night baseball game, and there was a mantis type bug flying in the stands. It ...
  A: Rick: Lots of different insects are attracted to the lights at ballparks. I cannot help you given ...
Wasps getting in8/21/2010
  Q: I live in a condo building that is almost 100 years old. I do get small bugs around the windowsills, ...
  A: Andrea: You don't tell me where you live, for one thing. Without knowing what *kind* of wasps you ...
Insect Identification8/20/2010
  Q: I discovered a rather large insect in my shower. I am located in the fingerlakes region of New York, ...
  A: Rachel: Thank your for including the image with your question, as I would have been way off had you ...
Mud Spot?8/19/2010
  Q: My wife and I live in northern Delaware. A few days ago, we noticed a dime sized spot on the vinyl ...
  A: Ron: Seriously? You really expect me to ID this from a description that fits just about any insect ...
identify bee8/19/2010
  Q: Saw a bee that I have never seen before on Monday, 8/16/10 in Denver, Colorado in my back yard. It ...
  A: Shelbey: I think you give a perfect description of a Bald-faced "Hornet," Dolichovespula maculata. ...
enourmous bee or hornet ?8/18/2010
  Q: I have searched many sites, complete with photos and find no matches for this creature that lookes ...
  A: Sherrill: My best guess is an Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp, Sphecius speciosus. Here is a link with ...
Winged insect - NW Ohio8/18/2010
  Q: What is this insect? The wings bend upward along the abdomen. Size about 1-1.5 cm? Urban yard, under ...
  A: Becky: I lived in Cincinnati for 11 years and never saw one of these.... It is an assassin bug, ...
black bees8/16/2010
  Q: I HAVE BLACK BEES THAT ONLY GET HONEY FROM 1 TYPE OF PLANT IN MY YARD. THE SHRUB I HAVE HAS BLUE ...
  A: Mary: First, apologies for the delay in answering your question. It went to our (apparently ...
grasshoppers in North Georgia Mountains8/16/2010
  Q: I have a log-sided cabin in the North Georgia mountains that I had re-stained at the end of April. ...
  A: Sheila: I'm stumped. I've never heard of grasshoppers nibbling on wood (other than locust swarms, ...
Beetle invasion8/16/2010
  Q: During the lat week, our house in rural Nova Scotia has been invaded by dark beetles, about 3/4" ...
  A: Peter: The insect in the image is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, probably in the genus ...
huge flying bug/insect8/15/2010
  Q: I saw a large insect/bug I've never seen before. It was about a week and a half ago in San Antonio, ...
  A: Veronica: Few insects are so distinctive that they can be identified from a written description ...
Any idea what this bug is?8/15/2010
  Q: I'm in Oklahoma and I keep finding these little black beetles around the house and in my bedroom. ...
  A: Doug: I suspect the "small white triangle spot" is the flying wings of the beetle protruding from ...
Little black bugs8/15/2010
  Q: I've have seen these bugs in my home and on the living room wall and bathroom wall and a few ...
  A: Dottie: First of all, apologies for the long delay in responding. Your query went to our ...
Insection Identification8/15/2010
  Q: Found these bugs mating on a dead maple tree in Southeastern Pennsylvania at 7:00p.m. They were ...
  A: Liz: Thank you for including the image with your question. It leaves no doubt that you have there ...
bug or larvae?8/14/2010
  Q: trapped a mouse in our cupboard, he was only there 8hrs at most, 2-3" inches from his corpse there ...
  A: Brian: Thanks for including the image with your question. The insect in the picture is the larva ...
Black grub8/14/2010
  Q: I just found a black grub about an inch long squirming it's way across my floor. Looks like its ...
  A: Alison: Ok, this is really bizarre. I believe this is the second question TODAY that is going to ...
re: hovering flies8/13/2010
  Q: I live in NE Texas and have long been fascinated by what I thought was called a Hoverfly. Looked up ...
  A: Johnie: Well, this is why it really, really helps to have an image to look at.... Fine. Probably ...
Identify large "stinging" bug8/13/2010
  Q: We have seen one at my house & one at my sister's house in SE Indiana (near Cincinnati, OH). The ...
  A: Angie: Pretty certain you are referring to a "horntail" wood wasp, specifically this one: ...
what bugis this?8/13/2010
  Q: We were camping along Metolious River in Sisters Oregon and saw this very large bug on an old fallen ...
  A: Valerie: Nice to hear from a fellow Oregonian (I grew up in Portland, went to Oregon State....). ...
Large grasshopper-looking insect8/12/2010
  Q: I live in southwest Florida, and I was getting in my car at 2:30 PM (in a parking garage next to ...
  A: Virginia: You are definitely describing a "katydid," and quite possibly this one: ...
re: hovering flies8/12/2010
  Q: I live in NE Texas and have long been fascinated by what I thought was called a Hoverfly. Looked up ...
  A: Johnie: Sounds like you are probably describing the behavior of a "bee fly" in the family ...
Tiny Brown Bug Infestation8/11/2010
  Q: Ok....so I live in Southern California, the LA region to be specific, and I've recently come across ...
  A: Steph: Sorry for the delay in replying. Had I known there was an image attached I could have ...
Slender Wasp8/11/2010
  Q: and thank you for volunteering at AllExperts. I live in Southeast Texas, and as I was mowing my ...
  A: Tom: Your image is of male specimens of tiphiid wasps in the genus Myzinum (family Tiphiidae). The ...
mystery wasp ?8/10/2010
  Q: I live in Austin, Texas and I call this critter "b-52" referring to size and fact that I can hear ...
  A: Sandie: Ok, there are a couple of wasps you could be describing. My bet is actually an Eastern ...
Leaf wasp disappearance8/10/2010
  Q: Just wondering if you have any info regarding leaf wasps & environmental changes. I've been posting ...
  A: Peter: First off, your "leaf wasp" is a type of paper wasp in the genus Polistes, probably Polistes ...
Little black and red bottom bathroom bugs8/9/2010
  Q: Just started showing up a few days ago around bathroom area. They climb on ceiling of bathroom and ...
  A: Philip: You are probably describing the nymphs of some kind of true bug, order Hemiptera, suborder ...
strange bug with lots of legs8/9/2010
  Q: I live in the upstate of South Carolina in a wooded area and I'm used to seeing strange bugs in and ...
  A: Sarah: You give an excellent description of.....a "house centipede," Scutigera coleoptrata. Here ...
Ground Bees8/9/2010
  Q: I live in Chicago IL area and came across this while taking a shortcut across an open field on a ...
  A: Tom: You give an excellent description of the Eastern Cicada Killer, Sphecius speciosus. Here are ...
grasshopper with butterfly wings?8/8/2010
  Q: What exactly are those bugs that look like a grasshopper while on the ground, but fly away using ...
  A: EB: What you are describing *are* grasshoppers! Specifically, band-winged grasshoppers: ...
Flying insects on grass8/8/2010
  Q: In southwest British Columbia, Canada, usually in late June or early July there are small low-flying ...
  A: Julia: It sounds like you are describing swarming termites or swarming ants. Both kinds of insects ...
unknown wasp yellow jacket hornet?8/8/2010
  Q: My father found this insect on his roses in Warsaw Indiana. I have not been able to identify it. ...
  A: Brandi: Thanks for including the image with your question. The insect is a female "Eastern Cicada ...
just wondering if this bug is a roach?8/7/2010
  Q: I am hoping to just get some verification. I am wondering if this black bug which I have found is ...
  A: Lauren: No worries, the insect in your image is not a cockroach. I'm betting you live near some ...
strange worm discovered in water filled ditch8/7/2010
  Q: there's a whole bunch of parasitic looking worms in the ditch in front of the house. the ditch is ...
  A: Eugene: You don't tell me exactly *where* in the U.S. this is, but it doesn't matter much anyway. ...
A really UGLY bug8/6/2010
  Q: We live in South Carolina...we have a bug that looks like a very large grasshopper, maybe has some ...
  A: Kim: I'm sorry, but "huge" and "ugly" describe a lot of different insects in the minds of most ...
Insects8/5/2010
  Q: we are staying in the Outer Banks of North Carolina about two blocks from the beach. Last night ...
  A: Liz: Thank you for including the image with your question. I would not have been able to narrow ...
large wasp-like insect8/5/2010
  Q: We live in SE Nebraska. On 3 Aug 2010 at about 5 pm, my husband and I noticed an unusually large ...
  A: Aimee: Thank you for giving me all the information I need to help you. I'm not being sarcastic, ...
Big Bug8/4/2010
  Q: This guy met his death on my truck antenna while I was travelling at 9 PM , going 75 mph on the ...
  A: Lynda: Geesh, what is your car antenna made out of? LOL! Part of me thinks you are making this up ...
Bee-Like Insect8/4/2010
  Q: I encountered an insect that closely resembled (or perhaps was one that I'd simply never seen) a bee ...
  A: Cherise: Thankfully, you have an easy one here :-) You are giving a brilliant description of one ...
Parasitic wasp identification8/4/2010
  Q: I have been trying to determine the identity of a parasitic wasp that I have encountered in Vigo Co. ...
  A: Roger: You are correct with your own identification. This is probably the species: ...
Night sounds in Peekskill NY8/3/2010
  Q: I'm very glad to have 'found' you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. First of all, I live in ...
  A: Evelyn: I don't know where to start. I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio for eleven years and can pretty ...
Help ID bright white spider8/3/2010
  Q: I was out doing some photography today, and I came across a bright white spider building a web in ...
  A: Chris: This is a female of one of the "flower crab spiders" in the family Thomisidae. There are at ...
mystery bug8/3/2010
  Q: I live in Grain Valley, MO. Went for a walk last night about 10 pm. On the street, in a dark area I ...
  A: Gordon: I do have a potential idea: a newly-emerged dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus: ...
Insect ID (North Carolina)7/24/2010
  Q: While moving into our apartment today/tonight, we had this large insect follow us in. We have no ...
  A: Jared: Love your Subway ads! :-) Sorry. Ok, on to your insect. Thank you for including the image ...
Mystery Insect7/23/2010
  Q: My mother's friend found a mysterious insect on a tree in her backyard. She gave it to me in a ...
  A: Victoria: Thanks for including the image with your question. It is a female giant ichneumon wasp, ...
Bug ID7/23/2010
  Q: I have included pictures. I live in Central Florida and about a year ago I found one of these bugs ...
  A: Brittany: The insects in the images are "seed beetles" in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily ...
weevil?7/23/2010
  Q: I am finding these bugs in my house in the basement and ground level rooms, haven't found any in ...
  A: Jer: Yes, a weevil. Good job on the ID! More specifically, it is a "root weevil" in the genus ...
Columbine Beetles - Canada7/22/2010
  Q: Alberta, Canada. Here is a lovely picture of the beetle. Hopefully this will help in getting an ID ...
  A: Carole: Oh, oh, oh....Well, I was right with my first hunch that it was a true bug....These are ...
Columbine Beetles - Canada7/21/2010
  Q: I live in Fort Saskatchewan,Alberta,Canada. I have a Columbine plant that hosts a beetle combo. ...
  A: Carole: I doubt they are beetles. Sounds more like "true bugs" in the order Hemiptera, suborder ...
Bug identification7/21/2010
  Q: I live in a house in maryland. Yesterday night around 10pm I walked into my room (the lights where ...
  A: Xoshelle: Ok, I think you are probably describing a "house centipede," Scutigera coleoptrata. Here ...
cool orange fly with black eyes7/20/2010
  Q: Can you ID this fly? I found him on July 10, in the afternoon, on a hot, dry, sunny day, in suburban ...
  A: Sara: Aw-w-w-w, thank you for the kind compliments on the book. If you are on Facebook, please ...
wiierd 6 legger7/20/2010
  Q: i seen a 6 legger with wings bigger then a paper wasp all black except a semi diamond shape in beige ...
  A: Sherman: Would help to know exactly *where* in Canada you saw this.... I wonder if maybe you are ...
flying insect7/20/2010
  Q: At least once a day, I am killing this flying insect that has invaded my house in Madison, MS. It ...
  A: Brea: Thanks for including the image. The insect is all there..... It is a spider wasp, Auplopus ...
Question ab. an unusual bug/insect at my home7/19/2010
  Q: Eaton at allexperts.com (Entomology), I am writing in regards to something very unusual and strange ...
  A: Ok, this story has more holes than a chunk of Swiss cheese. Let me take the problems one at a ...
is this a beatle or a roach?7/19/2010
  Q: I do not fully believe this could be a roach as this is a brand new house we just had built that was ...
  A: Victoria: Ok, wait a minute! Do NOT waste your money on "bug bombs" or sprays. Please. It could ...
unknown bug7/19/2010
  Q: I was raking the yard mid-day in 95 degree temperatures in Albuquerque, NM, July 18. A large beetle ...
  A: Mary Kenney: Two suspects come immediately to mind, but I'm surprised that you estimated the size ...
flying insects in california bay area7/18/2010
  Q: I live i California south bay area. For the last couple of months my home has been invaded by these ...
  A: Kimbra: I wonder if this might be what you are talking about: http://bugguide.net/node/view/102853 ...
I really need help identifying an insect I found in my room that may be dangerous.7/18/2010
  Q: I live in Tucson, AZ. Yesterday I woke up and found this really scary looking insect hiding under a ...
  A: Jackie: I live in Tucson, also, and I think you might be describing a "camel spider," aka ...
Beetle7/18/2010
  Q: Fort Hood, Texas Had a stange friend on my front porch last night, beetle as far as I can tell. ...
  A: Paul: You are describing an adult "wheel bug," Arilus cristatus, one of the assassin bugs in the ...
bug or insect ?7/17/2010
  Q: In my kitchen and bathroom I am getting these very tiny something at first I thought they were fleas ...
  A: Christy: I guess nobody ever reads my previous answers about "springtails," primitive non-insect ...
small flying mystery bug7/17/2010
  Q: I live in Houston, TX in an apartment and recently I have been finding small black flying bugs. ...
  A: Maddy: Sounds like it might be giant aphids of some sort, which can be very common in your area. ...
insect id7/17/2010
  Q: We live in CT in a suburban neighborhood near the coast, and saw a very large 2-2 1/2" flying insect ...
  A: Amy: Gee, quite a few possibilities, but the most logical ones are: Eastern cicada killer wasp, ...
Giant Flying insect in NC7/16/2010
  Q: I've been researching wasps and bees and I can't find anything that resembles this flying giant. It ...
  A: Jessi: I really can't help you from this description, but this is my first thought: ...
Great Black Wasp7/16/2010
  Q: I've located a nest of this wasp. It is located in my paver steps below the patio door. Though I've ...
  A: Larry: You are confusing two species of wasps. The ones under the eaves would be Blue Mud Dauber ...
ground hornet nest density7/15/2010
  Q: I have a small farm and do a lot of clearing throughout the year. It's just about now that I ...
  A: Michael: I'm not even sure what kind of insects you are talking about. "Ground hornet" has been ...
Bug Identification7/15/2010
  Q: I live in SW Florida (Naples) and constantly get these bugs inside a enclosed porch. They are ...
  A: Gwen: I believe the animals in your image are known commonly as "lawn shrimp." They are not ...
tiny black insects7/15/2010
  Q: Following a rain I found on a cement pad what looked like blck silt. Upon closer examination I ...
  A: Bob: I swear at least 40% of my questions are about...."springtails," primitive non-insect hexapods ...
Bug ID...possible tick?7/9/2010
  Q: .. I live in Minneapolis, Mn and this morning my roommate and I found a bug that we believe to be a ...
  A: Whitney: I think what you are describing might actually be a baby stink bug or something related. ...
how to get rid of wasps that are burrowing in ground7/9/2010
  Q: I live in the high desert part of Wyoming- lots of cactus %26 sagebrush in the area. My neighbors ...
  A: Holly: Do nothing at all IF each wasp (or bee, I can't readily tell from your description) is going ...
3-4" insect7/9/2010
  Q: in N.cent. oklahoma, around 2:30am, i saw a huge brown insect with clear, veined wings,small ...
  A: Lori: I'm more worried about what you were doing at a truck stop in the wee hours of the morning, ...
bug identifacation7/8/2010
  Q: please help, i live in Louisville Kentucky and i was on the sofa when i found an all black bug that ...
  A: Kate: Pretty certain you are describing a harmless "click beetle" in the family Elateridae: ...
Head-Banging Bug7/8/2010
  Q: I live in East Tennessee and have encountered a bug many times, after dark, that I've been curious ...
  A: Heather: You are describing "click beetles" in the family Elateridae: ...
tiny round beetle like bugs7/8/2010
  Q: These are small black bugs that hop and fly. They are about the size of a small nail head.
  A: Judy: All I can tell from the image is that it is indeed a beetle of some kind. Not enough detail ...
Is this a bed bug?7/7/2010
  Q: I found this bug in my room, and a similar one a few days ago. I have compared it to many images ...
  A: Steve: See why I ask people to put their geographic location in their question? Yes, isopods do ...
Is this a bed bug?7/7/2010
  Q: I found this bug in my room, and a similar one a few days ago. I have compared it to many images ...
  A: Stephen: No, that is not a bed bug. It is not even an insect. It is some kind of land isopod ...
fuzzy bug7/7/2010
  Q: found a fuzzy looking bug (lake isabella, california) that looks like a fuzzy ant, about an inch in ...
  A: Lisa: Sounds like one of the "velvet ants" in the family Mutillidae, maybe something like this: ...
goodorbad7/6/2010
  Q: Riverside county, calif. around the 1st of july. Thousands coming out of the ground? Very brite ...
  A: Jayne: Ok, this is an introduced species called a "fire bug" if I recall correctly. Hang on, I'll ...
Millepede/7/6/2010
  Q: Its segmented like a millepede but pinchers like a earwig with a white under section. I saw it ...
  A: Ashlie: Ok, I believe this is a "woodlouse," a type of isopod (land crustacean), and I am not an ...
What kind of black fly or beetle is this?7/6/2010
  Q: I am from northern Maine and recently noticed a large black bug - similar looking to a June bug (we ...
  A: Mel: You must be describing at least two different insects here.... The only one I recognize is ...
identification7/5/2010
  Q: I live in eastern PA. We recently had a invasion of large (3/4 to 1 inch) long flying insects. ...
  A: Barbara: It probably *is* a wasp of some kind, but your description is so vague I can't be certain ...
please identify brown flying bug7/5/2010
  Q: July 4th, 2010.Santa Clara County inland. bugs seen on concrete floor of semi-enclosed patio in back ...
  A: Still no picture. I don't think I can help much, but my prime suspects are: ...
Unidentified Bug7/4/2010
  Q: My daughter has these bugs coming out all over her house. They are hard to kill. She has to step on ...
  A: Tina: Ok, ignoring the cruelty in the picture.... These are "darkling beetles" in the family ...
Unidentified bug7/3/2010
  Q: I saw this bug on my house yesterday. I live in Athens, Georgia. As you can see in the photo it ...
  A: Stacey: Very nice image you attached with your question! I have a hard time photographing these ...
mystery bug7/3/2010
  Q: just got a shed delivered, and this came along for the ride. about 4 inches long, wings, tan with ...
  A: Rich: The ADULT dobsonflies probably don't feed at all. Many insects like this live off the fat ...
Gray Diamond Shaped Spider Bite7/2/2010
  Q: a gray diamond shaped spider, with diamond designs on its back, has just bitten my friend. It is ...
  A: Kaci: Well, your description of the spider does *not* fit with the dangerously venomous species in ...
small black crawling insects7/2/2010
  Q: in the last couple of days our back block walls and now sides of our house and the ground are ...
  A: Dale: Without an image (or ideally a specimen) or a LOT more detail, I can't be of much help. You ...
mystery bug7/1/2010
  Q: just got a shed delivered, and this came along for the ride. about 4 inches long, wings, tan with ...
  A: Rich: I strongly suspect you are describing a female "dobsonfly," Corydalus cornutus. You think ...
Wierd bug in living room?7/1/2010
  Q: I just found this bug that is the same color as a junebug but looks like a grasshopper, with the ...
  A: Torey: Did you mean to attach an image? If so, it didn't come through. No matter, I think you ...
beetle question7/1/2010
  Q: I spotted this guy crawling around in our window this afternoon (6/30/10)! It can fly, but it mostly ...
  A: Debbie: LOL! You forgot to bury the body, eh? :-) This insect is a "burying beetle" or "sexton ...
Black and White Striped Large Fly?6/30/2010
  Q: I live in Kentucky and there are these flying insects larger than a horsefly with, I believe, two ...
  A: Karissa: Well, you have obviously never seen a cicada killer wasp, then, because they are HUGE! ...
Wasps in my screen windows6/30/2010
  Q: I just read your q&a from 2008 and learned that I have grass carrying wasps in the tracks of my ...
  A: Teresa: I don't know if they will keep coming back. This appears to be a relatively new ...
Need help with identification6/30/2010
  Q: I was out shooting near my office in Montpelier, VT when I came across this beetle on a very unusual ...
  A: Bill: Your initial guess was correct: a plant bug in the family Miridae (a "true bug," not a ...
Bugs that never go away6/29/2010
  Q: Your question was Hello, We have these tiny, off-white colored bugs that jump. They seem to live ...
  A: Karen: I'm 95% certain they are springtails. They won't necessarily "survive" dry cleaning, they ...
Mystery bug identification!6/29/2010
  Q: We found this little critter outside our door at night. He was about 1/2" long, and flew like a ...
  A: Lauren: Thanks for including the gorgeous image with your question. It is indeed a moth, ...
Black and White Striped Large Fly?6/28/2010
  Q: I live in Kentucky and there are these flying insects larger than a horsefly with, I believe, two ...
  A: Karissa: Well, this is when an image of the thing would really be helpful. Yes, it could be some ...
bug/pest6/27/2010
  Q: we have a bit of problem in our apartment kitchen in new york city. i have been trying to look for a ...
  A: Ana: Your vague description fits any one of several "stored product pests," most of which are ...
Mystery Bug6/27/2010
  Q: I live in NC. Evidently a bug got on my hair clip when I was out two nights ago. I don't know how ...
  A: Anissa: Sounds like your insect might have been a "click beetle" in the family Elateridae. They ...
cricket like bug6/27/2010
  Q: It didn't look strange and didn't make any noise. It had medium sized legs and either flew or jumped ...
