Entomology (Study of Bugs) - Insects/Spiders - Science

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About Walter Hintz
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I can answer any questions about insects and spiders

Experience
I have taught science for over 50 years. I am presently teaching biology at the college level. I have done extensive graduate work in entomology.

You are here: Experts > Science > Insects/Spiders > Entomology (Study of Bugs)

Questions Answered By Expert Walter Hintz
In Category Entomology (Study of Bugs)

Subject	Date Asked

Questions for science project on mealworms.	11/20/2009
Q: I need to interview an entomologist/person who knows about bugs about a project I am doing for ... A: 1.I cannot give you the exact amount of water necessary but they water they get is from the food ...
Belostomatidae	11/19/2009
Q: I am in an honers Biology class. I recently caught a Belostomatidae, I think that the scientific ... A: The accepted Genus name for giant water beetles is Lethocerus. Benacus is no longer used. I am not ...
identifying an insect bite	11/17/2009
Q: I have just returned from 2 weeks in SE Brazil. I spent the last week in the area of Ubatuba, at ... A: Borachuga is a local name so I cannot tell you what the insect was. Thrtr are insects that deposit ...
Large spider	11/17/2009
Q: My name is Candiece. I am not sure what information you may need to help me identify these strange ... A: You will have trouble finding a photo of this centipede because it is immature. Bleach is not ...
Worm Found in Bathroom	11/17/2009
Q: My name is Candiece. I am not sure what information you may need to help me identify these strange ... A: This is a centipede and a young one. My earlier comments are the same. Make sure things are dry. ...
Worm Found in Bathroom	11/16/2009
Q: My name is Candiece. I am not sure what information you may need to help me identify these strange ... A: This is either a millipede or an immature centipede. How and way they are in your bathroom I cannot ...
Tarantula eating	11/15/2009
Q: So how do Tarantulas actually eat I always thought spiders inject there prey with venom and drink ... A: All spiders eat by injecting venom that liquifies the insect and then ingest the liquid. They do not ...
Yellow Garden spider-Relocate Egg Sacs ?	11/13/2009
Q: We have found 2 egg sacs from the Yellow (and black) garden spider that lived in our small yard over ... A: I am guessing that the spider in question here is the black and yellow Argiope. I also assume that ...
unknown bug	11/12/2009
Q: I am currently stationed in Iraq, and have recently started getting bug bites. The bites are in a ... A: I am afraid that without seeing one of these I cannot tell you much. Bedbugs are the size of apple ...
Two Problems	11/11/2009
Q: Recently we have had bed bugs, we think we have removed most of them. We went from having bites ... A: If you are still getting bedbug bites you have not gotten rid of them and they will return. S for ...
I was biten by a spider and have some question?	11/9/2009
Q: I was bitten on my hand by a spider about Three weeks ago. I've been to the doctor and had the bite ... A: I suspect from the description of the wound that this could be the bite of the Brown Recluse. This ...
Darn bugs!	11/8/2009
Q: . I have been finding bugs in my carpet and just recently found 2 on the bathroom floor. Here is ... A: I guess we have to start over here. Most Rollie Pollies or pill bugs do not ro; up but thes eyou do ...
crickets	11/6/2009
Q: My son doing a project on if crickets like salt or pepper and what it does to them i need help ... A: A cricket would not eat grains of salt or pepper. They may eat salted foods but if it is too salty ...
crickets	11/5/2009
Q: My son doing a project on if crickets like salt or pepper and what it does to them i need help ... A: You probably cannot find out anything about crickets and salt and pepper because it is most likely ...
ID Mysterious bug(s)	11/1/2009
Q: Since I returned from my vacations first to Lake Louise in Canada and then Puerto Rico, I have been ... A: I have been examining the photos carefully and I cannot determine what is involved here. With one ...
ID Mysterious bug(s)	10/29/2009
Q: Since I returned from my vacations first to Lake Louise in Canada and then Puerto Rico, I have been ... A: First of all keep in mind that the problem of biting insects can be solved so there is no reason to ...
I think I have bed bugs	10/28/2009
Q: Ok these bug I been having a problem with for like a month now They are flat, oval shape, little, ... A: These do look like bedbugs. You will have to completely strip the bed and wash all the sheets and ...
teeny tiny gray bugs/ spiders??	10/26/2009
Q: I am having a problem with some kind of spider, insect, or mite and I was hoping for some direction, ... A: I have a problem here because this has become a medical problem. Finding an insect will not solve ...
biting insects	10/24/2009
Q: For the last few weeks my room mate and I have been feeling little sting like bites but there is no ... A: You can rule out bedbugs and spiders because we can see them. I can identify insects only when I can ...
biting insects	10/24/2009
Q: For the last few weeks my room mate and I have been feeling little sting like bites but there is no ... A: When you are bitten but cannot see a bite nor an insect that did it, it occurs to me that this is an ...
LADY BUG or BEETLE BUG	10/21/2009
Q: If this question falls in your area of expertise could you tell me why that in October of each year, ... A: Ladybugs are beetles and some are yellowish. They often migrate in the spring and they will also ...
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: Earwigs do not bite and the pinchers on the back cannot hurt you. With a ping pong ball sized under ...
Insect Bites	10/20/2009
Q: I am concerned about bites I'm getting from what I think are from an insect. I start getting these ... A: First of all let me tell you that I am sorry for your problem. I have gotten many questions from ...
Leaf footed bugs	10/19/2009
Q: I live in Minnesota and have never seen a leaf footed bug until I moved into my dad's house. I keep ... A: These bugs are also called brown stinkbugs. They spend there time on green leaves. they eggs are ...
bug bit that blistered	10/17/2009
Q: my dad and I went to AR. to see my brother, while we were there we both got bit by some kind of bug, ... A: A lot of bugs cause bites like this but without seeing one I cannot tell you what it was. Besides ...
ugly bug	10/16/2009
Q: This bug scares us all to death. It looks to be a cross between a grasshopper and a cricket. This ... A: I will have to see a photo. It could be a jerusalum cricket or they may be long hored beetles but I ...
identification please	10/16/2009
Q: I seem to be swarmed with a coctail of different tiny pests lets say that are slowly eating their ... A: Much of what you say here makes no sense whatsoever. Your bed and appliances being eaten and things ...
Situation, really need your help.	10/15/2009
Q: Okay so i was in class and i had, you know a regular itch nothing serious. I itched it and a little ... A: I hope you understand Christina that without actually seeing an insect I cannot tell you what it is. ...
Science Project	10/15/2009
Q: I'm a middle school student doing a science research project and I was just wondering if you knew ... A: Oddley enough Molly there is a growing concern that nightcrawlers are endangewreing th e forests. ...
crickets	10/14/2009
Q: What are the crickets natural habitat? Do they like living in a place where the moisture level is ... A: There are many different kinds of crickets. They are found in all biomes except the Tundra and the ...
Please help-bug question	10/13/2009
Q: I moved to NYC a month ago. I live in hi-rise bldg that has lots of dogs. I have no pet, plants, or ... A: I think the first thing you have to do is consult a dermatologist to take care of the bites and then ...
black beetle	10/12/2009
Q: I have seen these black bugs in my basement. I looked up a picture and it said they are carabidae. ... A: If they are in the walls you will have to find out how they are getting in and out. Since I cannot ...
My bug escaped!!!	10/12/2009
Q: I wrote you a question last night about the glowing "worm" that I had found. Well, I neglected to ... A: Let me put your mind at ease. This is a caterpillar of course . I have not been able to pin down yet ...
Chilean rose hair tarantula	10/11/2009
Q: My rose hair, "Norman" (Think it's a girl, but whatever) had not eaten for about a month. Then he ... A: You came to the right guy I have had tarantulas for almost twenty years and all but one have been ...
Worm-like bugs killing my trees	10/9/2009
Q: We seem to have an infestation of bugs that are killing our trees. Not exactly sure what kind of ... A: I have seen wooly aphids many times but when I saw them they were concentrated on a few branches. ...
Tiny little white bugs	10/9/2009
Q: I have found 2tiny white kind of see through bugs on 2phones I can't see then anywhere else in the ... A: These sound like either spider mites or psocids (booklice). At this you do not seem to have very ...
Worm-like bugs killing my trees	10/9/2009
Q: We seem to have an infestation of bugs that are killing our trees. Not exactly sure what kind of ... A: I am certain these are wooly aphids. Although they can cause damage to some branches, it is very ...
ID this cocoon please	10/8/2009
Q: These things have been appearing all over the walls in my garage. I live in South Texas. Any idea ... A: This looks like one of two things. Break one open. Is it made of mud or a silky material. if silky ...
caterpillar	10/6/2009
Q: my father has been bitten by a white fuzzy caterpillar with a black line down its back and 4 black ... A: You have described one of the Tussock moth caterpillars. Their bristles contain a toxins and are ...
Brown Recluse?	10/2/2009
Q: Could you please identify this spider? I also have another picture from what the spider looks like ... A: This has the shape of a recluse. It depends upon the presence of a violin pattern on the upper ...
Pet praying mantis	10/1/2009
Q: It is getting colder here in the carolinas, lower 40s last night, I want to do what is right by my ... A: You have a choice to make here. The life span of a mantid in the Carolinas is 10 to 12 months. She ...
bug identification	10/1/2009
Q: I was wondering if you could identify a type of bug that appeared here and there in my old Vancouver ... A: I am afraid that I cannot help you much without seeing these . I believe there were two different ...
interview	9/30/2009
Q: Im a student at Boise state U and I'm writing an ethnography on Entomologists in my english 102 ... A: The biodiversity of insects and the strange behavior of ants No difficulty Nothing Some ...
cave/cambelback cricket	9/29/2009
Q: How do I get rid of the cave/cambelback cricket in my basement. Never had them and about 3 years ... A: If you are sure they are not getting in from the outside yhjey must bre breeding in the house and ...
pottery nest	9/26/2009
Q: A customer at our lodge found this at about 6000' elevation in southeast Utah, Pinion/Juniper ... A: A perfect example of the work of a Sphecid wasp called a mud dauber. Without seeing the wasp I ...
Mites	9/23/2009
Q: I live in California. I was diagnosed with scabie mites. I have done all the treatments including ... A: Scabies is easily treated today. It should not be ruining your life. Have you been treated by a ...
caterpillar 'caravans'	9/18/2009
Q: Last February whilst in Portugal we noticed many caterpillars in 'caravans' of 5.6 or 7 all ... A: These are known as processionary caterpillars and are common in France and Spain. They usually are ...
tiny black bugs	9/17/2009
Q: Walter, for the last few weeks for a day here and there we have noticed tiny black bugs, that are no ... A: I was thinking that if they came in on flowers that they would not have gone and then returned. ...
strange ant behavior	9/14/2009
Q: My question is about some ants in our garage. I live in western Nebraska in a semi-country setting. ... A: We live on ants. They are everywhere and they often do things that are strange to us. But there is a ...
Small Black Insect with 2 Horizontal Red Stripes on My Carpet	9/12/2009
Q: I've discovered a number of very small (but definitely visible) black (glossy) insects, oval-shaped, ... A: I believ this is a n immature beetle of some kind. Unless you see an increase or sa lot of them I ...
Small Black Insect with 2 Horizontal Red Stripes on My Carpet	9/12/2009
Q: I've discovered a number of very small (but definitely visible) black (glossy) insects, oval-shaped, ... A: Fleas are bad enough but fleas and beetles. Without seeing the beetles I cannot be sure. I would ...
Jumping bug	9/10/2009
Q: I was cleaning out a drawer when all of a sudden I heard a slight snapping noise. I looked in the ... A: I think you hava click beetle in that drawer. They have a springlike device on the thorax and when ...
Bugs coming from son's diaper pale.	9/10/2009
Q: I just recently started using a diaper pale after my son turned 1. Almost immediately I noticed tiny ... A: The diaper pail could be attracting these flies. You could try a disinfectant spray in the pail ...
strange bugs that look like moths but dont act like them...	9/7/2009
Q: We live in Phoenix,AZ and for the last few months we have been invaded by this strange moth like ... A: They sound like Indian meal moths. They could be breeding in open dried foods in your cupboards. ...
Mysterious holes/bugs! Sanity at stake!	9/6/2009
Q: I have some mysterious holes in my back yard and can not, for the life of me, figure out what is ... A: I think you may have stumbled on something with info about tiger beetles. Go to this site. ...
Please help identify this garden insect	9/6/2009
Q: Good day, Walter. I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I have two conifers in the garden, and for ... A: This is mysterious and I can't help but think I have seen something like this before. Unfortunately ...
Mysterious holes/bugs! Sanity at stake!	9/6/2009
Q: I have some mysterious holes in my back yard and can not, for the life of me, figure out what is ... A: Now you have me going crazy over these critters. What is the blue color in the photo. And It ...
Mysterious holes/bugs! Sanity at stake!	9/5/2009
Q: I have some mysterious holes in my back yard and can not, for the life of me, figure out what is ... A: Without seeing these my educated guess is that these are digger wasps. They dig a hole and then go ...
FRUIT FLY LIKE BUG	9/5/2009
Q: I RECENTLY FOUND A NEST OF FRUIT FLY LIKE BUGS IN A SEALED PLASTIC CONTAINER OF NUTS. THE CONTAINER ... A: The only thing you can do is discard the infected foods. Then empty the cupboards and use a ...
florescent green bug	9/5/2009
Q: About 35 years ago while I was outside I felt a prick on my leg and when I looked down I saw the ... A: I know of no flourescent green bugs that do this. I can only guess that you were maybe stung by a ...
Spider	9/4/2009
Q: I live in Minnesota and I have never seen a red spider in my life until the other day. It was about ... A: There are a number of species of spiders that are reddish in color including the red house spider. ...
big black bees with white stripes	9/3/2009
Q: i have a weeping willow in my yard that is full of these bees.what can i do to get rid of them? ... A: These sound like baldfaced hornets. They prey on other insects so they may be eating whatever is ...
eggs deposited on scalp	9/2/2009
Q: I am New York City. I'll appreciate any help about where to go for help with this. 1 - worst ... A: The problems you have here are medical problems. No reputable person on the internet would diagnose ...
Sawtooth Grain Beetle	9/2/2009
Q: Well I found out what these awful pests are they are Sawtooth Grain Beetles...I recently wrote you ... A: These beetles are breeding someplace in your cupboards i n dried foods . You cannot ge trid of them ...
LARGE Red eyed flies	9/1/2009
Q: Since Sunday night (it is now Tuesday afternoon) I have killed over 75 of these flies in my home. ... A: Since I am not at the scene I cannot give you much help. There are just too many different kind sof ...
Tiny white flies? Mayflies?	9/1/2009
Q: My husband and I rent an apartment in the Hudson Valley area of New York (Nyack, NY). This summer, ... A: There are many different kinds of white flies that emerge in the summer. These are not immature ...
severe allergic reactions getting worse...	9/1/2009
Q: Hintz: I'm writing out of sheer desperation. I've been living in someone else's home with ... A: You have a severe medical problem which you cannot solve over the internet. You must see a doctor. ...
scavenger flies	8/31/2009
Q: I took a sample to the local extension office and they told me that it was a scavenger fly. It is ... A: The only way you can get rid of flies like this is to find out how they are entering the house. ...
Need help identifying strange insect.	8/31/2009
Q: I live in Orlando Florida. At work today I saw an insect I've never seen before. It was about an ... A: I think you may have seen a female velvet ant called a "cow killer" Velvet ants are really ...
HELP! Small black beetle-like bugs found in NYC apt	8/30/2009
Q: I have found 20+ of these small beetle-like bugs in my NYC apartment. I have found them all over the ... A: This looks like some kind of a dermestid beetle but I could use a better photo or two. Us emy email ...
Small Dark Brown Beetle	8/28/2009
Q: 5mm in length(100 thousandths),Dark Brown in color, very slow moving, somewhat flat, short antenna ... A: If these are collembola the situarion usually gets better by itself. They oftenhave population ...
Garden Bugs	8/27/2009
Q: We have grey or greenish/grey bugs on the plants in our vegetable garden in So. NH. What are they ... A: I cannot identify them from this description since there are many species of garden bugs. Are they ...
i think they're mites	8/24/2009
Q: I've been getting bit for a couple weeks now, and i thought we might just be getting more mosquitoes ... A: They sound like mites. Most mites do not bote but a few do. mites that affect hous emice do. I do ...
spider identification	8/24/2009
Q: I recently visited my friend and she's been complaining about a number of spiders of the same type ... A: This resembles a wolf spider common in homes and usually in basements. They do not occur in large ...
White bugs in cellar	8/24/2009
Q: I found two very small white oval shaped bugs on my wine bottle in my cellar(which are in a wooden ... A: These could be almost anything and without seeing one I cannot tell you what they but I m sure taht ...
spider	8/23/2009
Q: HELP!! My husband saw this spider in our garden and he said that the body was about 3/4 inch in ... A: This beautiful spider is called Argiope. It is among the most beautiful of Gods' creatures.It does ...
Is this some type of fly	8/22/2009
Q: Found this near our horse pens at Pandale. Have not been able to identify it from any picture. ... A: It is a fly then but it does bnot look a botfly or any horse fly. I have not heard from my colleague ...
weird bug	8/21/2009
Q: Some new bug has suddenly started appearing in one of our bathrooms. It is dark brown to black in ... A: Maggot s are the larvae of flies and these are most likly from a single hatching which means that if ...
cocoon/nest & bites	8/19/2009
Q: I live in central Pennsylvania. Last evening I picked up a stick in my yard to use while trying to ... A: My guess is that you came in contact with a caterpillar on the stick. Many of them have extremely ...
bug?	8/16/2009
Q: recently i had a beg bud problem. apparently they got in my suitcase when i was traveling. back home ... A: These are fuzzy but look like some kind of a beetle. Knowing however will not help you get rid of ...
Insect Identification	8/15/2009
Q: I have found a strange insect in my BED. It is light brownish with a translucent quality. It has ... A: Without seeing these I cannot be sure what they are. The "hooks" at the end seem strange. I don't ...
invisible spiders	8/15/2009
Q: A few months ago someone with an exterminator business in Houstan, Texas wrote asking you about ... A: The term invisible spiders refers to tiny spiderlings that because of light color are hard to ...
Bug i.d.	8/14/2009
Q: Can you identify this bug (I think it's a true bug) by picture? Location: garden, Dallas, TX A: This is a cicada. But the only blue ones I have ever seen are found in central america. I am going ...
bug?	8/14/2009
Q: recently i had a beg bud problem. apparently they got in my suitcase when i was traveling. back home ... A: What you are describing are not bedbugs. Without seeing one I cannot tell you what they are. I ...
Tiny black bugs that bite and take blood	7/28/2009
Q: My husband started to get bites on his body that itched, formed a fluid filled dot over the site and ... A: There are a lot of biting bugs so without seeing one I cannot tell you what they They sound like ...
Small black bugs near windows	7/28/2009
Q: I've been going out of my mind trying to get rid of these small black bugs that I keep finding in my ... A: My initial response without seeing one of these is that they could be dermestid beetles. Dermestid ...
strange hovering insect	7/27/2009
Q: I live in Oakland, CA and I have these strange hovering insects on my patio. They look like ... A: There are just too many kinds of bugs that hover around including (believe it or not) bugs called ...
What kind of bug is this?	7/26/2009
Q: I live in north Jersey. We found this bug outside on the front porch, can you tell us what kind of ... A: This interesting insect is a female Eastern Dobson fly(Corydalus cornutus.) They spend most of ...
Query...	7/25/2009
Q: My query is most unusual and I am hoping you will not dismiss my question like most. My situation is ... A: I have had many questions from people with this type of problem. This is a medical problem and not ...
Unidentified Flying Beetle	7/25/2009
Q: I live in Colorado in a second story apartment. Recently, beetle-like bugs have appeared in my ... A: Without seeing one of these I cannot tell you much. With a shell they sound like beetles but beetles ...
Bugs in my Japan home	7/23/2009
Q: Do you have any idea what this bug is? And, if so, how to get rid of them. I live in Hokkaido Japan ... A: This is the larva of a Dermestid beetle. Possibly a carpet beetle or a grain beetle. To get rid of ...
Identify bug	7/22/2009
Q: I will try to describe this bug as best as I can. My dog started chewing on something that kept ... A: This was certainly a hardy bug still alive after b eing chewed on by a dog and dumped ito the ...
Help!	7/21/2009
Q: I live in South East of Florida. I have been getting severe bites from vicious mysterious bugs ... A: I get questions like this at least once a week where somebody is being bitten but no bugs can be ...
giant leopard moth care	7/21/2009
Q: I think I've identified these caterpillars I got from someone, who got them from Santa Cruz, CA, as ... A: I assume they are eating. They will eat a lot of leaves including cabbage anbv dandelions. Some of ...
Small black beetle looking bug ...	7/16/2009
Q: .. I hope you may be able to help my son and I because we're getting infested with these small ... A: These certainly sound like dermestid beetles of some kind; possibly carpet beetles or pantry pests ...
What king of bug is this?	7/16/2009
Q: I work at wendys in allentown. I was walking home from work today and i saw a little bug on my ... A: + Hi Breanna Every day I get requests to identify insects and most of the time I can only make a ...
DEAD BIRD BUGS	7/15/2009
Q: I HAVE AN DEAD BIRD IN CHIMNEY LINER AND CAN NOT GET IT OUT BUGS THAT LOOKS LIKE LADY BUGS BUT HARD ... A: Without seeing these bugs I cannot tell you what they are. I am sure they are not dangerous or even ...
Spider Beetle?	7/14/2009
Q: We live in New York City. My wife has been getting terrible bites (predominantly on her legs) over ... A: This is definitly a sider beetle and all references I have clain that they cannot bite people. They ...
identifying winged creature	7/13/2009
Q: My 6 year old daughter found an egg on the underside of a leaf. We watched the "mystery egg" for ... A: This delicate little critter is called a green lacewing. It was not an egg under the leaf but a ...
Spider in Miami, FL	7/12/2009
Q: I have been looking at the internet for hours trying to find the species of spider I just got off my ... A: It sounds like it may be an Argiope spider. This is a harmless (unless you are a bug) orb weaver. ...
bed bugs???	7/9/2009
Q: !! What a relief to find this site....So let me begin with my story. About one month ago I had itchy ... A: I see no evidence of bed bugs. Bed bugs are not tiny and white. You would have dark spots in the ...
spider identifacation	7/9/2009
Q: For the last two nights this spider, see attachment, has made a lage web hanging from a large oak ... A: This is an orb weaver belonging to the Araneae possibly of the Genus Nuclenea. She is not at all ...
lots of spiders	7/6/2009
Q: I live in MA, and after being away for a few days, I came back to my apartment and ... A: I am confident that you have encountered a group of spiderlings that have hatched while you were ...
Tiny, tiny bug/mite?	7/6/2009
Q: We can't see to rid our house of these tiny bugs/mites. They remind me of the bugs that bite you ... A: This is a Collembola or springtail. They cannot bite. If something in the hous eis bitting you it ...
common house fly maggot	7/6/2009
Q: My son is invovled in a science camp for teens this summer. He is doing a project on the life cycle ... A: All insects require an oxygen supply. Maggots never really enter into the body issues. Even bot ...
Bug Identification	7/6/2009
Q: I have found some small brown beetle looking like brown bugs which fly in my pantry (kitchen) once ... A: Most beetles in the kitchen turn out to be grain beetles. They usually breed in opened dried foods. ...
Japanese bug	7/4/2009
Q: Walter, some friends arrived from Kumomoto, Japan and were speaking of a bug that bites and leaves a ... A: There is no way to identify a bug without seeing it. I have never heard of any insect that bites ...
Grey Oval "Bug" with Shell	7/3/2009
Q: I see someone already referenced this critter, but didn't see a final answer. Oval-shaped, grey ... A: I get this question at least once a week. This is small caterpillar that builds a case to hide in ...
spider control	7/3/2009
Q: How can I get rid of spiders in my home? We have no carpet. All the floors are tiled. I was recently ... A: I know of no way to keep spiders from entering houses simply a spider does not distinguish inside ...
white fuzzy hoppers	7/2/2009
Q: I have what look like triangular leaf hoppers on my outdoor bonsai trees, they have a double white ... A: The identification of the cottony cushion scale was verified by Joe Keiper PhD Curator of ...
spider control	7/2/2009
Q: How can I get rid of spiders in my home? We have no carpet. All the floors are tiled. I was recently ... A: I Am afraid that I cannot give you a satisfactory answer David because we can only get rid of ...
orange&black bugs	7/1/2009
Q: i have found a orange bug with two black dots on it this is the same size as a lady bird but it ... A: There are lady bugs with all kinds of different spots so this could be one unless it is also eating ...
tiny gray bugs	7/1/2009
Q: I have been noticing tiny gray bugs inside my house around my windows and doors. I have also seen ... A: They sound like spider mites. Check closely at your window sills to see if they are coming in under ...
Tiny black bugs.	6/30/2009
Q: we've had a little bit of a bug problem. I first noticed them on our couch in our basement (we just ... A: I believe these are springtails or collembola. They are one of the most common soil insects on ...
bug bites	6/29/2009
Q: My daughter like my mother can walk in the grass and within minutes have ankles covered with bug ... A: Bites around the ankles after walking in grass are usually caused be the larvae of harvest ...
New bug in our yard	6/29/2009
Q: We live in Northern Michigan. We have box elder trees and are very familiar with box elders. This ... A: They sound like nymphs from a Hemipteran (true bug). Possibly stink bugs, plant bugs, or assasin ...
white fuzzy hoppers	6/28/2009
Q: I have what look like triangular leaf hoppers on my outdoor bonsai trees, they have a double white ... A: These do not look like leaf or treehoppers and I have not seen these before. I an consulting a ...
being eaten alive	6/28/2009
Q: My cat brought fleas in the house so I thought. I got pills from the vet for them, set off bombs the ... A: I cannot tell you how often I get questions about bug bites with no visable evidence of bugs. I ...
flies	6/28/2009
Q: We have these small black flies (about the half the size of house flies). They have a jerky flight ... A: There are so many species of flies that look like this that without close examination I cannot tell ...
Bathroom (and possibly more?) bugs	6/27/2009
Q: I've seen other questions you've answered about bugs in the bathroom and I THINK these might be ... A: These appear to be spider mites. They can get in from outside through just about anyplace. They ...
Sandflys (and other sand bugs)	6/27/2009
Q: I was at the beach the other day with several friends and we were discussing how bugs can survive in ... A: A lot of living things are found in sand. You mentioned sandflies and quite a few bugs are called ...
Identify yellow bug with black spots attached to skin	6/25/2009
Q: I live in Illinois and this evening I was outdoors near a wooded area playing sand volleyball with ... A: From the description irt sounds like this was a tick. It looks like you got it off before it got a ...
5" Beetle Found...Cant Indentify..	6/23/2009
Q: Ok I stumbled upon a very large beetle..Made me jump when I first saw it, in fact thought it was a ... A: For some reason I was unable to access the web site you sent so I could not see the beetle. Tell me ...
white mites outside	6/23/2009
Q: location - bergen county nj - very small white mites visible to the eye - crawl around - no jumping ... A: Mites have sporadic population explosions that soo dissapate. They may come back next years or ...
great black wasps	6/22/2009
Q: hi i live in Wisconsin and have found 8 great black wasps in my window and someone in my house has ... A: I usually advice people to treat these problems themselves but sinc eyou have bee allergy problem I ...
Yellowish maggotty worms falling from tree	6/19/2009
Q: I came home the other day to find thousands of little (1/4 inch) yellowish maggot-like worms all ... A: It sounds like you had a hatch of caterpillars from the elm tree.Unless you see lawn damage I do not ...
hello	6/19/2009
Q: umm hi could you possibly help me in finding out how to take care of an assasin bug thank you A: Am I too assume you have an assasin bug as a pet? These re predatory insects and feed on other ...
Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants	6/18/2009
Q: We have had a problem with carpenter ants especially in the ceiling of part of our house that is a ... A: It appears that these exterminators are doing no good but this is not surprising to me. I get at ...
Cockroach	6/16/2009
Q: Would a cochroach survive through a nuclear blast? and if so would it have enough time to keep the ... A: There has always been lot of stories about this with the main idea that in an nuclear war the only ...
identification	6/16/2009
Q: I would appreciate your assistance identifying a bug (I think it is a bug, anyhow), as I cannot seem ... A: From your description I am sure this is the chrysalis of a pupating butterfly. When a caterpillar ...
New infestation	6/15/2009
Q: I have a lot of challenges with identifying this one. It is living in my Flowering Almond Standard. ... A: Unless there is extensive damage to the tree do not get involved with exterminators. Spraying toxins ...
tiny bugs in kitchen	6/15/2009
Q: I have these tiny tiny black bugs, oval shaped in my kitchen cupboards, around cracks in my floor ... A: These look like grain beetles. Remove all foods from your cupboards and look at all opened dried ...
Flying Bug	6/14/2009
Q: I have recently been over whelmed with a new bug i have never seen before. I live in Vancouver BC. ... A: The buzzing and bouncing suggests that these are flies of some kind. If you could catch one sitting ...
tiny bugs in tea	6/13/2009
Q: On 7/24/08 you had a question on tiny bugs in tea. I have the same problem. Have you identified the ... A: The only way to get rid of these is to discard all food and spices where you find them. Pantry pests ...
tiny red insects? and tiny black insects or bugs?	6/12/2009
Q: I live in IN and the last couple of years I have noticed MANY tiny red bugs crawling in a flower ... A: From what you have described I am sure that these are definitely spider mites. Most spider mites do ...
little red flying bugs	6/12/2009
Q: i just got a new swimming pool but can't go swimming because of the little red bugs that showed up ... A: It appears that you need someone to visit your pool to determine what these are and where they are ...
carpet beetles, again...	6/12/2009
Q: Last year I had a very terrible carpet beetle infestation which I suspect came from a lot of used ... A: 1. Have you seen any damage to your clothing or beetles in or on the clothes. If not storing them ...
Eggs falling from Ceiling	6/11/2009
Q: I live in Southern California over the last 2 weeks have had insect eggs fall in batches of 10-20 ... A: I cannot see any detail on these insects but they do look a little like ants. However ant do not ...
Spider Identification	6/11/2009
Q: While trekking in Nepal I came across this spider. Black, 4 dots on its back and striped legs. Any ... A: When I consider black and white spiders I usually think of jumping spiders but in this case I cannot ...
