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Entomology (Study of Bugs)/Questions Answered by Expert Nathan Riggs
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Insect-What is it? | 1/4/2012 |
| Q: I live in Georgia. The insect is small, a nymph?, with a black body and red/orange abdomen with ... A: Ed: My apologies for the delay! These are immature insects, hanging out together because they have ... | |
| Cicada question | 1/4/2012 |
| Q: i found a cicada yesterday trying to come out of it's exoskeleton near my house in ... A: Kirk: This poor fella is VERY confused! It shouldn't be emerging from the ground until May or ... | |
| Little black bugs | 12/11/2011 |
| Q: i keep seeing these bugs in the house, first i saw them in my bathroom then in my kitchen. Would you ... A: Eram: These are the larvae of dermestid beetles...commonly known as carpet beetles. They feed on ... | |
| Praying Mantis egg case | 11/23/2011 |
| Q: I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We brought a female Chinese Praying Mantis inside. She's in a 10 ... A: There are documented reports of different species of mantids producing eggs by parthenogenesis ... | |
| Black Jumpy Tiny Bugs | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: Last week, I woke up with an itching around the waist. I saw a few red areas with the black dot at ... A: Carrie: There are a lot of possibilities at work, here. First of all, the itching around your ... | |
| Unknown spider | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: This morning I had a passenger in my car on the commute to work - this little guy intrigued me. He ... A: Cass: This is a species of crab spider. They usually hang out around flowers and vegetation. They ... | |
| gnats | 11/10/2011 |
| Q: We have small gnats all over the house, in every room. We have no idea what kind they are, but they ... A: Mable: Gnats are short-lived and need moisture to survive. One thing that you can try is placing a ... | |
| Strange Insect. | 11/1/2011 |
| Q: Could you identify this for me please? i have not seen anything like this as yet. A: Shaun: This appears to be a species of tailless whip scorpion. They are considered harmless to ... | |
| small black bugs invading kitchen | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: I have provided a picture. They come out more when sun begins setting, and especially active after ... A: This is an immature German cockroach. They are active in darkness and shie away from light. These ... | |
| identification | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: I found this bug in the parking lot in front of my work . Just curious as to what it is . I live in ... A: This is a curious insect called the Giant Water Bug. They live in ponds and creeks and are strongly ... | |
| More mystery insects | 9/27/2011 |
| Q: I've come to quite admire your identification abilities. I've found a few other creatures over this ... A: Jascha: Thank you for the kind words! I enjoy being an entomologist and love the challenge of ... | |
| BUGS!!!! | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: Do you know what an earth this bug is?! (see attachment) I live in the UK but i was at a loss on who ... A: However, the bug you've sent me is on a dark background and I can't make out any features. It looks ... | |
| winged hair bugs | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: Last week I was working out side on a porch in northern New Jersey. The area had been affected by ... A: Betty: Neither lice nor bed bugs have wings at any point in their life cycle, so I hope that this ... | |
| Praying Mantis is acting lethargic | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: We have a 2-3 , month old Chinese praying mantis. He has been eating and acting great. Yesterday we ... A: Insects are very sensitive to changes in temperature. They are cold-blooded and will be lethargic ... | |
| bugs came home with my prodigal son | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: My 16 yr. old son left home 9 months ago to live with his girlfriend and her family. Happily, he is ... A: Deborah: Without a picture, all I can do is search through my mind's eye and come up with some ... | |
| Bug on my bed not bed bugs. What is it? | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: I've been looking online trying to identify this bug but nothing comes up. I can feel this bug when ... A: Tanya: My first impression is midge as well, but it could also be a biting fly of some kind. ... | |
| Praying Mantis mating | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: we live in Ada, Wisconsin. My daughter has a male and female mantis. They have mated and Little Jim, ... A: Daniel: "Little Jim" is very lucky he was not eaten because female mantids need a lot of protein to ... | |
| Caterpillars????? | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: I have attached a picture of the caterpillars I have in my yard. Three of my shrubs that bloom small ... A: Kim: There are a couple of interesting things mentioned in your question. But let's get to the ... | |
| Spider | 8/30/2011 |
| Q: I found this hanging out on my wild rose bush.. Was pruning the bush when I notice it soaking up the ... A: This is a species of Orb weaver spider. They are afraid of humans and anything larger than ... | |
| Moth in South San Antonio | 8/24/2011 |
| Q: Nathan, My name is Mona Lisa. I am from San Antonio and currently live in Houston. Earlier this ... A: Mona: I've only seen one other of these and it was in my hand 12 years ago. This is an insect ... | |
| Mystery Bug in New Braunfels | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: My friend was stung by an insect she has never seen, and would like to figure out what it is as its ... A: Unfortunately, your description doesn't match any insects that I remember as capable of stinging. ... | |
| Another mysterious insect | 8/3/2011 |
| Q: I would like to first thank you a lot for promptness and knowledgeability during my last question I ... A: Jascha: Thank you for sending the picture! This is a species of moth that belongs to a family of ... | |
| I hope this is only a beetle ... | 8/3/2011 |
| Q: I've found 8 little bugs in my house in the past few days. As a new mom I'm very paranoid they are ... A: Well, this is definitely a beetle, and I can't see the base of the hind legs well enough to tell if ... | |
| thrips (i think) | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: Got eaten alive at my aunt pool by these tiny orange bugs. From what I've looked up they are thrips. ... A: Jen: When populations of thrips are very high, they are usually widespread and number in the ... | |
| weird fly | 7/26/2011 |
| Q: Good morning, I also am in San Antonio. Recently, I have been swarmed with MILLIONS of these ... A: These are all different species of blow flies. The black blow fly and the blue and green bottle ... | |
| Black lady bug with green spots | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: I live in Las Cruces NM. We frequently have the standard red with black spot lady bugs. Today I was ... A: You might have seen a Golden Tortoise Beetle. When they are relaxed, their shell is a shiny golden ... | |
| homes | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: Can bugs and ants have a home they belong to like us humans? I mean, if you would take a bug or ant ... A: Henrik: Insects don't live in a world where they have friends or family to speak of. The closest ... | |
| Unusual bug identification | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I live in Eastern North Carolina and have been spotting a very strange flying black insect on my ... A: Heather: My first impression is that you are seeing a Cicada killer wasp at work. They capture ... | |
| mystery bug | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: I am in Lillian, AL which is in Baldwin County on the Pensacola, FL line. Here's the bug I need ... A: This looks like a casemaking clothes moth larva. It's a caterpillar that makes a shell of fibers in ... | |
| Getting rid of "click beetles" | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: I've been having a problem with click beetles getting into my room. They're never seen in any other ... A: If you have any windows in your room, make sure they are well-sealed. In addition,check the outside ... | |
| Outdoor roach only? | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: A year ago I lived in Michigan and experienced what I believed to be an outdoor only roach. I'm not ... A: The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)prefers to live outside and can be found in sewers and ... | |
| Identify a Bug | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: My son found this orange and black spikey bug in our house and I just wanted to know what it is, ... A: Howdy from San Antonio! This is a juvenile assassin bug of unknown species. Assassin bugs are a ... | |
| Who are these home invaders? | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I just moved into a new apartment 2 months ago and within the past week I have noticed this bug ... A: This appears to be a species of predatory ground beetle and is considered harmless to humans and ... | |
| odd looking bug that stung and bit me | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: while in the garden of our yard in Lincolnton Georgia, a long dark reddish/black insect w/very long ... A: It's possible that this insect was a species of grasshopper or it could have been a species of ... | |
| mystery bug ID | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: Would like to know what has landed on my van! South-central Wisconsin, mid-June A: This is a species of wood boring beetle in the family of beetles called Long-horned wood borers. ... | |
| sugar ants | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: I saw an answer from 2008 regarding those really small red/sugar ants. I live in Las Vegas and last ... A: Ants in general are VERY susceptible to poisons...it depends on the way a poison kills and how it is ... | |
| Small white worms on trees | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: I saw you post to someone from mass that the had pine tip moths. My problem is similar to him in ... A: There are several caterpillars that feed on maples, but pine tip months are not on the list. ... | |
| Can you help identify | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: I live in Macedonia,small state in Europe. Can you tell what is this thing and is it harmful or it ... A: Greetings from San Antonio, Texas! It is funny that you send me this picture because we have these ... | |
| tiny tnanish skin colored insects-bugs | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: Is there any product that could be put on that would help from getting bit by them? If we know what ... A: Jackie, it sounds like thrips are pretty heavy in your area. Thrips are tiny insects that feed on ... | |
| Dark bug - Hawaii | 6/1/2011 |
| Q: I live in oahu Hawaii - Kaneohe we just got past the rainy season so its currently pretty sunny ... A: Aloha Jennifer! Thank you for sending a picture with your question! This looks like a species of ... | |
| help me identify a bug | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: I had a new bug "bugging" me this Spring. I say bug as it has 6 legs. It's body is long and striped ... A: Sounds like you are seeing some interesting creatures! My email is nlriggs92@yahoo.com and I'd love ... | |
| Unusual bug | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: Since I've found this great site - this very large roughly 3" long bug flew in last summer and I ... A: This is called a Pepsis wasp, or tarantula hawk. These large wasps seek out tarantulas and try to ... | |
| Black bugs on wooden floor | 5/24/2011 |