  A: Sarah: I'm sorry but your description is far too vague for me to reach any conclusion. If this was ...
BIG BUG w/wings and pinchers!6/26/2010
  Q: I live in Wheeling, WV. Earlier this week I saw the biggest bug I had ever seen. It was brown, (but ...
  A: Penny: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect in the image is a female ...
hornet?6/25/2010
  Q: We have these large flying things that live in the ground we've been calling them hornets, but now ...
  A: Angela: You do not say where (geographically) on the planet you are writing from, but I'll assume ...
bug6/25/2010
  Q: My daughter was laying on her floor when she saw something that looked like a booger. She went to ...
  A: Rhonda: Well, unfortunately, without seeing the thing, or at least an image of it, I'm unable to ...
Caterpillar or Moth Larvae?6/25/2010
  Q: I found this in my front yard (Littleton, CO). It's on my plants and i was wondering if it is a ...
  A: Lauren: Well, both butterflies AND moths start out life as caterpillars! Further, only we humans ...
cricket or grasshopper?6/24/2010
  Q: Michigan has gotten a lot of rain in the past few months. My neighbors and I share the same ...
  A: Kathy: You are describing "camel crickets" in the family Rhaphidophoridae. They are not true ...
mystery tiny black bugs6/24/2010
  Q: I found these TINY bugs on a window sill in a dry space. It was dusty. Did not jump or fly but moved ...
  A: Rose: You are no doubt describing primitive, non-insect hexapods called "springtails," order ...
Strange Worms in Bonsai Dish6/24/2010
  Q: I have found 2 or three of these worms in the vicinity of my Bonsai dish over the past month or so. ...
  A: David: Your insect is the larva of a "crane fly" in the family Tipulidae (or at least in the ...
Black w/white spots flying bug6/23/2010
  Q: I live in Bisbee Arizona and yesterday a swarm of 1/2" long flew into my courtyard and shirred of ...
  A: Jinx: I have no idea what you are describing, and I live here in Tucson. Are they actively ...
Mysterious Insect6/23/2010
  Q: I live in southern Manitoba, Canada. Today I came across an insect on the front of my house that I ...
  A: Victoria: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is a giant stonefly in ...
hard cocoon on mobile home6/23/2010
  Q: Can you please identify the tiny hard cocoon shaped things on my mobile home outside walls ...
  A: Opal: Were you going to include an image with your question? If so, it did not come through. You ...
fire fly6/22/2010
  Q: Canada and I just caught a firefly on the evening of June 21st and I have never seen one here before ...
  A: Roger: Well, I would need to know what kind of firefly you found. There are native species in BC, ...
Orange ant like bug6/22/2010
  Q: Eric, I saw another question that was posted to you and it appears that person saw the same type of ...
  A: Gina: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is clearly a moth, possibly ...
Tons of teardrop shaped, 1mm, 6-legged, brown beetles with antennae half as long as their body6/21/2010
  Q: I recently moved into a new home in Southern California and after construction began on another ...
  A: Blake: Well, they are not beetles for starters. The insect in the image is a nymph (baby, ...
How to keep wasps alive?6/21/2010
  Q: I want to collect some Anagyrus Lopezi (wasp) in eastern Thailand soon (they parasitise the cassava ...
  A: Gavin: I'm sorry, but I am definitely not the person to ask about this. You should join the ...
Large brown beetle6/21/2010
  Q: I live in southern West Virginia and while watering my flowers yesterday around 6pm, I noticed a ...
  A: Brandi: You give a very excellent description of a beetle I'm very familiar with, as well as its ...
Glowing insect6/20/2010
  Q: In 52 years I have never seen a "insect" like this that glows. Could you possibly identify it for ...
  A: Max: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is either a larva or adult ...
Mystery clear insect6/20/2010
  Q: Found a completely clear insect in the sand near the water at the beach. It has almost praying ...
  A: Katherine: I think what you found is not an insect, and maybe not an actual organism.... What you ...
moth6/20/2010
  Q: i just found this moth in my garden and was wondering if U could tell me what it is.There is a photo ...
  A: Jesse: Thank you for sharing your lovely picture of a....Cecropia moth. Here is a link with more ...
Unidentified hummingbird/bee thing6/19/2010
  Q: The first time we saw one we just saw a glimpse and thought it was a big bee, then thought maybe a ...
  A: Monica: Thanks for including the image with your question. It is definitely a moth, specifically a ...
Insect or beetle don't know what it is6/19/2010
  Q: At 10:30 pm on 6/18/10 my family and I heard a loud something hit the deck. When we found it my ...
  A: April: Sounds like a "giant water bug" in the family Belostomatidae, genus Lethocerus: ...
mystery bug6/19/2010
  Q: I have found several insects in my yard that burrow about an inch into the ground, forming a conical ...
  A: Jeff: Sure. You are describing "doodlebugs," more properly known as antlions. You are finding the ...
fly larvae6/18/2010
  Q: We sealed up a honeycomb that bees had started to form. The bees are gone. The gnats are gone. Now ...
  A: Alvin: Without seeing actual specimens of what you are describing there is no way I can make an ...
Mystery Bug6/18/2010
  Q: Today (6/17/10, about noon) I noticed an interesting insect in my backyard in Rockford, IL. I ...
  A: Glennis: You are describing some kind of "true bug" in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera. ...
Weird Burrowing Beetle?6/17/2010
  Q: Can you identify this critter? See attached picture. He's very wary and disappears down his burrow ...
  A: Marty: I seriously admire your patience and persistence in observing this insect! You are ...
Name this bug?6/17/2010
  Q: I'm looking to identify and eliminate these tiny black jumping bugs. The picture attached is the ...
  A: George: Even without an image I know what you are describing. Easily 40% of my questions are about ...
Insects hitting window6/16/2010
  Q: My husband and I live in a one story house in the Houston, TX suburbs (mature trees present in ...
  A: Erin: I'm stumped. My thought is that it could be some kind of large, crepuscular moth. ...
Bug Identification6/15/2010
  Q: I live just Northeast of Ft. Worth, TX and the week of June 6th I was doing some yard work. I was ...
  A: Hm-m-m....I wonder if you unearthed the larva of a tiger beetle? Here's an example: ...
Pittsburgh spiders6/15/2010
  Q: I've been, as a hobby, studying spiders residing on a mountain within Pittsburgh, PA. I've observed ...
  A: Tyler: Wow, I'm very impressed with your dedicated studies and observational skills! Keep up the ...
Carpet Beetle Eradication6/15/2010
  Q: I have just discovered an infestation of carpet beetles in my guest bedroom where I store a lot of ...
  A: Meg: You always have a "choice." My choice would be to keep doing what you are doing: launder the ...
Carpet Beetle Eradication6/14/2010
  Q: I have just discovered an infestation of carpet beetles in my guest bedroom where I store a lot of ...
  A: Meg: You do NOT need a professional extermination service for this. Save your money! You need to ...
Deck bugs6/14/2010
  Q: I have these tiny pin head style bugs on the back yard deck as well as the wooded front porch ...
  A: Terri: You are most likely describing "springtails," primitive "non-insect hexapods" that are ...
THOUSANDS of these tiny black bugs...6/14/2010
  Q: We discovered 5 or 6 tiny black bugs the size of fleas in our living room. They are not flat like ...
  A: Elizabeth: What you have are "springtails," primitive "non-insect hexapods" in the order ...
Bug Identification6/13/2010
  Q: I live just Northeast of Ft. Worth, TX and the week of June 6th I was doing some yard work. I was ...
  A: Shannon: Sounds like you are describing an upside down larva of some kind of beetle, probably a ...
dark brown inch worm6/12/2010
  Q: I keep finding small dark brown worms in our home, first in the bathroom and on occasion other ...
  A: Barbara Jean: Without seeing an image, I'm hard-pressed to give a concrete answer, but it sounds to ...
What kind of beetle?6/12/2010
  Q: We found this in our Kannapolis, NC yard. IT is about 2.5 inches long. Do you know what it is?
  A: Julie: The image is that of an adult female "broadnecked root borer," Prionus laticollis. Here is ...
Hive identification6/11/2010
  Q: I have a hive hanging from my eaves (log home)about the size of a tennis ball with a 4-6" proboscis ...
  A: Judi: Would have been nice if you had told me where on planet Earth you found this thing, but.... ...
Identification required6/11/2010
  Q: This may be a little out of your geographical area of expertise but I wanted to ask just incase! I ...
  A: Vicki: Nice image, but not enough detail to help me help you much. Definitely some kind of true ...
weird bug6/11/2010
  Q: I found this insect outside my job flying about 3ft from a trash can, it was trying to get inside. ...
  A: Michael: I'm sorry, but your description fits several kinds of insects. My best guess would be ...
Mystery Bug in Southeast Texas6/10/2010
  Q: This insect has been appearing in our house for about 4 or 5 years now. It has bitten a couple of ...
  A: Nathan: Thanks for including the image with your question, although you give a very vivid ...
Unidentifiable Bugs6/10/2010
  Q: Today my mom and I found some beautiful, blue, iridescent bugs out in our pasture. I live in Eastern ...
  A: Alison: Thank you very much for including the image with your question! I would not have been able ...
looks like a roach but was attracted to the light5/29/2010
  Q: Found this bug crawling on one of the family room lamps. It seemed attracted to light. It was about ...
  A: Raleigh: Thanks for including the image with your question. It *is* a cockroach, but not one that ...
Tiny reddish-brown beetles! AH!5/29/2010
  Q: I have been dealing with these beetles for about a year and a half now, and they just suddenly got a ...
  A: Stephanie: You are describing beetles in the family Anobiidae that are "stored product pests." ...
Spider Identification5/28/2010
  Q: Please help identify the spider in the attached photo. We find them in he swimming pool. The leg ...
  A: Janet: Thank you for including the image with your question. Ironically, your description of the ...
bugs in bathroom5/28/2010
  Q: I LIVE IN NH AND RECENTLY BOUGHT A HOUSE. I HAVE NOTICED VERY SMALL BUGS (SIZE OF A PENCIL TIP AND ...
  A: Chandra: You are describing perfectly harmless invertebrates called "springtails" in the order ...
Please help identify large exotic beetle5/28/2010
  Q: One night I let my small dog out to the bathroom. She came in screaming with two large, light blue ...
  A: Rhonda: Ok, we might be getting somewhere, albeit slowly.... The only insects I can think of that ...
Weird black bug in my house5/27/2010
  Q: We live in Rhode Island. The past two nights (around midnight) we found black oblong beetle-ish ...
  A: Valerie: Really, you thought "oblong black flying insect" would be easy to identify? That ...
Please help identify large exotic beetle5/27/2010
  Q: One night I let my small dog out to the bathroom. She came in screaming with two large, light blue ...
  A: Rhonda: You don't state WHERE in the U.S. you live. I need precise geographical information. ...
Small mystery bug5/26/2010
  Q: I found these little bugs in the window sill of my daughter's room. We moved in 3 weeks ago and I ...
  A: Delana: The insect in your image appears to be some kind of weevil, family Curculionidae. The ...
Mystery Beetle?5/25/2010
  Q: I've had a home in the south of France for seven years but have never seen this bug/beetle before. ...
  A: David: Your image depicts some kind of longhorned wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae. I ...
Unidentified leaf-eating beetle5/25/2010
  Q: I have newly planted out morning glories (now about 3" high) whose leaves are being eaten by a swarm ...
  A: Joan: Common beetles that eat morning glories are "tortoise beetles" in the leaf beetle family ...
tiny speck bugs all over my zucchini5/24/2010
  Q: Please help me identify and hopefully remove these bugs. They look like tiny specks about the size ...
  A: Ashleigh: Despite the nice image, there is not enough detail for me to even make an educated guess. ...
tiny black/red crawling insect - do they bite?5/23/2010
  Q: I live in the mid atlantic region and have begun to see very tiny red & black insects on screen door ...
  A: MJ: I strongly suspect that your tiny insects are nymphs (babies) of some kind of true bug in the ...
Assassin bug or not5/23/2010
  Q: Eaton, I live on a almond farm in the Central Valley (CA) and have seen this little critter a few ...
  A: Kevin: I believe it is a member of this genus: http://bugguide.net/node/view/35655 but am not ...
ID a bug5/22/2010
  Q: Northeast Florida. I saw bug which resembled a cigarette ash. I walked on the upside and the ...
  A: Jo: Sorry, forgot to put myself on "vacation" for yesterday.... I suspect that you are describing ...
Assassin bug or not5/19/2010
  Q: Eaton, I live on a almond farm in the Central Valley (CA) and have seen this little critter a few ...
  A: Kevin: I don't think this is any kind of assassin bug, but the image is so poor that I can't be ...
What sort of spider could this be?5/19/2010
  Q: I live in southwest Georgia in the US and we will occasionally get these large tan/light brown ...
  A: Kandace: Well, there are lots of possibilities. Recluse spiders are not that "large," by the way, ...
Biting?5/18/2010
  Q: I live in Houston, TX. I fighting some kind of bite bug. I think it may be a Parasites, worms, and ...
  A: Chuck: I'm sorry, but you give me absolutely nothing helpful here. Unless you have actually SEEN ...
what Larvae is it?5/17/2010
  Q: I live in northern Ohio. While digging in flower bed, came across a number of brown larvae 1 1/2 - ...
  A: Peter: I wonder if maybe you have unearthed moth pupae instead of larvae. Specifically, I wonder ...
carpet beetles and larva5/17/2010
  Q: Good morning Mr. Eaton, I am coming to a breaking point mentally. I grew up in a very clean home ...
  A: Ashley: Carpet beetle larvae feed pretty much exclusively on dried animal matter, including, but ...
Strange nest?5/16/2010
  Q: I have structural posts that have 3/8 inch holes drilled in them to accommodate recessed screws. I ...
  A: Jim: You give a great description of the nest of a leafcutter bee in the genus Megachile, family ...
Ladybug? Need help IDing.5/16/2010
  Q: We just moved to Richmond, VA about 5 months ago. We have met all sorts of new bugs, but this one is ...
  A: Carrie: Ok, though the image is blurry, it clearly depicts a couple of nymphs (babies, immatures, ...
Tiny red spiders5/15/2010
  Q: I live in NJ and recently noticed teeny-tiny red spiders in my back yard. They are everywhere; on ...
  A: Debbie: They are MITES, not spiders (though both are arachnids). My standard answer in the past ...
Western USA large black ground beetle5/15/2010
  Q: ID? I've lived in many locations west of the Rockies, and these big black beetles (pretty slow) ...
  A: Nancy: Well, these beetles are most common in the arid western U.S., so don't expect to see them ...
mini cockroaches5/14/2010
  Q: I'm tifa from Asia We just transferred to a new apartment. Is there mini cockroaches or is it ...
  A: Tifa: Well, the answer is "yes" to both questions. Yes, there are many types of cockroaches; and ...
nest or hive5/14/2010
  Q: i have a nest or a hive on my house, where a bees nest would be, and its blue white and red swirls ...
  A: Kelly: Ok, then it is the nest of the aerial yellowjacket, Dolichovespula arenaria, which is black ...
BEE'S!5/13/2010
  Q: ....
  A: Chloe :-) I think you did the right thing by standing still. The bee was most likely just curious, ...
weird "bee"5/12/2010
  Q: My students saw an orange-colored bee-like insect with wings, stripes, and orange eyes that was ...
  A: Sara: Not sure I can be of much help here. There are many species of bees in your area, most of ...
Baby Grasshoppers5/11/2010
  Q: I have been out of town for 2 weeks, live in Florida and came home to my laundry room and kitchen ...
  A: Ren: Well, if they are green and grasshopper-like, they could still be one of several different ...
nest or hive5/11/2010
  Q: i have a nest or a hive on my house, where a bees nest would be, and its blue white and red swirls ...
  A: Kelly: Well, it is indeed a nest, the nest of some kind of yellowjacket in the family Vespidae. ...
bright orange bodied bug/spider5/10/2010
  Q: There is a strange spider hanging from the window sill in my bathroom. It has a small narrow bright ...
  A: Melissa: No worries, the insect in your image is a baby "leaf-footed bug" in the family Coreidae. ...
Found few small black insects similar to ladybug5/10/2010
  Q: I just moved to this apt month ago in Brooklyn, NY . It looks clean with wooden floors etc. white ...
  A: Mark: No apologies necessary for either killing the beetle(s); or for the image quality. I can ...
Could you identify this for me?5/9/2010
  Q: "Hi, I live in Perth, Western Australia and my sister had this bug following her around the house ...
  A: G'day, Karen! Thank you for including the image with your question. I can assure you that it is ...
Burrowing insects5/8/2010
  Q: When viewing our recently planted lawn to check on the new grass growth we noticed about half a ...
  A: Surprise! Oh, wait, that's where you're from...sorry :-) Well, many kinds of insects and spiders ...
unknown beetle5/7/2010
  Q: I found this beetle out side of my house in Jacksonville FL. What kind of beetle is it and my wife ...
  A: James: I happened to be online, not normally this fast at responding.... The insect in the image ...
weird bugs5/7/2010
  Q: hey i been seeing this weird bug that been in my house i have seen several of them they look weird ...
  A: May I call you Ishmael? I think you asked that in the opening line of "Moby Dick." :-) Sorry, on ...
beetle infestation5/7/2010
  Q: all kinds of rubbish, he had his dog removed 2 year ago because of the living conditions the council ...
  A: Catherine: Oh, my, you have my sympathy for your situation. Unfortunately, I am not that familiar ...
.5cm black bug ID request5/6/2010
  Q: NE Ohio 0.5cm black bug. It had a shiny smooth blackish body shaped like a trillion cut stone or ...
  A: Jen: I'm sorry, but there are LOTS of insects that fit your description. Plus, I don't know what a ...
bugs/spider5/6/2010
  Q: why a "black widow" killed the male spider after done making love?
  A: Ardy: The female black widow (genus Latrodectus) does not always wait until after mating to kill ...
bug identification5/5/2010
  Q: We recently found this cool-looking caterpillar while my son's class was on a field trip at Space ...
  A: Trish: Thank you for including the image with your question. That helps a great deal. It is ...
Strange earwig-like beetle.5/5/2010
  Q: I've seen these a couple of times but only in my own house. It looks like a pitch black earwig, but ...
  A: Josh: You are most likely describing some kind of "rove beetle" in the family Staphylinidae. These ...
bug larve in toilet5/4/2010
  Q: I have been noticing a really strange foul odor coming from my toilet,I clean it all the time and ...
  A: Gee, Megan, thanks for that visual. LOL! :-) I hasten to add that for every question like this ...
Mystery Beetle5/3/2010
  Q: Today (May 3rd) at noon I was outside my house in Southeast Michigan. A bug flew and land on the ...
  A: Elliot: I actually may know this one! LOL! Well, it can be confounding sometimes when I don't ...
cant figure this bug out5/2/2010
  Q: Okay, so i have noticed this bug off and on for the past 3 years. I haven't seen them in the winter ...
  A: Jennifer: I'm afraid that without a specimen, or at least a reasonably clear image, I can't begin ...
orange mystery bug/beetle?5/2/2010
  Q: The abdomen on this looks a rove beetle to me, based on pictures in your book (p.201), but I really ...
  A: Mark: Nice shot of a female flower longhorned beetle, family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lepturinae. ...
Unidentified Spidey5/2/2010
  Q: I live in Courtenay, British Columbia. A while ago I was picking out a rock face next to a small ...
  A: Barry: I rather doubt they were spiders. First, spiders are generally very intolerant of each ...
what bug is it?5/1/2010
  Q: on April 30 2010 {yesterday} my friend and i were at CBS {Clermont builders supply} when we saw a ...
  A: Riley: You give me lots of information here, EXCEPT for telling me the exact geographic location ...
Strange Yellow jacket Behavior5/1/2010
  Q: So about 5 days ago a lone yellow jacket showed up on my balcony (I live in a 3rd floor apartment) ...
  A: James: Yeah, you can let her go just about anywhere. She should become energetic again and then ...
Strange Yellow jacket Behavior5/1/2010
  Q: So about 5 days ago a lone yellow jacket showed up on my balcony (I live in a 3rd floor apartment) ...
  A: James: Without knowing a geographic location, I'm not sure I can help. It may not be a ...
Bug ID4/30/2010
  Q: Insect found on concrete pad in Warsaw,IN around 7:30 a.m., 4/30/10. Not moving; but alive.
  A: Brad: Thank you for including the nice image with your question. Leaves no doubt as to what you ...
Red flying bug - VA4/29/2010
  Q: Here is a follow up with more detail. I've never studied insect identification, and I only saw the ...
  A: Matt: My previous answer still stands, with "sawfly" and "ichneumon wasp" at the top of the list. ...
red & black winged insect4/29/2010
  Q: I saw a beautiful small winged insect in Charlottesville, Virginia on April 26, 2010 at around 4:00 ...
  A: Matt: Well, no, color by itself is not "diagnostic." In fact, I can think of multiple candidates ...
Can't Identify4/28/2010
  Q: My mom found this bug in her bed this afternoon. As you can see it has a couple of blood stains ...
  A: Nae: The image is very blurry, so I can't be absolutely positive, but it looks to be the larva of a ...
identify green flying insect4/28/2010
  Q: I live in Southern California. Recently noticed a bright green flying insect that has entered my ...
  A: Jill: Man, I hate it when I go to the trouble of explaining something in-depth and then find out ...
green beetle4/28/2010
  Q: I work in central Austin TX. Yesterday (Apr. 26 2010) taking my class on a walk (afternoon) we saw ...
  A: Melanie: Unfortunately there are a LOT of iridescent green beetles in the world, especially in ...
Black Bugs on Eggs4/27/2010
  Q: One day I walking along my yard and spotted some dozen yellow butterfly eggs under a leaf on my ...
  A: Daisy: I'm sorry, but without seeing the eggs and insects, or at least a clear image of them, I am ...
Tiny Brown Bugs4/27/2010
  Q: My wife noticed a large number (hundreds, maybe thousands) of very tiny (head of a pin tiny) ...
  A: Mike: Forgive me for making an example out of you, but please, ask your question BEFORE you resort ...
identify green flyinh insect4/27/2010
  Q: I live in Southern California. Recently noticed a bright green flying insect that has entered my ...