How to eradicate minute black insects which bites & jumps when I try to catch them?	6/8/2009
Q: How do eradicate minute black insects (size of a period/comma) which bites & jumps when I try to ... A: Springtails do not bite so you can rule them out so they only thing I can suggest is that these ...
ants	6/8/2009
Q: I discovered an ant in my yard that seems to excrete a web like strand from its behind. It can ... A: Since ants do not spin silk I believe this could be an ant mimic. Ant mimics are a type of jumping ...
spider identification	6/7/2009
Q: We are in extreme SW North Carolina, at an elevation of 2100ft., in a wooded area. This past week ... A: The largest spiders found outdoors are wolf spiders. I believe this what you saw. As to the bumpy ...
Hard Shelled Brown Beetles	6/6/2009
Q: This past week I started noticing tiny brown hard-shell bugs in our bedroom/bathroom area. The ... A: From seing this photo I can tell you now that is a Spider beetle. Spider beetles are food pests. ...
Spider Identification!!! Am I a Recluse?	6/6/2009
Q: I found this spider crawling around my floor and into my closet... after half an hour of searching I ... A: This is not a recluse. The thorax is not raised in the recluse From what I can see the eye ...
Spider Identification!!! Am I a Recluse?	6/6/2009
Q: I found this spider crawling around my floor and into my closet... after half an hour of searching I ... A: Could you just attach the photo and send it to my email address. I cannot possibly open this long ...
Hard Shelled Brown Beetles	6/6/2009
Q: This past week I started noticing tiny brown hard-shell bugs in our bedroom/bathroom area. The ... A: It looks on the photo like this bug has a snout and taht is why I thought it could be weevil. By ...
carpet beetles, again...	6/5/2009
Q: Last year I had a very terrible carpet beetle infestation which I suspect came from a lot of used ... A: 1. I am not in thee exterminator business and do not know what methods they use today so I cannot ...
tiny grey bugs and large white worms	6/5/2009
Q: ok we recently came home from a week long trip and we came home to find these tiny littly greyish ... A: The grey bugs might have been mites but at least they are gone. AS for the worms they may be fly ...
Spider Identification	6/4/2009
Q: I live in Colorado and I found this small and fuzzy black spider on my wall. I don't think it was a ... A: Fuzzy black and white spiders on walls are almost aiways jumping spiders (Salticidae) There are 500 ...
Tiny Bug Apartment	6/4/2009
Q: I have a completely renovated apartment. I lived here before the renovations and I have never seen ... A: You are right in that it does look like a spider and that is because it is a spider beetle. Spider ...
Mysterious Bug Bites	6/3/2009
Q: I am being eaten alive inside my new home by unknown insects. They bite only during the day and on ... A: Therein lies the problem. It is tough to stop a biting insect when you cannot see the culprit. Try ...
Tiny bug, size of a grain of sand	6/2/2009
Q: Every time we step outside we seem to get swarmed by teeny tiny black/gray crawling bugs about the ... A: Without seeing on one of these I cannot tell you what they are. They could be little critters called ...
Brown Beetle Type Bug	6/1/2009
Q: I have started to find these small bugs. It is a small brown oval shaped bug not visible legs but ... A: I cannot see much detail of this insect but it is definitely a beetle and it does not look like a ...
tiny black mites	6/1/2009
Q: I have been bit by tiny black round mites they are no larger than a poppy seed. This has happened ... A: Biting mites are usually found in conjunction with rodents and birds. I cannot tell which kind you ...
bug? What is it??	6/1/2009
Q: What kind of bug looks like an ant or spider with black body and a big red backeand. They are all ... A: These are hatchlings of the wheel bug, a predatory true bug(hemiptera) They will not harm your tree ...
unkown bug	5/31/2009
Q: I was hoping you might be able to help with an identification of a bug. It was seen once in the ... A: I am baffled by this. First of all 3 to 4 inches is a really large insect. Then I do not know of ...
Night time Bites also	5/31/2009
Q: old daughter and recently she started to get bites on her backside and crotch we suspect bedbugs we ... A: I am sorry Elton but this is a medical problem and there is no way that I can second guess a doctor. ...
wasps and palm trees	5/30/2009
Q: next to our pool we have 2 large palm trees. this season the wasps have taken residence on one of ... A: Not being there to see the trees nor the type of wasp limits my ability to tell you much. I do not ...
Strange bug - can you help me identify?	5/29/2009
Q: We have several of these bugs living under the patio stones in our yard, and have found a few in our ... A: These certainly sound like isopods or sowbugs. All sowbugs do roll up and some are brown. Their ...
Tick, Bed Bug or other?!	5/29/2009
Q: We are moving out of our apartment. I removed the sheets from my bed, did laundry, came back in and ... A: This does not sound like a bedbug and certainly not a tick. it sounds like a beetle of some kind ...
Household Bugs	5/28/2009
Q: I have a small black insect in my home. It looks like a flea but does not jump. It moves real slow. ... A: I believe these are beetles and probably dermisted beetles or grain beetles but unless I see one I ...
Do I have a bug infestation? And if so, what kind of bug is it?!	5/28/2009
Q: Hintz, I've never done one of these things before, but I am getting desperate. I've looked ... A: These could be a species of dermestid beetle or carpet beetle. I wouldn't say you had an ...
bug infestation	5/27/2009
Q: Mr. Hintz, I am hoping you can help me in identifying a pest that has taken up residence in and ... A: You have described bedbugs. They can bite while leaving no evidence of the bite. Pick up a couple ...
black specs biting and itching	5/27/2009
Q: Seems this happens in early spring and in the fall the last few years. I live in Chicago and the ... A: The problem here is that it seems impossible to make a connection between the skin problem and a ...
something biting in home..	5/26/2009
Q: 9 months back in an apartment in louisville ,KY something started biting us in all rooms.We had no ... A: You would not believe how many questions that I get asking for identification of an invisible biting ...
Small Brown Hard Shell Bugs that don't fly	5/25/2009
Q: Over the past few days we have been invaded with small hard shell brown bugs. If they have wings we ... A: There has been a population explosion and such explosions are usually temporary. They sound like ...
Unusual Bug	5/25/2009
Q: We found this unusual bug on our kitchen floor yesterday...I have no idea what it could be. Could ... A: The name soft tick is descriptive. Wood ticks and deer ticks have hard bodies. They usually attack ...
Unidentified Insect/Mite London, UK	5/24/2009
Q: I have this unknown insect/mite just appeared in my house. I first noticed a few of them on my ... A: I believe you are correct in calling these mites Lee. They sound like the non biting spider mites ...
Ants/springtails?	5/21/2009
Q: I have two pest problems. The first is little black ants inside my house (kitchen window/bathroom). ... A: The ones in the back are springtails. You cannot get rid of them except by keeping as dry as ...
Unidentified Bee hangs out on deck	5/20/2009
Q: I have some bees that simply hang out and hover above my deck. Last year there was one, now there ... A: I am quite sure this is a carpenter bee. Examine your wood on the deck carefully. Look for a small ...
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: This is not a black widow.It is harmless. The hourglass on a widow is red and this spider is not ...
black and orange stinging bug	5/19/2009
Q: My son at school Friday got stung by some type of bee or bug he said it was orange and black caused ... A: I can only make a guess here Amy because there is more then one bug of that description that stings. ...
What kind of spiders are these	5/18/2009
Q: These spiders are black and either have a metallic blue/green spot? at one end and a white dot at ... A: #Every once in a while I get more evidence that exterminators do not know what they are talking ...
umm.. what kind of ladybug is this?	5/17/2009
Q: uh. hi! i was wondering, i found a very strange lady bug around my house so i brought it to school, ... A: First of all the picture you drew on Paint is excellent. This is definitely a Ladybird beetle. Most ...
mystery bites	5/16/2009
Q: My 2 dogs also have small red patches on their bodies. As I was closely examining them today I ... A: It looks like this is a medical problem at this point. Have you consulted a Vet. The patches on ...
Rare bug spotted	5/16/2009
Q: Can you identify this bug or know where it has emerged from? I have never seen it until about 2 ... A: This is the house centipede,Scutigera coleoptrata. It is definitely not rare. They are probably ...
Insect bites	5/14/2009
Q: I live in Houston, I'm having problems with insect bites. they are very tiny black flying bugs ... A: There are so many biting bugs that unless I can see the culprit I cannot tell and most bites do not ...
tiny white bugs	5/13/2009
Q: there are tiy white bugs every were they get into the mateial of all my clothing in my ears nose bed ... A: Wow! This seems to be a real problem. The problem is that I have no idea what these could be. They ...
Oak tree	5/13/2009
Q: We have a huge Oak tree in our front yard and have noticed that we have these white bugs climbing up ... A: Since I do not what these insects are I cannot comment. Are they caterpillars? Ae there a lot of ...
regal jumping spiders	5/11/2009
Q: why did my regal jumping spider stop eating, was it the size of the jar it was a mason jar was it to ... A: Spider behavior is unpredictable so I cannot be sur ewhy they often do not eat. But they can go for ...
Large Brown Bug	5/9/2009
Q: I live in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida and found three, inch-sized, maybe a little bigger, flying ... A: Only a few species of roaches fly around so we can rule them out. Your description fits so many ...
Vermont bug	5/7/2009
Q: While removing an old swimming pool yesterday I found a bunch of 2.5 to 3 inch long narrow winged ... A: I have been staring at this photo for days. The green grub is obvious and looks like a Dytiscid ...
roaches	5/7/2009
Q: IF you look at animals such as shrimp, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, scorpions, cockroaches, etc they ... A: WE are not born with attitudes toward different kinds of animals. We learn our fears and ...
Baby Yellow Spiders	5/6/2009
Q: My husband and I were in the backyard and saw what we thought was a mass of moss on our flower pot, ... A: Nice photo. You do not see this that often right after hatching. Thes eare orb weavers and I ...
question	5/4/2009
Q: i was cleaning and happen to look real close to the window sil (which is white) and i noticed really ... A: Small bugs on the windowsill are usually spider mites that have crawled through the crack under the ...
Unknown/Unidentified spider	5/2/2009
Q: This spider was found indoors of a residence in Metro-Detroit, Michigan. In the picture, the spider ... A: I based my identification on body structure an pattern Understand that to make a complete ...
tiny hard shelled bugs	5/2/2009
Q: I live in the UK and have got an invasion of tiny hard shelled bugs that come down into my bathroom ... A: I am sure these are beetles but there are so many that I cannot tell you what kind without seeing ...
springtails	5/2/2009
Q: I have two little ones, and I am afraid that this bugs are going to bite them or cause other damage ... A: Springtails do not bite nor do they jump on people. They try to avoid people. They thrive in moist ...
Please help me ID this bug	5/1/2009
Q: I've been suspicious of bed bugs in my bedroom. I itch like crazy all night, but it could also be ... A: You have not described a bedbug nor seen any evidence of any. You would have distinct red bites. ...
Small black bugs in bathroom	5/1/2009
Q: I found a few of these bugs in my bathroom. Called exterminator then I went on vacation. When I came ... A: First of all stop wasting money on extermintors. I cannot believe an exterminator can charge you ...
what is this?	5/1/2009
Q: I live in the Antelope Valley in Lancaster CA. I've lived here over 15 years and know what kind of ... A: Nice photo. This is a wind scorpion.They are also called sun spiders. It is an arachnid and belongs ...
Mystery spider nest?	5/1/2009
Q: I found a strange looking honeycomb type of nest on my tree that was maybe a few centimeters tall & ... A: I have seen these before. These are probably immature wheel bugs or assassin bugs that have just ...
Unknown/Unidentified spider	4/30/2009
Q: This spider was found indoors of a residence in Metro-Detroit, Michigan. In the picture, the spider ... A: This is a jumping spider possibly of the Genus Phidippus. They are harmless and actually popular ...
Brown stink bugs	4/30/2009
Q: I know that these bugs are not supposed to bite, but I'm seeing a ton of web discussion where folks ... A: Brown stink bugs are plant feeders and suck juices from plants. They are programmed to pierce any ...
unknown parasite that is little and white	4/29/2009
Q: I mail you a sample some time ago and it look fuzz or lint.But I am finding some people on this ... A: I have had samples sent from at least four people with the same problems and I have never been able ...
Tiny dark/redish-brown bathroom bugs; you say are mites?	4/27/2009
Q: I noticed an answer you posted to the question (in the link at the bottom) for someone and it seems ... A: Springtails accumulate in damp areas so they can be controlled by keeping things very dry. As to ...
bugs	4/26/2009
Q: I live a few blocks from the beach. I have an ongoing problem. I see mostly dead bugs around the ... A: I cannot tell you if these are ants or not. Do they look like ants? Anyway knowing what they are ...
moths	4/25/2009
Q: I have always wondered why moths fly in such an erratic pattern. They seem to fly aimlessly, ... A: This is a good question Peggy and one that is difficult to answer. Often when we wonder about ...
iron cross blister beetles	4/24/2009
Q: My back yard and graden are covered with iron cross blister beetles, are they dangerous to my dogs ... A: All blister beetles contain a irritating compound and can cause a problem if ingested. They have ...
tiny red bugs around home	4/22/2009
Q: Hey the past week or so me and my boyfriend have been noticing these tiny dark red mite looking bugs ... A: This is definitely not a bedbug. Bedbugs and spider beetles look nothing alike and if you had ...
Electric/Ultrasound Repellant	4/22/2009
Q: Does electronic pest control work? Below is from the site www.electronicpestrepeller.com: (They ... A: They will work only if, at the same time ,you use pest control methods such as traps, chemicals, and ...
Bugs...	4/21/2009
Q: Haii Mr.Hintz well i came home from school and decided to get on my laptop. i usually stay in my ... A: It is very difficult to identiy animals without seeing them. About all I can do is put them into a ...
BIRD MITES!!!!!!!!!	4/21/2009
Q: Please tell me how we can get rid of BIRD MITES. We have spent THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS trying to rid ... A: To get rid of any population of insects or mites you first have to find out the source. If you have ...
Negro Bugs	4/19/2009
Q: I have an invasion of very tiny beetle type bugs on my plants, especially snapdragons. They first ... A: These are true bugs not beetles. They are har to combat because the suck plant juices rather then ...
unidentifyied flying insect	4/19/2009
Q: I live in Canada and I have seen, a few days ago, one of the weirdest flies I've ever seen. ... A: This is quite confusing. There are no two legged flying insects. From the fuzziness and the clear ...
nature of insects	4/18/2009
Q: it's me again. Your answer to my question was quite helpful, and I just wanted to follow up with ... A: I do not separate life forms on the basis of their place in the ecosystem. All life is connected by ...
Tiny pinhead size bugs	4/18/2009
Q: I live in Columbus, OH in the United States and all around my siding around my doors (front and ... A: From the large numbers and the red stuff my guess is that thes eare mites. Getting rid of mites and ...
insect	4/15/2009
Q: There is an insect in Japan that is referred to as a "dango mushii". Dango means "sweet" (a popular ... A: If it looks like a caterpillar it probably is one but what it turns into I do not know. I found this ...
Praying mantis	4/15/2009
Q: I am hoping you can clarify something about praying mantises for me. I understand that the female ... A: I have observed the female eating the male in the wild. It is important that she does it because as ...
Little black beetles with orange spots	4/13/2009
Q: I am finding these really small black beetles, with what looks to be orange spots, in my bedroom ... A: I can only guess here without seeing on eof these but they could be dermestid beetles or carpet ...
Bugs attraction to Light	4/13/2009
Q: A friend is selling an led light panel for commercial use and is saying they are bug free because ... A: Heat and light are electromagnetic waves and insects are attracted to both. The larger wave lengths ...
Is this a roly poly?	4/11/2009
Q: I can not tell if this is a roly poly, or something else. Can you help me? There is a picture of the ... A: Yes Lauren This is an isopod but this does not look like the roly poly. Pliibugs are isopods that ...
Orange Assasin Bug	4/11/2009
Q: I have orange assasin bugs in my home. I live in central Maryland. Please let me know what I can ... A: The orange assassin bug is not a blood feeder but does prey on invertebrates. They are programmed to ...
in home biting bug	4/10/2009
Q: for the last week or so i have been biting by something, itches to high heaven, the bites just look ... A: You can rule out hives. Hives cause a welt not a bite mark but I still at a loss here. It does ...
tiny Beetles	4/10/2009
Q: For several years now I have been getting a couple dozen or so tiny beetles on my kitchen windowsill ... A: I cannot identy these without seeing one. They could be caroet beetles or small dermestid beetles. ...
black beetle bugs	4/7/2009
Q: We have noticed a small black beetle looking insect in our basement laundry area recently.(in the ... A: There many kinds of weevil. But you mention 2 cm. No weevils are this long. Do mean mm.. Do you have ...
How to live our lives	4/5/2009
Q: (I am not david wood and this is not my e-mail address. I do not own a computer, or have an e-mail ... A: I will agree about indiscriminate killing of any living thing but you must understand that an ...
Something is biting me	4/5/2009
Q: About a few weeks or so I awoke with a few bites on my hand and a few on my foot-both on the right ... A: Since you have not seen any insects I am sure that these are not bites and definitely not bedbugs. ...
Disgusting little black and yellow bugs	4/3/2009
Q: I've been finding little black and yellow striped bugs on my bed. They are about the same size as an ... A: These are probably beetles that most likely do not want to be in your bed no more then you do. Beds ...
kitchen insects	4/2/2009
Q: my name is pearl and i live in Bakersfield Ca. i found a little insect the size of a rice grain, ... A: Only spiders have 8 legs and thes eare not spiders. They sound like beetles. Without seeing one I ...
ANTZ	3/31/2009
Q: OK..I HAVE A HUGE ANT PROBLEMS..I HAVE LOOKED AT PICTURES OF ANTS AND NEVER SEEN THE ONES I HAVE IN ... A: These could be fire ants since they bite or sting. There are commercial lawn care chemicals for ...
narrow hard black bug in So Calif	3/29/2009
Q: For the past few years I am finding a narrow hard-shelled black bug on my patio on occasion, but ... A: This is a ringnecked earwig (Euborellia annulipes). Earwigs are common throughout the US and Europe. ...
Hi	3/28/2009
Q: what does body lice actually look like?Does it look like pimples on your leg?If it does how can you ... A: The lice themselves are small and white. The bite looks like a small red dot and later develop into ...
recurring necrosis -different spots	3/27/2009
Q: In May, 2008, I developed a one and three-quarter inch "necrotic" ulcer that, after several visits ... A: I am not qualified to diagnose medical problems but from a standpoint of invertebrate zoology I find ...
Stink BUgs	3/27/2009
Q: My 7 year old boy has decided since he cannot have a dog or cat or sibling, he can have bugs as ... A: Your son reminds me of myself when I was a boy. I tried to make a pet out of everything. Stink ...
Littl black bug	3/26/2009
Q: I have some little black bugs. They are very small and black with a silver or gray stripe across the ... A: They may be dermestid beetle of some kind. Check all drien opened foods and pet foods as they may ...
House flies- hundreds- on my 3rd floor room	3/23/2009
Q: We have a house in northern Illinois in the country which has been vacant for several months, and on ... A: The sudden appearance of large numbers of flies often remains mysterious. All we know is that need ...
crickets	3/23/2009
Q: We would like to know if we can feed "wild" crickets to our bearded dragon. Is there any possibility ... A: I have a Beardie myself and I only feed him crickets from the pet store. In the wild they eat wild ...
Maggots & beetles	3/23/2009
Q: I have maggots in my kitchen,near food or in it even noodles,I've cleaned my whole kitchen top to ... A: It sounds like you have beetle larvae all right. Beetles do go through a larval stage and some of ...
Insect in apartment, crawling the walls	3/21/2009
Q: Keep finding this kind of bug in my apartment. Crawling on walls in both kitchen and bathroom. It ... A: This sounds like Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede. They are found in amost all houses and ...
Unidentified nest	3/16/2009
Q: There is a nest about the size of 1/2 softball attached to a limb on an oaktree in my back yard. See ... A: It is a possibility that this is a cynipid wasp gall. They are common on oaks but the damage is ...
Pumpkin seed looking bug	3/3/2009
Q: I have recently seen a number of bugs in my house in southern Calif. The cocoon/shell looks like a ... A: These are plaster bagworms a moth caterpillar that builds a little type of cocoon and drags it ...
I know it's a Tarantula, but what is the complete Scientific Name?	3/1/2009
Q: I know it's a Tarantula, but what is the complete Scientific Name? I have the Aphonopelma, but not ... A: Where do you live and did you collect this in the wild. The common tarantula in the US is the ...
large black beetle	2/28/2009
Q: We had a trailer in Haliburton Ont. Cnd . There was a small stream that ran behind the trailer , ... A: These sound like beetles but without seeing one I cannot be sure because there just too man large ...
FLAT GRAY COCOON LIKE BUG	2/26/2009
Q: I’ve found several flat, gray body, oval-ish shaped bugs in my kitchen (the shape of this bug ... A: These are Plaster bagworms. They are moth caterpillars and related to the clothes moth. The ...
centipede....but not...	2/26/2009
Q: I have this bug in my house. Looks like it should belong in the centipede family. less than 1 inch ... A: No photo is needed. You have described perfectly Scutigera, the house centipede. Everyhouse them. ...
Cardboard Infestation	2/24/2009
Q: For many years I have stored empty cardboard boxes, mostly from electronics, on a concrete platform ... A: What state do you live in? I ask because states do not have termites. These could be termites ...
large mosquito-like black flying insect...	2/22/2009
Q: About four years ago, I was asleep in bed and was awakened by something that I brushed off my cheek. ... A: I am sorry arlene that I could give you a definitive answer but this is a medical problem and I am ...
large mosquito-like black flying insect...	2/22/2009
Q: About four years ago, I was asleep in bed and was awakened by something that I brushed off my cheek. ... A: First of all let me say that you my sympathy since I had a Mohs procedure from a skin cancer on my ...
small black bug with a white dot on it's back	2/21/2009
Q: I live in Georgia & about 1 week ago noticed small black bugs with a white dot on its back in my ... A: Without seeing one I cannot be sure but from where they are I suspect they are dermestid beetles ...
A Winter hatch?	2/20/2009
Q: I have seen these bugs before but in small numbers, maybe 1 or 2 at a time. Now for some reason ... A: You can send me other photos but I am sure that these are drone (mail) ants. Mail emerge ...
flying insect	2/19/2009
Q: I found an insect this morning and I have never seen it before. It looked almost like a bee, and had ... A: It looks like we are neighbors. I live in Wickliffe and you are correct in that it is cold. The ...
flies	2/14/2009
Q: I have a large amount of little flies in my basement windows. I have vacuumed them up a few times, ... A: Do they have red eyes? Fruit flies have red eyes. Flies are very difficult to identify. If not ...
BLACK COCOONS	2/11/2009
Q: PLEASE HELP! I HAVE SPENT HOURS TRYING TO IDENTIFY THIS CATERPILLAR. THE COCOONS ARE BLACK AND STUCK ... A: I need a little more information here, hopefully a photo or two. You have described the cocoon , ...
identification	2/7/2009
Q: Could you tell me please the name of this insect? We found a few of them crossing the trial in the ... A: This is definitely a beetle. The trouble with identifying beetls that distinguising the kind ...
unidentified insect	2/7/2009
Q: Any idea what this is? Took it back in summer 2008 on a tree by a canal near Cleeve Prior in Warks. ... A: This is an insect in the Order Mecoptera (scorpionflies) You can see why they are called scorpionfly ...
What is this bug?	2/7/2009
Q: Okay,I have a cat, but I found a black looking bug on him. I, myself, thought it was fleas, so I got ... A: Without seeing one I cannot be positive but they sound like fleas especially around the head and ...
entomology	2/6/2009
Q: I live in South Florida, there are many, many insects stuck on the outside walls of my house. They ... A: They could be some kind of a bagworm. Could you send me a photo waltjh@sbcglobal.net Followup ...
moth	2/4/2009
Q: My son found a caterpillar I believe late august here in Madison,Wisconsin. It cocooned, around ... A: A riker mount is a rectangular box about 8 x 10 x 1 inch deep. it is filled with cotton and has a ...
moth	2/4/2009
Q: My son found a caterpillar I believe late august here in Madison,Wisconsin. It cocooned, around ... A: The eggs laid by the moth will not be fertile since it emerged in captivity and did not mate. I do ...
Black and red bug	2/3/2009
Q: There are these bugs that keep showing up in my mother's house. They're almost like a thin tear drop ... A: Could you give me just a little more information. How big are they. Are they strong fliers. Do ...
Flying insect	2/2/2009
Q: I found this bug at my work in Northern BC on the coast. I have never seen a bug like this and would ... A: These wasps are solitary and nest in tree trunks. They are predators on beetle grubs in tree tree ...
Kitchen cabinet bugs	1/30/2009
Q: How do get rid of these tiny black bugs that are in my kitchen cabinets? They don't seem to be ... A: If they have a hard shell they are beetles. If soft and very small they could be mites. Do you hsve ...
bugs no bigger then a speck	1/27/2009
Q: I have a problem with little bugs no bigger then a speck of pepper (Fine ground). They were first ... A: Without seeing one I cannot tell you what they are. Even if I could identify them it would not solve ...
Bugs in bathroom/kitchen	1/27/2009
Q: Good afternoon - I have been trying to identify a bug that I've been seeing usually in my bathroom. ... A: Boric acid works well with ants. It comes in powder form and get ito cracks easily. I don't know ...
Bugs in bathroom/kitchen	1/27/2009
Q: Good afternoon - I have been trying to identify a bug that I've been seeing usually in my bathroom. ... A: Silverfish are not always silver so you could have them. They are teardrop shaped. you are correct ...
Biting Mite	1/27/2009
Q: At the end of November I went on a trip to South Africa and purchased a cloth pillowcase which I ... A: Go to on eof the universities where is a biology department and see if they have a entomologist. ...
hissing cockroaches	1/26/2009
Q: Our hissing cockroach shed her exoskelton on 12/25/08. She seems to have had problems after molting. ... A: The roach can survive with a partial antenna. If the exoskeleton looks really ready to come see if ...
questionable insect bite (double puncture, one raised more and slightly larger than the other)	1/25/2009
Q: Hintz, back on 11/10/07 Rachel from Toronto, Ontario wrote questioning a possible insect bite. ... A: I checked back to see my reply to Rachel and I must offer basically the same advice that I gave her. ...
Bug Bites	1/25/2009
Q: I've been getting bug bites at night, in my dorm, just this past week. Only on my legs though, and ... A: They do not sound like bedbug bites because of the pus and ants do not leave bites like that. ...
Tiny reddish worms around shower walls	1/21/2009
Q: I've been seeing really tiny reddish (almost translucent) worms inch along the walls around my ... A: It is most likely that these are caterpillars of some kind or drain fly larvae. I think this is a ...
Un-identified Cocoon	1/20/2009
Q: I was wondering if you could identify this cocoon I found on the ground in rural Colorado. When I ... A: This is butterfly chrysalis. The movement means that it is still alive. Put it in a container and ...
Gasteracantha cancriformis	1/19/2009
Q: I'm pretty sure that I've ID'd this spider correctly and I know you said to someone else that ... A: These spiders are indeed harmless. They are hanging around the house because they are finding food ...
catipillars	1/19/2009
Q: Can you tell me the process that caterpillars go through when they break through their cocoon. I've ... A: Most cocoons are made from silk and silk is a protein. When read to emerge the moth secretes an ...
bugs	1/18/2009
Q: I have very small bugs i keep finding in my kitchen drawer, bedroom drawer etc... the ar no bigger ... A: 'These sound like beetles of some kind, possibly grain beetles. To get rid of them you must locate ...
Spiders	1/17/2009
Q: Do you think that a tarantula would be a good pet?? My mom won't even consider it, but I think ... A: I have kept tarantulas for quite a few years now.. I keep them because I conduct hands on science ...
Brasilian pest	1/16/2009
Q: Help! I am living in Braasil and there is a bug invading my house..... or a couple thousand at ... A: From your latest description I am sure these are a species of fly. They could be drain flies or ...
Brasilian pest	1/16/2009
Q: Help! I am living in Braasil and there is a bug invading my house..... or a couple thousand at ... A: It is difficult for me to identify insects without seeing them, especially the very small ones. I ...
Silverfish	1/15/2009
Q: My husband and I remodeled our bathroom three yrs ago and we noticed that we have silverfish. They ... A: Silverfish are found in probably all bathrooms. The other insect you find sound like Collembola. ...
Box Edler removal by freezing	1/10/2009
Q: I have a pretty serious infestation of box elder bugs in my Salt Lake City home. Three years ago ... A: The eggs are laid under the bark of the tree. The larvae need the tree for energy. In the house they ...
Box Edler removal by freezing	1/10/2009
Q: I have a pretty serious infestation of box elder bugs in my Salt Lake City home. Three years ago ... A: I would consider dropping the house temperature drastic and I do not know about the insecticide you ...
What is this?	1/8/2009
Q: My wife found this in he bath tub. It is small enough to fit on the head of a pencil eraser. It ... A: They live in all parts of the world. There are 200 species in N.A. They do no breed in drains and ...
Entomology Volunteering	1/7/2009
Q: Good Morning: My 16 year old son has wanted to be an entomologist ever since he learned the word ... A: Entomology is just one branch of biology. To be an entomologist your son will need a degree in ...
Insects and Sounds	1/1/2009
Q: Do insects (ants in particular) make sounds that we are just to big to hear? If you have seen the ... A: Many insects make sounds that we cannot hear. Ants relay on chemical messengers called pheromones ...
cockroaches	12/29/2008
Q: I have a rental home in Spring Valley Lake Victorville, Ca. My new tenant claims to have seen a huge ... A: There is no such thing as one cockroach in a house. There are wood roaches that live outdoors so ...
brown bug that jumps	12/23/2008
Q: lately i have been finding a bug that is light brown and jumps when i try to kill it. it is not ... A: It is true that they increase in wet conditions. They do not get in through drains. They enter ...
brown bug that jumps	12/23/2008
Q: lately i have been finding a bug that is light brown and jumps when i try to kill it. it is not ... A: I believe these are Collembola or springtails. Collembola are one of the most numerous insects on ...
Spider	12/23/2008
Q: Ok, I really am scared of spiders. I have had the "luck" of being bitten by a black widow and then ... A: Arachnaphobia is certainly not uncommon but it is irrational. There are a lot of things in this ...
