| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| small brown bug ID | 11/21/2009 |
Q: I have spotted two of these little guys hanging around my windows lately. They're very hard to kill ...
A: there's not much you can do to make your place less attractive to these beetles. They are not really ...
|
| Bug in my bed | 11/21/2009 |
Q: i awoke this morning to the feeling of something crawling on my neck. Turns out this bug i rubbed ...
A: at worst, it is a nuisance pest. It is a primitive insect called a bristletail (order Thysanura), ...
|
| stinging or biting insect - flea? | 11/20/2009 |
Q: My husband and I have been plagued with insect problems since we returned from Belgium on a United ...
A: //annearundel.umd.edu/ for contact information. I lived in Maryland from 1978-1999, mostly in ...
|
| Sesame-seed-like eggs | 11/20/2009 |
Q: I've found these eggs -- a little smaller than sesame seeds, same tan/blond color, most flat, some ...
A: as these certainly do not sound like the eggs of anything likely to be pest/parasite of pets or ...
|
| stinging or biting insect - flea? | 11/19/2009 |
Q: My husband and I have been plagued with insect problems since we returned from Belgium on a United ...
A: the winged ones appear to be aphids ('plant lice') which definitely would not bite, but I cannot see ...
|
| tiny white bugs (again) | 11/18/2009 |
Q: I've read through the tiny white bugs Q&As here, but i'm not sure if those apply to the ones I am ...
A: it is difficult to say exactly what they might be; that would take an expert on the group examining ...
|
| ID of fly | 11/17/2009 |
Q: I will attach a photo that I took of flies I found in great numbers this year in northern Wyoming. I ...
A: as the wing venation still is not visible, but I believe that this is a picture-winged fly (Diptera: ...
|
| Very tiny white mites | 11/17/2009 |
Q: ..I hope you may be able to give me some advice...about a week ago I was cleaning and noticed a ...
A: However, because of their extremely small size, they often go unnoticed unless they occur in very ...
|
| tiny red centipede/worm with pincers | 11/17/2009 |
Q: these tiny (approx 5 mm) red centipedes/annelids/arthropod/worms have been found scattered around ...
A: its flattened appearance and the urogomphi (pincer-like structures at the rear of the abdomen) ...
|
| mystery bug identification from the Caribbean | 11/16/2009 |
Q: and thank you for this service. I am getting bites in the night that itch for a couple days. I ...
A: it is a weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and these all are plant feeders. It is nearly impossible ...
|
| Brandy and Flying Insects | 11/16/2009 |
Q: I noticed something very odd in the last month or so. In past times when I drank other kinds of ...
A: I can only offer a suggestion that there may be some volatile compounds present in brandy but not in ...
|
| Attraction to light | 11/15/2009 |
Q: I've been wondering for a long time why insects are attracted to light. Please, can you enlighten ...
A: several theories/hypotheses have been posited, but to the best of my knowlefge, none have been ...
|
| Tarantula Feeding | 11/15/2009 |
Q: So how do Tarantulas actually eat I always thought spiders inject there prey with venom and drink ...
A: tarantulas can only ingest liquid food. However, they use the powerful bases of their chelicerae ...
|
| ID of fly | 11/14/2009 |
Q: I will attach a photo that I took of flies I found in great numbers this year in northern Wyoming. I ...
A: Could you please try submitting a clear photo of the dorsal (top) aspect of this fly? I need to see ...
|
| aggressive flour beetles in my kitchen | 11/14/2009 |
Q: I have a really frustrating infestation of flour beetles which appeared quickly and is attacking odd ...
A: Although pyrethrum-based insecticides certainly appear safe from a human health standpoint, they ...
|
| White worm in wood | 11/12/2009 |
Q: Ed, you answered a question about a white boring wood worm in firewood purchased near Lake Tahoe ...
A: there are no buprestids that are a serious threat to trees in Idaho, as they all appear to attack ...
|
| Spider in son's room | 11/12/2009 |
Q: Sorry for the horrible resolution. My camera battery was dying, plus the spider was in an area where ...
A: I can say that it is definitely not a recluse spider of any kind, but anything further would simply ...
|
| White worm in wood | 11/12/2009 |
Q: Ed, you answered a question about a white boring wood worm in firewood purchased near Lake Tahoe ...
A: To the best of my knowledge, the most dangerous beetles from a timber standpoint in your area are ...
|
| arthropod herbivory | 11/11/2009 |
Q: Do leave eating insects perfer tree that grow in creek beds over dry land trees? If so is there any ...
A: Factors influencing 'choices' of herbivory among insects are far too numerous and complex to treat ...
|
| Identification | 11/10/2009 |
Q: Could you help me to identify this one? It can move its flower like tail end such a way that at ...
A: it is Diaphania indica, a pest species sometimes known as the cucumber moth, melon moth, or pumpkin ...
|
| insect head orientation | 11/9/2009 |
Q: please may i know the types of insect head orientation and its importance to any particular species ...
A: (1) Hypognathous - mouthparts directed ventrally - this is the commonest orientation among plant ...
|
| tiny mystery bugs on the outside of my home. | 11/8/2009 |
Q: I live in Keller TX. And I have started to notice ALOT of these VERY tiny little bugs on the outside ...
A: //tinyurl.com/yjf5ar7 and http://tinyurl.com/ylfmwh8 to see if there is any resemblance to what you ...
|
| dust like insect craw on wall | 11/7/2009 |
Q: Recently there is plenty of dust like insect in my room, they usually hanging on the wall and ...
A: //tinyurl.com/ykbhp9y for an image. These cases are constructed by larvae (caterpillars) of moths in ...
|
| moth eggs | 11/6/2009 |
Q: I found moth eggs on my ceiling this morning. There was a moth flying around the kitchen the other ...
A: what it resembles most is a small critter, such as a larva of some kind, that died there, and now ...
|
| moth eggs | 11/6/2009 |
Q: I found moth eggs on my ceiling this morning. There was a moth flying around the kitchen the other ...
A: and even if they were, no pest species that I know of would lay its eggs in such a situation or ...
|
| SEED TICK | 11/3/2009 |
Q: NEED YOUR HELP URGENTLY. I IDENTIFIED ON YOUR SITE A PICTURE OF SEED (SESAME) TICKS DATED 10/7/09 ...
A: the only tick species that would actually infest a house is the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus ...
|
| looks like a devil's coach horse beetle | 11/2/2009 |
Q: Curious what this bug is. Looks like a devil's coach horse beetle, but it's not all black as most ...
A: Staphylinidae), the same family as to which the devil's coach horse beetle belongs. This is a very ...
|
| brick repointing? | 11/2/2009 |
Q: We are experiencing bites,have had 2 exterminators here and no one can find anything.We recently had ...
A: //tinyurl.com/c63ox9, you will see a state map where you click on the area of the state where you ...
|
| brick repointing? | 11/2/2009 |
Q: We are experiencing bites,have had 2 exterminators here and no one can find anything.We recently had ...
A: identifying the cause of 'mystery bites' is extremely difficult without actually catching/seeing the ...
|
| Bug I found in the house | 11/1/2009 |
Q: I found this creepy looking bug in my house today. I have seen one of these before. What is it? ...
A: this is an arachnid (the group that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, etc.) called a ...
|
| What kind of bug is this?? | 11/1/2009 |
Q: I live in Washington State, Tacoma. I have seen this thing a couple of times before in my bathroom, ...
A: ; Lepidoptera: Tineidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/yk8x4x3 for an image. It is in the same family as ...
|
| bug in kitchen - boston apartment - what is it? | 10/31/2009 |
Q: Have been living in an apartment in Boston for the past 1.5 years, and never found a bug (except ...
A: likely in the genus Attagenus (black carpet beetle and relatives) - see http://tinyurl.com/mml94l ...
|
| Sun Spiders / Solifugidae | 10/31/2009 |
Q: found one like this http://tinyurl.com/pp93wz exactly, with the "one" dark eye, ugly pinchers ...
A: wind spiders, camel spiders, and sun spiders among other common names) are arachnids, more closely ...
|
| Unkown Bug | 10/30/2009 |
Q: This one was seen in northwest Mexico, i have lived here my whole life and haven't seen something ...
A: Cerambycidae)in the subfamily Laminiinae; it may be in the genus Saperda (see ...
|
| Can't figure this bug out! | 10/29/2009 |
Q: About four this morning, I found two tiny bugs under my daughter's pillow. For six weeks she's been ...
A: as your description does not match up with any human biting pest that I am familiar with. Just a ...
|
| crickets | 10/27/2009 |
Q: I am doing a project on crickets and I'm trying to figure out the best types of food to give them ...
A: This one really is outside my area of expertise, about all that I can tell you is that crickets are ...
|
| tiny black worms in toilet | 10/27/2009 |
Q: I moved to a new home 2 months ago in portland, oregon and have recently found tiny black worms ...
A: Psychodidae; aka drain fly) larvae; see http://tinyurl.com/muuznu, http://tinyurl.com/yjee5fx, and ...
|
| maggots? | 10/27/2009 |
Q: i have been running a fitness business in my basement for the past 3 years with nothing ever. it is ...
A: but I still really would like to see a photo. if you do not have a digital camera, do you know ...
|
| Grub/larvae identification | 10/27/2009 |
Q: 1. I found this grub/larvae(see picture)when I was splitting a log. It had bored into the middle of ...
A: Cerambycidae); once removed from its tunnel, it may not survive. If you still have the section of ...
|
| Spider Identification | 10/26/2009 |
Q: I live in southwest Florida. My brother's roommate either was bit by something or has staph ...
A: it is not a spider at all, it is an arachnid in the order Opiliones known as a harvestman or daddy ...
|
| bugs, and hoping not small cockroach | 10/25/2009 |
Q: We live in Northern California, in Sonoma. I have noticed small (1/4") bugs with long, straight ...
A: //tinyurl.com/ygb8sr9 for an image. However, it would be very unusual to see them out in the open ...
|
| beetles | 10/25/2009 |
Q: every fall and through to the middle of April/May we have these orange and black beetles that seem ...
A: as I suspect that they may not be beetles. Please try to take a clear, close-up photo of at least ...
|
| Mystery Maggot | 10/25/2009 |
Q: My mom's boyfriend and I noticed a bug on our stove right after we finished eating french toast this ...
A: your image is too unclear for me to attempt an identification; I can't even tell which is the head ...
|
| maggots? | 10/24/2009 |
Q: i have been running a fitness business in my basement for the past 3 years with nothing ever. it is ...
A: but I cannot be of any help to you unless you either attach a photo of one or more of these 'mystery ...
|
| earwigs | 10/23/2009 |
Q: how often would you say an earwig goes into peoples ears? I have heard many stories and well it ...
A: that's an 'old wives' tale' that has no scientific validity. Almost any crawling insect has the ...
|
| worm | 10/22/2009 |
Q: What kind of worm has 8 legs 8 orange horns on its head body is turqouis numerous small black horns ...
A: such as the hickory horned devil (Citheronia regalis) - see http://tinyurl.com/ygnxb4y for an image ...
|
| Bug ID | 10/22/2009 |
Q: I live in Orlando fl there are these small sluggish/worm like crawling bugs that come from outside ...
A: and although I cannot see its legs, the overall shape of it is consistent with it being a millipede. ...
|
| Bug ID | 10/22/2009 |
Q: I live in Orlando fl there are these small sluggish/worm like crawling bugs that come from outside ...
A: but I suspect that your 'house guests' are millipedes. For the most part, these are harmless ...
|
| white creatures | 10/21/2009 |
Q: I have a problem with little creatures in my UK house. I have had them for a while now but thought ...
A: Also, if you cut down on the occurrence of mould, you would have a less attractive environment for ...
|
| glowing arthropod | 10/21/2009 |
Q: I was surprised to discover three glowing spots in the grass this evening at my central Missouri ...
A: it most likely was a larva (or larviform female) of a firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). See ...
|
| Water worms in the pan below my houseplant | 10/21/2009 |
Q: I have a large fiddleleaf ficus in my bedroom and I have noticed on several occasions, slender ...
A: neither of which would be harmful to you or your dog: (1) a very slender annelid worm (related to ...
|
| earwig bite | 10/20/2009 |
Q: My husband was bitten by an earwig (he thinks) under his chin. At first I could see a red dot ...
A: but I highly doubt that a bite from an earwig would cause such symptoms. Earwigs have no venom or ...
|
| Indianmeal Moth | 10/20/2009 |
Q: The little critters were merely pesky until it occured to me they might be the progenitors of the ...
A: such as corners or where walls and ceilings intersect. Perhaps it reflects negative geotropism ...
|
| white creatures | 10/20/2009 |
Q: I have a problem with little creatures in my UK house. I have had them for a while now but thought ...
A: but I would be very hesitant to attempt a specific identification. As you did not mention ...
|
| Indianmeal Moth | 10/20/2009 |
Q: The little critters were merely pesky until it occured to me they might be the progenitors of the ...
A: the larvae of Indianmeal moths (Plodia interpunctella) often wander quite some distance from their ...
|
| Mysterious bites and scrapes | 10/20/2009 |
Q: I'm trying to figure out what kind of bug is "biting" me. I believe I only get bit at night while ...
A: it is extremely difficult, to say the least, to identify the cause of most 'mystery bites' without ...
|
| bug in dryer vent | 10/19/2009 |
Q: I found this insect while emptying the lint from my dryer. It is gold, shiny 6 legs, with visible ...
A: possibly that of a wood cockroach - see http://tinyurl.com/kvdfou and look for the small, pale ...
|
| brown worms on clothing | 10/19/2009 |
Q: Would you be able to help identify our "worm"? We occasionally find small brown worms on clothing ...
A: as your description really does not match up well with anything likely to be a pest in your ...
|
| crickets | 10/14/2009 |
Q: Are crickets accustomed to a high moisture level? What is the effect of different moisture levels on ...
A: high humidity usually leads to increased disease rates. They get much of their moisture needs from ...
|
| possible black | 10/14/2009 |
Q: Could you please tell me what kind of fly this? It has a fuzzy body and black/white wings. Thank ...
A: This is a bee fly (Diptera: Bombyliidae); likely Anthrax georgicus- see http://tinyurl.com/ylk6p3s ...
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| Bug ID follow-up | 10/13/2009 |
Q: What insect have a head and thorax that resembles a spider and an abdomen that looks like a dried ...
A: I only saw the katydid. Your insect is Arilus cristatus, an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: ...
|
| Bed bugs | 10/12/2009 |
Q: I am a California resident. It is confirmed that there are bed bugs in at least one room of my ...
A: I'm going to refer you to one of the best compendiums of information on bed bugs that I have found - ...
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| Bug ID | 10/12/2009 |
Q: What insect have a head and thorax that resembles a spider and an abdomen that looks like a dried ...
A: this is a type of katydid, a member of the long-horned grasshopper family (Orthoptera: ...
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| bug ID please - thank you so much | 10/12/2009 |
Q: I live in Gilbert, Arizona and found this little guy outside my house this morning. What on earth is ...
A: appearing to be a striped earwig, Labidura riparia - see http://tinyurl.com/yfrbhp8 for an image. ...
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| long crawling insect with a lot of legs | 10/12/2009 |
Q: has invade my house and i need help. just yesterday i found at least 10. i do not know what they are ...
A: If that is not feasible for you, please add more details, such as their approximate size (length, ...
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| insect id | 10/8/2009 |
Q: I am researcher from Indai. I recently posted one question yet I had other too. During my field ...
A: I would suspect that this might be a shore fly (family Ephydridae), but these typically are 5mm long ...
|
| Zoology | 10/8/2009 |
Q: I am a researcher and working on estuarine mudflats. I found an insect ( fly like ) on the beach. I ...
A: Carabidae; subfamily Cicindelinae), likely in the genus Cicindela. Formerly placed in a family of ...
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| maggots | 10/8/2009 |
Q: someone posted this in facebook today and I'm really freaking out here... can you explain this ...
A: it is difficult to be certain what is being shown. At first glance, it appears to be a primary ...
|
| tiny catapiller like bugs in my bed | 10/8/2009 |
Q: today while i was changing my bedding i noticed a small black bug on my mattress. (looked much like ...
A: J. - As you may have guessed, your image is too fuzzy to see enough detail for me to attempt an ...
|
| worm identification | 10/7/2009 |
Q: live in camden arkansas and found some worms ranging from 3 to 6 inches long they were under a ...
A: likely in the genus Bipalium. They are predatory on earthworms. See http://tinyurl.com/yd42yyq and ...
|
| Springtails | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I have these bugs that I have self-identified as Springtails. They jump high and tend to migrate ...
A: they do no real harm there. The key to their control is moisture management, as they are very ...
|
| Another picture of sesame seed tick | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I'm a sending you another picture of the tick like bug that resembles a sesame seed since I was only ...
A: but the image in your previous photo cannot be anything other than an engorged tick. Because of its ...
|
| unknown bug | 10/6/2009 |
Q: I have noticed for the last week to 10 days a bug I have never seen before altho I have lived in ...
A: as your description could fit any number of beetle (order Coleoptera) or true bug (order Hemiptera) ...
|
| unknown insect eggs found in Florida | 10/6/2009 |
Q: I live in central Florida, USA. After inspection of some outdoor Hibiscus plants, I noticed these ...
A: and they definitely do not look like the eggs of any common pest of hibiscus. Also, insect eggs of ...
|
| Is this some type of tick? | 10/5/2009 |
Q: I live in Honduras, Central America and have 2 Cocker Spaniel dogs who have recently been infested ...
A: The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus is unusual in that all three stages will feed on the ...
|
| Looking for ID on water bugs | 10/5/2009 |
Q: Hope you had an excellent summer. I was out Saturday, 10/03/2009 in Williston Vermont with my ...
A: Gyrinidae); all either are predaceous on other small arthropods or scavengers on whatever falls into ...
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| strange bug | 10/5/2009 |
Q: Since last winter I've been having a problem with bug entering my room ONLlY when it starts getting ...
A: and about all that oe can do is make sure that all gaps around windows and doors as well as any ...
|
| Can two completely different insects mate? | 10/4/2009 |
Q: I found a bug with markings of some kind of paper wasp and the head and rear of the abdomen. The ...
A: You're quite welcome, Jeremy - The vast majority of beetles that are wasp mimics are in the family ...
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| Can two completely different insects mate? | 10/4/2009 |
Q: I found a bug with markings of some kind of paper wasp and the head and rear of the abdomen. The ...
A: just to see the general outline of the insect. Again, please tell me the approximate size of the ...
|
| Can two completely different insects mate? | 10/4/2009 |
Q: I found a bug with markings of some kind of paper wasp and the head and rear of the abdomen. The ...
A: I need a bit more information/clarification before venturing an opinion/guess at what it might be. ...
|
| Red Head Black Body | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I keep getting this black bodied red headed bug on my pillow in my bed. The head of the bed is right ...
A: Someone there should be able either to assist in identification, or could forward the specimen(s) to ...
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| Red Head Black Body | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I keep getting this black bodied red headed bug on my pillow in my bed. The head of the bed is right ...
A: Could you please take a photo of one and attach the image to a follow-up question? If this is not ...
|
| Fly foot-rubbing | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I've been noticing that whenever I see a fly when it's not flying, the fly rubs its forelegs ...
A: heh, heh..." as it rubs its legs together, this is indeed a part of its normal grooming behavior. ...
|
| Identify Insect | 10/2/2009 |
Q: I would be indebted to you if you would identify the insect showwn in the attached jpg file, and ...
A: it is not an insect at all. nor a pantry pest of any kind; it is a small predator known as a crab ...
|
| Blue Insects In Algonquin Park | 10/2/2009 |
Q: We recently returned from camping in Algonquin Park (the Kiosk site). The day we arrived our ...
A: ' they most likely were woolly aphids (Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: Eriosomatidae) - see ...
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| Sesame shaped eggs | 10/1/2009 |
Q: Last week I found the same sesame-shaped insect eggs lined up along the ridge under the hood of the ...
A: I am not aware of any household or animal pest species that would lay its eggs in such an array (and ...
|
| Mystery mouse parasite. | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I had an experience similar to another question on this site but there was no identification. The ...
A: This is a mature larva of a rodent bot fly (Cuterebra fontinella; Diptera: Cuterebridae). They ...
|
| Whats biting me? | 9/30/2009 |
Q: H Ed. I have been getting random bites on my body at night for the past 6 months. My husband and ...
A: as it is nearly impossible to determine the cause without actually catching something in the act of ...
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| bug | 9/30/2009 |
Q: ok, I didn't get a picture because I was too involved with helping it get off the deck and back to ...
A: try placing it in a container of some kind until you can take a photo of it. Without an image, I can ...
|
| Araneus.....? | 9/30/2009 |
Q: I live in Northern Minnesota, USA. This spider fascinated me all summer. Any help on its identity ...
A: After viewing it, I now believe that your spider more likely is Araneus gemmoides, sometimes known ...
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| Araneus.....? | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I live in Northern Minnesota, USA. This spider fascinated me all summer. Any help on its identity ...
A: I believe that it is most likely Araneus saevus - see http://tinyurl.com/yclzuex for an image. ...
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| mystery insect | 9/29/2009 |
Q: Mornin', I'm attempting to identify and possibly the hazards involved with an insect I found at my ...
A: It is in the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.), family Tettigoniidae, probably one of ...
|
| Are these bed bugs? | 9/28/2009 |
Q: I am seeing these all over my bedroom, Killed about 20 yesterday..Very gross. Am in NY, and the coin ...
A: they are tiny beetles, not bed bugs. The images are not clear enough for a positive i.d., but they ...
|
| Have been noticing strange insect. | 9/28/2009 |
Q: I live in southern NJ and I have been noticing some really strange insects. I'm sorry that I don't ...
A: as I have no idea what your first insect might have been - your description rings no bells at all ...
|
| Very Large Wasp in WNY | 9/27/2009 |
Q: I've seen many very very large looking wasp this summer in Western New York. It's the first time ...
A: although these primarily are diurnal in nature. They are not very aggressive, and females, at least, ...
|
| How to pin or mount a milipede/centipede | 9/27/2009 |
Q: What is the correct way to mount a centipede or millipede in a collection? The insect seems to big ...
A: Traditionally, they are preserved in a 75% solution of ethyl alcohol (isopropyl alcohol may be ...
|
| What are these? | 9/26/2009 |
Q: I am assuming these are egg sacs but have no idea from what. They are all over my container-grown ...
A: Coccoidea) in the family Margarodidae, likely the cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi). See ...
|
| what kind of insect | 9/26/2009 |
Q: found this bug in our bed live in sonoma county,california can you tell us what it is please ,we ...
A: This appears to be a larva of an insect in the order Neuroptera, family Raphidiidae, known as a ...
|
| what kind of insect | 9/26/2009 |
Q: found this bug in our bed live in sonoma county,california can you tell us what it is please ,we ...
A: can you describe the tail end that cannot be seen here, and give the approximate size? This image is ...
|
| tiny white/tan worms each end tips are black | 9/26/2009 |
Q: How can I get rid of these tiny white worms/larvae near bathroom sink? Should I be concerned if ...
A: Psychodidae). They feed on decomposing organic matter, including the 'slime' that can occur in ...
|
| Giant bug with clear wings | 9/26/2009 |
Q: I was in my yard and almost stepped on this giant bug. I have never seen anything like it, and was ...
A: Cicadidae). Like their more well-known cousins, the 17- and 13-year periodical cicadas, these ...
|
| Identification | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if you would be able to identify a bug that appears in my basement, specifically on ...
A: Liposcelidae). They basically are nuisance pests, as they feed primarily on mould spores and the ...
|
| flying household bug | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Hope you can help me. For a few weeks we have found small flying insects in the house, in small ...
A: Psychodidae). Also known as drain flies, filter flies, or sewer flies, their larvae are scavengers ...
|
| What is this bug that has invaded my culture and is it dangerous to my black soldier fly larva? | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I have found and killed 30-40 of these bugs in my black soldier fly larva culture. They appear to be ...
A: Staphylinidae); they are general predators on other small arthropods. It might help if t=you could ...
|
| ID of larvae/worm found around hot tap? | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Please could you check if you can identify these little critters? They are approximately 2mm in ...
A: it would be extremely unlikely, to say the least, to find them in the situation you describe. ...
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| Flying Beetle | 9/24/2009 |
Q: Sorry I have no pic. About one inch long, black, 4-6 legs, on abdomen a sparkly cross shaped ...
A: but I really need to see an image, as I have never collected insects in California, and am not all ...
|
| Gryllus assimilis | 9/24/2009 |
Q: Can you please give me any advice as to how to keep and breed the adult cricket Gryllus assimilis. I ...
A: About all that I can tell you is that a rearing temp. of 80-90 degrees F reportedly yields the most ...
|
| Small white insects | 9/24/2009 |
Q: I have noticed some very small white insects in my kitchen behind my stove while cleaning. They are ...
A: but your description is too general for me to do anything other than make wild guesses. If you tell ...
|
| mystery caterpillar | 9/24/2009 |
Q: i came across this `unicorn` caterpillar while cutting the grass in my vineyard. it`s about 6cm long ...
A: also known as hawk moths or hummingbird moths). It bears some resemblance to species in the genus ...
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| Small black bugs | 9/24/2009 |
Q: My boyfriend went on a mud run in Roanoke VA, and afterwards left his clothes in a plastic bag for ...
A: There are many species of small beetles and true bugs that may be found in situations such as you ...
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| Chigger infestation? | 9/12/2009 |
Q: My husband and I went camping in North Andover, MA (Harold Parker State Forest) a few weeks ago. ...
A: but IMHO, anyone who claims to have exterminated chiggers in a house is blowing smoke, to say the ...
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| What is this? | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I got up this morning to let my dogs out and this was on the wall of my house. We've been in ...
A: known as the two-striped walkingstick among many other common names. You (or your dogs) do not want ...
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| worm identification | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I found some kind of worms swimming in my kitchen sink. I was on vacation and didn't notice the ...
A: drain flies, filter flies or sewer flies - see http://tinyurl.com/lp9g79 for an example. They feed ...
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| Chigger infestation? | 9/12/2009 |
Q: My husband and I went camping in North Andover, MA (Harold Parker State Forest) a few weeks ago. ...
A: do not, (repeat, do not!!!) apply any more chemicals to yourselves, your clothing, or anything else ...
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| worm/caterpillar? | 9/11/2009 |
Q: I know you want a picture, but I was at a garage sale and unable to take one so I understand if you ...
A: ; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). See http://tinyurl.com/lvg3wg for an image of one to see if it ...
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| Spider Identification? | 9/11/2009 |
Q: I found a spider on the side of my house, and was wondering if you could identify it for me. I live ...
A: but this most likely is in the genus Araneus, such as Araneus diadematus - see ...
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| Tiny bugs on my new puppy. | 9/11/2009 |
Q: We recently adopted a new puppy. As soon as we brought him home I scrubbed him with flea/tick ...
A: There is a possibility that they could be immature (larvae or nymphs) of the brown dog tick. I ...
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| large flying insect | 9/11/2009 |
Q: I live in Eastern Washington State. I saw a large flying insect, about 2-3 inches long, two inward ...
A: I can only guess that it might have been a giant water bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) ...
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| Springtails in Home | 9/10/2009 |
Q: I am located in Beaverton, Oregon and I am hoping that you will be able to help me with my problem. ...
A: they are no health threat to humans. There is a lot of inaccurate/misleading information about them ...
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| interesting beetle in mu house | 9/10/2009 |
Q: please see http://homepage.ntlworld.com/catriona.lugton/ for some pics. Paul
A: Coreidae); it appears to be Leptoglossus occidentalis, a North American species that recently has ...
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| catepillar identification | 9/10/2009 |
Q: the attached picture was taken in a Greene county, Ohio wetlands. any ideas on what it might be? ...
A: Acronicta oblinita (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This species comes in a wide variety of color morphs. ...
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| Large and local? | 9/10/2009 |
Q: The environment looks like the SE United States. I grew up here and have seen the thick straw ...
A: a golden orb-web spider (family Nephilidae); they formerly were placed in the family Tetragnathidae. ...
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| Question about a bug that lives along water | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I am sorry, I do not have a photo to send. When I was a child, I would play along an intercoastal ...
A: I can only guess that these may have been fishing spiders (family Pisauridae) in the genus ...
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| bugs I have seen in Algonquin park Canada | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I recently went camping in Algonquin Park Canada and came across this weird flying insect. This ...
A: Cerambycidae) in the genus Monochamus. It appears to be Monochamus notatus, known as the ...
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| What is this cocoon and what comes out of it? | 9/9/2009 |
Q: We found these spiny looking cocoons and put them in a "bug house" to hatch. They emerged tonight ...
A: but the portable 'house' of a case-bearing caterpillar known as a bagworm. The female is wingless, ...
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| bugs crawling on me can't see them | 9/8/2009 |
Q: I feel bugs crawling all over me, more so at night. I cannot see any evidence of them, no rash, ...
A: as it it is quite possible that insects are not involved at all. It is quite common to feel ...
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| Chiggers Indoors? | 9/8/2009 |
Q: Howdy, Ed - thanks for taking the time to answer my questions: 1. Is it possible for chiggers to ...
A: so you can remove these from your list of suspects. If mites are involved, they most likely would be ...
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| please help identify strange bug | 9/8/2009 |
Q: This strange bug was outside my door this am... It was about 3 1/2" long and 1 1/2" wide. It had ...
A: Belostomatidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/mytb26. Also known as toe-biters or electric light bugs, ...
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| Saw Tooth Grain Beetles | 9/8/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if you could give me advice on a problem I'm having with Saw Tooth Grain Beetles. I ...
A: these beetles can live quite a long time with very little or no food. And then, are you absolutely ...
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| mystery bug identification | 9/2/2009 |
Q: These crawling insects are 3-4 mm long, and have 2 antenae (one has broken off). I have found ...
A: Anobiidae; subfamily Ptininae - they used to be placed in a family of their own, the Ptinidae). ...
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| Bug Image | 9/1/2009 |
Q: Saugstad, A friend was stung by the bug in the attached image. It was in the Berkshires in Mass., at ...
A: subfamily Ophioninae; possibly an Enicospilus species - see http://tinyurl.com/kutk8g for an ...
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| gray bug | 9/1/2009 |
Q: My boyfriend cuts trees for a living. We live in Washington, Il (central IL). He grabbed a branch in ...
A: but they might have been wooly aphids (Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: Eriosomatidae) - see ...
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| Is this a Walking Stick family member? | 9/1/2009 |
Q: I saw a "twig" hanging off the house about eye height a few days a go. I tried to touch it and flick ...
A: These caterpillars frequently are called 'loopers,' 'inchworms' ot 'measuring worms' because of ...
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| egg/larvae identification | 9/1/2009 |
Q: This clump of eggs (?) are in my neighbors yard and were discovered yesterday (8/31/2009). We live ...
A: these could indeed be either eggs or very young larvae (there are what could be eye spots in some of ...
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| mystery fly | 8/31/2009 |
Q: this little beauty landed on my computer last night. i live in south east slovenia, 350m above sea ...
A: Myrmeleontidae). They are not associated with water, but the larvae of many species make cone-shaped ...
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| Borate solution formulas (home made) | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I have read references to making a borate solution to deal with various wood molds and wood ...
A: Dera Bob - This one is really out of my comfort zone, as I have had no personal experience here. The ...
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| Bug infestation in apartment | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I have been living in my rented apt for a year. This is Florida so my apt opens into the outside. ...
A: If there was an actual pile of them (see http://tinyurl.com/lccs99), drywood termites would be a ...
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| hard shell worm with legs! | 8/30/2009 |
Q: Abby --cat--was tracking a huge, long worm -- about 6" long -- in the bedroom at 3:00 AM. I got up ...
A: //tinyurl.com/mvc8vj for a specimen in the genus Narceus from Maryland. These cannot bite, but can ...