| Q: I have been living in my apartment (wooden floor) for more than a year and a half now. Out of ... A: Andy: This looks like a darkling beetle of some kind. They are completely harmless to humans and ... | |
| Spider identification | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: I live in Pipe Creek- just North of San Antonio. This spider has built a web several times between 2 ... A: This is a species of Orb weaver in the genus Araneus. They prefer to build webs in trees and across ... | |
| insect swarm identification | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: This past weekend we travelled along US2 in Northern Michigan. On one side of the road are the ... A: Shelly: My apologies for the delay in answering! What you are seeing is columns of flying insects ... | |
| wood grub | 5/3/2011 |
| Q: Does this fat white grub found in trees or wood morph to something else or is the grub the final ... A: Carol: There are two possibilities: grubs found in wood either develop into longhorn beetles (wood ... | |
| beetles | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: are beetles harmful to pets? A: Christy: For the most part, beetles are harmless to pets. There are some beetles that have defense ... | |
| Unidentified Beetle in Canada | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: My roommate and I were walking to the store tonight in Ottawa, Ontario, and when I stepped up onto ... A: Caleb: Longhorn beetles are one of the most numerous families of beetles on Earth. There are ... | |
| Red flying mosquitos? | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: We have things that look like a tiny red flying mosquitos around our boxwoods next to the house, ... A: Courtney: These do not sound like mosquitoes at all. Rather, my first impression is that these are ... | |
| Bug in the litter box | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: I'm worried about a dead bug I found in my cat's litter box. It reminded me of a tick and a worm ... A: Monica: Please email a piture of this creature to me at nlriggs92@yahoo.com and I'll be glad to ... | |
| Need insect identified | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could identify the bug I attached. It bit me last week, and I'm still ... A: This is a lacewing larva. They feed on aphids, caterpillar eggs, very small caterpillars each ... | |
| tiny biting bugs outside | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: outside in my back yard I sat on my plastic lawn chair and soon began to feel stinging bites on my ... A: These are thrips. Thrips are very numerous in springtime and suck the sap from flower petals, rye ... | |
| Bugging areas? | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: Riggs, I've recently been pulled into the wondrous insect world by a friend of mine studying ... A: Hey Matt! San Antonio is a great place for catching bugs due to the favorable weather! There are ... | |
| Bugs on mulberry tree | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: I have a mulberry tree that has little brown bugs. They are about the size and appearance of ... A: Well, fruit fly larvae look like worms, and it's doubtful that they would attack fruit like this. ... | |
| red like worm bugs | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: i first came across these red worm like bugs in my cats bed.i lifted up her pillow and they were ... A: Michelle: This sounds like flea larvae. They curl up in a perfect "o" and are red when mature. ... | |
| water bugs | 2/24/2011 |
| Q: what would you use to kill the water bugs inside or out and are they harmfull A: Water bugs are another name for American Cockroaches. They typically prefer to live outdoors, but ... | |
| Pink eggs | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: Can you tell me what these eggs will become? We found them when gathering the leaves we raked. I ... A: It's possible that the recent spate of warm weather brought one of the giant silkworm species out of ... | |
| Ant lion | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: my name is Dalis Youngblood, and I'm doing a science project about Ant lions, and i would like your ... A: Dalis: I've done a lot of research and I cannot find information on how long the ant lion stays in ... | |
| Hobo Spider | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: When I woke up this morning I found a Spider (first thought was a Brown Recluse). After further ... A: Leif: My former co-worker, Elizabeth "Wizzie" Brown still works for the Extension Service in Austin ... | |
| White bugs | 12/7/2010 |
| Q: This morning something bit me in my bed, it didn't leave a mark and its was about the 3/8th of an ... A: I wish I could help. This does not sound like a blood-sucking insect, but rather a beetle or ... | |
| small black hopping bug on bed | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: I just discovered a small thoroughly black hopping (more or less - not as significant as a cricket) ... A: Jacqueline: Thanks for your message. First of all, we can rule out roaches in your bed. Roaches ... | |
| "too many follow-ups" | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: Is there anything else then that looks exactly like the picture I sent? 'Cuz these guys were in the ... A: I'm going to take a different direction and ask if you had anything die in your attic or near the ... | |
| long-horned, wood-boring beetle | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: Came into kitchen one evening and thought I had spilled a cup of rice. Cleaned it up, didn't think ... A: It's ok...I'm honored you chose me to ask your question! I'll talk however long is needed to figure ... | |
| long-horned, wood-boring beetle | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: Came into kitchen one evening and thought I had spilled a cup of rice. Cleaned it up, didn't think ... A: Ok...these are usually found in old wood, so the pets would not have brought them in. Whatever ... | |
| Baby Spiders | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: We just moved into our home and I keep noticing baby spiders in the house. They are small and ... A: Immature black widow spiders may have white stripes, red stripes or dots on their abdomens, but are ... | |
| black widow | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: how do I put a black widow spider asleep A: Tim: By putting a spider to sleep, are you wanting it to die, or be asleep? To put an insect or ... | |
| your post "Help!" | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: I am currently experiencing exactly what you described in your post (i think it was back in 2004?) ... A: The answer to this problem may not be the result of an insect or arthropod. It may be the result of ... | |
| what is this thing? | 10/7/2010 |
| Q: We saw this last summer in Indianapolis, IN. It kind of looked like the love child of a hummingbird ... A: Audrey: Thanks for the email. I tried using your link, but it wouldn't work for me. However, I ... | |
| Beetles | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I have recently started seeing Flat shaped beetle type bugs abot the size of a dime in my upstairs. ... A: Sounds like you are seeing stink bugs. Stink bugs suck the sap from plants and when smashed or ... | |
| Strange looking 'fly' | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: I live in San Antonio, TX. Lately I have seen some strange looking, with a very hard back, fly. At ... A: Angela: Ensign wasps are parasitic wasps. They are only interested in the cockroach egg cases. ... | |
| unidentified insect | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: I live in Houston. At my office today I found a funny little ball of dust walking about on my shirt ... A: You have encountered a lacewing nymph. Lacewings are pretty little green insects with lacy wings ... | |
| Strange looking 'fly' | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: I live in San Antonio, TX. Lately I have seen some strange looking, with a very hard back, fly. At ... A: I, too live right here in beautiful SA. I think you might be seeing an Ensign wasp. These wasps ... | |
| eggs??? | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: I have added photo...thanks!!! I have many additional pictures if you need them. A: They are definitely eggs and not slime mold. They probably belong to a species of moth. The ... | |
| Large beetle seen at Twin's game Sept.2010 | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: We saw this big beetle with wings at the new Twins stadium. It was approximately 4 inches long and ... A: Heather: This is called a Giant Water Bug. These insects are attracted to lights at night, but ... | |
| tiny black bug | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: I found some tiny black bugs in my daughters carpet in he bedroom. I took some of them to the local ... A: Sorry, but I cannot find the image you are describing. Please do an Internet search for carpet ... | |
| two-striped walking stick | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: I have found very little info on basic sites..we have at least 12 coupling pairs per night in our ... A: This particular species of walking stick is native to Florida. The irritating fluid they spray ... | |
| help identify | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: I live on South Padre Island Texas, and we just had a tropical storm blow through. I saw a very ... A: I live in San Antonio and got 7" of rain from our friend Hermine! Probably going to get more today. ... | |
| red worms in bathroom | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: From last few weeks I observed few red small thin worms in my bathroom. I observed the same worms ... A: These are not worms that attack humans. They appear to be red wigglers and are somehow getting into ... | |
| Monarch Butterfly Cocoon Temperates | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: I found a Monarch Butterfly cocoon on one of my dogwoods this morning and brought the branch into ... A: Depending on what part of the country you live in, this particular chrysalis may not be "wired" to ... | |
| Butterfly sighting increasing | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: People have been noticing an increase of butteries,mainly Tiger Swallowtails, in our area of ... A: Karen: As with any living system, there are many factors involved. With insects, you have to look ... | |
| black bug (1cm long) in the toilets | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: I just moved in a flatshare in London near a canal some month ago and found out that there are some ... A: My first impression is that you are seeing one of two insects: 1) A firebrat, or 2) A silverfish ... | |
| possible bee indentification | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: this week I saw what I think is a bee buzzing around my impatiens. It was very large, about 1 1/2" ... A: It's not a bee. It sounds like a species of moth or possibly a species of hover fly. Many hover ... | |
| Spider | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: Had a Question, Can you Please Tell What Kind Of Spider this is. its about the size of a US half ... A: This appears to be a species of Orb Weaver spider of which I'm not familiar. This group of spiders ... | |
| what is this? | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I'm attaching an image of a bug I found on my patio. It's dead, but I'd still like to know what it ... A: Joanna: This is a Sun Spider. It also can be known as a Wind Scorpion, Camel Spider, or Solfugid. ... | |
| Large flying bug | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: A large bug/beetle was on my phlox and zinnias the last 2 days. Thick, short green body with reddish ... A: It took me a while to find the bug you wanted me to see! It looks like a species of hummingbird ... | |