Bugs on my kitchen counter tops	12/21/2008
Q: Recently i have found these tiny black bugs that look and move like worms. I first noticed them in a ... A: I am sure that these are larvae, probably beetle grubs. Check all opened dried foods in your ...
bathroom bugs	12/18/2008
Q: i have these little critters crawling in my bathroom they are like little black specs, i think they ... A: It is likely that these are some kind of a small beetle and not dangerous in any way. To get rid of ...
My Scorpion	12/13/2008
Q: My name is Teddy Kesting-Handly and I am also an expert in this category. Now, my question is about ... A: It is difficult to identify a scorpion from a photo but this dot look to me like a Centroides. ...
There are little flying bugs all over my house	12/11/2008
Q: Over the last week I have noticed a lot of little bugs, they look very similar to fruit bugs flying ... A: These sound like they could be Indian meal moths. Look through all your opened dried cereals and ...
bugs and spiders	12/11/2008
Q: I'm considering moving to Hemet CA, Do you know what kind of bugs I might run into especially the ... A: Since I live in Ohio I am not acquainted with bugs in Hemet but they are no different then bugs in ...
A clinician who will just look	12/7/2008
Q: Hintz, I am only in Medina and at age 62 would never have imagined bothering anyone this ... A: I have already stated that no one but me sees this message. As a psychologist I am sure that you ...
Infestation not resolved: possibly microscopic	12/2/2008
Q: I moved into an apartment in a house a couple of years ago that was poorly maintained. I learned ... A: First of all I am sorry for all the troubles you are having. You have consulted two bug experts ...
tiny tiny black jumping bugs	11/30/2008
Q: on the web page the lady asked about the itny black jumping bug i have millions of them allover my ... A: These are collembola or springtails. They occur in huge numbers when it gets moist. They are ...
Unidentified bugs in dining room/kitchen	11/28/2008
Q: I have found three of these bugs recently. I live in Seattle, but recently received a pine table ... A: This insect belongs to the Order Hemiptera or true bugs. They get their energy by sucking juices ...
Bite marks appearing overnight	11/28/2008
Q: I have recently been discovering about 1-2 new bite marks when I wake up every morning. They are the ... A: You have not mentioned seeing bugs and I cannot identify insects that I cannot see so my advice to ...
Nighttime bites - bed bugs not suspected	11/24/2008
Q: After living in my apartment for several years, for the last month or so I have been finding 1-3 ... A: When you have bedbugs you never have only a few. I think we can rule them out. Do you have pets ...
bugs in my kitchen	11/24/2008
Q: I have recently found little brown bugs with serrated edges on the body on the wooden cutting board ... A: First of all I am sure that these insects are no danger to your children. Having exterminators ...
Household Insects	11/22/2008
Q: I occasionally find a single insect in my apartment, and do my best to capture it and release it ... A: It is actually remarkable that you only find one or two bugs. House centipedes are always in houses ...
Booklice problem	11/19/2008
Q: I have a problem with booklice that are living in my attic and falling through gaps around my lights ... A: The bugs are certainly breeding in the attic so the cleanup must begin there. Do you have old books ...
Little bugs.	11/13/2008
Q: For the past 4 days there have been little insects in my room. I don't know what they are but they ... A: They sound like meal moths. You will have to find out where they breeding to get rid of them. They ...
small fuzzy insect	11/12/2008
Q: I found out i have this small fuzzy insect around the house biting at night anywere. i was able to ... A: I will look the stuff over byr you must realize that this has become a medical problem which is ...
small fuzzy insect	11/12/2008
Q: I found out i have this small fuzzy insect around the house biting at night anywere. i was able to ... A: This is mysterious. I am amazed how doctors just pass this off and treat the problem without ...
Golden silk orb weaver spider	11/11/2008
Q: When do the baby spiders come out of the orbs? I have been observing a female spider for several ... A: When they hatch depends upon where you live. If you have a cold winter where you are the female has ...
small black specks	11/10/2008
Q: For several weeks I have been waking up with multiple bites on mostly my legs and then find small ... A: The only insect that I know of that fits this situation is the bedbug but these are too small. They ...
tiny bugs	11/9/2008
Q: I found those tiny tiny tiny bugs in my bathroom. They are sooo tiny almost invisible. They are ... A: I am sure these are Collembola or springtails. They are everyplace there is any moisture. The only ...
Spiders	11/8/2008
Q: We had a furry, black spider with white on it and thick legs and big green eyes in our garage in ... A: I do not know about any green eyed spiders. Jumping spiders can jump but they are very small and ...
Identification of a spider	11/7/2008
Q: I live in southeastern Virginia. We found a spider in our house that looks unlike anything I could ... A: It is difficult for me to identify this spider from the photo.The range of this spider ends in ...
Unknown bites	11/6/2008
Q: My 7 yr.old son and I live in a 3 story building in Northern Ontario (top floor). For the past few ... A: What these are and whether they are causing the problem I cannot tell without seeing them but if I ...
spider	11/6/2008
Q: I attached a picture of a spider below. it bit me while i was sleeping and actually woke me up. it ... A: All spiders have a venom but only widows and he recluse are really dangerous. This spider is ...
house bugs	11/6/2008
Q: I have been finding tiny little brown beetle looking bugs around my house. Specifically in the ... A: To get rid of beetles you must locate the source. Start by looking in the kitchen cupboards in ...
nymph????	11/5/2008
Q: I live in NC, and it has recently rained. My dog found a big bug on the floor. It looks similiar to ... A: I cannot be sure without seeing this. What picture did you compare it with on the net? Can you send ...
stink bugs diet	11/4/2008
Q: i was wondering if u could best tell me how to attract food for stink bugs, as my 7 year old ... A: Wow! a seven year old little girl who keep pet bugs. Marvelous!. If you have The brown stink bug ...
Little white bugs in pet food	11/3/2008
Q: I recently bought a large bag of dog food and put it in a clean 55 gallon trash can, there were lots ... A: I suspect that these are mites but whether they are causing teh dogs problem I do not know. They ...
thin larvae that hangs from my ceiling and "inches" along the counter?	10/31/2008
Q: I have some really thin larvae looking things hanging from my ceiling and window sills in the ... A: H Cal These are plaster bagworms. They are small caterpillars that made a little house to hide in ...
NUTS or am I?	10/30/2008
Q: Traveling thru KS,OK and down to Galveston TX was driving alone and started feeling a buzz in my ... A: You definitely have a problem and it is a medical problem that only a doctor can solve. I am not ...
Giant centipede?	10/30/2008
Q: My dad recently told me a story about when he was a kid. Him and his friends were riding up a ... A: What can I say Kaiya except there are no known arthropods that get to be 4 feet long. My Grandpa ...
Bugs on Stucco walls outside and found one inside	10/26/2008
Q: Walter: I live in central Florida and I found a strange looking bug (I think) on my stucco walls on ... A: This is a plaster bagworm. They are common in Florida. This is a case with a small caterpillar ...
mantids	10/26/2008
Q: I recently caught a green mantid and want to keep it as a pet. I have read about caring for, and ... A: I have held a lot of mantids. If you get your fingers in the folds of the front legs the spines are ...
Assassin Bug	10/25/2008
Q: My children found a bug that my husband and I have never seen and we have lived in SW Indiana all of ... A: The bite from an assassin bug is very painful and she would have felt so I am inclined to think that ...
millipede-like bug rolls into circle	10/25/2008
Q: I live in northeast Alabama, and this fall after rainy days I would find 5-6 1-inch milli or ... A: These small Millipedes always roll into a circle when disturbed. They are not harmful in any way. ...
Spider	10/24/2008
Q: I found a spider in the backyard and over the past couple of days have noticed more and more of them ... A: Wow Anna! Great photo. This is a spiny backed orb weaver with the scientific name Gasterocantha ...
Spiders	10/23/2008
Q: I sww alot of spiders guarding their egg sac now that the weather is getting colder. I am sssuming ... A: Many spiders spin a silken cacoon to hibernate in during the winter and some die. It depends up on ...
ID strange insect	10/23/2008
Q: I searched Google for hours to find an image of this insect, we have no idea! Found in some clothes ... A: I am leaning towards a rove beetle larvae but I will consult a colleague on Monday. Is this a ...
ID strange insect	10/23/2008
Q: I searched Google for hours to find an image of this insect, we have no idea! Found in some clothes ... A: This is quite strange. It resembles an aquatic larvae bit you found it in dry conditions so I think ...
weevils?	10/23/2008
Q: We have an extremely clean house and discovered very small, ligth brown/tan bugs in our kitchen ... A: I am sure these are grain beetles and they are still breeding in the dried foods. Check all foods ...
tiny red bug	10/21/2008
Q: Can you help out? I was walking in the wood, more precise, in Quebec, Canada and suddenly I add over ... A: Ticks remain on the skin unil they finish the blood meal. The mouth parts and head are buried under ...
rove beetle ?	10/21/2008
Q: i live in ireland and literally 10 minutes ago in my hallway i killed what seems t be a rove beetle. ... A: Without seeing these beetles I cannot tell you what they are but they do not sound like rove ...
tarantula hawk	10/18/2008
Q: I just moved to the foot hills below Yosemite National Park. Immediately I noticed an excessive ... A: We do not have this wasp in Ohio so I do not know a lot about them. I do know however that nature ...
Can you identify this spider?	10/17/2008
Q: I took the attached picture several weeks ago because I thought the web was particularly ... A: This beautiful spider is one my favorites. It is the Argiope. It is the only spider that makes that ...
puss caterpillars	10/17/2008
Q: my 6 yaer old daughter who is an up and coming entmologist just learned that the puss caterpillar is ... A: Next to the saddleback caterpillar the puss caterpillar is probably the worst.. Spraying the bushes ...
Could you identify brownish-black flea like insects attracted to my screens and foilage?	10/15/2008
Q: We have flea-like insects that are attracted to my screens mostly on the North side of my house. ... A: I really would have to see these . There are too many insects taht fit this description. Can you get ...
Tiny brown bug	10/14/2008
Q: We've suddenly discovered these extremely tiny brown bugs (no word of a lie - literally hundreds) ... A: I cannot identify these without seeing them but they like mites. I do not know what state you live ...
madagascan hissing cockroaches	10/14/2008
Q: i've got 2 males as pets and think they make excellent pets. needless to say, i don't know many ... A: I have kept hissing roaches myself. They are extremely interesting and I use them for teaching ...
options	10/10/2008
Q: im year 9 and about to take my options. If i want to be an entomologist should i try and take as ... A: Absolutely Esther; Read everything you can get your hands on about insects and other invertebrates. ...
mantis	10/10/2008
Q: A mantis had been hanging around our garage door for a week, and then died. Upon close inspection, I ... A: All living things including insects are subject to infections and invasion of parasites. The ...
Larva ?	10/9/2008
Q: Hintz, Being a relatively recent transplant to Oklahoma from California I have seen many new ... A: OK I found the previous question. No need to send it again. The fringe on them makes me change my ...
bugs in the body	10/9/2008
Q: My daughter has been getting what looks like small bites on different parts of her body. last ... A: You have a medical problem. Without seeing an insect we cannot come to any conclusions I can ...
praying mantis	10/6/2008
Q: I know a praying mantis CAN bite a human, but will they? If so, can it cause a great deal of harm? ... A: I have handled mantids plenty of times and have never been bitten. They can give a slight pinch ...
Weird bug	10/5/2008
Q: I found some of these weird bugs at home. I'm from Argentina. And they have a white diamond-shaped ... A: This is a bagworm. These are caterpillars that build a little house to drag around with them. They ...
Gray with orange spots flying beetle	10/4/2008
Q: What is this insect, does it bite? why doesn't bug spray kill it? A: For some unknown reason I cannot enlarge this photo. Could you resend it to my email addess ...
No-See-Ums	9/30/2008
Q: For the past 4 months, I've been getting bitten by an invisible insect in my apartment that I ... A: I just do not know what to say Cynthia with two exterminators and a dermatologist involved and no ...
paper nest of yellowjacket	9/28/2008
Q: I recently identified a paper nest of a yellowjacket hanging on my house. I read that only the queen ... A: First of these are not yellow jackets but bald faced hornets. Yellow jackets nest in the ground. It ...
Juvenile Black Widow spiders	9/28/2008
Q: We are in the midst of a spider infestation inside and outside our home. We have regular pest ... A: First of all I see that you have found that paying pest control companies is a waste of time and ...
Itching like mad.	9/28/2008
Q: I am freaking out about bites I've been getting in my apartment. Haven't yet been to a ... A: The problem is that this is one of those problems where there are bites with no biters present so ...
gnats	9/27/2008
Q: Here is a question that came up one night We were talking about bugs someone asked if a gnat has a ... A: Insects have an open circulatory system and the blood is the body fluids so a pump (heart) is ...
Beneficial insects	9/27/2008
Q: Is there any way to increase ones population of lightning bugs and dragon flies? ANSWER: Hi Roy ... A: Dragonflies will attack almost all flying insects. Only larval Fireflies are predators feeding on ...
spider identity	9/26/2008
Q: Saw a 1 1/2 inch spider in my flower garden. It was black with yellow wing-like markings on its 3/8 ... A: J. This sounds like the black and yellow Argiope. Does it have a jagged line in the center of the ...
Becoming an Entomologist	9/26/2008
Q: My friends 13 year old son would like to become an Entomologist when he gets older. Are there any ... A: He will probably not be able to take entomology course until he enters college but he can prepare by ...
Can you help me identify this insect?	9/25/2008
Q: I live in Orlando, FL, and my husband came across a giant bug this morning (Sept. 25). Its body ... A: This an insect called a Ranatra or water scorpion. They spend most of the time in the water but ...
Beneficial insects	9/25/2008
Q: Is there any way to increase ones population of lightning bugs and dragon flies? A: No. Changes in insect populations follow environmental changes. To increase the populations of ...
Tiny white insects in bedroom.	9/25/2008
Q: I was hoping you might be able to advice me on a problem that has recently come up. I have started ... A: It is quite posible that these are book lice. They feed on the glue in book bindings and on fungi. ...
White larvae/small brown beetles	9/24/2008
Q: I have several eye pillows filled with buckwheat seeds that I use to sleep with. Yesterday, I found ... A: I an sure these are dermestid beetles. They feed on organic materials like the seeds in the ...
pillbugs "rollie pollies"	9/22/2008
Q: The last two days I have found "rollie pollies" in my bedroom carpet. They look to be fully grown ... A: You cannot get rid of them until you discover how they are getting into the house. Do you have a ...
black widow piders?	9/21/2008
Q: Here recently I noticed spiders in my house that I think may be black widows, but I'm not sure. They ... A: These do not sound like widows. Black widows have a red hour glass on the abdomen and they never ...
Solpugid ???	9/20/2008
Q: Last night while half asleep I slapped something crawling on my cheek and immediately felt what I ... A: This does indeed sound like a wind scorpion (solpugid) They are quite common in desert areas where ...
insect identification	9/20/2008
Q: I have found this insect with pinchers...this beetle like bug digs a funnel in the dirt to trap ... A: This remarkable insect is the larva of an ant lion. It is often called a doodlebug. There are a ...
Help identifying an insect.	9/20/2008
Q: My name is Kendall Gordon. I live around Portland Oregon. The other day my brother and I found a ... A: This is the caterpillar of the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. If you still have it put in a ...
bugs in the bathroom - black or grey	9/19/2008
Q: I have a dry composting toilet and it works wonderfully with sawdust. For a year there has been no ... A: The photo is quite blurry but this looks like a beetle of some type. I am not acquainted with this ...
stinging ants in Vancouver, Canada	9/19/2008
Q: There are ants in our lawn that sting. They are smaller than the usual black ants we see here, and ... A: It is a natural insecticide and your dog will not mess with fire ants more than once. Look for the ...
presurving a black widow spider	9/17/2008
Q: i was bitten around a week ago and we used raid to kill it and it is fully intact in a jar where can ... A: You can preserve it in alcohol. Rubbing alcohol will do. I do not know of any commercial ...
small worms with black heads and silky string	9/17/2008
Q: I have found very small (measured in mm's and not inches) brown worms with black heads that are ... A: Since they are wormlike and make silk they are caterpillars and probably the larvae of some kind of ...
Black Widow	9/16/2008
Q: I have captured two Black Widows, both appear to be female, but I was wondering about the eggs. Our ... A: Tell your boyfriend to get a rose hair tarantula. They are available at most pet stores for under ...
Black Widow	9/16/2008
Q: I have captured two Black Widows, both appear to be female, but I was wondering about the eggs. Our ... A: If the spiders are laying eggs they have already mated. They only mate once and the eggs are ...
spiders in my bed	9/16/2008
Q: So basically whats going on is that I have bites on my arms and legs... not many and I thought there ... A: I do not know what this is. Send me the picture (walthg@sbcglobal.net) I think I can safely sat ...
help	9/15/2008
Q: i was wondering if you could help me, my room is in the attic of my house and i have been noticing ... A: First of all silverfish are harmless. They are hard to get rid of. They hide in walls and around ...
Honey bees	9/14/2008
Q: do honey bees feel pain after stinging you - when they are dying ? A: This is a good question with no good answer but it is very unlikely. Pain is a defense mechanism ...
bold or regal jumping spiders	9/13/2008
Q: Hey, I have a bold or regal (not sure) jumping spider it is about 1/10 inch. It eats fruit flies ... A: My first was a Mexican red leg but they became harder to get and quite expensive. They were being ...
Fireflies	9/11/2008
Q: I have just returned from a small village on the Volga River about 200 kilometers north of Moscow, ... A: I do not know about the legality regarding this but if fireflies are not already there transporting ...
caterpiler	9/10/2008
Q: hey i have found this weird caterpillar i need to now if it is vinous it has lots of yellow bot's i ... A: This is the caterpillar of the balck swallow tail butterfly. When in danger from another insect or ...
tiny red bugs in shower	9/10/2008
Q: I live in Louisville, KY and for the past few months I have continually found little red bugs in my ... A: They sound like Collembola but the red makes me wonder. But knowing what they are will noy get rid ...
yellowjacket population	9/9/2008
Q: I am doing research on the yellowjacket population this year (2008) in the Atlanta region of ... A: I have not heard of a population increse but tere could be in your local. Here in Ohio I have not ...
Do baby cicadas have ears?	9/7/2008
Q: That's my 8-year-old son's question about the nymph stage of a typical cicada. My guess is that they ... A: Well an ear is something we hear sounds with. Many insects especially those that make noises can ...
bugs in tea	9/7/2008
Q: I read that someone wrote you about tiny bugs found in tea bags. I am wondering if anyone sent you ... A: Some species of beetles get into tea and spices especially if the tea has been around a long time. ...
flying bug...never seen	9/6/2008
Q: I live in Ft. Worth,Texas and when we moved into this house we started seeing this flying bug. It ... A: One pair of wings tells me this is a member of the order Diptera (flies) but there are so many that ...
"pin hole" bleeding bite	9/6/2008
Q: Mr. Hintz, Last night while watching TV my husband and I kept getting bit by mosquitoes, as we live ... A: It looks like some kind of a bug that secretes an anti-coagulant was the culprit but I do not know ...
Behavior of insects	9/6/2008
Q: Why light attracts insects so much? I've been very curious to know the answer. I'd be very glad if ... A: Briefly it has to do with reproduction. Why questions belong in the area of evolutionary biology. ...
Spiders!	9/4/2008
Q: Hey Walter, My roommate and I just moved into a new apartment and outside our patio door there are ... A: First of all Ashley I can tell you definitely the recluse is not found in Ohio. even if there was ...
bites of some sort	9/4/2008
Q: i have bites all over my stomach.this is the 3rd time an outbreak has happened each time it seem ... A: Unless we see something biting you it is difficult to name the culprit. I can tell you that these ...
big problem	9/2/2008
Q: my family has been getting stings or bites from a insect and we don't know what it is ....could you ... A: This one really puzzles me. If a bee of some kind it would not be constantly stinging someone and ...
Tiny, reddish brown bugs	9/1/2008
Q: I am really hoping you can help. I saw a posting from a woman named Betty, with very similar ... A: These sound very much like a group of insects called Collembola. They thrive in moist conditions. ...
Bugs in my kitchen!	8/31/2008
Q: I've been seeing tiny little black bugs on top of our fridge for a month or so. I'd kill them when ... A: These are beetles and look like dermestid beetles. Since you saw larva they are breeding in the ...
Flying bug that eats spiders?	8/31/2008
Q: We have quite a few spiders at our front door which we usually feed insects to if we see them not ... A: I suspect it was a mad dauber wasp. They put spiders in their mud cells as food for the developing ...
reddish-brown and black striped spiders in Nassau County, NY	8/31/2008
Q: My husband and I just moved from Queens, NY to Nassau County and are discovering the "interesting ... A: You have described the "good Guys": Orbweavers of the Genus Araneus. I have them all over my deck. ...
Rash from a caterpillar	8/30/2008
Q: I brushed it off and immediately felt a burning/itching sensation. Washed the area and now the next ... A: I am not acquainted with this caterpillar nor can I find any reference to the Genus. Is there ...
Mass Hatching of ??flying ants??	8/30/2008
Q: I have just witnessed an absolutely stunning specticle. Thousands of small, 1/2 inch, flying insects ... A: These were drone or male ants. Periodically there is a mating ritual whereby the queen leaves the ...
hopping insect in basement	8/29/2008
Q: We've recently discovered numerous light coloured insects in our basement. They have long back legs ... A: These do sound like Orthoptera.(crickets and geasshoppers) It seems that you have had a hatching in ...
There is a new bug in my home and i would like to know more about it.	8/28/2008
Q: I don't know what it is, but my sister found one at grandma's house in a non carpeted room, and my ... A: I ca see that if you hate bugs you would hate this one. This I believe is a house centipede( ...
giant mystery bug with wings	8/26/2008
Q: Last year around this time, I saw a giant dead bug with wings. I've attached a picture. I have ... A: This is Corydalus cornutus, the Dobsonfly. It is a male adult. It is an aquatic insect and the ...
Midges	8/26/2008
Q: I have a problem with midges that I cant find any information to help solve. My new home attracts ... A: Its is a buggy world and midges are often part of it. The larvae develop in water and then emerge ...
small grey, hairy caterpillar	8/25/2008
Q: Around my horse barn there are a bunch of small 3/4" caterpillars. I see them mostly on the floor ... A: There are just too many kinds of caterpillars for me to identify without seeing one. Most hairy ...
Strange critter...	8/24/2008
Q: Walter, I have seen a few of these interesting critters on my ranch in the middle of nowhere in the ... A: This is an adult male western dobsonfly (Corydalus cognata). It is common in Texas and is an ...
Spider mud cacoon or wasp mud cacoon?	8/23/2008
Q: I live in Scottsdale Arizona and I found a sealed mud cocoon about an inch long and the ... A: This was the mud cell of the mad dauber wasp and the spiders were victims of the wasp. The wasp ...
i need to find a local ento	8/22/2008
Q: I'm trying to find an entomologist ASAP in the Portland, Oregon,(or surrounding areas) or Vancouver, ... A: I am in Ohio so do not not know about biologists in Oregon. I suggest you first check with the ...
mystery bug	8/20/2008
Q: I recently found this bug flying in my garage. I have never seen anything like this before. The ... A: This is the giant Ichneumon wasp. The tail is the ovipositor. It locates bower (beetles)tunnels in ...
New name for old spider?	8/20/2008
Q: Could you tell me what type of spider a Thanatos Flavidus Simon spider is? This type of spider was ... A: Information on this spider is hard to locate. It has been called the Bedbug spider but I do not ...
tick ?	8/19/2008
Q: Several ticks (??) are getting into my bathroom each day - they have 8 legs, black, about 0.5cm and ... A: The thing that confuses me here is that the fact that there are eight legs.Only spiders, ...
bugs found in my koi pond	8/18/2008
Q: I was just in my pond cleaning and when I got out I had about 10 small flea like bugs on my legs. ... A: Were these flying insects that got on you after you left the water of flying bugs that you picked up ...
tiny bugs that jump in my bathtub and countertops	8/17/2008
Q: I have noticed these tiny brown bugs in the sinks and on the countertops in my bathroom and kitchen. ... A: The exterminators who cannot identify an insect never cease to amaze me. They are supposed to know ...
identify an insect	8/15/2008
Q: There is an insect that looks like a very large bumble bee that burrows into the ground. I have ... A: I believe these could be Cicada killer wasps. They are not harmful to people (unless you try to ...
insect nests	8/13/2008
Q: found 3 cylindrical,perpendicular and attached tubes on the siding of my house which is cedar. ... A: It is most likely these are the nests of mud dauber wasps. They cause no damage to the house. The ...
small biting insects in Central NJ	8/13/2008
Q: We are being infested it seems by a small black flying insect that bites like mad. I go out into my ... A: I am sure these are biting gnats. They are almost impossible to get rid off unless you find out ...
insect	8/12/2008
Q: there this red and black bug it looks like an ant but bigger its black and red and it looks like ... A: This sounds like a velvet ant also called the cow killer so named because there is a myth that it's ...
Spiders attracted or repelled by color	8/12/2008
Q: Our house has been painted a green (actually a blue green) for the last 30 years and I have had ... A: Little is known about a spiders response to color. Spider mites respond to colors at the ultra ...
pets	8/12/2008
Q: i'm considering purchasing a pet. my problem is im always afraid of injuring or not providing an ... A: During my life I have had just about every possible pet and I have had Rosehair tarantulas for the ...
worms in carpet	8/11/2008
Q: This is the 2nd time I have stayed in a motel that has what appear to be white/cream colored worm ... A: This a complete mystery to me. They must be larvae of some sort and why they would be in two motels ...
pray mantis	8/9/2008
Q: how do you take care of a pray mantis? i just got one. what should i feed it?and can you hold them ... A: You cannot really care for these insects. They have to catch live insects. The females are larger ...
Millipede species and sex differentation	8/8/2008
Q: I am a graduate Zoologist from Newcastle University. I know that Millipedes are not insects but both ... A: Are these the African Giant millipedes that are kept as pets? You can sex the millipedes and that ...
Help!!! Weirdest spider found...	8/8/2008
Q: I found what appeared to be dirt in my closet floor and dried dirt on the wall at the door of my ... A: You found a nest from a solitary wasp. The wasp builds a cell and stings spiders then places them ...
Tiny black beetles	8/8/2008
Q: Over the last few days we have noticed more and more tiny black beetle-like critters all over the ... A: There are just too many kinds of beetles that are small and black for me to identify but knowing ...
Flying Insects in Nashville, TN	8/8/2008
Q: I was recently in Nashville, TN at a place called at Nashville Shores. It is a water slide park that ... A: These were Cicada killer wasps. They dig a hole in the sand and sting a large insect (usually a ...
Camel Spider	8/7/2008
Q: I was wondering about a type of spider, is the camel spider in any sense real? If it is what damage ... A: Yes they exist but forget all the hype you have seen or heard about these arachnids. You probably ...
MYSTERY BEE	8/6/2008
Q: Lately i have noticed some very large insects buzzing around (ecspecially around my porch light at ... A: First of all Rose, these hornets are only found in Asia. Secondly they are no more dangerous that ...
bug question	8/6/2008
Q: well the question that I have for you is about a bug of course. I work at a welding company that is ... A: This sounds like a Dobsonfly. The males have huge pinchers that are used in mating. These insects ...
flying ants??	8/3/2008
Q: so i just moved in to this basement suite in vancouver bc, and i have noticed ALOT of ants. not just ... A: You can send a photo to waltjh@sbcglobal.net Drone (male) develop wings periodically but do not ...
bug bite on toddler	8/2/2008
Q: my toddler has a bad reaction to any bites. they swell really bad, get hard & hot to the touch. once ... A: I do not know what bit your child but it makes no differenc as the problem is a medical one and ...
sow bugs?	8/2/2008
Q: We have hundreds of little itty bitty (what look like to me) very very smal sow bugs in all our ... A: They can crawl under the window crack. Wipe them up and roba bar of soap on the sills and into the ...
Collecting	8/1/2008
Q: My son is working on his insect study merit badge for Boy Scouts. One of the requirements is to ... A: I assume he has some insect pins. If not he will have to get some. For really small insects he can ...
cow killers	7/31/2008
Q: How do you get rid of them? Thank you A: Velvet ants will invade beehives and the attack bumblebee nests. What is your situation regarding ...
Pet Chilian Rose Tarantula	7/31/2008
Q: I have had a pet Chilian Rose Tarantula for about the past four years. I bought him from a shop when ... A: I have had Rose hairs for the past few years. I would say that it is not normal for one to stop ...
june-fly	7/28/2008
Q: I found a bug like the one in the picture. (copy and paste the address from below) I found on ... A: The picture you sent is that of a Cicada commonly called a 17 year locust. They very from black to ...
I think it is some kind of a little black moth	7/28/2008
Q: All of a sudden about a week ago, my daughter discovered she had many little black moths in her ... A: They could be meal moths. Check you cupboards. Look in all opened dried foods. They may be getting ...
bugs where dog lies down	7/24/2008
Q: Yesterday we noticed tiny bugs on the carpet where our dog sleeps in two different rooms and also on ... A: This is the second tick question I have gotten in the past week. The other people sent me photos and ...
Tiny Brown Bugs in Tea	7/24/2008
Q: I know you already answered a similar question, which is how I found this website. In your answer, ... A: You can certainly send some of them to me at the address below. I suspect they are some kind of a ...
fly ID	7/23/2008
Q: I have a shop on the ocean breakwater, in Eastport Maine. The building was built to allow the tides ... A: There are so many species of flies that without seeing them I cannot tell you what kind they are. ...
tiny black bugs	7/18/2008
Q: Two days in a row I found tiny black bugs where my dog was previous laying. They are seed like ... A: Your dog is indeed hosting parasites. These are ticks and they look nymphs engorged with blood. ...
Acarus siro - how to kill	7/16/2008
Q: I accidently left bread in a bread bin before going on holiday. My kitchen is now covered in ... A: MY guess is that the bed bin was the source and if that is cleaned up they decrease in number. ...
Tiny brown insects that jump	7/15/2008
Q: I was wondering if you might know what the type of bug I am having tons of issues with? It is a ... A: These are not mites. Mites do not have antennae and they do not jump. These are springtails or ...
biting or sting insect	7/10/2008
Q: I live in Denver Co. I was bitten by a very small bug. It was about the size of a large matchhead. ... A: I am afraid that with the information you have given I cannot identify this insect. Giving it a ...