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| Bug infestation in apartment | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I have been living in my rented apt for a year. This is Florida so my apt opens into the outside. ...
A: I can only guess that they might be either fungi of some sort, or the dried feces of spiders = we ...
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| Bugs on my trash can | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I am sorry that I do not have a picture, they were too small and would not show up. My stainless ...
A: but an image is needed to be certain. If it is not feasible for you to take a close-up photo that ...
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| Help identifying a spider | 8/29/2009 |
Q: We live in central Illinois. We found a spider about the size of a nickel on our deck and were ...
A: family Araneidae). This spider can be extremely variable in appearance - see ...
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| Fast Little White Bugs in Bedroom | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I woke up one week ago with almost 50 bug bites on my legs. My dermatologist suspected bed bugs. ...
A: - If what have are booklice, the first line in defense is moisture/humidity control. They are quite ...
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| bugs in my hair | 8/28/2009 |
Q: You already answered a question about this, but i did not find the answer enlightening and so I am ...
A: //tinyurl.com/nufxat for an image - or body lice - see http://tinyurl.com/kjuebf for an image. If ...
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| False Bombardier Beetle | 8/27/2009 |
Q: We live in Smithfield NC. Just bought our 1965 bi level home in April. We noticed these beetles as ...
A: Coleoptera: Carabidae), I must admit to be puzzled by your concern, as these are beneficial ...
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| bugs in my hair | 8/27/2009 |
Q: You already answered a question about this, but i did not find the answer enlightening and so I am ...
A: but I really need to see an image in order to provide an answer, as your description does not match ...
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| Fast Little White Bugs in Bedroom | 8/27/2009 |
Q: I woke up one week ago with almost 50 bug bites on my legs. My dermatologist suspected bed bugs. ...
A: - The behavior you describe does not really fit either of these choices. Another possibility to ...
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| bug | 8/27/2009 |
Q: shiny,about - in size, they jump but when you go to kill it it doesn't die.you can smoush it all you ...
A: I can only say that it sounds more like a flea than anything else. This would be a prime suspect if ...
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| little black bugs | 8/27/2009 |
Q: hi i keep getting these little black bugs they dont fly i first found them where i keeped my bird ...
A: as your description could fit any number of species of small beetles. Most of these would be ...
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| Iridescent Flying Insect | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I wanted to post a response to a previous question in regards to a iridescent flying insect that ...
A: This is a cuckoo wasp (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), so called because most of them take over the nests ...
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| What is this insect? | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I am from Riverside Ohio, I have caught a fling insect that looks like a cotton ball many times I've ...
A: it is a woolly aphid (Eriosoma sp.; family Eriosomatidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/ohjfwp for an ...
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| Unknown huge insect. | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I live in a 2nd floor apartment. I encountered an unknown insect in my bedroom . Unfortunately my ...
A: but the long legs and antennae as well as its scuttling movement can give the illusion of much ...
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| Tobacco Hornworm Moth | 8/25/2009 |
Q: I live in the city of Thousand Oaks, California. A few days ago I captured an insect I have never ...
A: //tinyurl.com/lxg9n6 to be sure of what you might have, as the primary distinction between the adult ...
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| Unknown huge insect. | 8/25/2009 |
Q: I live in a 2nd floor apartment. I encountered an unknown insect in my bedroom . Unfortunately my ...
A: about the only arthropod that comes close to a match is a house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). ...
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| mystery bug | 8/24/2009 |
Q: The bug I am asking about is small (2-3 cm), black, and moves very slowly. It appeared recently in ...
A: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae) - see http://tinyurl.com/mbq9ql for some examples. These weevils ...
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| black pinhead size dots on vinylsiding | 8/24/2009 |
Q: Do you know if these dots are from some insect? They are hard as a rock and have to be removed by ...
A: known as artillery or shotgun fungus. They thrive in chipped wood mulch, and the only 'cure' is to ...
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| Wasps in pools | 8/24/2009 |
Q: We have a pool that seems to draw wasps and we have lots of trees in our yard and the acres around ...
A: the short answer is 'probably not.' There are a couple of other ploys you could try, but with no ...
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| Swarm of tiny bugs on wet driveway- looks like spilled paint | 8/23/2009 |
Q: We came home this afternoon to see a huge swarm of tiny bugs on our wet driveway. There are so many ...
A: primitive arthropods in the order Collembola; there are several species of these that can occur in ...
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| tiny black bugs on my deck | 8/23/2009 |
Q: For the past month we have had thousands of these tiny black (to the naked eye they look black) bugs ...
A: a primitive arthropod in the order Collembola. The vast majority of these are harmless (but ...
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| Mystery Caterpillar? | 8/23/2009 |
Q: I live in Miami, Florida and something appears to be eating my mulberry. I finally discovered this ...
A: but I believe that this caterpillar is far more likely to turn into a moth (such those in the family ...
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| Please help identify this bug | 8/23/2009 |
Q: We went on holidays for a week this summer and when we came back there were a whole bunch of these ...
A: //tinyurl.com/lhbawo for an example. As a child, I often heard ones of this type referred to as ...
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| Bites but no sign of bugs | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I live in Los Angeles, CA. I am getting bites on my body. Some hurt and come to a point with pus ...
A: diagnosing 'mystery bites' in the absence of actually capturing a culprit in the act of biting can ...
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| bug | 8/19/2009 |
Q: Worm that when touched turns into a circle- Hello, There are tons of these things on my foundation ...
A: family Paradoxosomatidae these millipedes are somewhat flattened in cross-section rather than round ...
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| Very tiny white/brown bugs in the 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: very small beetles or mites of some sort, but I really need to see an image of them if at all ...
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| silver wormy thing in my bathroom? | 8/19/2009 |
Q: I live in Chicago, and have recently noticed random little silver bugs/worms in my bathroom, usually ...
A: I really need to see an image in order to provide an accurate identification. If you cannot take a ...
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| California Wood Wasp | 8/18/2009 |
Q: while at work today this bug flew into our room. At first, we thought it was a wasp until closer ...
A: //tinyurl.com/og5xpt. However, it does appear to be in the same family (Siricidae). The image is not ...
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| bug shells on floor | 8/18/2009 |
Q: yesterday i thought i saw some dirt on the floor and once i looked closer it was bug exoskeletons. ...
A: //tinyurl.com/bzw6q5 for contact information. Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
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| Do cock roaches bite? | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I seem to be a target for biting and stinging insects. Some I have clearly identified and for others ...
A: I'll add that to my database. I used to use a paste of baking soda and water to relieve the pain ...
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| Do cock roaches bite? | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I seem to be a target for biting and stinging insects. Some I have clearly identified and for others ...
A: ' and that includes cockroaches. Although I have never been nibbled by a cockroach, I have been ...
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| Small black flying bugs | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I believe this to be the same bug someone posted previously but they did not have a clear photo. ...
A: as well as any other accumulation of damp/wet organic material such a pile of lawn clippings or an ...
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| Small black flying bugs | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I believe this to be the same bug someone posted previously but they did not have a clear photo. ...
A: as I likely would have made an incorrect guess based on the first one. This fly appears to be in the ...
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| Small black flying bugs | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I believe this to be the same bug someone posted previously but they did not have a clear photo. ...
A: could you attach it to a follow-up question? I can appreciate the difficulty in so doing, but a view ...
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| Black centipede-like not House Centipede | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I've seen this small (about 1/2") in length, black creature with many legs, but not as many as a ...
A: really help here, as I am having a hard time coming up with anything that both matches your ...
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| yellow garden spider | 8/16/2009 |
Q: We caught a Yellow Garden Spider in Windom, MN. We found that they are found in the US ONLY in ...
A: as this species (Argiope aurantia) has a very wide distribution in North America; they occur from ...
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| red beetle | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if you could identify this beetle, There seems to be millions of them on my property ...
A: but a nymph of an eastern boxelder bug, Boisea trivittata (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Rhopalidae). They ...
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| Tiny stinging creatures | 8/13/2009 |
Q: I am in New York city. I recently captured a few of these things which have been stinging me ...
A: and about all I can say is that they are beetle larvae (or their shed 'skins')that resemble those of ...
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| Ziploc bag filled with water and pennies detering flies | 8/12/2009 |
Q: Does a ziploc bag filled with water and pennies deter flies? If so, how does it work?
A: If it does have any effect, it may be because that the light is refracted in a way that magnifies ...
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| Burned by a bug | 8/12/2009 |
Q: I'm from Georgia, and I was waiting at a bus stop when I felt a bug on my arm. I waved it off, but ...
A: Meloidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/ogh9k7 for some examples. However, the behavior you described of ...
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| Biting or Pinching Insect | 8/12/2009 |
Q: My 3-year-old grandson got bit (pinched?) by a bug this weekend in SW Michigan, sitting on the floor ...
A: One other possibility occurred to me; the larva of a lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). I often ...
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| Chesapeake Biting Fly | 8/12/2009 |
Q: I live on the beach on the upper third of the Chesapeake Bay. Each summer, on a very hot (>90F) and ...
A: Diptera: Muscidae). They are a very common and widespread (not to mention obnoxious) species with a ...
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| Mystery insect from Tahiti | 8/11/2009 |
Q: my name is Kim from Minnesota. I was recently in French Polynesia, and while exploring the forests ...
A: about all I can tell you is that it appears to be a nymph of a stink bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: ...
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| Bug identification - Need help (reply) | 8/11/2009 |
Q: Saugstad, I could not take a picture of the bug I found in my house but please do not disregard ...
A: If you are seeing large numbers of these, you may have an infestation of some other insect/arthropod ...
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| mantis dance | 8/11/2009 |
Q: When I was at Six Flags Magic Mountain for my vacation a few weeks ago, my sister and I discovered a ...
A: (1) The swaying is supposed to make the mantid look like a leaf or twig moved by a breeze, and thus ...
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| Please identify cocoon or ??? | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I found this in my driveway. It may have fallen off a tree, I'm not sure. I don't know if it is ...
A: //tinyurl.com/non878 for several examples. If the cocoon is as light as you say, either the moth has ...
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| bugs in the hair | 8/11/2009 |
Q: My granddaughter has been pulling bugs out of her hair for the past two days. They are about 3/8" ...
A: I know of no arthropods large enough to be seen readily that would normally 'infest' a scalp in any ...
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| beetle identification | 8/10/2009 |
Q: Yesterday I found this HUGE beetle next to my washing machine. I normally don't mind bugs much but ...
A: It likely is a species known as the hermit flower beetle, Osmoderma eremicola - see ...
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| Bug identification - Need help | 8/10/2009 |
Q: Saugstad, I could not take a picture of the bug I found in my house but please do not disregard ...
A: Reduviidae) called a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus) at http://tinyurl.com/n8zfl8 and ...
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| Biting or Pinching Insect | 8/10/2009 |
Q: My 3-year-old grandson got bit (pinched?) by a bug this weekend in SW Michigan, sitting on the floor ...
A: but I cannot provide a definitive identification from your description. My best guess is that it ...
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| large black flying insect ?/ | 8/10/2009 |
Q: Its black about 3 1/2 inches long, 1/2"+ wide. has a mantis like head. it was probing a flower on a ...
A: Sphingidae). Some species are known as 'hummingbird moths' because of their habit of hovering at ...
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| Re: Identifying large wasp/hornet | 8/10/2009 |
Q: There were two rather large wasps/hornets on the windshield of my car, mating. I left them be, but ...
A: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/kw2srx for images and detailed information. These ...
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| Bright Blue Flying Insect | 8/9/2009 |
Q: An insect appeared on my deck I have never seen before, and was curious to know what it may have ...
A: Pompilidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/nwduwr for an example. They seek out, sting and paralyze ...
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| bug shells on floor | 8/9/2009 |
Q: yesterday i thought i saw some dirt on the floor and once i looked closer it was bug exoskeletons. ...
A: Dermestidae)- see http://tinyurl.com/lt5b6l and http://tinyurl.com/ozdyrd (image at upper left). If ...
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| flying insect identification | 8/8/2009 |
Q: My granddaughter found this on the floor in my garage. We are in Willis, Texas, north of Houston. ...
A: Asilidae). They are ambush predators on other small arthropods, usually darting out from a perch to ...
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| Worm Like with Legs in Bath Tub | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I'm in Taiwan. Recently in the hotel bath tub, two mornings in a row, I've seen a light brownish?, ...
A: it most likely would be a centipede (see http://tinyurl.com/flgff for an example) or possibly a ...
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| Bug I.D. | 8/7/2009 |
Q: can you please identify this bug for me? ...
A: Lymantriidae); the females of many species are wingless, and lay their eggs on or very near to the ...
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| tiny bugs on wood deck | 8/7/2009 |
Q: We have tiny little bugs covering our wood porch. When we go out and stand on the deck, they begin ...
A: I suggest that you take some specimens to your county/regional office of the University of ...
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| Mystery Bug | 8/7/2009 |
Q: could you help with this bug identification. Its very small (2mm) and they have appeared in a work ...
A: Liposcelidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/ou2lck for an image. For the most part, these are harmless ...
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| I.D. Request: Bug (Larva?) Found in Loaf of Bread | 8/7/2009 |
Q: I work in store management for a local grocery store. A couple days ago a woman returned a loaf of ...
A: the transitional stage between larva (caterpillar) and adult. The crumpled 'skin' of the caterpillar ...
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| insect bites in the Amazon of Brazil | 8/6/2009 |
Q: My daughter and her family are missionaries in the city of Maraba, the state of Para in NE Brazil. ...
A: a positive i.d. usually depends on actually catching the culprit in the act of biting. All that ...
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| Unidentified Bug! | 8/6/2009 |
Q: These little creatures are infesting my window sills, and slowly spreading around the rooms. I have ...
A: which includes some wood-boring pests that may infest unpainted/unstained wood in buildings. ...
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| Tiny Gray Dust Bug. | 8/6/2009 |
Q: We have found a couple tiny gray bugs in our house over the last few days and my son has woken up ...
A: It is quite difficult to identify the cause of such bites unless you actually catch something in the ...
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| others are a curse | 8/6/2009 |
Q: I have problems with this question "Some insects are beneficial to mankind; others are a curse. ...
A: To be a bit briefer, examples of beneficial include honey bees (see http://tinyurl.com/lz8wuw) and ...
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| Giant Black Ant | 8/6/2009 |
Q: I was cleaning out my pool today when I looked down and saw this slow moving solid black waspish ...
A: the creature in the image you provided definitely is an ant, likely a carpenter ant in the genus ...
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| Mystery dark gray bugs with large antenas | 8/5/2009 |
Q: A couple of months ago I started to find these bugs in the bed in the dry, clean, basement bedroom I ...
A: and therefore harmless to you or any other person. Could you try for a photo more in focus, and also ...
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| tiny bugs on wood deck | 8/5/2009 |
Q: We have tiny little bugs covering our wood porch. When we go out and stand on the deck, they begin ...
A: they may be another mite species. If you had noticed them 'jumping' short distances rather than ...
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| tiny bugs on wood deck | 8/5/2009 |
Q: We have tiny little bugs covering our wood porch. When we go out and stand on the deck, they begin ...
A: a photo might help as there is more than one possibility. In the meantime, have a look at images of ...
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| identify small black bug plant infestation | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I have tens of these bugs on my broccoli leaves. These are 3-5mm in length. I would like to know ...
A: Chrysomelidae); some species absolutely love dining on members of the mustard family (such as ...
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| mystery bug in bed | 8/4/2009 |
Q: please help me identify bug...possible baby deer tick ? I have attached an image...Thank you ...Joe
A: as I can see no details; could you try sending another photo that clearly shows the size of the ...
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| Strange Eggs | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. I live in Southwestern Germany and recently ...
A: but the pupae of a muscoid fly (the common house fly belongs to this group - see ...
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| ref caterpillar | 8/4/2009 |
Q: Can you tell me what this is as I found it on my garden wall
A: Lymantriidae). The image is not clear enough to be certain, but it might be a larva of a vapourer ...
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| Giant flying insect. | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I live in British Columbia, Canada, specifically a suburb of Vancouver called Maple Ridge. Twice in ...
A: //tinyurl.com/mupo62), so no climate change scenario need be invoked to explain you seeing it in ...
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| unidentified bug | 8/3/2009 |
Q: I keep finding small dark brown/black striped bugs in only one bedroom of the house. I usually see ...
A: they don't all look alike, and they don't always feed on fabric - see http://tinyurl.com/22zcmp. ...
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| flying insect identification | 8/3/2009 |
Q: Found this bug in my garage.(Please see attachment) It flew at me and hit my face. That made me ...
A: This is a large wasp in the family Sphecidae, known as the cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus). They ...
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| gold bug | 8/3/2009 |
Q: We found a sparkly gold ladybug in our garden. It seems to be the only one there. We were wondering ...
A: as there are other small black beetles with gold/yellow spots besides lady beetles. If it is indeed ...
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| can you help me? | 8/3/2009 |
Q: my friends and i are getting bit by a clear and sometimes greyish bug that has a black curvy line ...
A: but it might help if you could photograph one or more of these (perhaps placing them on a plain ...
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| Please help me Identify this Bug | 8/3/2009 |
Q: This insect is about the size of a fruit fly. They are very small (max 2-3 mm in length...probably ...
A: They appear to be fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae); their larvae usually are found in very damp to ...
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| unidentified insect | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I found an insect floating in our salt water pool (western NC). I fished him out with the net (still ...
A: it is commonly known as the blind elater or small-eyed click beetle. See http://tinyurl.com/m3ht3a ...
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| Multiple worms traveling in a group | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I found these wporms traveling in my garden. They seem to have a black dot on their front end which ...
A: Sciaridae); they primarily are scavengers on decomposing organic matter in the soil, but some also ...
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| Unidentified insect. | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I have been clearing my back garden and have came across 3 or 4 small insects, I don't know if they ...
A: This is an excellent example of the principal that one picture is worth a thousand words. This is a ...
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| Flying Bugs | 8/2/2009 |
Q: We live in Charlotte NC and every summer around July we begin to see numerous flying hornet like ...
A: as these are not structural pests in any way. They sound very much like solitary wasps that are ...
|
| Unidentified insect. | 8/1/2009 |
Q: I have been clearing my back garden and have came across 3 or 4 small insects, I don't know if they ...
A: I responded within 4 1/2 hours of your posting the question and felt that my reply, although I could ...
|
| Little beetles from Cochrane again | 8/1/2009 |
Q: It is Agnes from Cochrane, Ab, Canada again. I've looked at the link you sent for Canadian Pests ...
A: your 'guests' appear to be short-snouted/broad-nosed weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily ...
|
| flying insect | 8/1/2009 |
Q: We were in Los Angeles today and a large flying insect attacked my daughter. It was a beautiful ...
A: which could fit a wide variety of insects, including wasps, grasshoppers/katydids, and beetles. ...
|
| Mystery Bug | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I live in Maine and woke up to a tiny, brown bug in my windows. They jump, but I have not seen them ...
A: but I can tell that they definitely are not fleas and that they do not look like anything likely to ...
|
| Big flying bugs in Virginia? | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I live in Chesapeake, VA...and for the past 2 years I've noticed a rapid population burst of these ...
A: but given the circumstances you describe, this might be very difficult for you to accomplish. ...
|
| little beetles in our basement | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I'm from Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. There have been a number of these little beetles in our ...
A: My apologies, Agnes - I failed to note that you are in Canada, not the United States, so I would not ...
|
| little beetles in our basement | 7/31/2009 |
Q: There have been a number of these little beetles in our basement latley. I've never seen them ...
A: but I cannot identify these from your image; it simply is not clear enough. Although their general ...
|
| Careers in entomology | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I am interested in a career in entomology. I am having trouble finding information on line about ...
A: including academics, agriculture, and industry, just to name a few, and one can be field or research ...
|
| Worm nest in tree | 7/30/2009 |
Q: Howdy, Living in the Pacific Northwest (SW Washington) we have these in the trees around our ...
A: Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/lmbo9u for images and more ...
|
| little white flying/jumping bugs | 7/30/2009 |
Q: My boyfriend and I just recently moved into this new apartment. We are out on the patio quite a bit ...
A: Superficially, they sound like woolly aphids (Eriosoma sp.; see http://tinyurl.com/ptf94z), but the ...
|
| Small dark brown oval bugs? | 7/30/2009 |
Q: I live in Northern Vermont and have a problem with these small/tiny dark brown, oval bugs that seem ...
A: but would it be possible for you to take a close-up photo of one or more of these and attach it to a ...
|
| Fairy bug! | 7/30/2009 |
Q: They were light blue almost white collection of little fairy type bugs that hovered around james ...
A: but the only insect that I know of with the characteristics you describe are woolly aphids ...
|
| flying insect without wings | 7/29/2009 |
Q: Im from Pa USA. it was early morning after light rain.had 45 sec observation of bug i never seen and ...
A: as I can assure you that no wingless insect can fly. I can think of two possible explanations: (1) a ...
|
| a peculiar bug | 7/29/2009 |
Q: I found this bug in my house, well actually I found two, and I have no clue what it is. It is long ...
A: as the only thing that comes readily to mind is an earwig (order Dermaptera). However, these are so ...
|
| Bug ID | 7/29/2009 |
Q: I live In North Carolina. These little black worm bugs are roughly an inch long and 1/4 in thick. ...
A: Stratiomyidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/nhtpwn. They are harmless scavengers on decomposing organic ...
|
| strange beetle? | 7/29/2009 |
Q: Have a beetle or some insect (6 legs) that looks like a prehistoric dinasour with a v-shaped back ...
A: d. - is there anyway that you could take a photo and attach the image to a follow-up question? ...
|
| Need help identifying insect | 7/28/2009 |
Q: We have found a few of these insects in our home. 2-3 in our shower and then 2 more on the carpet. ...
A: About all I can say at this point is that the general outline is consistent with it being a wasp ...
|
| 1 small bug in toilet | 7/28/2009 |
Q: Ed. I know this is gross but I am sort of freaking out.. I "made a package" early this morning. As ...
A: almost anything is possible, but in my opinion, it is extremely unlikely to say the least that ...
|
| infestation of cacoons | 7/28/2009 |
Q: I live in NY. About 100 white cocoons ave attached themselves all over our house and garage and they ...
A: it still is possible that what you have are cocoons of moths in the superfamily that includes the ...
|
| bug identification? | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I live in CT. Recently I have found these small bugs in my house. They resided near the window ...
A: the image is too fuzzy to see any details at all. The majority of critters like this that are found ...
|
| HELP! The bugs are everywhere! | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I'm almost sure this is a little out of your field, but the other experts were either on vacation or ...
A: as the only ones that I am aware of that spend any time off their host are body lice, and even then, ...
|
| Mysterious Insect | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I was inside my room in New Hampshire when I saw this frightening insect outside my window. It is ...
A: Corydalus cornutus (Megaloptera: Corydalidae); their larvae are aquatic and known as hellgrammites. ...
|
| White Bug in kitchen | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I live in a San Francisco apartment and there are about 50 of these in my kitchen mainly on the ...
A: but certainly appear to be pests. I suspect that these are mature larvae of the Indian meal moth ...
|
| cicada killer wasps | 7/27/2009 |
Q: We live in south central Saskatchewan in Canada. In the past couple of weeks we started noticing ...
A: The behaviour you describe is characteristic of ground-nesting wasps that are parasitic on larvae ...
|
| small black flies Long Island NY | 7/26/2009 |
Q: Ok this is the second year we have these small fly like black two winged about 5-6 mm long insects ...
A: if they are not biting, they likely are breeding in some accumulation of decomposing organic matter ...
|
| infestation of cacoons | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I live in NY. About 100 white cocoons ave attached themselves all over our house and garage and they ...
A: even in cases where I am pretty sure that I can guess the identity of an unknown. From your photo, I ...
|
| Cricket Lifestyles | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I was sitting outside observing crickets. I was wondering, do crickets live in groups or families? ...
A: no species of field cricket (Gryllus sp.) exhibits ant eusocial behavior (such as living in family ...
|
| large dirt cacoon | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I live in Phoenix Arizona. I found a large dirt mound on the wall of my garage it almost looked like ...
A: I can only guess that it most likely would be a 'nest' constructed by a mud dauber wasp ...
|
| Please identify this insect | 7/25/2009 |
Q: I found the following insect (dead) in our skylight (tube that connects between the ceiling and ...
A: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/n2bqk7 for a living specimen. Although pretty to ...
|
| infestation of cacoons | 7/25/2009 |
Q: I live in NY. About 100 white cocoons ave attached themselves all over our house and garage and they ...
A: //tinyurl.com/lhd4vf and http://tinyurl.com/nwwomw to see if they resemble what you are seeing (Note ...
|
| fungus gnat larvae | 7/25/2009 |
Q: My driveway was loaded with masses of what I think are fungus gnat larvae traveling together this ...
A: However, if these food sources are not readily available, they may feed directly on plants, ...
|
| Small Flies | 7/24/2009 |
Q: I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and have been having a hard time with frequent visits from some ...
A: you might have a hard time locating the source of your infestation unless you literally can sniff it ...
|
| toilet pest | 7/24/2009 |
Q: Im freaking out - just found creature in toilet bowl, it is alive and seems to be living submersed ...
A: //tinyurl.com/nwjjmz for an image of a pupa. The adult fly is a bee mimic in the family Syrphidae ...
|
| bug ID | 7/24/2009 |
Q: Identify bug, please: About 1/8 inch long. emerald green with cream dot on both shoulders antennae ...
A: Would it be at all possible for you to take a photo that you could attach to a follow-up question? ...
|
| Just to make sure ... | 7/24/2009 |
Q: Are they Forficula auricularia known as Earwigs?? I have found a few of them in my bathroom. They ...
A: but a a relative of grasshoppers known as a camel or cave cricket (Orthoptera:Rhaphidophoridae) - ...
|
| Small Flies | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and have been having a hard time with frequent visits from some ...
A: about all I can say is that they appear to be muscoid flies of some sort. As a general rule, these ...
|
| bed bugs | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I found a swallow bug in my office, on my mail that I brought from my home. It looked like a adult, ...
A: then follow the recommendations in the article referenced in my previous reply. Also, it would not ...
|
| bed bugs | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I found a swallow bug in my office, on my mail that I brought from my home. It looked like a adult, ...
A: d. on this critter before taking any action. If you still have it, please take a photo and attach it ...
|
| toilet pest | 7/23/2009 |
Q: Im freaking out - just found creature in toilet bowl, it is alive and seems to be living submersed ...
A: such as a rat-tailed maggot - see http://tinyurl.com/nbzz4r for an example. If yours differs ...
|
| worms in toilet please | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I am from greece and when i came back home from a long vacation I found little black worms in my ...
A: About the commonest insects found in this situation are moth flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). Also ...
|
| something odd | 7/22/2009 |
Q: i have already asked another expert this and he gave me an answer i was not pleased with. not his ...
A: If it is not one of the clear-winged sphinx moths in the genus Hemaris. I really have no firm idea ...
|
| bed bugs | 7/22/2009 |
Q: I found a swallow bug in my office, on my mail that I brought from my home. It looked like a adult, ...
A: These bugs (as with bat bugs) usually will not bother people as long as their normal hosts are ...
|
| Tiny flying bugs | 7/22/2009 |
Q: I have some tiny flying bugs in my house. They seem to like to hang around the lamps. They are very ...
A: //countyext2.okstate.edu/ for contact information). Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
|
| Tiny flying bugs | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I have some tiny flying bugs in my house. They seem to like to hang around the lamps. They are very ...
A: I realize that they may be too small to photograph clearly, but an image of any kind might at least ...
|
| Bug on Okra | 7/21/2009 |
Q: Dr. Saugstad, I found two of these insects on okra leaves in my garden in central Virginia/USA. ...
A: Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; subfamily Pseudophyllinae - see http://tinyurl.com/ktjbrf for an image. ...
|
| fascinating bug ! | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I found a small,black segmented bug (approx 3/4") which emerged from a cone shaped shell which it ...
A: It sounds like a case-bearing caterpillar or other larva of some sort; in the case of evergreens, ...
|
| The "Mexican Swine Flu" | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I watched with some interest this spring as a new virus burned through the population of Mexico City ...
A: there never has been any evidence of mosquito involvement in the epidemiology of any influenza ...
|
| Catapiller Sting | 7/20/2009 |
Q: we live in Braxton County, WV. My Husband walked out on the porch bare foot a little over a week ...
A: Nevertheless, you might want to see your doctor to (1) see if any urticating hairs from the ...
|
| bugs ID | 7/20/2009 |
Q: i love taking pictures of insects in the garden. I recently found some weird/beautiful types. I live ...
A: I can give only general guidance here: ...
|
| Aedes mosquito eggs | 7/20/2009 |
Q: I'm writing from central Oregon, just east of the high Cascade crest. Can you disclose any ...
A: Dave - A decrease in dissolved oxygen in the water over the eggs (regardless of CO2 content) has ...
|
| large flying insect | 7/20/2009 |
Q: I live in WA, USA large 2-2 1/2" black and gray striped wings, 3/4-1" orange curly feelers, I had a ...
A: I believe that a 10-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) comes as ...
|
| stinging unidentified bug | 7/15/2009 |
Q: A bug that looks rather like a bee (except that the upper body is red, and the thorax is black, and ...
A: I can only guess that it might have been a wingless wasp in the family Mutillidae. Commonly known as ...
|
| Bug Bite | 7/15/2009 |
Q: I was bit by a bug of some kind I need help identifying what it is. It is a small bug and it is red ...
A: but I really need to see an image of it in order to make an identification. Otherwise, I would be ...
|
| Tiger Bee Fly | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I spotted an unusual insect in our yard recently. I identified it as the Tiger Bee Fly. It fits ...
A: //tinyurl.com/nflk9h). They definitely do not construct hives of any sort, nor do their prey, ...
|
| Unknown Worm - Sarasota, FL | 7/14/2009 |
Q: After a week or so of rain, these tiny worms are congregating in corners in my pool cage/lanai. They ...
A: the image is too fuzzy for me to tell what they really are; I cannot even see whether or not they ...
|
| beetle parasites? | 7/14/2009 |
Q: Amherst, VA is my residence, Lynchburg, VA is my office. I saw a beetle in our office bathroom that ...
A: ' The adult forms of these parasites can be several times as long as their victim; they are ...
|
| small biting bugs | 7/14/2009 |
Q: hey Ed I live in Worcester County, Maryland. a couple of days ago I took my four year old to a ...
A: d. based on verbal descriptions alone, as the same words can convey quite different meanings to ...
|
| Mystery Insect | 7/13/2009 |
Q: I hope that you will be able to help me because in my house we have a mystery insect. It is black in ...
A: ) - I may have mislead myself by focusing on the 'elephants nose' part of the description, which I ...
|
| Can you identify this bug? | 7/13/2009 |
Q: We are finding 6- 10 of these little guys around the house every day. They were concentrated around ...
A: it is virtually impossible to keep 'visitors' such as these from dropping in uninvited. About the ...
|
| Can you identify this bug? | 7/13/2009 |
Q: We are finding 6- 10 of these little guys around the house every day. They were concentrated around ...
A: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). They often come indoors, apparently in a search for shelter. ...
|
| Flying bugs in shower | 7/13/2009 |
Q: little bugs, only in master bathroom, mostly around shower but do fly to other walls, black, winged, ...
A: commonly known as moth flies, drain flies, or filter flies. They do no damage, and basically are ...
|
| Hornet nest removal | 7/13/2009 |
Q: We Must not have waited long enough into the night to spray the nest because now there are 5 or 6 ...
A: as it seems that wasps that construct papery nests will rebuild on the site where a previous nest ...
|
| Bed/carpet bugs | 7/9/2009 |
Q: ok, the thing is, I use to live in my old apartment and my bed boxspring was sitting on the floor ...