  A: Jill: I am almost positive that you are describing an insect known as a "green lacewing" in the ...
water critter4/26/2010
  Q: I have showing up in my very small pond a little creature that is about 1" long body and equally ...
  A: Ed: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. I would have given you a totally wrong ...
Can't ID this spider anywhere...4/26/2010
  Q: Unfortunately, I don't have a picture to be able to show you just a description. So the story, here ...
  A: Jen: Sounds like you are a single mom? My hat is off to you if so. My mom raised me ...
What is this?4/26/2010
  Q: two days ago my roommate and I noticed these two brown spots on our ceiling by our window in our ...
  A: Sami: Hard to judge by the image (it lacks detail, but I know that is probably unavoidable), but it ...
clematis destruction4/25/2010
  Q: Yesterday I discovered that something had completely eaten through one clematis vine, leaving the ...
  A: Barbara: Chances are that the "pest" is some kind of caterpillar that feeds at night and hides by ...
What is this?4/24/2010
  Q: I can't seem to find this anywhere, what is it?
  A: John: Any chance you can say "please?" Any chance you can tell me where on the planet you found ...
Wolf spider behavior4/23/2010
  Q: Eric, I'm attaching a rather unremarkable image of what I believe to be a female wolf spider with ...
  A: Jeff: Spiders (and insects for that matter) seem pretty resilient when submerged. I've collected ...
unknown spider like bug4/23/2010
  Q: My wife found this spider like bug in her hair yesterday afternoon and we are trying to determine ...
  A: Josh: Ah, well, the creature in the image is a tick, most likely the "American dog tick," ...
speak to class4/22/2010
  Q: I am an Intern at Dekalb Tech. college. I am doing internship at the Friend's School in Decatur. ...
  A: Alba: I am afraid I can't do that. Certainly not for free. I am unemployed at the moment and am ...
Bug ID4/22/2010
  Q: I had taken a picture of a bug about 2 years back while a Himaliyan Trek. I tried to search for ...
  A: Mayank: Thanks for including the lovely image with your question. The insect is a "leaf beetle" in ...
Carpenter Ants4/20/2010
  Q: I'm living in Eastern Ontario in Canada. I've noticed a large number of foraging carpenter ants in ...
  A: Jay: I've never heard of the behavior you describe (re: the toilet). I suppose the ants *could* ...
Identify VERY Tiny Spiders/Ticks4/19/2010
  Q: We live in Central NY. After being on our front porch a few minutes ago (4/19/10), we noticed we had ...
  A: Jim: Nice image, especially considering how tiny they are! They are mites, most likely "red clover ...
Leafy grean beetle/assassin bug?4/9/2010
  Q: I live in California in the bay area and today (around noon)I went out in my backyard and caught a ...
  A: Michael: Well, if it has beak-like mouthparts then it almost has to bee some kind of stink bug in ...
little flying black bugs on my comforter4/8/2010
  Q: I live outside of Boston and at night when I am home I have found every few weeks or so (including ...
  A: Allison: I got up later:-) The gnats would not be breeding in your bedding. They require high ...
weird bug4/8/2010
  Q: I have seen this bug a few times now the first time it was in my carpet right outside my bathroom ...
  A: Brittaney: If they are not silverfish, then I have no idea without seeing at least a clear, ...
little flying black bugs on my comforter4/8/2010
  Q: I live outside of Boston and at night when I am home I have found every few weeks or so (including ...
  A: Allison: My, you are up late! LOL! I think I have an answer for you, though.... Sounds like you ...
Large, black, flying ... beetle?4/7/2010
  Q: Eric, I live in Vista, CA which is southern along the coast. I was at home this afternoon when I ...
  A: Amanda: You are most likely describing a male carpenter bee, Xylocopa californica. Males hover ...
beetle id4/7/2010
  Q: Found this beetle a few days ago in a field of grass and flowers, in Redding, northern Ca. I went ...
  A: Mark: Thank you for including the image with your question; and thank you for using the "Kaufman ...
furry flying insect4/7/2010
  Q: i wonder if you could help. I live in Fobbing, Essex near some woods, i was putting some stuff away ...
  A: Dave: Ok, from your description alone I can almost guarantee you are describing a "bee fly" in the ...
Borer(?)4/6/2010
  Q: Forgot to attach photo
  A: Cameron: I am answering this question and will send an auto-rejection to the other one since it ...
Stryped Mystery Ant4/5/2010
  Q: I found a group of about 50-80 ants in my house today. Most of them were the same 1/4 inch black ...
  A: Davis: For whatever reason, I only now received your question. Maybe the Easter holiday or ...
Large, dark brown bugs4/5/2010
  Q: Okay, I have lived in Southern Indiana for a few years now and I thought I had seen these before. ...
  A: Jacqueline: Ok, from your description I would agree that they are Oriental cockroaches, Blatta ...
Unknown Beetle4/5/2010
  Q: Found this beetle like bug in my front yard and I'm not sure what it is--I've never seen anything ...
  A: BBDink: Thank you for including the clear picture with your question. Leaves no doubt what you ...
jumping-jack ID4/4/2010
  Q: hallo, location: bulgaria, 10 miles from shopres of black sea. the specimen behaves like a ...
  A: Sue: Thank you for including the image with your question. I would not have gotten the correct ...
Little help with bug ID...4/3/2010
  Q: So this is the second one of these little bugs that I've found in my house in southern Missouri. ...
  A: Rob: Despite the condition of the creature in the image, I can conclusively tell you it is a "house ...
Ant- Scorpion4/3/2010
  Q: A red and black ant with a stinger like a scorpion, small. It was in Camp Verde Arizona by a flood ...
  A: Tasha: Ok, you are likely describing either an earwig, or a "rove beetle," both of which are ...
Flying insects on firewood4/2/2010
  Q: .today it was exceptionally warm. I walked past my wood pile and it was swarming with wasp looking ...
  A: Gloria: Ok, I think I have a couple of suspects for you. This early in the year it narrows the ...
Identify Bug4/2/2010
  Q: Found a bug on 4/1 in late afternoon inside curtain by front door. the bug appears to have an ant ...
  A: Keith: You really don't give me near enough information to help you. I need to know *specifically* ...
Mymaridae3/31/2010
  Q: My house (we live in the south of Scotland) was invaded by Mymaridae several times last year, from ...
  A: Andrea: Well, I am perplexed. "Fairy flies," which is the common name for Mymaridae, are parasites ...
Mystery Bugs3/29/2010
  Q: I have recently seen some small bugs in my bedroom, they are about 3-5mm long, small head, oval ...
  A: Ellie: I'd venture to say easily 50% of the questions I receive pertain to the pest you describe: ...
black bug with blue back bites3/29/2010
  Q: the bug that just bit my daughter sounds like the one you described. Did you ever figure out what it ...
  A: Rachel: I'm sorry, but I have no idea what previous answer you are referencing. If you have the ...
brown widow spider3/23/2010
  Q: I live in inland So. Calif. I'm an organic gardener with a big drought tolerant garden, so naturally ...
  A: Sheila: Great question! So nice to hear from an intelligent, conscientious woman:-) Glad you have ...
Very Tiny Ladybug Like Creature3/22/2010
  Q: Twice now I have found a ladybug like creature crawling around my home on the walls. They're very ...
  A: Heather: You give a perfect description of a carpet beetle in the genus Anthrenus, family ...
oval wooden cocoon3/22/2010
  Q: i live in the united kingdom i was in my garden and i was removing some wooden log roll.on the back ...
  A: Darren: I wish you had taken an image, too, because I really can't help you without one. Further, ...
stag beetle3/12/2010
  Q: Yesterday, I observed a stag beetle larvae in scrub habitat of Juno Dunes Natural area. Are stag ...
  A: Sam: I don't know why they would *not* be in south Florida. There may even be endemic species ...
warehouse beetle/drain beetle3/12/2010
  Q: Eric, I have been battling beetles and their larvae in my kitchen for three years. The beetles are ...
  A: You're welcome, Amanda:-) Nice illustrations in that link! Well, you must have carpet beetles of ...
An entomology book?3/12/2010
  Q: I sincerely apologize if this is not the correct place to ask, but I am a biology college student ...
  A: Megan: Actually, I can help you with no problem. You might want to start with my own book, the ...
warehouse beetle/drain beetle3/11/2010
  Q: Eric, I have been battling beetles and their larvae in my kitchen for three years. The beetles are ...
  A: Amanda: Well, there is no such thing as a "drain beetle," and without seeing specimens, or at least ...
Insects in my apartment3/10/2010
  Q: I live in a high-rise apartment building in downtown Chicago. I found a couple of insects ...
  A: Dmitri: Well, the two beetles are definitely unrelated, but both are "stored product pests" that ...
Nests around casement windows3/10/2010
  Q: I usually find mud dauber nests around my casement windows. Last year and just today, I found ...
  A: Gray: The wasps generally nest in old beetle borings in dead wood, not live trees....Yes, that ...
mumbug3/9/2010
  Q: This conglomeration of tiny creatures is currently infesting a new growth of mums. They don't seem ...
  A: Mark: Wow, that is one of the best images anyone has ever sent with their question! Nice work.... ...
Tiny bugs in windows3/8/2010
  Q: Eric: Every fall, 1000s of tiny bugs get through the screens of the windows in the rear of our ...
  A: Greg: Thank you very much for the image! Now I know for certain what you have ...
Greyish brown beetle?3/8/2010
  Q: Eric, I live in central Indiana. Since late October I've had some unusual creatures visiting me. ...
  A: Marsha: Oh, ok, that does make a difference! The image is of an adult "western conifer seed bug," ...
Tiny bugs in windows3/8/2010
  Q: Eric: Every fall, 1000s of tiny bugs get through the screens of the windows in the rear of our ...
  A: Greg: Forgive me, but I must say right off that people should NEVER use chemical controls unless 1) ...
Nests around casement windows3/7/2010
  Q: I usually find mud dauber nests around my casement windows. Last year and just today, I found ...
  A: Gray: Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about! You are describing a single nest of a ...
grub in soil3/6/2010
  Q: In soil below shrubs, Eugene Oregon, we've found white "grubs" one inch long, no hairs or legs, flat ...
  A: Since slugs are not insects (or even arthropods), I can't answer that question. Only insect larvae ...
Greyish brown beetle?3/5/2010
  Q: Eric, I live in central Indiana. Since late October I've had some unusual creatures visiting me. ...
  A: Marsha: An image of one would really help, but I would still suspect a stink bug, perhaps this one: ...
Unidentified silver insect3/3/2010
  Q: I am unsure of the insect that was lurking around my house (in NM). I only found one last Saturday, ...
  A: Kandice: Interesting. This is the second question I have received in about two weeks that would ...
Brown Powdery Bug3/3/2010
  Q: I was sitting on my bed when i saw this tiny about 1/4 inch brown bug crawling along my bed. it ...
  A: Mathew: I think what you are describing is probably the debris-carrying larva of a "green ...
grub in soil3/2/2010
  Q: In soil below shrubs, Eugene Oregon, we've found white "grubs" one inch long, no hairs or legs, flat ...
  A: Jane & Ernie: I grew up in Portland, but I don't remember "grubs" as you describe....My initial ...
crickets3/2/2010
  Q: I am in AZ. Do brown crickets bite? My foot swelled up over night and thats the only thing I seen ...
  A: Lisa: All insects bite, otherwise they could not eat! Well, not entirely true, there are some ...
Wood Boring Beetle?3/1/2010
  Q: I found the larvae pictured in some dead fir stump and later saw the beetle a few hundred feet away ...
  A: Kevin: Saw that you were able to upload the images to Bugguide, thank you. I may do a blog about ...
Wood Boring Beetle?3/1/2010
  Q: I found the larvae pictured in some dead fir stump and later saw the beetle a few hundred feet away ...
  A: Kevin: Thank you for including the terrific images with your question! It is certainly possible ...
mystery bug3/1/2010
  Q: We have a ton of these bugs at our home. They are in the house and on the exterior of the home. They ...
  A: Sarah: Hello from a native Oregonian (Portland). Nice to hear from a fellow northwesterner.... ...
Identification2/28/2010
  Q: My uncle found this weird bug, it has 3 strings coming out of a scorpion like abdomen and 4 wings. ...
  A: David: Thank you for including the image with your question. I can tell you it is an adult female ...
Tick? Flea? Something else?2/28/2010
  Q: I found this insect on my pillow right by where my dogs was just sleeping. Ick! It doesn't look like ...
  A: Alisha: Thank you for attaching the clear image with your question. I can conclusively tell you it ...
Carpet Beetle larvae or Warehouse Beetle larvae2/26/2010
  Q: I purchased a bounty chocolate bar on January 30 from a convenience store. My husband and I were ...
  A: Sylvie: Well, both the clinic and Ag Canada are correct. The "warehouse beetle," Trogoderma ...
question about beetles and how their size is determined...2/25/2010
  Q: Eaton, I have some dried mounted specimens of some ground carabid and scavenger type beetles. I ...
  A: Charley: Yes, you are quite correct about the amount and quality of food eaten by a larva ...
Curiousity2/25/2010
  Q: I was in my shower and I seen a bug crawl out. I am not sure what it was , so I was curious... It ...
  A: Kristy: I think you are probably describing a small "house centipede," Scutigera coleoptrata. Here ...
Tiny Silver Bug2/23/2010
  Q: I just saw a ti-tiny bug in my daughter's laundry hamper. it was crawling on her mattress cover. ...
  A: Jessica: Hard to pin this one down, but it sounds most like a young (immature) silverfish, family ...
coccoons2/23/2010
  Q: we have a strange coccoon growing in our garden shed, it is spherical with what appears to be a ...
  A: Maureen: Oh, ok....LOL! Good thing you included the nice, clear image with your question. This is ...
many catapillars on patio2/22/2010
  Q: Im in southern California...since our rain..I have MANY dark colored catapillars crawling from the ...
  A: Pat: Ok, thank you for the image. From the picture, and the more specific description, I can ...
many catapillars on patio2/22/2010
  Q: Im in southern California...since our rain..I have MANY dark colored catapillars crawling from the ...
  A: Pat: You are probably describing some species of millipede, class Diplopoda. I know that there are ...
Small Bugs in Dirty Laundry2/21/2010
  Q: Today, I went to wash clothes when I noticed some tiny bugs on a piece of clothing (underwear). ...
  A: Ashely: Again, the only clothing that would be vulnerable would be those pieces made of wool, silk, ...
Small Bugs in Dirty Laundry2/21/2010
  Q: Today, I went to wash clothes when I noticed some tiny bugs on a piece of clothing (underwear). ...
  A: Ashely: We have to stop flirting like this:-) I'm kidding, sorry! Seriously, no worries about ...
Small Bugs in Dirty Laundry2/20/2010
  Q: Today, I went to wash clothes when I noticed some tiny bugs on a piece of clothing (underwear). ...
  A: Ashely: Yes, they do sound like carpet beetle larvae, which feed only on dry animal matter. This ...
stink bug2/20/2010
  Q: I am from Ontario Canada. Last night I was putting my daughter to bed, around 7:30pm, I went to put ...
  A: Amanda: Much as I deplore the "kill first, ask questions later" mentality, I will go ahead and ...
assassin beetle2/19/2010
  Q: I was bitten by this beetle while sitting in bed almost 3 1/2 years ago. The itching at the bite ...
  A: Gina: I'm afraid this is more of a medical question, or at least one for a "medical entomologist." ...
Kitchen bug2/18/2010
  Q: I have found it in my kitchen in places such as my cutlery drawer, in my cook book, in a box of ...
  A: Cindy: Thank you for including the remarkable image with your question. Given the size of these ...
Ichneumon wasp bite2/16/2010
  Q: I was laying in bed with my family in northern California and we had noticed it flying around the ...
  A: Christine: Well, some ichneumon wasps *can* sting, so apparently that is what happened. She (the ...
Strange weird thing2/15/2010
  Q: Ok so I'm not to sure if u can tell me what this thing is since i live in Australia, but i was ...
  A: G'day, Allyshia! Thank you for giving such an excellent description. I know what you are talking ...
Caribbean red spider2/14/2010
  Q: Can you identify this reddish spider that was in my villa in the British Virgin Islands? It came out ...
  A: Karen: Thanks for including the image with your question....Most folks aren't so brave. I swear ...
Gorgeous little worm thing2/12/2010
  Q: Eric! I am sending a picture of this gorgeous little thing that I found on a blue green anise ...
  A: Jenny:-) I'm embarrassed to say I don't remember your "volcano cake spider," either.....Do you have ...
Beetle or roach2/11/2010
  Q: I found about 5 of these roaming in my house this morn. I found them in the kitchen but not sure if ...
  A: Vern: Thank you for including the image with your question, it helps immensely. You are correct ...
Tiny bug with long pinchers2/11/2010
  Q: I found a very tiny black bug this morning on my bathroom wall. It was smaller then my pinky nail ...
  A: Leah: You give a perfect description of a little arachnid known as a "pseudoscorpion." There are ...
beetles that burn holes2/10/2010
  Q: What are the names of beetles that when threatened will make perfect round burn holes out of a ...
  A: Well, unfortunately I can't be of further help without seeing actual specimens, and even then it ...
Unusual Spider-help with ID, please?2/10/2010
  Q: Eric! I found this beautiful spider on my bedroom ceiling, on Feb. 7, 2010. The time was just after ...
  A: Maggie: Nice to meet a fellow spider-lover:-) Most folks I hear from "kill first and ask questions ...
What is this?2/9/2010
  Q: I'm in Utah. These little bugs have been invading my apartment. They are surprisingly fast, but ...
  A: Chris: Thank you for including the image with your question. Unfortunately, it is totally useless. ...
Single Cell Wasp Nest2/9/2010
  Q: While recently cleaning out a storage facility I came across several different types of wasp nests. ...
  A: Ivy: First, you don't tell me where you live, but I'll assume North America? Without seeing at ...
Black line bugs in the shower2/9/2010
  Q: I have seen along the lower grout line in the shower bugs that look like thin black lines that are ...
  A: Meg: I have received plenty of questions along this line over the years, but until recently could ...
spiders2/8/2010
  Q: Will a spider be poisoned by walking on something that has been sprayed with a pesticide or do they ...
  A: Cathy: Good question! Since spiders (and insects, too, for that matter) groom themselves ...
Nest Identification2/7/2010
  Q: I apologize for the mystery identification request, but we found this nest today while performing ...
  A: Matt: There are actually two nests in the image, one very small one built upon an older, larger ...
mystery beetle/insect2/6/2010
  Q: Found this guy crawling on the wall from behind our stove in February, in north central Indiana. He ...
  A: Steve: You are clearly describing the "larder beetle," Dermestes lardarius, family Dermestidae. ...
What kind is he?2/6/2010
  Q: My boyfriend works in a factory and found this locust on a material box. The box came from new ...
  A: Rachel: Thanks for including the image with your question! The grasshopper is a member of the ...
Nocturnal Insect - In winter2/5/2010
  Q: I have recorded an Insect that flies at night, is about 1/4 of an inch across when stationary, and ...
  A: Michael: Many species of moths are active in winter in New England, but I would have to see a ...
can you tell me what this is2/4/2010
  Q: i was wondering if you could tell me what kind of insect this is? It looks like a cross between a ...
  A: Chris: You have not given me nearly enough information to help you identify this creature. What ...
beetles that burn holes2/1/2010
  Q: What are the names of beetles that when threatened will make perfect round burn holes out of a ...
  A: Ellen: There are many kinds of beetles that can exude or blast noxious chemicals when under ...
Bug Identification Request1/31/2010
  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: I'm afraid I can't make an identification without seeing actual specimens, or at least a ...
Assistant with Identification - Spider1/31/2010
  Q: We found the attache spider in our bed a few nights ago when we turned the sheets down. The large ...
  A: Melissa: Thank you for including the image with your question. I can make a conclusive ID thanks ...
Bug found in cake mix1/29/2010
  Q: Found a bug in a cake mix that has two T shaped markings on its under body. It has black wings with ...
  A: Aaron: I have to laugh, as your question is a first. Have heard of insects being in just about ...
spider with pincers?1/26/2010
  Q: Have found tiny insect, body width 1/16" x .090" but with long "pincers" to the front the length ...
  A: Brenda: No need for an image, your description can fit only one creature I know of: a ...
small white caterpillar-like larvae in bathroom1/25/2010
  Q: I live in northern England in an old Victorian house (for 10 years) and have recently started ...
  A: Stefanie: Thank you for including the image with your question. Unfortunately, there is not enough ...
extremely small black bug single red stripe?1/24/2010
  Q: (not sure if that will help identify the bug.) anyway to the point. I have discovered an extremely ...
  A: Ashley: Your description does not fit anything I can think of off the top of my head.... My guess ...
mystery bug1/24/2010
  Q: Okay I live in a log cabin in Ohio. I recently had these bugs appear and they are driving me insane. ...
  A: Kayla: I guess I don't know how to "zoom" in on your image, but it is clear enough to tell me that ...
Winter Hornet1/24/2010
  Q: It is the middle of January in NYS, and I found a hornet crawling on my kitchen faucet. I caught ...
  A: Marie: Aw-w-w, it is so nice of you to be so considerate of an insect that most people kill on ...
white tiny insects with wings1/22/2010
  Q: Recently I have noticed too many tiny moth-like flying insects in my bedroom. The are attracted to ...
  A: LaVerne: I can't think of anything offhand that fits your description. "Moth flies" in the family ...
red spider in upstate NY1/21/2010
  Q: I found a cool red spider in my bathroom this evening, picture attached. I live in Rochester NY and ...
  A: Matt: Thank you for attaching the very nice image with your question. Plenty of detail allows me ...
beetle?1/20/2010
  Q: working on a science project (what tree rings can tell us other than the year) I think we found a ...
  A: Sheala: Thank you for including the image with your question. Even though it is not an entire ...
Jerusalem crickets1/20/2010
  Q: I originally found and searched your site for info on controlling pesky ants and a small termite ...
  A: Dwayne: I appreciate the compliments, thank you. Also wish I could take credit for the website, ...
weeping willow tree1/19/2010
  Q: there are holes in truck and bigger branches some dead already, has little sawdust outside holes ...