| "poppy seed bugs" | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: Morning, I noticed the other day when my dog moved off of my bed there were small poppy seed looking ... A: Your dogs may have gotten into some "seed ticks." Seed ticks are the larval form of ticks and ... | |
| Interesting insect | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: I was out taking pics at our farm in southeastern Indiana (Ripley Co.,USA)and came across these ... A: Ang: Great picture! The brown critters are a species of treehopper. These insects feed on the sap ... | |
| Small bug looks like a cockroach? | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I've seen many of this tiny bugs around the yard. And then in the basement (maybe they crawled in ... A: This is a sow bug - sometimes called a pillbug or roly poly. They are not directly related to ... | |
| worm | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: This is the 1st time I have ever seen this worm, I think it is. It was dark brown, about 7 inches ... A: This is more than a worm...it is a land planarian. These flatworms feed on slugs, earthworms and ... | |
| Unknown Insect | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: We have an insect that is causing grief in our garden and landscaping this year. A friend has ... A: This is an immature individual in the group of bugs called Leaf-footed bugs. They feed on sap from ... | |
| Spider ID please! | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: You might not be able to help but doesn't hurt to ask. I live in Atlanta, GA. it is normally humid ... A: Desirai: These indeed sound like Orb weavers...possibly a species of Argiope. The Black and Yellow ... | |
| Little..tiny...itty bitty black bugs | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: Ok so I have a nice, big deck in my back yard. No flowers, or little trees on it, just chairs, dog ... A: Sounds like springtails. These insects prefer humid environments and feed on decaying organic ... | |
| Maybe silverfish? | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: we have small, flat, elongated diamond shaped cocoons or egg cases hanging from the concrete wall in ... A: These sound like the cases of bagworms, a caterpillar/moth type of insect. Silverfish lay eggs and ... | |
| weird spider | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: i was in my backyard the other day and saw a spider about the size of a quarter hanging from a ... A: This is a species of Orb Weaver. Orb Weavers are numerous and spin very ornate webs to catch their ... | |
| ENORMOUS flying insect ! | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday I noticed a mound of sand on the grass, right next to the concrete driveway. Thee was a ... A: This sounds like a cicada killer. These wasps live one per hole and are created by the females. ... | |
| Crawling Cocoon with tail | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a farm in northeast Wisconsin. The flies are horrible right now, but I've also noticed ... A: You are seeing a critter called the Whiip-tailed maggot. They occur in stagnant water, especially ... | |
| Spider Identification | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: Ok, I just moved to the eastern part of Kentucky and was joyed with the task of mowing the lawn. ... A: Michael: You can go ahead and toss the Brown Recluse theory. Brown recluse spiders live in dark, ... | |
| jumping bean-like bugs | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I am staying in a hotel in Colorado with my dog who sleeps with me. This morning I woke up to these ... A: These look like fleas to me. If you do not currently have your dog on a monthly flea control ... | |
| bugs coming out my ceiling fan | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I have these little bugs coming out my ceiling fan.They almost look like mosquitoe larvae(little ... A: If these critters are dropping down from webs, they are some sort of a moth larva (caterpillar). I ... | |
| STRANGE BUG | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I was walking my dog in the early morning, when I saw a large bug (?) with three segmented body, ... A: This sounds like a velvet ant. These insects are actually a species of wasp that lives on the ... | |
| Tiny black crawling bugs | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I've noticed tiny (size of a pin tip) black bugs crawling on the countertops. They go in a ... A: There are a couple of possibilities here: 1) Tramp Ants: These very small ants are becoming more ... | |
| grubs eating centre of silver birch tree | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: today at work i discovered a birch tree about 12 yr old ,dia of about 7 inches with leaf wilt . i ... A: This sounds like an infestation from the Bronze Birch Borer. This is a wood boring beetle that lays ... | |
| Tiny White worms with black heads | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I found these tiny white worms with small black heads squirming around underneath my toothbrushes in ... A: First of all, tapeworms only develop within the intestines of their host. Otherwise, they exist in ... | |
| flying,stinging insect | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: a flying,insect with a painfull sting, is sometimes referred to as the 'cow killer', its body is ... A: Diane: Cow killers, or velvet ants, are a species of wasp. The females are wingless and possess ... | |
| tiny black biting bugs | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: I have found tiny little black bugs on my bedsheets. They bite and leave red very itchy spots. They ... A: Candy, my first impression is that these are tick larvae (seed ticks) that you are seeing. They ... | |
| deck infestation - tiny bugs | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: First, thanks for the help. This weekend while sitting in my screen porch (Westminster, MA) I felt ... A: Scott: They sound like a mite of some kind, but not if you are seeing antennae. My first ... | |
| Unidentified creatures | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: I have some identified little creatures which appear during the day inside the windows. They move ... A: although I do agree that these are pretty small. My first impression from the size and color of ... | |
| Unidentified Large winged insect | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: What is this? It was hanging on the brick at the front of my garage in Ithaca, NY. Thanks, Cally G. A: This is a male Dobsonfly. These insects develop as larvae in clear, flowing streams and then emerge ... | |
| Strange Bug found in Backyard | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: My girls found this bug, it was on the leg of our swing set in the back yard. I took photos of it, ... A: This is the cast EMPTY skin of the nymphal stage of the cicada. Cicadas spend several years as a ... | |
| Itchy Insect bites | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: What insects bite under elastic like in socks and bras? They are extremely itchy and take a long ... A: You have been attacked by chiggers. Chiggers are the larval stage of an adult mite (not insects). ... | |
| What is this insect | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I found this bug with a probe of some sort sticking into one of various holes in a tree in front of ... A: This is a female insect belonging to a group of wasps called Ichneumons. She has drilled into the ... | |
| insect id | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I live in morristown NJ, in a two storied townhouse. Each late spring an ant like creature with ... A: There are 2 possibilities here: 1) These are winged ants swarming from a nest in the walls of your ... | |
| Weird beatle | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I was on my computer today and i felt something on my leg i thought nothing of it then it started to ... A: It may have been a species of wood boring beetle, such as the Locust Borer. They have ... | |
| Magnolia Tree Infestation | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: We have a 20 year old Magnolia Tree. We have never had any pest problems with it that we were aware ... A: It sounds like the beetles are a species of ladybug called the twice-stabbed ladybug. They are ... | |
| black beetle and white spider | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I live in Pepperell MA and on two occasions have seen a white spider on my flowers that is size of ... A: My first impressions are as follows: 1) The spider sounds like a species of crab spider. There are ... | |
| unknown bug on deck in back yard | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I hope that your day is going well. I have attached a picture of a bug that is invading our back ... A: This is a ladybug larva...a mature one, at that. These are feeding on aphids or mealybugs that are ... | |
| mosquito's | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: do you have a picture of baby mosquitos i had to drain my hot tub because it was infested with these ... A: I was just in Las Vegas last week for my 40th birthday! It was hot, but I loved it. Mosquito ... | |
| Unknown, but interesting insect | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I live in La Grande, Oregon. Lately the weather here has been very hot, but has the tendency to ... A: It might have been a species of treehopper or possibly a species of dung beetle. Both of these ... | |
| tiny ants | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I have ants tiny tiny ones that come every summer into my kitchen. I looked at pictures of Thief ... A: These sound a lot like sugar ants, or pharaoh ants. They are very common indoors and feed on sweets ... | |
| What is it? | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I found a large beetle last night in New Harmony Utah. It is brownish-red in color and is 2 inches ... A: This is a beetle called an Old Stump Borer or Hardwood Stump Borer. They are most commonly seen as ... | |
| Nocturnal hopping bug | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: could you please help me identify a nocturnal brownish/black hopping insect that comes out in our ... A: These sound like Camel crickets. These insects are nocturnal and feed on insects they catch at ... | |
| unknown water bug | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a swimming pool (above ground, easy set pool) in my back yard and there are these little bugs ... A: There are 2 possibilities here: 1) a backswimmer 2) a water boatman Both of these insects fit ... | |
| Unidentified Bugs | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I live in Houston Texas. In the past year, I have found two bugs the size of ticks on my all white ... A: Heather: Since there is no definitive ID of bedbugs made yet, I would try to avoid thinking in that ... | |
| bug ID | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can answer a question I've pondered for many years. In the mid 70's when I was a ... A: The best guesses I can give you are as follows: 1) your description of the large black fly could be ... | |
| carpet beetles and their larvae | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Riggs, I have a question concerning carpet beetles and their larvae. We had an exterminator ... A: Christin: Carpet and Larder beetles are fairly common and feed on a variety of natural foods and ... | |
| what is this bug? | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: i have a passion vine in my eastern Virginia backyard. it has a bug on it im not quite sure what it ... A: The lacewing larva is a beneficial insect. They feed on small creatures that cause damage to ... | |
| very tiny, long, thin house bugs that seem to jump | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: We just moved to Grand Junction CO and have some visitors in our house that we need help with. It is ... A: This sounds like a whole bunch of springtails. They are an insect that thrives in moist ... | |