A: Dermestidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/n8hcmf for images and additional information. The adult ...
|
| red ants | 7/9/2009 |
Q: i live in dhaka , bangladesh. there are half inch long red ants in my house which have bitten more ...
A: ), which do occur in Bangladesh. However, they are quite a bit smaller than the ones you describe, ...
|
| Flour Mites | 7/9/2009 |
Q: I have very tiny white mites all around my kitchen sink area and window. Move very slowly and crawl ...
A: you will not find a 'nest' per se. I suggest bagging up and discarding any food item(s) found to be ...
|
| question of worm in wood | 7/9/2009 |
Q: I went camping at Lake Tahoe, CA. We bought some firewood and while we were chopping it a couple of ...
A: larva of a beetle in the family Buprestidae, which often are called metallic wood-boring beetles - ...
|
| mystery egg casings | 7/9/2009 |
Q: We live in Salt lake city, Utah. Our house has a bartile roof and therefore is a sparrow ...
A: //tinyurl.com/nlu5ms for an example) than egg cases of any kind. I suspect that flies were attracted ...
|
| Bug in apartment | 7/8/2009 |
Q: I think this question is similar to one asked earlier. It's worm-like but with legs, less than an ...
A: likely in the genus Anthrenus (see http://tinyurl.com/ox6k2d for an image). Known as carpet beetles, ...
|
| Stag beetle | 7/8/2009 |
Q: i would like to know if stag beetles are indigenous to Anderson,Indiana.
A: Lucanidae) are very widespread in North America, including Indiana. Although I cannot cite specific ...
|
| invading worm like creatures in my basement | 7/7/2009 |
Q: Ed: I have hundreds of tiny, one inch worms?? with legs on my basement floor..this is finished ...
A: see http://tinyurl.com/n9xpua for an image. For the most part, they are nuisance pests, harmless ...
|
| indoor environment | 7/7/2009 |
Q: where wall meets ceiling, all around perimeter, there is a brownish/grayish line of material, along ...
A: About the only thing as small as you describe and that appears roughly circular would be a mite of ...
|
| Tiny Bugs on my Deck | 7/7/2009 |
Q: Beginning yesterday (7/6/09) when I went onto my deck to sit and read a book, I felt some itching on ...
A: Although I doubt very much that they are anything to be concerned about (just about any small ...
|
| bird mite§ | 7/7/2009 |
Q: We took a nest down 2 to 3 weeks ago. We had a PCO spray inside and outside where the nest was. The ...
A: Please take into consideration the source of the information; if it comes from a URL that includes ...
|
| tiny clear to white insect | 7/7/2009 |
Q: size of a small, small flea or mite. Found it between tile and wood particle subfloor in motorhome. ...
A: They are not true lice at all, but simply bear a superficial resemblance. They feed primarily on ...
|
| Hundreds of Flying Insects! | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I live in the Northern part of Alabama. This summer I just spotted these green tinted flying bugs, ...
A: Ofttimes, a verbal description can be misinterpreted, but a photo usually can be diagnostic. That ...
|
| Please help me- attacked by bugs | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I live in Columbia, South Carolina. I just moved here two years ago from New Orleans, Lousiana. ...
A: If you have already eliminated potential suspects such as fleas, another possibility is mites of ...
|
| Hundreds of Flying Insects! | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I live in the Northern part of Alabama. This summer I just spotted these green tinted flying bugs, ...
A: These flies are attracted to carrion, and are very unlikely to be what you saw, as they are nowhere ...
|
| water bug sting | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I was at the Guadalupe River this past weekend. I have a biology / zoology degree from Texas A&M and ...
A: there are at least two other families of aquatic bugs that could be found in the situation you ...
|
| question about fly maggots | 7/6/2009 |
Q: He plans to study medicine once He graduates from High School and College. He is doing a project on ...
A: not parasites in any respect - see http://tinyurl.com/8tj6b for detailed information. Like all ...
|
| Bug Identification | 6/20/2009 |
Q: These small bugs are visible in the bathroom. They are in the window sill in the bathtub on the ...
A: not mites. Their general shape and appearance is consistent with them being in the family ...
|
| Bug Id | 6/20/2009 |
Q: This is a photo 200x from my sons eye clops. They look as small as , if not smaller than a grain of ...
A: Liposcelidae). They are not true lice at all, and for the most part are harmless nuisance pests, ...
|
| Dark red color insect, shelled and winged | 6/20/2009 |
Q: I live in Alhambra, Ca for a long time, but recently I've seen this annoying insect appear more ...
A: I cannot provide a definitive identification from the information you provided. About all that I can ...
|
| Tiny White bugs | 6/20/2009 |
Q: OK, I've been surfing the net for almost two hours, trying to find a helpful, and informational ...
A: trying to identify something like this without being able to see them is at best guesswork. About ...
|
| Unknown bug | 6/19/2009 |
Q: I live in hot and humid Malaysia. It's rather far from the US, but I thought I'd try asking anyway. ...
A: a large group that includes clothes moths among other things. A very similar species occurs in the ...
|
| small black flying bugs | 6/19/2009 |
Q: I've been living in Chattanooga Tn for 5 years now and we've never had this problem until just a few ...
A: There simply is no way that anyone could have given you a specific identification from the verbal ...
|
| tiny black bugs | 6/18/2009 |
Q: I live in Iowa. I was out on my deck last night(third floor condo) where I have several planters ...
A: I do not believe that what you described are harmful in any way; they most likely were tiny beetles ...
|
| Mystery Bug | 6/18/2009 |
Q: i have recently noticed small bugs which look like centipedes im my home, they do however seem to ...
A: being arthropods, shed their 'skin' just like insects. About the only thing to be concerned about is ...
|
| millipedes in pool | 6/18/2009 |
Q: Every morning when I go out to my pool (inground softliner) there are between 10-20 millipedes. I ...
A: probably not. You might try creating a wide band of coarse sand/pea gravel around the pool - if this ...
|
| canine Erhlicosis-Brown Dog Tick- North Dakota | 6/18/2009 |
Q: To your knowledge, has there been a Canine Erhlicosis diagnosis in North Dakota? Are there "Brown ...
A: no cases of canine ehrlichiosis have been reported from North Dakota. As you likely already realize, ...
|
| Little itty bitty black bugs | 6/18/2009 |
Q: We live in Mesa Az. I have noticed these bugs out on the pillars of our AZ room (outside) and inside ...
A: many more details are necessary. If they are too small to photograph clearly so that you could ...
|
| Small worm/caterpillar | 6/17/2009 |
Q: I live in suburban Chicago, IL. I found this little thing, maybe a worm or caterpillar, in a box of ...
A: including raisins. The most likely suspect in your case is the Indian meal moth, Plodia ...
|
| Unknown Bugs In Window | 6/16/2009 |
Q: We have discovered these small brown bugs they mostly crawl but will fly if bothered. Most are ...
A: the images in the photo are too small to see much detail; about all I can tell you is that they are ...
|
| Black worms in the walls | 6/16/2009 |
Q: A few nights ago I noticed a black slimy worm-like bug (with two antenna on one end) on the wall ...
A: Is it possible for you to take a photo of one or more of these and attach it to a follow-up ...
|
| Wierd Bug | 6/16/2009 |
Q: Saw this flying around in my backyard a couple of days a go....I have no idea what it is or if it ...
A: it is a large ichneumon wasp in the genus Megarhyssa. They use their long 'tail' to insert their ...
|
| Stag beetle diet | 6/16/2009 |
Q: My daughter brought home a stag beetle yesterday and wants to keep it for the next 3 days until ...
A: some seem to believe that they may not feed at all. Regardless, I would try offering it a source of ...
|
| Black flying garden insect | 6/15/2009 |
Q: We have a backyard with flower & vegetable gardens. This year our backyard is filled with a small ...
A: but if that is the case, their bites/nibbles, however annoying, are harmless. But again, without a ...
|
| Black flying garden insect | 6/15/2009 |
Q: We have a backyard with flower & vegetable gardens. This year our backyard is filled with a small ...
A: the insect cannot be seen clearly enough for a positive identification. Nevertheless, given your ...
|
| Very thin red worm on wet bathroom floor | 6/14/2009 |
Q: today I discovered 2 very thin (almost like a thread) worms that were red in colour on my bathroom ...
A: close-up photo of one or more of these and attach the image to a follow-up question? Without seeing ...
|
| Black flying garden insect | 6/14/2009 |
Q: We have a backyard with flower & vegetable gardens. This year our backyard is filled with a small ...
A: as there are any number of possibilities. If taking a photo would be impractical for you, please ...
|
| Help Identifying Insect | 6/13/2009 |
Q: I was wondering if you would be able to help identify the insect in the 2 attached pictures. We ...
A: If your carpeting contains any wool, you should check the margins for the presence of larvae that ...
|
| Tiny Dark Insects, little water balloons | 6/12/2009 |
Q: I have been seeing tiny black insects in my apartment for the past month, only one at a time, once ...
A: Anobiidae; subfamily Ptininae); possibly in the genus Gibbium - see http://tinyurl.com/poqu63 for an ...
|
| mites that infest the human body and hair. | 6/11/2009 |
Q: I have been being tortured for the last year, on and off again, then off with some type of killer ...
A: as mites do not have eyes. The only mite species that actually infest human hair (actually hair ...
|
| What is this? | 6/11/2009 |
Q: I have these beetles that keep coming back around this time every year. They are here for 2-4 ...
A: //tinyurl.com/ma8fml for contact information). Someone there should be able to determine whether ...
|
| bug | 6/10/2009 |
Q: what is this bug? @@@@@IMAGE:26094:Entomology-Study-Bugs-665/2009/06/red-bug-white.jpg##### ANSWER: ...
A: Fulgoridae) in the genus Epiptera - see http://tinyurl.com/lfaaus for an image of a very similar ...
|
| bug | 6/10/2009 |
Q: what is this bug?
A: I cannot place a name on it right now. If it (or another example) is still available for you to ...
|
| insects | 6/10/2009 |
Q: How are insects like ants able to walk on a wall or the ceilings?
A: Many insects, including most ants, have small curved claws at the ends of their legs. These enable ...
|
| Apartment bugs - definitely sow bugs | 6/9/2009 |
Q: I believe my apartment in Manitoba (Canada) has sow bugs. They definitely look like the pics I've ...
A: That aside, it is possible for an allergic reaction to occur in response to exposure to just about ...
|
| Follow up to: There are lice all over my home??! | 6/4/2009 |
Q: These are all the pictures I could gather: http://tinypic.com/r/1zy7vk7/5 ...
A: I currently am offline at home, and am just using a friend's computer for a few minutes. Back Later, ...
|
| small white worms with black tips on both ends | 6/4/2009 |
Q: i am in PA. i read a question asking you if you knew what thread like white worms with black tips ...
A: as I currently am without internet connectivity at home (I'm using a friend's computer at the ...
|
| teensy weensy bugs | 6/4/2009 |
Q: London calling!!! I have just gone upstairs to use the loo and in the pan, swimming about, were ...
A: I'm currenly offline at home. Regards, Saugy Hello, Moira - back online again. Is it possible for ...
|
| There are lice all over my home??! | 6/3/2009 |
Q: I live in North Carolina and about six months ago moved into a new apartment. Construction had just ...
A: without using a magnifying glass (I currently am away from home, using a library computer as our ISP ...
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| Bed Bugs - How Easily are they transferred | 6/3/2009 |
Q: A friend is having an issue with bed bugs but doesn't have money and has not yet contacted a ...
A: bedding, etc., they are not transmitted person to person. Not bringing backpacks and similar items ...
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| There are lice all over my home??! | 6/3/2009 |
Q: I live in North Carolina and about six months ago moved into a new apartment. Construction had just ...
A: and I doubt that he would be able to help in this instance. As to your extension office, they should ...
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| I need help identifying a bug. | 6/3/2009 |
Q: While I was walking around in my basement, I saw an unusual bug. this bug was about three inches ...
A: As it is I can only tell you that it most likely was not an insect of any kind, but possibly an ...
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| Tiny Bugs! | 6/3/2009 |
Q: My name is Alissa and I just moved into an apartment near Silverdale, WA. In the past couple of ...
A: ' The first two possibilities that come to mind are (1) small lady beetles (there are some species ...
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| Small Black Bugs in tall grass | 6/2/2009 |
Q: A friend of mine and I were walking in some tall grass with the 2 pieces of grass at the top and we ...
A: Unless you you can take a photo of one or more of them and attach the image to a follow-up question, ...
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| There are lice all over my home??! | 6/2/2009 |
Q: I live in North Carolina and about six months ago moved into a new apartment. Construction had just ...
A: but based on your description(s), I do not believe that you have anything that is a threat to your ...
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| mysterious bites | 6/2/2009 |
Q: I live in the French West Indies. My 16 month old son has been waking up for the last 4 weeks or so ...
A: //tinyurl.com/chmlkq that shows the differences between ants and termites. About the only ants that ...
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| bites | 6/2/2009 |
Q: For over two months now I have been getting red pimple like bites on my back upper thighs, my arms ...
A: Most 'bug bites' look pretty much alike, and there are several other causes of skin irritation such ...
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| Central Florida Bug no longer seen | 6/2/2009 |
Q: Growing up in Central Florida I used to play with 2-inch "armored" looking bug with pinchers in the ...
A: Phrynus marginemaculata at http://tinyurl.com/mrj7ej to see if it resembles what you recall. These ...
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| Tarantula question? | 6/1/2009 |
Q: Is it safe to feed my Tarantula's wild caught insects? In this case, specifically June bugs, but are ...
A: The only ones I would avoid are the obviously venomous ones such as bees, wasps, etc. that might ...
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| Is this a harmless beetle or a "blister beetle"? | 6/1/2009 |
Q: During an evening visit (around 10pm, 5/30/09) to visit our horse at a local (Glendale, CA) stable, ...
A: but a darkling beetle (family Tenebrionidae), appearing to be in the genus Tenebrio. Larvae of ...
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| White larva | 6/1/2009 |
Q: I live in CT and I was digging in my garden and I came across a LARGE (about as big as a mans thumb) ...
A: Given its size, it may be in the genus Cotinus (green June beetles; fig eaters) - see ...
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| mystery | 6/1/2009 |
Q: I need some help identifying an insect. I live in Maine, and at first I thought a bee was flying ...
A: belonging to a group collectively known as flower beetles. Because of their flight pattern, they ...
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| Spider infestation....help! | 6/1/2009 |
Q: I live in WA and I rent a daylight basement in a two story house, so my entrance is around in the ...
A: I just take a broom and sweep the areas that I can reach on a periodic basis, and use a shop vac to ...
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| Humpback? | 5/31/2009 |
Q: Here they are again. Today I just spotted them. Only young ones, judging by size, not bigger than a ...
A: Membracidae). Look at the image of one at http://tinyurl.com/mjujz8 to see if it resembles your ...
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| Most beautiful insect I have ever seen... | 5/31/2009 |
Q: Please can you help me identify the strangest insect I've ever seen? Unfortunately it flew away too ...
A: You're quite welcome, Lulu; I forgot to add that thanks to my English (Weymouth, Dorset) wife as ...
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| Larvae?? | 5/30/2009 |
Q: Living in central NC, 2 houses from a pond. Many ducks in neighborhood, just in case a duck-borne ...
A: Such mass movement has been noted before, but no one that I know of has come up with a good ...
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| Little brown bugs in bathroom | 5/30/2009 |
Q: I live in Boston Massachusetts. We have tiny brown bugs in our bathroom that appeared after a week ...
A: I doubt very much that they are a serious pest of any kind. Have a look at images of booklice ...
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| brain and bugs | 5/30/2009 |
Q: I am wondering if there are any bugs that can effect the health of the human brain. I have a close ...
A: the short answer is 'Extremely unlikely." (The only reason I do not say absolutely 'no' is that ...
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| bug in laundry | 5/30/2009 |
Q: I've been finding these little bugs in my laundry, and around any damp clothes, lately and have no ...
A: or submit it to pestcontrolcanada at http://tinyurl.com/9cg3hn. In the meantime, look at the image ...
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| What is it? | 5/30/2009 |
Q: I recently noticed several tiny holes in a concrete wall in my basement where it looks like some ...
A: there are no insects that actually will bore into concrete. I strongly suspect that some other ...
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| Mystery bug Id | 5/29/2009 |
Q: We live in Oregon. I am sorry I don't have a picture available of these. What are those fast ...
A: Liposcelidae); see http://tinyurl.com/8xjknq for an image. They basically are harmless nuisances, ...
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| mysterious bites | 5/29/2009 |
Q: I live in the French West Indies. My 16 month old son has been waking up for the last 4 weeks or so ...
A: as not only do most 'bug bites' look pretty much alike, but there are several causes of skin ...
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| Small Round Black Bugs with Wings. | 5/29/2009 |
Q: I've have been seeing these little black bugs around for the past couple days. They are about 3mm ...
A: the image is too blurry to see any detail. The only thing that I would be concerned about is that ...
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| Insect Eggs? | 5/29/2009 |
Q: I live in Massachusetts with woods behind my house. A few months ago, I found a pile of, what looked ...
A: These do not sound like insect eggs of any kind, nor does your description match the 'frass' ejected ...
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| earthworms travelling? | 5/29/2009 |
Q: In early spring here in Canada, (mid-May) on the east side of the Bruce Peninsula in central ...
A: ' One theory that I have come across is that the worms are taking advantage of favourable (for them) ...
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| glow-in-the-dark caterpillar? | 5/28/2009 |
Q: I live in the midwest and was coming home in the dark when I spotted what looked like a ...
A: They are known as glow-worms, railroad-worms or glow-worm beetles, and are predaceous on millipedes ...
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| worm id | 5/28/2009 |
Q: Attached is a photo of worms that were in our driveway this morning. Looked like a branch at first, ...
A: Although this behavior is well-documented, no one really knows what triggers mass movements of this ...
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| Fleas in our bathtub | 5/28/2009 |
Q: Read your 2006 answer to someone on fleas in the bathtub. We live in a fairly new retirement ...
A: or they are not coming out of the drain. The only way that fleas would be in a bathtub would be by ...
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| White and black beetle? | 5/28/2009 |
Q: I live in upstate NY and today my daughter noticed a rather large bug crawling on our sunporch. I ...
A: //tinyurl.com/m3ht3a to see if either example shown resembles your find. If not, please get back to ...
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| Are these Carpet Beetles? | 5/28/2009 |
Q: But I read that they live in dark places like behind the furniture, closets, drawers, etc. But I ...
A: which includes the black carpet beetle and its relatives. I don't think that use of bleach would be ...
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| buffalo gnats | 5/27/2009 |
Q: could you tell me where buffalo gnats came from? I live in central Illinois and have heard many ...
A: biting flies in the family Simuliidae. There are at least 1,800 described species in this family, ...
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| Insect nest or egg mass - identify | 5/26/2009 |
Q: Awoke this morning and discovered this egg mass/insect nest(?) at the base of our holly bush which ...
A: but more likely is a slime mold - a sometimes scary-looking but complete;y harmless organism that ...
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| beetle | 5/26/2009 |
Q: I live in Colorado at 9500 feet, started finding a few gray beetle like bugs with 6 legs, red ...
A: Could you photograph one or more of them and attach the image to a follow-up question? If they are ...
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| Shiny black bugs | 5/25/2009 |
Q: Found a group of shiny black bugs, about 1 cm in length, about 100 of them on the outside of my ...
A: //ucanr.org/ce.cfm for links to contact information). Someone there should be able either to assist ...
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| Small insects by baseboards and bed | 5/25/2009 |
Q: I just came across an alarming number of very small bugs along the baseboard of my walls in my ...
A: Anobiidae; subfamily Ptininae) - see http://tinyurl.com/qeop74 for an image. If these do not look ...
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| Shiny black bugs | 5/25/2009 |
Q: Found a group of shiny black bugs, about 1 cm in length, about 100 of them on the outside of my ...
A: but I cannot give you a definitive i.d. based on such a general description. Is there any way that ...
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| Glowing Slug | 5/25/2009 |
Q: I live in Ridgeway Ontario and when coming in the house at 10:00 at night last night (24th May 2009) ...
A: although some marine (sea) slugs do so. You may have encountered a larva of a firefly (Coleoptera: ...
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| small brown worms in house | 5/25/2009 |
Q: I am finding very thin worms, with many legs in my home. They are about 1 inch long. What are ...
A: look for "Attach an Image" underneath the box where you type in your question. I really hope that ...
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| Carpet beetles | 5/24/2009 |
Q: I live in Louisville KY and travel almost every weekend to St. Louis MO, I have a huge infestation, ...
A: as to the best of my knowledge, cars manufacturers nowadays use synthetic fabrics in their products ...
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| FLORESCENT BLUE WING BUG | 5/24/2009 |
Q: Ed Hi, Im trying to figure out what a swarm of flying insects are. They are the size of a carpenter ...
A: apparent wing coloration under the circumstances you describe is not a good diagnostic character. If ...
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| moth eggs | 5/24/2009 |
Q: I apologize in advance that this question isn't more scientific, but I recently found a bunch of ...
A: as those would be soft, white, and smooth - see http://tinyurl.com/pfcwjt for an image. ...
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| Small flying black spotted bugs | 5/24/2009 |
Q: We live in New Jersey and have noticed these small (size of pencil points)black spotted flying bugs. ...
A: //tinyurl.com/dm9k2q for an example), but these usually are 2mm long or a bit more, which seems ...
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| tiny black bug that bites my daughter | 5/23/2009 |
Q: i would like to ask this about this really small black bug as tiny as the coma sign(,)with wings but ...
A: (see http://tinyurl.com/oyxudw for an example). These do not cause any harm other than the ...
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| black and white hardshelled beetle I think | 5/22/2009 |
Q: we live in georgetown tx and i like to garden and grow...we moved here from arizona a couple of ...
A: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) at http://tinyurl.com/qkylpr to see if it resembles your find. If it does ...
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| small black flies | 5/22/2009 |
Q: In the past two days there have been small black flies with clear wings swarming different areas of ...
A: Where exactly in the USA is this community? Are the flies biting anyone, or are they simply ...
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| id of flying bug | 5/22/2009 |
Q: I have been trying to research this on my own but can't seem to find an answer. I have been finding ...
A: Coleoptera: Dermestidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/oudw3z for a greatly enlarged image) (2) they ...
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| worm | 5/21/2009 |
Q: I live in central Florida,after heavy rains small 1 inch worms with half round heads a little bit ...
A: //tinyurl.com/pwv6ga for an example. Ones like these are predaceous on earthworms. If your specimens ...
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| Possible Bug Bite | 5/21/2009 |
Q: I recently returned from Sidney, Montana on Sunday. That evening, I noticed 10 red welts below my ...
A: as not only do most such bites look pretty much alike, their are other causes of minor skin lesions ...
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| white worms with black tips | 5/20/2009 |
Q: she has seen them on more than one occasion and she is scared to take a bath or shower till she ...
A: filter flies, or or moth flies - these insects are scavengers on organic material that can build up ...
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| small clear/white bug | 5/19/2009 |
Q: I just checked into a hotel in Scottsdale, AZ and saw this tiny bug on the bathroom floor. I've ...
A: Is there any way, even using a camera phone, that you could take a photo and attach it to a ...
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| black widow? | 5/19/2009 |
Q: I'm wondering if you can tell me whether the attached image is a black widow spider? I found it ...
A: but it belongs to the same family (Theridiidae). It is in the genus Steatoda, possibly Steatoda ...
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| BUGS | 5/19/2009 |
Q: WHAT KIND OF BUG , BUILDS HOLLOW LOOKING TREES ? WE WATCHED THEM IN OUR HOUSE AND TOOK PICTURES
A: Could you please attach one or more photos to a follow-up question? Also, if you are in the Unites ...
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| carpet beetles/bed bugs ???????? | 5/19/2009 |
Q: A friend of ours recently had their apartment infested with bedbugs.As a result I decided to check ...
A: if all the insects truly are dead, there should be no risk posed by using the mattress. It wouldn't ...
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| Bug Contact vs Bite | 5/18/2009 |
Q: Working on subroofing under Pin Oak Trees. Put my hand down on the new plywood to steady myself and ...
A: //tinyurl.com/pgmjwm and scroll down through the list. None of these are black, per se, but a ...
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| Coffee Ground-looking pile of... ? | 5/18/2009 |
Q: I had noted a nickel-sized pile of what looked like pinpoint sized coffee grounds on the window sill ...
A: you should find instructions on attaching images to questions; I frequently receive questions with ...
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| Bug house? | 5/17/2009 |
Q: I have been finding these mud like blobs in my home garden for the past 4 days. At first I thought ...
A: In the meantime, are these objects directly on the ground? Attached to plants or objects such as ...
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| Weird Bugs | 5/17/2009 |
Q: I saw the question a woman asked about the bugs on the corner of her ceiling and I have the same ...
A: but it resembles a cockroach nymph more than anything else. However, it is very unusual to see them ...
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| river-bug in North Carolina | 5/17/2009 |
Q: .. we were out on a walk in the rain along a river next to Chimney Rock and we saw this pre-historic ...
A: Corydalidae). Known as hellgrammites, they usually are found under rocks and the like in streams, ...
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| tiny, thin, tan, bug; ant-like | 5/17/2009 |
Q: Do you know what it is? We noticed them crawling along our floor in front of the french doors inside ...
A: but even so, a photo might helps. Until then, my best guess is that that could be either springtails ...
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| spider | 5/17/2009 |
Q: every year we have these spiders that live in the swimming pool when the cover is on it. my question ...
A: Could you attach a photo or two to a follow-up question? I'm sure that they are nothing dangerous, ...
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| Creepy bites | 5/16/2009 |
Q: it's Felicia again I looked up beetles and ticks and the bug I am seeing is more like a beetle. I ...
A: I will have to see images of your 'house guests' before making an identification. BTW, there are ...
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| Black Winged Biting Bugs | 5/16/2009 |
Q: I have a question about these bugs i keep finding in my apt. I live in Washington DC across the ...
A: It is possible for you to attach photos to questions on the AllExperts page; I often receive ...
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| bugs attracted to lights | 5/15/2009 |
Q: I have been finding these oval shaped tan and black bugs that seem to be falling from the ceiling or ...
A: Could you please take a close-up photo or two that you could attach to a follow-up question? If this ...
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| Small Brown Bugs On My Bedroom Ceiling | 5/15/2009 |
Q: I am new house owner and I was noticing some small brown bugs in the corner of my ceiling. They are ...
A: //tinyurl.com/5nbs4y for contact information). Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
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| Small Brown Bugs On My Bedroom Ceiling | 5/15/2009 |
Q: I am new house owner and I was noticing some small brown bugs in the corner of my ceiling. They are ...
A: There is some resemblance to bugs in the family Cimicidae (bed bugs, bat bugs, swallow bugs, etc.), ...
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| Potato Bug with Pinchers? Is it Poisonous? | 5/14/2009 |
Q: My dog just tried to eat what looks like a potato bug, but it has pinchers on the front. It was ...
A: Is there any way you could take a photo of it and attach it to a follow-up question? I presume that ...
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| Giant Flying Insect in my house | 5/14/2009 |
Q: This giant (about 5 or 6 inches long) has been in my house at least since Monday evening. I live ...
A: this is a crane fly, albeit a very large one. Aptly enough it is known as the giant crane fly, the ...
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| worms | 5/14/2009 |
Q: good afternoon. Recently I've encountered various worms in my bathroom, on different occasions. ...
A: but I cannot offer a definitive identification based on such a general description. Is here any way ...
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| Bathroom and bed bugs. | 5/14/2009 |
Q: So about everyday for the past few days I have noticed that there are these brownish blackish tiny ...
A: //tinyurl.com/pue76u for contact information). Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
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| Do I have a bug problem? | 5/12/2009 |
Q: I recently have noticed little holes in the front of my tee shirts. I also have been battling an ...
A: No insects/arthropods that would feed on humans in any way would also attack clothing. Also, if your ...
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| Dead flies/insects | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I work in the new addition of a school and we have always noticed a large amount of dead house flies ...
A: What is more likely is that these are insects that entered the building last autumn in search of ...
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| Bathroom and bed bugs. | 5/10/2009 |
Q: So about everyday for the past few days I have noticed that there are these brownish blackish tiny ...
A: but it still might help if you could take a close-up photo or to that you could attach to a ...
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| egg sack | 5/9/2009 |
Q: I found this egg-sack looking thing in the branches of one of the trees in my neighborhood. It's ...
A: http://tinyurl.com/o46dvz? If so, it likely is a group of tent caterpillars (Malacosoma spp.) - ...
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| Found bug, need to identify | 5/9/2009 |
Q: I have found this bug (black with white stripe across back) in my home. I've looked up pictures of ...
A: Coleoptera: Dermestidae - see http://tinyurl.com/qfelyj)? If it did not, could you take a close-up ...
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| Grit eating/moving insects | 5/9/2009 |
Q: We have a small villa in South of France. We have mysteriously found little piles of grit on the ...
A: but is there any way you could take a close-up photo or two and attach it/them to a follow-up ...
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| Little lobster looking critter | 5/8/2009 |
Q: I live 2 miles from the James River in Lynchburg, VA. I went out on my porch last night and found ...
A: crawdaddy, or mud bug), a freshwater relative of lobsters and the like. Other than being able to ...
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| Spiders | 5/7/2009 |
Q: I was clearing some loose paving block away from my house when i saw a redish brown spider with a ...
A: family Dysderidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/pkpw4m for a couple of images. They have ...
|
| roaches | 5/7/2009 |
Q: IF you look at animals such as shrimp, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, scorpions, cockroaches, etc they ...
A: an irrational/exaggerated fear of insects - see http://tinyurl.com/7a5ov3. The causes of ...
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| Insect identification | 5/7/2009 |
Q: I found your name from another website and had a question about the identification of an insect in ...
A: They often have their hind femora greatly enlarged, such as seen in many grasshoppers and crickets - ...
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| Tiny, tiny red bugs . | 5/7/2009 |
Q: Today while interviewing an 86 year old patient I saw one small (2-3mm)round dark brown bug crawl ...
A: //tinyurl.com/5l5y95), but the behavior you describe is so atypical for them that I doubt that they ...
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| diamond shaped bug | 5/6/2009 |
Q: I am overseas in Kuwait. Recently a small clear diamond shaped bug has been crawling on me. I have ...
A: but I would have to see an image of this beastie before I could even guess at its' identity; your ...
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| bugs that eat through dry wall | 5/5/2009 |
Q: what kind of bug will eat through drywall. I am in the pest control business and this is new to ...
A: Also, some other insects, such as carpenter ants, may on occasion bore into drywall (not to eat ...
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| small bugs biting dogs | 5/4/2009 |
Q: I have lots of dogs and they all run and play outside. This spring we have lots, and lots of these ...
A: Could you take a close-up photo of one or more of these and attach it to a follow-up question? If ...
|
| Carpet Beetles | 5/4/2009 |
Q: I have question about carpet beetles living in body. My mother has recently had a infestation of ...
A: carpet beetles (or their larvae) have never been reported to invade human tissue of any kind. The ...
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| a bug came out of a bug | 5/4/2009 |
Q: one night, sitting at my computer, a bug land on my leg. i was in shorts so i was able to see a ...
A: but there is no way that I can provide a definitive identification from your description; an image ...
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| small bugs/mites in bathroom and wind. sills | 5/3/2009 |
Q: I have noticed small bugs that are hard to see even with a mag. glass. The appear to be no more ...
A: they fall into the category of 'nuisance pests' in that although they do little real harm, you don't ...
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| small bugs/mites in bathroom and wind. sills | 5/3/2009 |
Q: I have noticed small bugs that are hard to see even with a mag. glass. The appear to be no more ...
A: I should have answered this one first. (1) You can easily attach photos to questions on AllExperts - ...