  A: Patty: Thanks for having a sense of humor:-) Sometimes when I poke fun at misspellings, people get ...
Mystery Bug/ Beetle1/19/2010
  Q: For the past 2 months I've been finding an odd type of beetle on my bed. Most often it would appear ...
  A: Katie: Always great to hear from folks in Canada:-) No insect has three antennae, so I am ...
weeping willow tree1/18/2010
  Q: there are holes in truck and bigger branches some dead already, has little sawdust outside holes ...
  A: Patty: I had to get a chuckle out of you talking about the tree "truck." You mean tree TRUNK, ...
Beetle from Wood1/17/2010
  Q: I have a wooden piece of furniture that I bought in Morocco 5 years ago (I live in New York City). ...
  A: Mischa: Oh, wow, that is a great beetle, one of the "jewel beetles" in the family Buprestidae. ...
Beetle from Wood1/17/2010
  Q: I have a wooden piece of furniture that I bought in Morocco 5 years ago (I live in New York City). ...
  A: Mischa: I cannot help without seeing at least an image of the insect, and preferably the specimen ...
BUGS1/16/2010
  Q: Hey buddy,that really didn't answer my question. i looked up pretty much all the stored product ...
  A: Dave: You are very wise to the pest control industry! Technicians are usually not well-trained in ...
BUGS1/16/2010
  Q: Hey buddy,that really didn't answer my question. i looked up pretty much all the stored product ...
  A: Dave: Your description fits literally hundreds of kinds of beetles, and might even apply to some ...
bugs1/16/2010
  Q: I have these little all black bugs that have invaded my kitchen and surrounding rooms. they look to ...
  A: Dave: There are many, many kinds of beetles (and other insects) that fall into the category of ...
Bedsheets with white floating feather-like things1/14/2010
  Q: I've had years of off-again, on-again battles with a small feather-like thing (bug, spider??) which ...
  A: Mary: I would need to see specimens of what you are describing in order to be able to help you. My ...
wierd insects1/13/2010
  Q: i recentlu found some silverfish look black insect in my bathroom,they are black and they have 3 ...
  A: The only thing that comes to mind is possibly an earwig of some kind, order Dermaptera. Here is a ...
Wasp?1/10/2010
  Q: I hope I don't sound crazy but.......here goes. I am an electrician and because of the type of work ...
  A: Frani: I'm afraid I can be of no further help; and the latest question you ask is a medical one ...
Wasp?1/9/2010
  Q: I hope I don't sound crazy but.......here goes. I am an electrician and because of the type of work ...
  A: Frani: First, my sincerest wishes for your ability to avoid future stings from any kind of insect. ...
what is it1/7/2010
  Q: I found what I thought was an earthworm crawling on my kitchen floor. When I went to pick it up ...
  A: Kathy: I'm sorry, this is entirely too vague a description for me to be of any help at all. The ...
Bug ID1/7/2010
  Q: I live in Lake Elsinore, California and found this bug in my front yard on a flower during the ...
  A: Rachael: Thank you for including the nice image with your question. The insect is a nymph ...
Marmorated Stink Bug1/6/2010
  Q: I have been googling about this bug tonight and came across your web questions. You state that ...
  A: Debbie: First of all, how do you know that they are marmorated stink bugs? Has an entomologist ...
beetles and ticks1/5/2010
  Q: I found a bug crawling on my back in August, I live near Portland, OR. This bug looked like a large ...
  A: Patty: I grew up in Portland myself (over 20 years), and never once had a tick. East of the ...
gray flying bugs in bedroom in nyc1/3/2010
  Q: i hope i'm asking in the right place and i apologize if i'm not. and i'm sorry i don't yet have a ...
  A: Deeds: I'll get right to it....Yes, you are describing at least two different insects. The larvae ...
periwinkles?12/31/2009
  Q: We used to swim in a stream that had these "bugs" that would crawl on the rocks underwater. We were ...
  A: Teresa: I grew up in Oregon myself, but am not sure what you are referring to.... The only ...
Teach spider class?12/31/2009
  Q: our Master Naturalist chapter in Wheeling, West Virginia is looking for a spider expert to teach a ...
  A: Penny: If you want to fly me out there and cover my other expenses, I suppose I could do it, but ...
Wasp question (hibernation?)12/16/2009
  Q: It's winter over here and the temperatures are slowly dropping into the minus celsius range. ...
  A: Matthew: Well, here in western Massachusetts, USA, it is decidedly winter also! Br-r-r-r-r!! ...
unknown bug12/16/2009
  Q: I live in Florida and I have sand all over my yard. I have noticed that there are tiny bugs that ...
  A: Linda: I think you might be describing "antlions," the larvae of a lovely winged insect, in which ...
Giant Wasp12/15/2009
  Q: In the summer of 1993. Marine Corps Base Twenty-nine Palms, CA. It was lunch time, and very hot ...
  A: William: I'm afraid I have to side with the other entomologists you talked to: tarantula hawk, ...
what is this bug12/13/2009
  Q: This bug was found almost dead on Bordeaux Mountain, St John, United States Virgin Islands. The ...
  A: Carol: Ok, I'll answer, provided you take me on vacation with you next time you go there:-) Thank ...
Strange spider12/11/2009
  Q: Found this spider on our eave. (the eave is approximately 3 1/2 inches per slat. This pic was taken ...
  A: Krista: Thanks for including the image with your question, as it leaves no doubt what spider this ...
little orange bugs12/11/2009
  Q: For the last 6 months i have been getting bumps that iche really bad and my room is in the basement ...
  A: Samantha: I cannot reach any conclusions based on your brief description, let alone make any ...
Roach?12/7/2009
  Q: I was at work yesterday and what I thought was a roach came crawling down the wall. However, this ...
  A: Jessica: Ok, well it certainly does not sound like a cockroach, at least none that I am familiar ...
Wasp Nest ID12/3/2009
  Q: I just moved to Idaho (north of Boise) and have this wasp nest in the tree out in the back yard. It ...
  A: Lynn: This happens frequently: falling leaves expose a wasp nest that nobody knew was there while ...
little black bug12/3/2009
  Q: I have been seeing a little black bug in my bathroom. Its about the size of what I call a p... ...
  A: Gale: Well, I really can't help you given such a vague description. You also don't tell me ...
Small golden bug12/2/2009
  Q: I found it on a Sunday around 3 pm when I removed my comforter from my bed to clean the sheets. It ...
  A: Julian: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. I can definitely tell you that it is ...
flat round tiny bug12/1/2009
  Q: I am in Hesperia, CA (high desert/Mojave). Last night, on top of our bed's comforter I noticed a ...
  A: Michelle: Could be almost anything, from the nymph of a tick to a true bug, to the larva of a ...
Looks Like a Grasshopper crossed with a stink bug11/30/2009
  Q: We just moved into a new house in the country in South Texas, and no matter what time of day we go ...
  A: Kira: I have no idea what you are talking about from your description, but many insects bask on ...
Roach?11/23/2009
  Q: I was at work yesterday and what I thought was a roach came crawling down the wall. However, this ...
  A: Jessica: Without a lot more information (like where on the planet you saw this thing), I can't ...
Weird white bug11/20/2009
  Q: I found a bunch of bugs on my gardenia bush in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Looks like a nymph stage of some ...
  A: Lynette: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. This is a bit complicated, so bear ...
spider11/20/2009
  Q: I was walking in a grassy area surrounded by trees and a creek nearby on 11/16/09 around 2pm in the ...
  A: Melanie: First off, how wonderful to get a letter from anyone, especially a woman, describing a ...
Need Help Classifying Chrysomelidae11/19/2009
  Q: My name is Joshua and I'm a student in an Honors Biology Class in Utah. We have been assigned to ...
  A: Joshua: Well, I am most impressed that you were able to even get this to family. Not sure if your ...
Bug identification11/18/2009
  Q: What kind of bug has long "L" shaped (turned backward)legs; "L" comes from the body. It has the ...
  A: Barbara: You are definitely describing "camel crickets," which are not true crickets, but are ...
Drugstore/Cigarette Beetles?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: Well, without seeing specimens of the beetle in question, or at least clear images of one, I ...
not quite a grasshopper11/16/2009
  Q: I live in maryland and was recently awoken to a strange bug crawling on my hand. It was about 1" ...
  A: Carrie: I think you are probably describing some kind of "camel cricket," which is not a true ...
Spider in my son's room11/12/2009
  Q: Sorry for the horrible resolution. My camera battery was dying, plus the spider was in an area where ...
  A: Marcy: You are correct, I can't make a positive identification from these images. LOL! BUT, I can ...
what is this bug11/12/2009
  Q: I saw worm-like creatures on my back doorstep last week. They are about one inch long, dark brown ...
  A: Paula: You are definitely describing some kind of millipede, which is not an insect, or even an ...
Silverfish way out of its range?11/11/2009
  Q: Do Grassiella wheeleri, or any other Nicoletiidae, occur in Northern Virginia? In the early ...
  A: Peter: No, I don't know anyone offhand who is studying myrmecophiles, though a quick Google search ...
Silverfish way out of its range?11/11/2009
  Q: Do Grassiella wheeleri, or any other Nicoletiidae, occur in Northern Virginia? In the early ...
  A: Peter: Well, this is one group of insects (or near-insects depending on which authority one ...
unknown insect11/11/2009
  Q: I came across a black oval/ slug shaped insect crawling across the floor at our office. It was ...
  A: Ron: This is a perfect example of why images attached to questions are so helpful.... Ok, try ...
white worm11/10/2009
  Q: I live in WV and I just started turning on the heaters, so it is cold outside and warm in my home. I ...
  A: April: Well, you are definitely describing an insect larva of some kind. If it has a head capsule ...
unknown insect11/10/2009
  Q: I came across a black oval/ slug shaped insect crawling across the floor at our office. It was ...
  A: Ron: Oh, ok, I think I know what you are describing: the caterpillar of the "household ...
Beetle ID please11/9/2009
  Q: We found what we believe to be a beetle in our bathroom this morning (10 am), 11/9/09. It was on ...
  A: Jennifer: It is not a beetle, but a "true bug" in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera. ...
Spider in Cyprus11/9/2009
  Q: Whilst at my parents house in Cyprus we were walking barefoot and quite carefree through their ...
  A: John: Thanks for including the image with your question. There is no doubt that it is a "wolf ...
Mystery bug invasion11/7/2009
  Q: I've been invaded this fall on my balcony and on the windows and sliders by a roachlike but, dark ...
  A: Cynthia: You don't say 'where' in the U.S. you live, but if it is in the northern half, then you ...
very tiny (mm) black bugs11/7/2009
  Q: These bugs are on a potted hibiscus plant I brought in for the winter. The photos were taken this ...
  A: Crissa: Thank you for including the image with your question. I can clearly tell what you have ...
Insect Indentification11/6/2009
  Q: I have found an insect in my house (Indianapolis area near wooded creek) that I have have never seen ...
  A: Kate: Few insects are so distinctive that a written description leaves no doubt as to what a person ...
Amazon moth?11/5/2009
  Q: Can you help with identification of this critter photographed close to the jungle floor along the ...
  A: Karen: Take me with you when you next go down there, please:-) This is a planthopper in the family ...
Honduran cicada?11/5/2009
  Q: On September 8, 2007 I noted this (and numerous other identical) insects all laying eggs in similar ...
  A: Karen: Wow, that is really something! My hat is off to you for taking it the extra step. Nice ...
Honduran cicada?11/5/2009
  Q: On September 8, 2007 I noted this (and numerous other identical) insects all laying eggs in similar ...
  A: Karen: Thank you for including your own image with your question. It is definitely NOT a cicada. ...
identification of an interesting beetle11/3/2009
  Q: I am looking to identify this click beetle. I know it is in the family elateridae but would like to ...
  A: Richard: Maybe it is this one: http://bugguide.net/node/view/166743 but I don't know for ...
What is it?11/3/2009
  Q: OK- I am taking care of a riparian trail on the Stanislaus River in Riverbank CA- these things ...
  A: Reva: Thank you for including the image with your question. This is not what I was suspecting when ...
Mite Expert Needed11/2/2009
  Q: I desperately need help finding a mite expert in the Orange County, CA area. Three days ago I ...
  A: Carla: I would recommend contacting the entomology department at UC Riverside to see if they have ...
This bug was bugging me!11/2/2009
  Q: I live in the northeast part of missouri. I came home from work at about 4:30 in the afternoon and ...
  A: Justin: You give a great description of a "tree cricket" in the genus Oecanthus. Here is more: ...
What is this insect?11/1/2009
  Q: (I'm repeating this because I think the first attempt failed to go. Apologies if already received, ...
  A: Robert: I'm certain that you are describing adults of the "western conifer seed bug," Leptoglossus ...
luminescent pill bug11/1/2009
  Q: ever see a luminescent pill bug? I observed some on our farm in Hershey PA. THey crawl on the ...
  A: Bill: Thank you for including the image with your question. I believe that what is in the image ...
Unknown insect on a white tail deer in New York State.11/1/2009
  Q: I recently got a deer while bow hunting and when I was skinning the deer i noticed that it had a ...
  A: John: You are describing some type of "louse fly" in the bizarre family Hippoboscidae. Most people ...
Indentification question10/30/2009
  Q: We have seen these insects outside in past years, however over the last 4-5 weeks (Aug-Sept)we have ...
  A: R.A.: Thank you for including the image with your question. They are coming in from outside. They ...
Velvet Ants10/30/2009
  Q: What is the 411 on these scary HUGE ants that are not ants? How do I identify the nest? How can I ...
  A: Oh, boy...you are asking the wrong kind of questions....and I don't know what "4-1-1" means... BUT, ...
Bug / Larva / or just a seed10/29/2009
  Q: The past 2 days, Oct 28 / 29, I found hundreds of small seed sized things all over my driveway. I ...
  A: Chad: It would really help to know WHERE in the U.S. you live. Even then, the description is so ...
Bee-like Insect with Pincers10/29/2009
  Q: I found this insect-like thing in my backyard. It is approximately an inch long, and it seems to be ...
  A: Jeff: You are correct with your remark about it being the result of an insect molting. You are ...
Bees/Wasps10/28/2009
  Q: I'm a pilot going to college at Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Florida. I'm in a flight safety class ...
  A: Kylie: This is hands-down one of the best, most thoughtful questions I have ever received. Thank ...
small bug found in my hair10/27/2009
  Q: I live in Northwest Washington, first of all. My scalp has been very itchy for weeks, I was ...
  A: Emily: Well, I'd still have head lice at the top of my suspect list. I'd consider having my ...
Large spider in living room10/27/2009
  Q: I live in Spokane, WA up near the forest. The other day this large black spider came running through ...
  A: Jen: Rest assured neither of the spiders in the image is dangerously venomous to people or pets. ...
Spider Treasure10/25/2009
  Q: She now has created two spider treasures. I'm guessing these hold baby spiders. How many do you ...
  A: Florida: I love the idea of "spider treasure" instead of "egg sac." I may have to use that in a ...
Help identifying a bug10/25/2009
  Q: I live in NY and I found a bug in my bathroom today. I've seen these before, always in the bathroom ...
  A: Madi: Thank you for including the image with your question. If the creature in the image is indeed ...
Unknown Bug10/25/2009
  Q: This bug was in the dirt in my backyard - located near the Angeles National Forest in the San ...
  A: Kara: Thank you for including the nice, clear image with your question! Leaves no doubt as to what ...
Grub Worm10/24/2009
  Q: I did some yard work, and well came across these grub worms... but 3 out of 12 are huge (2 1/2 to 3 ...
  A: Anthony: Gee, thanks for pitting two experts against each other (but thanks for your honesty).... ...
Bug ID10/24/2009
  Q: My co-workers and I found a small hairy wingless bug crawling on a table in our inspection lab. It ...
  A: Stan: The only thing I can think of is the larva of a carpet beetle, family Dermestidae, probably ...
Bug ID10/23/2009
  Q: Wondering if you could ID this bug I think it is a Bloody Conenose Bug - the body looks close But ...
  A: Edwin: This is a "western conifer seed bug," Leptoglossus occidentalis, in the family of ...
bug bite10/23/2009
  Q: I live in Cambridge, Ontario Canada and was in my basement when I got bit by an insect. It was about ...
  A: Kim: Gee, I'm not sure what you are talking about from your description....My best guesses would ...
science project10/23/2009
  Q: and i sent you an e-mail a week or two ago and i seemed to have forgotten my password, please ...
  A: Cooper: I wrote that I do not help with these kinds of questions, and that crickets are a poor ...
Great little spider10/22/2009
  Q: Eric: I sent this but there is no option to attach a picture, that I can find. I'm going to try to ...
  A: Jenny: I need to get on Facebook myself:-) I might "friend" you if you are willing. Meanwhile, ...
bug found in Big Sur10/22/2009
  Q: I was in Big Sur last week and on the path to our yurt, about 8 or 9 pm, we came across this huge ...
  A: Cynthia: What's a "yurt?" No, I'm kidding, thankfully I know that already.... I think you might ...
Powder Post Beetle10/21/2009
  Q: I found evidence of Powder post beetles in some rough sawn cherry lumber in my garage. Is it true ...
  A: Larry: I am not an expert on structural pests, but I did find a website I trust that gives LOTS of ...
insect identification10/21/2009
  Q: Can you identify these? They were found recently on a branch of a tomato plant. The eggs are oval ...
  A: Neal: I don't know what an "image description" is, other than perhaps a "caption," which you wrote ...
tarantulas10/21/2009
  Q: i have a home in paso robles ca... for 4 years i have only seen 1 tarantula, now in the past 4 weeks ...
  A: Linda: At this time of year male tarantulas are wandering in search of mates. That is probably why ...
Sawtoothed Grain Beetle HELP!!!10/20/2009
  Q: I read your answer about this beetle but am in need of further help. I guess you could say I have ...
  A: Sara: You seem to be doing everything correctly, so I suspect that one of the products you ...
spiders10/20/2009
  Q: i have found a spider. it is black,brown and tan.at the top of the legs they are stripped brown and ...
  A: Shawn: Many spiders, like wolf spiders, jumping spiders, ground spiders, sac spiders, ghost ...
we thought it was fleas...but please ID these bugs10/20/2009
  Q: Our dog had fleas and we had the exterminator out 3 Saturdays in a row. Meantime, my 3 kids and I ...
  A: Margo: Well, at least you included an image with your-) The insects in the image look like adult ...
Bugs killing petunias10/19/2009
  Q: Every year I plant petunias in early November. The plants do really well except I lose about 10% due ...
  A: Joe: There are many root-eating insects so without seeing actual specimens I can't identify what ...
Bugs that come out at night10/19/2009
  Q: We have this issue of bugs coming into our home only at night. They're black bugs that are about 1.5 ...
  A: Kris: Thank you for including the image with your question. They are not "bugs" or insects of any ...
Bugs in apartment10/19/2009
  Q: I live in Chicago in a small high-rise (23 floors) on the 16th floor. Recently, I have noticed some ...
  A: Krista: I am quite certain you are describing some kind of beetle, but without seeing actual ...
Life-Span10/18/2009
  Q: Greetings Could you tell me the life span of each invertebrate. 1. Giant Desert Centipede ...
  A: Thomas: The arthropods you list are all commonly available in the pet trade. I do not deal with ...
Beetles?10/18/2009
  Q: Lately, I've been noticing this small flying beetles on the windows of my house; i cant even open my ...
  A: Stefanie: Nice to hear from a fellow Oregonian (I grew up in Portland).... I think you must be ...
small round black bug10/18/2009
  Q: I live in Los Angeles. I see a lot of small round bugs crawling all over my apartment. They are ...
  A: Bonnie: Thanks for including the image with your question. I'm relatively certain this is some ...
Please id this bug!!10/17/2009
  Q: Have noticed this critter alot lately. Please help us identify. Seen in car and home. Los ...
  A: Eunice: Well, rest assured that this is definitely NOT a bed bug. Thanks to your image I can ...
Wasp Nest?10/17/2009
  Q: I was cutting dead flower heads off a Cleveland Sage in my Walnut Creek, California garden when I ...
  A: Tom: That is actually a cluster of eggs that have already hatched. Most likely they were the eggs ...
tiny fuzzy worm/larva/?10/16/2009
  Q: I live in the capital district of New York. Time of year, all year round. Time of day, 24 hours. ...
  A: Sarah: I cannot help further until I see at least an image of the thing. I'd recommend that you ...
What kind of spider is this?10/16/2009
  Q: My brother found this guy being blown down the road in the wind & we are wondering what kind of ...
  A: Tiffany: How delightful to get a question from someone who is not totally freaked out by a ...
tiny fuzzy worm/larva/?10/16/2009
  Q: I live in the capital district of New York. Time of year, all year round. Time of day, 24 hours. ...
  A: Sarah: Ninety-nine percent of the time, descriptions like this turn out to be the larvae of "carpet ...
Beetle Identification...10/15/2009
  Q: Here is a beetle also found in the orchard. Again, sorry for the quality of the photo. Thanks for ...
  A: James: The image is not that of a beetle, but the nymph (immature, juvenile) of a stink bug in the ...
Flying Insect...10/15/2009
  Q: Found this guy on an apple in the orchard. Any ideas what it is? Sorry for the quality of the ...
  A: James: No apologies necessary for the quality of the image. It is quite good, actually, just on ...
mites10/14/2009
  Q: My husband and I live in a rural area of S. Louisiana. We have lots of trees in our yard. We have ...
  A: Pegi: I'm afraid that mites are outside my area of expertise. You need to find an "acarologist" ...
science project10/14/2009
  Q: and I'm doing a science fair project on: What is the affect of crickets on the spoiling time of ...
  A: Cooper: Crickets are a poor subject for this study. Cockroaches would be more relevant. That ...
brown cricket like bug10/14/2009
  Q: We have had a very wet year in Northwest Connecticut and I have noticed for the last month, mostly ...
  A: Kristin: I am quite certain you are describing the "western conifer seed bug," Leptoglossus ...
wasp identification10/13/2009
  Q: I found a wasp today on my garden basil plant here on my ranch in the Mohave desert near Utah border ...
  A: Garren: Without a specimen, or at least an image, I'd be hard-pressed to identify your wasp for ...
Hives caused by an unidentified bire10/8/2009
  Q: I live in the very southwest corner of Missouri right where MO, AR and OK meet. About three weeks ...