Larvae (?) in my new backyard pond	7/5/2008
Q: Last summer I had built two small backyard ponds and they are connected with a 10' long creek/small ... A: 1. These certainly sound like blackfly larvae especially since there are biting flies around. 2 ...
canadian tiny black bugs	7/5/2008
Q: do you know the name of these tiny black bugs that flourish in the grass, and when get under skin , ... A: The only parasites that I know of that lay eggs under the skin are Botflies but they are not small. ...
golden metalic egg clusters	7/5/2008
Q: My mesculn and bib lettuces have a lot of golden metallic colored egg clusters on the undersides of ... A: I did some research on these eggs. Squash bug eggs can have a golden cast to them. But squash bugs ...
shed skins	7/4/2008
Q: I have found shed skins of some kind of insect. Would you know where I could get them looked at? ... A: Bed bugs do not shed skins in laundray baskets. They are most like larval skins from dermestid ...
edible flies and spiders	7/3/2008
Q: I am a performance artist living in Brooklyn, NY. I need to swallow as many as three spiders and ... A: Obviously you should avoid highly toxic spiders such as the widows and violin spiders but that is ...
catalpa worm	7/3/2008
Q: I plan to harvest my worms. How long and how do I keep them alive? A: I assume you are talking about the larvae of the Catalpa Sphinx moth. Eventually they will pupate ...
baby spiders	7/1/2008
Q: I live in Northern New Jersey, in a pretty populated suburb. We have these little baby (i am not ... A: These are just spiderlings and they are harmless. All you can do is vacuum them up when you see ...
infested trailer house with four year old	7/1/2008
Q: I'm not sure exactly what to ask about first because there are so many bug problems in my trailer I ... A: Good Gosh Martin. It is almost like you are living out of doors on top of an ant hill. I do not of ...
Tiny jumping bugs!!	6/29/2008
Q: I read a response from you regarding another person's problem with these tiny jumping bugs...it was ... A: I do not know for sure if you have collembola (sprintails) but it sounds like it. You have asked a ...
Flying insects that bite in the Pacific NW	6/28/2008
Q: I'm in a quandary! I thought I was familiar w/ every insect known to man, but this one has me ... A: I too am in a quandary here Twila. This sounds like a thrip but the bite of a thrip is not nearly ...
I've been finding dying caterpillar's on my porch?	6/28/2008
Q: I find them at night. They seem to have crawled up from my small area of grass, once they make it ... A: It is difficult to say what is killing them. Have you used any chemicals on your lawn lately? I ...
Bugs in my car	6/27/2008
Q: I have an infestation of what I now believe may be drugstore beetles in my car. I have a 2.5 year ... A: This is the first time I have heard of an infestation in the car. They are surely beetles but what ...
White Bugs in my dog's water bowl	6/27/2008
Q: I've been trying to find out what these little white bugs in my dog's water bowl are. Everything ... A: They would not be fly larvae (maggots) as they would not be in water. Are they under the water or ...
bed bugs	6/25/2008
Q: I was watching tv when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I got the bug and quickly ... A: Did you find it in the bed? Are you sure it is a bedbug? Do you have any bites? If so it is highly ...
Desperate for answers (bugs)	6/21/2008
Q: I have had a problem with bugs since last November. I just heard today from the Orkin man over the ... A: Mites can enter under a window crack. Rub the sill with soap and into the crack. The soap repels ...
Backswimmer Problem	6/21/2008
Q: Okay, I understand that you are probably a bug lover, but I have a real problem with backswimmers ... A: I know of no way to keep backswimmers out of a pool. Extra chlorine might but the increased ...
Desperate for answers (bugs)	6/20/2008
Q: I have had a problem with bugs since last November. I just heard today from the Orkin man over the ... A: You seem to have insurmontable problems. The one you can see sound like mites. Do you hav ethem on ...
possible insect bite to hand	6/18/2008
Q: I woke yesterday to my right hand (from ring finger to thumb) swollen and red. I don't see any ... A: Whenever somebody has a mysterious bite it is concluded that a spider did it but spiders do not roam ...
white/brownish flat bug	6/18/2008
Q: Over a period of several years, I have noticed we have crawling on walls white/brownish/grayish flat ... A: It sounds like the plaster bagworm. They are moth caterpillars in a silken case and are often in ...
Do I have bedbugs or something else?	6/16/2008
Q: I have a lot of skin allergies and problems, so I often have skin irritations and get rashes from ... A: I think we can rule out ticks, fleas,stinkbugs and moths.. Bedbugs leave a distinct red mark, not a ...
bugs,tiny red ones	6/15/2008
Q: I live in Yuma,Az. Very hot here, 100 to 110 at this time. In a shaded area I have a worm box. ... A: These sound a lot like velvet mites. They are common soil organisms. They do not attack people but ...
bristletails	6/15/2008
Q: I have seen some almost transparent and some are darker in color in my house. What do they eat and ... A: I assime you are talking about silverfish and I have no good news for you. Silverfish are common ...
flies in scalp	6/15/2008
Q: I have a friend,who for several months now has been loosing hair on one side and directly on ... A: I wish I could help but if dermatologists who have actually examined your friend cannot arrive at ...
Flying Insects	6/4/2008
Q: In the past 3 weeks I have noticed these black with red on the body and wings in my back yard.They ... A: I am sre these are beetles and as I said they sound like box elder bugs. Do you have a maple tree or ...
weird spider thingy	6/4/2008
Q: i was wondering if you could shelp me id this strange insect. i live in flagstaff arizona and i was ... A: There is a type of a nematode worm that develops in the intestines of grasshoppers and crickets. If ...
Unable to identify spider/insect	6/4/2008
Q: I'm hoping you can help me. I've found very small, spider-like insects (~2-4 mm)in my home, usually ... A: If there are webs these are either spiders or moths of some type and since you have not mention ...
Cockroach?	6/3/2008
Q: and the question and answer follow. But I did reseach as to what he thought it might be, and it ... A: I must assume that if you looked at a mantis and rejected it then it was not what you saw. It is ...
Unidentified beetle infestation in home and attracted to light	6/2/2008
Q: We have an unidentified beetle infestation in our home. They seem to be attracted to artificial ... A: I cannot see any detail here but it appears to be some kind of a pantry beetle ( a dermestid) or a ...
bug on skin	6/2/2008
Q: Tonight my 18-year-old daughter came to me with a new one. She has tiny (about the size of the dot ... A: They could be mites. Deer ticks do not move fast. Do they brush off easily?. AS for the biting; ...
Red Mites / Chiggers ????	6/1/2008
Q: We have these tiny red mite looking things on our porch and on our cement walkway. They are even in ... A: These are velvet mites. They are harmless and do not bite. They suddenly appear in large numbers ...
mosquitoes	6/1/2008
Q: I just found this site and it seems very useful! thank you for taking the time to read this. I am ... A: Do they bite? If not they are probably midges Neither comes in through drains. They are getting ...
LARGE BLACK FLY	6/1/2008
Q: ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE FIND 3-4 VERY LARGE BLACK FLIES IN OUR HOME. WE ARE ON THE JERSEY SHORE, IT IS ... A: There are a lot of fly species that are big and black. Most large black flies are horseflies that ...
? gnats	5/31/2008
Q: About two weeks ago had very small flying insects that I am assuming are gnats start collecting ... A: As I said the emergence is temporary so they will begin to disappear. You do not have to have water ...
? gnats	5/31/2008
Q: About two weeks ago had very small flying insects that I am assuming are gnats start collecting ... A: Do they resemble mosquitos without biting? If so they are midges. They do not feed but emerge from ...
Spider Egg Case ?	5/31/2008
Q: I have an egg case that I think is Spider but not sure. It is about 3" long hanging from a very ... A: No spiders involved here. This is the pupal case of the common bagworm. The caterpillar spins a ...
tiny bugs on windowsills	5/30/2008
Q: I recently moved into a first floor apartment with older casement windows in Cincinnati, OH. I have ... A: More then likly these are spider mites coming in form outside Colleen. Try rubbing a bar of soap on ...
Tiny bugs in my bathtub	5/30/2008
Q: I live in southern Alberta, Canada. I have been noticing these very tiny beetleish looking bugs in ... A: First of all you have not described anything harmful. I know of no harmful bugs that are found in ...
Mosquito like bug	5/29/2008
Q: I live in upper Westchester County in NY. In the summer around 8:00 pm every night, these Mosquito ... A: I am sure these are midges. We have them on the shores of lake Erie also. They are a fact of life ...
little black flies!	5/29/2008
Q: we have noticed tons of little black flies, dead, on our windowsill and floor. they only appear on ... A: I cannot see them too well in the photos but they look like some kind of a midge. I am sure these ...
small red bugs on windowsills	5/28/2008
Q: These bugs look like ants (?) and are very small (red dots) and are covering our windowsills. I ... A: Bugs on windowsills are usually spider mites that come in under the window. They come in population ...
Insect id	5/28/2008
Q: I frequently get an insect around my house that I don't know what it is. I have two places on the ... A: I would love to see one of these. Can you send me a photo (waltjh@sbcglobal.net) They definitaly ...
Big Black Flying Bug in Bolivia	5/27/2008
Q: I was in Bolivia recently, in the Eastern Chaco region, and the village I was staying in was ... A: I see two different insects here. The smaller one is too smashed to be sure but it looks like a ...
bites	5/27/2008
Q: Okay, I bought this immaculate condo in Tarpon springs about six weeks ago. it was so immaculate ... A: There are two possibilities that come to mind here Lori. Since you wake up with bites and you find ...
Tiny Black Insect Identification and Aid	5/24/2008
Q: I need some help in identifying a mystery bug as well as possible aid is eradicating them from our ... A: They do not sound like fleas since they do not jump and unless you have a pet you would not have ...
spiders	5/23/2008
Q: I recently killed a spider, on accident, while trying to get her outside of our 4th grade hallway. ... A: Wolf spiders do carry the egg sac around so it probably was a wolf spider. When the spiderlings ...
Spider identification	5/22/2008
Q: I have a question about the spiders near my house in New Jersey. I don't think I'll be able to get ... A: The problem with having a single species is that wolf spiders do not weave webs and orb weavers do ...
Spider identification	5/22/2008
Q: I have a question about the spiders near my house in New Jersey. I don't think I'll be able to get ... A: I think you have more then one kind of spider here and neither represent anything dangerous to your ...
Little Black Bug	5/22/2008
Q: For the past couple of months now, I keep finding these little black bugs. The first time they were ... A: You can rule out bedbugs which do not appear in the kitchen. My best guess is that they are beetles ...
Tiny bugs	5/21/2008
Q: I live in Southern Indiana and on 5/16/08 my wife noticed tiny bugs on our kitchen counter. They ... A: Most often when you have very small bugs in large numbers they are either mites or springtails. ...
"Huge" Spiders in my house! Brown Recluse?	5/21/2008
Q: Being a total phobe towards spiders... i come here to ask you a question after many sleepless nights ... A: First let me clear up the Brown Recluse bit. First the range of this spider does not include ...
Spiders.	5/20/2008
Q: I have a question. What does the banana spider of South America eat and what are the symptoms if you ... A: There are a number of spiders called banana spiders. The usual one and the one I believe that you ...
ant?	5/18/2008
Q: I have a bug ID question... I live in SE PA and have a flying insect that gets all over my laundry ... A: Two wings means a fly of some kind but the body you describe indicates a Hymenoptera (ants and bees) ...
Tiny bugs	5/17/2008
Q: I live in Southern Indiana and on 5/16/08 my wife noticed tiny bugs on our kitchen counter. They ... A: Without seeing one my guess is that these are spider mites. They have population explosions and I ...
Rasing Praying Mantids	5/15/2008
Q: since September last year, i've been searching for praying mantids and today, I FINALLY found about ... A: The survival rate is quite low because as soon as they hatch they turn into cannibals and eat each ...
Poisonous Caterpillars	5/13/2008
Q: I found a lot of caterpillars in my driveway today and I was woundering if it was poisonous. It has ... A: There are so many different kinds of caterpillars that without seeing one of these I cannot tell you ...
midges? punkies? gnats?	5/11/2008
Q: okay, ive always called them noseeums, but after a lil research on the net, the pest im trying to ... A: The common names you mentioned are interchangeable but these sound like biting gnats. Giving them a ...
Fly infestation in Kitchen	5/10/2008
Q: I woke up this past Friday morning to see about 15 (i counted) flies sitting on the ceiling and ... A: It seems quite likely that an animal has gotten into the walls or ceiling and died. You probably ...
hard like cocoon with spiders in it	5/10/2008
Q: I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and I recently found a hard like cocoon on my curtain. I saw ... A: This is not a spider cocoon. I believe this is a cell of a solitary wasp. The female wasp builds ...
myasterious insect bites	5/8/2008
Q: I keep getting these bites on my legs but I cannot find any bugs in the house. I thought it might be ... A: I get a lot of questions about mysterious bites for unseen insects. In your case we can rule out ...
Inchworms in sync	5/8/2008
Q: We had the strangest infestation today. Small inchworm-like creatures about 2 cm long, deep green ... A: There was probably a hatching recently. What type of caterpillars these were I cannot tell without ...
Springtails	5/6/2008
Q: For the past three years I have had a huge springtail problem. They come in all over my house and ... A: I am sorry if I sound pessimistic but trying to get rid of Collembola (springtails) outside of a ...
primitive insects	5/5/2008
Q: I have heard butterflies, dragonflies, mayflies, deerflies and horseflies all referred to as ... A: The term "primitive" is not a scientific one. It refers to the position of the insect with regard to ...
spider	5/5/2008
Q: I found a spider on the ceiling of my kitchen. I thought it was a house spider but I'm really not ... A: First of all the spider you describe is certainly not a dangerous one but without seeing it I cannot ...
Ladybugs	5/5/2008
Q: Years ago, (before the digital age) I was hiking and came upon a hoard of ladybugs. I have this ... A: Ladybugs migrate to Mexico during the fall and I suspect you came upon a flock ready to do so. You ...
Furry Caterpillar?	5/4/2008
Q: I live in central Alabama. Every summer I find these cute, furry little caterpillars on the back of ... A: There are a number of different caterpillars that fit this description so without seeing one I ...
Bee ID	5/3/2008
Q: I found the bee pictured in my home. I wasn't too worried about it until I started seeing more of ... A: I cannot tell you exactly because it is pretty beat up. It resembles a hornet of some kind. Do have ...
gnats	5/2/2008
Q: We can hardly go outside because of the gnats. (I call them gnats) They are black, small(Not a no ... A: Unfortunately midges and biting gnats are a part of life. There is little we can do unless you can ...
Bathroom Bug in Japan; what is it?	5/2/2008
Q: Recently, and since then every day, I have found these little brown bugs in my bathroom. They ... A: I am quite a few thousand miles away and it is tough to tell what these are without seeing one. ...
pesky little flies	5/2/2008
Q: We live in central Michigan, and every spring and summer we are bombarded with these little flies ... A: My guess is that these are midges. Some midges bite and some do not. You must live near a body of ...
i need to know for school	5/1/2008
Q: the six legs of an insect are not always identical. Why is this? what kinds of adaptations are made ... A: Having a bilateral symmetry does not mean that an animal has two equal sides. Just as the legs on ...
bugs in bathtub	4/29/2008
Q: I am not one who normally gripes about things I read or hear, but when i read your answer to the ... A: Please accept my apologies Rex. I am aware that there are legitimate well meaning pest control ...
Black bug looks like cockroach in my bed	4/28/2008
Q: I saw a black bug looks like roaches in my bath tub twice. However, I had never seen them in my bed ... A: I would have to see one before I can tell you what they are. Roaches do not usually clinb into beds ...
spider or bed bug bite?	4/28/2008
Q: Every summer for the past two years, I have been getting some crazy looking bites. The first year, I ... A: I cannot tell you much about the photo as I am not a skin doctor but they do not look like bedbug ...
black flying mating insects corpus christi texas	4/27/2008
Q: I am not from Texas but moved to Corpus Christi 7 years ago. Since I have lived here, I have never ... A: Smith These are lovebugs. They are a species of fly found all along the gulf coast and especially ...
Question about weird ladybug behavior	4/25/2008
Q: I have a very strange question regarding ladybug behavior. I have a habit of closely watching ... A: There are two things that can be happening here. The first as you suggest is that they could be ...
Car overrun with 1" light green spiders	4/25/2008
Q: I'm fairly sure that my car (located in Stockbridge, MA, USA) is hosting a nest of spiders. They are ... A: Interesting. I cannot tell what they are without seeing one. If you can get a picture that would ...
Biting grass bug	4/24/2008
Q: The past few days I've been lying out in the sun, and I end up covered--and I do mean that ... A: I am at a temporary loss here. Beetles have rounded shapes but beetles do not bite people. They ...
Biting grass bug	4/24/2008
Q: The past few days I've been lying out in the sun, and I end up covered--and I do mean that ... A: My first gues is that these are thrips. They are plant eaters but will bite anything soft. Are ...
spiders	4/23/2008
Q: I am having a problem with large spiders in my house now that the weather is getting warmer. I live ... A: Many spiders look so much alike that it is hard to identify one unless I can see it. The spiders ...
Little tan bugs	4/22/2008
Q: ) I have a question about these little tan colored bugs that I discovered in my room today. I was ... A: Without seeing these I cannot be sure. They sound like beetles of some kind. I would have to see ...
Unknown Insect	4/20/2008
Q: I haven't had any success identifying this odd looking insect. It was an inch and a half long and ... A: This one freaks me out. I have to do some research and consult a colleague. I will get back to ...
bugs in our apartment....HELP PLEASE!	4/20/2008
Q: The other night in our apartment, we found 8 bugs that had small white-silver bodies, 1/8". We ... A: I am afraid that I would have to see one of these. If you see more could you send me a photo? ...
Dark brown to black with light gray underbelly	4/19/2008
Q: We live just outside of NYC. I'd say it is an urban area with lots of real estate development. ... A: We can rule out bedbugs they would not have been on the windowsill nor crawling on the bed in the ...
mystery bug	4/18/2008
Q: I have just found between 75-100 tiny little bugs near my couch. They are about a centimeter long ... A: Are you sure they are a centimeter long? At first I thought about spider mites but a centimeter is ...
Camouflage question - found likely answer	4/15/2008
Q: I believe I have found the likely answer to the camouflage question I sent you. From reading a host ... A: As I stated previously I am not acquainted with the topic of wastes of insects and I look forward to ...
What kind of bug or insect is this?	4/14/2008
Q: http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8020/dsc05241ui5.jpg I know it's a bug or an insect because its ... A: I have to consult a colleague about this one and I will get back to you. We have identified this ...
Clover Mites in Tallahassee	4/13/2008
Q: Walter. We are being invaded by clover mites in Tallahassee. I wondered how long their life cycle ... A: Mites have population explosions and do not hang around long. Try to find out how they are getting ...
can you identify this bug found in bedroom?	4/12/2008
Q: Can you id this bug? Found about 100 of them in bedroom, on walls, window ledge, base board. About ... A: I believe this is some kind of a dermestid beetle or grain beetle. Check all opened foods in the ...
nest or cocoon	4/12/2008
Q: We moved into a 1960's bungalow a few months ago and have begun renovating the garage-cum-workshop ... A: This is the nest of a solitary wasp. It is usually made of mud and silky material. The was lays an ...
carpet beetles?	4/11/2008
Q: About a year ago I found maybe three larve under my daughters bed. I fugured it was from my cat who ... A: It does not sound like an infestation. I do not think an exterminator is called for. Carpet ...
Winged ants	4/11/2008
Q: Walter, I have to say I appreciate you taking the time to answer questions such as mine. Having ... A: They are indeed trying to scare you into something. Otherwise they would not diagnose the problem ...
miniature wall bugs	4/10/2008
Q: I find these tiny bugs in the corner of my room on the wooden floor near the wall (away from ... A: This looks like a fly of some type but at this point I cannot tell you exactly what kind. I will ...
house flies	4/9/2008
Q: Suddenly there are very lethargic flies in our home. Where could they be coming from and why are ... A: This is always a mystery. A long time ago it was thought that they generated spontaneously but ...
HOUSE CENTIPEDE REMOVAL	4/9/2008
Q: HOW CAN ONE RID THE HOME OF THE CENTIPEDE IN A "GREEN" METHOD..IE: SALT , BAKING SODA ... A: You will probably not like my answer but It is literally impossible to completely get rid house ...
Tiny Jumping Gray Bugs with Antennae and Many Legs	4/7/2008
Q: Trying to identify a tiny gray bug with antennae and many legs that jump when you go to squish ... A: I am quite these are Collembola, commonly called springtails. They are sporadic and will soon ...
unknown tick-like insect in Northern Ontario	4/7/2008
Q: I have recently moved to Northern Ontario, Canada and have purchased a house. My husband and I keep ... A: You have described completely a pseudoscorpion. They are snall predators. Google them and see some ...
flat creepy crawler	4/6/2008
Q: I keep finding these gray, flat crawly bugs mostly in my bathroom. They are the smaller than the ... A: These are probably case bearing moths called plaster bagworms. they are related to the clothes ...
Little brown bug	4/3/2008
Q: I need help identifying a bug that has recently infested my home this spring. It's very small, maybe ... A: It sounds like a species of beetle. I cannot tell without seeing one. Can you get a photo. ...
Bug Bites	3/31/2008
Q: I was reading an article about someone who also has had weird un-explained bites. I too live in ... A: You would not believe how many questions I receive about bites without seeing anything doing the ...
mystery bug	3/28/2008
Q: In the last few days, I have been finding these weird looking bugs on my bed. They look similar to ... A: This is some kind of a beetle. I think it may be a dermestid of some kind but sine it is squashed I ...
TINY BLACK BUGS	3/28/2008
Q: I have little black bugs on my window sills, bedroom and bathroom. They seem to have little ... A: I need more information to identify them. How big are they. Do the fly at all. They could be ...
mystery bug	3/28/2008
Q: In the last few days, I have been finding these weird looking bugs on my bed. They look similar to ... A: Arte they under the covers and pillows or on the bed. Are you getting bitten. I am trying to rule ...
Cannot identify or rid our home of something that is biting us	3/27/2008
Q: Whenever we lay down on our carpet or couch we experiencing itching. I am the most bitten and the ... A: Before identifying a culprit we have to see one. Is it possible you have a pet that has fleas? ...
general	3/27/2008
Q: I live in RI and have a 2 year old daughter and she loves bugs all of a sudden. It is fun for me ... A: We live an a buggy world and RI is no exception. Look under logs and rocks. Get a good insect guide ...
tiny insect eggs?	3/24/2008
Q: In two separate areas of my home I found small piles of what looks and feels like light brown sand. ... A: I came upon a similiar problem about a year ago and the person sent me samples. A colleague and I ...
centipede	3/22/2008
Q: there an army of centipede at my back yard....they are all dark brownish in color. they are moving ... A: These sound like common centipedes that are harmless. It looks like a population explosion outside ...
BITING BUG!!	3/17/2008
Q: CA. I have been getting bug bites while I sleep. My mom recently killed one and when she smushed ... A: This sounds like a bedbug. Strip the beds and wash all shhets and blankets. Turn the matress and ...
Red Flying Insect	3/16/2008
Q: I am in Central Florida and saw this red flying insect crawling across our drive today and wonder ... A: This is a Florida bug called a cotton stainer (Dysdercus saturellas). It is a true bug, a member of ...
ant/ homoptera interaction	3/16/2008
Q: I am currently doing some research on ant association with homoptera for a university project. from ... A: I assume you are referring to the mutualistic symbiotic relationship between ants and aphids. There ...
Tiny black bugs in bedroom (Look like Grain Weevils)	3/16/2008
Q: For the last week or two I've noticed the odd tiny black bug around my room (on the floor, on the ... A: I am sure you have described a weevil but whether it is a grain weevil I do not know. I suspect they ...
inidentified slug	3/15/2008
Q: we have this pale grey slug crawling around on our verhanda. it's 15-20cm long and 3cm thick. it's ... A: This is a really big slug. The red circles have me stumped but the opening is called a gonopore. It ...
tiny white - yelow bugs crawling on the walls	3/14/2008
Q: about a month ago I noticed tiny white/yellowish/light brownish oval bugs crawling in the bathroom ... A: These could be mites. Check your windowsills as they can get in under windows. If you see any there ...
little grey bugs	3/14/2008
Q: I to have little grey bugs in my kitchen. I took a photo but they are so tiny you can't see it ... A: They may be grain beetles or they may be spider mites. The population may be temporary. It you have ...
Strange large insect in winter	3/14/2008
Q: We are living in Connecticut and we are trying to find out what strange insect might have crawled ... A: You have given me a pretty good description but I still cannot tell you much without seeing it. If ...
indian meal moth	3/12/2008
Q: I,ve been seeing the larvae of the indian meal moth at my house i understand that they are usually ... A: The meal moth does not eat clothes and they will spread throughout the house searching for food and ...
little black/gray bugs	3/11/2008
Q: I've been getting these very very tiny slow moving bugs throughout the house...they are gray and ... A: I could use a little more information. They sound like beetles of some kind. Are they on ...
unknown flying insect	3/7/2008
Q: i live in astoria, oregon. i have seen a very large flying insects of some kind. they are about 1 ... A: The only bug that comes to mind from your description is a species of Horntail Wasp. You may look ...
springtail fleas or snow fleas	3/6/2008
Q: I built my house 5 years ago in Superior WI. It is on a heated slab. We noticed the springtails the ... A: We live in a buggy world and springtails are everywhere. Of course there is nothing that will ...
Samurai bug?	3/6/2008
Q: I would like to know about the samurai bug. But Im not talking about that horned beetle, Im talking ... A: I found it Drake, It is s bug belonging to the Genus Catacanthus. This genus has a number of human ...
Samurai bug?	3/6/2008
Q: I would like to know about the samurai bug. But Im not talking about that horned beetle, Im talking ... A: This bug is knew to me and I can not find out anything about it. It may have another common anme. ...
bugs on bricks and lights	3/2/2008
Q: I live in Clt,nc. We have hundreds of oval shaped black bugs, andeach has a single orange stripe on ... A: These could be box elder bugs. Goggle them and see some photos. let me know this is what they are. ...
insect/bug identify	2/27/2008
Q: I would be very grateful if you could help me identify a bug i found in my hair. It has a small ... A: It is unlikely that I could identify a squashed bug and even if I could unless you have more of them ...
crawling bugs with wings	2/26/2008
Q: I have these bugs not gnats. They have small heads with a long body, long wings and the bug is a ... A: You have to destroy the nest and that can be difficult. There are some ant poisons available that ...
Ants	2/20/2008
Q: Is it possible for an ant to eat it's own body? ANSWER: I suppose it could happen but it doesn't. ... A: The behavior of ants has not changed in millions of years so there is no reason to suppose that they ...
Cocoon	2/20/2008
Q: I discoverd this cocoon hanging from a branch on our maple tree this weekend. Can you tell me what ... A: I responded to this question on Feb 16. Perhaps you did not receive it. This is the pupal case of ...
Small, flea like insect	2/17/2008
Q: My partner has just noticed and showed me a small flea like insect in our bathroom, it had two wings ... A: I really have no idea without seeing it. It could be a drone ant since they have wings. If you see ...
Bees	2/16/2008
Q: This may sound childish but...do bees have vaginas? A: Interesting question Paul. They do not have a vagina per se but they have a sperm repository in the ...
bug	2/16/2008
Q: I live in Southern California near the coast. Have a strange cocoon shaped problem. I have several ... A: This is a plaster bagworm, the larvae of a small moth. They can poke out of either end and drag the ...
Why don't i ever get bitten by mosquitos?	2/14/2008
Q: I was just curious... I went on a holiday with my family not too long ago, on a river cruise. There ... A: I wish I knew the answer to this because they rarely bite me and if they do I never get much of a ...
Bugs	2/11/2008
Q: I live in Maryland and around the base of my house (on the sunny side) I have a bug problem. There ... A: What you describe are definitely not box hedge bugs. Most exterminators do not know one bug from ...
weird bugs outside & in my home.. (pictures included)	2/9/2008
Q: there are these weird bugs that usually hang out in the trees around our house. about a few months ... A: This is a box elder bug It is harmless to people and pets Just an addition to my comments; Box ...
identifying household bugs	2/8/2008
Q: black bugs I haven't seen before, after living here for 12 years. They are very small -- a little ... A: There are too many possibilities for me to identify them. They could be mites of small beetles. You ...
The same siuation as Carrie from Zanesville	2/7/2008
Q: did you ever discover what the mites were that Carrie had in her house as the situation is exactly ... A: I answer hundreds of questions but I am not sure about Carrie from Zanesville and her problem. Do ...
weird smelling bug	2/7/2008
Q: i found a weird textured round brownish colored bug hanging from my sons curtain it had wings its ... A: the toad shape and smell tells me that this is a stink bug, a member of the Hemiptera or true bugs. ...
Small insect with wings	2/6/2008
Q: I am really hoping you can help me on this one!! I've got these bugs in my house, they are very ... A: Thrips feed on plants and are programed to pierce anything soft so as far as they are concerned you ...
Small insect with wings	2/6/2008
Q: I am really hoping you can help me on this one!! I've got these bugs in my house, they are very ... A: These are strange kristin especially with the middle legs you describe. They sound like some kind of ...
red ant	2/6/2008
Q: I have these very tiny red ants in my bedroom and bathroom. I have also been getting bites that are ... A: We live on a world of ants. Most of the mass in the rain forest is made up of ants and termites. A ...
Live Oak	2/5/2008
Q: On a branch of my young live oak (5 yrs. old), a group of very tiny (1/8"), very thin black bugs ... A: I cannot identify these bugs as there are too many possibilities but identification will not solve ...
Treatment for stink bug bites	2/4/2008
Q: I live in E PA and have been infested with marmolated stink bugs. I have received severe bites from ... A: It is possible there is another culprit like cat fleas. Have you treated the cat lately? Do not ...
Treatment for stink bug bites	2/3/2008
Q: I live in E PA and have been infested with marmolated stink bugs. I have received severe bites from ... A: re yoiu sure of the identification here. This stink bug is not known to bite people. Are yous ure ...
what are these cream colored fabric eating bugs	2/1/2008
Q: i have found small hard shell things for use of a better word eating my clothing, on the seams.I ... A: I cannot tell you exactly what these are without seeing one. Theer a a number of insects that feed ...