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| small bugs/mites in bathroom and wind. sills | 5/3/2009 |
Q: I have noticed small bugs that are hard to see even with a mag. glass. The appear to be no more ...
A: Also, please let me know your state of residence in case I need to refer you to a local source for ...
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| Marquis or Football-shaped Insect | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I am trying to identify the same bug as the people were asking about in these threads: ...
A: Lepidoptera: Tineidae) or a close relative. These are cousins to clothes moths, but seem to prefer ...
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| Pincher Bug "Infestation" Under My Car | 5/1/2009 |
Q: Saugstad, I have to park my car on blacktop,inches away from a dirt & weed field.I haven't been able ...
A: I can only make wild guesses based on your description. Nevertheless, I do not believe that they ...
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| kindly identify this insect. | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I have two pug puppies. Off late i have been coming across these weird insects around them. they ...
A: possibly Hippobosca longipennis, variously known as the dog fly, louse fly, or blind fly (see ...
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| Bug in basement | 4/30/2009 |
Q: What kind of insect is this? We took the picture on April 29, 2008 in Toronto, Canada. It was very ...
A: Reduviidae); likely that of an introduced species (Reduvius personatus) known as the masked hunter. ...
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| YUCK--what is it??? | 4/29/2009 |
Q: To whom it may concern...I have a bug larva question...I live very much in the country the nearest ...
A: but there is no way that I can provide an accurate identification without seeing an image. What you ...
|
| Ticks | 4/29/2009 |
Q: Do ticks serve a purpose in nature?
A: as 'purpose' IMHO is a loaded term. Basically, the 'purpose' of all life is to perpetuate itself; ...
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| Another View of bug | 4/28/2009 |
Q: Here is the other view of the bug. I didn't think it was an ant because of the antenna not being ...
A: you can see that the antenna has a very long first segment (scape), followed by several shorter ...
|
| Ants Chicago | 4/28/2009 |
Q: I have a entomology degree from Texas A&M but im unfamiliar with ants species population Chicago(and ...
A: There are nearly 130 species of ant reported from Illinois, and I for one would hesitate to attempt ...
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| California Prionus? | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I put pieces of an oak stump in the back of my truck yesterday. Today I found a 3" long larvae ...
A: This definitely appears to be a larva of a cerambycid beetle in the genus Prionus. Although the ...
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| Flying Spiders Jackson, Wy. | 4/27/2009 |
Q: Last fall, we had our normal, "flying spiders" everywhere. It's now late April, and they're ...
A: but I wanted to be sure. I remember that once when I was quite young, I thought that I had found a ...
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| night flying insects | 4/27/2009 |
Q: Night flying insects, do they include: cucumber beetles, June beetles, stinkbugs and leafhoppers?
A: cucumber beetles do not. Some leafhoppers may fly at night, as many species exhibit a crepuscular ...
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| Arizona Desert Bug | 4/26/2009 |
Q: I was 45 miles northeast of Phoenix in a desert area near Canyon Lake. On the ground I spotted a ...
A: Mutillidae), a family of wasps in which the females are wingless, but nevertheless very well ...
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| winged reddish-brown millipede-like things. | 4/26/2009 |
Q: I live in South Florida. Two days ago, I noticed several small reddish-brown creatures crawling ...
A: and you cannot get a response from your county extension office, see http://tinyurl.com/d2bgyx for ...
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| Alien worm | 4/25/2009 |
Q: To: Worm Expert Recently, I encountered a worm attack in the house. Although there is only one ...
A: your 'worm' is nothing to be overly concerned about. It most likely is a 'cousin' to clothes moths ...
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| red/orange stinging bug | 4/25/2009 |
Q: I live in the northwest in a rural area and i was bitten or stung by an insect i can't seem to ...
A: I can only guess that it might have been a a wasp, such as one of those in the family Sphecidae ...
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| Bug question - need help identifying it | 4/25/2009 |
Q: i have found a couple of these black bugs in my home...this one was climbing on my kitchen wall and ...
A: //tinyurl.com/d7agrr to find the extension office nearest you. These offices usually are the best ...
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| Bug question - need help identifying it | 4/24/2009 |
Q: i have found a couple of these black bugs in my home...this one was climbing on my kitchen wall and ...
A: but it may not necessarily mean that you have an infestation. It really does not closely resemble ...
|
| insect locally known as | 4/24/2009 |
Q: I've lived in the country before and never heard the sound I'll be describing before. 1 1/2 yrs ago ...
A: as I can assure you that cicadas are the loudest insects known, period. The only other insects in ...
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| plz help!!!=( | 4/23/2009 |
Q: ?!
A: I suggest that you read the article on chicken mites and their control at ...
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| insect locally known as "jarfly" | 4/23/2009 |
Q: I've lived in the country before and never heard the sound I'll be describing before. 1 1/2 yrs ago ...
A: what you experienced was a 'serenade' by some of nature's loudest creatures, namely cicadas. There ...
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| Lady Bugs | 4/21/2009 |
Q: I was at Chrissy Field today and walking along the bay edge water. There were hundreds of ladybugs ...
A: the convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens - see http://tinyurl.com/crj5me for an image) ...
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| small yellow bugs | 4/16/2009 |
Q: During one of my cleaning bouts I came across some some yellow insects crawling about on the marble ...
A: they could be just about anything. Could you try taking a photo or two that you could attach to a ...
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| Hoping you can help | 4/15/2009 |
Q: Good afternoon, I've just moved into a new house and I've noticed around the sink and bath tiny ...
A: but it might help if you could try taking a close-up photo of them and attach it to a follow-up ...
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| Centipedes | 4/13/2009 |
Q: Every year I get a lot of these in my house. What is the "best" type of pest contol? ANSWER: Dear ...
A: and in the opinion of most pest management professionals, chemical control should be a very last ...
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| Centipedes | 4/13/2009 |
Q: Every year I get a lot of these in my house. What is the "best" type of pest contol?
A: the 'best' control is to eliminate/reduce populations of their prey (insects and other arthropods) ...
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| Beetles in our veggie's!! | 4/10/2009 |
Q: There is a little beetle that is devouring our corn, beans and peppers, and we are trying to find ...
A: and it caused me to accidentally reject your question as a duplicate. Any way, your beetle appears ...
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| At first it looked like mold | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I need help identifying a group of wormlike black or brown bugs that were hanging from a particular ...
A: see http://tinyurl.com/d4f6fs for an example. These would not be anything that you need to worry ...
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| Carpet Beetle Larvae and Other Unknown bugs | 4/3/2009 |
Q: I need some advice on a carpet beetle situation I have in my bedroom. About 6 months ago, I found a ...
A: For example, you could take specimens there for assistance in identification. If no one there could ...
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| Carpet Beetle Larvae and Other Unknown bugs | 4/3/2009 |
Q: I need some advice on a carpet beetle situation I have in my bedroom. About 6 months ago, I found a ...
A: the risk to your mattress should be minimal, unless you know for certain that it contains either ...
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| red ticks | 4/3/2009 |
Q: I write only because you responded to an earlier question from "phil" that you were unaware of a ...
A: William - Could you take a photo of it (or any of the same you might encounter in the future) and ...
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| strange grub or worm on my porch | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I found this thing on my porch and was worried it might be a problem for my dog, I looked up ...
A: it appears to be a larva of a moth, but the image is too blurry for me to attempt a definitive ...
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| bugs | 4/1/2009 |
Q: Is there any place in Las Vegas Nevada, Clark Co. I can take the bugs I HAVE AND HAVE THEM ANALYZED ...
A: //tinyurl.com/dxd2cp for contact information. Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
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| Carpet Beetle Larvae and Other Unknown bugs | 3/31/2009 |
Q: I need some advice on a carpet beetle situation I have in my bedroom. About 6 months ago, I found a ...
A: almond shaped' beetles) and attach it to a follow-up question? As for the mattress, do you have any ...
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| spider-like thing that flies? | 3/31/2009 |
Q: I was going out to my car around 845pm. I saw this thing hovering around some loose trash. It was ...
A: about the only flying insects large enough to give the illusion of being that large are the giant ...
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| Mystery bug in apartment | 3/30/2009 |
Q: I've lived in my NYC apartment for almost 9 months now, and until a month or so ago I saw no bugs or ...
A: but at least I can assure you that from your general description, they are nothing dangerous. Two ...
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| Drosophila egg maturation | 3/28/2009 |
Q: Do Drosophila eclose from the pupal stage with mature eggs already developed? I can't find anything ...
A: they do not; egg maturation takes place some time after eclosion. But you are correct in believing ...
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| red bugs all over yard | 3/28/2009 |
Q: i have red colored bugs in yard and no body seems to know what they are or if they are harmful to ...
A: Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) - see http://tinyurl.com/c5dwgx for an image. They basically are ...
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| Description of unknown insect | 3/27/2009 |
Q: Ed, I was recently in New Orleans when I saw an insect I've never seen before. (I'm from Ohio) It ...
A: These include the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species ...
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| Worm like bugs in bathroom | 3/26/2009 |
Q: The last 6 months or so we are getting this worm like bugs approximately 1/2 inch long of various ...
A: have more than six legs and are not centipedes, they just about have to be small millipedes. These ...
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| Adult Indian Meal Moth problem | 3/25/2009 |
Q: I have an office in a New York office building that has occasional sightings of adult Indian Meal ...
A: About the only additional suggestions I can make concern snack food and decorative items. Are you ...
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| What in the world is this worm. Can it be from humans? | 3/25/2009 |
Q: We just got back from Arizona and we found these in our toilet. Do you have any idea what this is. ...
A: but these could be larvae of flies in the family Psychodidae - see http://tinyurl.com/c7b63f for an ...
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| tiny white/grey oval-shaped insects | 3/23/2009 |
Q: Please help! I have been seeing them occasionally for several months but now that I've been leaving ...
A: I realize that that ere very small, but a photo, if you can take one and attach it to a follow-up ...
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| Effects of insects in decomposition process | 3/23/2009 |
Q: Brace yourself, because judging from your existing questions and answers this is going to be a bit ...
A: There has been a bit of research along these lines, see http://tinyurl.com/dy4cau - you probably can ...
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| Effects of insects in decomposition process | 3/22/2009 |
Q: Brace yourself, because judging from your existing questions and answers this is going to be a bit ...
A: That aside, insects such as blow lies (Calliphoridae and flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are among the ...
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| bug | 3/22/2009 |
Q: I found a small black bug, round like a beetle, smaller than the size of a peppercorn and it was ...
A: it really might help if you could take a close-up photo and attach it to a follow-up question. In ...
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| unknown parasite | 3/21/2009 |
Q: would you have information on the following? this critter is 10mm long, 2.5-3mm wide and tall, dark ...
A: The only thing that I can think of that comes even close to your description would be an engorged ...
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| Insect: damp/dark areas - crawling on walls | 3/21/2009 |
Q: Keep finding this kind of bug in my apartment. Crawling on walls in both kitchen and bathroom. It ...
A: the most likely suspect is a house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata - see http://tinyurl.com/5q9f8b ...
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| Found an odd bug on dog | 3/20/2009 |
Q: First, thank you very much for taking the time to read my question, I hope I provide enough of a ...
A: First off, Karen, my apologies for the delay in responding to your question, I somehow overlooked it ...
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| Tiny black/brown bugs 1/8 of an inch long- follow up | 3/19/2009 |
Q: black bugs on the walls of my apartment. I found a larger one of these insects (this one was still ...
A: Allison - Unfortunately, it is just not quite clear enough for me to make out the details necessary ...
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| Tiny black/brown bugs 1/8 of an inch long- follow up | 3/19/2009 |
Q: black bugs on the walls of my apartment. I found a larger one of these insects (this one was still ...
A: it does allow me to eliminate both cockroaches and bed bugs as suspects. This image appears to be of ...
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| Bug help! | 3/19/2009 |
Q: I am wondering if you could help me ... I'm looking to identify this bug/insect. I've found about ...
A: Dermestidae) in the genus Anthrenus, such as Anthrenus verbasci - see http://tinyurl.com/c7xokr for ...
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| Pin head size black bugs | 3/18/2009 |
Q: I live in Kansas and have small pin head sized black bugs in my kitchen windows. It looks like ...
A: I might have guessed that you were experiencing the joys of artillery fungus, something we are all ...
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| What is this caterpiller | 3/18/2009 |
Q: I live in Indonesia on the west side of the island of Java, so its a tropical climate. Here is a ...
A: but these caterpillars have all the earmarks of the family Lymantriidae (tussock moths) see ...
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| weird bug | 3/18/2009 |
Q: We found this bug/worm like thing in the yard. It has stripes on it and has two glowing spots toward ...
A: and there are several families of beetle whose larvae can fluoresce in some manner. Although they do ...
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| NYC apartment bug | 3/16/2009 |
Q: I have lived in NYC for 33 years and my apartment burnt down. They re-did my apartment but ...
A: as your general description could fit any number of suspects. The good news is that they most likely ...
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| Larve found in rental | 3/16/2009 |
Q: My tenant phoned this am stating that she had larve in her room and in bathroom area that re-appear ...
A: a photo was attached, however, it is indeed extremely fuzzy - could you see if you could borrow a ...
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| Larve found in rental | 3/15/2009 |
Q: My tenant phoned this am stating that she had larve in her room and in bathroom area that re-appear ...
A: as even an unclear image should enable me to narrow the range of choices. Your description as it ...
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| bugs in our home | 3/14/2009 |
Q: we live in Ohio and everytime the weather starts to get warm, like in March/April we get these brown ...
A: could you please take a photo or two that you could attach to a follow-up question? If this is not ...
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| Identify a bug | 3/14/2009 |
Q: Could you send me an email to where I can send a picture of these bugs I keep finding near a window ...
A: If this fails, there are several other sites where you can submit images for i.d. purposes. These ...
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| Tiny black/brown bugs 1/8 of an inch long | 3/13/2009 |
Q: I recently moved into an apartment building in New York City. The building is less than 10 years ...
A: d. - superficially, it resembles a very small cockroach nymph (see http://tinyurl.com/br7bbf for an ...
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| very very small black bug | 3/13/2009 |
Q: im from brooklyn, NewYork. I hope you can help me with this but I have been noticing these black ...
A: it is clear enough for identification. This is a beetle in the family Anobiidae, likely either a ...
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| Worm/Millipede house infestation | 3/12/2009 |
Q: I live in South West France. For the last 3 months, every night we have some sort of worm/milipede ...
A: and I suspect that is what you have from your description. One of the commoner ones in the US is ...
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| very very small black bug | 3/12/2009 |
Q: im from brooklyn, NewYork. I hope you can help me with this but I have been noticing these black ...
A: as these do not sound like any common household pest that I am familiar with. Failing that, I ...
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| wooly bear catipler | 3/11/2009 |
Q: We have found some wooly bear catiplers and would like to keep some in the house to watch grow. But ...
A: the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth, Pyrrharctia isabella, will feed on a number of plants, ...
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| identify a pest | 3/10/2009 |
Q: I have many of these worm like things in my soil, in the vegetable garden, flower beds and potted ...
A: a close relative of centipedes (millipedes have two pair of legs on each body segment; centipedes ...
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| pantry mites | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I have just read a previous q and a on this subject..am sure we have the same thing, tiny dark ...
A: As for ingesting them, there should be no real cause for concern unless the food items in question ...
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| Bug/worm identification | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I was sweeping my bedroom (I clean my home regularly and do not eat in this room) when I discovered ...
A: possibly in the genus Attagenus. They will feed on a wide variety of organic materials, including ...
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| Little Brown Worms | 3/8/2009 |
Q: I just noticed on your web site that someone stated that they found some little brown worms in some ...
A: as I simply cannot offer a good i.d. based on such a general description. It could be anything from ...
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| carpenter beetles | 3/8/2009 |
Q: My little flying black bugs have been identified as carpenter beetles by the exterminator.They ...
A: to the best of my knowledge, there are no such things as 'carpenter beetles.' Please try to take a ...
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| pantry mites | 3/8/2009 |
Q: I have just read a previous q and a on this subject..am sure we have the same thing, tiny dark ...
A: //www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th7g.htm Regardless of their specific identity, the remedy would be pretty ...
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| Bugs in my dorm room! | 3/8/2009 |
Q: Every couple of weeks, I'll find a bug on my desk in my dorm room. It's a kind I've never seen ...
A: antenna-like filaments at their hind end. If they did, they almost certainly would be bristletails, ...
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| White bug in skin. | 3/8/2009 |
Q: My husband and I thought he had a blackhead on his arm. This said blackhead got bigger. When we went ...
A: as it does not match the description of any human parasite that I am familiar with. Just a general ...
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| egg case | 3/7/2009 |
Q: Sorry about the missing picture. Here's my question again: Is this an egg case? Found on a dead elm ...
A: you might try submitting your photo to either bugguide (http://tinyurl.com/m743h) or whatsthatbug ...
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| Large Black Grasshopper-like bug | 3/6/2009 |
Q: I live in South Miami, FL. I was recently out in my yard, when I heard a rather loud buzzing sound. ...
A: Coreidae). Specifically, it is a male Acanthocephala femorata; the female of this species lacks the ...
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| egg case | 3/6/2009 |
Q: Sorry about the missing picture. Here's my question again: Is this an egg case? Found on a dead elm ...
A: but it still leaves me puzzled, as I have never seen anything exactly like it. Too bad you didn't ...
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| Help ID'ing Household Pest | 3/6/2009 |
Q: I live in Washington DC, and just recently moved into an apartment where I am constantly finding ...
A: K. - What you have here are not fleas or ticks, but small beetles known as spider beetles ...
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| a lot of moths and "larvae" in edmonton alberta | 3/4/2009 |
Q: We have several birds, both cockatiel and lovebirds. We noticed a month ago, very annoying, tiny ...
A: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The larvae (caterpillars) typically move quite some distance from their ...
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| infestation in home of brown worm type like bug that bites and leaves a red itchy bump | 3/1/2009 |
Q: we live in Denver Co. we are having problems with a brown centipede looking worm that has infested ...
A: About the only 'centipede looking' arthropod in your geographic area capable of biting a human that ...
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| Silver worm like leeches. | 2/27/2009 |
Q: I have seen them a couple of times and when I do see them they are in my bathroom. They are silver ...
A: primitive insects in the order Thysanura - see http://tinyurl.com/caro4f for detailed information, ...
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| Odd Worm? | 2/26/2009 |
Q: I moved to a new apt and 3 times I have found a worm like thing in the bathroom (2 at night and 1 in ...
A: I can only guess. First off, If they have appendages (legs, antennae, etc.), they would not be true ...
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| Teeny speckled bug on wall | 2/25/2009 |
Q: I recently moved into a brand new home, but have been finding very tiny (pencil point size) ...
A: but I can tell you that boric acid might help control them (I doubt that DE would be very ...
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| something ate my oatmeal bath! | 2/24/2009 |
Q: I've had a rash for over a month now, I thought at first that it was simply poison ivy, then i ...
A: but cats aren't purrfect; you'll get the odd one that appear to regard mice as mere curiosities ...
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| Cardboard Infestation | 2/24/2009 |
Q: For many years I have stored empty cardboard boxes, mostly from electronics, on a concrete platform ...
A: it would be extremely unlikely, to say the least, that they would be booklice. On the other hand, I ...
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| what are these bugs? | 2/23/2009 |
Q: I have these bugs that are black or brown the y look like beetles. Most the time they be on their ...
A: but your description is not sufficient for me to do anything but take wild (and likely fruitless) ...
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| Yikes! Loads of bugs! | 2/22/2009 |
Q: I've got a 7 year old house in San Jose California. It's actually a modular home with a steel ...
A: John - This is a winged ant, possibly Tapinoma sessile, a species that goes by several common names, ...
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| Tiny black beetles with tiny white spots | 2/21/2009 |
Q: It is super tiny, no more than 1/8" long, black with a few teeny white spots, and possibly some ...
A: (1) carpet beetles (family Dermestidae) in the genus Anthrenus or (2) lady beetles (family ...
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| brown marmorated stink bugs | 2/20/2009 |
Q: After looking at pictures at www.pestcontrolcanada.com and Penn State's website, I have come to ...
A: it is quite possible that the bugs found in your unit are brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha ...
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| something ate my oatmeal bath! | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I've had a rash for over a month now, I thought at first that it was simply poison ivy, then i ...
A: (2) Based on what I have seen in our house, mice can make relatively neat holes! (3) I don't know of ...
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| Lepidoptera Antennae | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I am having trouble finding any information/studies regarding Lepidoptera antennae length. I am ...
A: Antenna length definitely does not correlate with body size, and those species with the most highly ...
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| Small insect found in home | 2/17/2009 |
Q: I found this small creature in my home in early February. I keep a supply of firewood in the ...
A: Dave - What you have here is a harmless arachnid (relative to spiders and the like) called a ...
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| some kind of parasitic mite? | 2/16/2009 |
Q: I can't identify this. i am pretty sure it is a mite but i do not know what kind. It is extremely ...
A: and submit them to your nearest office of Cornell University's Cooperative Extension service (see ...
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| Bugs in soil | 2/14/2009 |
Q: I have read that there are more living things in a handful of healthy soil than there are people on ...
A: you really need to pose these questions to a microbiologist. That aside, I can assure you that only ...
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| Ants Gender | 2/14/2009 |
Q: my question is regarding the gender of the worker ants. As we all know; they are female, however was ...
A: Although worker honey bees were known to be sterile females by the 17th century, the earliest ...
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| Bugs in soil | 2/14/2009 |
Q: I have read that there are more living things in a handful of healthy soil than there are people on ...
A: this would appear to be a 'factoid' - a short description of some amazing 'Did you know that...' ...
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| tiny bugs on windowsill | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I live in massachusetts, and foud dozens of tiny black wingless bugs on my bay windowsill. They do ...
A: I can only guess at what they might be. The first thing that comes to mind are springtails (see ...
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| some kind of parasitic mite? | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I can't identify this. i am pretty sure it is a mite but i do not know what kind. It is extremely ...
A: but exactly what kind, I cannot say. There are many species of bird and rodent mites that may be ...
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| Mystery Bug | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I got one more insect that I can't figure out. Your help will be greatly appreciated (again!)The ...
A: This is a planthopper in the family Fulgoridae (Hemiptera/Auchenorrhyncha); see ...
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| Bugs - General | 2/10/2009 |
Q: My son has recently become OBSESSED with bugs! Problem is, it's still winter. I was wondering if ...
A: if you know where to look. For example, if there are woods nearby that you can access, try peeling ...
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| larvae | 2/8/2009 |
Q: We live in a suburb of Atlanta, ga--lots of pine trees in our yard. Today I found a 3.5 inch larvae ...
A: Although your original description really didn't sound like anything I was familiar with, I've been ...
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| re: traveling and known insects | 2/6/2009 |
Q: I have a silly question because I am terrified of all insects, I am traveling to Meridian, MS this ...
A: I can't say much from personal experience. Although you likely will see many more and different ...
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| larvae | 2/6/2009 |
Q: We live in a suburb of Atlanta, ga--lots of pine trees in our yard. Today I found a 3.5 inch larvae ...
A: as I suspect that it may be an unusual color morph of an otherwise common species. That aside, if it ...
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| bugs in carpet | 2/6/2009 |
Q: I recently moved into a house and have found these bugs on two different occassions. I was reading ...
A: ' it may have been a small millipede, which for the most part are harmless scavengers. At any rate, ...
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| bugs in carpet | 2/6/2009 |
Q: I recently moved into a house and have found these bugs on two different occassions. I was reading ...
A: it helps immensely if questioners can provide a photo or two of their 'mystery bug.' That aside, one ...
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| Bugs on carpet | 2/5/2009 |
Q: We just got new carpet and moved into our new house. They removed the old carpet and put in new red ...
A: I cannot be certain, but these are most likely mites, and not carpet/fabric pests of any sort. Among ...
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| daddy long legs | 2/4/2009 |
Q: My 7 year old son is wondering...Are daddy long legs all "boy spiders?"
A: ' In true spiders, males generally can be distinguished from their female counterparts by being ...
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| Small bugs in bedroom - very fast! | 2/3/2009 |
Q: We live in Singapore and recently have found small, very fast little bugs around our bedside tables ...
A: d. from your description, they do not sound like anything dangerous. The worst case scenario is that ...
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| images of bombus employing tibial brush... | 2/3/2009 |
Q: I am an entomological sculptor here in Montreal, and I am working on a three foot long sculpture of ...
A: and he had no images of the sort you are looking for; sorry. However, if you haven't already done ...
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| wondering if i have roaches | 2/2/2009 |
Q: My brother just came to stay with me after a short stay with my father in Chicago. They have roaches ...
A: this would be rather unusual. Other household insects having long antennae are silverfish/firebrats, ...
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| Ingestion of live maggots in chocolate while pregnant | 2/2/2009 |
Q: I need your expert advise. Sometime when I was 3 months pregnant, I chanced to ingest two (2) live ...
A: there should be no connection whatsoever between ingestion of the insects (they more likely were ...
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| wondering if i have roaches | 2/2/2009 |
Q: My brother just came to stay with me after a short stay with my father in Chicago. They have roaches ...
A: I cannot reassure you either way from your description. Although what you describe is typical ...
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| SMALL BLACK WORMS | 2/2/2009 |
Q: I have small tiny black worms coming out the jects of my jacuzzi tub. How can I get rid of these? ...
A: I can only guess that they might be larvae of small flies known as moth flies, drain flies, or ...
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| Masses of microscopic black insects found on beach | 2/1/2009 |
Q: I live on the west Coast of Scotland, Whilst walking my dog on a beach at Seamill, i noticed that in ...
A: About the only jumping arthropods as small as you describe would be collembola ('springtails'), but ...
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| Wierd bug! | 1/31/2009 |
Q: I wonder if you can help! A while ago we had a leak under the shower, we had this fixed however a ...
A: it also might help a bit if I knew your geographical location. In the meantime, have a look at ...
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| Insect Collecting | 1/30/2009 |
Q: .. I need mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) for my projects. I know I can get them from petshops but is ...
A: use of light traps would be unlikely to be successful in collecting these insects, and I also doubt ...
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| things that live in water | 1/28/2009 |
Q: I live in Madison Alabama and i found these squirmy things that live in water. They are see through ...
A: my best guess is that they are the larvae of a fly in the family Syrphidae (hover/flower/drone ...
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| Small worm-like insect in my room | 1/27/2009 |
Q: I live in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada and I am having a problem since I moved into a house ...
A: but I really need an image to do other than make wild guesses. If you can take a photo or two, ...
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| the future of interior planting.... bugs? | 1/27/2009 |
Q: im currently studying garden design at falmouth university, cornwall, uk, and im writing an 8000word ...
A: what is your target audience for this questionnaire? As you have it now, the questions appear a ...
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| the future of interior planting.... bugs? | 1/27/2009 |
Q: im currently studying garden design at falmouth university, cornwall, uk, and im writing an 8000word ...
A: the basic answer is "It depends." In your case, depending on the particular plant species, their ...
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| Dominican Insect identification | 1/26/2009 |
Q: I was in the Dominican Republic last week (January) riding a dune buggy from a horse/cow type ranch, ...
A: Although the insect fauna of the Dominican Republic is renowned for its variety of colorful and ...
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| hair bugs? | 1/24/2009 |
Q: My sister stayed with me after a trip to guatemala several months ago. She contracted lice there, ...
A: so that eliminates them as a possibility. Also, lice are the only insects that actively infest human ...
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| Spider came with potted plant, ID? | 1/22/2009 |
Q: Years ago you were very helpful with a general taxonomy question of mine about corn snakes. (Ours ...
A: //tinyurl.com/bnrmne for a list of spider species officially recorded from Pennsylvania. You will ...
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| Spider came with potted plant, ID? | 1/21/2009 |
Q: Years ago you were very helpful with a general taxonomy question of mine about corn snakes. (Ours ...
A: next time, try to get a photo before gooshing it! My best guess at this time is that it might have ...
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| Question about tiny bugs in my apartment | 1/21/2009 |
Q: I was away from my NYC apartment for a month, and when I came back I found dozens of little bugs, ...
A: If the stripe is side to side, it’s possible that these might be young nymphs of the brown-banded ...
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| a different tiny bug in my house... | 1/19/2009 |
Q: I keep reading questions about bugs that sound like mine but when I see the picture it doesn't look ...
A: Melanie - The Tokeland Hotel is a rustic experience, almost like stepping back a century. A good ...
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| what is it? | 1/18/2009 |
Q: i would like to email you a pic of an insect i found in our back yard,already dead and intact. we ...
A: Pam - also, this helps illustrate why it is important to indicate your geographical location when ...
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| What kind of bug is this? | 1/17/2009 |
Q: We have been finding these bugs on our bedroom curtains one at a time for about two months now. At ...
A: Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), a native of Asia that has become established in eastern North ...
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| what is it? | 1/15/2009 |
Q: i would like to email you a pic of an insect i found in our back yard,already dead and intact. we ...
A: If you have difficulty with that there are several sites where you can post photos for an i.d. - two ...
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| a different tiny bug in my house... | 1/14/2009 |
Q: I keep reading questions about bugs that sound like mine but when I see the picture it doesn't look ...
A: //ext.wsu.edu/locations/ for contact information. Someone there should be able either to assist in ...
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| Inside small flying bugs | 1/13/2009 |
Q: I live in Colorado and all winter we have been seeing small Gnat type flying insects. They land and ...
A: Often (and incorrectly) called fruit flies, these are the ones typically associated with lab studies ...
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| a different tiny bug in my house... | 1/12/2009 |
Q: I keep reading questions about bugs that sound like mine but when I see the picture it doesn't look ...
A: I can only guess. One possibility is the larva of one of the carpet/skin beetles (Coleoptera: ...
|
| Tiny furry cocoons adhered to apt wall in corners | 1/7/2009 |
Q: I have an apt with tiny, brown, furry shells/cocoons that are all empty as if something hatched from ...
A: have a look at an image of a shed 'skin' of a carpet beetle at http://tinyurl.com/7nnzqf (the 'skin' ...
|
| small red marks on kitchen ceiling | 1/6/2009 |
Q: We live in Atlanta and have several randomly spaced dark red spots that look like blood stains on ...
A: //tinyurl.com/5l5y95 for detailed information, and that you can rule out mosquitoes (unless you ...
|
| Very small red bug | 1/4/2009 |
Q: I live in a basement level apartment in Colorado Springs, CO. I occasionally see a very small red ...
A: They can occur in enormous numbers, but essentially are harmless, but definitely can be nuisances ...
|
| Moth infestation? | 1/2/2009 |
Q: About once a week I have to remove 20-30 hanging objects from our guest room and library ceilings ...
A: check out images of Indian meal moth larvae (Plodia interpunctella; Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at ...
|
| Beetle Question | 1/2/2009 |
Q: Ed, I live in Maryland, 20 minutes outside of Washington, DC. For the past 7 months, I have ...
A: Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) certainly would be prime suspects - see http://tinyurl.com/a8r9h9 ...
|
| In Nicaragua on Pacific coast. Small red droplet shaped bug. | 12/29/2008 |
Q: This bug small droplet shaped tried to bite/suck blood from my daughters leg. She flicked it off ...
A: However, neither appears likely in this instance, as a tick would not be easily 'flicked off,' and ...
|
| strange insect casings/dropings/????? | 12/22/2008 |
Q: We continue to find what looks like insect eggs or possibly dried larvae or droppings or a spice in ...
A: these could be frass (fecal pellets) of a wood-boring insect such as drywood termites (see ...
|
| please help | 12/19/2008 |
Q: i live in northern virginia. i've found a few bugs in my basement. they're dark brown or black and ...