  A: Cheryl: I'm sorry, but without a description of an insect or arachnid, I cannot possibly tell you ...
Please help me with this bee.10/8/2009
  Q: I have a question about a bee/wasp I can not identify, nor have I seen one before. I have not ever ...
  A: Karen: Thank you for your question and for including the images with it. The insect in the photos ...
Large Mystery Beetle10/7/2009
  Q: Neighbor took a couple of pictures of a large beetle flying around their house. Described as approx ...
  A: Scott: Thanks for including the image with your question. It is not a beetle but a "giant water ...
Unknown insect, 2nd sighting in one year10/7/2009
  Q: First, thank you for taking the time to read this email and help me. This is the second time I have ...
  A: Jeff: You made my day, thank you! Ironically, I lived in Cincinnati for eleven years, from ...
Unknown insect, 2nd sighting in one year10/7/2009
  Q: First, thank you for taking the time to read this email and help me. This is the second time I have ...
  A: Jeff: Thank you for being appreciative of the service I give here as a volunteer. Thanks also for ...
This big blue beetle10/6/2009
  Q: What is it i found it in New hampshire roaming in some wet leaves and ive never seen anything like ...
  A: Max: The image did not upload, but I think you are probably referring to one of the "oil beetles" ...
bees? maybe wasps10/6/2009
  Q: we have a hive of something that's moved into our wall. they're definitely some kind of bee. I ...
  A: Row: Ok, so they were emerging 'inside' the home? All bets are off then. There are so many ...
The wierdest looking bug I have ever seen10/5/2009
  Q: Out of curiosity I want to identify a crazy looking bug. It was in Casper, WY around noon. It had ...
  A: Doc: No question you are describing a "Jerusalem cricket" in the genus Stenopelmatus: ...
Yikes...Unknown Spider10/5/2009
  Q: I held my thumb to it and it was about the same size with its legs as they are in the picture along ...
  A: Meghan: Thank you so much for including the truly wonderful image with your question. As luck ...
bees? maybe wasps10/5/2009
  Q: we have a hive of something that's moved into our wall. they're definitely some kind of bee. I ...
  A: Row: It would really help if I knew exactly where you live, but I'll give the suspect list.... My ...
Green egg sac10/1/2009
  Q: There was two of these on my sons tire swing. I can't find any type of insect on the swing. I opened ...
  A: Andrew: I'm sorry, your question got lost in the shuffle! If there was silk and eggs inside, then ...
Sexton Beetle10/1/2009
  Q: Do you have a friend in England who is an expert about Sexton Beetles I am working for the BBC and ...
  A: Mark: A cursory "Google" search doesn't turn up anyone who has worked on British burying beetles ...
beetles10/1/2009
  Q: Please find attached the photo. This insect is found in my home part of the flooring is made of ...
  A: Sarestar: I finally noticed that you are writing from India. My expertise on Indian insect fauna ...
Larvae9/30/2009
  Q: In moving a cart in my kitchen this a.m. I retrieved some cat toys and found about 10 of these ...
  A: Randy: Your description fits the adult (or even larval) stage of many kinds of "stored product ...
beetles9/30/2009
  Q: Please find attached the photo. This insect is found in my home part of the flooring is made of ...
  A: There are many, many species of silken fungus beetles, and I'm pretty sure not all of them have been ...
Tiny White Bug ID9/30/2009
  Q: We live in Northern NJ. While cleaning the wood stove for use this season, I noticed some small ...
  A: Jessica: I think you are probably describing "springtails" in the order Collembola. Contrary to ...
looking to identify slug-like object of acorn9/29/2009
  Q: On a walk this morning, September 29, 2009 around 9:15am in Mansfield, MA my 4 year old found an ...
  A: Alycia: Thank you for including the image with your question, as I had no idea what it could ...
tiny red eyed/spotted bug9/29/2009
  Q: yesterday (9/27) i noticed a tiny bug fly into my apartment as i walked in the door. i noticed it ...
  A: Roberta: You are still describing what most folks call "fruit flies." More properly they are known ...
Unknown Spider9/28/2009
  Q: I've never seen a spider like this before. Sadly, I lack an image currently, but I can get you one ...
  A: Kayla: Well, without at least an image, I'm hard-pressed to tell you exactly what species (even ...
Mystery visitor9/28/2009
  Q: I live in a small town between Austin and San Antonio. I walked into my bathroom Friday September ...
  A: Deanna: It probably was a tarantula. Tarantulas are often bi-colored, the cephalothorax being a ...
Random worms9/28/2009
  Q: I've been finding weird worms that I've noticed after folding/washing sitting laundry or in the ...
  A: Andy: Hard to tell what you are describing, but my two guesses would be: Larvae of carpet beetles, ...
small white insect9/24/2009
  Q: i was riding my bike across a highway when i felt a very sharp sting on my hand. I looked down and ...
  A: James: Well, I am truly perplexed as well. The only other thing I can think of is that some ...
Wasps9/24/2009
  Q: Can you please confirm if wasps respond to sounds of varying levels and if so how do they react?
  A: Gary: My understanding is that wasps do not possess hearing organs or any kind (in contrast to ...
small six legged crawling bug9/24/2009
  Q: I found several tiny(size of a poppy seed) crawling in my bed. They are dark brown and have six ...
  A: Kathy Mathsen: Everything in your description points to bed bugs (Cimex lectularius). Traveling ...
Large buzzing flying insects over pond at dusk...9/23/2009
  Q: We live in the Finger Lakes of Western New York. In the evenings in August we hear what sounds like ...
  A: Marie: Carpenter bees look almost exactly like bumble bees: ...
small white insect9/23/2009
  Q: i was riding my bike across a highway when i felt a very sharp sting on my hand. I looked down and ...
  A: James: Well, I can't figure it out either, given such a flimsy description, not knowing what ...
Spider identification9/23/2009
  Q: Spider in Jacksonville FL, 9-22-09 at 18:07. The web is in those daisy flower looking weeds with the ...
  A: What a beautiful spider! It is an adult female "golden garden spider," Argiope aurantia, also known ...
Flying bug in Tacoma, WA9/22/2009
  Q: Some type of bug (about 1/2" body) are crawling & flying around the area. The body is dark & almost ...
  A: Sandy: Boy, there are so many possibilities given your description. Many beetles, flies, even ...
Bug ID9/22/2009
  Q: Yesterday I was changing my 7 month old daughters diaper and found a bug on her skin. Today, I ...
  A: Shannon: I think you may be describing an adult carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, of which ...
clicking sound9/21/2009
  Q: I have never seen what makes the clicking sound. When i was watering with my sprinkler,the sound was ...
  A: Edward: Well, if it is moving then it is not a "click beetle" in the family Elateridae. I actually ...
Bug Identification9/21/2009
  Q: I was staying at my parents' house in Central Texas (Sep 2009), while laying in bed I heard a flying ...
  A: Matt: I can't tell from your description what it was. My best guesses would be: Praying mantis ...
Mysterious nest9/18/2009
  Q: There was a furry little spot on our door (indoors). It suddenly appeared so I left it there, ...
  A: April: Sounds like some kind of egg mass laid by a moth, and that caterpillars are now hatching ...
insect identification for my classroom9/17/2009
  Q: One of my students brought a bag of dirt to class today for a science activity. Partway through the ...
  A: Angela: You are correct that ants lay eggs. I have no idea what the critter is without seeing at ...
Weird insect, I think!!9/17/2009
  Q: I live in Myersville, MD and I went to the local Exxon/TigerMart store. I parked in the back lot ...
  A: Corinthia: I'm likewise baffled, but would have to assume that it really 'was' a grasshopper that ...
Mystery bug9/16/2009
  Q: Recently I have been seeing these tiny insects at work around our coffee and garbage areas. They are ...
  A: Laranda:-) You give a perfect description of what most folks call "fruit flies." They are more ...
huge red bug9/16/2009
  Q: The other day I was driving on hwy 198 through Coalinga towards Fresno in California and it was ...
  A: Erryn: Probably was some kind of wasp. Not sure of the habitat there, but it could have been a ...
wasp identification9/15/2009
  Q: A family member has a long black bodies wasp with a brown stripe coming from small holes along their ...
  A: Rebecca: A family member has a long black body? How interesting. What does that have to do with ...
Mystery Bug9/15/2009
  Q: I had previously asked this question to Ed, but I didn't have a clear enough picture - so it was not ...
  A: Adrienne: Thank you for including the image with your question, though your description was enough ...
big black flying bug9/15/2009
  Q: I WAS OUT IN THE BACK YARD THE OTHER DAY WHEN THIS FLYING INSECT ? LANDED ON A TREE NEXT TO ME. IT ...
  A: Ron: I know exactly what you are talking about. You observed a female "horntail" wasp, family ...
Stinging or biting clear bees?9/14/2009
  Q: We thought at first these were bees. They have a nest underground and they are very agressive when ...
  A: Varla: You do not tell me where you live, but I am going to assume you are in the northern ...
ID needed9/14/2009
  Q: I should perhaps say straight away that I live in Crete in Greece where this bug was found. I ...
  A: Andrew: I suppose it could indeed have been a cicada of some sort. I'm sure there are several ...
Beetle Identification...9/14/2009
  Q: Attached is a photo (sorry for the poor quality from my cell phone) taken on Friday Sept. 11, 2009 ...
  A: James: Thank you for including the image with your question. It is a clear enough image for me to ...
Wasp9/10/2009
  Q: Eric, there is a wasp outside our window. It has been there for several days doing very little. It ...
  A: Michael: I can't help any more. I recommend that you post the image of the wasp to: ...
Wasp9/10/2009
  Q: Eric, there is a wasp outside our window. It has been there for several days doing very little. It ...
  A: Michael: Has it been cold? Cool weather will cause some insects to go into torpor (reduced ...
new to me9/10/2009
  Q: I live in akron OH and have been in my house for forty years. I am seeing a new insect in the yard; ...
  A: Jerry: Hard to say from a description alone, but my best guess is the red-headed bush cricket, ...
unknown beetle (?).9/9/2009
  Q: Good morning! I've attached an image of a bug I found in my Shakopee Minnesota yard. It was spotted ...
  A: Bobbie: Thanks for including the image with your question. Actually, it is a "former bug." LOL! ...
Bug with 26 legs9/9/2009
  Q: My co-worker found this bug crawling around inside the hotel we work in. I work at Ramada Limited in ...
  A: Nicole: Try uploading your picture to: http://www.bugguide.net in the "ID Request" section. You ...
Worm/Six legged larva? at bus stop9/8/2009
  Q: A couple days ago the kids at the bus stop pointed out an odd looking worm or larva to me. There ...
  A: Angela: Sounds like some kind of insect larva, either a fly or a beetle most likely, but it is ...
What bug could this be?9/8/2009
  Q: I found a really strange bug in my home, I think it is a beetle, but it looks like a cross between a ...
  A: Krystal: Certainly sounds like some kind of beetle, but I'd have to see at least an image of the ...
Mutated bug?9/8/2009
  Q: Colorado. 3:45 in the morning.The bug is transparent white with black abdomen and has ten legs. Six ...
  A: Evan: Thank you for including the image with your question. The creature is s "camel spider," aka ...
Help with spider identification9/7/2009
  Q: I have been observing a spider for several nights in the corner of my window on the outside. I live ...
  A: Nicole: You are describing "orb weavers" in the family Araneidae, of which there are many species. ...
bugs9/7/2009
  Q: I found an ants like bug that's about an inch long, black, has six legs and curls it's butt up like ...
  A: Cecelia: Dang it, I answered your question once, but the system logged me out after I answered! ...
"fruit-fly like" bugs coming through windows9/6/2009
  Q: Yesterday, I looked at my windows at the front of my house and noticed large amounts of "Fruit-fly ...
  A: Maicie: Really, really difficult to diagnose this one, but I do know that several species of ...
Bees Eating Grasshopper9/6/2009
  Q: My child and I just moved to Minnesota and the other day we saw several bees eating a large ...
  A: Kelly: You are describing "yellowjackets" which are social wasps. Many species are scavengers on ...
A type of hair bug9/6/2009
  Q: Can anyone help with this? I met with a friend today who expressed that she has some sort of tiny ...
  A: Elizabeth: First, you get the good samaritan award for wanting to help your friend. How nice of ...
Tiny brown flying bugs in hawaiian home9/5/2009
  Q: We have been living in the same townhouse in Hawaii for 3 years and have only recently started ...
  A: Kristy: I am no expert on Hawaiian bugs, but what you describe are probably international "stored ...
big green worm9/5/2009
  Q: My son was out riding and found this worm and nobody in the community knows what it is, can you ...
  A: Teresa: You don't tell me exactly WHERE in the U.S. you live, which would be very helpful, as many ...
strange small lawn bug9/5/2009
  Q: I live in Green Bay, WI and once a year there will be an invasion of bugs sprouting from the lawn. ...
  A: Mandi: You are describing swarms of ants, probably in the genus Lasius. Each year, at around this ...
brown bugs9/4/2009
  Q: I live in Indiana. I have observed these bugs at all times of day mostly in rooms with windows that ...
  A: Ashley: It could still be springtails; or mites of some kind. Without seeing actual specimens, I ...
Very small bug9/4/2009
  Q: I feel silly for even asking, but I've never seen this before. I recently moved to south Florida, ...
  A: Nicole: Yes, well "pinprick-sized bug" doesn't help ME much, either. LOL! It was probably a tiny ...
weird bugs on crab tree with pincers9/4/2009
  Q: We recently moved to Minneapolis, MN and we've been seeing a lot of these beetle type bugs on our ...
  A: Neil: You are describing the nymphs of cicadas. The one you saw climbing the tree was about to ...
Giant ant looking thingy...9/3/2009
  Q: My son has just started taking an interest in bugs of all sorts. The other day he was was over and ...
  A: Mike: Thanks for including the image with your question. I know exactly what it is... The insect ...
spider wasp?9/3/2009
  Q: On Sunday Aug.30th at approx.10:30am,it was sunny and about 86degrees.I noticed something moving on ...
  A: Jim: I believe you, really! Not at all sure just what you saw, but the nearest thing I can think ...
Bug cocoon?9/3/2009
  Q: I live in Florida, in the Tampa area & I have found on the screens of windows 3 of these: Its a ...
  A: Kristin: Really hard to tell without at least an image to view.... Suspects include: Bagworms - a ...
caterpillar i.d. please9/2/2009
  Q: What's this guy? Maryland - found in the woods.
  A: Shannon: This is the nearly mature caterpillar of either a polyphemus moth or a luna moth. The two ...
Worm / Millipede9/2/2009
  Q: I live in Singapore and I found yesterday morning this worm / millipede in my bathroom. Couldn't ...
  A: Jens: Thank you for including the image with your question. The animal is a "soil centipede," ...
AZ spider? beetle?9/2/2009
  Q: I removed a dead plant from our yard in Phoenix, AZ this evening. Out of the hole came this spider? ...
  A: Jodie: Thank you for including the nice image with your question. The animal is an amblypygid ...
Wasp/bee in Southwestern MO9/1/2009
  Q: I was walking through the backyard today when I noticed a large concentration of these insects ...
  A: Justin: You are describing male scoliid wasps, Scolia dubia, in the family Scoliidae. They do not ...
strange bug!8/31/2009
  Q: I have these very strange insects/bugs on my stucco walls of my patio. they are flat, grey and it ...
  A: Jan: Ok, first, you don't tell me where you live, which is often a huge clue as to what you are ...
Bee?8/31/2009
  Q: These are regularly seen on the large sunflowers in my yard. They are every bit the size of my ...
  A: Tom: Interesting. Yes, it is a bee (thank you for including the image with your question). It ...
Tiny Yellowish Eggs8/31/2009
  Q: I live in western PA and I noticed a circular shape (about the size of a quarter in diameter) of ...
  A: Carol: This is way beyond my expertise, and that of most other entomologists I know. It is one ...
Flying insect pairs8/30/2009
  Q: I have just moved down to New Orleans and I am struggling to get used to the proliferation and ...
  A: I'd love to experience the insects down there, just not the hurricanes..... You are probably ...
identify spider8/30/2009
  Q: Yesterday my husband and I found a spider making his web across our front door, in the mountains of ...
  A: Darlene: It sounds like another orb weaver of some kind (family Araneidae), but I'd have to see the ...
Can you ID this bee?8/30/2009
  Q: I live in southwestern Canada, and I was at a relatives when i noticed a large hive hanging from a ...
  A: Travis: They were not bees. What you are describing is a nest of a social wasp called the ...
argiope egg sack8/29/2009
  Q: I have a beautiful Argiope that has been living at the back corner of my house. I was unconcerned ...
  A: Kelly: I assure you that you can leave the egg sac right where it is. The first thing spiderlings ...
scorpion type bug8/29/2009
  Q: I just want to know what this is. I have lived in MA my whole life, most of my 40 years in this town ...
  A: Dave: Oh, wow, you have indeed seen a pretty peculiar, rather uncommon insect. It is a female ...
Mystery spider8/29/2009
  Q: Good Evening Eric, I live Fountain, CO....south of colorado springs. Lately with the rains and all ...
  A: Nena: Aw-w-w-w, you're sweet to be so kind to spiders, and stick up for them when other people ...
Big bug in Southern NV desert8/28/2009
  Q: This morning I encountered a very large bug in my living room. It had a large (maybe 1"+) black ...
  A: Logan: Gee, not sure what to make of the description....My best guess would probably have to be a ...
Red/Orange Spiders in West Virginia8/28/2009
  Q: Eric, I live in Parkersburg, WV and we have had quite a few problems with Black Widows in our home ...
  A: Nicki: Your description does not fit any known dangerous spider in the U.S. Male spiders of almost ...
Strange Beetle found in my house8/28/2009
  Q: I was here in my living room tonight and went to get inside my purse when I noticed a strange ...
  A: Natalia: Yes, what you had was indeed a burying beetle, genus Nicrophorus in the family of carrion ...
Big Beetle8/27/2009
  Q: I found a beetle in the bottom of a bowl (stored in a cupboard) I rarely use. It was dead and had ...
  A: Kim: I suppose it could have been some kind of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, maybe ...
Annoying bug8/27/2009
  Q: I have a mysterious annoying bug. This bug is somewhere in my house and my boyfriend and I have ...
  A: Angie: I grew up in Portland, went to college in Corvallis (Go Beavers!), so I'm familiar with most ...
Mystery Cocoon8/26/2009
  Q: While I was painting my house I found a cocoon stuck up under an eave on the outside of the house. ...
  A: Rachel: Might be the cocoon of another silkmoth, like maybe a Cecropia: ...
mystery loud-whistle insect8/26/2009
  Q: What is the insect that kept me awake for three hours last weekend? I thought it was a chorus of ...
  A: Donna: Small world. I grew up in Portland, but have visited the area around Mosier. Very scenic ...
spider8/26/2009
  Q: I found this spider on the baseboard in our lower level of our home. I was afraid it was a brown ...
  A: Galen: Thank you for including the nice image with your question. I believe that this is an adult ...
larvae identification8/25/2009
  Q: Found eating a leaf in Hershey Pennsylvania...a red larvae about 3/4 inch long with protrusions on ...
  A: Estelle: Wow, you give a very vivid description! Is this anything like it: ...
strange slithery bug8/25/2009
  Q: I live in Milwaukee, WI in an old, id say 100 years, apartment building that is mainly wood all ...
  A: Erin: I think you might be describing a "silverfish" or "firebrat," primitive insects that look ...
Good or bad cocoon?8/25/2009
  Q: In NE Ohio,found them while digging for flowers...dark red chrysalis form down about 1-2 inches in ...
  A: Pat: At this time of year, any pupa or coccoon is going to be overwintering (except for buck moths, ...
spider? wasp?8/24/2009
  Q: Found in rural Central Illinois Crawling on back of lawn chair on patio. Approximately 1 inch or a ...
  A: Nancy: Thank you for including the lovely image with your question. You are correct that this is a ...
Want to know the name of the (insect?).8/24/2009
  Q: I remember when i was a kid, I saw a big spider like animal dead on a beach in New-Jersey, it had a ...
  A: Simon: Ah, yes, you are thinking of, and describing, a "horseshoe crab," which is not a crab, ...
Unknown Insect8/24/2009
  Q: This little guy was attached to the underside of an azelea leaf. I reside in Silver Spring, ...
  A: John: I do know what this is, and I'm impressed that you did not crush the thing but had the ...
swarm of tiny bugs - looks like paint or oil8/23/2009
  Q: We found a huge swarm of tiny bugs on our wet driveway this afternoon. At first, we thought it was a ...
  A: Alison: No worries, you are describing harmless creatures called "springtails," in the order ...
solitary wasps (huge ones)8/23/2009
  Q: I am allergic. I need to know the behaviour of this huge armored like solitary wasp (exterminator ...
  A: Without seeing the actual specimen, or at least an image of it, I have no idea if the identification ...
Large buzzing flying insects over pond at dusk...8/23/2009
  Q: We live in the Finger Lakes of Western New York. In the evenings in August we hear what sounds like ...
  A: Marie: The short answer is "no." Without a much better description, I can't begin to even guess, ...
Good or bad cocoon?8/22/2009
  Q: In NE Ohio,found them while digging for flowers...dark red chrysalis form down about 1-2 inches in ...
  A: Pat: You are not describing a coccoon, but a "pupa." A cocoon would be a silken capsule containing ...
bug id8/22/2009
  Q: i just spotted several large 1/2-3/4" shiny black w/bluish tinge bugs eating [rather quickly i might ...
  A: You don't tell me where you live, and give me a rather vague description, but I think you are ...
Identification w/picture8/22/2009
  Q: I found this flying around my kitchen window in LACOMBE ALBERTA, Canada Aug 19. It looks like a mix ...
  A: Janice: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. The insect is a female giant ...
Caterpillar identification8/21/2009
  Q: I live in Savannah, GA. I found a large amount of these caterpillars eating one of my azaleas. It ...
  A: Lynnae: It is the larva of the "azalea caterpillar moth" : http://bugguide.net/node/view/26425 I ...
Large red ant-like bug in Indiana8/21/2009
  Q: I live on the south side of Indianapolis in central Indiana. I was on my front porch tonight around ...