Shield Bugs	1/31/2008
Q: After asking my other question I did a little more research and I think what I have in my house is ... A: I would agree that they are some type of a true bug and possibly shield bugs. Stink bugs and ...
Bug Bites or parasite?	1/30/2008
Q: I have spent many, many hours on the internet trying to find an answer for this problem and have ... A: Every once in a while I get questions like this regarding bites when there seems to be nothing doing ...
praying mantids	1/30/2008
Q: Sir, Please give me the answer of the following questions about Praying mantids. Q.1. Do male ... A: 1.Most mantids in temperate zones live one season so there is no difference in maturation 2.The ...
bite	1/29/2008
Q: My mother is in the hospital. Saturday she felt like something bit her and she had a mark on her ... A: I am not a doctor and cannot comment on the medical condition of your mother. I can tell you that I ...
Phobia	1/27/2008
Q: Hintz I know this might be a strange question,but I really need someone who can tell me the best ... A: I am afraid that a place like the one you seek would not be one where you would like to go. Bugs ...
tiny, tiny black kitchen bug	1/27/2008
Q: i keep getting these very tiny black bugs, only in my kitchen, mainly on my white corian counter ... A: Since you have captured some try to get a photo to send me (waltjh@sbcglobal.net) My guess is that ...
thin black line looking bug	1/25/2008
Q: I have these very tiny black bugs that look like a thin black line. They bite and they are on my ... A: The thinness makes me think they may be thrips but without seeing one I cannot be sure. Thrips ...
Scary/ mutant spider	1/20/2008
Q: I live in Mount Morris Michigan. I was in my basement and I moved a tote, and saw a mutant/strange ... A: With only four legs it is certainly not a spider nor an insect unless some legs had been broken off. ...
Identifying a flying insect	1/17/2008
Q: If you leave milk out or a few days...you see them on it. If you dont take the garbage out for a few ... A: These could be almost anything but I am sure they are flies, possibly fruit flies. Without seeing ...
i thought spiders lay eggs?	1/15/2008
Q: i'm really curious about an incident involving a spider.. i came into the kitchen tonight to find a ... A: All spiders lay eggs but some like wolf spiders carry around the egg sac attached to the rear and ...
Please help	1/13/2008
Q: I live in Hawaii, and I found this in my bathtub this morning when I got up. I have no idea what it ... A: This is a plaster bagworm. It is a moth caterpillar. It builds that little house and drags ir ...
bugs in my bathroom, starting to freak me out!!!!!hhhheeelllppp	1/12/2008
Q: This past week I started to notice these very small bugs in my bathroom. They are about the length ... A: Just look at insec ticides and read the ingrediants to be sure it has pyrethrum. I suggest it ...
bugs in my bathroom, starting to freak me out!!!!!hhhheeelllppp	1/12/2008
Q: This past week I started to notice these very small bugs in my bathroom. They are about the length ... A: They sound like silverfish. Wipe them up and dry everything around the fixtures as much as ...
spider nest	1/11/2008
Q: my daughter was playing today and found a spiders nest under my mom's bed. We live in North East ... A: I am having a problem booting up this photo. Could yous end the photo to my email address- ...
Spiders	1/11/2008
Q: I think I have Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and want to clarify the one thing that creeps me out ... A: First of I want you to disregard all of the horror stories you have heard about spiders. Secondly I ...
bed bugs?	1/10/2008
Q: yesterday i woke up with hundreds of terribly itchy, red bites, which have not gone away. in fact, ... A: Without marks on the sheets I think we can rule out bedbugs. I think that the first thing you ...
small insect	1/10/2008
Q: I found a small insect in my daughters sock drawer it has lots of little legs and is kinda of hairy ... A: It sounds like an insect larva of an insect, most likely a bettle or a moth. I would have to see it ...
Spider Eggs	12/31/2007
Q: i was just curious to know how long spiders nest there eggs for?? My partner spider has a white sac ... A: Happy Birthday. The Huntsman is the Australian version of a tarantula. They are relatively ...
brown insect	12/30/2007
Q: I live in Kalgoorlie, Australia. Kalgoorlie is a desert, we have lots of bugs crawling around so I'm ... A: I checked the photo and responded. A collembola is the only idea I have. It could also be a small ...
brown insect	12/29/2007
Q: I live in Kalgoorlie, Australia. Kalgoorlie is a desert, we have lots of bugs crawling around so I'm ... A: If you send me this photo to my email address I can enlarge it and perhaps get a better look. I ...
Please identify this insect	12/29/2007
Q: we live in Sydney Australia and we found these insect casings on the wooden slats next to the bed ... A: Larval insects are tough to identify but the cases appear to be paper which leads me to believe that ...
updated links to the garden bug	12/28/2007
Q: sorry about the links!! didn't realise those ones are for a website. these ones should work better ... A: This is a species of hummingbird moth but I am not acquainted with Australian species. Go to this ...
SMALL DARK WORMLIKE BUG IN COCCOON	12/26/2007
Q: MY WIFE AND I LIVE ON THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. WE JUST MOVED INTO A HOME LAST YEAR AND HAVE BEEN ... A: i get about one question about these every day and mostly from Florida. These are moth caterpillars ...
Red Spider Like Insect	12/26/2007
Q: I live in Houston, Tx. Yesterday I was bitten/stung by a small insect that was reddish orange, sort ... A: From your description it sounds like it might have been a velvet ant or a cow killer. These are ...
Bug bites	12/24/2007
Q: I was reading your dialogue with Carrie and it sounds very similar to our problem. My kids and I ... A: Bedbugs can be ruled out and carpet beetles do not bite. Despite all stories you hear spiders do ...
bugs that crawl the walls	12/21/2007
Q: I have lived in my house for about 7yrs and over the past yr i have been finding these bugs that ... A: They sound like either caterpillars or beetle larvae but I would nhave to see one. Could you get a ...
very small bug	12/20/2007
Q: I live in eastern Tennessee and for the last 2 weeks I have found many very tiny brown bugs with red ... A: My best guess is that since they jump that they are springtails. They usually have temporary ...
tiny insects in windows, closets	12/20/2007
Q: I live in southeast Michigan and my family has recently (nov-dec) had an invasion of tiny black or ... A: Without seeing them I cannot tell you what they are. Identification will not solve the problem ...
Small Cocoons	12/18/2007
Q: I live in central Florida and just moved into a new home. Every day I find several small cocoons ... A: These are either plaster bagworms or case building clothes moths. They are caterpillars that build ...
black house flies	12/16/2007
Q: I live in a log home and just last night, all in one night, my house swarmed with large black flies ... A: Because the adults all emerged together. Apparently someplace in your house a fly laid eggs. It ...
western conifer seed bugs	12/16/2007
Q: I love these little guys! I've moved to the Northwest & its gotten cold & they are coming indoors ... A: You are one of a kind. I am a biologist and an insect devotee but I never heard of anyone that ...
box elder bug	12/15/2007
Q: I would like to know if box elder bugs are edible for human consumption. A: Interesting question. Most insects are edible but I have never heard of box elder bugs being eaten. ...
mystery bug	12/14/2007
Q: We live in the Arabian Gulf and have our windows open at night. I wrote to an expert just a couple ... A: The picture you sent is that of a green lacewing of the Genus Chrysopa. It is a common beneficial ...
millipede	12/14/2007
Q: My 18 month old granddaughter picked up and bit into a millipede 2 nights ago and she immediately ... A: Millipedes do have a an acidic substance that they use for protection. There is usually no problem ...
bugs	12/13/2007
Q: About a month ago I noticed my grass was crawling with millions of little black bugs, I guess maybe ... A: It looks like you have a population explosion, something not uncommon among insects. I am afraid I ...
Shower worm	12/10/2007
Q: I live in Ohio and about 2 weeks ago my husband noticed worm like bugs in the corner of our walk in ... A: Without seeing one of these I can only guess that they are maggots of some kind. Is there an ...
Looks like Silverfish, but not	12/8/2007
Q: I discovered something in my home a week ago. They are small; and resemble silverfish quite ... A: There are variations in the coloring of silverfish. There is a member of the same Family called ...
cocoons hanging in garage	12/7/2007
Q: A couple of years ago, our food became infested with worms/flying bugs of some sort. We had to ... A: These are caterpillars called plaster bag worms. They develop into a moth. These are remarkable ...
mites?	12/7/2007
Q: although i seem to have a problem similar to others that have asked before-i have slightly different ... A: It is possible that these are mites but I would have to see one to know for sure. Mites do not have ...
hermetia illucens	12/6/2007
Q: Is it correct to import an exotic usefull insect ,like "hermetia illucens" ?I,m living in IRAN. ... A: Experience has shown that importing exotic species is not good idea and can upset the natural ...
Clover mites, springtails or none of the above?	12/2/2007
Q: I discovered underneath a kitchen window, near my pets' water dish several dozen insects about a mm ... A: The eight legs tells me these are arachnids and the size indicates spider mites. The usual source ...
Crawling, Biting Bugs	12/1/2007
Q: I have had bugs crawling in my clothes and biting me for about a month. They are very small. ... A: If you wish you can pick up a couple on Scotch tape and mail them to me. I can examine them at my ...
Crawling, Biting Bugs	11/30/2007
Q: I have had bugs crawling in my clothes and biting me for about a month. They are very small. ... A: I would have to see these to identify them. hey could be lice. If you can get a photo it would ...
Information on spider mites	11/30/2007
Q: I have just read most of your replies to questions about small tiny white mites in houses and I ... A: It sounds like mites may be you problem. The usual source of mites are nests of rodents and birds. ...
Mystery bug	11/29/2007
Q: I have found a few bugs around my house. The one I found most recently was light yellow and banded ... A: It sounds like a larval beetle of caterpillar. Did it have any bristles? If a beetle it could be in ...
Help identify this Spider please...	11/29/2007
Q: this photo was taken in South Florida on Thanksgiving weekend amonth the palm trees. This critter ... A: Nice specimen. This is Nephila clavipes, the Golden Silk spider. They are common in Florida. They ...
an insect that can JUMP	11/26/2007
Q: these past 2 weeks ive noticed this insect/bug that jumps when i try to squash it with my finger. ... A: These are probably springtails. Trying to squash them will not work. Vacuum them up and be sure ...
disgusting.	11/26/2007
Q: I live in southern ontario, the GTA. We own a cat, however shes completley indoor and we've never ... A: First of all I am doubtful that they are connected to the hotel visit. They are also not lice or ...
unseen insects	11/26/2007
Q: How do you fight what you can't see? gnats no see umns? i bought a used chair that was the beginning ... A: I wish I could help you zita but as you say it is a problem controlling something you cannot see. I ...
tiny insects that bite around the house	11/25/2007
Q: i have recently found these very tiny insects inside the house, so small you have to look really ... A: It is possible that these are mites but spider mites do not bite. Some outdoor larval mites ...
grayish/lite brown small house spiders	11/24/2007
Q: I don't like to kill the spiders that I find in my home hanging in the upper corners (especially ... A: I too refrain from killing spiders. In fact I keep tarantulas as pets. Since everybody does not ...
Unknown Insect	11/24/2007
Q: Today we were changing my 2 1/2 year old sons diaper and we found a very strange small bug dead ... A: The description fits a number of insects so I cannot make a judgement. If you still have it and can ...
white wormy looking bugs	11/23/2007
Q: I was vacuuming my carpet one day, when i vacuumed the corner all my carpet came up and left bald. ... A: I believe these are small caterpillars. They are either plaster bagworms case building clothes ...
tiny flying insects in kitchen	11/16/2007
Q: Over the past three weeks, we have noticed tiny --really tiny--flying insects around our kitchen. ... A: Two possibilities come to mind. They could be flies that are breeding in the drains or they could ...
giant ant? 2" long	11/16/2007
Q: i found a giant bug in my room (hills of los angeles, ca) i was too freaked out to take a picture ... A: To start with you have described nothing that I know of that is dangerous. It sounds like a ...
i need help with a school assignment that's due tommorow	11/15/2007
Q: sighs and laughs... well... I've used all the search engines i know of: dogpile, yahoo, google, ... A: I do not know what you are trying to find out here. Are you asking about what animals laugh and ...
Bugs in my dry foods and large "fruit flies"	11/13/2007
Q: Okay, so I have these tiny grey bugs the size of an adult lice (louse?) in my kitchen cupboard. It ... A: The bugs could be beetles but without seeing them I cannot be sure. Anyway identifying them will ...
Worm like bed bugs in France	11/11/2007
Q: I recently moved into a dorm like residence in France for a year abroad about 2months have gone by ... A: We are an ocean apart and without seeing these insects I cannot tell you much and there is no way I ...
Mystery Bleeding-Puncture Bite...	11/10/2007
Q: just want to make sure there's not a cause for concern. I'm in Toronto, Ontario, and live in an apt ... A: It is hard to say what caused this. WE can rule out bedbugs and mice. Spiders leave double ...
What is biting me?	11/10/2007
Q: I am an Australian who moved to London in April 2007. Since June, I have been getting bitten on my ... A: The bug you saw could have been a bedbug but you describe so many bites that you would see a lot of ...
weird find	11/10/2007
Q: I found a single strand spider web hanging from my livingroom ceiling fan. On it were these ... A: These sound like small caterpillars hanging from the ceiling. If they are the web is from them not ...
St. Andrews Cross Spider's position	11/9/2007
Q: Why does the St. Andrews Cross Spider hold its legs in fpur pairs of two each, thus looking like an ... A: "Why" questions in biology must be answered in two ways. The first is the the realm of Evolutionary ...
What is biting me?	11/9/2007
Q: I am an Australian who moved to London in April 2007. Since June, I have been getting bitten on my ... A: I often get questions like this and it is hard to pin down a culprit when you cannot see anything ...
Bed bugs?	11/4/2007
Q: I have recently found something that may be a bed bug in my room. It has no visible antennae or ... A: I doubt if these are bedbugs. If it is a bedbug it has legs and can move. They are also found in ...
bugs	11/4/2007
Q: i've been searching for a while and i am hoping you can help me identify a bug...they are small and ... A: It is most likely that these are beetles most likely dermestid beetles. They could be carpet ...
spiders in pool	11/3/2007
Q: How do I get rid of spiders in my pool. They seem to live under water also. We just had a new liner ... A: There are a few species that live on top of the water and when they go under they take a bubble of ...
small slow flying black flies	11/2/2007
Q: I'm hoping you can help me! About a month ago I started to notice these small little black flies ... A: These sound like some kind of a bagworm. The description of the cocoons and larvae lead me to ...
locusts	11/2/2007
Q: I have been getting live locusts recently to feed my pet chameleon for some time now. However only ... A: Insects communicate in various ways. Some use chemicals and some like members of the grasshopper ...
bites at night	10/30/2007
Q: I get 30-50 bites at night when I sleep in my bed. Nobody else in the house gets bites. If I sleep ... A: This sounds like a non insect related problem. It sounds like hives which are an allergic reaction. ...
bug or spider bite	10/26/2007
Q: The doc's biopsy just revealed that my 2 yr old daughter's rash is from a "bug" bite. It's been 6 ... A: I hope you are continuing to keep the pediatrician abreast of what is happening. Six weeks is a long ...
Spiders in South Jersey Swimming Pool	10/23/2007
Q: I was wondering if you could tell me any way to get rid of the huge, usually 1.5 to 2" in diameter, ... A: My guess is that these are fishing spiders. I have no idea why they are in your pool since there ...
bathroom bug	10/23/2007
Q: Recently I have been going into my bathroom, usually at night, to find these little bugs running ... A: First of all I am sure they are harmless. The description does not give me enough information. ...
Household tiny bug, UK	10/21/2007
Q: Last year around November time, me and my partner noticed lots of tiny little clear white bugs..mite ... A: It sounds like these are either book lice or spider mites but you have such a large and persistent ...
BROWN STICKY CLUMPS INSIDE HOUSE	10/21/2007
Q: I live in Culver City, California, about five miles from the ocean, in Los Angeles County. I have ... A: This is a mystery to me. Without examining one I cannot begin to explain them. They could be from ...
Little black bugs on my window sill...	10/20/2007
Q: I've noticed tiny black bugs all over my window sill and all over my dishes on my counter. At first ... A: Small bugs on windowsills usually mean spider mites that are getting in under the window. If they ...
Strange bugs in my bathroom & kitchen cabinets	10/20/2007
Q: I have this weird white bug..it's small and was first spotted in my tub. Later they are on the ... A: It looks like you have an infestation of either meal moths or beetles in your cupboards. They are in ...
please i.d. this insect	10/15/2007
Q: I live in a Toronto basement apartment and noticed that there is one type of insect that seems to be ... A: look up pictures of Scutigera. It sounds like a house centipede. If not see if you can geta photo ...
What type of spiders live in connecticut?	10/11/2007
Q: What type of spiders live in Connecticut? I would like to know what types we have here. Thanks A: Just about every species that are found in other parts of North America. Orb weavers, jumping ...
1-1 1/2 in. caterpillr light green	10/11/2007
Q: I found a small light green fuzzy caterpillar every hair has a little bit of black on the tip and ... A: This is the caterpillar of the Io moth. The adult moth is gorgeous. Put it in a container with some ...
Please help me identify this insect I am worried about stinger	10/7/2007
Q: I live in north tx.The insect i found has 3 pair of legs, 2 antennae, 2 cornicles that taper to what ... A: The insect you describe sounds like spme kind of a cricket. The curved "stinger" would be the ...
Help!!	10/7/2007
Q: I have this money-plant brunch which I had put in an indoor water fountain to give it a natural ... A: I do not see any connection between the floating white material and the catipillar.I could use a ...
Large Fly with Red Eyes	10/6/2007
Q: I am having an issue that I have never experienced. In the last 3 days, I am finding LARGE flies, ... A: The fly in the photo is a flesh fly (Genus Sarcophaga). They feed on decaying materials. Form your ...
poisonous catapilers	10/4/2007
Q: my question is are their any poisonous catapilers in the western pennsylvania area and what color ... A: Some caterpillars have bristles which have irritating substances in them and the come in many ...
Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma anax)	10/4/2007
Q: my spider Fred likes to eat..but can i feed him too much? and which is better for him, the bigger ... A: It is possible that Fred is really Frederika. I have a gorgeous Rosehair named Victoria. To bad ...
Red bugs	10/4/2007
Q: I have these tiny flying bugs.. They have wings and are attracted to the light, bathroom mirrors, ... A: As I said earlier it is necessary to find out where they are coming from in order to get rid of ...
insect found on wool	10/3/2007
Q: I live right outside Boston, and found the bug in my bedroom. I have tried to take pictures of it ... A: This sounds like a clothes moth caterpillar, quite possibly a clothes moth since you found it on ...
Garden Spiders	10/3/2007
Q: We have had a garden spider in our yard for several weeks now. This afternoon, our gardener, before ... A: Spiders are able to regenerate lost legs. How long it takes depends upon how much was lost and if it ...
spiders	10/2/2007
Q: My 8 yo son was bitten by a spider which was not seen. We were in wyoming, grand teton park, walking ... A: There is no way that a species of spider can be identified by a bite mark. Fank punctures look the ...
Caddisfly	10/2/2007
Q: I live along the Arizona Canal (in Arizona) and during several months of the year (like now)there is ... A: I am afraid that I cannot offer you much hope in solving this problem Helen. When you live near ...
Worms	10/2/2007
Q: I am just curious about how worms can eventually start growing in expired, dry food. For example: ... A: The worms you are talking about in foods are insect larvae. During preparation and packaging of ...
Spider identification	10/1/2007
Q: I've recently noticed seeing a couple spiders around the house. The body and legs appear to be ... A: Greetings to a fellow BUckeye. I live near Cleveland. I suspect that these are common orb weavers ...
Cocoon Identification	10/1/2007
Q: I have a hard shelled cocoon on a hanging flower basket that I can't identify. I'm including a ... A: This is an egg case of a preying mantis. There are between 100 and 400 preying mantids in here. If ...
spider I found	10/1/2007
Q: I found a spider in my home which is located in northern Arizona. It closely resembles the one that ... A: As far as I recall the spider on that movie but the spiders in the movie were computer generated ...
What am I dealing with in the bathroom?	9/30/2007
Q: Around the base of the toilet where the sealeant is old and dried, are a small pile of black ... A: They are either mites or springtails. I suspect the latter. Keep things very dry around the toilet ...
Black Bug with Red Markings	9/30/2007
Q: I've done some searching on the internet, but can't discover what this bug is. They are grouping ... A: These are Box elder bugs (Leptocoris sp)Look them up. There are eastern and western species ...
spiders	9/29/2007
Q: I have a question on two spiders. I live in Missouri about 80 miles south of St Louis. One is a ... A: There are so many species that it is hard to identify a spider without seeing one. The recluse is ...
UNIDENTIFIED BUG	9/27/2007
Q: I'VE FOUND A CRAWLING LARVAE-TYPE INSECT WITH LONGER LEGS AND FEATHERY PURPLE (YES PURPLE) ANTENNAE ... A: Are there a lot of legs? If so it could be a house centipede. Look up Scutigera.. If it is you ...
little black bugs	9/25/2007
Q: My house (especially my kitchen) is infested with little black bugs! They are tiny. They do fly. ... A: Since they are on the windowsill I suspect they are mites getting in under the window. Wipe off the ...
mystery insect	9/24/2007
Q: I have a question about an insect. First off, I work in a zoo, have a master's degree in Vertebrate ... A: First of all do not be embarassed. Nobody knows everything. The first two things that come to ...
Huge Spiders	9/24/2007
Q: I have spiders living outside in my trees with huge butts. They seem to only come out at night and ... A: Being spiders with huge butts is not enough for me to identify them. I will need a photo or more ...
white bugs in my kitchen	9/23/2007
Q: i am very concerned as i have a small baby and have noticed them in his feeding bottle as well. i ... A: These sound like spider mites. You will have to find out where they are coming from. Check all ...
Small reddish brown insects	9/22/2007
Q: The other day we were in our backyard having a picnic and I noticed a bug crawling on my pants. ... A: I am unable for some reason to boot up this photo. Send me any photos to my email address ...
What is the name of this spider?	9/22/2007
Q: I have seen a velvety red spider approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inches long with jet black legs. It is ... A: There are some species of jumping spiders with red bodies and black legs so that is what it could ...
black & yellow garden spider	9/21/2007
Q: We have had a black and yellow garden spider in our backyard for the last three weeks. After making ... A: This was probably a Black and yellow Argiope. They do not go far so she is most likely still ...
bathroom insects	9/20/2007
Q: I noticed another email which was sent to you and hoped you could help me I too have noticed lots of ... A: Do they jump at all. I am not sure what the are. They could be mites of springtails. Wipe them up ...
bald-faced hornets	9/20/2007
Q: Hintz: This is not a particularly technical question, but more of a practical one. Bald-faced ... A: When the first frost hits or shortly before the workers will leave the nest and die. The Queen will ...
Bug bites - are they eggs???	9/19/2007
Q: The other day I was on my bike and ran into a cluster of flies or some kind of insect about that ... A: I do not know who you talked to on the Internet but the egg idea is absolute nonsense.Insects do not ...
teeny red ants	9/18/2007
Q: For months now I have been finding these teeny tiny reddish ants in my baby's dirty laundry basket - ... A: Since ants are quite easy to identify I am sure these are ants that you see. Ants are very ...
Two kinds of Insects	9/17/2007
Q: Have lived in South Florida for 30 years, had never seen these until couple years back: One kind ... A: No photos are needed. You have described a couple of caterpillars. The first sounds like the ...
orange mystery spider	9/17/2007
Q: I live in central New Mexico and last week we had our house sprayed. While the bugman was at our ... A: It sounds like a species of orb weaver belonging to the Genus Araneus. Since you still have it take ...
The Care and Feeding of Pet Caterpillars	9/16/2007
Q: A few days ago, my mom found some caterpillars in her corn. Being a wannabe entomologist, I decided ... A: You picked an unusual caterpillar to keep for a pet. Corn borers are quite different from the usual ...
Unusual Caterpiller	9/15/2007
Q: Can you tell me what type of caterpiller this is (see attached photo). Seems a little unusual to ... A: This is the caterpillar of the Tiger swallowtail butterfly. The scary look of this insect is an ...
tiny flying insects	9/15/2007
Q: We live on a lake (8 years) and are pestering us to no end. They are tiny flying insects sort of ... A: These are probably midges. The spend most of their time in the water as larvae and emerge in large ...
"Owl" spider identification	9/13/2007
Q: can you identify this spider, or have you ever seen anything even remotely like it? It was found on ... A: This appears to be a member of the Genus Phidippus. Phidippus are jumping spiders and jumping ...
insect infestation in home	9/12/2007
Q: I'm hoping you can help me id this insect or give me suggestions on how to rid my home of them. ... A: Weevils do not fly so you can rule them out. I suspect beetles but without seeing one I cannot tell ...
Springtails	9/11/2007
Q: We are getting springtails in our master bathroom which is on the 2nd floor of our house. I am at ... A: I am afraid that I can not help you much. WE live in a buggy world. Springtails are just ...
Swarming little dark gray moths	9/9/2007
Q: I live by the RID Canal in Arizona (irrigation) and I have a salt chlorination pool system. At dusk ... A: first of all , knowing what they are will not solve the problem. Secondly I doubt that you will be ...
Tiny white flies in loose swarms	9/7/2007
Q: I live in Northern Virginia. We have loose, but numerous, swarms of tiny white flies that seem to ... A: T Hi Dawn here are a number of different species that are referred to as white flies. I suspect ...
reddish brown bugs... AND fruit flies!	9/6/2007
Q: We live in a brand new house (just completed at the beginning of August), and I have small reddish ... A: It seems you have a real problem here. I suspect that the brown bugs are beetles but without seeing ...
Insect Minds	9/5/2007
Q: I know this is a far-out question for which there may be no clear answer, but do insects and spiders ... A: Interesting question. I believe that most biologists do not equate a brain with a mind. A mind ...
Ants Carrying Ants	9/5/2007
Q: Recently, I placed some cat food in front of a few scout ants. They found the food and left for the ... A: I have spent a lot of time studying ants. The behavior of ants is one of the most fascinating ...
unknown bugs in my home	9/5/2007
Q: I moved in to this home three months ago. These bugs appeared maybe three weeks ago . The weather ... A: This describes a number of insects. Could you take a photo to send me? (waltjh@sbcglobal.net) ...
Tiny Kitchen ants	9/4/2007
Q: Help... I have these tiny ants all over my Florida kitchen. Now they have moved to the bathroom. ... A: Ants have population cycles and everybody has them at one time or another. We live on the ground ...
Spiders	9/4/2007
Q: I have caught and killed to huge spiders so far. They are both the same kind of spider with one ... A: Almost every spider you see is no threat to anybody including nursing home residents. The bigger ...
antlike bug in our dirt...is it termites?	9/4/2007
Q: Yesterday, I was digging a couple inches in the dirt around my deck when 20-30 strange looking bugs ... A: You have not described a termite so you can forget that. They could be ants. The winged ones would ...
Lake of the Ozarks and bug bites?	9/3/2007
Q: In the first part of July our family went to the Lake of the Ozarks. We camped and boated daily. ... A: In that part of the country chiggers are common and their bites persist for quite a while and you do ...
mystery insect	9/2/2007
Q: I have lived in Shanghai, China for the last 2 years. For a short time each year (for about one ... A: You have described a member of the order Hemiptera, the True Bugs, but there are many different ...
Egg ID	9/1/2007
Q: Have discovered small grouping of small, dark brown, fuzzy, round egg-like clusters on the tops of ... A: These are probably galls containing the eggs of small wasps. The wasp lays an egg in the leaf and a ...
white bug NYC	9/1/2007
Q: i have recently moved in my apartment in nyc. I have noticed these often white sometimes black, ... A: Without seeing one my guess is that these are house centipedes beacuse of a lot of legs. Google ...
tiny white flying/hopping insect	8/31/2007
Q: A couple of weeks ago I noticed that myself and two of my children who had been sleeping in my bed ... A: It is difficult for me to identify bugs I do not see. I do not know of many insects of this ...
Found strange bug in bed	8/29/2007
Q: I recently woke up with several very itchy and painful bites on my toes and legs. When I pulled ... A: These sound like earwigs but earwigs do not bite and why they are in your bed is strange. Look up ...
very tiny bug on my dog's feet & legs	8/29/2007
Q: I noticed tonight that my Jack Russell had what I first thought were extremely small burrs on his ... A: Yes you should worry. These sound like ticks and quite possibly deer ticks especially if you had to ...
mystery bugs	8/28/2007
Q: I have read a couple of related artiles on your site but there are a few differences that don't ... A: The dampness and description make me think these are Collembola or springtails. They are not ...
big mosquitoe bit me and it really hurts	8/28/2007
Q: i live in Kent England. i was in the woods and a Mozzy the size of a paper clip yellow and black ... A: I do not think this was a mosquito bite. It sounds more like a bee sting to me. If the swelling ...
bug	8/27/2007
Q: I live in southwest Ohio and in the past three or four years have had a black flying bug that lives ... A: They are probably solitary wasps. They dig a hole, sting an insect and put into a hole with an egg. ...
Cricket/ parasites	8/27/2007
Q: We just killed (squished)a cricket and then two long (about 4-5 inches long, thickness of a fishing ... A: This is the second I have been asked about this in the past week. The worms that crawled are ...
mud cocoons	8/26/2007
Q: /Mr. Hintz, I recently observed what I thought was mud thrown on the south wall of my clay brick ... A: This was the nesting cell of a mud dauber wasp and the insect inside was the pupa. If you look ...
Weevils not in food	8/25/2007
Q: I have a new problem...weevils in my apartment. I got rid of all contaminated flour, etc. well over ... A: These could be rice weevils. They will eat bout everthing including cloth materials and even ...
Spider I.D.	8/25/2007
Q: Two identical spiders have appeared in our back yard this summer in Aurora, CO. They are both large, ... A: Send the photos to waltjh@sbcglobal.net. These sound like common funnel weavers or Grass spiders ...
black ink like dots	8/24/2007
Q: i have recently been finding little black dots in my kitchen they appear on everthing cupboard doors ... A: I am somewhat at a loss here. You said these flies are bigger than house flies and I am having a ...
weird small bug	8/23/2007
Q: When we first bought our puppy, it had a small tick problem, but we've been giving her medication ... A: Adult ticks are small until they ingest blood. If the puppy had them then this is probably what ...
unknown insect	8/23/2007
Q: I had someone take a picture of an insect and i want to know what it is. I'm terribly afraid of it, ... A: I have checked all my files on allexperts and in my insect files and cannot find this download. If ...