A: I got interrupted yesterday, and just plain forgot to complete some tasks. That aside, I really ...
|
| Praying Mantis | 12/16/2008 |
Q: Have I read correctly that a male praying mantis has a penis? That is amazing to me. If it's true, ...
A: Although it is analogous to the mammalian penis, it is not homologous, and plays no role in waste ...
|
| worms on a bathroom sink - not a slug! | 12/15/2008 |
Q: I found a strange worm on my bathroom sink. Can you please help with the identification? Attached is ...
A: Known variously as drain flies, sewer flies, or moth flies, they feed on decomposing organic matter, ...
|
| bugs in my kitchen | 12/14/2008 |
Q: When I walked by my refrigerator last night I noticed that the pictures on the fridge looked dusty. ...
A: Liposcelidae). Under a magnifying glass, mites lack eyes and have eight legs, whereas booklice have ...
|
| wood boring bettles | 12/11/2008 |
Q: I live in a four-storey concrete building, in a big city. About one month ago I purchased a small ...
A: I do not believe that you have much to worry about, given the circumstances you describe. The only ...
|
| Spider or Tailless Whip Scorpion | 12/9/2008 |
Q: You were very helpful with a previous inquiry. Can you help identify the species on the picture? ...
A: (huntsmen/giant crab spiders), appearing to be a male Heteropoda venatoria, a very widespread ...
|
| Identifying potential bug issue | 12/8/2008 |
Q: Back in June I purchased several hundred cases of candy bars with almonds for a fundraiser. Several ...
A: and the pattern of damage is not at all unusual; I saw similar instances when inspecting pallets of ...
|
| bugs(?) in clothing from storage unit | 12/7/2008 |
Q: Greetings Mr. Saugstad; I recently took my belongings out of storage, where they have been as long ...
A: I doubt very much that insects or mites are responsible. I suggest that consult a physician, ...
|
| Need a bug identification! | 12/5/2008 |
Q: Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I've been going back through some of my photos, and I found ...
A: Cicadellidae). This is quite a large group, and it would take a specialist to give you a specific ...
|
| Cacoon | 12/4/2008 |
Q: I found this in my loft. Do you know what bug made it? I live in the UK
A: but this looks more like a very early stage in the building of a nest by wasps in the family ...
|
| Springtails | 12/4/2008 |
Q: I saw your other answers, and I hope you can help me too. I live outside Phoenix, AZ. We seem to ...
A: are you absolutely certain that your pests are indeed springtails? Although these creatures occur ...
|
| tiny worms around the kitchen and bathroom | 12/2/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if you can help me. I have noticed only 2 (so far) small black/brown/red colored ...
A: About the only thing that I can say at this point is that they do not sound like anything at all ...
|
| spider/cave cricket | 11/21/2008 |
Q: I have a young child and don't want these things around him; besides the fact that they just creep ...
A: no. These devices are completely worthless, and serve primarily to remove money from consumers’ ...
|
| spider/cave cricket | 11/21/2008 |
Q: I have a young child and don't want these things around him; besides the fact that they just creep ...
A: these creatures are completely harmless. About the worst that can happen is that someone carelessly ...
|
| spider | 11/20/2008 |
Q: This spider was hanging on the siding of my house. I took a close up picture and then one with a ...
A: possibly Araneus trifolium, a widespread and extremely variable species. See ...
|
| little light brown bugs in my kitchen cupboards and on my counter | 11/19/2008 |
Q: I have been finding some sort of little brown beetle in my kitchen cupboards and they come out more ...
A: but I suspect that they may in the family Anobiidae, such as the cigarette and drugstore beetles ...
|
| Strange insect | 11/17/2008 |
Q: My friend found a strange creature the other day. It was about as long as a match box. it was a ...
A: as verbal descriptions, however detailed, can lead one astray as often as they can be helpful. ...
|
| Bug in house | 11/16/2008 |
Q: I had this bug on my hand the other day and noticed it because it gave me a little pinch. It was all ...
A: I can only guess that it most likely was a larva of either a lady beetle (see ...
|
| Please help to identify these bugs | 11/14/2008 |
Q: Ed, I live in northeast Pennsylvania. The temperature has been up and down for most of the fall ...
A: so all I can do is guess. My initial impression is that they could be springtails, primitive ...
|
| insect in my body | 11/13/2008 |
Q: After returning from a week in Boulder, CO, then Sarasota, FL, to MD, I had an ...
A: The only arthropods in North America that habitually burrow in human skin are scabies mites, but ...
|
| Bug bite in Southern Arizona | 11/13/2008 |
Q: Two days ago, I was about an hour south of Tucson, Arizona, sitting in an outdoor restaurant. ...
A: no. The only blood-feeding insects in Arizona as large as a triatomid bug would be horse flies in ...
|
| Something living in my mattress? | 11/12/2008 |
Q: A few months ago I moved into a new apartment bringing with me all brand new furniture (mattress, ...
A: it is only the larvae that do the damage, so it is not surprising that you have not seen any adult ...
|
| Something living in my mattress? | 11/11/2008 |
Q: A few months ago I moved into a new apartment bringing with me all brand new furniture (mattress, ...
A: //www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef601.asp for a fact sheet that includes images of ...
|
| Bug bite in Southern Arizona | 11/11/2008 |
Q: Two days ago, I was about an hour south of Tucson, Arizona, sitting in an outdoor restaurant. ...
A: (1) The triatomid vectors of Chagas' disease are nocturnal feeders. (2) Their bite is painless. (3) ...
|
| Bug identification | 11/10/2008 |
Q: Found this critter in my sink. Looked through several web sites but haven't been able to identify ...
A: This appears to be a larva of a snakefly (Neuroptera: Raphidiidae) - see ...
|
| little black bugs | 11/5/2008 |
Q: I'm a Canadian, living in Central Ontario. I live in an apartment with a cat. For a while now I've ...
A: larvae of a dermestid beetle in the genus Attagenus (such as the black carpet beetle) would be a ...
|
| Green caterpillar | 11/5/2008 |
Q: I am attaching a pic of a green caterpillar that seems to be fairly common in this area although I ...
A: Sphingidae); there are several species with this general color pattern, see ...
|
| Tiny white bugs | 11/5/2008 |
Q: I saw the same tiny white bugs in a corner of my kitchen. I noticed them yesterday, but I thought ...
A: Just for the record, your county office of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension service ...
|
| A NEW BUG | 11/5/2008 |
Q: I live in Jericho, NY for the past 24 years. This year I have found a bug I have never seen before. ...
A: I can only guess that it might be a cave/camel cricket (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) or a close ...
|
| Tiny white bugs | 11/5/2008 |
Q: I saw the same tiny white bugs in a corner of my kitchen. I noticed them yesterday, but I thought ...
A: Liposcelidae) or flour mites. See ...
|
| silverfish | 11/4/2008 |
Q: Last night i saw two silverfish in my bedroom. One was on a tissue box on the window sill & the ...
A: silverfish and their close relatives, firebrats, are very widely distributed and commonly are found ...
|
| No See Ums | 11/3/2008 |
Q: I travel to the Bahamas (Abaco) several times a year for a few weeks each time, and like many ...
A: as I react more strongly to the bites of these lovely little critters than to any other biting fly. ...
|
| baby mantids | 11/3/2008 |
Q: We have a couple of oothecas.Plans are to keep them outside til spring & they hatch.When they hatch ...
A: //mantodea.myspecies.info/rearing-praying-mantids). Finding other small insects in sufficient ...
|
| Mystery bug | 11/2/2008 |
Q: I live in Australia, and a friend of mine recently found an odd bug that I haven't been able to ...
A: my best guess is that it might be a larva of a lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). These are ...
|
| Ladybugs | 11/2/2008 |
Q: When Ladybugs are "out in force" why is it that they seem to fly straight at and land on me if I ...
A: I have never experienced this behavior, even in areas where these beetles were quite abundant. The ...
|
| Spider-like insect | 10/31/2008 |
Q: I live in Illinois and I have never seen an insect like the one I saw today. It resembles a spider ...
A: the most likely suspect is an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae) known as a wheel bug ...
|
| What is this bug? | 10/31/2008 |
Q: We've recently moved into our new house and have found this type of insect in our basement. They ...
A: these insects are not dangerous, just nuisance pests. They are relatives of crickets and ...
|
| White Thread like worms with black tips on both ends found in sink | 10/30/2008 |
Q: I recently found a tiny ball of worms that are white in clour with black tips on both ends. They ...
A: (1) Although mosquitoes are among the first insect to take advantage of any stray bit of standing ...
|
| White Thread like worms with black tips on both ends found in sink | 10/29/2008 |
Q: I recently found a tiny ball of worms that are white in clour with black tips on both ends. They ...
A: If they were not insect larvae, about the only other possibility would be nematodes of some kind, ...
|
| long dark brown worm | 10/29/2008 |
Q: I found a Long dark brown worm in my spare room today. It's a little over an inch long and has very ...
A: please tell me your state of residence, and I should be able to refer you to a more local source for ...
|
| White Thread like worms with black tips on both ends found in sink | 10/29/2008 |
Q: I recently found a tiny ball of worms that are white in clour with black tips on both ends. They ...
A: but without being able to see an image of them, I can scarcely guess at what they might be. If you ...
|
| Bugs that come at the end of summer | 10/29/2008 |
Q: This is the second year I've had to fight with these bugs. They stand on six legs (black) their ...
A: I can only guess that they might be something in the order Orthoptera, such as camel/cave crickets ...
|
| Bugs found in hair | 10/28/2008 |
Q: My daughter has been complaining of an itchy scalp. I noticed two of my sons scratching their heads ...
A: and may not even be insects. Rather than subjecting them to further treatment, I suggest that you ...
|
| id if insude insect | 10/28/2008 |
Q: I lived in Mississippi for a year, while there I had a worker come in to do some work and he brought ...
A: but I cannot identify them from such a general description; they could be just about anything, ...
|
| bug that sounds like a bullfrog | 10/28/2008 |
Q: I am from western New York and I heard a noise that sounded like a bullfrog, rivet, rivet and ...
A: It would be very helpful if you could somehow take a photo of it that could be attached to a ...
|
| Something small biting me | 10/27/2008 |
Q: My friend's girlfriend fell asleep on my sofa about 2 months ago. Since then, something small has ...
A: they cannot persist in the absence of their usual hosts, so if your home is kept rodent-free, any ...
|
| Bug in my Bathroom | 10/27/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if you could help me I'm from the UK and last night I found 3 strange bugs on my ...
A: most likely a soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) - see ...
|
| Something small biting me | 10/27/2008 |
Q: My friend's girlfriend fell asleep on my sofa about 2 months ago. Since then, something small has ...
A: and sometimes never is resolved to the satisfaction of all involved. That aside, a couple of ...
|
| Weird Spider | 10/27/2008 |
Q: Today I was searching for wood at my Indiana home. I picked up this stick and there was an orange ...
A: I cannot give a positive i.d. from your description. Would it be possible for you to take a photo of ...
|
| BUGS | 10/27/2008 |
Q: We have found a small reddish bug with a hard shell that crawled very quickly, with legs, no wings, ...
A: I can only guess. If they were roundish in shape, they might be spider beetles (Coleoptera: ...
|
| possible fly larvae | 10/26/2008 |
Q: I live in the city of Boston, MA and earlier this week I woke up and found about 7 worm-like "tiny ...
A: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a common pantry pest. Mature larvae often move quite some distance from ...
|
| can bugs get sick? | 10/26/2008 |
Q: my boyfriend and i got into this long dramatic conversation about mosquitos carrying or not ...
A: insects and other arthropods do indeed have immune systems and are susceptible to various bacterial, ...
|
| bug identification | 10/26/2008 |
Q: I live in southern Maine. I found a cocoon that is about 1 cm long. The cocoon is brown. After ...
A: but if it is slender in appearance, it might be a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae - see ...
|
| red/brown bug | 10/26/2008 |
Q: maybe you can help me to identify a bug that i found in the bedroom, it's a red/brown bug w/wings ...
A: 5mm = 1/50th of an inch). If it had wings, it would just about have to be a parasitic wasp that ...
|
| Larvae in my pet skunks feces | 10/25/2008 |
Q: Not sure if it was excreted in her feces or if it is from some insect after the fact. Found them 5 ...
A: //www.flycontrol.novartis.com/images/es/figure_24.gif for an image). Some of these are known as ...
|
| wierd bug i found on my carpet | 10/24/2008 |
Q: i found this black bug on my carpet, i have no idea what it is. when i went to put it in a cup to ...
A: I can only guess that it most likely is a beetle of some sort that accidentally wandered indoors, ...
|
| Black fuzzy spider w/white spots | 10/24/2008 |
Q: I live in southern California (in Orange County). Was at the park the other day and this black ...
A: I can only guess that it may have been a jumping spider (family Salticidae) such as Phiddipus audax ...
|
| What is this fly? | 10/24/2008 |
Q: We find this fly, about 3 to 5 mm in length, in various locations throughout our house. It is ...
A: it's good mental exercise! What you have there is a moth fly (Diptera: Psychodidae). Also known as ...
|
| Weird insect - Never seen before | 10/23/2008 |
Q: Maybe you'd be kind enough to assist me in identifying this insect. My daughter recently came to me ...
A: All members of this family are parasitic on other arthropods (primarily insects). See ...
|
| CREEPED OUT!!! | 10/23/2008 |
Q: I live in Florida and it just started to get chilly and breezy, so it is really unusual to find bugs ...
A: the photo is indeed too blurry for me to even guess at what it might be. If it is as hard to crush ...
|
| weevils??? | 10/23/2008 |
Q: We have an extremely clean house and discovered very small, ligth brown/tan bugs in our kitchen ...
A: //ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2080.html for a fact sheet on booklice that includes control ...
|
| weevils??? | 10/23/2008 |
Q: We have an extremely clean house and discovered very small, ligth brown/tan bugs in our kitchen ...
A: I can only guess, but there are at least two possibilities: (1) There are tiny beetles often found ...
|
| spiders | 10/22/2008 |
Q: This morning when i pulled back the covers on my sons bed i found a spider under the covers beside ...
A: the genus to which the yellow sac spiders belong, to see if you find one matching your specimen(s). ...
|
| bugs in refrigerator | 10/22/2008 |
Q: My last tenant got into financial trouble and his electricity was turned off. He had lots of food ...
A: but I simply cannot provide a positive i.d. from such a general description - they could be just ...
|
| cocoon | 10/22/2008 |
Q: I live in northwest Arkansas. Can you identify what this is hanging on my house? Thank you.
A: possibly a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) getting close to the time for emergence. Was it more ...
|
| Venezuelan bug... | 10/22/2008 |
Q: We used to live on the Venezuelan peninsula (Cardon / Punto Fijo) while on a job assignment and ...
A: known variously as solfugids, solpugids, sunspiders, windscorpions, or camelspiders. See ...
|
| little white flying bugs | 10/21/2008 |
Q: There are one or sometimes several little flying white bugs in the corners of my shower. What are ...
A: but I cannot identify them from such a vague description. Could you try to take a close-up photo of ...
|
| spiders | 10/21/2008 |
Q: This morning when i pulled back the covers on my sons bed i found a spider under the covers beside ...
A: There are only three kinds of spider in the United States likely to have a bite of medical ...
|
| Varied Carpet Beetles | 10/20/2008 |
Q: We have been attempting to exterminate carpet beetles from our home for four months. Have had a ...
A: In spite of their name, they will feed on just about anything containing animal protein (including ...
|
| Mites in Laundry | 10/20/2008 |
Q: I live in the UK and have just taken some washing out of the laundry basket (which has only been in ...
A: and that really does not fit with your description. Bird/rodent mites usually are a problem only ...
|
| Tiny Tiny black bugs or worms? | 10/20/2008 |
Q: We live in New England and we have recently noticed these tiny tiny black worm looking bugs. I ...
A: The closest that I can come would be the larvae of a dermestid beetle (carpet beetles and the like), ...
|
| unknown insect | 10/19/2008 |
Q: I live in Eastern Kentucky and found a tiny insect that has six legs and a white tuft of cotton or ...
A: such as the woolly alder aphid (Paraprociphilus tessellatus; Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: ...
|
| identifidation on insects of southeastern U.S. (Alabama preferably) | 10/19/2008 |
Q: i am in the 10th grade, and i am coming to a dead end with a bug collection that i have the ...
A: At this late date, about the only thing that I can suggest is that you contact your county office of ...
|
| Spider-like insect | 10/19/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure if this is an insect or arachnid. I thought I counted 6 legs at the time, but all the ...
A: Unfortunately, the image is too fuzzy for me to attempt any further identification. As you can see ...
|
| large ant/wasp | 10/19/2008 |
Q: Could you please help with identifying this insect? I saw it crawling on the ground in the San ...
A: but a relative of crickets and grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera, family Stenopelmatidae. Often ...
|
| woolly worm catipiller | 10/19/2008 |
Q: I live in Northern NY, is there any truth in reading the black and brown on the woolly worm to how ...
A: there is no scientific basis in the 'old wives' tale' that the width of the reddish band on woolly ...
|
| little brown bugs | 10/18/2008 |
Q: I've been inundated with these little brown bugs, about the size of a sesame seed. They fly ...
A: Regardless of their specific identity, control measures basically are the same, namely finding and ...
|
| Bugs in my kitchen cupboard - Help! | 10/18/2008 |
Q: I have noticed tiny clear coloured bugs in my kitchen cupboard where i keep pans etc. The bugs are ...
A: I usually ask the questioner to attach a photo to a follow-up question, but as yours are so small, ...
|
| mites/chiggers | 10/18/2008 |
Q: We have lived in our Santa Barbara, California home since 1996. Both front and back yards are ...
A: true chiggers (larvae of mites in the family Trombiculidae) that feed on humans appear very uncommon ...
|
| Entomology | 10/17/2008 |
Q: How does an insect manifest on any given indoor plant? My peppermint has never shown signs of ...
A: a very low-level infestation had been present for some time (perhaps even when the plant was ...
|
| Woodlouse-type creature climbing the walls in my house | 10/17/2008 |
Q: I live in the UK in an old, slightly damp house, and for the past two weeks I have been slightly ...
A: including its legs, extending from the protective case. The only one of these that would be of ...
|
| Need an ID on a spider | 10/17/2008 |
Q: Hope you had a great summer. My daughter and I were out on a bug hunt one evening and encountered ...
A: Bill - this spider is Argiope aurantia an orb weaver (family Araneidae) thats quite widespread in ...
|
| Bug in my Bathroom | 10/16/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if you could help me I'm from the UK and last night I found 3 strange bugs on my ...
A: they could be fly larvae of some sort, but I would need to see them to be sure. Would it be possible ...
|
| Black-Redish Mites in House on Skin Biting | 10/16/2008 |
Q: I have small black/reddish bugs the size of a grain of sand in my carpet and all over my front porch ...
A: Anything as small as you describe just about has to be a mite of some kind and as I indicated ...
|
| Black-Redish Mites in House on Skin Biting | 10/16/2008 |
Q: I have small black/reddish bugs the size of a grain of sand in my carpet and all over my front porch ...
A: As they obviously are too small to photograph, about the the only thing I can suggest is that you ...
|
| bugs in bed 2 | 10/15/2008 |
Q: Unfortunately (fortunately!!), my bugs did not look like that. They look more like worms, naked ...
A: just in a different genus than the examples I provided earlier. See ...
|
| small biting black bugs | 10/15/2008 |
Q: i have two cats, and we thought they had fleas, so we've been giving them flea baths and dousing ...
A: the simplest solution is to place screening over the windows. If they are small enough to pass ...
|
| small biting black bugs | 10/15/2008 |
Q: i have two cats, and we thought they had fleas, so we've been giving them flea baths and dousing ...
A: but they might be fungus gnats. These insects can be nuisance pests (they do not bite) indoors where ...
|
| flying tiny black house bugs in Pennsylvania | 10/14/2008 |
Q: what are these black tiny flying insects that keep biting my arms,legs and feet they fly everywhere ...
A: Any biting insect that is small and black most likely would be either a black fly (Simuliidae) or a ...
|
| larvae in bed | 10/14/2008 |
Q: Hey Ed! When I got back from my 2-month holidays a month ago, I found about 5 worms/larvae in my ...
A: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Anthrenus_verbasci_-_larva_side_(aka).jpg and ...
|
| Tiny beetles, dropping from my ceiling | 10/14/2008 |
Q: Saugstad, We have an infestation of these tiny black-brown beetles dropping from our kitchen ...
A: That aside, their shape and size is consistent with that of cigarette/drugstore beetles in the ...
|
| spider | 10/14/2008 |
Q: I found this spider on my wall about 4ft up from floor. It was not aggressive but very fast. It is ...
A: the prominent spinnerets at the end of its abdomen make it more likely a grass/funnel web spider ...
|
| Could you please give me a clue as to what it is or what to look under | 9/22/2008 |
Q: I have been encountering these little bugs, insects whatever they are.... every so often, and ...
A: ' but these usually have a prominent tuft of specialized setae at their tail end, and their body ...
|
| Very small bugs in old house | 9/22/2008 |
Q: I noticed very small bugs on my walls recently. It's yellow in colour, never seen it to be bigger ...
A: Liposcelidae). For the most part, they are harmless nuisance pests, feeding primarily on mold ...
|
| Black Centipede or Worm | 9/22/2008 |
Q: My mom has these in her apartment. They come in under the front door and die very quickly after. We ...
A: a harmless scavenger on decomposing organic matter. They require moist conditions in order to ...
|
| Booklice | 9/21/2008 |
Q: Greetings, I live in Southern California right near the beach. I think I have booklice, I saw some ...
A: However, they are quite susceptible to desiccation, so lowering humidity can be a good first step in ...
|
| Tiny brown fabric bugs? | 9/21/2008 |
Q: I live in central Florida, in a neighborhood with lots of trees and Banana Spiders everywhere. After ...
A: but they look like small larvae of a carpet beetle in the genus Anthrenus. Look at the images at ...
|
| Bird or Rodent Mites | 9/20/2008 |
Q: I have a probable bird or rodent mite infestation of my house, myself, and my dog. Although I have ...
A: given the very small size of the mites and in that you really just about have to capture the biter ...
|
| stinging caterpillars | 9/20/2008 |
Q: Please help! I believe I've been stung on my heel(bottom & back of) about 2 wks ago. Believe it or ...
A: //edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN014. As with many venomous arthropods, people vary in their response to their ...
|
| tiny black bugs | 9/20/2008 |
Q: My friend called me all in a panic. She got bit twice while lying in bed. She found little gnat like ...
A: a photo of them on a plain background (such as a sheet of typing paper) could be helpful in ...
|
| Help Red Bug Eyes? | 9/19/2008 |
Q: Well thanks for looking into this, the problem is that there are these small bugs that seem to ...
A: I cannot even begin to guess without seeing them; can you take a photo of one or more of them that ...
|
| bug id | 9/18/2008 |
Q: I live in new construction and would like to know if you can identify these bugs living in my home. ...
A: Coleoptera: Sylvanidae), sometimes also known as new house bugs or plaster beetles. They are ...
|
| Worms in bathtub | 9/18/2008 |
Q: For the past month or so, I've been finding worms in the bathtub of my basement apartment. They're ...
A: please tell me your state of residence, and I should be able to refer you to a more local source for ...
|
| drain flies in multi family housing | 9/18/2008 |
Q: I have been having a problem with what I think is drain flies in my apartment for over a year. The ...
A: drain flies are merely nuisances as opposed to actual threats to health or structures, so drastic ...
|
| similar to clover mite | 9/18/2008 |
Q: I was just reading over a question a Megan asked you in August about a round tiny (pin head ...
A: as what you describe does not match up with any blood-feeding pest of dogs with which I am familiar. ...
|
| Beetles...little brown ones | 9/17/2008 |
Q: Our Motor Home has a beetle invasion...the entire rubber roof has been destroyed as well as much of ...
A: if you ever get a firm identification. If LA means that you are in Louisiana, you might try taking ...
|
| tiny black beetles | 9/17/2008 |
Q: They have a oval body with a head that looks like its cut in half as if 2 heads. I think they fly ...
A: I cannot give you a specific identification from your description. However, the preventive and ...
|
| Mantis Eggs | 9/17/2008 |
Q: Hey, I am very fond of all mantids, and have been collecting them from some time. I have very many ...
A: If at all possible, I suggest placing each egg case (ootheca) in a separate container because of the ...
|
| pond worm or leech | 9/16/2008 |
Q: I noticed a bunch of small worm like things on the rocks of my waterfall.they are about a quarter ...
A: The only thing I would be concerned about is the possibility of their being the larvae of black ...
|
| bees | 9/16/2008 |
Q: We recently planted new grass (from seed) in our backyard and there are a TON of bees everywhere ...
A: from honey bees (our yard often is 'visited' by members of a neighbor's colony) to any of several ...
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| Beetle: Cigarette or Drugstore | 9/16/2008 |
Q: We have tiny beetles all over the house but primarily in the cupboards and in dry foods such as ...
A: and unfortunately, your photos are not clear enough for me to be certain. That aside, I believe that ...
|
| how to make Insects in Lucite | 9/16/2008 |
Q: you can buy insects in this plastic resin stuff called Lucite and I was wondering how they do it? ...
A: and most embedding material used for making insect displays and the like are resins that use a ...
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| tiny bug invasion | 9/16/2008 |
Q: I tried to find an accurate description of my invading bugs without success. They are tiny white ...
A: For example, booklice are very small and pale, but are not string-like, and mites likewise generally ...
|
| Unidentified Spiders | 9/15/2008 |
Q: There have been several various types of spiders around outside my home, many of which I am ...
A: and what you saw was indeed a mating ritual of sorts. The signals the male was sending were intended ...
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| Beetles...little brown ones | 9/15/2008 |
Q: Our Motor Home has a beetle invasion...the entire rubber roof has been destroyed as well as much of ...
A: merely puzzled at what I thought was a reference to my answer. Just FYI, there are reports of these ...
|
| minnesota mystery spider | 9/15/2008 |
Q: here is the best pic i could dig up, the legs are all tucked up on this one but when spread out they ...
A: This is an orb-weaving spider (family Araneidae); possibly in the genera Araneus - see ...
|
| Pine tree bore holes | 9/14/2008 |
Q: We have a large pine tree in our yard that we dearly hope does not have to be cut down. Can you ...
A: Exit holes of wood-boring beetles will vary in size (depending on the species involved), but they ...
|
| Could you please give me a clue as to what it is or what to look under | 9/14/2008 |
Q: I have been encountering these little bugs, insects whatever they are.... every so often, and ...
A: as otherwise I am reduced to guessing. One possibility is the larva of a carpet beetle (Coleoptera: ...
|
| Unknown bug to me | 9/14/2008 |
Q: We were stretching out in our karate class this morning and my friend next to me noticed a spider a ...
A: I cannot be certain, but the most likely suspect would be a house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata - ...
|
| WORM | 9/14/2008 |
Q: WE HAVE FOUND SEVERAL WORM-LIKE CREATURES WEAVING THEIR WAY ACROSS THE CARPET OF OUR SOUTH Florida ...
A: their legs are very short in proportion to their body size, and might be overlooked if you didn't ...
|
| maggots? | 9/13/2008 |
Q: I live in Norway. I was wondering if you could help me? I removed my daughters night stand and she ...
A: you really don't have to do anything (other than perhaps sweep them up and toss them out). They will ...
|
| Biting Midge? | 9/13/2008 |
Q: Do you have any advice please...I think there are biting midges in my house. they look just like ...
A: Ceratopogonidae), about the only way to keep them out is with very fine mesh screening over all ...
|
| Protecting our 3 year old! | 9/12/2008 |
Q: I live in KY. We recently built our daughter a tree house with a sandbox underneath. Is there any ...
A: no insects that I am aware of actively 'infest' sandboxes. The biggest danger to health from ...
|
| Beetles...little brown ones | 9/12/2008 |
Q: Our Motor Home has a beetle invasion...the entire rubber roof has been destroyed as well as much of ...
A: Could you please attach a photo of the insects(s) in question to a follow-up question? If this is ...
|
| what kind of bug is this! | 9/11/2008 |
Q: I live in Southern California and as most, have never seen this type of "thing" before. It was on ...
A: Without an image, I would be limited to guessing; likely unsuccessfully. You might try looking at ...
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| orange worm/catepillar | 9/11/2008 |
Q: need help identifying an orange worm/catepillar like 2 inches with blk eyes?
A: Papilio troilus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) - see ...
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| mystery bug | 9/10/2008 |
Q: I live in Tucson AZ and saw an insect yesterday I have never seen. At first I thought it was a ...
A: but I really need to see an image in order to help you. Otherwise, I could guess all day and still ...
|
| Mosquito Identification | 9/10/2008 |
Q: In my backyard at my home in Houston, Texas, i found a small black mosquito which I need to identify ...
A: I suspect that the 'red dot' actually is a water mite. These tiny arachnids attach themselves to ...
|
| Tiny white bugs | 9/8/2008 |
Q: I found tiny white bugs all over my vacuum cleaner. I took the vacuum apart, and there were bunches ...
A: //www.caes.uga.edu/extension/county.cfm?CountyOfficeID=197 for contact information) and see if they ...
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| Tiny white bugs | 9/8/2008 |
Q: Recently my husband bought some indoor flowers for me. Shortly after I repotted them using soil that ...
A: they may be springtails, primitive arthropods in the order Collembola. These are, for the most part, ...
|
| Tiny white bugs | 9/8/2008 |
Q: I found tiny white bugs all over my vacuum cleaner. I took the vacuum apart, and there were bunches ...
A: they would not be dust mites. As these sound too small to photograph successfully, please tell me ...
|
| Want to become an entomologist | 9/8/2008 |
Q: I have always wanted to become an entomologist, but life came and took my dream away. Now I have ...
A: as you likely already realize, a degree in entomology does not put one on a fast track to wealth! ...
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| Unidentifiable pest | 9/7/2008 |
Q: I recently discovered a black "clump" of something moving on a fabric room screen. Macroscopically I ...
A: For some reason unknown to me, some moths will come indoors to deposit an egg mass, but they are not ...
|
| Flying bugs all over grass | 9/7/2008 |
Q: We live in NC and this past summer that is a bunch of bugs that fly around our grass. They have ...
A: //www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/32815489 for an example. Another possibility is a species in the ...
|
| Little Black moths | 9/7/2008 |
Q: At my house we had a moth problem in our cupboard we think we got rid of it but we are uncertain, ...
A: Would it be possible for you to photograph one or more of them and attach the photo(s) to a ...
|
| Strange bugs in Willow Tree | 9/7/2008 |
Q: We have these bugs in the front yard that are attacking our Willow Tree. Symptoms they are causing ...
A: //www.walesbiomass.org/images/6.1.5-Giant-Willow-Aphid.jpg) or black willow aphids (Pterocomma ...
|
| Red fuzzy bee or fly | 9/7/2008 |
Q: Ed - My family & I saw these honeybee-sized insects on a walk west of Boulder, Colorado today, and ...
A: //www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/66126509 for an example. To the best of my knowledge, all of these ...
|
| Black Widows | 9/6/2008 |
Q: My husband and I recently acquired our first house. When the realtor was showing us the house, we ...
A: those with weak immune systems), and, if you live in an area where these spiders are endemic, there ...
|
| Trying to Identify a beetle-like insect | 9/6/2008 |
Q: My son and I are trying to identify this beetle we found at a local ballpark. It was dark and this ...
A: I doubt that this is a beetle. Have a look at a giant water bug at ...
|
| Black bugs | 9/6/2008 |
Q: You have been very helpful to me before so here goes again. I live on Long Island, NY. I just moved ...
A: as I could only guess (likely wildly) otherwise. If they are not Oriental cockroaches (see ...
|
| tiny red worm | 9/6/2008 |
Q: I found 3 of these in my house - in the carpet and under a blanket. Any idea what this is. I am ...