  A: Rich: This is one of those few insects that is so spectacular and unique that a written description ...
tiny flying bee like insects8/21/2009
  Q: I have swarms of these tiny insects by the hundreds swarming around my pecan trees and my trumpet ...
  A: It would help to know exactly WHERE (geographically) you are, but your description also fits ...
What the ?%*!?!8/20/2009
  Q: We live in Simi Valley, Ca. I recently got a package from Florida. My husband encountered a large ...
  A: Erin: Wow, that is some description! "Dual level mandibles" sounds intimidating all by ...
Large Mystery Bug Identification Question8/20/2009
  Q: Very early this morning, a large bug was flying repeatedly into my deck door. I live in Northwest ...
  A: Katie: I'm sorry, I just get a kick out of "screaming sound." I know exactly what you mean, ...
what do you think this beetle bug is?8/20/2009
  Q: they are gray, hard shell,smaller than a ladybug,they do fly even though they are generally walking ...
  A: Lisbeth: I'm 99% certain you are describing "carpet beetles" in the family Dermestidae. The adult ...
Click beetles and wireworms8/19/2009
  Q: My mom lives in Oregon, and is having alot of problems in her potato crop with wireworms. Is there ...
  A: RaNae: This question is beyond my expertise. She needs to contact her county extension agent ...
biting bugs in pool8/19/2009
  Q: These bugs are black and look rather ant like in appearance They float on the surface and bite when ...
  A: Cathy: I'm sorry, I would need at least an image of the creature in question (preferably an actual ...
Very tiny brown bugs inthe carpet.8/19/2009
  Q: I am really concerned abot very very very tiny bugs i found in my room on the carpet. It seems ...
  A: Stan: I strongly suspect you are describing springtails in the order Collembola. Contrary to the ...
mystery bug in my pool8/18/2009
  Q: I live in central Florida and I just recently started getting a very large amount (100+) of ...
  A: Heather: Thank you for including the image with your question. I can guarantee that these beetles ...
unidentified bug8/18/2009
  Q: I keep finding these little bugs dead on my window sill in the bathroom. They are also flying ...
  A: Lea: Thank you for including the image with your question. Looks like you have a "moth fly" in ...
giant hornet8/17/2009
  Q: I can not identify a huge hornet near my house this weekend. It was approx. 3 inches long, dull ...
  A: Scott: If you have already ruled out cicada killers, Sphecius speciosus and the European hornet, ...
Large beetle8/17/2009
  Q: I was recently walking in the woods in Mass. & saw this huge beetle walking along the ground, for ...
  A: Joy: I think you are probably describing a female "broad-necked root borer," Prionus laticollis, ...
what is it?8/17/2009
  Q: About an inch and a half long, 6 legs. Red fuzzy butt like an ant and a black fuzzy body.
  A: Michelle: You give me precious little information to go on here. You don't even state where on the ...
Mystery bug8/14/2009
  Q: Saw a neat bug today, but can't figure out what it might be. It's about 1cm in length, either dark ...
  A: I think you might be describing a polypore fungus beetle in the genus Penthe, maybe this one: ...
mystery wasp8/14/2009
  Q: During a river trip yesterday, we saw a remarkable looking wasp. I have been unable to identify it ...
  A: Wes: I think it was probably some kind of large paper wasp you saw, genus Polistes. Maybe this ...
An unusual bug8/13/2009
  Q: We live in West Central Illinois about a mile from the Mississippi River. We found a flying insect ...
  A: Kim: First, you deserve a pat on the back for not killing the thing, and actually rescuing and ...
Killer Bees8/13/2009
  Q: A bee looks like a ordinary honey bee but its end or stinger section was a reddish black and it ...
  A: Charles: What you describe is NOT a bee. "Killer" bees look exactly like other honeybees, Apis ...
INSECT IDENTIFICATION8/13/2009
  Q: 8/12/09 APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM JACKSON PARK GOLF COURSE, SEATTLE, WA. TEMP. APPROXIMATELY 65 ...
  A: Robert: I think you are probably describing either a horntail woodwasp like Urocerus californicus ...
Beetle8/12/2009
  Q: My 3 year old son is really into finding bugs and identifying them. We live in central Iowa and ...
  A: Rachel: I take my hat off to parents like you who encourage their children's interest in the ...
Please Identify8/11/2009
  Q: Woke up this morning and found this little guy in the middle of my kitchen floor. Not sure what it ...
  A: Austin: Thanks for including the image with your question. It is a caterpillar, maybe one of the ...
Need help identifying flying insect8/11/2009
  Q: I was out shooting insects around my office and I came across this fast flyer. At first I thought ...
  A: Bill: I'm impressed with your marksmanship if you are firing at such small, moving targets. Most ...
Dead Flies Outdoors8/10/2009
  Q: I hope you can help me figure out what is happening to the flies in my yard. I've been noticing ...
  A: Angela: Most people are not so observant, or give any thought to what you are describing, so ...
Please Identify8/9/2009
  Q: I just cut a branch from my Gumbo Limbo tree in order to propagate another one and I was shocked to ...
  A: Lynette: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is a caterpillar, ...
wasp dragging spider8/9/2009
  Q: My sons and I watched a aqua and black wasp pulling a dead spider twice it's size. It dragged it ...
  A: Lynn: Thank you so much for sharing your experience and observations. You are describing some kind ...
clicking sound at night8/9/2009
  Q: Can you tell me if there is an insect that makes a loud clicking sound at night? It sounds just like ...
  A: Kathy: I think you are probably describing some kind of katydid, family Tettigoniidae. There are ...
straw next around windows8/8/2009
  Q: Could you describe the insects that hatch from the "wasp" that nests in window tracks? I think I ...
  A: Jo Ann: You are describing the nests of "grass-carrier" wasps in the genus Isodontia. They are ...
What kind of bug is this?8/8/2009
  Q: I live on the western side of FL and I have seen these bugs in my house. They are about the size of ...
  A: Katey: Well, it 'could' be ticks, but ticks don't generally just fall off a host animal. If you ...
mud dauber8/8/2009
  Q: I have found a few mud daubers in my home lately. Does this mean I have a black widow population? If ...
  A: Abbi: Ok, LOTS of questions here... First, spider bites are exceedingly rare events, so I am ...
Fly ID in Seattle wanted8/7/2009
  Q: In the past few days we have had these big flies on the side wall of our house. They have red heads. ...
  A: Isaac: Sounds like you are describing "flesh flies" in the family Sarcophagidae. I don't know much ...
ant or spider ?8/7/2009
  Q: I live in Charlotte NC, but am a Cleveland Oh native. There are so many bugs here I've never seen, ...
  A: Joan: What you describe is neither an ant nor a spider, but a wingless female wasp known as a ...
Flying Black Bug8/6/2009
  Q: I read a question from Annalise to you about a flying black bug that sounded similar to the ones ...
  A: Jim: Thank you for including the image with your question, as it leaves no doubt what wasp it is. ...
mystery bug id if possible, please and thank you8/6/2009
  Q: I live in Evansville, IN, the southwestern corner of IN, at the same address for the past 9 years. ...
  A: Julie: My guess is that it 'still' was a cicada of some kind. There are several species in your ...
Small Bugs.p;ease help8/5/2009
  Q: Please help our family. For more then 1 week we have at our apartment located( brooklyn NY) on the 5 ...
  A: Marianna: Thanks for including the image with your question. Given the size I know this insect to ...
Large bug8/5/2009
  Q: I took a photo of a very large bug about 2 inches long, 4 legs, gold/orange color wings, with a very ...
  A: Please trust me, I love my Canadian audience dearly, but the image you attached is EXACTLY what a ...
Large flying red bug8/5/2009
  Q: I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I've noticed a good number of strange red bugs flying ...
  A: William: What time of day was this? If it was in the daytime, especially around dusk or dawn, it ...
what are they?8/4/2009
  Q: what is a group gathering of a very tiny black insects with wings. they seems to gather around a ...
  A: Clifton: Without seeing a specimen, or at least an image, I may be hard-pressed to help you. The ...
Black Bug with Hard Shell8/4/2009
  Q: I recently moved to a new house and I have noticed all these small black bugs with a hard shell. I ...
  A: Michelle: I suspect they are a species of "spider beetle" in the genus Gibbium. Please consult one ...
Unknown Black Bug in Bath Tub8/3/2009
  Q: I keep on finding these black bugs in my bath tub (Northern California)_, but only at night. At ...
  A: Courtney: Many kinds of insects stray indoors as they wander about looking for food, mates, or ...
Large Insect ID8/3/2009
  Q: I came across this insect (see attached) crawling on the outside of my screen door during the late ...
  A: Rob: Yes, I can tell you what it is, and whether it is harmful. Thanks. Bye...I'm kidding:-) ...
white bug with rake like front legs8/3/2009
  Q: I live near Phoenix and we were up North on the Rim in the pine forests of Coconino national forest ...
  A: Bob: I'm pretty certain you are describing the nymph of a cicada. They live underground for ...
Wasp?8/2/2009
  Q: About 1 moth ago, I witnessed a wasp(?) building her nest. I am located in Palm Coast, Fl. It was ...
  A: Heidi: What you describe is indeed some kind of potter wasp. Besides the native species in the ...
Red spider with black stripe8/2/2009
  Q: Eric, My grandchildren showed me a bright red spider with a black stripe on its back this ...
  A: Janet: I don't like to "do" questions for people who kill first and ask questions later, but I ...
larve cluster8/2/2009
  Q: We found a spot on our ceiling(Vancouver Island,B.C.)I thought it was mould at first and was growing ...
  A: Marylou: Offhand, it sounds like a cluster of moth eggs that hatched into caterpillars. The ...
Is it a roach?8/1/2009
  Q: I have been finding these inch long black roach/beetles in my basement and on my wall in the ...
  A: Mallory: There is very little for me to go on here. You don't even state 'where' in Canada you ...
Bug ID8/1/2009
  Q: I found this bug in Spokane, WA around 6pm. It crawls very awkwardly , it has fuzzy horns and ...
  A: Gabrielle: Thank you for including the image with your question. This is one of the few insects ...
beetles8/1/2009
  Q: How do they get in the homes,will they harm ppl in n-e kind of way.An last what do i use 2 get rid ...
  A: Yolanda: Without knowing what kind of beetles you are referring to (there are literally tens of ...
Red Bug in Indianapolis7/31/2009
  Q: I saw a bug the other day at my house that was nothing like i have ever seen in the Indiana Region. ...
  A: Aaron: You might be describing either the eastern velvet ant (aka "cow-killer"), Dasymutilla ...
large flying insect7/31/2009
  Q: I live in N.E. Ma. I came home at about PM as I walked up my stairs of my deck i spotted this insect ...
  A: Tony: Congratulations. You killed a harmless female dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus. You think the ...
Great Black Wasps7/31/2009
  Q: We have several great black wasps in our backyard hanging around our deck and pool area. We are not ...
  A: Ingrid: You don't 'need' to "get rid of" the wasps. They are solitary, meaning each female makes ...
Bug Identification7/30/2009
  Q: Eric, I work in plots made to produce native Iowa Prairie Plants and while I was working I ...
  A: Sara: Any friend of prairies is a friend of mine:-) Keep up the great work. Not sure what your ...
spiders7/30/2009
  Q: i was reading a book in my room, when i looked up and sow a spider on my roof in my bedroom it had ...
  A: Morghan: Without seeing the spider, or at least an image of it, I'm hard-pressed to make an ...
small bugs in mulch7/30/2009
  Q: I am a federally licensed falconer living in the midwest. I currently have a bird that I keep on a ...
  A: You are undoubtedly describing "springtails," order Collembola. Contrary to the common name, not ...
Mystery Bug7/29/2009
  Q: I have a bug that has invaded my house and clothes. It is white and/or tan and for the most part ...
  A: Wendy: Your initial description is of "springtails," order Collembola, jumping organisms that are ...
red-velvet ants(cow killer)7/29/2009
  Q: I have recently moved to vine-grove ky. I have been here about 1 year now. I noticed in August. of ...
  A: Evalyn: What you are seeing are solitary, wingless female wasps. That is what velvet ants are. ...
Beetle or Tick?7/29/2009
  Q: My dog has been treated with Advantix yet we found one engorged tick on him (dead) 2 days ago and I ...
  A: Bill: The image you attached is of a beetle, though I cannot tell what kind. Most likely it is ...
RE: sphinx moth in the family Sphingidae7/28/2009
  Q: Here is a picture of the same as you describe to the previous submission. I live in northern ...
  A: Julie: I'm not sure I understand. If I've already identified what you have a question about, what ...
brown and black beetle in clothes7/28/2009
  Q: our washing machine broke a few months ago and i only get to do laundry once a week. when i pick up ...
  A: Erica: You are probably describing "carpet beetles" in the family Dermestidae (genera Anthrenus, ...
black bug7/28/2009
  Q: what kind of bug is this, i live in the country so bugs are everywhere, but i have never seen this ...
  A: Jannetta: Without knowing exactly where on the planet you encountered this creature, and without at ...
A long black beetle on the wall7/27/2009
  Q: There was a lon g, say 1.5" black beetle looking bug with wings, did not fly, on my sons wall ...
  A: Abbi: I'm delighted to hear that you released the insect outdoors, instead of using the book in a ...
Bug in Illinois7/27/2009
  Q: Can you identify This bug
  A: Yes, I can identify it. Thank you for your question.... Eric http://bugeric.blogspot.com I'm ...
nest7/27/2009
  Q: There is an insect that is making a couple of nests between the window and the screen. We see him ...
  A: Joseph: You are describing "grass-carrier" wasps in the family Sphecidae, genus Isodontia. They ...
Insect ID Please7/26/2009
  Q: We live in Chugiak, Alaska (just north of Anchorage), and it's been a relatively warm and dry summer ...
  A: Bob: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. The insects are leafhoppers in the ...
What are these?7/26/2009
  Q: I have been trying to identify these online to no avail. Can you tell me what they are? The beetles ...
  A: Karen: Massachusetts is ok, but I really miss the Arizona bugs! The people here are great, but the ...
White bug7/26/2009
  Q: I was pulling weeds today in the backyard, and found this white bug underneath the weed I was ...
  A: Veronica: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. The insects are "ensign scale ...
Spider7/25/2009
  Q: I live in Springville, UT. As I left work yesterday, I found this spider crawling across the ...
  A: Jett: In Utah, it probably 'is' a controlled substance. LOL! You'd have to check with your state ...
tiny bug in my house7/25/2009
  Q: I live in Pinedale, Wyoming and recently have been fining a bunch of tiny gray to light black bugs ...
  A: Tim: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insects are clearly some kind of ...
large WI beetle7/25/2009
  Q: I observed this beetle flying around my porch light at about 9:30 PM on July 24, 2009, in West ...
  A: Mark: Thanks for including the nice image with your question. Yes, it is indeed a scarab beetle, ...
Beetle?7/24/2009
  Q: I was just wondering if you could help me identify a beetle that e found flying around in my car the ...
  A: Franny: You don't give me much help here, like even telling me where on the planet you saw this ...
banded alder borer7/24/2009
  Q: we found one in our backyard and we were wondering if this bug is worth anything? the internet says ...
  A: Nancy: Banded alder borers, Rosalia funebris, are not uncommon, though they don't seem to emerge in ...
bug id7/24/2009
  Q: I live in Ocala Fl. Could you Tell what this bug is? This bug that I saw was black with white ...
  A: Walter: You describe one of the few unmistakable American insects, a beetle called the "eyed ...
Mystery fly???7/23/2009
  Q: We live in Northern Michigan and have lived her about 3 years this is the first time that we have ...
  A: Claire: Thank you for including the image with your question. The image is of a "moth fly" in the ...
Spider7/23/2009
  Q: I live in Springville, UT. As I left work yesterday, I found this spider crawling across the ...
  A: Jett: It is a wolf spider, family Lycosidae. Beyond that I can't say. Looks to be a female.... ...
What is it?7/23/2009
  Q: Today I found a tiny creature clinging to my car window. It was quite elegant, it's overall shape ...
  A: Sue: I'm perplexed, too! I commend you for your powers of observation, though, and your ...
Mystery bug7/22/2009
  Q: I have seen a few bugs I have never seen before. They appear to be some kind of flying beetle. They ...
  A: Joel: At first I thought that you had seen them only in northern INDIA, and I was going to give up ...
what is this bug / beetle?7/22/2009
  Q: I live in Puyallup Washington, and just a couple of days ago this "beetle" was on our front porch, I ...
  A: The insect is a "ten-lined June beetle," Polyphylla decimlineata, a common nocturnal scarab beetle, ...
small clear with blackish center bugs7/22/2009
  Q: we have found these small bugs in my niece and mothers hair not sure about others living ...
  A: Janeen: If "small" translates to "tiny," or close to it, then you are almost certainly describing ...
Very different bug!7/21/2009
  Q: Just saw that you were laid off...very sorry! I saw a bug yesterday that "flew" into my car that I ...
  A: Lydia: Thank you for the kind sentiments regarding my employment. Actually, I am currently on a ...
id for mystery bug7/20/2009
  Q: This wasp? landed on the spine of your book for me to photograph. Great book by the way. Picture ...
  A: Mark: LOL! I think this is a first:-) Looks like a sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, which is ...
Type of Bug7/20/2009
  Q: Do you know what type of bug this is? http://img43.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=006fkj.jpg I live in ...
  A: Jeff: Thanks for the link to the images. These are European earwigs, Forficula auricularia. They ...
clubfooted bug7/20/2009
  Q: In Newnan GA,in a wooded section of town near a pond roughly ten months ago I was in a doctors ...
  A: Angela: I am not sure what kind of insect you are describing. It might be a netwinged beetle like ...
night and day loud insects in Atlanta7/19/2009
  Q: I'm thinking that the loud insect during the July and August days in Atlanta is the cicada, which ...
  A: Robert: Cicadas (Tibicen sp.) will sing well into the evening hours, but if you are hearing a ...
Please id this Bug..7/19/2009
  Q: I found this bug walking throu my house. I live in California, Big Bear Lake, 92315, (7000-8000feet ...
  A: Matt: The insect in the box is a "Jerusalem cricket" in the genus Stenopelmatus. They are not ...
identified bug7/19/2009
  Q: I have seen this bug inside a closet and in the bathroom floors. It is black and very small, maybe ...
  A: May: I have no idea what you are describing...possibly a springtail, order Collembola, or a ...
unknown bug infestation7/18/2009
  Q: We live in NW Montana(Kalispell) and our son has a home which is surrounded by pine trees. He has a ...
  A: Virginia: Without seeing an actual specimen, or at least a clear image of one, I can't help, ...
Wasp7/18/2009
  Q: What type of wasp is this - assuming correctly it is a wasp? Taipei, Taiwan.
  A: Lars: The image is of a paper wasp in the genus Polistes. They are social and build uncovered ...
Request help identifying bug7/17/2009
  Q: I live Abbotsford BC, Canada. I have a few cherry trees, KIWI's, Strawberries, Raspberries, and ...
  A: Ed: I'm sorry, but without at least an image of one (and preferably a specimen), I can't even begin ...
yellow jackets7/17/2009
  Q: I live in the Seattle area and I am pretty sure I have a yellow jacket nest in an exterior wall of ...
  A: Larry: I would indeed wait until late autumn and just caulk the opening. There might still be a ...
unknown bug7/17/2009
  Q: We saw this "bug" in our yard today. It resembles a humming bird mixed with a lobster. It's ...
  A: James: Thank you for including the image with your question, but this is one of the few insects ...
6-legged tiny bugs7/16/2009
  Q: I have these tiny 6-legged bugs on my my door jam each morning. The picture is huge - but the bugs ...
  A: Judy: I didn't know they made preserves out of doors. Do you spread that on toast? Oh, you meant ...
small flea-like insect7/16/2009
  Q: I live in Southern Oregon now in an apartment building a few blocks from the Rogue River. I have ...
  A: Sara: I grew up in Portland, and have been to southern Oregon a few times. It is GORGEOUS down ...
very colorful mystery bug7/16/2009
  Q: I am asking around to see if someone can help identify an unusual insect I found on one of my ...
  A: Janice: Wow, that DOES sound colorful! Your description does not ring a bell right off, but please ...
Bee 's Nest7/15/2009
  Q: This morning while walking in Marin County I sighted a large bee's nest high up in a eucapytus tree. ...
  A: Mieko: I don't know how many "Marin Counties" there are, but I will assume you mean the one in ...
flying black bug7/15/2009
  Q: I am in St. John's Newfoundland Canada and I am writing to ask you about a very strange bug I've ...
  A: Terri: I'm sorry, I really don't have any ideas. Few insects are so unique that I can ID them ...
Red Spider Hunter Wasp?7/15/2009
  Q: More pics if you need them. Red eyes and red head and body. Not a Braconid, Parasitoid an ...
  A: Alan: Nice shot of a spider wasp, Tachypompilus ferrugineus, hauling off a paralyzed wolf spider. ...
Mystery Bug7/14/2009
  Q: At around 11:30 PM tonight (July 13, 2009), I was talking with my dad in our kitchen when I noticed ...
  A: Melissa: Not knowing the approximate size of the creature makes a precise identification difficult, ...
Sink Worm7/14/2009
  Q: I went on line this evening with the search "identifying samll worms found in sink" annd came across ...
  A: Mike: This continues to be something of a mystery, despite how commonly I am asked this question. ...
Gross bug in Southern Californai Mtns7/14/2009
  Q: We have seen this ALIEN bug in the past when our cats used to bring them in. They are fiercely ...
  A: V: You are really fortunate. I have always wanted to see one of these, but even having lived in ...
beetle identification7/13/2009
  Q: My brother saw a beetle on a walk sunday afternoon,on the pic it looks to be about 2.3cm long, black ...
  A: Max: I'm sorry, I specialize in North American insects, not ones from the UK, and your description ...
large orange bug i still havent identified it7/13/2009
  Q: i found a large bug in wilder,idaho under a stack of hay he was 3-4 inches long w/2part body front ...
  A: Kat: I think you are describing a freshly-molted "Jerusalem criket" in the genus Stenopelmatus. ...
beautiful large beetle7/13/2009
  Q: this morning under the piece of wood my husband uses for a wheel stop, there was a large mahogany ...