| worms | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: We are finding dozens of these little white worms about 1/2" in length everyday. There was one ... A: It is quite possible that these are fly larvae associated with the old honeycomb. They may have ... | |
| moth? | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: a friend of mine in Prin George British Columbia Canada had this creature land in her backyard the ... A: This looks like a male Cecropia Moth. You can tell by the antennae that look like feathers that ... | |
| Unknown burrowing insect | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: Can you identify this critter? See attached picture. He's very wary and disappears down his burrow ... A: I really want to be able to ID this one, but I can't tell from the picture enough details to form an ... | |
| What is it? | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I have sent you a photo of a caterpillar that a friend shot. We are wondering what it is. Is it ... A: This little critter is called a Saddleback caterpillar. Touching any of the spines on this ... | |
| louse found at the beach | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: This looks like some type of louse, we found a couple of them at the beach. Just curious as to what ... A: [FOLLOW UP] These creatures are always going to be small. They do not get much bigger than what you ... | |
| Unknown bug | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I found this bug in my backyard on a cactus and when I looked on the internet for what this bug is, ... A: This is an immature leaf-footed bug. I don't know what species it is, but the flattened areas near ... | |
| RE: Bird Lice | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: Something that I could not see starting bitting me and my two daughters. I finally after extensive ... A: The only thing I say say in response to your email is to first make sure your home is the source of ... | |
| Ive never seen anything like it! | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I live in the UK and so around the summer time it is common to see many wasps and bees. However, in ... A: Great picture! This is an insect called a horntail, also called a Horntailed Wood Wasp sometimes. ... | |
| Mystery bug identification | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Riggs. I was hoping you might be able to help my family and I identify this very interesting bug ... A: Beautiful picture! This is a female Dobsonfly. They develop in clean, flowing water and the larval ... | |
| bite | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: We were up north this last weekend at Woods Canyon Lake and my husband was getting into the truck ... A: Well, I'm sorry to say that "fire bug" is probably a local term for your insect. There is a group ... | |
| Please ID this one | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: This insect was hanging on the garage wall today. I have no idea what it is. I live in Adams County ... A: Awesome! This is a Leopard Moth. They are common throughout the US and most commonly seen in their ... | |
| Spider behavior | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I've always enjoyed spiders and have been watching a couple of webs in my shed. The spiders have ... A: Linda: VERY good question! In the world of web-building spiders, the male is always much smaller ... | |
| lawn roaches? | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I just recently bought a townhouse and have discovered after walking my dog at night that there are ... A: Melia: German cockroaches generally do not live outdoors and prefer indoor habitats. If the grass ... | |
| Small biting bugs in yard | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: I live in south eastern NC and since the begriming of spring my centipede yard has been infested ... A: My first impression is fleas, not knowing whether you have pets in the yard or cats that move ... | |
| red or orange and black bug | 5/25/2010 |
| Q: It's only been the last few years I've seen this bug, but now they're all over the yard and I was ... A: This is a Boxelder Bug. They develop in huge numbers and feed on the seeds from Boxelder Trees and ... | |
| Cacoons/Praying Mantis | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: How do I reconise the difference between the Butterfly cacoon,and the cacoon of the Praying Mantis? A: Butterfly cocoons resemble the outer skin of a smooth caterpillar and are usually hanging from ... | |
| Big worm-like looking thing | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: I have found a blackish worm, about 2-3 inches long. The underside is yellow-green and when I tried ... A: This sounds like a slug. Slugs are related to snails and leave a slime trail wherever they go. The ... | |
| Bug identification | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: I live in Calgary Alberta Canada and found this tiny grey bug on my front step in large numbers. ... A: This looks like a species of darkling beetle. Darkling beetles generally have very hard shells and ... | |
| Identifying Insect | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: I've got these weird bugs in my house, very tiny, only a few millimetres in size, look like ... A: This is called a Flower Assassin, or spined assassin bug. This is an insect that lives on or near ... | |
| Aggrssive Spider | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I live in Vail AZ and have been getting alot of black spiders in my home. Last night one bit me ... A: This is a trapdoor spider and appears to be a male. Male spiders actively search for females and ... | |
| Missing "Daddy Long Legs" | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I live in Moab (southeastern Utah) and have always enjoyed "keeping" Daddy Long Leg spiders in the ... A: All living creatures go in cycles, depending on weather, biological factors and such. I would not ... | |
| green insect | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I live outside of Minneapolis, MN. As I'm doing spring clean up I'm noticing a leaf green insect ... A: This sounds like a green stink bug. They can fly, but maybe it's a little cool for them yet. Green ... | |
| Wierd yellow flying bug eating out my tree | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: This insect actually looks wasp like, with a long skinny abdomen (sort of orange/yellow and brown ... A: You observed an ichneumon wasp trying to lay an egg into the tunnel of the grub (wood borer beetle ... | |
| bugs | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: We just moved into a rental townhouse, and near the sliding glass door and back window are thousands ... A: They sound like mites of some kind. They could be clover mites, bird mites, rat mites, or immature ... | |
| Pitcher plants and moths? | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you know what the connection of moths to pitcher plants is? Specifically species ... A: Not knowing the answer, I did a little research. It appears that the species Exyra is a moth whose ... | |
| large black flying insect | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: This large black flying insect seems to live in an old section of a palm tree that is used as a ... A: This appears to be a carpenter bee. Carpenter bees are related to bumblebees, but are ... | |
| Spider identification | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: Good evening. I live "at" the Canada/US border at Northern Idaho. This morning I awakened to a ... A: This appears to be a male cobweb spider...very common in homes. These spiders are considered ... | |
| Scorpion | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: Hey,i live in the south part of Tx,and I found a brown and black scorpion at my job site..it has two ... A: Howdy from San Antonio! You have found a young bark scorpion (the common species in Tx). They feed ... | |
| Spider silk and venom | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I once heard that spider silk and venom are chemically related. That it contains the same or similar ... A: Fibroin is produced by silkworms for their cocoons. Spider silk and venom are composed of different ... | |
| what kind of cocoon is this and what will come out? | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: We found this cocoon in a stump about a month or two ago. Now it has started to move we though it ... A: This is a pupal case for either a species of moth, wasp larva or fly larva. All of these match the ... | |
| red larvae | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: This thing - and several more have been dropping on my daughter-in-law's pillow each night. It is ... A: Howdy! This is a beetle larva of some type. It is harmless to humans, but may be coming from the ... | |
| Insect Conflict | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: If these insects fought, who would win, the cricket or the grasshopper? A: Both insects have strong mouthparts for chewing plants and tough grasses. There are also many ... | |
| Insect Identification | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: I have started to see an insect (I am guessing it is an insect, appears to have a head, thorax and ... A: This is an immature assassin bug. They feed on other insects and have a beak-like mouthpart that ... | |
| Entomotoxicology | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: I am a forensic science student in the UK, and I am currently doing my dissertation on the effects ... A: Martin: Unfortunately, I'm not as closely connected to the insect world as I once was. However, ... | |
| What is this | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I know this is a terrible picture, but it was as good as I can get. I live just outside Houston ... A: This is an immature assassin bug. I'm not sure of the species, but all assassin bugs are predators ... | |
| Tiny Centipedes in my Sink | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I live in Raleigh, NC. I have been finding tiny (about 1/2" long, about 1/8" wide), bi-colored ... A: They can be controlled with any type of spray, but most likely these came from outside. You can ... | |
| Tiny Centipedes in my Sink | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I live in Raleigh, NC. I have been finding tiny (about 1/2" long, about 1/8" wide), bi-colored ... A: These centipedes are attracted to moisture and decaying organic material. In this case, it is ... | |
| consistency of number of millipede legs | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: .. I couldn't find anything thru Google that sated my curiosity so I've turned to the experts ... A: There is one constant in the arthropod world when it comes to millipedes and centipedes: Millipedes ... | |
| microscopic "bug" pooling in purplish colored piles around house and forest | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I live in the coast range mountains of Oregon (about 1800 foot elevation; northwest of Banks, ... A: This sounds like a large population of springtails (collembola). They feed on organic materials and ... | |
| Damselfly Identification | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: I live in Utah. I caught a damselfly in the beginning of September, 2009 at Liberty Park in Salt ... A: I am not an expert on identifying dragonflies/damselflies to species. However, I have a link to a ... | |
| butterflies... | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: why isnt the blood of an insect red? this is for a school project A: Blood is red because of hemoglobin. Insects do not have the same blood composition as humans or ... | |
| Unknown bug. | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: I Live in Queensland, Australia and I found this bug on my floor. It looks like some chamber made of ... A: This appears to be a type of bagworm. The caterpillars build a protective case from whatever ... | |