A: possibly in the family Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles), but the image is too small and fuzzy to be ...
|
| unusual bug for this town | 9/6/2008 |
Q: The bug I'm seeking to identify is glossy black, approx 5" long, segmented like an armadillo, large ...
A: could you please tell me approximately where you live, and exactly where the critter was encountered ...
|
| can you help identify this insect please? | 9/5/2008 |
Q: Living in Arizona for the past several years, I have come accross many interesting and new (to me) ...
A: and I could not access the AllExperts site. That aside, your critter is an immature (naiad/nymph) of ...
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| diapause ing - our ISP had server problems yesterday, and I could not access the AllExperts site.in the black swallowtail | 9/5/2008 |
Q: I have a dilemma with a black swallowtail cocoon. My husband found the gigantic beautiful ...
A: and I could not access the AllExperts site. That aside, (1) at this time of year, I would expect ...
|
| Assassin bug in the Poconos | 9/4/2008 |
Q: Saugstad, I was recently in the Pocono mountains (near Lake Paupac and Lake Wallenpaupac to ...
A: there are not many green assassin bugs. About the only ones that I am aware of are in the genus ...
|
| mystery bug burn | 9/4/2008 |
Q: This last week I was camping in the high desert: Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where nothing lives, ...
A: the smell of a stink bug can indeed linger, as I have personally experienced. I must admit, however, ...
|
| mm long inchworms on my window sill | 9/4/2008 |
Q: I sprayed some antibacterial spray on them which made them move around alot more than before I have ...
A: they are completely harmless to humans. Even if they are something else, to the best of my ...
|
| mystery bug burn | 9/4/2008 |
Q: This last week I was camping in the high desert: Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where nothing lives, ...
A: Fortunately, the effects are not long-lasting; the pain being caused by proteolytic enzymes in the ...
|
| Ant-Like Insect | 9/4/2008 |
Q: I am located in Florida, Central Florida to be more specific. Just recently I've started seeing ...
A: //edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN245 If this does not resemble what you saw, please try to get a photo of one ...
|
| mystery bug | 9/3/2008 |
Q: I woke up yesterday to find MANY (under a hundred?? But perhaps that many?) small reddish brown ...
A: you can definitely rule out bed bugs (did you look at the link to bed bug info I included in my last ...
|
| mystery bug | 9/3/2008 |
Q: I woke up yesterday to find MANY (under a hundred?? But perhaps that many?) small reddish brown ...
A: but from your description, I doubt very much that they would be 'biters' of any kind. Being ...
|
| Speck sized bugs on toilet bowl rim | 9/2/2008 |
Q: Please excuse the disgusting nature of this question. I need help identifying bugs that were on the ...
A: I do not believe that I will be able to provide an accurate identification. At any rate, they do not ...
|
| noisy insect | 9/2/2008 |
Q: Do you know what insect this is and how I can get rid of it? I can't see it but it's in a tree ...
A: that includes long-horned grasshoppers and katydids. They can be almost deafening at times in areas ...
|
| Leeches? | 9/2/2008 |
Q: My kid found these in a pond,can you please tell me what are they?At the end tail I spot something ...
A: Stratiomyidae). They primarily are scavengers on decomposing organic material, but some are ...
|
| porch flies | 9/2/2008 |
Q: I live in an old bungalow style house in Portland, Oregon. The house has a covered front porch. ...
A: as there are several species of small fly that could exhibit this type of behavior. If at all ...
|
| What is this bug? | 8/25/2008 |
Q: I was walking on a path when I saw this bus attached to a pole. I have never seen any bug this big ...
A: Saturniidae), but because it is in so much shadow, I cannot be certain of its precise identity. My ...
|
| biting invisible gnats | 8/25/2008 |
Q: I've been plauged with invisible biting bugs for the past 3 months. The exterminator has come and ...
A: as nothing breeding in your potted plants (most likely fungus gnats) would be a biting pest. It is ...
|
| Cicada Killer | 8/25/2008 |
Q: I live in the chicago area and I am a dogwalker. Along my walks I have been noticing these ...
A: other species in this genus are more restricted in range. They are all, in spite of their fearsome ...
|
| biting mites | 8/25/2008 |
Q: Saugy, One more question, please. About 15 months ago, we had a problem with what I believe were ...
A: It is completely harmless to humans, but it can occur in such enormous numbers as to give just about ...
|
| House insect identification? | 8/24/2008 |
Q: from some research I have did I think they are Collembola. They are mainly in kitchen and living ...
A: Liposcelidae). These are not at all related to true lice, and feed primarily on mould spores. They ...
|
| biting mites | 8/24/2008 |
Q: Saugy, One more question, please. About 15 months ago, we had a problem with what I believe were ...
A: as several species of these will feed on humans in the absence of their usual hosts. Also, symptoms ...
|
| follow up re: varmints attracted to moisture | 8/24/2008 |
Q: Saugy, Your reply was so very helpful. I appreciate the information. We have an Industrial Hygienist ...
A: none of the arthropods associated with moisture problems/mildew, etc. indoors are likely to be of ...
|
| spider | 8/24/2008 |
Q: Here I am with another ques. but I just saw the strangest spider in my barn. It is light green and ...
A: that would have eliminated immediately the possibilities that I mentioned. This appears to be an ...
|
| Was what I saw a Dragonfly? | 8/23/2008 |
Q: The insect I saw was a dragonfly except from the tip of it's abdomen grew a 1 1/2 inch barb.Half way ...
A: but I suspect that it may have been a large ichneumon wasp. such as those in the genus Megarhyssa - ...
|
| spider | 8/23/2008 |
Q: Here I am with another ques. but I just saw the strangest spider in my barn. It is light green and ...
A: including lynx spiders (family Oxyopidae) - see http://home.att.net/~larvalbugbio/greenlynx.html and ...
|
| House insect identification? | 8/23/2008 |
Q: from some research I have did I think they are Collembola. They are mainly in kitchen and living ...
A: you might have something other than springtails (order Collembola), as these moisture-loving ...
|
| Huge beetle like bug with pinchers | 8/23/2008 |
Q: tonight I found this huge beetle type bug at flying around my front porch. It landed after I ran ...
A: It is a Hercules beetle, Dynastes tityus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Also known as a rhinoceros ...
|
| Small Black Bug | 8/22/2008 |
Q: I have been having this problem in my vehicle with a small bug that appear to be black or an ...
A: there should be a button that allows you to attach an image. If you still have problems doing this, ...
|
| Small Black Bug | 8/22/2008 |
Q: I have been having this problem in my vehicle with a small bug that appear to be black or an ...
A: I suspect that they are some kind of beetle that has found its way into the car. Could you take a ...
|
| Tiny black flies infesting the house | 8/22/2008 |
Q: I live in Montana. Every summer when it gets hot these tiny black bugs get in the house. I notice ...
A: there is very little you can do other than seeing that you have tight-fitting screens on all ...
|
| beetles in my lawn | 8/22/2008 |
Q: I pulled some ugly fungi out of my lawn where a tree had stood years ago and found lots and lots of ...
A: They could be either pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) - see ...
|
| Tiny black flies infesting the house | 8/21/2008 |
Q: I live in Montana. Every summer when it gets hot these tiny black bugs get in the house. I notice ...
A: Scatopsidae and Sepsidae, that are referred to as scavenger flies. You would have to inquire at the ...
|
| mystery bugs | 8/20/2008 |
Q: For approximately one month i have found microscopic bugs in my tub. i have researched the Internet ...
A: primitive arthropods (authorities differ as to whether they should be considered true insects) in ...
|
| Tiny round shiny black bugs | 8/20/2008 |
Q: For 2 days, I have been finding these tiny (head of a pin or smaller) sized, perfectly round, shiny, ...
A: I barely can see any appendages, and even at this magnification, clover mites would show very ...
|
| Tiny round shiny black bugs | 8/19/2008 |
Q: For 2 days, I have been finding these tiny (head of a pin or smaller) sized, perfectly round, shiny, ...
A: but they definitely have legs, and are not black or shiny - see ...
|
| sandbox bites (foot swelling) | 8/19/2008 |
Q: We went on vac. for a week,and when we came back and the kids went to play in there sandbox they ...
A: it is quite unlikely that any biting/stinging insect other than ants would take up residence in a ...
|
| what is this bug? | 8/19/2008 |
Q: Large flying bug found in Brevard County, FL. Just wondering what it is.
A: This is a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae); they are ambush predators on many other arthropods, ...
|
| Worms in doggs water | 8/19/2008 |
Q: Yesterday I went to ck my dogs water & found worms at the bottom. At first I thought it was algae ...
A: there should be no need to deworm your dogs based on this incident. As far as I knw, the greatest ...
|
| bug bite in Ecuador | 8/19/2008 |
Q: my dad noticed a bump on his forehead and it was hard at first. It swelled up the next couple of ...
A: particularly one versed in travel medicine. To the best of my knowledge, the only ‘worms’ vectored ...
|
| Worms in doggs water | 8/18/2008 |
Q: Yesterday I went to ck my dogs water & found worms at the bottom. At first I thought it was algae ...
A: To the best of my knowledge, none of the 'worm' (helminth) parasites infesting dogs can be ...
|
| insects found flying in house and wooden piece | 8/18/2008 |
Q: Where are some good places near Evanston, IL that I can take an insect sample, as well as a piece of ...
A: //web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/findoffice_NE.html for links to contact information). Someone there ...
|
| Hundreds of ticks? | 8/18/2008 |
Q: I have an indoor/outdoor cat that prefers to spend most of his time outdoors. He is treated ...
A: this does not sound at all like a typical tick infestation, nor does it sound like any 'normal' ...
|
| identifying lice-like bug | 8/18/2008 |
Q: I found a bug on my shoulder that looks a bit like body lice, is perhaps 1.5 millimeters, black ...
A: a small arachnid related to spiders and the like. They are predaceous on other small arthropods, and ...
|
| multi-unit infestation of non-visible crawlers & biters | 8/18/2008 |
Q: 17-Aug-08 Hi Ed, I live in coastal NC on the 6th floor of an 11 story condo unit which overlooks ...
A: bird/rodent mites certainly are a possibility, but you really need to be able to collect some in ...
|
| ash walking | 8/17/2008 |
Q: I saw a bug the size of a small cigarette ash last night. At first glace I thought it was an ash ...
A: a photo really could help. As it is, I can only guess that it might be either a larva of a brown ...
|
| drain flies | 8/17/2008 |
Q: We have drain fly larvae coming from small crack in grout on the inside of shower...Have seen fruit ...
A: you should seal off all access to moist areas under your tiles. Boiling water certainly will kill ...
|
| little black/brown hard shell bug | 8/17/2008 |
Q: I live in West Central Minnesota. I've lived in the same house for about 18 yrs. and about 3-4 yrs. ...
A: You're quite welcome, Rob. If you're 75 miles south of Fergus Falls, you can't be terribly far from ...
|
| Preparing insects for microscope viewing | 8/15/2008 |
Q: I am getting my young children interested into the micro world of insects. We have two microscopes. ...
A: Once thawed, the specimen should be easy to manipulate into whatever configuration you desire. Or, ...
|
| red bug from Phoenix monsoon 8/15 | 8/15/2008 |
Q: I have a picture of this "pipe cleaner" red bug.
A: likely Trombidium sp. - they are predaceous on other small arthropods, and harmless to humans. See ...
|
| odd unknown bug | 8/15/2008 |
Q: I have a picture - i ran to get my camera when i saw it. it was in the top crevice of my porch - ...
A: katydids, and the like). This is a female, the 'spike' at the end of its abdomen is its ovipositor, ...
|
| Tiny Black Bugs | 8/14/2008 |
Q: I live in Logan Utah and my wife and I have been having a problem with tiny black bugs which seem to ...
A: two other possibilities are springtails (primitive arthropods in the order Collembola) and flea ...
|
| light brown insect | 8/14/2008 |
Q: I work in a prison in upstate NY. I observed an oval, light brown to gray insect, with six legs and ...
A: and I could guess all day with little prospect of nailing it. Would it be possible for you to take a ...
|
| Perserving a trantuala in resin/epoxy | 8/14/2008 |
Q: I have looked every where on the internet for some kind of instruction on how to perserve her in ...
A: If this fails, try the 'do it yourself' instructions at ...
|
| tiny bugs | 8/14/2008 |
Q: I am very afraid of bugs. For the first time in our home in Sidney, Montana we have these tiny tiny ...
A: the first suspects I come up with are springtails (primitive arthropods in the order Collembola) - ...
|
| Unidentified parasites | 8/13/2008 |
Q: We are under siege at our home with some kind of biting parasitic something. We think they are ...
A: rather than being attributed to one particular cause, as the combination of symptoms you describe ...
|
| large, lime green insect | 8/13/2008 |
Q: I live in Missouri. This morning I found a large, about 2 and half to 3 inch long, about one & one ...
A: //www.insectidentification.org/cicada-molting-process.asp). Once their wings have hardened so they ...
|
| insects | 8/13/2008 |
Q: I heard there are certain types of insects that actually get created in garbages. This did not make ...
A: something that simply does not exist in the manner you describe. This was disproved by an elegant ...
|
| i never saw anything like this in my life. | 8/13/2008 |
Q: i was at work today and out of the corner of my eye i caught a glimps of an insect moving in the ...
A: It is not aggressive towards humans, being rather single-minded in its pursuit of prey, the 'dog-day ...
|
| small black larvae parasite thing??? | 8/12/2008 |
Q: We have been finding these 1/4 inch black larvae parasite looking things in our bathroom, crawling ...
A: Their larvae often are called 'inchworms' or 'loopers' because of their peculiar method of ...
|
| chiggers | 8/12/2008 |
Q: I know my critters are chiggers and suffer intensely every July and part of Aug. for past 5 yrs. I ...
A: it's just unfortunate that you have not been able to pin down a precise cause. If you are able to ...
|
| Bugs found in my hair? | 8/12/2008 |
Q: In resent weeks I have been to the doctor with what I thought were hives. Weird bumps on my skin ...
A: The only arthropods that actually colonize human hair are lice, and a doctor, particularly a ...
|
| chiggers | 8/12/2008 |
Q: I know my critters are chiggers and suffer intensely every July and part of Aug. for past 5 yrs. I ...
A: the fact that you can see something on you indicates that they might not be chiggers, as these are ...
|
| What is this creature? | 8/11/2008 |
Q: Picture is worth a thousand words, can you identify this insect caught emerging from its skin (and ...
A: This is one of the several species of 'dog-day' cicadas that occur in Tennessee. Unlike their better ...
|
| Bug identification | 8/11/2008 |
Q: I've lived in Philippines about 6 years (Luzon) and over the past 2 years have seen a most unusual ...
A: ). They belong to the same family (Tineidae) as clothes moths, but seem to prefer feeding on old ...
|
| little black bugs | 8/11/2008 |
Q: I have hundreds of little black bugs in my potato field. They eat the leaves and they also eat the ...
A: and they are much smaller than 3/4" (most are ~1/10' long). One exception is the black blister ...
|
| Palmetto bugs in FL | 8/6/2008 |
Q: HELP ....How do I stop get rid of palmetto bugs? I have had exterminators in to spray the house and ...
A: no-see-ums (biting midges in the family Ceratopogonidae) are extremely difficult to control. About ...
|
| Large Black flying bugs.... | 8/6/2008 |
Q: We live in Michigan, and for about the 3rd year in a row now in late summe, our Patio area is being ...
A: there are many species in several different families that make burrows where they will lay an egg on ...
|
| bug bites | 8/6/2008 |
Q: I have had a "bite" on the inner thigh about 3 times now, that I only realize is there because of ...
A: it is nearly impossible to determine the cause of bite symptoms such as yours without actually ...
|
| tiny oval-like brown bugs | 8/6/2008 |
Q: For the past couple of weeks, we have found an increasingly large number of tiny oval-like brown ...
A: it would indeed help if you could take a clear, close-up photo and attach it to a follow-up ...
|
| Bugs coming out of shower drain | 8/5/2008 |
Q: There are bugs coming out of my shower drain. Everytime I look up the problem, all I see is stuff ...
A: Curculionidae); specifically, they are short-snouted/broad-nosed weevils in the subfamily Entiminae, ...
|
| Mud Dauber w/ mosquito head | 8/5/2008 |
Q: I live near Chicago, and a friend has a bunch of Mud daubers collecting in a muddy unused garden ...
A: my best guess is that it might be a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae). They have a strong 'beak' that ...
|
| bugs living in my tree | 8/5/2008 |
Q: something is building a web-like nest in my tree, it's killing the branch and leaves, there are ...
A: fall webworms (Hyphantria cunea; Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) are the most likely, as other web-builders ...
|
| biting fly | 8/5/2008 |
Q: My daughter and I were visiting Chico, CA and were both bitten or stung by a small black fly. It ...
A: it may be nearly impossible to tell the difference. In the case of insects with piercing-sucking ...
|
| kenyan spiders and insects | 8/4/2008 |
Q: can you tell me what insects and spiders are harmful in kenya?
A: as several species can vector human diseases including malaria and several different viral fevers. ...
|
| bugs | 8/4/2008 |
Q: I live in England and recently I have noticed small brown bugs crawling over my skin they cause ...
A: The only common home-invading small hopping insects are fleas (which I am sure you would recognise ...
|
| basement bugs | 8/4/2008 |
Q: Currently, our washer and dryer are down there, and there are these fast moving black beetle-looking ...
A: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) would be the most likely suspects. See ...
|
| backswimmer bugs | 8/4/2008 |
Q: How do I get rid of them? One of them bit my daughter in our new swimming pool, which, by accident ...
A: there are no chemicals that would be approved for use in your pool for control of backswimmers ...
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| Jumping Bugs | 8/3/2008 |
Q: I have quite a few of these little brown very quick moving bugs. They have suddenly appeared in my ...
A: which are crustaceans and not insects. Although the vast majority of amphipods are aquatic, there ...
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| Brown, segmented creature with pinchers | 8/3/2008 |
Q: I was cleaning up my living room and I grabbed a throw pillow that had a small black thing on it (I ...
A: and living where you do, I'm sure that you would recognize one of those ...
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| Insect bite or sting? | 8/3/2008 |
Q: I live in Westerly,RI and was fishing from the beach the other evening when what I thought was a ...
A: as the results of most bites/stings of this nature are going to look pretty much the same, ...
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| numerous itchy bites, 2nd rotation- Help! | 8/2/2008 |
Q: I live in Clay County, Kansas City, MO & have just experienced what seems like a 2nd round of ...
A: The reasons for this are that (1) most 'bug bites' look pretty much alike, and (2) there are several ...
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| Tiny black flies infesting the house | 8/2/2008 |
Q: I live in Montana. Every summer when it gets hot these tiny black bugs get in the house. I notice ...
A: If they are too small to photograph clearly (a photo could be attached to a follow-up question), I ...
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| Insect in bathroom | 8/2/2008 |
Q: My wife called me into our children's bathroom to identify an insect. It was light brown/gold in ...
A: neither can I provide a definitive i.d. - can you take a photo that you could append to a follow-up ...
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| biting fly | 8/1/2008 |
Q: My daughter and I were visiting Chico, CA and were both bitten or stung by a small black fly. It ...
A: they would just about have to be either black flies (Simuliidae) or biting midges (Ceratopogonidae). ...
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| Bed Bugs? | 8/1/2008 |
Q: I live in Newton, MA and have an issue with insects in my room (I share the apartment with 2 others ...
A: and they would most likely have eight legs (larval mites have only six legs). Also, there are some ...
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| Bathroom Worms | 8/1/2008 |
Q: I have these small long worm looking creatures that appear to have little legs and maybe even ...
A: as they usually do little real damage (they will feed on starchy materials, such as wall paper paste ...
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| bugs | 8/1/2008 |
Q: I live in England and recently I have noticed small brown bugs crawling over my skin they cause ...
A: Would it be possible for you to photograph them and attach a photo to a follow-up question? In the ...
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| Bathroom Worms | 8/1/2008 |
Q: I have these small long worm looking creatures that appear to have little legs and maybe even ...
A: so it would help if you could photograph one or more of them and attach the photo to a follow-up ...
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| neat larvae | 7/31/2008 |
Q: I live near annapolis MD. A friend recently had siding replaced, and in removing the old, uncovered ...
A: Megachilidae); they usually construct these nests, consisting of several adjoining cells, in a ...
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| very small bug | 7/31/2008 |
Q: i was sitting on my couch when a very tiny bug jumped on me it was so small it really looked like a ...
A: Other small jumping insects found indoors usually are springtails (order Collembola), but they are ...
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| bee & wasps | 7/31/2008 |
Q: Is there a possibility for a wasp and bee to reproduce together? If not, is there such a bug that ...
A: no. Bees and wasps are in entirely different families, and never would mate with each other, let ...
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| Help identifying a beetle | 7/31/2008 |
Q: I have never seen this beetle before but I found 5 last night clinging to my screen door trying to ...
A: Polyphylla decemlineata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) - see ...
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| Mites from Dog Food | 7/31/2008 |
Q: Ihave tiny white mites in my kitchen, I believe they came from the "Beneful" dog food I've been ...
A: They require moisture/high humidity in order to thrive, so you should always have the dog's water ...
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| red cocoons | 7/30/2008 |
Q: We steam cleaned our carpet the other day and 2 days later we saw about 10 deep red coccons burried ...
A: you also might try contacting the Grand County office of Colorado State University's Cooperative ...
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| Pink Moth | 7/30/2008 |
Q: I was visiting my dad at the Veterans Home in South Paris, Maine, about a month or so ago and ...
A: but the more likely is a rosy maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda; Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) - see ...
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| Giant Staten Island Wasps | 7/29/2008 |
Q: I lately have observed two large (approx. 1.5" long x 0.25" across) wasps flying around my Staten ...
A: but simply resemble them. However, there is no way I can be certain without actually seeing them. If ...
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| ID a dark grey creature that bit me! | 7/29/2008 |
Q: I was bitten yesterday morning by a nasty little creature and have had a bad reaction to it. The ...
A: your description does not match that of any of the flying biting insects native to the UK - see ...
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| Tiny sesame seed sized black bugs | 7/29/2008 |
Q: Help! Ed! I read the post by the one woman that lives in Hawaii, not sure if these are the same ...
A: tiny beetles in the family Anobiidae. These can infest a very wide variety of organic materials, ...
|
| tiny black inchworms | 7/29/2008 |
Q: I noticed a quarter size reddish spot on my bathroom tile that appeared one day and lasted ...
A: Psychodidae); these flies, also called drain flies or sewer flies, often are nuisance pests in ...
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| Wasps possibly | 7/29/2008 |
Q: On the eave of my home (Near Seattle), there is a large paper wasp hive, approximately the size of a ...
A: Dolichovespula maculata, and that insect does not seem to match your description, as it is larger ...
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| Giant Staten Island Wasps | 7/28/2008 |
Q: I lately have observed two large (approx. 1.5" long x 0.25" across) wasps flying around my Staten ...
A: //users.swing.be/entomologie/Vespa_crabro_20060812MA.JPG), or were they more slender (see ...
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| Sand fleas | 7/28/2008 |
Q: On July 3rd, I had what I believe was a sand flea bite me in northeastern Arizona. I ignored it and ...
A: There several different arthropods (including some crustaceans) that can be referred to as ‘sand ...
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| Please help!! | 7/28/2008 |
Q: I have very small slow moving brown bugs in my bathroom, they tend to migrate up towards the ...
A: most of which would be harmless, accidental 'visitors.' Is their any way you could photograph some ...
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| Tiny flat red "worms" on squash leaf in my garden. | 7/28/2008 |
Q: Today I discovered three tiny folded-up brick-colored wormish things on one leaf of my squash ...
A: many years, and never have encountered any pest of them that looks like what you describe. Is there ...
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| oat bugs? | 7/27/2008 |
Q: I was at a football game in Indiana in the fall but still warm out and these black bugs about the ...
A: //ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2156.html and http://imfc.cfl.scf.rncan.gc.ca/insm/021261m.jpg for ...
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| Tiny yellow bugs on 2nd hand furniture | 7/27/2008 |
Q: I live in New Zealand and have recently bought a second hand lounge suite. I've discovered that ...
A: I can only guess. If you were in the USA, my first impression would be that they might be booklice, ...
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| A flurry of insects | 7/26/2008 |
Q: Greetings -- a flurry of these crawled up out of some brush near our house in NW Oregon. (See ...
A: Rhyparochromidae [formerly included in the family Lygaeidae]), a Eurasian species that has become ...
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| Mites? In the Garage. | 7/26/2008 |
Q: I've read many questions and answers about insects in the last few hours, but have been unable to ...
A: but they far more likely are mites than anything else. The good news is that as such, they are ...
|
| what is boring into my 2 x 6? | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I have a potting shed that is trimmed along the roof with a painted or stained 2 X 6. I noticed saw ...
A: which seems a bit unusual for your situation, as they usually do not attack wood that is painted or ...
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| centipede | 7/25/2008 |
Q: There was a professor who studied the large centipedes found in Arkansas. I think he is at U. of ...
A: I suggest that you contact the Department of Entomology at the University directly. Their current ...
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| Distinctive Bite Marks | 7/25/2008 |
Q: My name is Lisa and I live in NYC. I recently moved into a new apt and was bitten by a bug with a ...
A: you first description doesn't bring anything to mind, and the second could fit any number of ...
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| Very Small Black Worms | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I have recently seen very small black worms in an upstairs toilet. I have only seen them one at a ...
A: filter flies, or sewage flies - see ...
|
| red cocoons | 7/24/2008 |
Q: We steam cleaned our carpet the other day and 2 days later we saw about 10 deep red coccons burried ...
A: so they would not be responsible. Would it be possible for you to take a clear, close-up photo of ...
|
| small black insects all over the bedroom | 7/24/2008 |
Q: I live in London. I came home from university to a completely clean bedroom, in which I dumped all ...
A: most of which would be harmless accidental 'visitors.' They certainly do not sound like bed bugs; ...
|
| spider bite | 7/24/2008 |
Q: I think I was bitten by a spider. I do not recall the actual bite and woke up with it. There is a ...
A: as it is possible that you have developed a secondary bacterial infection. At this point, it would ...
|
| spider | 7/23/2008 |
Q: I got bit by a black spider with two white stripes on the sides of its butt any idea what it is
A: Was it in a web? Running about on the ground? On vegetation? Was it shiny? Dull but smooth-skinned? ...
|
| shelled worm | 7/23/2008 |
Q: I had shelled worms suctioned onto my siding today. They looked like a brown spiral shell from 1/2 ...
A: your camera focused on the background rather than the object in your hand, and I cannot make it out ...
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| basement bug giving me the creeping willies | 7/23/2008 |
Q: i have never seen these bugs in my basement before now, but all of a sudden i have been finding many ...
A: Reduviidae). Species such as this one are general predators on insects and other arthropods, and ...
|
| shelled worm | 7/23/2008 |
Q: I had shelled worms suctioned onto my siding today. They looked like a brown spiral shell from 1/2 ...
A: please tell me your general geographic location (such as state of residence). I then should be able ...
|
| Large night flying bug...what are the possibilities? | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I'm in N. IL. and have experienced for the last 2 nights a large bug buzzing around my head when I ...
A: it likely simply was disoriented (there are, by the way, certain small moths that do seek out humans ...
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| Large night flying bug...what are the possibilities? | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I'm in N. IL. and have experienced for the last 2 nights a large bug buzzing around my head when I ...
A: The body of a cecropia moth (as well as some other giant silk moths) could resemble your ...
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| Large night flying bug...what are the possibilities? | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I'm in N. IL. and have experienced for the last 2 nights a large bug buzzing around my head when I ...
A: (1) Your large flying insect has me a bit puzzled, as those with a noisy flight (beetles, cicadas, ...
|
| miniscule bugs come out from cracks in the shower grout | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I live in New Paltz, NY. A couple weeks ago I noticed some black dots on the edge of the tub and and ...
A: the odds are that they are springtails, primitive arthropods in the order Collembola. They are ...
|
| Bed bugs and assassin bugs | 7/21/2008 |
Q: We live in an 90 yr old house in a suburb of Chicago. In about Feb 2008, our son started getting ...
A: or they simply weren’t visible for some reason, as they definitely have them. That aside, it is ...
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| In regards to a bug you found. | 7/21/2008 |
Q: i found a bug that you described in this question ...
A: I never did find out. This was a good example of an instance where a photo would have been much more ...
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| what insect or parasite? | 7/21/2008 |
Q: What insect or parasite lives on live human skin that looks kind of like a larva inside a small ...
A: the medical community would be responding in force, as if nothing else, it would represent a great ...
|
| What will an ant do if it's moved from its colony? | 7/21/2008 |
Q: The other day I drove to a friend's house about 15 miles away. When I got there I noticed a black ...
A: It's not a completely valid comparison, but individual colonial insects are much like cells in a ...
|
| black widows still dangerous when dead? | 7/21/2008 |
Q: Are black widows still dangerous if they are already dead? If I step on one, place my hand on one, ...
A: the risk is so close to zero as to be negligible. The 'fangs' of a black widow are very small, and ...
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| bug identification | 7/20/2008 |
Q: I have seen a reddish(almost orange)bug with black horizontal stripes(2) six legs and what appears ...
A: as there are a number of different insects that resemble that general description. Let's start by ...
|
| black/dark brown bug with orange marks | 7/20/2008 |
Q: I think I have the same bug in my garden. It's not any of the ones I've found online or in photos. ...
A: a photo would really help. In the meantime, I did think of one more possibility, namely a rove ...
|
| what insect or parasite? | 7/20/2008 |
Q: What insect or parasite lives on live human skin that looks kind of like a larva inside a small ...
A: there are only two species that actually live in human skin. (1) the human bot fly (Dermatobia ...
|
| Large Green Flying Insect | 7/20/2008 |
Q: I saw a large green insect with wings today. It has an ant like shaped body in that it appears ...
A: as the combination of its physical appearance and behavior do not match anything that I am familiar ...
|
| Strange creature | 7/20/2008 |
Q: My granddaughter found a creature in the mud it look like a young crayfish but has no pinchers and ...
A: Possibilities include: (1) a mayfly (see ...
|
| Strange insect | 7/19/2008 |
Q: I spotted a strange insect on our kitchen window. It was about the size of a large ant appeared to ...
A: but it could be a parasitic wasp in the family Pelecinidae. Check out the image at ...
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| bug bite? | 7/19/2008 |
Q: I live in a suburb of Illinois. The other day, I was walking out of my office about 3:00 in the ...
A: I still believe this to be extremely unlikely, as active daytime flight by a rabid bat appears quite ...
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| bug bite? | 7/19/2008 |
Q: I live in a suburb of Illinois. The other day, I was walking out of my office about 3:00 in the ...
A: it is extremely unlikely that a bat would have been to blame. It is far more likely that a large ...
|
| weird black bug | 7/19/2008 |
Q: i keep on finding these strange looking bugs that resemble flys and crickets in a way i never ...
A: It would be very helpful if you could take a photo or two that could then be attached to a follow-up ...
|
| Stung or bit by something here in Texas | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I was just stung or bit by a small bug in my house here in north Texas on 7/18/08. The pain is not ...
A: you should see a button that allows you to attach a photo. If you have any difficulty doing this, ...
|
| Bug ID | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I found a small bug previously unknown to me today. It is black, less than 1/4 inch long with about ...
A: Attagenus unicolor; Coleoptera: Dermestidae). See http://www.pantrypest.com/carpetbeetllarvae.jpg ...
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| titanus giganteus | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I have identified a large beetle through photos on the internet as being a titan beetle. I live in ...
A: The titan beetle is extremely large (more than 5" long, not including antennae) and is known only ...
|
| Golden-colored insect | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I live in the southwest part of Canada where it is warm and dry during the summer. I saw in my car a ...