  A: Bonnie: Wow. First, I love having a woman describe a big insect like this as "beautiful." Makes ...
How do I get rid of these bugs?7/12/2009
  Q: I noticed a few articles where these "mothlike bugs" have been discussed ...
  A: Chris: Have you thought about throwing out the birdseed they are breeding in? Why you didn't do ...
GIANT! Hornet-7/12/2009
  Q: I live in Madison (just outside Hunstville), AL. Our 1/3 acre lot backs up to a small swampy wooded ...
  A: Crystal: I just happened to be online, not normally this fast to reply.... You give a perfect ...
Giant black flying wasp-like insect7/12/2009
  Q: My friend in Korea had this experience: 1.""The other teachers still inside were moving as far away ...
  A: Jean-Paul: The only thing I can possibly think of that might fit that description would be a ...
Odd looking bug!!7/11/2009
  Q: I just found this very odd looking bug crawling on my arm. I live in Southwest Missouri, and ...
  A: Bethany: It sounds very much like a weevil of some kind, of which there are hundreds of species, in ...
Mystery "bug"7/11/2009
  Q: This bug--very small less than 1/2 of an inch. Worm-like head sticking out of a "shell"? Almost ...
  A: Marc: LOL! No, you are definitely not nuts. What you found was the caterpillar of a moth known as ...
LArge black and white mottled resembels large roach verities7/10/2009
  Q: Coming down the stairs the other day I noticed an odd creature that I sadly did not have time to ...
  A: Rachel: I'm wondering if you are talking about the "eyed elater," Alaus oculatus, a very large ...
mystery bug7/10/2009
  Q: I live in kenosha wi, and i found this bug a couple weeks ago, it was flying around my pumkin plants ...
  A: Ryan: It is a moth known as the "squash vine borer," Melittia cucurbitae. It was indeed laying ...
Tarantula7/10/2009
  Q: Strange question...I work with a guy whose daughter wants a tarantula as a pet. They found one at a ...
  A: Lora: I don't encourage anyone to handle tarantulas of any kind, just because something could ...
bug7/10/2009
  Q: !! I has 6 legs near the front of its body and its body is kinda like a wood louse but has spikes ...
  A: Darren: I'm sorry, the United Kingdom is far outside the realm of my geographical expertise. You ...
Click Beetle Problem7/10/2009
  Q: I need some help with a click beetle problem. See for a while now we've been seeing click beetles ...
  A: Angie: Well, for starters, click beetles (family Elateridae to make sure we are both talking about ...
New bee in town? Chases honey bees in garden7/10/2009
  Q: I have browsed a couple hours now and cannot find this type of bee. I live in Salt Lake City ...
  A: Shirley: I want to compliment you on your observation skills and the details you include in your ...
Cocooning insects on our shrubs7/9/2009
  Q: I am from Jeffersonville, Indiana, (southern Indiana) which is right along the Ohio river, and need ...
  A: Brandey: I spent time in Cincinnati, so I think I 'might' know what you are talking about, but ...
bees and mud daubers7/9/2009
  Q: First I have been noticing some strange bee behavior, I am getting lone bees that are flying around ...
  A: Katie: Can't help you with the bee behavior question. I occasionally see this myself, but don't ...
ladybug and possible wasp7/8/2009
  Q: The reason I am sending you my question is I *think* it is similar to one you have already answered. ...
  A: Carol: You are correct. The cocoon is that of a braconid wasp (family Braconidae). I can't recall ...
baby bug in white foam7/7/2009
  Q: I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I noticed on a walk through a heavily treed area along the Red River, ...
  A: Donna: I'm surprised I am not asked this question with a lot more frequency. I can't even recall ...
mystery bite7/7/2009
  Q: hey my mom went to work and she was by a lilac then when she looked down to her arm she had a small ...
  A: Briana: This is really a medical question. Regardless of what bit her, she needs to monitor the ...
Big bee7/6/2009
  Q: I was riding one afternoon when I noticed a bee-looking bug flying around the horses. It kind of ...
  A: Kaitlyn: You don't say where on the planet you live, which would be helpful. I suspect you live ...
how to kill beetles7/6/2009
  Q: i have a big problem with those red beetle bugs but it looks like they have no pinchers or small ...
  A: Terri: Ok, then you are definitely talking about May beetles, genus Phyllophaga. I know that ...
Big Bug7/6/2009
  Q: For two straight nights (10ish) I have had a huge bug (4 inches long and an inch wide) on the side ...
  A: George: Thank you for including an image with your question, as it leaves no doubt what you are ...
Trying to identify beetle and if it's beneficial7/5/2009
  Q: The beetles are light-brown or red with darkish spots. They vary quite a bit in size. Some are twice ...
  A: Stephen: They are not beetles to begin with. The image is of nymphs (juveniles, immatures) of some ...
Tahoe July only mystery bug7/4/2009
  Q: My daughter was bit/stung by something in Tahoe that resulted in a half-dollar sized swelling within ...
  A: Lisa: I have no business making a diagnosis, but I would bet (no Tahoe pun intended) that it was a ...
bug identification7/4/2009
  Q: I live in northern Florida, and I have seen what looks like an very large ant. I would say 1/2"long. ...
  A: Krista: Then don't mess with it! No, seriously, you don't want to play with those.... You are ...
mystery bug7/4/2009
  Q: Found this already dead on a floor level storage shelf in the garage. Have seen a live one in the ...
  A: Annette: Thank you for attaching an image with your question. The picture is of a "sun spider," ...
how to kill beetles7/3/2009
  Q: i have a big problem with those red beetle bugs but it looks like they have no pinchers or small ...
  A: Teresa: I do not dispense advice on killing insects, especially things that are NOT pests, and what ...
Very Lg Winged Bug7/3/2009
  Q: While walking this evening came across a very lg bug, approx. 5-6 in. brown body that could have ...
  A: Lee Ann: It was a dobsonfly, trust me. FEMALE dobsonflies have much more "normal" jaws than the ...
odd beetles7/2/2009
  Q: I found two black and green beetles on weed growing in my backyard. They look like boxelders but ...
  A: Emily: You don't tell me where you live, or at least where you have seen these insects, which ...
Beetle Question7/2/2009
  Q: I find one of these almost every year at the end of June. About an inch and a quarter long. Brown ...
  A: Kevin: Thanks for including the image with your question, but the description alone is enough to ID ...
unidentified spider7/2/2009
  Q: do you happen to know what spider this could be? Shaped like a female black widow due to its abdomen ...
  A: JC: Sounds like it might be an orb weaver in the genus Araniella. They tend to build very small ...
Strange little black beetle.7/1/2009
  Q: I keep finding these tiny little black rolly polly type beetles. There crunchy when i kill them if ...
  A: Emily: Well, you don't tell me WHERE on the planet this is happening, and THAT 'would' help.... ...
Unknown Bug in Lexington, NC7/1/2009
  Q: I've lived in NC for nearly 20 years and have always enjoyed watching/playing with insects however ...
  A: Henry: No apologies necessary for the image. Your description was actually enough for me in this ...
gold beetle7/1/2009
  Q: I live in Aberdeen Scotland and i found a gold beetle with white spots what is it.
  A: Ross: I'm sorry, but I am an expert only on North American insects. Your beetle could be any ...
Roach or beetle6/30/2009
  Q: I just moved to an apartment in norther new jersey and the other night ran in to a tan bug on the ...
  A: Melissa: Congratulations, I'm pretty sure you killed an innocent "click beetle," family ...
bug attack..6/30/2009
  Q: i found these tiny bugs all in my room. i wonder what had cause this happened. By the way, i from ...
  A: Kenneth: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insects are "jumping plant ...
walking stick6/30/2009
  Q: We found a walking stick on the side of our house today 6/29/09, we live on the Pearl River just ...
  A: Adrienne: How delightful to entertain such a question! You have to be in my list of most ...
sawtooth grain beetle6/29/2009
  Q: My fiance and I found sawtooth grain beetles in our kitchen when we moved into our apartment in ...
  A: Jessica: Ninety percent of the time, questions like this are answered by: "carpet beetles," family ...
wasp6/29/2009
  Q: Eric, Reading your answer and seeing a picture of a wasp you described insert eggs into a dead I ...
  A: Fred: Insert eggs into a dead what? You never finished your thought there...:-) Yes, these giant ...
Larva vs ladybug6/28/2009
  Q: It was Friday, June 5, 2009, at approximately 6:30 p.m. in the Sierra Nevada foothills, elev. about ...
  A: Jenny: Wow, you sure are observant! I think a couple things might have been going on there.... ...
Gorgeous spider6/28/2009
  Q: What is this gorgeous spider? I call him the volcano cake spider. This one was a male - I have ...
  A: Jenny: I love your sense of humor:-) I'll happily defend you on Bugguide if anyone gets irked for ...
tarantula hawk6/28/2009
  Q: ran into about six of these in a neighbors peach tree that hangs over the wall about 3 feet from our ...
  A: Mike: Tarantuala hawks are SOLITARY wasps, meaning they do not have a 'nest' like hornets or ...
funnel spider6/27/2009
  Q: I watched this spider for a few days. This is the last I saw of it. It seems as if this little ...
  A: Jenny: There are several kinds of wasps that will take spiders as prey, paralyzing them with a ...
Gorgeous spider6/27/2009
  Q: What is this gorgeous spider? I call him the volcano cake spider. This one was a male - I have ...
  A: Jenny: Thank you for including the lovely image with your question, and, more importantly, thinking ...
At first I thought they were earwigs but after hours of research?6/26/2009
  Q: I live in the desert in California - it's very, very hot. For the past few months I've noticed an ...
  A: Justine: Yes, a CLEAR image would be very helpful as I have no idea what you are describing. Most ...
Beetle ID6/26/2009
  Q: My cat found this beetle in a corner of my apartment. I tried looking online but was unsuccessful in ...
  A: Erika: Thank you so much for including the image with your question. A very nice image, too. The ...
mystery bug6/26/2009
  Q: Love your book!!! Have a mystery bug eating my roses. It's about 1/2 inch long.Six legs, two ...
  A: Ramona: Yes, an image would help. You should be able to attach one with your question.... Sounds, ...
Jumping worms or larvae?6/25/2009
  Q: I'm located in southwest Ohio and while watering my flower beds this evening (6-24-09), I noticed ...
  A: Shannon: I spent eleven years in Cincinnati. Nice area, lots of greenspace for a relatively old ...
Bug identification help6/25/2009
  Q: I just found this guy on my hallway wall and would like to know what he is. He's not an insect or a ...
  A: Randi: How ironic. I just took some images of this creature last night, but it was OUTdoors:-) ...
hornets?6/25/2009
  Q: I live in pomona ca. and found what looked like a blue hornet. Is this possible? It flew and looked ...
  A: Desiree: You are probably describing some kind of solitary wasp, some of which are a striking ...
what is this??6/24/2009
  Q: I've spotted the same kind of bug in my house...so far it's been 2 within 3 days. It was on the ...
  A: Kristy: You are probably describing some kind of insect larva, maybe even the larva of a lady ...
Bug Identification6/24/2009
  Q: My husband and I just returned from a vacation at Lake Tahoe, California. While there we noticed ...
  A: Renee: There is no way I can make an identification from such a vague description. Further, ...
Looks like a winged scarub6/24/2009
  Q: Hey, aloha, I used to see the amber crystal skin of a winged insect that must look like a winged ...
  A: Jane: Peace to you, too:-) Very nice description of the cast "skin" of a cicada! Before they ...
1mm white jumping balls6/23/2009
  Q: On the blacktop in back of the building we have 1mm white jumping balls. No heads. No tails. ...
  A: Nicolle: At that size, must be "springtails" in the order Collembola. They are so primitive that ...
ichneumon wasp6/23/2009
  Q: I've recently discovered some giant ichneumon wasps in my basement, which I believe are coming from ...
  A: Katie: Well, you can simply catch the wasps and release them outdoors. If the wasps you are ...
wasps?6/23/2009
  Q: I was cleaning my horses stall tonite and saw an unusual bug. I'm fairly familiar with insects, my ...
  A: Gordon: It might help to know 'where' in the United States this is....but without at least an image ...
There are tons of wasp in my Room!6/22/2009
  Q: Three days ago, I developed a wasp problem in my room. I have no clue how to deal with it, what ...
  A: Casey: Thank you for including the image with your question.... This is really bizarre. The ...
Strange Bug on Canadian Prairies6/22/2009
  Q: June 20, 2009 my parents found this insect in the backyard while watering plants (rural ...
  A: Kara: Thank you for including the image with your question, though your description was enough for ...
Unknown insect - maggot thingy6/22/2009
  Q: About a week ago when i went to change my sheets i saw what i thought was a maggot on my bed... ...
  A: Rian: Ninety percent of the time, the answer to questions like this is: "carpet beetle larvae," ...
Red Ticks???6/21/2009
  Q: I have found a red tick looking creature with 8 legs. there are several of them around the house. ...
  A: Ryan: Without seeing the actual creatures you are describing, or at least a clear image of one, it ...
insect nest?6/21/2009
  Q: We have a narrowboat on a canal in North Wales UK. We haven't been on it for a few weeks and today I ...
  A: Julia: Yes, you are describing the nest of some kind of yellowjacket wasp in the family Vespidae, ...
Stictia Carolina wasps6/21/2009
  Q: I have some questions about the Stictia Carolina wasps aka Horse Guard wasps. I live in Northeast ...
  A: Leigh: Wow. All great questions, maybe some with answers.... Yes, the Horse Guard nests in sand, ...
A strange white bug6/20/2009
  Q: Eric, I found some strange whitish/gray bugs living beside my bathtub(on the outside, not inside). ...
  A: Dan: Well, I had a pretty good idea until you said you live in Israel.... I have no idea what kind ...
strange and colourful bug6/20/2009
  Q: Do you know what kind of bug this is? I took this picture at Tumacacori Mission Historical Monument ...
  A: Heather: Well, you picked the right person to ask. I live in Tucson (well, right now I'm on a job ...
Mystery Bug6/19/2009
  Q: Curious of the name of this bug? It a cross between a centipede and silverfish. It has lots of ...
  A: Darren: You give no indication where you live, and no image accompanied your question....but I ...
Centipede like bug6/19/2009
  Q: Last night in the kitchen I spotted this black inch long or so insect crawling on the counter. It ...
  A: Adam: Either a house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, or a European earwig. House centipedes are ...
can you help me??6/19/2009
  Q: wondering what they are and if they eat aphids. Because if they do i would like to catch and ...
  A: Katie: Thanks for including the image with your question. The insect pictured is a "small milkweed ...
black carpet beetles and ???6/18/2009
  Q: I believe I have more than one thing going on. My daughter is the only one having reactions to being ...
  A: Bobbie: I hardly know where to begin! First, I would never spray my bedding with any kind of ...
What type of insect is this?6/18/2009
  Q: Can you identify this insect? I found two of these insects on the ground on July 19, 2008 around ...
  A: Sonya: Thank you for including an image with your question. Yes, it is a beetle! More ...
clumps of small worms...what are they?6/18/2009
  Q: A few days ago in Northern VA, in the morning about 8:00am my kids and I spotted all these ...
  A: Gina: How delightful to get a question from someone who is curious about the creatures they see, ...
tiny gray bugs6/17/2009
  Q: I recently purchased a home in Joplin, MO and have lived in it a little over 2 months. I recently ...
  A: Jessica: Maybe they are the anobiid beetles I mentioned that are woodborers. In any event, they ...
saw tooth grain beetle6/17/2009
  Q: After looking through a bunch of pictures on the web, I finally identified this pest as a saw tooth ...
  A: Sharla: Thank you, I appreciate that you are willing to continue the dialog.... How you treat for ...
mystery larvae!!6/16/2009
  Q: well me and my cousin have discovered a group of larvea under our foam sleeping mats, they have also ...
  A: Abbey: I'm sorry, but larvae cannot be identified from a description (and you did not give one!) ...
HUGE Black hard hselled bug6/16/2009
  Q: Last night this bug kept scratching at my door. When I opened the door it flew inside. It was black ...
  A: Jennifer: I don't know, DO you live in northern Mississippi?:-) Is there now a South Mississippi, ...
Small elongated black bug6/16/2009
  Q: Recently I've noticed bite marks starting to appear on my arms and legs when I go to sleep. Today ...
  A: Robert: I'm afraid that without seeing the specimen, or at least an image of it, I can't make a ...
wasps? Boca Raton, Fl6/15/2009
  Q: Two days in a row we found a black wasp-like insect 2 inches long. It looks like a wasp; body ...
  A: Kella: They 'could' be wasps, but without seeing a specimen, or at least an image of one, it is ...
Chased By Flying Insect6/15/2009
  Q: I was working in my garden around 2pm today. It is very hot and sunny out and I was sweating ...
  A: SJ: Sweat bees are small, and they do not chase people. Honeybees, yellowjackets, hornets, and ...
saw tooth grain beetle6/15/2009
  Q: After looking through a bunch of pictures on the web, I finally identified this pest as a saw tooth ...
  A: Sharla: Please forgive me for making an example out of your question, but there is absolutely no ...
Flying Bug6/14/2009
  Q: I have recently been over whelmed with a new bug i have never seen before. I live in Vancouver BC, ...
  A: Cherisse: Boy, I am at a loss to know exactly what you are describing, unless it is a colony of ...
tiny gray bugs6/14/2009
  Q: I recently purchased a home in Joplin, MO and have lived in it a little over 2 months. I recently ...
  A: Jessica: Your description could fit many beetles that are collectively known as "stored product ...
flying insect6/14/2009
  Q: I left a jar of lemonade at the table around noon and when I came back a half an hour later there ...
  A: Laura: Thank you for including the images with your question. The insect is a female ichneumon ...
Found a bug infesting backyard6/13/2009
  Q: I have never seen this bug before and a huge storm passed and now my backyard is infested with this ...
  A: Jeff: Thank you for including an image with your question. The insect is an immature (juvenile, ...
Spider in Pool6/13/2009
  Q: Eric, I was out doing yard work and walked by our in-ground pool. At the bottom of the pool was a ...
  A: Desi: Generally, it really helps me to know exactly WHERE in the U.S. you found the creature in ...
tiny firefly that doesn't flash6/13/2009
  Q: I just came a cross an entry to you from 2007 about a gnat-sized firefly I found about twenty years ...
  A: Taylor: I don't find a question here, but I do thank you for sharing your observations. I would ...
Spiders...6/12/2009
  Q: I live in Rhododendron, Oregon and I found a spider in the sand/dirt. Its a pretty good size. Its ...
  A: McKenzie: Believe it or not, I have been to Rhododendron! I grew up in Portland and enjoyed ...
White Bug6/12/2009
  Q: I live in Tucson, Arizona and the other morning I saw a white bug with a red or orange triangle on ...
  A: Cymantha: I live in Tucson, too (though right now I'm on assignment in Massachusetts until ...
Large black bug6/12/2009
  Q: This morning, while it was sprinkling, I saw a huge bug. It was about 4 inches long, black with a ...
  A: Alyssa: Boy, you could be describing any of a number of things. My list of suspects would include: ...
Identification of a bug6/11/2009
  Q: I live in Lusby Maryland. In the past few weeks I keep seeing bugs outside that resemble light brown ...
  A: again, Lisa: No, wood roaches pose no threat whatsoever indoors. Even the domestic pest roaches ...
ID a green bug6/11/2009
  Q: My daughter found a dead green bug on the couch the other day. It measures about 1.5 cm by 1 cm x ...
  A: Pat: Sounds like some kind of "true bug" in the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera, and probably ...
Identification of a bug6/11/2009
  Q: I live in Lusby Maryland. In the past few weeks I keep seeing bugs outside that resemble light brown ...
  A: Lisa: Unfortunately, your description fits hundreds of different kinds of insects, and it is ...
beetles6/10/2009
  Q: i don't know if the beetles i have in my home might be carpet beetles or drugstore or some other ...
  A: Susan: Yes, they definitely sound like carpet beetles. I guess I also need to explain ...
paper wasp predators6/10/2009
  Q: I live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon (Eugene). We have had problems with paper wasps and yellow ...
  A: Tamara: I grew up in Portland, so I know what you mean....You are making me hungry talking about ...
Red & Black striped bug6/10/2009
  Q: I saw a bug at work the other day and after searching the internet I still cannot find it. It looks ...
  A: Dave: Florida has so many more species of insects than most other places in the U.S. that ...
Mystery beetle in Abq, New Mexico6/9/2009
  Q: I live in Albuquerque, NM, and have found on a few occasions a small black beetle (half the size of ...
  A: Hayley: How big is a peppercorn kernel? I don't do much cooking..... A stripe (vertical) or a ...
Help Identify but6/9/2009
  Q: I live in Missouri, suburb of St. Louis. We keep finding these small bugs on a wood railing outside ...
  A: Steve: Not only could you be describing adult insects of some kind, most insects being about the ...
ichneumon wasp6/9/2009
  Q: i live the woods out in New Hampshire I always see ichneumon wasps.I have small children and I was ...
  A: Kayleigh: I am living in western Massachusetts right now, and I am seeing lots of ichneumon wasps, ...
larvae (?) in conical depressions in sand6/8/2009
  Q: Greetings, my question concerns what I believe are little larvae that "dig" themselves a little hole ...
  A: Sarah: No bother. It is actually a joy to be answering an intelligent question from someone who ...
larvae (?) in conical depressions in sand6/8/2009
  Q: Greetings, my question concerns what I believe are little larvae that "dig" themselves a little hole ...
  A: Sarah: I think you are describing the larval pits of "antlions," family Myrmeleontidae in the order ...
orange and black grasshopper6/8/2009
  Q: i found a black and orange grass hopper on sunday june 6 2009 in jumps i wanted to ...
  A: John: You don't give me much to go on here. You don't even state where on the planet you found ...
Why are bumble bees hovering in the same spots around my house?5/20/2009
  Q: For two days in a row, there has been one bee hovering just outside our back entrance, nowhere near ...
  A: Djemba: They are not bumble bees:-) What you are describing is typical behavior of male large ...
black widow??5/20/2009
  Q: Here's the other photo... Thanks again Julie
  A: Julie: Ok, I'm responding to 'this' question.... Thank you for including the image with your ...
black beetles w/ orange stripe5/19/2009
  Q: I live In PA. For the last two years all over my apartment door, in my car, on my ...