| I think this might be a centipede but not sure | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in Fort Wayne Indiana and have never seen what I am about to explain before. I have lived in ... A: This is a garden centipede. They feed on decaying organic materials and really flourish after ... | |
| Beetle-like insect | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I found this insect on my bathroom sink today. Do you know what kind it is? Is it dangerous? Can I ... A: This is a leaf-footed bug. Leaf-footed bugs live outdoors and feed on the sap from trees and ... | |
| Yellow Garden Spider-Relocate Egg Sacs ? | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: We have definitely identified 'our' spider as a yellow & black garden spider. She made 2 almost ... A: The eggs won't hatch until spring in order for the babies to survive the winter and not use their ... | |
| Insects | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: ARE CRICKETS RELATED TO COCKROACHES A: Crickets and cockroaches are types of insects...both having 6 legs, three body regions (head, ... | |
| spider with a stinger | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: we had a spider craw across our floor last night that I have never seen. It had two sections to its ... A: I was reading your description and wondering what the heck you had! LOL! You have captured a ... | |
| Little tiny worms | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: Here is the history. I live 6 months in Alaska, and 6 months in seattle... I am currently in ... A: This is a carpet beetle larva. These beetles and their larvae feed on dead insects in carpets as ... | |
| Can you tell me what this is? | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: My friend went on her back porch and saw this bug. She said the eggs are most likely from a spider ... A: This is a Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus). This insect is a type of assassin bug and feeds on other ... | |
| Bug ID | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: Wondering what TINY little black bugs now hatching from yellowish mucousy-looking globs attched to ... A: These sound like tiny caterpillars from your description. They might be clothes both caterpillars ... | |
| Follow-up to previous question | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: That raises another question. Did the yellow jackets bore the holes in the tree, or were the holes ... A: Chances are that the holes were made by adult wood boring beetles exiting the tree earlier in the ... | |
| ant/scorpion bug | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: So i saw this bug in the middle of town one day and it totally freaked me out. It was about an inch ... A: I'll admit that the pic is just a little fuzzy, but there are a couple of possibilities here: this ... | |
| Identication of wood boring insect | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I have these insects (see attachment) that have been boring holes in a large sweetgum tree. The ... A: These are yellowjackets...a type of ground-nesting hornet. In this case, they are feeding on the ... | |
| Unidentified bugs on walls and in cupboards | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I first started noticing these tiny black bugs in our kitchen ... A: Wow...South Africa! Howdy from Texas! After considering the email and the size/color of your ... | |
| insect ID | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I found several black "ant like" insects in my home. They are slightly longer and fatter than an ... A: Any time a rain falls, many insects take advantage of the conditions and expand their colonies or ... | |
| Scorpions | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I live in Austin, Texas near a wooded area. 1) I have noticed scorpions on the back porch and ... A: Well, that's a good question. Scorpions are usually more active just prior to rainfall events as ... | |
| homework | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I have this science project im doing and i need help in this. Im doing a project on crickets and i ... A: Let's think about this one. If you do a search on Google for crickets, you will get a lot of ... | |
| bug in Botswana | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: A friend found the bug in this picture (link below) in her house, in Kang, Botswana (edge of the ... A: OK. Now that I'm home and have accessed your picture, I am excited to tell you that this is a ... | |
| My spider | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently serving in the army stationed in Afghanistan. I had the same spider crawl into my room ... A: In general terms, this spider belongs to the Wolf Spider family. It might be a wolf spider, but ... | |
| spiders | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: This may sound stupid,but here we go.What do spiders do for the winter?Do they hibernate,go inside ... A: LOL! No such thing as stupid questions... Only stupid answers! To answer your ... | |
| flying insect covered in mites | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I just found this insect flying around my kitchen ( it sounded like a bee ). I live in Shakopee, ... A: This is a carrion beetle. As their name implies, they feed on dead things (I'm sure it got into ... | |
| big spider | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I live in San Diego near the coast. About 11:00pm one night we noticed a huge black spider walking ... A: If it's not hairy, then it might be a trap door spider. Their numbers in a given area vary, ... | |
| catipillers | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: i work at a school and the kids have found several black or brown fuzzy catipillers. They have some ... A: If a worm crawled out of the cocoon, then you saw a larva of a parasite that attacked the ... | |
| Bugs in Budapest | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have attached 3 links to the photos which I'd like to ask for identification. All photos were ... A: Ok...thanks for sending the pictures! The red and black insect is a species of bug related to ... | |
| Stink Bugs? | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I live in an apartment in New Jersey and the hired exterminator says that I have stink bugs. Beetles ... A: Stink bugs and beetles are two different things. If you have beetles, then they might be darkling ... | |
| Identifying a bug | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I live in Central Illinois. I was looking out my window and a bug flew up to the screen so I took a ... A: This is a species of wasp that attacks caterpillars and uses them as hosts for their young. They ... | |
| Science Project | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: Hey, I live in Seattle, WA. I have a science project we're going to do soon and am wondering how to ... A: Spiders are carnivores, so you need insects. The easiest are crickets. They will be eaten by web ... | |
| 1.5" striped flying insect emerged from a crumbled-soil nest in my grass | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I watched a 2-inch long striped flying insect emerge from a fine-crumbled-soil nest in my grass and ... A: There are 2 possibilities that come to my mind... 1) Cicada Killer wasp...a ground-nesting hornet ... | |
| identify bug | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: There was a perfect circle on my cement driveway in northeast ohio. Looking closely at the circle ... A: For all intents and purposes, caterpillars are blind, except that they can differentiate light and ... | |
| Spider webs | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I live in central North Carolina, we've been here for about 15 years now. I've noticed in the area ... A: Wow! You are very observant. I can only speculate, but it is possible that the object is there to ... | |
| Orangy and Black striped spider--size of a quarter! | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: For many years I have seen this type of spider hanging around well lit windows, doorways or on ... A: Orb weaver spiders hatch from eggs in spring and grow to adulthood by mid to end of summer. The ... | |
| Red/blue bug | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I live in the Greenville, SC area. Yesterday mid-afternoon I was working in my yard when I noticed ... A: These are leaf beetles. Possibilities include: Asphaera lustrans - Shining Flea Beetle Luperaea ... | |
| Large black ant looking creature | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in apple valley,ca in the mojave desert. It is a 3inch long all black ant looking creature ... A: This creature is very common in the western US. You have encountered a Pepsis wasp, also called a ... | |
| mystery balls | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: this a pix of strange ball shape things attached to a young sapling just off the path in a wooded ... A: These are galls formed by a very small wasp. The wasp lays an egg on the branch and the egg ... | |
| spider | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in Georgia,Tbilisi.In my garden I found the spider,very big.I'm interesting if it bites ... A: This is a species of Orb Weaver called an Argiope. There are many species of this spider across the ... | |
| Tiny worm-like bugs all over my wall | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I had about 50 or so tiny tiny worm-like bugs all over my wall and cannot figure out what they were. ... A: Neither of what you have seen will harm you or your children. These sound like newly hatched ... | |
| little black beetle!! | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: hey Nathan i have a very important question for you regarding a little black beetle at my house. i ... A: This is definitely not a box elder bug. This is a beetle of some kind...maybe a species of flea ... | |
| Creepy bug on my windshield | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I was in Las Vegas this weekend. As I was driving down the street at about 45 mph a large flying ... A: This sounds like a Pepsis wasp, or Tarantula Hawk. They are very common on the desert southwest. ... | |
| Need help identifying a bee | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: This weekend while cutting some lavender on the side of my house, my son and I saw an amazing little ... A: There are many species of bees in the world. This might be a species of leaf cutting bee or ... | |
| very tiny jumping bug in tub | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: The past few weeks we have been finding very tiny (smaller than 1/16") grayish in color jumping bugs ... A: You are seeing springtails. These insects like areas with moisture and lots of humidity. They feed ... | |
| odd fly-like bug that hops | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: We have some insects in the kitchen that look like flies, but have huge back legs and can hop. They ... A: This is a wasp. It belongs to a very large group of wasps (more than 12,000 species) that attack ... | |
| Can you ID this insect, please? | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: My wife found this crawling on the outside of our back porch today. We can't remember seeing ... A: This is a species of wood boring beetle. They can infest a wide variety of trees and woody plants. ... | |
| MITES | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A SYRIAN HAMSTER AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 4 WEEKS. I WAS CLEANING MY SONS ROOM ... A: If they are mites, they could be infesting the wood shavings or the food you're giving the hamster. ... | |
| uknown bug | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: recently I have found this very tiny bug in my cupboard and counter. Its body is about the size of a ... A: This sure sounds like a pseudoscorpion to me. They live under bark and feed on insect eggs and ... | |