A: it may have been a goldsmith beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae; Cotalpa spp.) - see ...
|
| chiggers | 7/18/2008 |
Q: I know my critters are chiggers and suffer intensely every July and part of Aug. for past 5 yrs. I ...
A: could you please tell me how you are absolutely certain that it is chiggers that are responsible for ...
|
| Hopping spider cricket | 7/17/2008 |
Q: I live in Northern New Jersey. We have these insects every spring-summer. They are large, black ...
A: They do not feed on live plants, but primarily on decaying organic matter (of both plant and animal ...
|
| Reddish brown jumping house bugs | 7/17/2008 |
Q: We have a minor bug problem. They are small reddish brown jumping bugs no wings. We looked at ...
A: nothing much else comes to mind (you didn't mention mites, but those don't jump, and a couple of ...
|
| mystery spider | 7/17/2008 |
Q: i like insects and spiders and all and i do not have a problem with the spiders in my home but i saw ...
A: see http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/Faculty_Staff/Blackledge/tetragnatha.JPG and ...
|
| Bright Red Fuzzy bugs | 7/17/2008 |
Q: The day after a monsoon, in Phoenix, AZ, I noticed LOTS of bright red fuzzy bugs. They looked ...
A: If you had reported seeing only one or perhaps a few of these creatures, I would have guessed that ...
|
| Orange and Black Ant-Like Insect | 7/16/2008 |
Q: I found two of these insects hanging around some potted plants on my patio furniture this week. I've ...
A: Reduviidae). The vast majority of these (including your specimen) are general predators on other ...
|
| rice like larve/cast skin | 7/16/2008 |
Q: I have found what looks like "eggs" or larvae and sometimes these left behind ..opened up. My baby ...
A: this does not sound like anything that would pose a health threat to you or your family. Let's start ...
|
| What is this bug? | 7/16/2008 |
Q: I've found 3 of these in my bathroom in the last couple of weeks. It is very small but I captured ...
A: This is a small weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). I would only be concerned if it would turn out ...
|
| moths | 7/16/2008 |
Q: i've been noticing about 3 small moths per day flying around my house. They are slow moving and ...
A: The only ones to cause concern are clothes moths in the family Tineidae and meal moths in the family ...
|
| removing mites from a kitchen | 7/15/2008 |
Q: I have returned home from holiday to find that I forgot to remove some bread from the breadbin. It ...
A: sanitation is the first line of control for these pests, and you seem to have accomplished this. ...
|
| Insect ID please ! | 7/14/2008 |
Q: We live in south-west Québec, Canada. I have found 3 identical bugs in 24 hours (2 in my bedroom on ...
A: I would say that you were describing a spider beetle (Coleoptera: Anobiidae, subfamily Ptininae). ...
|
| springtails | 7/14/2008 |
Q: I've had a springtail problem on my property in both the front and back yards since I moved in. The ...
A: indoors or out, as they are very susceptible to dessication. This is why moisture control/management ...
|
| strange bug found please help | 7/14/2008 |
Q: It changes colors to blue to gray . It has a total of 6 legs with "grippers " on the bottom of them ...
A: I cannot match up your verbal description to any particular insect with any degree of certainty, but ...
|
| Water Insect in VT | 7/14/2008 |
Q: I was recently swimming in Lake Champlain, in northern Vermont, in shallow, sandy water. I was ...
A: Nepidae) - see http://wewwild.blogspot.com/2008/04/water-scorpion-cool-wetland-bug.html for an ...
|
| Hornets | 7/9/2008 |
Q: My son recently got his allergy testing back and it said he was allergic to Yellow Faced Hornets. I ...
A: as common names often are misinterpreted and of little value in identification. They may have meant ...
|
| small mite like bug in sugar | 7/9/2008 |
Q: I was reading about these on this site but do you know if there is any health risk if you accidently ...
A: the only harm from such ingestion would be psychological, dependent on your tolerance for insects. ...
|
| strange flying insect | 7/9/2008 |
Q: this insect had a body like a butterfly, only it appeared to be smooth, not hairy, diameter of body ...
A: If it is a moth, the size you describe would pretty much limit it to the following families: the ...
|
| House centipede? | 7/9/2008 |
Q: We read the answer that brought us to you about house centipedes. My girlfriend saw it I did not. ...
A: but often specimens are seen (and photographed) that have died. When this occurs, they legs sort of ...
|
| identifying flying insect | 7/8/2008 |
Q: I RECENTLY SAW A FLYING INSECT WHICH WAS ABOUT 1CM IN LENGTH AND ABOUT 3MM WIDE APPEARED LONG AND ...
A: To narrow it down a bit, have a look at the cuckoo wasp (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) at ...
|
| Need an educated guess on a bug.... | 7/8/2008 |
Q: I have attached a photo taken in Southern Vermont of a group of small insects on a plant stalk. I ...
A: and beetles are no exception (see http://www.hiltonpond.org/images/BeetleCarrion01.jpg). In most ...
|
| little black bugs | 7/8/2008 |
Q: In the last few weeks I keep finding very tiny black bugs in my house, especially on my carpet. I ...
A: as these would be at least 1/10" long - see http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html for a ...
|
| very tiny reddish brown biters | 7/8/2008 |
Q: We have bugs on our decks that love to get into your drink or on the dampness on the out side of it. ...
A: I can only guess, as there are thousands of species of 'itta bittadies' that need strong ...
|
| a strange beetle | 7/6/2008 |
Q: I have an over night explosion of a kind of beetle that I have never seen in my garden before. I am ...
A: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), an introduced species that now is the scourge of many a gardener in the ...
|
| Toilet worms | 7/6/2008 |
Q: Wow, I found small larvae type black worms in my spare bathroom. I keep the blue tablet in the tank ...
A: Would it be possible for you to place some of these on a white background and take a close-up photo ...
|
| fowl mites | 7/6/2008 |
Q: I have recently noticed an infestation of tiny mite-like bugs all over my kitchen counter. There are ...
A: but I could not begin to guess as to their identity. I suggest that you place some specimens (using ...
|
| fowl mites | 7/5/2008 |
Q: I have recently noticed an infestation of tiny mite-like bugs all over my kitchen counter. There are ...
A: Take a close look at them with a strong magnifying glass; if they are mites, they will have eight ...
|
| The mystery bug | 7/5/2008 |
Q: I am from southern Maine. As I told you, the bug is see-through, light lime green with a dark brown ...
A: my best guess is that it is a syrphid fly larva of some sort. Please bear in mind that Syrphidae is ...
|
| biting bug | 7/5/2008 |
Q: I was bike riding on the Green River Trail south of Seattle, WA earlier today. When I got home my ...
A: your region has the usual assortment of biting flies (mosquitoes, deer flies, horse flies, black ...
|
| love bugs | 7/4/2008 |
Q: I've been to Florida and have seen love bugs. I swear we have an infestation here -- in our yard -- ...
A: but they appear to be true bugs (Hemiptera), whereas 'love bugs,' in spite of their name, actually ...
|
| love bugs | 7/4/2008 |
Q: I've been to Florida and have seen love bugs. I swear we have an infestation here -- in our yard -- ...
A: I would say "no." To the best of my knowledge, 'love bugs' (Plecia nearctica) have not been reported ...
|
| little brown worms | 7/4/2008 |
Q: Ed... I have these tiny ( millimeters long--a little bigger than a pin head) brown worm like ...
A: //www.ext.colostate.edu/cedirectory/county_detail.cfm?index=16&countyA=Denver for contact ...
|
| bugs in couch | 7/4/2008 |
Q: Help!! All of a sudden for the past week, in the evenings, only on 1 couch I sit on, we have small ...
A: your description is not sufficient for even an educated guess at what you might be seeing, but it ...
|
| little brown worms | 7/4/2008 |
Q: Ed... I have these tiny ( millimeters long--a little bigger than a pin head) brown worm like ...
A: particularly the bit about them scarcely moving. Rather than have me make wild guesses, if you tell ...
|
| Bug swarms | 7/3/2008 |
Q: I live in western pa and have a flowering magnolia bush in my yard. This week - for the first time ...
A: If magnolias were more susceptible to aphids, I would guess that an aphid infestation would attract ...
|
| Concerned about a bug. | 7/3/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if there is a new species of a bug 1/2 inch in length with black resembles a ...
A: but there are some stinging insects whose sting is so painful that it might be taken for a shock. ...
|
| Lightning Bugs/fireflies | 7/3/2008 |
Q: As a kid growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1940's we would see numerous "lightning bugs" every ...
A: but here in southeastern West Virginia, they remain quite abundant - we get a 'light show' in our ...
|
| bed bugs? | 7/3/2008 |
Q: I recently moved into a new apartment two weeks ago. My things were in a storage unit for two weeks ...
A: as not only do most ‘bug bites’ look pretty much alike, there are several other conditions causing ...
|
| another mystery bug | 7/3/2008 |
Q: i currently have a mystery bug in my garden. I am trying to identify them so I can decide if I ...
A: it just about has to be a fly larva of some sort, and the only fly larvae commonly found on leaf ...
|
| deer flies | 7/2/2008 |
Q: We live in north NJ and have an inground pool. For some reason this season tons of deer flies are ...
A: you could scarcely stay outdoors very long without being assaulted by them. That aside, color and ...
|
| Small moving things in Hampster cage | 7/2/2008 |
Q: First thank you for your time. I have a two year old hampster and have no problems untill now. There ...
A: small insects called booklice, or mites of some kind. Booklice have six legs (see ...
|
| another mystery bug | 7/2/2008 |
Q: i currently have a mystery bug in my garden. I am trying to identify them so I can decide if I ...
A: it is very difficult for me to do anything other than guess at what it might be. Did it bear any ...
|
| Unidentified Flying (Biting) Object | 7/1/2008 |
Q: I am from a city in central New Jersey and have come across a biting flying bug that resembles a ...
A: Other common flying insects that bite in New Jersey are black flies (see ...
|
| another mystery bug | 7/1/2008 |
Q: i currently have a mystery bug in my garden. I am trying to identify them so I can decide if I ...
A: I can only guess (could you take a photo that could be attached to a follow-up question?) - if you ...
|
| Mosquito-like flying insect in Denver, CO | 7/1/2008 |
Q: For the past 2-3 weeks I've had a flying insect in the house that looks, at first glance, like a ...
A: Tipulidae). They belong to the same subfamily of flies as mosquitoes, but lack blood-sucking ...
|
| Some kind of insect goo in my flower? | 7/1/2008 |
Q: Today I noticed 3 piles of some kind of soft spit type slime in my flower bed. They were about the ...
A: //www.mushroomthejournal.com/coma/ey/Fuligo198.html for an example. They are disturbing in ...
|
| Mallotus Shield Bug (Cantao ocellatus) | 7/1/2008 |
Q: Can you suggest someone who might know more about this Asian beetle? There is a link to a photo ...
A: John J.S. Burton, currently retired and living in Florida - the email address I have for him is ...
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| Looking for more info on this beetle | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Welcome back, Ed! Hope your vacation was enjoyable. I need some help identifying this beetle. ...
A: Coleoptera: Carabidae) - see http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/28447087 for an image. Once ...
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| Bugs in my car continue | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Saugie, I emailed you a couple of times last week. Although I haven't been able to get to the ...
A: eradication may be difficult as they can subsist on just about anything organic, and can go long ...
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| I think I may have a very bad bird mite infestation in my home | 6/30/2008 |
Q: for the last two years I have been hopelessly searching for answers as to what has been bothering me ...
A: it is impossible for me to give a definitive answer to your problem, especially in the absence of ...
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| Springtails or fleas? | 6/30/2008 |
Q: I saw these little jumping bugs crawling around in my bed. I haven't noticed any flea bites on me. ...
A: If they succumb to gentle finger pressure, they are springtails, but if they hop away afterwards, ...
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| Bugs in my car | 6/25/2008 |
Q: I have a bug problem in my car. They appear to be small brown, possibly weevils. They don't bite. ...
A: //miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/ for contact information. Links to all Florida offices can be found at ...
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| Question on Bat Bugs | 6/25/2008 |
Q: Ed, Hoping someone can get back to me today with the answer to thisApproximately many bat bugs can ...
A: Any that may be hitchhiking simply crawl off once the bat is roosting. They will indeed travel some ...
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| Bugs in my car | 6/25/2008 |
Q: I have a bug problem in my car. They appear to be small brown, possibly weevils. They don't bite. ...
A: these do not sound like anything dangerous to health, and most likely are accidental 'visitors.' If ...
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| small bugs on cement | 6/25/2008 |
Q: ..we have put cement in our back yard about 3 months ago and ever since iv noticed these small gray ...
A: but they sound like springtails, primitive arthropods in the order Collembola (see ...
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| Ant infestation... Small Grey Fuzzy Bee | 6/24/2008 |
Q: I'm 12 years old... and gets confused easilly... O_o Q1: Our house is infested with ants... and i ...
A: See http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/M1166.html, ...
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| thrips | 6/24/2008 |
Q: do you know about these so called thrips that keep coming in my pool? if so how do you go about ...
A: //www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/images/thrips-in-stages.jpg and ...
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| cocoon?? follow up question | 6/24/2008 |
Q: ed, following on form my previous question. somethign has now come out of the cocoon and seems to ...
A: After a male is attracted and they mate, she lays her eggs on the cocoon. See ...
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| cocoon?? follow up question | 6/24/2008 |
Q: ed, following on form my previous question. somethign has now come out of the cocoon and seems to ...
A: Winglessness occurs in several families, including tussock moths, bagworms, and cankerworms. See ...
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| House Bugs | 6/24/2008 |
Q: I saw a swarm of black adult fleas and tiny ant-like young ones running up and down my bedroom ...
A: also, young fleas (larvae) are worm-like in appearance, and seldom are seen, as they stay in cracks ...
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| Tiny bugs in my apartment. | 6/23/2008 |
Q: We're having tiny bugs mostly on our ceilings, but they're also on the walls now. We noticed that ...
A: these insects are harmless. They belong to the order Psocoptera (commonly called booklice or ...
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| red ant | 6/22/2008 |
Q: I found red ants in my backyard. The mound was about a foot across and raised 4 - 5". When I ...
A: so no worries there. However, there are well over 100 species of ants known from Michigan, and your ...
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| tiny tan insects on my window sills | 6/22/2008 |
Q: I have just noticed tiny (mostly pencil point size) crawling insects on most of my window sills and ...
A: the most likely being booklice, tiny insects in the order Psocoptera. For the most part, they are ...
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| are sunspiders poisonous, or dangerous | 6/22/2008 |
Q: I live next to a holding basin and keep getting these wierd scorpion looking bugs with black ...
A: relatives of true spiders in the class Arachnida) are poisonous or venomous. Both have powerful jaws ...
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| Tiny black bugs | 6/17/2008 |
Q: Yesterday I was sitting on my deck(COMPOSITE) and I looked down and there were these black bugs all ...
A: and they are soft-bodied, another possibility is that they are clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa). ...
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| Red bug in NE | 6/17/2008 |
Q: No wings - any idea what it is? Thanks Susan
A: but without a photo of it, I can only guess as to its identity. One possibility is a wheel bug ...
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| black flying insect | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I found this black flying insect, he has 6 legs and 2 antennea. The bottom of his legs are ...
A: but your description is too general for me even to guess at what it might be. Please try to take a ...
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| help with bug ID | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I saw a rather large (about 1" long) black bug walking around on my cucumber plants. I was in hopes ...
A: If you go back to the page where you sent your question to AllExperts, you should see a button that ...
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| very small jumping bug | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I have noticed very small jumping bugs in my house. They are probably half the size of a flea, and ...
A: primitive arthropods (authorities differ as to whether or not they are true insects) in the order ...
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| dying flies | 6/16/2008 |
Q: I have a little problem. I have flies dying all over my house. Which is kinda of creepy. This ...
A: these often are found at windows when they try to find their way outside, and likely will die from ...
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| Bug found in bed | 6/16/2008 |
Q: I keep on finding these bugs in my bed sometimes and on the floor.. they are black with a gold or ...
A: Coleoptera: Dermestidae). They are general feeders on a wide variety of organic material, especially ...
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| biting bug | 6/16/2008 |
Q: I have been struggling to get rid of a biting bug in my bed since February 2008. It is NOT bedbugs, ...
A: as your description does not match any biting pest that I am familiar with. If you have a camera ...
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| i have a mystery bug!! | 6/15/2008 |
Q: i have looked high and low for the names of these very annoying little orange and brown bugs!! They ...
A: In the meantime, have a look at images of thrips to see if there is any resemblance to what you are ...
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| Tiny black bug | 6/15/2008 |
Q: A few nights ago I was laying in bed when I noticed a small speck of dust that I thought was moving. ...
A: primitive arthropods in the order Collembola. They occur worldwide, and the vast majority are ...
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| unknown Beetle | 6/15/2008 |
Q: I came home the other night and there was a rather large beetle on my door. It had yellow and black ...
A: Scarabaeidae) in the genus Polyphylla. See http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3927/ if this ...
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| Flying Reptile? | 6/14/2008 |
Q: .When me and my family got back from our holiday last year my grandmother told us about a large ...
A: Did you happen to take a photo of it that you could attach to a follow-up question? Where was your ...
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| small bugs | 6/14/2008 |
Q: Tonite I walked into the kitchen and there were what looked like micro ants or gnats on the counter ...
A: it might help if you could take a photo or two that you could attach to a follow-up question. In the ...
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| cocoon identification | 6/13/2008 |
Q: This cocoon appeared on the top frame of my bedroom window 2 days ago (10th june) and I'd like to ...
A: I cannot be sure from the photo that it is a cocoon; it also could be an egg case such as that made ...
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| mosquitoes | 6/13/2008 |
Q: I live in Kansas City, Missouri and I have a problem with mosquitoes. My body reacts very strongly ...
A: Yes, it is true that some people are more 'attractive' to mosquitoes than others. Our oldest son is ...
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| elk mites? | 6/13/2008 |
Q: we have two dogs who've been digging up the backyard a lot recently. they've dug pretty deep now, ...
A: journal article, or web site) to the elk mites, for as I stated earlier, I am completely unfamiliar ...
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| Booklice | 6/13/2008 |
Q: I have what I believe are booklice coming out of my air conditioning vents (they look very similar ...
A: Liposcelidae). These insects are quite susceptible to dessication, so lowering the relative humidity ...
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| elk mites? | 6/13/2008 |
Q: we have two dogs who've been digging up the backyard a lot recently. they've dug pretty deep now, ...
A: " and doubt that there is any such critter. On the other hand, Ornithonyssus is a genus of bird and ...
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| Tiny reddish orange bugs. | 6/12/2008 |
Q: I've seen these little reddish orange bugs lately. I was sitting in a lawn chair the other day and ...
A: they indeed likely were mites; however, if they were elongate, they might have been thrips. Thrips ...
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| stinging caterpillars | 6/12/2008 |
Q: we were in the carribian in late january...i picked up a caterpiilar with 2 leaves and for a moment ...
A: Any caterpillar that I know of in the Caribbean region matching your general description should not ...
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| hook tails | 6/11/2008 |
Q: What are hook tail insect? Provide pic if you have one.Thanks.
A: //www.ghmahoney.org.uk/insects/dflyl_species.asp?Species=onfor, ...
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| June bugs | 6/10/2008 |
Q: What has happened to them? ANSWER: Dear Sarah - Without knowing the ecological picture in your ...
A: I feel that they should have at least forwarded your inquiry to the Department of Plant, Soil, and ...
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| Mystery Bites in TX!!! | 6/10/2008 |
Q: Ed Saugstad, I believe Kenny. There IS SOMETHING so MICROSCOPIC biting him that he is unable to see ...
A: If you have read any of my other postings on this subject, you likely already appreciate that unless ...
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| Can you help identify a bug at the beach? | 6/10/2008 |
Q: My sister is at the beach with her two daughters. The 7 year old is very curious and looking for ...
A: the most likely suspect would be a crustacean known as a mole crab or sand crab. These are very ...
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| June bugs | 6/10/2008 |
Q: What has happened to them? ANSWER: Dear Sarah - Without knowing the ecological picture in your ...
A: as I do not believe that that the slight (so far) rise in ground temperatures would affect their ...
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| June bugs | 6/10/2008 |
Q: What has happened to them?
A: I really cannot answer your question. There are several possibilities, including loss of habitat and ...
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| strange bugs | 6/9/2008 |
Q: I live in South Florida and just started noticing weird bugs in my master bathroom. Our house is ...
A: Lepidoptera: Tineidae), sometimes also known as plaster bagworms. Although they are related to ...
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| Flying pest identification & control | 6/9/2008 |
Q: Hey Saugy, I am experiencing an infestation of flying insects in my home. These flying pests tend ...
A: So rather than me making wild guesses as to what they may or may not be, I strongly suggest that you ...
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| Forensic Entomology | 6/9/2008 |
Q: How do bugs tell us how long a murder suspect been dead?
A: time of death can be estimated by the species and life stage of insects and other arthropods found ...
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| glowing catapilliar | 6/9/2008 |
Q: i found a glowing caterpillar in my yard i looked for it online and i found many pictures of the ...
A: I cannot think of anything else it may be. If you have taken photos, please attach one to a ...
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| Small Red Worms in sink, tub and toilet??? | 6/9/2008 |
Q: I have noticed over the past few days that when my bathroom door is shut and no air is circulating ...
A: Nevertheless, a photo or two would be most helpful in making a definitive identification. Have you ...
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| black beatle with brown horizontal stripe | 6/8/2008 |
Q: I've recently been getting bites that start as a red bump, they soon after turn into a white head ...
A: First off, nearly all 'bug bites' look pretty much alike, and secondly, there are several other ...
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| carpet beetles | 6/8/2008 |
Q: Do you know how to get rid of them? I can't afford to replace the carpet. Thank you, Keesha
A: //ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html for a fact sheet on carpet beetles that includes control ...
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| lopidea & stink bugs | 6/8/2008 |
Q: I have tons of red & black diamond shaped bugs crawling all over the outside of my house, all over ...
A: //pocahontascofare.blogspot.com/2007/06/lopidea-on-yarrow.html for an image) is in the family ...
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| a bug in my house | 6/8/2008 |
Q: Ed, I found a couple of bugs in my house that I have no idea what they are. the first two I found ...
A: Cerambycidae); possibly in the genus Clytus - see ...
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| Insects crawling through AC | 6/8/2008 |
Q: I am a student and do a lot of work at night. However, the light seems to attract insects that seem ...
A: the most obvious solution is to put fine mesh screening over the outside of the unit. Other than ...
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| spring ants | 6/7/2008 |
Q: We have tiny, tiny little bugs in one of our cabinets - cleaned them out (during which time I could ...
A: ' I suspect that you may have small insects called booklice. These are not true lice, but belong to ...
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| Unidentified specimen | 6/7/2008 |
Q: I have found under my covers and along side my bed in New Jersey in a damp, dark basement. It is ...
A: your 'find' does sound more like an insect pupa of some kind, possibly that of a fly or moth. In ...
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| cucumber seed-like wall bug | 6/7/2008 |
Q: I keep seeing a flat bug on my walls, it is shaped a little bit like a cucumber seed expect bigger. ...
A: Lepidoptera: Tineidae). These are relatives of clothes moths, but they prefer to feed on old spider ...
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| Tiny Red Insects | 6/7/2008 |
Q: Wondering if you can help me. I live in Minnesota and have just noticed clusters of tiny red bugs ...
A: taking a photo or two that you could attach to a follow-up question would help. There are at least ...
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| Teeny tiny bugs in my laundry room | 6/7/2008 |
Q: I have in the last couple weeks started finding the tiniest little bugs that look like tiny little ...
A: they are not true lice that would feed on humans or animals. I suspect that they either are small ...
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| What is this Bug? | 6/6/2008 |
Q: I've seen them before and never knew what these creatures were. I've heard them called water bugs ...
A: I believe that from your description, you more likely have earwigs (Order Dermaptera) than ...
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| Identification Requested | 6/6/2008 |
Q: I am a professional photographer and photographed this insect feasting on pollen in my own ...
A: This is a large family with hundreds of species in the USA alone, including the sometimes ...
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| Bug bite | 6/5/2008 |
Q: I went camping in the Icicle River area in North Central Washington. I was bitten by something that ...
A: I doubt that it was anything to worry about. The bad news is that without actually seeing it bite, ...
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| strange dirt cocoons with worms | 6/4/2008 |
Q: We live in Hawaii and recently we've come across a bunch of dirt-looking cocoons with worms in it. I ...
A: Lepidoptera: Tineidae); sometimes called plaster bagworms. They are related to clothes moths, but ...
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| Need help to identify a bug | 6/3/2008 |
Q: Last night I pulled a bug off my back that was attached pretty solid. It didn't hurt when I pulled ...
A: Depending on your location, the most likely suspects are in the genera Amblyomma (see ...
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| MYSTERY BITES | 6/3/2008 |
Q: Kenny here again. I just received a new bite since the last email and my soapy shower and the welt ...
A: ’ chiggers are an extremely remote possibility. You usually will encounter these larval mites in ...
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| MYSTERY BITES | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I was sitting earlier this evening here at my laptop with my shirt off as it is quite warm in my ...
A: First off, the vast majority of arthropod bites look pretty much alike (see ...
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| tiny, black, beetle like bugs | 6/2/2008 |
Q: I live in an apartment with my sister and lately we have noticed that there are these tiny, black, ...
A: most of which would be harmless intruders. About the only ones of concern would be carpet beetles, ...
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| mystery bug | 6/2/2008 |
Q: I have discovered the most beautiful bug ever in my backyard. It is the most stunning thing! I live ...
A: I just tried it, and it loaded just fine. However, try ...
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| Bugs | 6/2/2008 |
Q: What is this bug? I picked up a cloth in my bathroom and it was sitting there, it was really small. ...
A: //www.zin.ru/animalia/coleoptera/images/foto/anthrenus_scrophulariae_l.jpg and ...
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| Green Caterpillars eating up my pine trees | 6/2/2008 |
Q: I live in lower Michigan in the US and I have both large red and large white pine trees on my ...
A: such as the European pine sawflies, Neodiprion sertifer (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). See ...
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| BUGS EWW | 6/1/2008 |
Q: I was cleaning around my bathroom and saw a little black spec move around, as i looked closer i saw ...
A: //extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/pests/g07363.htm) rather than anything that you need to ...
|
| pink fuzzy bee | 5/31/2008 |
Q: I saw a rather large fuzzy pink (muted pink) flying bug. I thought it was a bumble bee. It was very ...
A: //www.harkphoto.com/oakw.jpeg and http://www.carolinanature.com/moths/rosymaplemoth2934.jpg for ...
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| Flying Beetle in UK | 5/30/2008 |
Q: Tonight a large flying beetle hit our kitchen window. It was aboutan inch and a half in length, its ...
A: a beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. They are leaf feeders whereas their larvae (white grubs) feed ...
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| Bugs | 5/30/2008 |
Q: What is this bug? I picked up a cloth in my bathroom and it was sitting there, it was really small. ...
A: is it hard-bodied like a beetle? Soft-bodied like a moth or fly? Does it have visible wings or wing ...
|
| tiny biting bugs | 5/30/2008 |
Q: In a box containing an old lampshade and plastic bag sitting outdoors were thousands of tiny bugs. ...
A: d. - also, book lice do not bite, and itch mites generally are too small to be easily seen with the ...
|
| Tegenaria-Domestica follow up question | 5/30/2008 |
Q: Last night came downstairs, barefoot!, into my kitchen to find a brown recluse inches from my foot. ...
A: just about any large spider can bite, but the vast majority only do so under duress (i.e. - ...
|
| Brown recluse in my Reston townhouse | 5/29/2008 |
Q: Last night came downstairs, barefoot!, into my kitchen to find a brown recluse inches from my foot. ...
A: but I am at least 99.99 percent certain that you do NOT have a brown recluse spider (Loxosceles ...
|
| ID hornet like insect. | 5/29/2008 |
Q: I remember back right many years ago when I was around mules and horses. There was this very large ...
A: Sphecidae; tribe Bembicini) - see http://www.scielo.br/pdf/ne/v31n1/11172.pdf. One of these species, ...
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| Identify small dark brown, tear-drop shaped insect | 5/29/2008 |
Q: Saugstad, I found a small, dark brown/grey, tear-drop shaped insect in my suitcase after returning ...
A: I can only take a wild guess. If you lived in the USA, I could refer you to an office where you ...
|
| round, green egg sac or cocoon | 5/28/2008 |
Q: I live in New Jersey and have noticed there are round, green cocoons or egg sacs on the bottom side ...
A: See http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note05/note05.html for a few examples; there ...
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| Question about a tiny bug that can jump | 5/28/2008 |
Q: I saw this from 2004 in a google search: Expert: Ed Saugstad Date: 6/9/2004 Subject: tiny bugs in ...
A: moisture control should be your first line of defense, as these creatures are highly susceptible to ...
|
| bluish grey tick | 5/28/2008 |
Q: I have seen one or two ticks from time to time on my cat and dog. I seriously doubt that they are ...
A: See http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/ticks_ixodides for a gallery of photos of several common species. ...
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| Question about a tiny bug that can jump | 5/28/2008 |
Q: I saw this from 2004 in a google search: Expert: Ed Saugstad Date: 6/9/2004 Subject: tiny bugs in ...
A: If that fails, try Dave's Garden (http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/bugid/all/) or ...
|
| worms | 5/27/2008 |
Q: Over the past month I have been finding very tiny dark brown worms in my towels - usually the ones ...
A: as I really hesitate even to guess without being able to see them. If at all possible, try to take a ...
|
| sawdust (bugs) in garage | 5/27/2008 |
Q: I have noticed in my garage piles of things that look like sawdust, looking a but closer I can tell ...
A: but it is extremely doubtful that they would be dust mites (see ...
|
| red bugs in my sink | 5/26/2008 |
Q: Just moved into my bew home about a month ago, no problems until a few days ago these little red ...
A: such as the clover mite (Bryobia praetiosa), a common home invader - see ...
|
| Black Carpet Beetle | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I found black carpet beetles in my cupboard. I have no idea how did they get there, because cupboard ...
A: proper sanitation is more important than chemicals for their control. See ...
|
| Where do all the flies go? | 5/26/2008 |
Q: Whenever it rains(even with only drizzle), the flies here in the UK are completely absent, and ...
A: most temperate zone flying insects are very reluctant to take flight at temperatures below 50 ...
|
| drop-shaped crawling gray bug | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I once in a while will see a tear drop-shaped small light gray bug crawling across my bathroom ...
A: they definitely are not larvae of moth flies (see ...
|
| scorpions | 5/25/2008 |
Q: I saw a scorpion.It was red.It was about 2 inches long.I live in Bend,Oregon.I found it near a ...
A: there are only four species of scorpions native to your area: (1) Paruroctonus boreus - see ...
|
| tiny white bugs | 5/25/2008 |
Q: i have found these tiny white bugs crawling over the stuff in my food cupboard, they look like tiny ...
A: //lancaster.unl.edu/pest/images/pantrypests/Grainmites2.jpg for an image. Another but less likely ...
|
| Vacation invasion or needless worry? | 5/25/2008 |
Q: My father is currently on a working vacation in the virgin Islands (St. Crox) and he made the ...
A: I think that your mother is overreacting. First off, they may not actually be cockroaches, and then, ...
|
| bug in shower | 5/23/2008 |
Q: I have noticed these very small wormlike bugs on my shower floor after it has been wet in there. ...
A: a photo might help. One of the commoner small flying insects found in bathrooms are moth flies, also ...
|
| Tiny fast moving worm-like in bathroom | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I live in toronto. I have been seeing this creature about 0.5cm long. They moves pretty quick and ...