Painful Sting	8/22/2007
Q: I experienced a very painful bug sting about 30 minutes ago on my forearm. The bug body is about an ... A: All I can do is make a guess without seeing the insect but the insects that sting are Hymenoptera ...
Bite?	8/22/2007
Q: one of these days i found what seems to be a bite in my leg (...) well, actually I thought it was a ... A: Certainly it is a possibility but I am not a physician and it is difficult for me to make a ...
black and red bug	8/21/2007
Q: We have a bug about a 1/2 inch long with 6-legs looks like a big ant its black and red and it bits ... A: This might well be a velvet ant called a cow killer. It is really a type of solitary wasp. The ...
tiny black bugs	8/21/2007
Q: I have spotted a couple tiny black bugs. They look kind of like a fruit fly or a tiny house fly. ... A: First of all I do not know if these are fleas without seeing one. If they are jumping and have no ...
Prevent ant from crawling into aquarium	8/20/2007
Q: Raising some crickets in a glass aquarium, how to prevent ants from crawling into and killing all ... A: I am at a loss here as it is not normal for ants to invade aquariums to kill crickets. I am ...
Extremely small bug in my house	8/20/2007
Q: I've been noticing these tiny poppy seed like bugs all over my house. They look harmless, but I ... A: These definitely sound like spider mites. If so they are harmless. They often originate in animal ...
Wasp in my pool.	8/19/2007
Q: Everyday I have 10 to 20 wasp in my above ground pool. They are about 1-1 1/2 inches long,very thin ... A: My guess is that they are yellow jackets that were after water and are drowning in the pool. They ...
Household Bug?	8/19/2007
Q: I've seen this bug around the house, mostly on the kitchen and bathroom walls. It's EXTREMELY tiny. ... A: This could be a number of things. The being on walls makes me think of a plaster bagworm. It could ...
bugs in my basement	8/17/2007
Q: the past week when i go in my basement to do wash there are jumping bugs when i walk at first i ... A: Perhaps they are crickets but without seeing one I cannot tell. But I can tell you that what you ...
Big gray bug with Wings	8/16/2007
Q: What kind of bug could this be? It is thick like 1.5 in wide. It has beaded eyes. The head is ... A: First of all I know of no dangerous insects that fit this description but I would have to see it Can ...
large basement insect	8/15/2007
Q: i have noticed many long insects crawling around my basement. it can be about 2 inch long and ... A: I think this is the house centipede Scutigera coleoptrata. They are in all house and they are the ...
Brown-ish black bug	8/15/2007
Q: For the past few months in my basement we have had an bug that is about 1/4 of an inch in length ... A: I need more information. Could you send me a photo (waltjh@sbcglobal.net). If not put a couple in a ...
not sure what type of bug this is	8/15/2007
Q: I live in birmingham, Alabama, and I can not figure out what type of bug is in my house. It is a ... A: Sounds like an earwig, so called because it was once thought that thew crawled into you ear. They ...
centepedes	8/13/2007
Q: omg like i just found a centipede in my room it was like idk about 5 or 6cm long and liek it was ... A: You may not believe it but this centipede is one of the good guys searching around for bugs to eat. ...
flat cocoon remains on stucco	8/13/2007
Q: Over the last few years we've been getting these flat, gray, cocoon-looking casings on our stucco. ... A: I believe these are casings from case building moths. Examine one closely. Remove it and tear it ...
sweetheart underwing moth	8/12/2007
Q: How can one tell the difference between a male and a female sweetheart underwing? I have 1 and was ... A: Send the photo to waltjh@sbcglobal.net. It is fairly easy to sex a mothe when the male and female ...
trying to identify this	8/12/2007
Q: I have had a problem with this bug, and it just won't go away. I have killed so many of them, ... A: It sure sounds like a beetle. You can do two things. Send the photo to waltjh@sbcglobal.net. You ...
Apartment critters...	8/11/2007
Q: I just moved into an apt in NYC and am being bit by something I just dont see. But I do have itching ... A: Laura Send the photo to me. You and I may have a different idea as to what a spider beetle is. ...
booklice in my new house	8/11/2007
Q: I live in South Carolina and have an INFESTATION of booklice. I have only lived in the house 2.5 ... A: I am somewhat at a loss here. If exterminators that have been in your home have no real solutions ...
What is that bug with so many legs??	8/10/2007
Q: I live in an apartment in Alabama and I have come across a bug i have never seen before. I usually ... A: Look up Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede. This is what you have described. They are ...
White Fuzzy Bugs!	8/10/2007
Q: I am looking for some information on the bugs that I have recently noticed around the outside of my ... A: Centipedes are not fuzzy white. They could be cottony aphids. Are they on the plants. Forget ...
Spider ID	8/9/2007
Q: A friend of mine took a photo of a spider during last weekends camping. I have narrowed it down to a ... A: There is a resemblance in the body shape of fishing spiders and wolf spiders. Most wolf spiders ...
what do you think?	8/8/2007
Q: my son was bit by a bug. I've never seen it before if you send me your email i can show you a ... A: Send any photos to waltjh@sbcglobal.net The piercing mouth tells me this is possible a member of ...
white crawling insects	8/7/2007
Q: My mother says she sees these white looking insects that are in her carpeting thoughout her home. ... A: I would actually have to see physical evidence before I can make an identification. See if you can ...
identify large lime green bug	8/6/2007
Q: I live in Michigan. We have run across a few bugs that nobody can identify. They are large (at ... A: You have accurately described a grasshopper relative called a Katydid. I cannot tell the species ...
Tiny Insects No Bigger than a period.	8/6/2007
Q: Lately, I've noticed that there are these very tiny insects crawling around the walls near my bed ... A: The main reason for the soap is that it plugs up the crack under the window. Soap is also alkaline ...
Small fast black spiders	8/5/2007
Q: The ones that are scaring me are small (maybe 3/4 inch or so wide with legs), very fast, black ... A: I think I can first assure you that these spiders are no danger to you. I think there has been a ...
tiny household biting insect	8/4/2007
Q: Something started biting me last night. In the night I had 2 bites. Later on in the morning I had 8 ... A: AS you say ;it is hard to identify something when you cannot see it. It is even harder for me ...
Need your help...	8/4/2007
Q: I walked into my room today, looked up and noticed a long, slender line on my wall. I soon realized ... A: I think this is a house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). He is harmless and as scared of you a ...
night time bites	8/3/2007
Q: I have a two year old who has recently been waking up in the morning with one or two large welts on ... A: This seems to be a medical problem and I think you should let a doctor look at your daughters bites. ...
spider life cycle and mating	8/3/2007
Q: I'm curious about spiders and I have some questions. I read that the male deposits his semen on a ... A: I love spiders so I love your questions. I have a pet tarantula named Victoria Rose and yes she can ...
small reddish brown bugs	8/2/2007
Q: For the past year or so, on and off, I’ve found these small reddish brown bugs in my NYC apartment. ... A: First of all let me make this comment. Do not do business with an exterminator that cannot tell a ...
Spider identification	7/25/2007
Q: This morning I encountered a Red-orange colored spider with white bands on the legs in my shower. I ... A: There are two dangerous spider species found in the US. The violin spiders (recluse) and the black ...
Black Tick or Beetle Problem	7/25/2007
Q: I live in Northern Michgian and about two weeks ago I began seeing little black hard shelled beetles ... A: I am sure these are beetles but there are many kinds of beetles that are black. Beetles do not ...
insects	7/25/2007
Q: My children have been complaining of insect bites that look like mosquito bites, but seem to last ... A: Send a photo to waltjh@sbcglobal.net. I have my doubts that the bugs you found are causing the ...
Weird snake-like slug appearing outside our house	7/25/2007
Q: Every once and a while, I'll come upon a rather strange looking slug. It's just incredibly similar ... A: It should be easy to distinguish between a snake and a slug but it sound slike a slug. Are there ...
sand insect	7/24/2007
Q: My house is new, less than 2 years old. This weekend, we came back from our camping trip and found ... A: It may be that these are indeed ants specifically male ants or drones which acquire wings during ...
Flying Black Insect	7/23/2007
Q: I live in Portland OR, and found this black flying 6 legged insect, yellow striped legs, and yellow ... A: Send me the photos (waltjh@sbcglobal.net) along with some more info. Are you finding them inside or ...
Tiny red worm in the shower	7/23/2007
Q: A few days ago a noticed these tiny red beads on the ceiling of my shower & in the grout on the ... A: Are these eggs or actual worms. One way or another they must be immature forms and I would suspect ...
spider like insects	7/22/2007
Q: I am having a problem with an insect that appears to be a spider, but has crab like legs. This ... A: Without seeing this I can not tell you too much. If you see another could you send me a photo. ...
Spider, bed bug?	7/22/2007
Q: For about the last week I've been itching when I go to bed. One night I felt something crawling on ... A: Bed Bug bites leave a pretty large red area but you do not feel the bite. What you have described ...
insect	7/22/2007
Q: we have a really bad case of these really tiny grey bugs that fly or hop they do bite , they look ... A: The description fits a lot of insects The biting and size tells me these may be thrips. Where are ...
large moth	7/21/2007
Q: last night, a large brown moth flew into my brother's trailor in Augusta Maine. he thought it was a ... A: Sounds like a Cecropia moth. It is among the largest of the silkworm moths. Google it and look at ...
little black specs that move	7/21/2007
Q: Last Sunday i saw 3 little black specs on my arm that where moving. They are as small as specs of ... A: Most likely these are spider mites, the non biting ones. You will have to find where they are ...
unknown flying insect in TN	7/21/2007
Q: On a recent trip of mine to sevierville, Tn, I stumbled across an ineresting insect that I have been ... A: This sounds like it could be a Dobson fly (Corydalus cornutus) It Belongs to the order Neuroptera ...
Tiny Brown Bugs in Bathroom	7/20/2007
Q: My home was built late last year, and I have been living there for 6 months. Once the weather began ... A: Is it possible that you could get a photo of some of these to send me? (waltjh@sbcglobal.net)There ...
This bug scares me!!!!!!!!!!!	7/19/2007
Q: OKay. I'm a 31 year old woman with three children and I will leave them outside to fend for ... A: Two things come to mind and both involve insects that are harmless. One is the cicada which I ...
biting bugs	7/18/2007
Q: I have been bitten many times, mainly around the trunk of my body. Mostly in creases such as the ... A: It is difficult for me to identify an insect without seeing it as there are just too many. besides ...
Little black bugs	7/18/2007
Q: I live in the Bloomington, MN in a house built in 1954. Since living there(4 years), each July it ... A: They do sound like beetles and possibly dermestid beetles like carpet or grain beetles. Check your ...
Weird bug	7/18/2007
Q: The other day I was sleeping, but woke up to some stinging on my stomach, I sleep curled up, so I ... A: Well we know this was no spider as spiders do not really get into beds and it was no bee as bees are ...
Identification question,	7/17/2007
Q: I caught a bug the other day and since then, I've been trying to identify it but no search words I ... A: I first thought that it may be a weevil or a true bug. Google both of these. Does it have a shield ...
bugs in my rugs	7/16/2007
Q: I have recently found black shiny bugs which can really move fast if disturbed, in my bathroom rugs. ... A: They sound like beetles of some kind. If you want them identified you will have to send me a photo. ...
Sun flower seed looking worm	7/16/2007
Q: i've been finding these worm like creatures in my room. They look like a cross between a skinny sun ... A: It is a caterpillar related to the clothes moth. The sunflower shape is really a little house the ...
bug bites, but don't know what	7/15/2007
Q: okay so my mom and I have been getting tiny bug bites on our feet and ankles. They are very small, ... A: Bedbugs bites are not small. I think you are being bitten but something like biting gnats or no see ...
tiny red bugs that bite	7/15/2007
Q: This is not the little crawling red bugs that I've seen before that as a child I referred to as ... A: Are these flying insects? If not they sound like velvet mites but red mites do not bite. Some ...
Biggest spider I've ever seen	7/15/2007
Q: Last night when I was letting my dog out I saw this huge black spider, he was definitely bigger than ... A: You are the first person I know that owns a spider eating dog. In answer to your last question there ...
tiny spiders in my bed	7/15/2007
Q: i recently found little tiny spiders while i was lying in bed. i had 4 of them crawling on my leg ... A: It is quite possible for spiderlings to wind up there. however I am sure they do not want to be ...
pond bugs	7/14/2007
Q: I recently cleaned and changed water in my backyard pond. I have turtles in it. I now have these ... A: Naturally a pond is going to attract insects. I do not believe they are not gnats as gnats would ...
spider mites	7/14/2007
Q: I read another question you fielded about spider mites. In your response you said "if they increase ... A: It appears that in your case they have become a problem. If you wish you can send me the photos ...
Very disturbing "creature": Small, flat, diamond shaped w/ one appendage/organ	7/14/2007
Q: I've seen this creature crawling around on my floors (near the bathroom) several times, and it is ... A: This is a very good picture of a critter called the Plaster bagworm. (Phereoeca sp.) It is a moth ...
popping bug	7/14/2007
Q: I was wondering if you could help us identify an oblong, brown bug in our house in PA. It had a hard ... A: I have been a biologist for over 50 years and I have never ceased to be amazed at Mother Natures ...
caterpillars	7/13/2007
Q: I'm 59 now and live in Brooklyn, NY. As a child , I remember seeing caterpillars crawling on ... A: One of my favorite songs is by Pete Seeger "Where Have All The Flowers Gone". I think this may be ...
Tiny Hard Bodied Red-ish Bugs	7/13/2007
Q: At first we noticed this tiny, size of a pin head reddish, maybe slightly brown bug that crawled ... A: These sound like some kind of a beetle. They are certainly not bedbugs. Bedbugs are much larger ...
Strange looking bug/beetle?	7/12/2007
Q: I live in Andover MN and found a strange, multi colored bug on a chokecherry tree. It is about ... A: This sounds like a member of the Order Chrysomelidae; the leaf eating beetles. Without seeing it ...
bug bite-what kind	7/12/2007
Q: While spending a week in Munster, IN I had a bug bite me. I saw it, but did not know what it was. ... A: The question arises as to whether this was a bite or a sting. They are quite different. A sting is ...
black flies	7/11/2007
Q: Now I am not the type that gets squeemish about flies. But, I am freeking out. In the past two ... A: This could be a population explosion and they are likely getting in from the outside. What do you ...
bugs in bathroom	7/11/2007
Q: i live in new orleans and keep finding these bugs on my bathroom floor and can't figure out what ... A: I thought these may be silverfish but no insects have a single antenna. Do these look like a small ...
What kind of beetle is it? Is it a beetle?	7/10/2007
Q: I found this interesting bug at work and would like to know more about it. I have never seen one ... A: It sounds like a member of an insect order called the Cerambycidae or longhorn beetles. The grubs ...
black bugs	7/10/2007
Q: we live in England and have these very tiny black bugs in the loft. They are so small and only just ... A: From your description they sound like beetles but there are many different species of small black ...
Mystery bug/ Cockroach?	7/9/2007
Q: I lived for about two months in an apartment that turned out to be absolutely INFESTED with ... A: I doubt that the small white bug was a roach since they are not white. This could have been a ...
bugs in basement	7/9/2007
Q: I've discovered small black flies in the basement near the windows and hanging out near the lights. ... A: There are too many kinds of flies for me to name them without seeing them. How big are they? The ...
tiny black lady bug type insects	7/9/2007
Q: within the last 6 months I have notice tiny all black lady bug type insects in my basement. The ... A: These certainly sound like beetles but there are 30,000 species of Beetles in N.A. so without seeing ...
White fluffy flying bugs	7/8/2007
Q: I live in Cedar Rapids Iowa and have lived in Iowa most of my life. I have never seen this bug ... A: I suspect that these may be wooly aphids. Look at the upper branches of trees and see if they are ...
Weird flying bug	7/7/2007
Q: I can't seem to find what I am looking for on the internet, so I decided to ask you. I have this ... A: Could you tell me a little more. How big is it? Can you see and describe antennae. Is it a fast ...
springtails	7/7/2007
Q: i have been over run by theses demons they seem to have expoded all over my deck and in my house - ... A: I am afraid I cannot give you any real help. These insects have population explosions and there is ...
mites	7/6/2007
Q: I have a very big problem. About a month ago, I discovered bugs biting me. They are on my beds, ... A: I have never heard of a connection between hormones and mites. Almost all mites feed on plants or ...
ants	7/6/2007
Q: I accidentally broke off an ants legs, 2 of them, while trying to catch it. I have been keeping it ... A: Very unusual . Most people just step on ants. You obviously have a compassion for life. I do too. ...
mites	7/6/2007
Q: I have a very big problem. About a month ago, I discovered bugs biting me. They are on my beds, ... A: These could be spider mites and why they only attack you is strange. Are the bites leaving marks or ...
Mysterious Fly Like Insect	7/5/2007
Q: Walter - I live in Northern Virginia and I have recently seen in my yard, and been bitten by, a bug ... A: Could you give me a bit more information about this insect? Does the bite leave a mark? Blood ...
Small black bugs	7/5/2007
Q: I have found these small black bugs. They have a stripe of white about half down. They are about ... A: Sounds like you have an invasion of dermestid beetles either grain beetles or carpet beetles. They ...
strange scary insect	7/5/2007
Q: I will give a detailed description of this insect.Please help me ientify it, i think it may be a new ... A: I am afraid this one stumps me mounir; You have describer both cerci (stingers- which they are not) ...
springtails	7/4/2007
Q: I have an extremely high population of springtails on my property. No amount of spraying keeps them ... A: Springtails do not know a house from a non-house. They just do what they do and they do require ...
Bugs	7/4/2007
Q: These bugs are in the bath tub,kitchen,computer room and in my chair. They are black. Size . dot to ... A: This could be a spider mite invasion. They are usually temporary. Check you window sill as they ...
reddish-brown roundish flying beetle	7/4/2007
Q: I live in Los Angeles. I have encountered two (or the same one returning) of these flying beetles ... A: There are a lot of beetles of this description so I cannot tell you what they are. They sound like ...
Beetle, Roly Poly, or Tiny Cockroach	7/3/2007
Q: I live in Lancaster, CA which is the high desert. And for the 2nd time in a month I have seen a tiny ... A: First of all we can rule out sowbugs(roly poly) and roaches. Neither are tiny and black and sowbugs ...
Bathroom bugs - springtails maybe?	7/3/2007
Q: In the past several weeks I have had a problem with teeny tiny bugs around our bathtub and sinks in ... A: Without seeing them I believe these are indeed springtails. They survive in moist conditions. ...
white fuzzy flying insect	7/3/2007
Q: I am being plaqued with these insects. I first thought they were seedlings from a tree. Looking ... A: I wish I could see one of them. There are a lot of types like those you describe. Is it possible ...
Deck bugs	7/2/2007
Q: tiny like the size of a sewing neddle tip. They do not seem to bite but there are hundreds of them. ... A: These are probably mites Christina. (the non biting type)They have population explosions and then ...
Very Tiny Brown Bugs that Bite	7/2/2007
Q: I'm from Woodstock, Georgia Recently my bedroom has become infested with very tiny brown bugs. They ... A: Two bugs come to mind Steven, mites and thrips. Thrips are plant feeders but have a piercing mouth ...
bites on body	7/1/2007
Q: June 16th my 13 year old comes back from a camp with 10+ bites all in the underwear area. Don't know ... A: These bites could be caused be a number of different insects. They seem to be associated with the ...
teeeny weeny bug things	7/1/2007
Q: i live in northern ireland and i have recently started to find tiny bugs (1-2mm long) in my bedroom ... A: I am sure these are some kind of a beetle that is probably getting in from the outside but there are ...
What Kind of bug is this?	7/1/2007
Q: For the past three months we have seen a lot of tiny black bugs in the front room and kitchen. They ... A: These could be grain beetles of weevils since they are in the kitchen. Check all opened food ...
Help please, what is this beetle???...	6/30/2007
Q: I live in Phoenix, AZ, and for the last week, I've been finding these little beetles on the carpet, ... A: I feel sure these are beetles and that the smaller ones are larvae. What kind I cannot tell without ...
spiders	6/29/2007
Q: I am in southern California visiting my family with my infant daughter. I cleaned out my old room ... A: It is correct that the recluse is not found in California. The only spider there that is harmful ...
small mites in brick mantel??	6/29/2007
Q: Every summer we see tiny little black bugs that seem to just sit in little groups unless you try to ... A: All mites are not red, only velvet mites. They could be two spotted mites. They must be getting ...
little black bugs	6/28/2007
Q: I woke up with a bite on my upper arm a couple mornings ago. I took off all of my bedding and under ... A: These could be bed bugs. they could be in the mattress and washing the bedding would not help. Lift ...
Bugs? Mites in my House!	6/28/2007
Q: I am on the second invasion of these extremely minute bugs that crawl on the walls of every room in ... A: I am afraid that I have nothing good to tell you. I have not seen these bugs to identify and even ...
teeeny weeny bug things	6/27/2007
Q: i live in northern ireland and i have recently started to find tiny bugs (1-2mm long) in my bedroom ... A: First of all don't be freaked out as I am sure these pose no danger to you since you have not said ...
spider/beatle?	6/27/2007
Q: I live in Washinton state, Longview, 1/2 way between Portland Oregon and Seattle Washington. I was ... A: I cannot identify this spider despite your good description. It has the size of a wolf spider and ...
Tiny red "ants"?	6/27/2007
Q: For the past month or so I have been waking up during the night feeling as if I'm being bitten, and ... A: You seem to have multiple bug problems. First look at the moth problem. The bugs in the bread ...
big bug	6/26/2007
Q: I was in NJ in June and got a really big scare when a BIG, long legged, yellow and black ... A: Sheila; I can only help by telling you was probably a grasshopper. There are a lot of species and ...
TINY blck bugs	6/26/2007
Q: I have twice today, while sitting in my recliner found a VERY tiny, black bug crawling on my arm. I ... A: We cannot see dust mites. If we could we would really be freaked out because there are so many. I ...
ants with wings	6/25/2007
Q: I have recently noticed ant-like insects with wings in my basement. Enough of them, that i have used ... A: we are neighbors as I live up the freeway in Wickliffe. I am sure these are male ants called ...
Tell me	6/24/2007
Q: I live in Fl. Should say it all. Yes, there is Jeb, and all that other stuff. I am originally from ... A: I think we can agree that you were stung. A wasp has a thread waste and usually do not sting people ...
Tell me	6/24/2007
Q: I live in Fl. Should say it all. Yes, there is Jeb, and all that other stuff. I am originally from ... A: The question arises whether it was a bite or a sting. I think sting and my bet is a male velvet ant ...
tick?	6/23/2007
Q: my husband found a bug that had been crawling on him in our bed. It is black or dark brown, has 2 ... A: You have given an excellent description of a hard bodied tick but what kind I do not know. Rabbit ...
Itchy mosquito-like bites	6/23/2007
Q: For the past week or so, i've been getting bitten by something. Only one bite every couple of hours ... A: I would be almost willing to bet the farm that your problem has nothing to do with insects. Flying ...
springtails in home aquarium	6/22/2007
Q: Is there any successful method of eliminating springtails in our 55 gallon fresh water aquarium? We ... A: It seems that springtails and water go together. Theer is even a species that lives on snow. ...
Springtails???	6/22/2007
Q: I noticed a few days ago tiny little gray bugs crawling on my second story bedroom window sill. I ... A: Springtails walk and jump both. Tiny jumping grey bugs that jump are usually springtails. They ...
annoying pests	6/21/2007
Q: I have been having trouble staying outside because of this pin head sized pest. They are so small ... A: There are just so many kinds of out door biting insects that without seeing one I cannot tell you ...
Infants and spiders	6/21/2007
Q: We live in a condos and there has seem to be spiders getting in our place. Even in our bedroom where ... A: First of all Melinda let me give some information about spiders. Even though they all contain a ...
Tiny black bugs	6/21/2007
Q: I have what seems like a million little black bugs, they are about the size of a poppy seed, round, ... A: We can usually narrow the identification of very small black bugs in large numbers into one of two, ...
Small jumping bugs in my house	6/20/2007
Q: We have recently built a new house and have gotten sod. We live in Southeast Ohio. For about the ... A: I think these are Colembola or springtails. It is literally impossible to get rid of them outside. ...
Springtails	6/20/2007
Q: I have bugs in my home that have all the same characteristics of a springtail, but Orkin is telling ... A: Obviously Orkin is wasting your time and money. Most exterminators cannot tell one insect from ...
Trying to identify an insect	6/20/2007
Q: In my backyard I found a group of about 6 odd insects. The body was black and like that of a wasp ... A: I believe these are female ichneumon wasps. The probe is an ovipositor. They use their antennae to ...
Tiny, Black, jumping bugs	6/19/2007
Q: We have started seeing tiny, black, jumping bugs in our bathroom they are mainly in the bathtub. We ... A: Tiny jumping bugs in the bathroom are usually springtails. They breed in and around the drains so ...
unknown insect	6/19/2007
Q: I keep finding this insect in my house, but only one or two a month over the last 4 yrs. Mostly ... A: Is it possible that you could send me a photo of this insect? (waltjh@sbcglobal.net) It seems to be ...
springtails?	6/18/2007
Q: I have found thousands of tiny bugs on my back deck. They have also recently invaded my bathroom ... A: I am quite sure these are mites (non biting). Mites do not transmit any disease. I do not think ...
Fly Sensory Skills	6/18/2007
Q: This questions is going to sound like it's from a kid, and it is...Mine; but I have to get an answer ... A: The sense of smell is a chemical sense and flies have an excellent sense of smell. The sense organs ...
Bugs In Shower	6/18/2007
Q: I have bugs on my blinds in my bathroom. Ihey look like real little caterpillar's but black and have ... A: They probably are caterpillars or larvae of an insect. Without seeing them I do not know what they ...
springtails?	6/17/2007
Q: I have found thousands of tiny bugs on my back deck. They have also recently invaded my bathroom ... A: Springtails jump when you disturb them so I suspect these are spider mites. With so many I doubt ...
Unable to identify this spider?	6/17/2007
Q: We live at an Air Force base in Southeastern wyoming. We found a spider like creature on our ... A: Vinagaroons are whip scorpions and are found in the southwest. They have a whip tail and some nasty ...
Unable to identify this spider?	6/17/2007
Q: We live at an Air Force base in Southeastern wyoming. We found a spider like creature on our ... A: The first thing that comes to mind is a whip scorpion. The first pair of legs have long antennae ...
green bugs	6/17/2007
Q: Our house has been invaded by some sort of little bitty, bright green, flying bug/insect. They seem ... A: I suspect these are midges. There is a species that is green. They can get in through screens. ...
Little ants on the bed?	6/17/2007
Q: I live in NJ and I noticed about 3 little ant type things crawling on the bed. They are not bed ... A: I believe that they just happened to wind up on the bed. Without seeing them I cannot tell you what ...
black and yellow beetles on redbud	6/16/2007
Q: My redbud tree has died. It took about two years and died from the top down. I have several ... A: Could you send me a photo of the beetles. There are a number that fit this description. ...
Bathroom Bug	6/16/2007
Q: I moved into this new apartment about a month ago. We noticed these really really tiny centipede ... A: I would have to see these to identify them. I doubt that they are gnats. Gnats are flies and do ...
Common Scutigera prevention	6/15/2007
Q: I know it's the common centipede that I've seen because I had to deal with them growing up. Now I ... A: Scutigera is a common inhabitant in all houses and buildings. The one you saw was probably a second ...
tiny red sandbox bugs	6/15/2007
Q: We live in the CA Bay Area, and recently filled our plastic sandbox with purchased sand. About a ... A: They are not chiggers since chigger mites would not be in the sand but they do sound like velvet ...
blood sucking bugs	6/14/2007
Q: My husband and I are getting bit during the night. They are huge bites, often looking like a welt. I ... A: Identifying the culprit in these cases is a huge problem for me. We have to establish the cause and ...
Tiny Black Bugs	6/14/2007
Q: you had some helpful answers to other questions. In the past hour my boyfriend has found 3 or 4 tiny ... A: Unless there are bites or marks from bites I believe we can attribute the itching to the crawly ...
bugs	6/13/2007
Q: I found little red bugs in my daughter's hair. They were red and had wings. What were they? A: I do not have enough information to identify them.. Had she been outside? How many were there? I ...
Mystery bug in home	6/12/2007
Q: In the last few days, I've found 6 itty bitty bugs, on my arm & hands, also found one on my pants- ... A: The hardness tells me it is some species of a beetle. They could have gotten inside the house when ...
a little green bug in a spit coccoon	6/12/2007
Q: i am living in ireland and whilst years ago these bugs were common in grasslands etc., they are now ... A: This little creature is aptly named a spittlebug. The adults are called froghoppers. The nymph ...
Small hopping insect (not springtails)	6/11/2007
Q: I just moved into a home in NJ, and we've noticed the entire lawn, and foundation of the shed and ... A: Go to google and look up leafhoppers and treehoppers. See if you can get a photo and send it to me. ...
cicada	6/11/2007
Q: I live in No. IL, 17 yr periodic cicadas have emerged. what mechanism causes male cicada to die ... A: They simply run out of energy. The adult stage is the breeding period and they do not eat. They ...
small bugs	6/11/2007
Q: I live in Colorado at about 8700 feet. I have small gray-green bugs lined up next to each other on ... A: It sounds like you have aphids. Google aphids and see if this is what they are. They feed on the ...
Little tiny grey bugs	6/11/2007
Q: I have these little tiny grey bugs around my windows, I tried killing them w/a piece of paper and ... A: These are most like Colembola or springtails. I assume they are inside the house. If outside hose ...
brown striped spider	6/10/2007
Q: My husband,my son,and I live in Tennessee and we keep finding these brown spiders with two black ... A: There are many spiders that fit this description including some wolf spiders and common orb weavers. ...
gray/silver bugs that move very quickly	6/10/2007
Q: often if i drop clothes on the floor when i pick then up they are underneath they run very quickly ... A: They do sound like silverfish and it appears you have a lot of them. Often the appendages are hard ...
tiny bugs around my home	6/10/2007
Q: I live in Billings, MT. I noticed "hundreds" of these tiny, grayish, ant-like bugs on my wooden ... A: The jumping and large numbers tells me they may be colembola or springtails that accumulate in ...
flying ants on my rug	6/9/2007
Q: I saw some flying ants on my rug they where very lethargic.I then saw a couple flying around a ... A: There are so many due to population explosions. Drones are common among this order of insects. We ...
flying ants on my rug	6/9/2007
Q: I saw some flying ants on my rug they where very lethargic.I then saw a couple flying around a ... A: They sound like ants. The winged ants are drones (male ants) They emerge periodically and die ...