| Large moth-like bug | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: On a walk in a nature area in Southeast Michigan I saw a large bug on a bench. I took the picture ... A: This is a male Dobsonfly. They develop in clean, flowing water and are indicators of good water ... | |
| Bean like insect | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I have just found an insect which had fallen off my dogs underbelly.It was attached to him as if it ... A: This is an engorged female tick. She has fed to repletion (she's full), and dropped off to go and ... | |
| spider identification | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I came across this spider whilst on holiday in the States last year, at Devil's Tower, Wyoming. The ... A: This is a species of wolf spider. They are very common in wild areas and feed on a wide variety of ... | |
| Weird bug | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I live in Toronto Canada. Since a couple of months ago, I've started to see this weird bug in the ... A: This appears to be a species of assassin bug. Some assassin bugs are known to bite mammals and feed ... | |
| pls help | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: i have already asked another expert this and he gave me an answer i was not pleased with. not his ... A: This sounds like a clearwing hummingbird moth or a species of hover fly (sometimes called bee ... | |
| Flying Insect | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I live in Connecticut and saw a flying insect that I don't think I've ever seen before. It was black ... A: This is a species of Leaf-footed bug. They feed on sap from woody plants and shrubs. They produce ... | |
| Tennessee fly | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: This is probably a dumb question, but I am very curious. I was bitten two days ago on the arm by an ... A: I think you were bitten by a blackfly. They are very small flies that feed on blood, like ... | |
| Click Beetles | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: My name is Katelynd, I live on Long Island in NY. I've recently moved into an older home, that was ... A: This sounds like a mud dauber's nest. They lay their eggs inside of the tubes and usually stuff the ... | |
| spider that looks like the red back spider | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: I live in Houston Texas. Found a black spider that looks like a picture of the {Red Back spider} it ... A: Black widow spiders and red back spiders are common in Texas. Without a picture to confirm, we ... | |
| Bug infestation! | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a bug infestation that I can't get rid of. I first spotted the bug in the bathroom, then the ... A: Considering you have a basement that floods often and the infestation began in the bathroom, I think ... | |
| Strange high pitch bug in Central Texas | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: This week in and around San Marcos Texas there has been some kind of bug with a high pitch sound. ... A: You are hearing a cicada. There are many different species of cicadas and not all of them emerge ... | |
| Earwigs | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: I live in a basement bedroom and am having a bit of an earwig problem. I am not normally scared or ... A: A basement bedroom is a perfect place for earwigs. It's in the ground, might be a little more humid ... | |
| spiders | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: i have been observing a really weird event - i have observed this black small spider crawling around ... A: There are spiders that live at the edges of creeks and ponds and can go under water for several ... | |
| bug | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: We have a bug at our work that is as small or smaller than a nate it flys around and lands on you ... A: These are thrips. Thrips feed on sap from grasses and flower petals. They fly weakly, but are ... | |
| Tiny caterpillar | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: Can you please ID this tiny caterpillar. They are raining down from our elm tree (a couple hundred ... A: They might be larvae of Elm Leaf Beetles. The absence of fleshy legs toward the tail tells me that ... | |
| Need Identification | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: My boss discovered three strange flying insects at his Indianapolis, Indiana home last evening. He ... A: I think he has found a couple of Eyed Click Beetles (Alaus oculatus). They are somewhat attracted ... | |
| spider ID | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: Eh, sorry to bother you but my wife is driving me nuts with this. She works at a retail store here ... A: It's quite possible that this is a species of wolf spider or nursery spider. Each of these is very ... | |
| Unidentified flying bugs | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I wrote a moment ago without the link to the bugs I have discovered. http://jessnorth.wordpress.com ... A: These are Black Soldierflies. They are attracted to manure (especially septic tanks) and rotting ... | |
| Dried blood and a bite mark on my in the morning | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I have woken up in the morning several times to dried blood at the back of my neck by my hairline. ... A: Possibilities include bedbugs or conenose bugs. Both of these are usually night feeders and leave a ... | |
| Two spiders I found in my shower | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I saw both of these spiders sitting in my bathtub when I got up in the morning. Do you know what ... A: The one on the right looks like a male wolf spider. The smaller one looks like a juvenile wolf ... | |
| Tiny worms falling from trees | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I live in Massachusetts and over the past week I have had hundreds of tiny worms falling from my ... A: This sounds like an infestation of pine tip moth caterpillars. Next year, you'll need to keep an ... | |
| Black and red insect | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: This morning I saw a black bug with red wings in my shower. It wasn't flying around, just walking, ... A: This sounds like a description for a male velvet ant. Velvet ants are a species of wasp where the ... | |
| tiny red flying bugs | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I live in North Carolina and we have these red flying bugs that bite. When it rains they get worse. ... A: My first impression is that you might be seeing a species of thrips. They are very small, can fly, ... | |
| Large Larvae? | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I live in Connecticut and I was digging up my lawn today and I came across a a grub looking bug. But ... A: This sounds like one of the large scarabs that develops into one of the following: unicorn beetle ... | |
| Identify beetle | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: A student found a beetle outside of my classroom located in Antioch California (contra Costa County. ... A: The noise comes from the beetle rubbing its mandibles together. This type of beetle infests ... | |
| Black Bugs on Pine Trees | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: We have 2 Fir Trees in our garden that have been taken over by small black bugs like those from ... A: They sound like giant bark aphids. These insects feed on the sap from the tree. In high-enough ... | |
| Is a picture of a tick or chigger? | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I found this crawling near my foundation and had never seen this insect before. Could this be a ... A: This is neither...although it is related to both! This is a Red Velvet Mite. They feed on the body ... | |
| Spider | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I went outside to check the mail and on the mailbox was a black small spider with 4 circles on the ... A: You have encountered a species of jumping spider called the Bold Jumper. This is a very common ... | |
| Black Jumping Spider, with White Markings | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: he was not able to give me an answer due to my vague description. Fortunately I happened upon ... A: I just answered a question for another person on this critter! This is a species of jumping spider ... | |
| tiny black bugs with red feelers in sink | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: We've noticed tiny black bugs, about the size of a period, in our bathroom sinks and tubs. They ... A: I would think they are coming in from outside and seeking a moisture source (which may be down in ... | |
| Milkweed bugs gathering | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I am from Houston,TX and new to gardening. I just purchased another tomato plant and blackberry ... A: Well...offending insects would be correct. These are newly hatched leaf-footed bugs and they are ... | |
| help idenifacation of a flying insect | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: this happened many years ago but the insect is very vivid in my mind. I was out side at a bazaar in ... A: I can't think of any insects in the US that match this color pattern and are 6" or longer. - The ... | |
| large orange spider | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: A few nights ago we found this large spider building a web between my car and the house. I can't ... A: This is a species of Orb Weaver spider. They are considered harmless to humans and animals. ... | |
| What bug is this on my concrete? | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: I recently saw this bug on my concrete and it was so small that when i got a closer look there were ... A: These are springtails (also called collembola). They flourish in moist conditions and feed on ... | |
| found this spider in my baby's room | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: I found this spider and am not sure what kind it is, I tried to take a picture of it but could not ... A: Well, I really need a picture of this creature to be able to get a good idea of what we're talking ... | |
| found this spider in my baby's room | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: I found this spider and am not sure what kind it is, I tried to take a picture of it but could not ... A: Sounds like a species of jumping spider. Jumping spiders are a very diverse group of spiders and ... | |
| Small insects | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I just moved to Oaks, PA. We have a problem with these small flying insects that are extremely ... A: Sounds like it might be psyllids (sill-ids). These insects live on grasses and plants and are ... | |
| centipedes/millipedes | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: are you familiar with a certain type of cetipede/millipede that exudeds a horrible odor when handled ... A: Most millipedes exude a bad odor when handled. They use this as a defense mechanism against ... | |
| unknown bug | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Sadly I cannot provide a picture of this bug. I live in the Santa Monica area of Southern ... A: It sure sounds like a species of moth. There are several with beige/tan coloration on the top wings ... | |
| 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: Bed bugs certainly fit that description, but you would be experiencing bites for sure with them in ... | |
| skinny biting bugs! | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Please help. I was on a walk today with my babies when I felt a sharp pain on my arm, I looked ... A: These are thrips. Thrips are insects that feed on the sap from flower petals, fruit and grasses. ... | |