A: the most likely suspects are silverfish/firebrats (Thysanoptera: Lepismatidae) - see ...
|
| reddish-orange and black bug | 5/20/2008 |
Q: This morning while in my garden, a black bug with reddish-orange marks on its back flew into my ...
A: Staphylinidae). These do not look like typical beetles, and often curl their abdomen upwards when ...
|
| White larvae found in hall closet | 5/20/2008 |
Q: I found these white larvae that moved like inch worms, approximate size of a grain of rice. And ...
A: //creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/flies/house_fly02.htm). They probably had been feeding on some ...
|
| tiny brown beetle bugs, phoenix, az | 5/20/2008 |
Q: we live in Phoenix, AZ, and the last few days, starting 5/17 we've had these little tiny brown and ...
A: Could you take some photos that you could attach to a follow-up question? If this is not feasible ...
|
| reddish-orange and black bug | 5/19/2008 |
Q: This morning while in my garden, a black bug with reddish-orange marks on its back flew into my ...
A: one being that the creature you dug up was not the same thing that you saw fly into your garden ...
|
| Springtail (collembola) | 5/18/2008 |
Q: The local IFAS entomologist identified them as Springtail based on a sample on a glue board. The ...
A: but I cannot make any real prediction as to when the population might undergo a natural decrease, as ...
|
| Springtail (collembola) | 5/18/2008 |
Q: In 2006, Doug Yanega had posted a reply to someone's question regarding Springtail infestation of ...
A: spraying tends to be not very effective against springtails where their populations are very high, ...
|
| tiny orange insects | 5/18/2008 |
Q: We live in Tennessee. My stone and white cement porch are covered by tiny orange insects. They are ...
A: These mites often appear in enormous numbers and basically are harmless, but they really can be ...
|
| tiny little red bugs with antennae | 5/17/2008 |
Q: there are these very tiny little bugs all over my bathroom- this would include the walls, all around ...
A: my best guess is that they might be harmless invaders called clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa). Their ...
|
| paperbug or paperspider | 5/17/2008 |
Q: We live in South Fla and over the passed two years we have been getting caccons or bugs if you will ...
A: I suggest that you try to remove some of them by whatever means necessary (?scrape with razor?), ...
|
| Can you identify this bug? | 5/17/2008 |
Q: Ed. On 05/16/2008 at work (I work in Central Vermont, specifically in the Barre/Montpelier area) ...
A: This is a leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the genus Calligrapha; perhaps Calligrapha ...
|
| Praying Mantids | 5/17/2008 |
Q: since September last year, i've been searching for praying mantids and today, I FINALLY found about ...
A: but from what I have read on the subject, it may not be a good idea to have a large number of them ...
|
| water bug | 5/15/2008 |
Q: I have a salt water rock pool and I'm starting to see those entertaining little skippers in my ...
A: and other than a few species of mosquito, none of these that I know of would pose any threat to ...
|
| Spider mites in bathroom | 5/14/2008 |
Q: I work in an old building and every year about this time the ladies' room toilet gets spider mites. ...
A: Have you had their identity confirmed by an entomologist (NOT a pest control operator)? I realize ...
|
| Hundreds of tiny black bugs in bathroom.. | 5/14/2008 |
Q: I havent taken a pic, I dont know if a pic would help, these things are impossibly small....what i ...
A: Then, take them to your county office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension service (see ...
|
| Hundreds of tiny black bugs in bathroom.. | 5/14/2008 |
Q: I havent taken a pic, I dont know if a pic would help, these things are impossibly small....what i ...
A: but the behavior you describe seems a bit odd. As you say they are too small to photograph, please ...
|
| Identifing a butterfly coccoon | 5/12/2008 |
Q: When I lived in Bangkok, Thailand many decades ago...I remember a small bush outside the front of ...
A: I do not know the answer to your question. About all that I can suggest is that you try to locate a ...
|
| Mites from animal feed moths biting humans | 5/12/2008 |
Q: I volunteer in a local big-box retail petsupply store. I was told they received shipments of ...
A: parasitic mites on Indian meal moths (Plodia interpunctella) makes no sense to me at all. See ...
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| tiny black jumping bugs in yard | 5/12/2008 |
Q: I was in my back yard (which is really just a rock bed with slate in the middle and raised wooden ...
A: it is not at all surprising that yours would not look exactly like any of the examples in the images ...
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| Bugs inside halls surrounding window | 5/12/2008 |
Q: For around a year we have noticed a fine dust around the bottom of a window. When we open the window ...
A: it could be anything from a coincidental/accidental occurrence to an indicator of a potentially ...
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| Bugs and global warming | 5/7/2008 |
Q: I am working on an assignment for earth space science and have chosen an article from today's ...
A: but my feeling is that global warming has very little if anything to with the honey bee colony ...
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| teeny tiny bugs | 5/7/2008 |
Q: Hope u can help me on this. There are loads of teeny tiny bugs all over my room- i first noticed ...
A: ' Most will be harmless, but a few species that usually feed on birds and small rodents also may ...
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| teeny tiny bugs | 5/7/2008 |
Q: Hope u can help me on this. There are loads of teeny tiny bugs all over my room- i first noticed ...
A: //www.scienceimage.csiro.au/index.cfm?event=site.image.thumbnail&id=1118&viewfile=f&divid=BE for an ...
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| yellow winged red bodied bug | 5/7/2008 |
Q: My wife and I came across what looked like a 1inch to 1.5 inch red ant with yellow wings that were ...
A: Excellent! It's a blister beetle (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Specifically, it is an Iron Cross blister ...
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| mites | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I am seeing them more frequently now that it's May and getting warmer. I don't see them in groups, ...
A: About the only red mites that can pose a problem to humans are larval chigger mites, and these are ...
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| Screaming Insects!!! | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I am currently living in New Delhi and am being kept awake every night by insects in my apartment! ...
A: First off, I doubt very much that any sort of cockroach is the culprit here - as far as I know, the ...
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| 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch grey worms | 5/6/2008 |
Q: I have notice these small gray worms mostly on my tile floors in my downstairs, which is on a slab. ...
A: as there are several different types of organisms that could match that general description. Could ...
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| bugs on my dog | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I noticed aroudn the time my dog has fleas there were also small, but larger then fleas, bugs ...
A: there is no such creature as "queen fleas." However, there are many, many different species of ...
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| mites | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I have been getting bitten for the last 2 weeks. I thought it was fleas, but several combings of ...
A: There are several species whose usual hosts include birds and small rodents (mice, rats, etc.) that ...
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| Fast moving brown spiders | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I live in Eugene, OR. Last summer we seemed to have an infestation of these brown spiders. They were ...
A: Also, bites from sac spiders in the family Miturgidae (see ...
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| bugs on my dog | 5/5/2008 |
Q: I noticed aroudn the time my dog has fleas there were also small, but larger then fleas, bugs ...
A: However, I suggest that you try to collect some in a container with rubbing alcohol and take them to ...
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| yellow winged red bodied bug | 5/5/2008 |
Q: My wife and I came across what looked like a 1inch to 1.5 inch red ant with yellow wings that were ...
A: as I hesitate to provide an answer without being able to see the creature in question. I suspect ...
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| bugs on my ceiling | 5/4/2008 |
Q: I just noticed these small bugs on my ceiling this morning. At first I thought it might have been ...
A: John - These appear to be newly hatched caterpillars, but I am at a loss to explain their presence ...
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| Tiny fling and non-fling insect | 5/4/2008 |
Q: I like the gentlemen from Pheonix AZ , have these tiny bugs some fly and some don't, they look like ...
A: If you can do so, please take some close-up photos that you could attach to a follow-up question. If ...
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| mystery bites | 5/3/2008 |
Q: I know you probably receive more than a few bite questions, but I hope you might have the time to ...
A: trying to diagnose ‘mystery bites’ in the absence of the biter is very difficult to say the least. ...
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| tiny orange spider | 5/3/2008 |
Q: looking for id of these little biting spiders. They are on my patio and will go away with bug ...
A: tiny relatives of spiders. Among the commoner home invaders of this ilk are clover mites (Bryobia ...
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| Bald-Faced Hornet? | 5/3/2008 |
Q: I have about 200 of these flying around one section of my yard at the bottom of an incline near ...
A: it definitely is not a bald-faced hornet (see ...
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| weird worms.... | 5/3/2008 |
Q: Last night I had to use the plunger on my toilet.... I don't like that plunger because yucky water ...
A: I won't say that it is impossible, but it is extremely unlikely that these creatures are coming from ...
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| Bitten on the back by a worm like bug | 5/2/2008 |
Q: My girlfriend was bitten the other day in the back while taking a box out of the top shelf in the ...
A: I thought that I had replied, and was quite embarrassed to realized that I had not done so. That ...
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| Bitten on the back by a worm like bug | 5/1/2008 |
Q: My girlfriend was bitten the other day in the back while taking a box out of the top shelf in the ...
A: //www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_centipedes.shtml - unlike most centipedes, they have well developed ...
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| Tiny Black bugs | 4/30/2008 |
Q: My wife and I noticed some very very small black bugs crawling on some napkins, then a table runner, ...
A: there are two primary possibilities: beetles and mites. If they are hard-bodied, they are beetles ...
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| ant problem | 4/30/2008 |
Q: I lived in California my entire life prior to moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, 7 years ago. During ...
A: My apologies, Mrs. Smith - in re-reading your original question, I see that I had completely ...
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| red bug help | 4/30/2008 |
Q: What is this small red bug? it's very small (little larger than a pin head) with a red body, 6 black ...
A: which would have eight legs (see http://www.uidaho.edu/so-id/entomology/Lawn/cm.jpg for an example). ...
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| Small blackbug with wings | 4/29/2008 |
Q: Sir, My wife an I have been over run with an infestation of small black bugs that appear to have ...
A: Curculionidae), and poses no threat to your family or pets. However, if it are less than 1/6" (4 mm) ...
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| Really small flies | 4/29/2008 |
Q: My good sir, i seek your knowledge in these rather annoying pests. i live in southern Ontario ...
A: and small mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). See http://jimswan.com/111/chironomidae.jpg for an ...
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| unknown | 4/29/2008 |
Q: My son found a white with red spotted ball like thing in the woods near a mountain laurel and we ...
A: Along with her egg(s), the wasp injects a substance that causes the host plant's cells to ...
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| Unidentified Bug - please help | 4/28/2008 |
Q: Attached please find a photo of a small bug I found crawling on my hardwood floor. I live in ...
A: Reduviidae). They are general predators on other small arthropods, and larger specimens can deliver ...
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| ant problem | 4/28/2008 |
Q: I lived in California my entire life prior to moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, 7 years ago. During ...
A: Smith, as there are more than 250 species of ants reported from California (see ...
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| praying mantis | 4/28/2008 |
Q: how much does a praying mantis weigh? i am doing a book report for school. thank you.
A: as there are many species of praying mantids, some very small and some quite large, and individuals ...
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| yellow bugs biting me | 4/28/2008 |
Q: i have been dealing with this for several years. when i get out in the sun i have thse little yellow ...
A: As they likely are too small for you to photograph successfully, I suggest that you collect some ...
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| Unknown flying insect | 4/28/2008 |
Q: I am seeing a flying insect for the first time ever in the 25 years I have lived in northern ...
A: ). Females bore into dead wood to construct their nest chamber (they do not 'eat' the wood), and ...
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| Jumping spider | 4/24/2008 |
Q: I have three jumping spiders and I was wondering if they are territorial?
A: and give specific displays (usually involving the raising and waving of their front legs) when ...
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| Black bug | 4/24/2008 |
Q: Early this spring, hundreds of black bugs came out of the opening in our stone foundation. Their ...
A: ; Hemiptera: Rhopalidae); see http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0998.html for ...
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| Help identifying tiny white worm | 4/23/2008 |
Q: Please help us identify the worm in the attached image. We have hardwood floor that was installed ...
A: If that is not feasible, simply sweep up the maggots as they appear, and either flush them down the ...
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| tiny gossamer flying insect. | 4/23/2008 |
Q: I live in GA, and of late, when I'm outside, I've discovered the tiniest of flying insects that were ...
A: //pics.davesgarden.com/pics/DiOhio_1169275873_149.jpg for an image. Their woolly appearance is ...
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| Help identifying tiny white worm | 4/23/2008 |
Q: Please help us identify the worm in the attached image. We have hardwood floor that was installed ...
A: The not so good news is that you may have a small dead animal or other decomposing organic material ...
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| Tiny Green worm-like bug | 4/23/2008 |
Q: I found a tiny, green worm-like bug on one of my shirts and I don't know what it is or where it came ...
A: I cannot be certain, but I'm guessing that it most likely is a small caterpillar in the family ...
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| Furry bug thing in Columbia, MO | 4/22/2008 |
Q: This morning, there was a furry bug thing at least an inch long running across our office floor. It ...
A: I hesitate even to guess at what it might have been. If it was fast-moving, elongate ("like a ...
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| Extremely tiny bugs in my windowsills | 4/22/2008 |
Q: In the past couple of weeks, I've noticed hundreds of tiny bugs in my windowsills. They are about ...
A: Among the commoner home invaders of this ilk are clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa). Regardless of ...
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| What is | 4/22/2008 |
Q: a black bug with white wings that come in droves? It kind of looks like a flying ant or a mutant ...
A: How big/small are these insects? Are they outdoors? Indoors? Two wings? Four wings? What are their ...
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| carpet beetles | 4/21/2008 |
Q: I did a ton of initial research on the Internet and after identifying my problem as carpet beetles, ...
A: The adult beetles are active fliers, and can readily enter buildings from outside, particularly if ...
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| bathtub bugs | 4/20/2008 |
Q: I live in sanford,fl. and i have been battleing mildew coming threw my caulking in the bathtub for ...
A: primitive arthropods in the order Collembola. They can be quite abundant in areas where both ...
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| Red and Black bugs on the wood deck | 4/20/2008 |
Q: I have some bugs I have noticed in the past month (but they could have been there awhile). There ...
A: See http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0998.html for a fact sheet on boxelder ...
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| catapiller | 4/20/2008 |
Q: How do I tell if a catapiller is posiness
A: but the vast majority of venomous caterpillars possess sharp spines or stiff hairs that inflict the ...
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| Please Help! Tiny insects in my bathrooms..... | 4/20/2008 |
Q: I was hoping you could help me identify these bugs that suddenly appeared in both of my bathrooms ...
A: I'm afraid that you have termites. Most of the time, these insects remain totally hidden while they ...
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| insect identification | 4/19/2008 |
Q: I have "not- flat, teardrop - shaped,dark-brown,wingless and slow moving" insects in my apartment. ...
A: nothing leaps immediately to mind here. If they were flat, I would suspect ticks, but then, I would ...
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| Tiny Black Lady Bug Type Bugs | 4/19/2008 |
Q: I have found several black bugs in my living room that look just like a ladybug but smaller with no ...
A: including lady beetles (there are several small species that lack any discernible markings - see ...
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| Biting Small Black Bugs | 4/19/2008 |
Q: I live in Northern Ireland and was working the garden this morning. A number of small back bugs ...
A: as none of the insects that habitually bite humans hold their wings vertically at rest. About the ...
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| Springtails | 4/19/2008 |
Q: I saw your note from 2005 on springtails, and I was wondering if you have any additional advice. ...
A: there have been no new developments in springtail control. Moisture management remains the keystone, ...
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| Mites | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I am doing an investigation into the affects of moisture on the population of mites in forest ...
A: Rather, the populations found thereon would reflect the status of the leaves as either a source ...
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| teeny tiny red bugs | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I have lots of teeny tiny red bugs on my windowsill (near where my plants use to reside )and in ...
A: you may have clover mites (Bryobia praetiosa). These are harmless, but can be nuisance pests when ...
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| bugs in my bathroom | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I have a black worm like insect in my bathroom. They don't come out durning the day. When I turn the ...
A: the more likely suspects including sow bugs (actually crustaceans; see ...
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| Very Pesky Bugs!!! | 4/18/2008 |
Q: I live in Northern Virginia. Every Spring and Fall, I find my home literally covered in black bugs ...
A: Hemiptera: Rhopalidae); see http://www.cirrusimage.com/bugs_box_elder.htm for an image and ...
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| tiny gray ladybug-looking bugs | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and this time of year, I notice tiny gray ladybug-looking ...
A: Have a look at http://insektenfotos.de/Anthrenus%20verbasci%20(Wollkraut-Bluetenkaefer)_022.jpg and ...
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| black bugs | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I have little black bugs they are in my daughters room really bad but I have seen very many in the ...
A: For example: are they roundish or elongate, hard or soft-bodied, winged or wingless, are antennae ...
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| Seeking insect pins in Portland, OR. | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I find myself in a rush to get insect pins for a display I'm doing and I won't have the time to ...
A: insect pins are not something that most stores carry, and I really have no idea where else you might ...
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| megarian banded centipede | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I have been in correspondence with Nathan Riggs about how to get rid of clups of harvestmen and then ...
A: and those found in your bath tub simply fell in and were unable to get out, being unable to climb ...
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| swarm of tiny flies with silver wings | 4/16/2008 |
Q: I live in Phoenix, AZ where it just got above 90 for the first time this season. I walked into my ...
A: your description is not sufficient for me to attempt a definitive identification. I realize that ...
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| bug bites | 4/16/2008 |
Q: I been looking all around but couldn't find any bugs to identify. There's been no stain on the bed. ...
A: For, as the pest controller stated, you have to know what you are dealing with before you can take ...
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| identification | 4/15/2008 |
Q: We have a cocoon that looks and feels just like a crawdad shell.This cocoon has a place where it was ...
A: See ...
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| zoology | 4/15/2008 |
Q: how does insects are damaging forest?Tell me something about forest entomology?
A: including defoliation (leaf/needle feeding - see ...
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| Southern Gulf Coast April Caterpillars | 4/15/2008 |
Q: Every April the trees and yard (as well as everyone elses) are flooded with hairy dark brown two ...
A: Based on your description, the most likely suspect is the buck moth caterpillar (Hemileuca maia; ...
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| Black widow spiders | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I have the shiny black with red hour glass black widow spiders, but I also have dull black with the ...
A: they just about have to be black widows regardless of the dullness - these specimens simply may be ...
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| Millipedes/Carpet Beetle Larvae | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I wrote you back in March regarding these small bugs I was finding on the walls/floors of my kitchen ...
A: but I recommend giving all infestable items a good cleaning immediately prior to the move, and then ...
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| Millipedes/Carpet Beetle Larvae | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I wrote you back in March regarding these small bugs I was finding on the walls/floors of my kitchen ...
A: family Polyxenidae, and do indeed closely resemble the larvae of some carpet beetles. They can be ...
|
| cryslysis hanging in maple tree | 4/14/2008 |
Q: I have just discovered 3 chrysalis I have never seen before they looked like for lack of a better ...
A: such as the cecropia, luna, and polyphemus moths. See ...
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| the way ant detect sugar | 4/11/2008 |
Q: Saugstad! I am very interested with your explanation for Cindy's question ants' preference It is ...
A: but it would take someone much better grounded in insect physiology to answer your question(s) ...
|
| insect on roses | 4/11/2008 |
Q: Ok I have about 12 or so roses and they are just now putting on buds. A couple have blooms about to ...
A: //creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/leaffooted_bug.htm. Then, you could try googling the family ...
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| Strange bugs | 4/11/2008 |
Q: lately I have been finding small, black, round bugs on my sheets and some on my clothes. They have ...
A: insects can exhibit a wide range of individual variation within a species. Try Googling images of ...
|
| insect on roses | 4/11/2008 |
Q: Ok I have about 12 or so roses and they are just now putting on buds. A couple have blooms about to ...
A: but they might be leaf-footed bugs (Heteroptera: Coreidae) - see ...
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| infestation of tiny bugs | 4/10/2008 |
Q: I live in Tallahassee, Florida in a neighborhood that has many older trees and I guess is quite ...
A: They are harmless, but because they can occur so abundantly, they definitely can be considered ...
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| small, hay coloured flying insect | 4/10/2008 |
Q: These small insects have been appearing in my apartment lately. They're winged insects, about 1/2 cm ...
A: Would you describe them as looking somewhat like small moths? Flies? Mosquitoes? What sort of ...
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| infestation of tiny bugs | 4/10/2008 |
Q: I live in Tallahassee, Florida in a neighborhood that has many older trees and I guess is quite ...
A: This order includes many species of plant pests as well as several that are predators on other ...
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| Bed bugs in car? | 4/9/2008 |
Q: My current apartment is infested with bed bugs, and the landlord's pest control agency is going to ...
A: If the car actually has bed bugs in it, I doubt that interior detailing would be an effective ...
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| mystery insects/bites | 4/9/2008 |
Q: Hoping you can help. For last several months have been getting horrible bites seemingly at ...
A: the odds are great that whatever you found in your carpet had nothing to do with your symptoms. That ...
|
| miniscule larva | 4/7/2008 |
Q: Ed, after a review of your past responses I feel you are my best hope without having the ability to ...
A: as I really have no idea as to what these may be; however, they do not appear to be any common ...
|
| Mites | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I am doing an investigation into the affects of moisture on the population of mites in forest ...
A: small animals such as mites are quite susceptible to dessication, and thus they tend to be found ...
|
| Bugs in our Live Oak Tree | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I've taken pictures of some kind of bug in 2 of our live oak trees. I don't think they are ambrosia ...
A: and I can assure you that sapsuckers do occur in your area of Florida - see ...
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| Bugs in our Live Oak Tree | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I've taken pictures of some kind of bug in 2 of our live oak trees. I don't think they are ambrosia ...
A: and are harmless to your tree. We often see them on the maples in our back yard. They feed ...
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| Bugs in our Live Oak Tree | 4/5/2008 |
Q: I've taken pictures of some kind of bug in 2 of our live oak trees. I don't think they are ambrosia ...
A: there is a way to attach photos to questions, as I have received several questions with photos ...
|
| Queen Palm tree-weevils? | 4/5/2008 |
Q: We are losing healthy fronds on our tree. During wind, they snap and look (inside) as if attacked ...
A: the Queen palm has very few insect pests, and the palmetto weevil/borer (Rhynchophorus cruentatus) ...
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| bugs in house | 4/5/2008 |
Q: Based on past questions and answers, the bugs in my house might be carpet beetles. They are rice ...
A: Dermestidae). Try Googling "Anthrenus" and look at some of the images. Whereas the larvae of these ...
|
| entomology | 4/4/2008 |
Q: how could I get a job as a research entomologist? Also, I would love to get an answer for thisDo ...
A: if you don't already have a degree in entomology, you need to obtain one. Even the lowest level ...
|
| help identifying small insects appearing in home | 4/3/2008 |
Q: I keep seeing these tiny (about smallest ant size, which are also popping up), round, winged ...
A: be sure to specify Anthrenus. Also, you should be able get assistance in pest identification and ...
|
| What ARE these tiny black dots? | 4/3/2008 |
Q: We just moved into an older home on a horse farm in Southern NH. We've seen ladybugs in the kitchen ...
A: I can only guess. First off, it is extremely unlikely that they would have anything to do with the ...
|
| identify segmented orange & black millipede | 4/3/2008 |
Q: I am 5 years old & am very interested in science. Today while camping in northern Mississippi i ...
A: Members of at least four genera in this family have color patterns similar to what you saw. See ...
|
| Strange, hard-to-kill flying black bugs with circular wings - no clue as to what they are | 3/30/2008 |
Q: Ed. For the past few years, there have been random sightings of a strange insect in my home. I ...
A: but the overall shape reminds me of an ensign wasp (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae). They are parasitic on ...
|
| bugs! | 3/30/2008 |
Q: I live in California, and I have these tiny red bugs that are crawling in my house through the patio ...
A: they very well may be mites. One of the commonest home 'invader' of this ilk is the clover mite, ...
|
| Strange, hard-to-kill flying black bugs with circular wings - no clue as to what they are | 3/30/2008 |
Q: Ed. For the past few years, there have been random sightings of a strange insect in my home. I ...
A: Staphylinidae). Unlike most beetles, their wing covers usually are very short, covering only a ...
|
| Tiny brown worms/larvae | 3/30/2008 |
Q: I have noticed, for a few months now, very tiny brown worms mostly along the baseboards in the ...
A: Dermestidae). They do have legs, but these are very short and easy to overlook. Have a look at the ...
|
| rice like bug/larvae in moving boxes | 3/29/2008 |
Q: My wife & I have just started unpacking boxes that were in a storage unit for about 10 months & then ...
A: I have no idea as to what the rice-like objects might be. If they were soft, I might have guessed ...
|
| beetles nesting in walls | 3/28/2008 |
Q: After months of living in an apartment with lots of little annoying bugs, our landlord finally ...
A: I suggest that you gather up some of them and take them to the Yavapai County office of the ...
|
| Maybe a Sweat Bee? | 3/28/2008 |
Q: I live in central FL, and I found a small, winged blue/green insect that looks an awful lot like a ...
A: ' See http://chiron.valdosta.edu/jbpascar/SFLBees/halictidae.html for a key to the genera of ...
|
| Mites? | 3/27/2008 |
Q: I am hoping that you can help me. I am really losing my mind over this problem we are having with ...
A: The extension agent should at least have offered to forward your specimens to the state extension ...
|
| rollie pollies | 3/26/2008 |
Q: My son brought a rollie pollie inside and wants to keep it for a bit to observe it. (Typical curious ...
A: sowbugs, pillbugs, etc.) are crustaceans that breathe through gills. For these creatures, ...
|
| Winged Scarab? | 3/26/2008 |
Q: In many of the drawing and art I've seen of scarabs from ancient Egypt, they have very colorful long ...
A: //www.bucksbugman.co.uk/Catalogue/Coleoptera/Heliocopris_dominus_open.JPG for an example, but ...
|
| BUD IN HEADBOARD? | 3/24/2008 |
Q: My husband and I are awoken every night, a few times a night for the past month or so, by a clicking ...
A: it is possible that the headboard has an infestation of wood boring beetles. At least two different ...
|
| small beetle like bug | 3/23/2008 |
Q: I have been finding small beetle like bugs on the kitchen floor. i find maybe 5 a day - most of the ...
A: unless they are coming from dry dog food, as they may be stored product pests - see ...
|
| Mites? | 3/22/2008 |
Q: I am hoping that you can help me. I am really losing my mind over this problem we are having with ...
A: However, they do not appear to match any of the mite species commonly found as pests indoors, such ...
|
| Worms in the shower | 3/21/2008 |
Q: I too have found tiny worms in our shower. First we noticed little flies that reminded me of fruit ...
A: Psychodidae). Also known as drain flies, filter flies, or sewer flies, their larvae live on organic ...
|
| unknown insect | 3/20/2008 |
Q: I live in the thumb of Michigan and the other day I found a bug that has a body similar to a crab. ...
A: They are general predators on other small arthropods and completely harmless to humans. See ...
|
| Red Harvester Ants like sugar substitute better than cane sugar...why? | 3/18/2008 |
Q: My dtr. is getting ready to present her experiment at the science fair at school. Her topic ...
A: especially when they are placed in a situation that they would not be expected to encounter in ...
|
| mysterious bites...unkown bug | 3/18/2008 |
Q: I've been getting bitten by something since I moved into my new apartment. I woke up one morning ...
A: it is extremely difficult to identify the cause of ‘mystery bites’ without actually catching the ...
|
| Red Harvester Ants like sugar substitute better than cane sugar...why? | 3/17/2008 |
Q: My dtr. is getting ready to present her experiment at the science fair at school. Her topic ...
A: and apparently not all that attracted to sugar unless it’s the only food available. (See ...
|
| ant/ homoptera interaction | 3/16/2008 |
Q: I am currently doing some research on ant association with homoptera for a university project. from ...
A: //psyche.entclub.org/94/94-081.html and www.hindawi.com/GetPDF.aspx?doi=10.1155/1987/12726 for a ...
|
| spider identification | 3/15/2008 |
Q: I found a spider on my clothes line hanging out. It looks like a spider crossed with a crab. Its ...
A: such as Gasteracantha cancriformis - see http://www.insectimages.org/images/768x512/2131072.jpg for ...
|
| stinging red insect | 3/14/2008 |
Q: I was stung by an insect that was reddish/orange in color and resembled a daddy long legs. It also ...
A: I can only guess that it might have been an ichneumon wasp of some kind - many of these have quite ...
|
| catipler | 3/13/2008 |
Q: i am only 11 and i found a green catipiller it is maybe 1 cm long and lime green i found it out side ...
A: The ones to watch out for all have spines of various sorts, although in some, these spines are ...
|
| insect nest id | 3/13/2008 |
Q: A bird house was packed with a tough material that I could hardly remove. It was creamy ivory in ...
A: Would it be possible for you to take some photos of these cases, including a closeup of one or more ...
|
| Large black hairy fly | 3/13/2008 |
Q: I've been seeing large black flies about the size of a medium sized bee. They are completely black ...
A: as you describe these insects as ‘hairy’, I believe that they may be mason bees - see ...
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| black carpet beetles | 3/12/2008 |
Q: I did some research and found them to be black carpet beetles and they are particularly popular ...
A: including hair, fur, hides and horns, just about anything made of/containing wool, as well as many ...
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| Beetles in home | 3/12/2008 |
Q: Ed, My 3rd-floor North FL condo has been infested with very small (2mm?) black beetles. They ...
A: but the vast majority of these would be very unlikely to occur indoors, and then only as accidental ...
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| bite looking thing | 3/11/2008 |
Q: Hey folks...I have a silly question... A few moments ago when I looked at my back in the mirror, I ...
A: I would first suspect a minor bacterial skin infection. If you're interested, the site ...
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| box elder bugs | 3/10/2008 |
Q: I seem to have a rather large population of box elder bugs on both the Creeping Juniper shrubs and ...
A: ; Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) should do no real damage, as they feed primarily on the leaves, flowers, ...
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| No See 'Ems | 3/10/2008 |
Q: My Father lives in Denver, CO and has experienced these pests for over 2 years. We have tried bug ...
A: you may not be aware that that under some indoor environmental conditions, tiny bits of inanimate ...
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| Black Flying Bug In and Around Home | 3/10/2008 |
Q: Within the past few days my roommate and I have noticed black bugs with wings around our door to our ...
A: I suspect that these are winter stoneflies (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae); see ...
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| Little Black Bugs | 3/9/2008 |
Q: How do you kill these little black bugs, that seem to multiply with a blink of an eye. I have ...
A: but that is not nearly enough information to take even an educated guess at what they might be. ...
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| The Praying Mantis | 3/8/2008 |
Q: Ed - are you aware of any unconventional defence strategies employed by this insect, that is, ...
A: These include camouflage/concealment, startle display (splaying forelegs and wings), biting, ...
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| Scorpion in Brazil | 3/8/2008 |
Q: I am currently living in Brasil. I found a small black scorpion in my sink this morning, swimming in ...
A: //news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0624_030624_scorpions.html In warmer regions, especially ...
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| Scorpion in Brazil | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I am currently living in Brasil. I found a small black scorpion in my sink this morning, swimming in ...
A: but there is a stinging caterpillar in Brazil, Lonomia obliqua, that can pose a serious health ...
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| 2 bugs in home | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I cannot identify two small bugs in my home. I live in Southwestern PA. One bug is a silver ...
A: I would suspect that it could be a dermestid larva - see ...
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| 2 bugs in home | 3/7/2008 |
Q: I cannot identify two small bugs in my home. I live in Southwestern PA. One bug is a silver ...
A: I can only guess. The "wormlike" one might be a silverfish (order Thysanura), but these usually move ...
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| No See 'Ems | 3/7/2008 |
Q: My Father lives in Denver, CO and has experienced these pests for over 2 years. We have tried bug ...
A: However, I fully understand the Entomology Department's desire for one or more specimens in order to |