Tiny black/grey jumping bugs	6/9/2007
Q: I live in North Carolina and I noticed a problem with these tiny jumping bugs about a month ago. ... A: I can only guess but they sound like springtails or Collembola. They are usually found where it is ...
I just want to know what these insects are and what they're doing.	6/9/2007
Q: I live in Yukon Canada.I live beside a lake. For the last two days (and every year around this ... A: Without seeing them I can only guess but I suspect that they are a species of mayfly or cranefly. ...
need help to identify an insect	6/8/2007
Q: I live in North Carolina and at night if we have the windows or doors open these tiny green flying ... A: there are so many insects like this that without seeing one I can only guess. There are many types ...
tiny tan/skin colored insectsc crawling on my skin	6/8/2007
Q: Here is my situation... About a year ago, I was outside leaning up against a brick building for a ... A: The first thing comes to mind are Thrips from your description. Is there a particular area that you ...
red bug	6/7/2007
Q: i wrote you yesterday about this red bug thats all over my garage and ground.i have to make a ... A: i am afraid that I am at a loss here as far as identifying these insects. There are just too many ...
beetle?	6/6/2007
Q: I am finding these small black beetle-like insects in my house. In the sink, in my cupboards and ... A: You mentioned small but a centimeter is almost half an inch. Most pantry pests are much smaller. I ...
beetle?	6/6/2007
Q: I am finding these small black beetle-like insects in my house. In the sink, in my cupboards and ... A: I cannot tell you what it is because there many small black beetles but since they are in the ...
Bug bites at night	6/6/2007
Q: I'm really hoping that someone can help me with my family's problem. The last few mornings my ... A: It is hard to identify a biting organism without seeing the biter. I believe in light of all these ...
tiny red bugs	6/6/2007
Q: We noticed small red bugs in the thousands in our window sills and walls appearring within aday or ... A: It is likely that these are velvet mites that are are getting in under the window cracks. They can ...
black bugs with 2 orange stripes on back	6/5/2007
Q: I hope you can help me with this. I have hundreds of bugs in my backyard. I need to know: 1.) if you ... A: Do you have a box elder tree in the back yard. These could be box elder bugs. AT any rate they ...
grey biting tiny bugs	6/5/2007
Q: We have tiny grey bugs that swarm our front porch, steps, and sidewalk and show up in our bathrooms ... A: First of all Mary Jo it it a mistake to spray to kill the spiders as the spiders would feed on the ...
What spider did I squish?	6/5/2007
Q: This spider came up on the wall right next to me and scared the spit right out of me. At first, I ... A: Shame on you Suzi for your Little Miss Muffet reaction. This sounds like a common house spider ...
Small black beetle with grey stripe	6/4/2007
Q: We have been seeing small black beetles (hard shell) which have a grey stripe accross their back. ... A: Can you describe the antennae in which direction does the stripe go and is there a single stripe. ...
very small beetle-like bugs with wings	6/4/2007
Q: I'm in SE Conn, and recently have been finding these very small, little smaller than 1/4 in. bugs ... A: There are so many kinds of beetles that I would have to see one to identify it. Could you send me a ...
small grey bugs	6/4/2007
Q: I have recently noticed huge numbers of tiny grey bugs (they are about the size of a pin-head) all ... A: It is quite possible that these are biting mites and they could be coming from the nest. Get rid of ...
Question about Big Spider resembling Recluse	6/3/2007
Q: While in my garden shed, I moved a box of canning jars, and there was a huge brown spider that was ... A: This was not a brown recluse. The recluse is much smaller and is not found in Michigan. Without ...
Spider webs	6/3/2007
Q: How does a spider creat a web strand from one point to another? Eg: I have one strand of spider web ... A: It would seem like spiders walk from one point to another but they do not. They use a method called ...
Blue spider?	6/2/2007
Q: I while ago I found a blue spider in my house, and I've never seen anything like it. Looking at ... A: Some white tail spiders have a bluish cast. Are you in Australia? If not it is not a whitetail. I ...
Itty, Bitty, Brown Bugs in Atlanta Bathroom	6/2/2007
Q: I found really tiny brown/black bugs on the edge of the master bath today in my new house(2 1/2 ... A: Springtails like to hang around damp places in bathrooms. They will breed in drains and around ...
tiny orange bugs that fly and bite	6/2/2007
Q: the last couple of summers we've been having a terrible time with these very tiny orange looking ... A: It is most likely that these are flies and probably some kind of gnat. Their population explosions ...
spider	6/1/2007
Q: I live in Southcentral Pennsylvania. This afternoon I noticed a black spider holding a webworm, and ... A: My guess is that this was a member of the Salticidae, the jumping spiders. They are beautiful ...
Strange Small Worm	6/1/2007
Q: When I woke up this morning, I noticed a small pinkish worm-like insect in my bed. It had a ... A: I cannot identify it from the description but can tell you what I think it is not. You can forget ...
tiny red spider mites?	5/31/2007
Q: How do I rid my front porch (cement)and my backyard deck of these tiny creatures? You indicated to ... A: Like many creatures they have population explosions and will continue to appear for a while. They ...
tiny bugs	5/31/2007
Q: i recently found tiny white bugs crawling over things in my room. they are about the size of a ... A: These are not bed bugs. Bedbugs are much bigger and are not white. These sound like spider mites. ...
Bedbug?	5/31/2007
Q: My sister found a strange bug on its back in the middle of her kitchen floor. It looks an awful lot ... A: This does resemble a bedbug but I cannot tell the size. Bedbugs are about a quarter of an inch ...
Red Bugs ( inserts )	5/29/2007
Q: What arre the little red bugs the size of a pin head that I always see crawling around on cement ? ... A: They are always swarming and wandering around looking for food when they have population explosions ...
bugs	5/29/2007
Q: My garden is covered with these black and orange bugs slightly bigger than love bugs and they ... A: I am afraid that insecticides will affect the monarchs so you may have to live with the bugs. I ...
tiny pin sized black bugs	5/28/2007
Q: When I woke up this morning I notice that on my hand they were several little black spots. Then they ... A: I get questions about small bugs daily and since I do not see them I can only make a guess as to ...
tiny black bugs-beedle like	5/27/2007
Q: I have noticed dead little black or very dark brown balck beedle like bugs in my nicely finished ... A: Of course I cannot really identify these insects without seeing them but from what you tell me I do ...
evergreen tree beetles	5/27/2007
Q: An evergreen tree, not pine, had swarms of 1/4 inch beetles on it. I didn't see any damage. The ... A: There are a number of beetles that will feed on evergreens including Japanese beetles. Japanese ...
The tiniest insect	5/27/2007
Q: I just want to begin this by explaining that this is not my bathroom, merely my brothers whose ... A: Everyday I get questions about very small insects like this. Since I cannot see them to identify ...
Tiny bugs	5/27/2007
Q: I have these tiny little bugs in my bathroom, they seem to like the tracking area of our shower ... A: Tiny jumping bugs in a bathroom usually means the presence of Collembola, commonly know as ...
camel cricket invasion...	5/26/2007
Q: I have identified the pest that has taken residence in our house. Our invaders are Camel Crickets ... A: Very unusual when you have no basement, where these crickets are usually found. Do you have a crawl ...
thin hard bugs	5/26/2007
Q: Every Spring we get these small/elongated, hard, black bugs that fly. We find them on the ceiling. ... A: Unless they are very tiny they most likely cannot get through screens but maybe around them. My ...
Strange bug i have never seen before	5/25/2007
Q: I saw this bug at my work. it is green and kinda looks like a cross between a grashopper and a ... A: You have described a beautiful little insect called a Katydid. They are a type of grasshopper from ...
No clue what bug	5/24/2007
Q: it has a total of 28 legs. it has 2 atenas that are as long as its body. it has 2 strips runing ... A: You have described Scutigera coleoptrata, the house centipede. Look it up at google and let me know ...
tiny bright red bug on bed	5/23/2007
Q: Fl on a one-acre lot. I have 5 dogs and we have had tick problems before. My little dog sleeps on my ... A: If the dog is the carrier they are just hitching a ride so just brush him off real well. Vacuum ...
Bug behind my eye!	5/21/2007
Q: Mr. Hintz, This is an odd thing to have happened, but the other day, a bug flew toward my eye and I ... A: I'm glad you got it out John. You should have no further trouble. Nothing can reach the the optic ...
brown bugs in basement	5/20/2007
Q: Last fall we had these brown bugs in basement and they disappeared during the winter. They are now ... A: They sound like beetles, possible dermestid beetles. Continue to sweep them up. Make sure ...
tiny orangish bug	5/20/2007
Q: i recently left my window open one day and it rained and made my futon wet a bit and then dried. ... A: There are a number of different small insects that bite. Your description fits a velvet mite but ...
Tiny Red Bugs	5/19/2007
Q: We have these very tiny red bugs on many of our window sills. They have also been in our bathtub ... A: Most tiny red bugs are velvet mites. They usually come in from outside through the cracks under the ...
little bug	5/19/2007
Q: Small black bug(bigger than a flea/smaller than a lady bug) appears to have wings and doesn't use ... A: I would rule out roaches as they have no wings. It sounds like a beetle. Are there a lot of them ...
Small black beetle with beige middle	5/18/2007
Q: I have small black beetles (I think) with a beige or clear band around it's middle. I don't know ... A: If you wish you can mail me a couple so I can examine one under a dissecting scope to see mouth ...
Small black beetle with beige middle	5/18/2007
Q: I have small black beetles (I think) with a beige or clear band around it's middle. I don't know ... A: There are over 250,000 known species of beetles and some of the differences are very subtle.That is ...
Small black beetle with beige middle	5/17/2007
Q: I have small black beetles (I think) with a beige or clear band around it's middle. I don't know ... A: There are a number of beetles these could be. The problem is finding where they are coming from. ...
cant identify this insect	5/17/2007
Q: this insect was found in my michigan basement it has 14 legs on each side total of 28 all together ... A: You have given me an absolutely perfect description of Scutigera coleoptrata, the House Centipede. ...
Little hard shelled black bugs	5/16/2007
Q: I live in an apartment in NYC. There are little hard shelled black bugs that seem to be located ... A: They are probably some species of beetle.You have to find out where they are coming from They could ...
bugs!	5/16/2007
Q: I have these bugs in my room. They are little and black. They also have wings. My brother said they ... A: You are correct. Bedbugs do not fly but flies do and I suspect that these are flies. Without seeing ...
Tiny Bright Red Bugs	5/16/2007
Q: I was outside on a break at work, sitting in the gazebo when I looked down and saw this tiny, and I ... A: I am sure these are velvet mites. They are harmless to people. In larval they attach themselves to ...
tiny dot size mites/bugs/insects	5/15/2007
Q: I just moved to a new house in a suburb of Melbourne and it has got a very dirty carpet although it ... A: I am somewhat at a loss here myself. It seems they are connected with the carpet Is it practical to ...
palm tree bugs	5/15/2007
Q: they are white powdery with six legs they kinda look like catapillars. I need to know what they are ... A: ( I assume you are in Florida) I mention this because these insects may be secondary to the ...
botflies	5/13/2007
Q: I really need to know if Bot flies live {ANYWHERE}in Canada, if they have any way of getting here, ... A: There a many species of bot flies but I assume you are thinking about the human botfly. Most people ...
Mystery Bug in Basemnt	5/12/2007
Q: Please help! im not sure what this bug is. last night i was in the basement with my aunt and she ... A: This is somewhat confusing Jordan. How big was it that it resembled a bird. You mentioned buzzing ...
small bug infestation	5/12/2007
Q: I live in MA and I'm getting small bugs/insects coming into my house around windows. They are dark ... A: This is the time of the year when spider mites crawl under window cracks and enter houses. There ...
red bugs	5/11/2007
Q: I have seen very tiny tiny red bugs on window and the sill living room, and bathroom. maybe bedroom ... A: Most likely these are spider mites that are coming in under the window. This is the time of the ...
Native MN spider	5/10/2007
Q: Female is HUGE, very black except for on the body is a very bright yellow marking. It is native to ... A: Sounds like the beautiful Black and Yellow Argiope, one of my favorites. The female stays in the ...
Bed Bugs	5/10/2007
Q: I had not realized until the morning after I got back from Florida that the bites on my legs were ... A: Wow Bill: You have had a time with this. First of all bud bugs are not necessarily smart and the do ...
insect	5/10/2007
Q: Mr. Hintz: yesterday i found what i thought to be a nodule on my dogs head. my neighbour ended up ... A: Most likely this was a tick taking a blood meal. They hide in bushes and tall shrubs and often get ...
tiny dot size mites/bugs/insects	5/10/2007
Q: I just moved to a new house in a suburb of Melbourne and it has got a very dirty carpet although it ... A: We are an ocean apart and it is difficult for me to identify what these insects are. I can only ...
bug in basment	5/9/2007
Q: I've seen a bug a few times in my basment and most recently in my living room. It has ... A: You got it right. This is a centipede, specifically the house centipede ,Scutigera coleoptrata. ...
Black and white bugs	5/9/2007
Q: Hello i live in England and have recently been getting black bugs with white stripes on all over all ... A: These sound like two spotted spider mites that are coming in under the window. Clean off the sill ...
Red Bugs on Cement/Deck	5/8/2007
Q: I noticed alot of small red bugs on a mortor cap on a stone wall and now they are on my deck. I ... A: I am sure these are spider mites. They could be breeding somewhere near or under the deck and there ...
red blood sucker	5/6/2007
Q: I went out for a walk in the countryside in Wales (UK) yesterday and did not come into contact with ... A: From the description I am almost positive that this was a tick. The problem with removing them is ...
Spiders	5/6/2007
Q: How long do spiders live? A: It depends upon the species and where they are found. Most spiders have a limited life span of two ...
black spider	5/5/2007
Q: ..I recently moved into a house and have started to find pretty large black spiders. One crawling ... A: If you have been told it is not a widow then you have nothing to worry about. The only black spider ...
Biting Instects that thrive in bathrooms	5/4/2007
Q: My wife and I live in the city and have to often clean the sidewalk of trash, tree leaves and etc. ... A: I get a lot of questions like this about biting insects that cannot be seen and unfortunately If I ...
Wierd 1inch red bug with 12 long pairs of legs in bathroom	5/4/2007
Q: I live in central MO and today my daughters found a red 1 inch red/orange bug with an elongated body ... A: This sounds like the house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata. They are harmless to people and feed ...
Biting Bugs on LI	5/3/2007
Q: Well it has been about 2 years of bugs bitting us. I see little black bugs jumping, So I assume ... A: Thrips cannot fly or jump. Is it possible for you to pick up a few of these bugs on Scotch tape and ...
Biting Bugs on LI	5/1/2007
Q: Well it has been about 2 years of bugs bitting us. I see little black bugs jumping, So I assume ... A: Thrips breed on house and outdoor plants and can get into the house through tiny cracks. They are ...
furry black bug	5/1/2007
Q: I had spilt some soda on the carpet next to the radiator in the bedroom, and when I went to clean it ... A: Given the fact that there are about a million species of insects it is difficult for me to identify ...
holes in yard	5/1/2007
Q: I have small holes in yard about 1/4 inch. What ever makes them pulls grass ar leaves into it and ... A: Unless you can find the culprit that is making the holes I cannot identify it. I do not know what ...
Biting Bugs on LI	4/29/2007
Q: Well it has been about 2 years of bugs bitting us. I see little black bugs jumping, So I assume ... A: I am afraid if professional exterminators have visited your house and failed to solve the problem ...
sand bugs	4/29/2007
Q: I was at the beach today when I noticed some tiny bugs as I was looking at the sand near a pool of ... A: A common insect found in large amounts near water are Collembola or springtails. This is what I ...
Very tiny worm/caterpillar-like bugs in bathroom	4/25/2007
Q: For the past few weeks I have noticed very tiny 1-2mm worm/caterpillar-like things crawling on my ... A: These are too small for carpet beetles and could be beetle or moth larvae of some kind. Do you ever ...
spiders	4/21/2007
Q: i have a couple questions 1. i know cobwebs are spider webs that have collected dust, but can a cob ... A: 1. Cob webs are the result of spider silk. Moths like clothes moths also spin silk but do not ...
invasion of giant black water bugs in NYC Loft	4/20/2007
Q: For some reason, we have an invasion of these giant black water bugs in our NY Apt. Have killed ... A: These do sound like water beetles. They only leave the water to mate and they do so at night ...
small biting bug	4/20/2007
Q: Over the course of close to a year I've experienced bites that leave large welts/with fever in bite. ... A: It then becomes a medical problem. The first thing you should do is consult a dermatologist. Let me ...
invasion of giant black water bugs in NYC Loft	4/19/2007
Q: For some reason, we have an invasion of these giant black water bugs in our NY Apt. Have killed ... A: I am unable to comment on these because you have not given me enough information to identify them. ...
tiny, tiny mysterious bugs	4/17/2007
Q: I just moved into a new home in wylie, tx (suburb northeast of dallas) about 6 mths ago, and I ... A: Send the photo to waltjh@sbcglobal.net If these are springtails you will have to locate the source. ...
Bed Bugs in Appt.	4/16/2007
Q: Hai, I live in suburb of Philadelphia. We have been in the appt. for about an year. Now from few ... A: On top of a bug problem you also have a legal problem and I cannot help you with that. I am not a ...
Tiny brown/white bugs in Pacific NW.	4/16/2007
Q: I found hundreds tiny (sesame seed shape & size)dark brown with what appears white stripes bugs all ... A: They could be mites. If the jump they could be springtails. Without seeing one I cannot tell what ...
small bug	4/9/2007
Q: We have been finding 100s of these small bugs in our home. They are so small that we thought they ... A: The fact that they are on the windows tells me they are spider mites that are probably getting in ...
Little Black and white(cream) bugs	4/7/2007
Q: There are tiny black bugs with white looks like stripes on them in the corners of my house, on both ... A: Without seeing them it is hard to tell. Could you pick up a few and mail them to me at walter hintz ...
I don't know the type of bug in my house	4/6/2007
Q: I was cleaning by my window in my house when I noticed what I thought were mouse droppings...When I ... A: Without seeing one it is difficult to tell what these are but they sound like beetles of some kind. ...
Fiddle back	4/5/2007
Q: I live in Kansas and work as a grounds keeper. My shop has a large number of brown recluse. Dont ... A: As you have seen the damage from recluse bites has been grossly exaggerated. Being bitten more that ...
Ant	4/5/2007
Q: I'm trying to make sure this bug I found inside my house is an ant and not a termite. We have had a ... A: I suspect it is a drone ant (male) Drones develop wings that fall off. They appear periodically in ...
Bugs on the couch!	4/4/2007
Q: The other day I was sitting on my boyfriends couch watching TV with him when I started to feel like ... A: Two things come to mind form the size. Spider mites and thrips. My guess is that they are in the ...
spiders	4/3/2007
Q: We have issues with two types of spiders that infest our yard every year and cannot get rid of them ... A: First of all let me say that neither of these spiders are a threat to anybody. I have not seen the ...
tiny wee white spiders	4/3/2007
Q: I see these extremely tiny, white, (Sometimes translucent), spiders drop slowly from the ceiling in ... A: These are spiderlings, young that have hatched recently. They are incapable of biting you and it is ...
Little Black Flying Bugs	4/3/2007
Q: I live just north of Detroit Michigan and I have these little black bugs flying around our house. ... A: They are some kind of a fly but without seeing them I cannot identify them. Adult flies have a ...
silver bugs	4/2/2007
Q: kaden coles ANSWER: What are silver bugs? Are you asking about silverfish? ---------- FOLLOW-UP ... A: What you describe are silverfish. They can be destructive in large numbers. They feed upon grains ...
Re: Tiny bugs	3/31/2007
Q: I'm trying to identify a tiny gray jumping bug that keeps infesting my porch. Can you help me? A: There are a lot of tiny grey bugs. The jumping tells me they may be springtails What do you mean ...
Wierd looking spider	3/31/2007
Q: I had a spider in a web on the pool screen. I tried to take a photo, but it didn't turn out well, so ... A: Great find! You have given me a perfect description of a beautiful spider called the Crablike Spiny ...
bugs	3/30/2007
Q: I have some bugs in my house they look like a worn or centepede with stingers on the end and they ... A: I think this is the house centipede. They are harmless and do not bite or sting. The last thing a ...
drugstore or cigarette beetles	3/28/2007
Q: I have had these bugs that I have been able to identify as drugstore or cigarette beetles. I have ... A: These beetles need energy and they get it from dried food products. Until you find the source you ...
teeny tiny red bugs	3/26/2007
Q: I just moved into another with a rug. Lately I have have tiny red bugs on me and I see them in my ... A: Sounds like spider mites. Are the biting you? Just keep wiping them up and they should soon ...
Spider Mites	3/24/2007
Q: There are tiny, dust-sized bugs (spider mites?) crawling on my window sills and frames inside my ... A: They sound like mites. They are most likely coming in under the window from outside. Is there any ...
tiny tiny brownreddish bugs	3/23/2007
Q: they are the size if a pen head when you kill them they leave brown stain alot for those tiny ... A: I believe these are spider mites getting in through the crack under the window. Are there any bird ...
Unknown bug	3/22/2007
Q: ..I recently noticed these small grayish, blackish bugs with wings that fly and hop in my home. I ... A: The wings puts them out of consideration for small biting bugs like mites and thrips. If you only ...
Invisible Spiders seen at night only	3/20/2007
Q: I have a pest control company in Houston, Texas, and I just received a phone call from a lady who ... A: I know a lot of things about insects and spiders but I cannot identify anything I cannot see. You ...
What's this bug in my house?	3/19/2007
Q: Okay so this is very very small bug, perhaps the size of a full grown lice bug. I can't count the ... A: First of all you have not describes any insect that can give you a problem and three in six months ...
bugs in bedroom	3/12/2007
Q: ? Not sure what you mean? Do you have any idea what they could be?First of all, thanks for your ... A: I am sure they are not bed bugs as you can see them. Do you gte the bites only when in bed. Could ...
Small black bug w/brown stripe & hard shell	3/8/2007
Q: I was taking care of a patient of mine at her house when I started to strip her bed and i saw this ... A: It does not fit the description of a bedbug and it is probably a transient that does not bite ...
bugs in bathroom	3/6/2007
Q: We have little bugs in our basement bathroom that we think look like bed bugs. Is it possible? ... A: We can rule out bedbugs. The reason they are called that is because the live in bedding. They ...
Bug that I hear but cannot see	3/3/2007
Q: I hear bugs in the bed at night. I hear them in the pillow and in the mattress. I have checked the ... A: My guess is that whatever you are hearing it is not bugs. Bugs that are so small you cannot see do ...
what is this?	2/27/2007
Q: There are little black bugs I find dead in my kitchen and bathroom. They have 4 legs and antenas. I ... A: Without seeing I do not know but they sound like beetles. It sounds like they are dying. If you ...
black bugs in kitchen	2/26/2007
Q: i live in an apartment in new york city. Over the past few months, i've been finding tiny black ... A: You are describing beetles: possibly some kind of a grain beetle. Boric acid will work on ants but ...
spiders in house	2/22/2007
Q: Lately we have been seeing spiders in our house in the evening, sometimes as many as 7-8 per night ... A: It is virtually impossible to get rid of all spiders permanently. In your house they are after ...
Spiders	2/21/2007
Q: My friend and I have recently been backpacking around Barcelona, Spain. However, a concern that ... A: I know of no dangerous spiders or other scary invertebrates in Spain. There are European tarantulas ...
Dermatobia hominis	2/17/2007
Q: I would like to know if the human botfly (Dermatobia hominis) can be found in Mexico's Western Coast ... A: I must agree that there are few things more disgusting than having a maggot under the skin. The fly ...
bugs that look like thorns	2/16/2007
Q: We have bugs that look like thorns on our powder puff tree. We want to know if these are good bugs ... A: These are probably treehoppers and maybe the Thorn-mimic treehopper. They are true bugs and feed on ...
bugs in my barley	2/14/2007
Q: I made soup tonight and when I added a large scoop of barley into the pot I saw brown dirt on top of ... A: It appears that you have protein added to your soup. These are probably some kind of a grain ...
Spider Bite	2/4/2007
Q: This morning I was bitten by a brown spider in my office. It left a single red welt, my hand ... A: The only really brown spider that can cause serious damage is the violin spider or brown recluse and ...
Small black bugs	1/29/2007
Q: She has seen a few of them. They are very small, almost like specks. One of them was a bit larger ... A: Apparently insects are the cause of this then. They sound like thrips which will bite like this. ...
Small black bugs	1/29/2007
Q: My sister changed offices in work and noticed she was getting itchy and felt like things were ... A: All I can do is make a guess about this since I cannot identify bugs we cannot see. My guess is ...
flying insect	1/29/2007
Q: in a rarely used guestroom, i have found lots of small white worms that seem to change into small ... A: These most likely are moths and possibly clothes moths. Check all the cloth materials,especially ...
stink bugs in the house	1/8/2007
Q: I have recently been finding this strange bug. About a dozen in the past month or so. They are in my ... A: Most stinkbugs look alike. the consperse stinkbug is brownish green and feeds on plants especially ...
littlebugs	1/3/2007
Q: I'm getting little bugs in my flour,oatmeal,sugar,noodles etc. in my cupboard Don't know how to get ... A: These are either Indian meal moth larvae or beetles. Probably beetles. They are breeding in the ...
Can you help me identify this bug?	1/2/2007
Q: I will try to take a picture and also send you a couple of them, but like I said they dont show up ... A: I am pretty sure these are insect larvae and quite possibly the larvae of beetles or moths. I do ...
Ants & eats	1/2/2007
Q: Do harvester ants have specific nutritional needs, or can they survive on a diet of random edible ... A: Ants have been around for quite million years and are probably among the most successful living ...
cocoon identification	12/31/2006
Q: I found a large cocoon in my yard in Albuquerque, NM. on Dec. 19th. The cocoon was 6.2 cm in length ... A: This sounds like butterfly chrysalis Martha. If you handle it and it is still alive the posterior ...
Can you help me identify this bug?	12/31/2006
Q: I live in the suburbs of Georgia. I found these insects in my infant daughter's crib. I only find ... A: I believe that I would have to see them to identify them. Would it be possible for you to send me a ...
tiny white fkies	12/26/2006
Q: I FEEL BUGS CRAWLING ALL OVER ME. I HAVE BITES ALL OVER ME. IF I STAND NEXT TO A REALLY BRIGHT LAMP, ... A: I believe that this is not an insect problem anymore but a medical problem and I am not am MD. I ...
stick bug infestation	12/26/2006
Q: i have lived in my apartment for almost a year, and about 7 months ago stick bugs started appearing ... A: I need a little more information here. What are stick bugs? Do you mean stinkbugs? What do they ...
ORNITHONYSSUS MITE	12/23/2006
Q: I HAVE CONTACTED ORTHO, TERMINAX, AND ANOTHER COMPANY AND NOBODY WILL COME OUT. IS THIS THAT HARD TO ... A: It is strange that exterminators will not help you. The only things I can suggest is this. Strip ...
ORNITHONYSSUS MITE	12/22/2006
Q: ------------------------------------------- The text above is a follow-up to ... THANK YOU FOR YOUR ... A: This is situation has gotten to the point ,I believe,that you will have to get professional help. A ...
ORNITHONYSSUS MITE	12/22/2006
Q: I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. TO NAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I HAD PURCHASED A HAMSTER FROM A PET STORE AND ... A: Hi laurie; I find it hard to believe that a vet cannot tell you how to control bird mites.The ...
bugs	12/22/2006
Q: I have noticed behind my bathroom toilet downstairs there little !/2in) gray worms which I have ... A: These sound like larvae of flies or beetles. I cannot tell without seeing them. Clean them up and ...
tiny bugs biting me, in my home leave behind a resudue like pin head dot, black	12/21/2006
Q: what is this in my house, everybody says it is my imagination. but the reside cannot be. A: I get a lot of questions like this and it is hard to come to any conclusions. The problem comes ...
bugs in my kitchen!	12/19/2006
Q: I am finding tiny bugs all over my kitchen. (I'm in Ohio, unusually warm December). Most of the ... A: These sound like larval insects. Check all the opened boxes of food in your cupboards for insects. ...
tiny 1/8 inch grey bugs in bedroom, flys, jumps,bitess	12/18/2006
Q: Tiny 1\8" grey bugs appeared on the wall and ceiling behing my bed and I got bitten . I believe ... A: These could any of a number of insects. The biting however makes me wonder. Are you getting a lot ...
ants	12/17/2006
Q: In Fl and Tx we have ants that we call piss ants. Question is it because they pee in there bites? A: First of all ants do not pee and with exception of stinging ants only pinch with their jaws. The ...
STRANGE BUG INFESTATION	12/13/2006
Q: MY APARTMENT IS INFESTED WITH SOME KIND OF BUG THAT KILLS ROACHES. THE ADULT IS ABOUT AN INCH LONG ... A: This sounds a little like a house centipede. Does it have a lot of hairy legs. Google "scutigera" ...
Little flying critters	12/11/2006
Q: I have been having a problem with little tiny brown flying bugs for about 2 months. They are so tiny ... A: They sound like gnats if they are biting. At first I thought they were fruit flies but they do not ...
Hornets	12/11/2006
Q: I have a hornets nest that was taken down and put in a plastic bag. How long before it is safe to ... A: I assume these are paper wasps or Bald Faced hornets. These hornets only survive one season. Only ...
Tiny Red worm like bugs that can jump	12/10/2006
Q: My kitchen is becoming infested with these very strange worm-like bugs (light reddish in color.) ... A: It is important to find the source of this infestation and it appears that you have found them in ...
no see em's	12/9/2006
Q: We came down to our home for about 10 days in early Nov. I had just come off of two months of chemo ... A: It would seem that your therapy treatments have compromised your bodies ability to respond to ...