| Corimelaenide/Negro Bug | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: Subject: Negro Bug Location: San Antonio Texas, Heritage Northwest Looking for some local help. I'm ... A: Trish: Negro bugs can really do a number on plants. They suck the sap from them and damage can ... | |
| Bug issue on Canal in AZ | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I live in Goodyear, AZ with the RID canal on the other side of my back wall. I recently moved in ... A: Well, the bad news is that caddisflies develop in flowing water such as creeks, rivers, streams and ... | |
| flyin insects in basement | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I live in a house that is over 100 years old and have house brick foundation in the basement. I ... A: They might be a species of fruit fly, actually. The size and appearance from your picture fits. ... | |
| Tiny Black Biting Flying Bugs | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I have the most annoying tiny black bug in my back yard. It gets in your nose, ears, mouth and ... A: Possibilities here include no-see-ums (a biting fly) or thrips (feeds on plant sap). No-see-ums ... | |
| Black with red stripe bug that is a meat eater | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: What is it and how do I get rid of it. I have caught some mice in a trap and these "bugs" eat them. A: There are possibilities here, but my first impression is that you are seeing carrion beetles. They ... | |
| strange worm or grub? | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I found this thing on my porch and was worried it might be a problem for my dog, I looked up ... A: This caterpillar comes from group of moths called Geometrids that lay their eggs on woody shrubs and ... | |
| spiders | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: i found a spider the had black and white butt and an opal to clear front and it was a little shorter ... A: This sounds like a jumping spider of some sort. My first impression is the Bold Jumper and fits the ... | |
| Mysterious Bug? | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: I was sitting at my computer, and I noticed on the wall, this tiny circular insect. It's basically ... A: Actually, I'm getting a lot of questions about this little beetle lately! You have encountered a ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I live in Brasher Falls NY which is located near the Canadian border.I am attaching a picture of the ... A: This may be a species of dermestid beetle. Dermestids feed on dead insects and carcasses. It is ... | |
| Please help me identify this little sucker. | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I live in Benton, Arkansas in the United States. This incident just happened two days ago making it ... A: From your description, I think these might be carpet beetles (dermestids). They feed on dead ... | |
| Please identify this for me: | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: I have recently been in a cave catching cave weta and have brought them home and have made an ... A: Awesome! You have encountered a species of insect parasite called a Horsehair worm. This type of ... | |
| This bug is maybe 1/16" black with white spots | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: this bug seems to prefer bedding. It is black or very dark slate gray with white spots. Shaped like ... A: Sounds like a Carpet Beetle. These beetles feed on dead insects and natural fibers like mohair and ... | |
| Parasite found on indoor cat, not the usual | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: My indoor cat has an unusual external parasite of some type I have not been able to identify and ... A: Interesting to say the least...flea larvae certainly fit this description as well, but they do not ... | |
| Parasite found on indoor cat, not the usual | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: My indoor cat has an unusual external parasite of some type I have not been able to identify and ... A: If you are only seeing one, then I think a very young inchworm caterpillar or possibly a young ... | |
| tiny black bug image | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I forgot to attach the image. A: This is a springtail. Springtails feed on moist, decomposing organic material (such as the wood in ... | |
| Tiny black bug near wet areas | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I keep coming across this bug in my house. The bug is very small and black. I tried to look closer ... A: Well, I answered your question when I saw the picture, and then got it confused with a previous ... | |
| Maple tree dying | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I have sugar maples that starting dying off one by one. These are trees that have been healthy for ... A: It is highly doubtful that the black bugs are the cause of your trees' demise. They might be ... | |
| Small Bug in Shower | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: 1/4 inch....looked like a tadpole, until I killed in and then I flipped it over and it had 2 ... A: There are a couple of possibilities here: It might be a pillbug and it might be a young House ... | |
| catipillars{sp} | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: my husband and i notice tonight before bed that a clutch of "moth" eggs has hatched on our bedroom ... A: These could be any species of moth, including those who normally live outdoors. Moths frequently ... | |
| Larva | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: Could you help us identify this larva. A: Undoubtedly, this larva (grub) was found in a compost pile, within rotting wood, or under a hay ... | |
| MYSTERY BUG! | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: ive seen these bugs all over my basement, there in tha shower, and they always seem to be crawling ... A: This looks a lot like a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). This creature loves basements and ... | |
| Strange bug in Texas Hill Country | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: Some 35 years ago, I was at our ranch outside of Hunt,Texas and saw the strangest thing ever. I ... A: Wow! What an interesting story! I'm trying to think of insects that are known to produce sounds... ... | |
| wasp like creature? | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: i live in australia and when i was in my bathroom and saw this wasp like insect that look more like ... A: Keziah: My first impression is that you've encountered a species of Ichneumon wasp. This ... | |
| Which insect is this? | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: Which insect is this? A: Yep...definitely alien!!! Actually, this is a species of wood boring beetle called a long horned ... | |
| 8 spiders myth | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering how you can call yourself an expert entymologist when you believe that every year, 8 ... A: [FOLLOW UP] Woody: Thanks for the kind words. Have a good day! Nathan | |
| bug | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: We took our dishwasher out. It apparently had been leaking for some time. We found a little mold ... A: There are a couple of possibilities: 1) They might have been silverfish. Silverfish like very ... | |
| flying mosquito looking insects in my house | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: I have these mosquito looking insects in my house. They fly for the windows. It is february and they ... A: I can think of 2 possibilities off the bat: 1) Crane Flies 2) Midges Both of these resemble ... | |
| tiny black bugs that fly in my yard | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: I was walking by my yard and noticed that there were thousands and thousands of little tiny black ... A: My first impression is that you have an infestation of psyllis (sill-ids). These insects infest ... | |
| water scorpion | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: does a female or male water scorpion bite and does the water scorpion live in water forever or ... A: Both sexes have the ability to deliver a bite, but it's only painful...nothing else. Water ... | |
| whats this bug? | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: I live in Sydney, Australia and we have found 3 of these bugs swimming in our pool, i did not see ... A: This is a species of insect known as a giant water bug. They are not considered dangerous, but they ... | |
| what is this bug | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: found many of them on the floor in the house in one corner alexandria va A: These are common stink bugs. They normally feed on the sap from plants outdoors. I bet these came ... | |
| Red Bug | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Last night I was fixing my bedspread and when I liefted it, I noticed a little Red bug. It was ... A: It's quite possible that it WAS a lady bug. There are some species of lady bug that hibernate ... | |
| identification of bugs around cat food | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I found a small bug (about 3mm long) on my carpet the other day. Now I found a whole lot of them ... A: Your cat food is infested with flour beetles. Flour beetles are known to infest dry pet food and ... | |
| Large insect looks like mosquito but stings like bee | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: recently got stung by this large looking mosquito. it's not a mosquito it stings like a bee and left ... A: Chances are, it is a small wasp of some kind. There are several species of ichneumon wasps that ... | |
| the future of interior planting... bugs? | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: im currently studying garden design at falmouth university, cornwall, uk, and im writing an 8000word ... A: Sam: I've seen quite a few examples where indoor landscapes have been infested with pest insects in ... | |
| Arizona Bark Scorpion | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: How do you kill one of these scorpions and then save it? My friend is into entymology and has quite ... A: There are 4 common methods for preservation: 1) Pinning the scorpion on an insect pin and including ... | |
| Arizona Bark Scorpion | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: How do you kill one of these scorpions and then save it? My friend is into entymology and has quite ... A: Your dilemma is actually easier than you might think. While freezing them is an option, you would ... | |
| neon green worm | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in Montclair, Ca. Our current weather is dry and sunny. This is not a bug "problem", I would ... A: I guess it's possible that the caterpillar could have ridden with you back home, but it's not too ... | |
| jumping spiders | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: is there any way i could find an encyclopedia containing all jumping spider species? A: A brief search of the Internet revealed the following website: http://salticidae.org/jsotw.html ... | |
| Worm/Leech looking creatures in my shower! | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I read one of your previous post about a description of "black wormlike" insects in someones shower ... A: If these creatures don't have legs, then you're looking at a moth fly larva (develop in drains) or a ... | |
| two-lined spittlebug | 1/1/2009 |
| Q: What plants do they thrive on? We have an investation of them. They have found their way into the ... A: Generally, they trive on woody plants and forbs. Their food is whatever you're finding them on. ... | |
| I keep finding this bug in my house!!! | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I keep finding this bug in my bedroom and I have to have my boyfriend kill it for me every time. I ... A: This is a leaf-footed bug. They feed on the sap from shrubs and other wood ornamental plants. They ... | |
| entomolgy | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: how long do you have to go to school for entomology A: You must go at least 4 years to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Entomology. If you want to ... | |