  A: Cat: You are most likely describing the eastern boxelder bug, Boisea trivittata, a very common ...
Very tiny bee looking bug5/19/2009
  Q: Ok I have seen a very small bee looking bug around my yard. It is about 1/4 the size of the honey ...
  A: Doug: Yes, an image would help, but please post it to: http://www.bugguide.net in the "ID ...
my 4 year old claims he was sprayed and burned by a "?" worm.5/19/2009
  Q: We live on the Mississippi gulf coast where i was born & raised. i have never seen anything like my ...
  A: Andrea: Wow. Thank you for writing. Sometimes an animal we think is harmless turns out to be ...
unidentified insect in NC5/18/2009
  Q: Found an insect in my house. Looked similar to an ant. Long thorax. Abdomen was red. Thorax was ...
  A: Kelly: I'm sorry, your description does not ring any bells with me. I would suggest perusing ...
Spider?5/18/2009
  Q: Just curious as to what kind of spider this is. We found it in our house and we have never seen one ...
  A: Jessica: Ah, you found a "parson spider," Herpyllus ecclesiastica. This is one of the "running ...
some weird bug5/18/2009
  Q: Hey...thanks for taking the time to read my question. I live in the qwest end of edmonotn alberta, ...
  A: Christy: I strongly suspect that you were observing solitary bees that were in your area to begin ...
Tiny insects eating drywall in my kitchen5/17/2009
  Q: I noticed a small pile of dust in a corner of my kitchen counter where it meets the wall and when i ...
  A: David: I can't begin to help you without seeing the actual specimens under a microscope, but.... ...
huge flying bug5/17/2009
  Q: im from bc canada on the westcoast on the skeena river 100 mils from the port of prince rupert a ...
  A: Dave: I'm reasonably certain you observed a female giant ichneumon wasp in the genus Megarhyssa ...
Mystery Bug5/17/2009
  Q: I live in Florida and have seen this rather scary looking bug and wanted to know what it was. I ...
  A: Alfred: I think you are probably describing a scoliid wasp, maybe Scolia dubia. There is no common ...
Mystery Bug5/16/2009
  Q: My daughter discovered this bug when it flew into her husbands face at night when it was dark as ...
  A: Jennifer: I am getting many questions about this insect right now, which is somewhat unusual.... ...
Small insect identification5/16/2009
  Q: I captured a small insect, photographed it and released it. I'm trying to identify it.
  A: Leroy: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is called a "bee fly," in ...
Bugs coming out of drains5/16/2009
  Q: I live in Lake Tahoe, Ca (just incase that helps) And every spring at this time (May) we have these ...
  A: Randi: Boy, I am really hard-pressed to make an identification. Some suspects might be: Moth ...
lawn bug5/15/2009
  Q: We have this 1/16th of an inch tannish to light brownish bug all summer and none in the winter. It ...
  A: Sandra: You don't tell me where on Earth you live, so it is really hard to help you. I suspect, ...
what is this?5/15/2009
  Q: i have to do a bug pinning project for school and found a bug in a pool skimmer and have no idea ...
  A: Chelsie: You don't give me very much to go on, including any idea of where on Earth you found this ...
mystery bug5/14/2009
  Q: i was walking in my yard and seen black things on two green plants when i got closer i seen a bug ...
  A: Michael: Really, really hard to know what you are describing, except for the behavior. Most ...
bug5/14/2009
  Q: I live around fort smith arkansas. I have eggplants that are being eating by bugs. The bugs ...
  A: Cathy: Please forgive me for making an example out of you, but I know that other potential users of ...
aphids and itchy scalp5/14/2009
  Q: I have a question for you I hope you can answer. So I've moved into a new room in San Francisco ...
  A: Liala: Aphids would most definitely NOT be what is causing your itchy scalp. I would still not ...
odd bug5/13/2009
  Q: I found a hard shelled almond shape bug May11 2009. We live in New Brunswick Canada.The bug was ...
  A: Jean: Sounds like you might be describing a "predaceous diving beetle" in the beetle family ...
Flying Hard Shell Little Black Bugs5/13/2009
  Q: We live in Indiana by many little ponds. We have been having trouble with tiny hard shell flying ...
  A: Marti: I don't know that I can be of much help given the pretty vague description, but.... You ...
mystery flying insect!5/13/2009
  Q: One evening i heard a loud buzz which initially sounded like a weed wacker outside. When i looked ...
  A: Jamie: Please post your image to: http://www.bugguide.net in the "ID Request" section. I, or ...
Beetles attack!!!!5/12/2009
  Q: I think that I may have disturbed a family of "small black bugs" and they are seeking revenge on my ...
  A: You are definitely describing "carpet beetles," family Dermestidae (genera Anthrenus, Trogoderma, ...
Mystery Bug5/12/2009
  Q: We found this bug in Phoenix, AZ and were wondering what it is. I've attached an image. I do have ...
  A: Beth: Thank you for including the image with your question. I'm pretty impressed with what your ...
What is this bug?5/12/2009
  Q: There have been a few of these in my apartment. I live in San Diego if that information helps. It ...
  A: Susy: Thanks for including the image with your question. The creature is a "house centipede," ...
light green grub/catepillar 2-2.5 inches long5/11/2009
  Q: This morning, while taking my horse into the round pen, I noticed what appeared to be a caterpillar ...
  A: Janet: I'm sorry, this is beyond what I can do from a "mere" description, despite your outstanding ...
tiny iris bugs5/11/2009
  Q: These tiny creatures are crawling all over the new blossums of my "wild" yellow iris. Can you help? ...
  A: Mark: Yes, I can help with this one:-) I'm glad you think this one is "cute," because it is the ...
unknown beetle5/10/2009
  Q: recently my mother has had a very small (about 1/8 inch) type of beetle flying and crawling around ...
  A: Alex: Usually, 99% of the time the answer to a question like yours is "carpet beetles," family ...
Larvae case made of ants5/9/2009
  Q: This was found Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 2 p.m. appx, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California at ...
  A: Jenny: Nice to carry on an e-conversation with an intelligent, thoughtful person:-) I don't know ...
Larvae case made of ants5/9/2009
  Q: This was found Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 2 p.m. appx, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California at ...
  A: Actually, that is a very GOOD image compared to most of the ones I receive, like spiders captured ...
tiny iris bugs5/9/2009
  Q: These tiny creatures are crawling all over the new blossums of my "wild" yellow iris. Can you help? ...
  A: Mark: Thank you for including the image with your question. I am reasonably certain that the ...
what is this cocoon?5/8/2009
  Q: I was digging in my garden and found a black cocoon-looking animal underground. It was appx 3 inch ...
  A: Jenn: Did you mean to attach an image with this question? Chances are it was the pupa of a moth of ...
gray bug5/8/2009
  Q: I had a gray bug on my back that may have bit me. It was a few weeks ago 4/25/2009 in Laughlin NV. I ...
  A: Michelle: The insect in the image you referenced is a weevil. Weevils are beetles, and they do not ...
black insect w/ red or yellow stripe5/8/2009
  Q: Is this an insect that is destructive? It looks like a large cricket, black, shiny, larger, with ...
  A: Eileen: Did you intend to include an image with your question? You also do not state EXACTLY where ...
What kind of spider is this!?5/8/2009
  Q: This spider was observed walking on the inside of the window screen between the screen and closed ...
  A: Theresa: A woman not afraid of spiders?! I'll alert the media:-) You don't happen to be single, ...
rose bug5/7/2009
  Q: I live in Southern California in the city of Fullerton. Today, I picked some rose leaves and ...
  A: Tiffany: Sounds like you are describing the nymph (immature, juvenile) of a stink bug, family ...
North American Oil Beetle5/6/2009
  Q: Jack DeAngelis told me to refer my question to you. I consider myself an amateur entomologist (i.e. ...
  A: Joshua: Please give my warm regards to Jack. I'm flattered that he would refer you to me. He's a ...
centipeade millipeade5/6/2009
  Q: i saw your answer to someone elses question about a fast bug with lots of legs. i have looked at the ...
  A: Johnny: You don't state WHERE in the U.S. you live, which might be helpful in this case.... Any ...
Red Bug Found On Pillow5/6/2009
  Q: I found this red bug crawling across my pillow this morning about about 3 am. It is the beginning ...
  A: David: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. Even though the image is blurry, ...
Trying to ID a type of flying beetle5/5/2009
  Q: last night. It was approximately 1.5 inches long and brown in overall colour with a pair of yellow ...
  A: Well, I tried.... It may be something exotic, too. Have you recently obtained anything organic ...
Spider5/5/2009
  Q: I found a spider living on the underside of my garbage can. I have tried to identify it with no ...
  A: Patricio: Thank you for including the image with your question. The spider is definitely a ...
yuck5/5/2009
  Q: We live in an apartment and sometimes when I go to the bathroom at night when I turn on the light ...
  A: Kesia: Hard to tell from your description exactly what you have there, but my first guess would be: ...
What is this??5/4/2009
  Q: I've been finding a random bug (looks like a beetle maybe) in my basement. We are in ...
  A: Jen: I can think of a couple of possibilities, but only one makes sense. You are probably ...
mystery insect5/3/2009
  Q: May1/09, mid-day, Kingston, Ont. Canada; I was cleaning leaves from garden bed and out from under a ...
  A: Sue: I have gotten a fair number of questions lately about this insect. It is a "giant water bug" ...
Small, green insect5/3/2009
  Q: I checked out all the insects you suggested, but still no luck. The geographical area is west of ...
  A: Marci: Ok, do you have any idea how many "tiny" green insect species there are? And, 1/4 inch is ...
Carpet Beetles5/2/2009
  Q: Barton, I have question about carpet beetles living in body. My mother has recently had a ...
  A: Omarr: Carpet beetles (family Dermestidae) definitely do NOT feed on living tissue, though they ...
Katydid?5/2/2009
  Q: During the summer months, ever since I was a little girl, at least one tiny, cute green insect with ...
  A: Marci: Yes, katydids are generally large, over an inch in length, and obviously very ...
Long bug with pinchers in the front5/2/2009
  Q: We live in southeast Texas and have been seeing bugs about and inch and a half long outside at ...
  A: Matthew: Count yourself as one of the few, the proud, who have seen a.... Mole cricket. I have ...
Wasp-like bug w/stinger5/1/2009
  Q: About a week ago, there were 2 of these in my dining room on the door screen. Had clear wings, ...
  A: Carolyn: Without an image (which it sounded like you were sending with your question), I don't know ...
social wasp identification5/1/2009
  Q: This little bugger popped up outside of my window but inside of my open screen. I'm hoping it'll ...
  A: Jesse: How refreshing to get a question about wasps that doesn't involve "how do I get rid of ...
Red & Black Spider Like Bug5/1/2009
  Q: OK I live in the Tampa Bay Area and I found this creepy bug crawling on my windshield today ...
  A: again, Beth:-) Ok, thanks for sending the image. No doubts, now.... Well, I was correct as far as ...
Red & Black Spider Like Bug4/30/2009
  Q: OK I live in the Tampa Bay Area and I found this creepy bug crawling on my windshield today ...
  A: Beth: Florida has LOTS of insects no other states do, and many, many species that fit your ...
Cicada Killer or Yellow Jacket4/30/2009
  Q: I have a fairly large deck on the back of my house (the back of the house faces north) that has an ...
  A: Al: I'm not normally this quick. LOL! I'm home sick, plus I am waiting to hear back from someone ...
Cicada Killer or Yellow Jacket4/30/2009
  Q: I have a fairly large deck on the back of my house (the back of the house faces north) that has an ...
  A: Al: You don't tell me where you live, exactly, but may I assume it is somewhere east of the Rocky ...
tiny black bugs4/29/2009
  Q: I have very tiny flying black bugs all over my car and they only apeer when the weather starts to ...
  A: Tawanna: I'm sorry, but you did not provide nearly enough information for me to help you. Your ...
Mystery Bug4/29/2009
  Q: I found this worm like bug in a pile of decaying wood. It is 1 1/2 inches long segmented and orange. ...
  A: Andrew: You don't mention where on the planet you found this animal....May not matter, but details ...
Black Beetle with Gold4/28/2009
  Q: Hey Eric, Just found this site after running into a large bug in my backyard. I live just outside ...
  A: Jessika: Well, I suppose if you stared at the beetle long enough you could grow "weary" of the ...
unknown bug4/28/2009
  Q: a couple of days ago I killed a bug inside my bathroom. I found another one on my pillow this ...
  A: Victor: Who on Earth told you a silverfish can sting?! That is totally FALSE! They are harmless ...
Unkown Flying insect4/27/2009
  Q: For the past couple days, there have been tons and tons of these large "flies" flying outside my ...
  A: Cody: I should have called in sick to AllExperts today! No, I really am ill.... There is no way I ...
Entomology4/27/2009
  Q: write down the different methods of staining the insect muscles and methods of their studying
  A: Naeem: With all due respect, this question is so impersonal, so irrelevant to the services I ...
mystery beetle4/26/2009
  Q: i live in gardner, massachusetts,(outside of worcester). this evening at 12:00am a large, black ...
  A: Jessica: The image did not come through, and your description is simply not detailed enough for me ...
Velvetless Velvet Ant?4/26/2009
  Q: I noticed a question placed on 9/2008 from Portland, OR that sounds a lot like my situation. ...
  A: Jason: Female velvet ants can become considerably "worn" with age, with a good deal of their hair ...
red spider mites?4/26/2009
  Q: I have tiny little "mites" all over my bathroom and some rooms facing the east. When you smash them ...
  A: Amy: Never call an exterminator unless you know exactly what you are dealing with. You cannot ...
found a bug4/25/2009
  Q: Eric, Found a white bug in some lignum vitae. It has a 5/16 inch round head and the rest of the body ...
  A: Aaron: This must be international AllExperts day.... Yes, an image would help, but please post it ...
Very Large "beetle"? with a stinger4/24/2009
  Q: On 4/22/09 in Wenatchee, WA.(not the rainy side of WA), 9pm (dark), outside, this large beetle-like ...
  A: Kathryn: Thank you for including the image with your question. It is a "giant water bug" in the ...
ID worm / grub with stinger4/24/2009
  Q: I live in Kaufman (Southeast of Dallas) Texas. While digging up some greenbriar that's been climbing ...
  A: Jeremi: It is an insect larva of some kind. Your image is too blurry for me to say more than that. ...
Mystery bug4/23/2009
  Q: I am trying to find the name of a bug that I have seen in northwest Wisconsin. The only times that ...
  A: You are most likely describing some kind of "crane fly," family Tipulidae. They can be very ...
wasps maybe??4/23/2009
  Q: i think it is some kind of wasps, or from a wasps family. i'm not really sure. i have an image could ...
  A: Nick: Thank you for including the image with your question. You are quite correct in thinking this ...
Unusual Unidentified Crawling Thing4/23/2009
  Q: Recently we cut down a very tall, very large, very dead Cottonwood tree in our back yard and ...
  A: Tolli: You should be applauded for your observation skills and curiosity:-) It is a joy to answer ...
Help identifying bee/wasp specie4/22/2009
  Q: I'm an American medical student studying in Grenada in the West Indies in the Caribbean. I have a ...
  A: Jason: Thank you for including the image with your question. I'm not much of an expert on ...
Spiders4/21/2009
  Q: I think I have a spider problem. I live in a furnished basement, not moist or damp. I went in my ...
  A: Jenna: Spiders have a way of getting into most homes, basements, garages, etc, no matter how clean ...
Bugs4/20/2009
  Q: What are the black insect with orange that looks like grasshoppers that grow to be large and eat ...
  A: Rhonda: You are describing the "eastern lubber grasshopper," Romalea microptera, a common species ...
unknown yellow three dot spider4/20/2009
  Q: found a yellow spider in UK, with three dots on its back, about 1 inch big have a picture...? any ...
  A: Mohamed: If you have a picture, please post it to: http://www.bugguide.net in the "ID Request" ...
Unknown Bug4/20/2009
  Q: My apologies for sending you a picture of a bug from outside North America and if you are unable to ...
  A: Dave: Thank you for including the image with your question. The insect is a "giant water bug" in ...
Can you help us identify this flying insect?4/19/2009
  Q: We live in Lake Isabella California - for the past month our house has been surrounded by these ...
  A: Agnes: Thank you so much for attaching an image with your question! I had no idea what you were ...
pantry bug4/19/2009
  Q: what is the name of the small bug that gets into flour, cereal, rice and other boxes in the pantry? ...
  A: Allena: There are several kinds of insects that can infest dried grains and grain products. Most ...
tiny scorpion4/19/2009
  Q: I was cleaning up some piece of cottonwood bark that I collected from an old waste pile in a wooded ...
  A: Alex: It IS a pseudoscorpion. Nothing else comes close. Maybe it was a juvenile and not an adult. ...
grey white insect on bed cover4/18/2009
  Q: I noticed a 4-5 mm crawling ladybug-like insect crawling on my toddler's bed cover. It was distictly ...
  A: Shannon: You are not describing a bed bug. Further, bed bugs are so secretive that you almost ...
Flying wasp/ant like insects near garden4/18/2009
  Q: We're in Central Florida. We have about 27 insects that look like black wasp when flying. They fly ...
  A: Kaci: Oh, wow, thanks for including the image with your question. It leaves no doubt as to exactly ...
5 mm brownish beige bugs beetle like bugs in kitchen & bathroom4/17/2009
  Q: I live in British Columbia, Canada and I kep seeing these teeny brown and beige/pale yellow bugs ...
  A: I should really retain a copy of my comments on "carpet beetles," family Dermestidae (genera ...
Infestation or Harmless wanderers?4/17/2009
  Q: i have seen the same kind of bug in my room over the last week - on three different occasions, I ...
  A: J: Your description is pretty vague, and you don't state SPECIFICALLY where you live (which I ...
Mystery Insect4/17/2009
  Q: The insect in question was a flier, roughly 4 inches in length. It was found in southern Michigan. ...
  A: Chris: Thank you for your most excellent description of.... A giant water bug, genus Lethocerus, ...
bugs around our baseboards4/16/2009
  Q: We have these black bugs that seem to just multiply around the baseboards in our back entryway and ...
  A: Renee: Some beetles in the family Anobiidae are wood-borers, and can emerge from furniture, ...
a spiked, horny bug found in dry rice/noodle4/16/2009
  Q: a few weeks ago I put some driend noodles from the larder into a saucepan and added water, ...
  A: Nina: Without seeing at least an image of the insect in question, it is very difficult to give you ...
is it a bed bug or a tick4/15/2009
  Q: I had just gotten back to my home in Brooklyn, Ny from a weekend in Pittsburgh, PA. I slept one ...
  A: Lauren: I'm glad you "saved" your legs, I'm sure life would be much harder without them:-) I'm ...
mystery bugs in my back yard4/14/2009
  Q: About a week ago, I noticed several tiny bugs that are brown and white or grey in my backyard. We ...
  A: Jessica: Probably the "false chinch bug," Nysius raphanus. I have seen them here in Tucson ...
Granary weevils4/14/2009
  Q: I have an infestation of granary weevils. The infestation came about from some bird seed that we ...
  A: Stacy: You are doing just what you should be doing: discarding the infested product, then cleaning ...
bugs around our baseboards4/13/2009
  Q: We have these black bugs that seem to just multiply around the baseboards in our back entryway and ...
  A: Renee: I'm sorry, but there is no way I can help you given the (lack of) information in your ...
tiny brown bugs4/13/2009
  Q: I am living in a different house and I am seeing these strange little bugs. I first saw them when ...
  A: Melissa: The springtails may be migrating, or attempting to, and then you see them once they reach ...
tiny brown bugs4/13/2009
  Q: I am living in a different house and I am seeing these strange little bugs. I first saw them when ...
  A: Melissa: I am pretty certain you are describing "springtails" in the order Collembola. Scientists ...
bit or stung in central America Panama4/12/2009
  Q: while in panama city Panama in jungle area putting on life jacket....some insect or bee was on ...
  A: It is all I can do to help folks with North American insects! Neotropical species are generally ...
We found this bug, Can you help Identify.4/12/2009
  Q: I live in the Mid-West and we found this bug in the back yard after the snow thawed, it was dead. ...
  A: Mitch: Thank you for including the image with your question. You were actually on the right track ...
little worms in basement4/10/2009
  Q: We built a new house in 2008. Never noticed any little black worms, may be millipedes, under ...
  A: June: Thanks for including the link to the images. They are indeed millipedes. Millipedes are not ...
What kind of bug is it?4/9/2009
  Q: For the past two days I have found this bug all over my house. It looks like a bee from a distance, ...
  A: Britt: Thank you for including the image with your question. I had a feeling I knew what it was, ...
what is this bug??4/8/2009
  Q: .. I found this disgusting bug in my bed...down towards the end of the mattress where the sheets are ...
  A: Ginnine: Thank you for including the image with your question. This is not even an insect, or an ...
worms4/8/2009
  Q: I think i found some worms or larva of some kind in a batch of beans i was re-frying. Inside of ...
  A: Kristina: Thank you for including an image with your question. The "worms" are clearly insect ...
Spider Identification4/7/2009
  Q: A spider came to say hi on my computer monitor. Have no clue about the eyes. It was about 1/2 inch ...
  A: Lauri: Thank you for including the image with your question. I can assure you the spider is ...
Weird New Red Bug4/7/2009
  Q: I live in the Quebec Laurentians in Canada and it's currently below zero and a blizzard outside in ...
  A: Dianne: From a description alone it is really difficult to make an identification of something like ...
white honeycomb4/7/2009
  Q: I found the start of a pure white honeycomb on a branch in a Mesquite tree. I live in Scottsdale, ...
  A: Sue: Without seeing the actual structure, I can't say for certain what made it....Honeybees would ...
ant/scorpion-like bug4/6/2009
  Q: I live in the southern part of Illinois and a while back I saw this bug that was the size of a small ...
  A: Courtnie: I can think of two possibilities: earwig (order Dermaptera) rove beetle (order ...
what bug is this? it's everywhere!4/6/2009
  Q: I've been living in Gainesville, Florida for over two years now and every year around spring these ...
  A: Erin: Thank you for attaching the image with your question. They are indeed "bugs," among the few ...