Tiny bugs in bathtub, around window sills, and in kitchen sink	12/8/2006
Q: Yes it has been cold here for a couple weeks, and we had not seen them before it started getting ... A: Since it is cold I am sure they are breeding in the house. Treat the drains with drano. Continue to ...
Tiny bugs in bathtub, around window sills, and in kitchen sink	12/8/2006
Q: When I sprayed bleach on the bugs, they appeared to jump. Can springtails or mites jump? Do either ... A: Springtails do jump when disturbed so I suspect that this what they are. They are harmless. Mites ...
something is biting me	12/6/2006
Q: Any chance my bites are from biting mites? If so, how do you control/get rid of them?We moved into ... A: There could be mites biting you but the problem is that you do not see anything doing it. The gnats ...
something is biting me	12/5/2006
Q: We moved into a new home in July. It was infested with spiders. We have since resolved the spider ... A: Since no one else is being bitten and you cannot find or see insects it is quite possible that this ...
black widow	12/5/2006
Q: How dangerous is a black widow bite. A: Not nearly as dangerous as we are led to believe. Widow bites usually cause pain and swelling for a ...
tiny liitle bugs in our bathroom	12/5/2006
Q: About 5 days ago we noticed very, very tiny grayish bugs, the size of a pinole, on our bathroom ... A: This is really strange. Scabies mites are not spread in toilet water but they could be other types ...
Tiny bugs in bathtub, around window sills, and in kitchen sink	12/4/2006
Q: Just this morning, I noticed thousands of teeny tiny brown bugs in the bath tub. They are also ... A: Bugs around bathtubs, toilets, and sinks are usually one of two kinds: Collembola (springtails)or ...
tiny water bugs	12/3/2006
Q: We have a trantula, we only feed him crickets from the pet store. However, a few days ago we noticed ... A: These could be almost kind of insect, quite possibly collembola. At any rate I am sure they pose no ...
Bug Identification	11/30/2006
Q: I googled silverfish as you suggested, but they are flat. The bug I saw was actually round/semi ... A: You mentioned "a few antennae" sticking out. Insects only have two antennae. Were these sticking ...
possible spider bite	11/17/2006
Q: I did consult an MD, but they seem to think the pain & swelling is not related to the bite even ... A: The doctors conclusion is probably based upon the fact that: 1. Widows are uncommon in NY 2. ...
TIRED of this WEIRD bug!!	11/10/2006
Q: OK....I have these little bugs in my kitchen that WON'T go away. I can clean them up off of my ... A: They sound like beetles that are breeding someplace in the kitchen but they behave like ants. Are ...
what kind of insect is this?	11/10/2006
Q: They r small like nats they have red eyes and i'm finding them every where, inside of the house in ... A: Fruit flies are small with red eyes. Make sure you do not have any kind of fruit lying around. I ...
Flying bugs everywhere	11/9/2006
Q: We have had this problem for about 2 months. There are MANY little black bugs flying around our ... A: They must be breeding in the basement. I cannot identify them without seeing them but that is not ...
bed bugs or misc bug unknown	11/6/2006
Q: i have read about bed bugs, but still have questions if i have them in my bed. i have seen ... A: If a bug is biting youyou can usually see them and they should leave a mark. Bed bugs can be seena ...
bug	11/3/2006
Q: We live 25 miles north of Milwaukee, Wis. This summer I noticed a bug on the sunny side of the house ... A: Theer is not enough information here for me to make an identification as the description fits a lot ...
finding insects	10/31/2006
Q: I need 6-legged insects for science. Do you know where I can get some? I waited too long and its ... A: It is not too late. Many insects do not disappear in the fall. They just find a place to hide out. ...
unidentified bites	10/30/2006
Q: First of all thank you for your time. Last night I started noticing red welts all over my body. I ... A: The first thing I must tell you that this has become a medical problem and you should consult a ...
Spiders	10/30/2006
Q: I am having problems with spiders. In & out of my home. This past spring, my son was bit by a black ... A: I am afraid that the exterminator is correct. The world is full of spiders. All you can do to keep ...
Invisible Biting Bugs In Home	10/26/2006
Q: Recently I noticed while sleeping on my couch that I'm feeling things crawling on me. I thought it ... A: These are probably cat fleas since you are both being bitten. They can bite and hop away before you ...
Catepillars	10/26/2006
Q: I have found several caterpillars in my drive and yard recently. They are about 1 and 1/2 inches ... A: These are probably the most popular caterpillars, the woolly bears. this is the caterpillar of an ...
Lint Covered Insect	10/25/2006
Q: Texas and saw a what looked like a lint ball walking across my desk at work. I looked at this ... A: Fascinating Michael. I have no idea at this point and would love to see a photo if you get one. It ...
weird bug in my kitchen	10/25/2006
Q: i live in southwestern ohio and about every winter i find a brown with black stripped insect in my ... A: From the outline this looks to me like some kind of a camel cricket. at first I thought it might be ...
Insects	10/23/2006
Q: Why do you find most dead insects lying on their back? Do they die because they get on their back ... A: This is one of those facts that nobody really thinks about and I can only make some guesses. First ...
creatures in house	10/23/2006
Q: We are in North Wales ( on the coast) U.K. We had read up on the booklice, we didn't have any near ... A: I will look forward to seeing the insects. If they are booklice you probably carried them to your ...
Bugs in Bedroom	10/23/2006
Q: i keep spotting the same kind of bug in my bedroom, there are normally on my mattress or between the ... A: The hard shell tells me they are beetles. Why there are beetles in the bed I do not know. Strip the ...
mystery creatures	10/22/2006
Q: in my old flat,which was damp,i discovered small white tiny creatures,which upon maturing turn brown ... A: They must be breeding in the house and they could be termites. It depends upon where you live. ...
bugs found in my home	10/19/2006
Q: I am concerned about these insects I am finding in my home. I have now found 4 of them, Three of ... A: With all these legs I think these are house centipedes. Google Scutigera to see a picture of one. ...
identify a bug	10/16/2006
Q: I have a little country home in northern wisconsin where we go every few weeks to relax. When we're ... A: Round black hard shelled bugs are usually beetles but there are many different kinds. Check all ...
tiny flying brown/black bug	10/15/2006
Q: We live in an apartment in the metro Washington DC area and we are having a problem with a ... A: Fortunately insects seem to have temporary population explosions that gradually go away and I hope ...
getting rid of springtails and spiders	10/13/2006
Q: There are springtails in my bathroom. I've tried spraying with insecticide and it seems to kill them ... A: You will have to find out where the springtails are coming from. Use a pyrethrin spray around all ...
Redd orange insect	10/12/2006
Q: when opening a bag of bark chips an unusual insent appeared. It is about an inch and 1/2 long. The ... A: You have described a neat insect called the cow killer, Dasymutilla occidentalis. They belong to a ...
insect	10/12/2006
Q: I have found little bugs everywhere in my house. They're little, brownish and light creamy color, ... A: There is just not enough information here for me to tell.. For example. Do they have wings? How ...
flying beetles	10/11/2006
Q: We have a beetle that is approximatly 1-1/2", has spikes on its back, 6 legs, wings, a tube like ... A: It sounds like a beetle of some type. I am confused about your comment regarding egg cells. Where ...
mystery bug	10/9/2006
Q: Today i have seen 4 bugs in my Ct home. They are approx. 2 inches they are brown with black stripes. ... A: They inhabit all house and feed on silverfish and other insects. They are harmless and they cannot ...
biting bugs	10/9/2006
Q: We have been getting bit by bugs in the house for three years. Right after a trip to mexico. My ... A: These may be thrips. I don't think it has anything to do with Mexico. I am not even sure those you ...
Help Identify	10/8/2006
Q: We live in Cottonwood Arizona and we found a spider Black in Color Very dark Brown Round bottom. ... A: There is no reason that an Australian spider would be in Arizona. This could be a desert tarantula. ...
what's he name of...	10/7/2006
Q: SOS!!!! I moved and used some boxes from a super market, I think they were used for eggs. Ever ... A: Are they stinging or biting? Does the sting or bite leave a mark? I don't know if there is a ...
spider mud tubes	10/4/2006
Q: First off let me thank you for your knowledge and time. Heres the question. I live in upstate New ... A: These are very common. They are made by a solitary wasp called a mud dauber (Genus Anoplius) The ...
Wet Basement Bugs	10/3/2006
Q: We just moved into a house that has a basement full of very tiny (quarter to half inch length) ... A: These are sowbugs. They thrive in moist conditions and feed on dead organic materials. Keep things ...
What could be eating my wood door frames?	10/3/2006
Q: I live in the woods in Central Virginia, and I have every single exterminator stumped! Freshly ... A: This is certinly a mystery since you cannot see it happening. My best guess is that carpenter bees ...
Spider Identification	10/2/2006
Q: Cumming, Georgia Spider Found a spider this weekend I am trying to identify. Unfortunately didn’t ... A: I am afraid that without seeing it I cannot identify it. Ther only spideres I know of with red ...
Spiders	10/2/2006
Q: I am a graduate student at Delaware State University. I have an assignment in one of my classes ... A: There are no spiders that are exclusive to Delaware. If you Google "orb weavers" you will find some ...
spiders	10/2/2006
Q: I live in the noth of england in a rural detached house.The problem is that we have lots of spiders, ... A: I am afraid that I cannot help you much except to suggest that you just sweep them up as soon as you ...
grey bug	10/2/2006
Q: there are these bugs that im not used to and they are driving me crazy - the inscect is grey and ... A: You havn't mentioned if these insects fly. This could be a species of wasp called an ichneumon if ...
worm - maggot like insects in kitchen	10/1/2006
Q: I've noticed lots of little worm - maggot like insects crawling on the kitchen floor, they're very ... A: Since they have legs they are probably insect larvae. To get rid of them you will have to find their ...
Insect identification	9/30/2006
Q: I live in Northeast Wyoming and and currently am seeing a significant infestation of an insect I ... A: These sound like some kind of plant bugs. The reason you see them in the fall is because the adults ...
FLEAS!	9/29/2006
Q: My fiance and I went to Las Vegas for my birthday. On our way out of the hotel as I walked past one ... A: This is very strange. First of all there is something I am wondering about. Did you actually see ...
Tiny biting flies	9/27/2006
Q: I'm writing for my husbands Grandpa, he lives in Syracuse, KS (Southwestern KS) He thought he had ... A: The first thing that has to be done is to find out how they are getting into the house. I think they ...
ity bity brown bug with wings	9/27/2006
Q: This bug is black/brown on its back and reddish brown on underneath. It has 4 legs and two very ... A: All insects have six legs. Without seeing these I cannot identify them. I suspect they are ...
Thrips	9/27/2006
Q: Hintz, Do you have advise on how to eradicate thrips from inside a house? Several month ago in ... A: The problem is that they are coming in from the outside so you must "cut them off at the pass". ...
idnetifying a very unusual spider in Tenn	9/26/2006
Q: . I was leaving work today and I spotted a spider that I have never seen or imagined existed.. I ... A: You have described the largest and one of the most beautiful orb weavers the black and yellow ...
small bug that jumps	9/25/2006
Q: How should we send them to you? I mean, what should we package them in, etc? The only way my brother ... A: See if you can pick some up on clear scotch tape. Put them on a small padded envelope and write ...
Insect eggs laid on my window screens	9/25/2006
Q: To whom it may concern, I was hoping you may help me identify what type of insect we have in our ... A: They are probably some kind of a fly egg but I would have to see them to know what they are. I ...
Larvae erupting from dying fly	9/24/2006
Q: I have a question about larvae from a dying fly. I killed a fly yesterday, and it fell into a plant. ... A: The fly has been parasitized by a predator, probably a wasp. The wasp lays eggs in teh fly and then ...
how to get rid of leaf footed bugs	9/24/2006
Q: i recently captured a leaf footed bug-leptoglossus phyllopus, that took over my moms watermelons, ... A: If this is a small patch of watermelons the best thing to do is hand pick the stinkbugs off of the ...
collection	9/23/2006
Q: Walter, I'm am starting a colletcion of bugs for a school project. I need to fing a way to ... A: You will first have to find some pictures of the insects you collect and then look at a key. There ...
I found a spider in my bathrom what kind is it?	9/21/2006
Q: I found a spider with red legs and a black head with a sort of clear body it was not very big I was ... A: I cannot pin it down from the description but it sounds like jumping spider. If you still have it ...
spiders	9/20/2006
Q: We have two different types of spiders. The one type is large and black - including leg span the ... A: From your brief description I cannot identify them but few spiders are dangerous to people and they ...
Strange Bites.....	9/20/2006
Q: Ever since we moved into our new apartment, every night I will wake up with insect bites of some ... A: I think you can rule out spiders as the culprits. Despite the stories that you hear there are no ...
bed bugs	9/20/2006
Q: I have a couple of questions about bed bugs. I have a friend who has confirmed an infestation of bed ... A: They can be carried on clothing from one place to another. In fact that is how they are spread. It ...
Please identify this bug!!!!	9/19/2006
Q: I have recently been noticing outside of my door on my screen these brown colored, ticklooking, ... A: There is no way I can identify them from this description but they are probably beetles of some ...
Bugs in my townhouse	9/19/2006
Q: it happened in July/Augest, when Los Angeles was real hot. Everyweek (till now), a bunch of them ... A: They could be ants and they could be small termites if they are in the wall. Get a boric acid powder ...
misquitos	9/18/2006
Q: Do misquitos serve any purpose? Are there any benefits to the envoronment or are they just pests? A: This is a really good question and one that I get a lot. Please clear your mind and think carefully ...
Small Brown Bugs With Hook Like Antenna	9/18/2006
Q: These small (almost 1/4" in length) started appearing in my bathroom about two weeks ago. Slow ... A: Nobody likes bugs crawling in their bed. Email me a photo. Without seeing them I cannot tell you ...
house bug	9/18/2006
Q: sir I've just moved south. in our house are what looks to be giant roaches. my husband says are ... A: The palmetto bug is the polite name given to Florida cockroaches. Roaches do not bite but are ...
Worm	9/17/2006
Q: I found a worm in my toilet that I cannot identify besides that it is not an intestinal worm because ... A: This is a strange one. How it got in a toilet is mysterious. I am sure it is not an internal ...
Catapilers	9/17/2006
Q: My daughter was stung by a catapiler this evening. It caused the right hand ring finger to turn red ... A: Hy Byrne; many people think only bees sting but there are a few caterpillars that do also. I think ...
bugs in the house	9/16/2006
Q: I have truoble identifying a flea-like bug that I see in my home I have had a new kitchen fitted in ... A: These could be any one of a number of different insects including psocids (google psocids and look ...
Catepillars	9/15/2006
Q: I recent;y found in my backyard, a plant with big leaves and flowers that only come out at night. ... A: you have described Manduca sexta the Tobacco Hornworm caterpillar of the Carolina sphinx moth. They ...
worms	9/14/2006
Q: We found by our garage what looked like a snake skin. When we got closer we found that it was a lot ... A: Are you sure they are individual worms and not one long worm. I have no idea with seeing them. ...
spiders	9/14/2006
Q: A friend of mine captured a black widow spider in his home and in the capture it lost a leg. He was ... A: Spiders can usually get along with 7 legs but if they live long enough they will regenerate a lost ...
Daring Jumping Spider	9/13/2006
Q: I have a juvenile Daring Jumping Spider named Irwin. I've had him/her for about a month. I got a ... A: I would keep a small piece of dampened sponge in with Irwin althouh there may be enough water in the ...
Bugs	9/13/2006
Q: We had a fire in a field behind us 1 week ago now all of these little black bugs have shown up and ... A: Without seeing these bugs I cannot answer your questions. I am not even sure the fire had anything ...
reply	9/12/2006
Q: I dont think that I've seen many because he has just returned home 1 1/2 weeks ago to be exact and I ... A: There are a couple of possibilities that come to mind here. Apparently bedbugs are not involved ...
HELP!	9/12/2006
Q: My husband was staying in a home that had bugs thousands of them. I think that he had brought them ... A: Things are quite strange here. Am I to understand that your husband can see them and you only saw ...
Two diffrent bugs in my house.	9/11/2006
Q: I was wondering if you could help me out by possibly identifying these bugs, I do not have any ... A: The first bug does sound like a beetle but an inch lone insect is a pretty big one. Are you sure it ...
spider identification	9/11/2006
Q: Walter.....My 5th grade students found a spider on the playground....small, no more than 2cm long, ... A: It is difficult to identify a spider without seeing it however not many spiders have red spots.Some ...
Brown Striped spider	9/11/2006
Q: I live in Maryland. I found this spider in my washing machine after the wash had run. It was dead ... A: I am quite sure from your description that this was a wolf spider. They are poisonous to the ...
Ant vs Termites	9/10/2006
Q: I have heard that ants like to eat termites. Would this be a good way to control termites in the ... A: Some species of ants are predatory and will eat termites but they would not be a good control of ...
ant like brown insect	9/9/2006
Q: the thing is they bugs don't seem to be go near any food? they are under cans or just crawling ... A: If very small they may be flour beetles. They also could be spider mites. Do you have a dish of ...
catapillars bite	9/9/2006
Q: I live in Iowa. And i got bit in the neck buy a yellowish a little white hairy catapillar. Sorry i ... A: Caterpillars have chewing mouth parts and can give you a nip but they are not poisonous. Some ...
ant like brown insect	9/8/2006
Q: I have the exact same bug as chris who wrote on 8/8/06 about small ant like bug, but doens't go for ... A: I have been searching for that message from chris but it seem that allexperts does not keep my ...
Wood Pile Possible Insects?	9/8/2006
Q: We have a pile of wood in our garage that I noticed the other day is making a crackeling noise. ... A: Are the holes nice and round? The carpenter bee is a bumblebee that makes round holes but if you ...
rollie pollies in my garden	9/7/2006
Q: I am a new gardener. I have learned the hard way that bugs I thought were cute as a child, like ... A: These are called sowbugs or pillbugs. Where I live they are also called potato bugs. They are ...
Spider like I have never seen before.	9/6/2006
Q: Recently at a hunting forest area in Georgia we came across a strange spider like we had never seen ... A: This is a spider that we do not see in Ohio It is Gasteracantha elipsoides. It is commonly called ...
what are these?	9/6/2006
Q: I hope you can help. just got back from Belize,saw tiny, tannish-color bugs, no bigger than 1/2 ... A: It appears you brought something home from Belize. Unfortunetly there a lot of different kinds of ...
flying insects	9/6/2006
Q: I have this red&black bugs all around the outside of my house.they are mostly red and they fly. can ... A: A lot of bugs are red and black. They could be box elder bugs or milkweed bugs. Do you have a box ...
Centipedes	9/6/2006
Q: They are the red outdoor centipedes that come in and they are not small, atleast several inches ... A: I have never seen the Hawiian centipedes. They do not get that big in Ohio but they all behave the ...
reaccuring bites?	9/5/2006
Q: I have been getting these little pimples on all different areas of my body since I had my son in ... A: I cannot imagine that an insect is causing all these bites and especially when you do not see ...
Is it a beetle?	9/5/2006
Q: I live in New York State and have found this same kind of interesting bug a couple of times in my ... A: It very well could be a beetle but there are 750,000 species of beetles so I am not sure. I would ...
Earwigs	9/5/2006
Q: We live in a new home (built in 2003) and for the past year we've had a HUGE problem with earwigs ... A: Earwigs are mostly outside insects so it is possible they are coming in from the outside. This ...
Question about a insect	9/4/2006
Q: i was stood talking to a friend yesterday when she started to freak out. She then pointed out that i ... A: First of all insects only have six legs and insects are not poisonous and even if it was it did not ...
Black bugs in my apt	9/4/2006
Q: Okay so I live in Virginia and I have been living in my apt for almost a month. I live near the ... A: You are correct as we live in a buggy world. First of all these are not fleas as fleas do no fly. ...
identify spider	9/4/2006
Q: While harvesting some veggies planted along my foundation, I noticed a large spider in it's web ... A: This was most likely an orb weaver and possible a beautiful spider called an Argiope. They are ...
Bee-Like Flying Insect	9/3/2006
Q: I live in a development and my neighbors and I currently have a bee-like insect flying around our ... A: It sounds like these could wasps of some kind, possiblt one called a horntail. many wasps burrow ...
small black bugs	9/3/2006
Q: We live in Georgia.In our house there are small black bugs that have orange stipes going east to ... A: They sound like beetles perhaps a checkered beetle but tehse do noy usually enter houses. Could you ...
Bugs in new wardrobe	9/3/2006
Q: My son bought a second hand house a year ago. It is 60 years old. He had it all renovated and had ... A: It sounds like these are larvae of the clothes moth. All the clothes must be removed and washed in ...
Teeny tiny bugs in dog's room	9/2/2006
Q: Tonight as I was feeding my dog I noticed what appeared to be big dust particles (like, spore-size) ... A: Usually organisms that tiny that get into foods like dog food are spider mites but I cannot tell ...
bug identification	9/2/2006
Q: I have dozens of tiny flying reddish brown bugs about the size of a pin head in my house. They seem ... A: Your description fits a nimber of insects but it sounds like beetles since they can fly. Getting ...
COLLENBIEN BUGS	9/2/2006
Q: TINY BLACK BUG. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THIS BUG TO COME FROM INFECTED ALOE PLANT SOIL? OR ANY BUG WHICH ... A: Are you referring to Collembola as a subject. Collembola are often found in soil but cannot infect ...
very very small brown bugs	9/1/2006
Q: Recently I've noticed that when I stand in front of the bathroom or kitchen sink for a long period ... A: If these were biting insects than they would have already done so. There are two possibilities that ...
Pests	9/1/2006
Q: Recently, I've been finding brown bugs of varying sizes in my bathroom late at night and whenever I ... A: Theer are many different kinds of insects that fit this description so I cannot identify them ...
Tiny White Bugs	9/1/2006
Q: I'm having some similiar issues as Daryl. These things are very tiny and white...they look like ... A: I do not recall a message from Daryl but since you have consulted a dermatologist and he found ...
Mosuito larvae	9/1/2006
Q: I have a recirculating fountain in my garden that has a solar powered pump, so it doesn't pump all ... A: Am I to understand that this is just a small body of water being circulated or is it in a small ...
Ant-like insect	8/31/2006
Q: While walking across my lawn here in central Florida, I came across a very strange insect which I ... A: From your description I think this was a Velvet Ant. Velvet ants are not ants but a fuzzy wasp. ...
cement moth?	8/30/2006
Q: We also had a new tile floor done on a cement floor slab also a year old and since then we have ... A: These are plastic bagworms. They are the caterpillars of moths that build a case to live in. They ...
It was cold when I stepped on it....	8/30/2006
Q: I felt something cold on my bare foot and when I turned on the light, I saw something that was ... A: YUK! I think you stepped upon Scutigera coleoptrata , the house centipede. They like to come out in ...
teak eating wasps	8/29/2006
Q: I have a teak garden set. I see what appear to be wasps eating the wood. Yhey are not boring holes ... A: I wish I could help you but I know of no wasps that eat wood. Are you sure they are wasps. If you ...
Bug identification...	8/29/2006
Q: I'm trying to identify a household bug that I have spotted a couple of months ago. It looks like a ... A: From the description I cannot identify these but to get rid of them you must find out where they are ...
extremely tiny bugs	8/28/2006
Q: When I lay on my tile floor near the sliding glass door to cool off I can see these dark brown bugs ... A: The small size and jumping tells me these are most likely Collembola or springtails. They are ...
Bugs Bugs Bugs	8/27/2006
Q: Let me start this from the beginning... my grandson had his own apartment. He was biten about 4 ... A: I believe you have some unrelated problems here and I will comment upon them separately. First your ...
seventh grade insect project	8/26/2006
Q: My seventh grader has a insect project for school and needs to catch at least 25 insects. We are ... A: Its a buggy world and NC has plenty of them. This is the time of the year when most insects are ...
Help Bugs Everywhere	8/26/2006
Q: I have been fighting these bugs for 2 months and still haven't found a way to get rid of them. I ... A: I have read your question with interest and have a different outlook about this problem. I do not ...
wierd bug in my basement????	8/26/2006
Q: i've got these jumpy critters that i can't seem to identify and i really need to find a way to get ... A: I need a litle more information. Do they have a lot of long legs? How big are they? They could be ...
Little Black bugs	8/25/2006
Q: Sorry one too many zero's. These things look like a shiny black drop, and are half the size of a ... A: A quarter of an inch sounds better. I do believe they are beetles. If you want a better ...
tiny white/translucent spider with 4 black dots for each eye	8/25/2006
Q: I have been plagued by these spiders every year for about 5 years. I suspect they arrived when I ... A: I am afraid that I cannot identify these spiders from this description. They apparently have been ...
Flying Insect Identification	8/24/2006
Q: I live in the Richmond VA metro area. I found 5 dead cicada bugs on my deck this morning. 10 minutes ... A: This is the Cicada killer wasp certainly one of my favorite insects. The one you saw was a female ...
some sort of borer?	8/24/2006
Q: I found a insect on my kitchen counter in s. mn that looks similar to a borer of some sort. it is ... A: Boters are beetle grubs and this sounds like a grub. It could also be some kind of a fly larva. ...
Small white crawling bugs/mites	8/23/2006
Q: I'm adding to this posting that you got some time ago...my wife found little bugs on the lid of the ... A: They are probably spider mites. Get rid of the dogfood and get all new fresh. Before you do use a ...
Small Brown Bugs In Bathroom 2	8/23/2006
Q: I am another person who for the past month now have noticed small brown bugs in my bathroom. I can't ... A: Send them to walter hintz 29675 arthur ave wickliffe ohio 44092 I will ...
Little Black bugs	8/23/2006
Q: I have noticed several questions on the web about this little black bug, but no real answers. Bug ... A: They sure sound like beetles but without seeing them I cannot identify them any closer. Your size ...
small white bugs, how do I get rid of them	8/23/2006
Q: I have found these small white or colorless tiny bugs on one of our bedside tables and just tonight ... A: It is amazing how many queries I have been getting about little white bugs. In most cases they are ...
Have bug bites but can't find bugs	8/22/2006
Q: Over the last week I keep waking up with new bites. They started on my ankles, then on the top of ... A: Have you been outside near any grassy areas or have you been outside at night. Have you been ...
what is this?	8/22/2006
Q: It looks kind of like a tabacco horm worm I looked up on the net, but they seem to only get about 3 ... A: I would like to see it. Send it to waltjh@sbcglobal.net You have perfectly described the ...
I dont know what kind of bug is in my house	8/22/2006
Q: when I go on my iclosed back pourch at night i have to turn the light on and watch them run.. The ... A: You are correct as I believe these are centipedes, specifically Scutigera coleoptrata the house ...
little brown bug	8/22/2006
Q: I've been finding tiny brown bugs on my kitchen counter. They run around the counter and around the ... A: Theze are probably small beetles of some kind. They can come from where the cabinets and sink meet ...
Black Bugs!	8/22/2006
Q: My husband and I just recently bought a brand new house. I keep seeing these long skinny black bugs ... A: The pincers on the backend tell me these are earwigs. They are not usual house dwellers and they do ...
Help me identify this bug	8/21/2006
Q: In my houose there are lots of little black bugs. they are about 1/4 in long at the most, they are ... A: They are probably some kind of a beetle. They are not ticks because ticks do not appear in large ...
spider in flesh	8/21/2006
Q: how to get rid of spiders that nest in your flesh and making eggs developping in your flesh A: There are no spiders that do this. But there is a mite called an itch or Sarcoptes mite that does ...
snail shaped eggs or pupae	8/21/2006
Q: I live in Illinois. In my garden attached to rocks, leaf debris, and along the cracks of my home's ... A: I really do not have enough information to identify these. It is possible that theya re actually ...
lawn overrun by spiders, rolly-polies, and several different green bugs (both flying and jumping	8/21/2006
Q: PLEASE HELP!! I have had a teacup poodle since she was born over 6 years ago. I recently moved ... A: I have read over carefully your concerns and I want you to think carefully about my comments and I ...
Wee mysterious bug	8/20/2006
Q: . I'm currently residing in the Netherlands and have recently moved to a new home. Last night I ... A: These sound like beetles but could be one of many kinds. It is difficult to identify an insec t ...
bugs in dog food	8/20/2006
Q: i found an old box of milk bones in a cupboard and there were hundreds of small brown bugs, with 2 ... A: Bugs found in things like dog foods are usually dermestid beetles. Packged foods often have the ...
identifying an insect	8/20/2006
Q: A 5th grade student of mine found an insect. At first glance, it looked like a centipede because of ... A: Ia m afraid that I would need know more about this bug. With six legs we know it is an insect and ...
Katydids	8/19/2006
Q: How do I take care of my Kadydids A: It depends upon the species but most feed on tree leaves. If you remember where you caught them ...
Biting Mites	8/19/2006
Q: I read the description from Carrie of Zanesville OH. Sounds JUST like my experience. What was it? ... A: It is apparent that, as I have always suspected, pest control people do not know what they are ...
Red Flesh eating bugs	8/13/2006
Q: I was in Bakersfield CA the good part of last year. I woke up one morning and began to carry on with ... A: The only bugs that I know of that buries the mouth parts and head under the skin are ticks but they ...
biting slug?	8/12/2006
Q: MY HUSBAND WAS BITTEN LAST NIGHT 5 TIMES ON THE SHOULDER. A RED RASH APPEARED WITH WHITE WELTS. ... A: This is a mysterious one. I can assure you that snails cannot bite and slugs are snails.Think about ...
Catapiller	8/12/2006
Q: On my tomato plant is a green catapiller with what appears to me may be white eggs on its back. The ... A: This is a tomato hornworm, the caterpillar of a large moth. This caterpillar will not become a moth ...
insect bite	8/12/2006
Q: I live in Central Mississippi near a reservoir. About nine days ago my daughter was in the back ... A: It seems to me that the important consideration at ths time is not the identity of the insect that ...
spiders	8/12/2006
Q: I have found 2 spiders in the past two days in my apartment. They both looked identical and were ... A: A lot of different kinds of spiders are black so there is no way I can identify them without seeing ...
bite on wrist	8/11/2006
Q: One month ago I was on a family vacation in The Ozarks. I noticed that there was two small ... A: This bite has become a medical problem and I always advise people never to seek medical advice over ...
biting bug	8/10/2006
Q: I have been plagued with this bug that is so small it can fit thru my screens. I have closed the ... A: They are most likely biting midges or gnats. Some are called no-se