| small yellow and black insect | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: Wayne County, Michigan I was wondering what this insect was. I am quite sure it is not a bee, even ... A: This is actually a species of fly called a hover fly. They are sometimes referred to by their ... | |
| Worm like creatures in my bathtub | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: There are black worm like creatures emerging from under the brass section holding the sliding glass ... A: Ok. You have cleared it up for me. These are immature silverfish. They have 2 to 3 projections ... | |
| bugs on my walls and pomegranate plant | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: I live in Western Washington and recently there have been bugs all over my house. They're always ... A: Wow, this insect is very small. I can't make out much detail in your picture, but this does not ... | |
| catapillar | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: While in Cashiers NC this fall I found a very odd looking caterpillar and would like to have more ... A: This is caterpillar of a species of Tussock moth. Tussock moths lay their eggs on trees and their ... | |
| Flea Excretory System | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: I tried looking online to understand how small a flea really is. I discovered it was about 3 mm ... A: Well, believe it or not, I used to propagate fleas for a major animal health company and I learned ... | |
| need a bug identified | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: We just moved to a ground floor condo that opens onto a patio and have noticed bugs crawling on the ... A: Sounds like a garden millipede. They are found in humid areas with lots of organic material. To ... | |
| scorpions.. | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: there has been an ongoing debate between me and some friends. I live in northeast Alabama, DeKalb ... A: The bark scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, is found across the southern and southeast US. The sting ... | |
| unidentified insect | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: i was moving some wood around today and found a very strange bug/insect. it is very unusual to me i ... A: This is called an Eyed Click Beetle, also called an "Eyed Elater." These beetles feed on decaying ... | |
| little flying bugs | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: Okay for the last 2 weeks i started to noticed these bugs flying around my kitchen well i just ... A: All of your descriptions match what I would envision for a fruit fly infestation. Fruit flies ... | |
| Massive amount of spider web/weblike matl. | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I live in NW Connecticut and for the past couple of months I have noticed an increase in total ... A: There are 2 possibilities here: 1) It is possible that there has been a very good emergence of ... | |
| Mysterious Bug Bites | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I'm getting bug bites, but I cannot see what is biting me. I am mostly getting bites under my ... A: Chiggers, chiggers, chiggers! Your suspicions of chiggers are confirmed by a couple of key details: ... | |
| Bright Orange ant that changed color | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I live in Eustis Florida however I work in Sorrento Florida and while I was on break I was sitting ... A: Without seeing a picture, I'm not sure I can provide an exact ID, but I've never heard of any ... | |
| Bug in Worm Tray | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I have been trying to figure out what kind of insect I have in my worm tower. Alot of people tell ... A: Well, the picture's a little blurry and it's hard to tell what it is. It might be a maggot, but it ... | |
| black bug | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I have these black bugs in my apartment. I live in northern WI and noone has ever seen these things ... A: This is definintely a beetle larva. It resembles the larva of the Caterpillar hunter beetle ... | |
| strange insect | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: i live in england and when i go in my downstairs bathroom sometimes there are strange insects.the ... A: This insect is called a silverfish. They frequent dark, humid places like bathrooms, basements, ... | |
| i found a bug in my yard | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I live near Atlanta, Ga and i found a bug that i have never seen before. It looked like a oversized ... A: This time of year, there are many mature caterpillars crawling around. Most likely, you are seeing ... | |
| black bug | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I have these black bugs in my apartment. I live in northern WI and noone has ever seen these things ... A: There are a lot of black bugs around and many are beetles. My first impression is that you might ... | |
| small brown worms | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: We have been find a small brown worm- approx 1 inch in size sometimes 1 and 1/2 inch. They have a ... A: These are small garden millipedes. They feed on decomposing organic material in flowerbeds and in ... | |
| Biting Insect | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: I have been getting bites on my ankles, back etc in my home and can never spot the insect biting me. ... A: This is a picture of a species of parasitic wasp that attacks aphids, caterpillars and scale ... | |
| What kind of bug is this | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: I live in the area of Lancaster, PA. I found a bug that has stumped my Co-Op teacher and myself. I ... A: This is a species of assassin bug called a Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus). These insects prey on ... | |
| What I found in the stock tank, it's a . . . ? | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: I'm in central Minnesota and it's mid October so things are definitely cooling down. I went to clean ... A: These are called Rat-tailed maggots. They are actually the larva of a species of hover fly called a ... | |
| small black crawling bug on dog | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: I live in Northern Vermont, A few weeks ago I noticed a small black bug crawling around at the base ... A: Fleas, fleas, fleas...definitely! When they are on the host (in this case, a dog), they do not hop, ... | |
| Strange fairy like bug | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Every autumn in Maine there are a few weeks when very small bugs hatch and I'd like to know what ... A: My first impression is of an insect called a Woolly Aphid. These sap-feeding insects usually occur ... | |
| Woah | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Live in central texas, found a bug inside on my bed. six legs, large jaws (relative to body size), ... A: You have discovered a lacewing nymph. These creatures glue the dead carcasses of their prey on their ... | |
| insect identification | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: An insect is swarming mesquite trees on our property. It is brown and yellow. The body seems to be ... A: This is a wood boring beetle that infests mesquite trees called Placosternus difficilis. It ... | |
| shells in our freezer | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: we bought a freezer from another party and when we started to use it the freezer has a horrible ... A: You are seeing the empty pupal cases of flies (house flies & blow flies) that emerged from eggs laid ... | |
| Skinny bug in my apartment | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I have seen these bugs in my apartment in Highland Park, NJ. They are long and skinny. They have ... A: Say hello to Mr. Silverfish! Silverfish are insects that feed on starches and paper and like dark, ... | |
| Light brown, flat, oval shaped sluglike bug with white underbelly | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I live right outside Orlando, FL, and while outside today, I lifted up my grill cover that was on ... A: This "sluglike" bug is a slug. Insects have 3 pairs of legs and a hard outer shell as adults (some ... | |
| Horse parasites | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I'm a 4-H leader in Queen Creek, AZ and I'm trying to create a "bug board" of parasites that affect ... A: Dru: I don't know of anything like that, but I found a couple of links below that have good ... | |
| Strange bug in my yard | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: Any clue what this critter is? I've never seen one before and it was very interesting. A: This is a female of a group of wasps called ichneumons (Ick-new-mons). You caught this individual ... | |
| caterpillar-like insect | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I am located in the Rio Grande Valley about 30 miles south of Albuquerque, NM which is in central ... A: This is called a Bagworm. Bagworms are a species of moth where the females never develop beyond the ... | |
| Unknown Mosquito-Like Bug | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: Do you know the name of a bug that looks somewhat like a mosquito but it is red with white on the ... A: Not being entirely familiar with Florida species, my first guess is a species of midge. Midges look ... | |
| Schooling? | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: What kind of schooling is required for this field of study? A: Formal education in entomology requires education in the following: I went to Texas A&M from ... | |
| Insect bites on me | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I'm just about ready to cry over bug bites, but I don't know what's doing it! I live in Toronto in a ... A: Well, thanks! I'm starting to think that fleas might be the culprit here with your additional ... | |
| Black dirt that looks like tiny spiders in toilet bowl? | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I live in Edmonton, Albert Canada...I recvently have ntoiced that I end up with what looks like blac ... A: Interesting dilemma here! My first impression is that these are not spiders you're seeing. They ... | |
| Insect bites on me | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I'm just about ready to cry over bug bites, but I don't know what's doing it! I live in Toronto in a ... A: Kate...rest assured that these spiders are not the culprit here. Spiders don't feed on humans and ... | |
| identify worm like insect | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: One of my students brought in this creature - grub? It was found in mid Michigan by some dry ... A: This is the larva of a Caterpillar Hunter beetle (Calosoma spp.) It is not actually a grub. They ... | |
| unknown bite | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: my wife and I have both been bitten recently, we believe while sleeping. The bite resembles a ... A: The characteristics of the bite certainly sound like they came from a spider. Generally speaking, ... | |
| Miniscule black biting bug | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: I live in central Illinois. Moweaqua, IL We were getting bit yesterday so bad that we couldn't stay ... A: My first impression is that this is an insect called a thrips. Thrips are very small and range from ... | |
| Pill bugs. | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: What do pill bugs use their antennas for? i'm doing a report for school and i couldn't find this ... A: All insects and crustaceans (pill bugs are closer to crabs and crayfish than insects) use their ... | |
| mystery bug | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I live in MI. I have a potted parsley plant on my deck. The other day I noticed a long slender ... A: One of the favorite larval foods of the Black Swallowtail butterfly is parsley. The butterflies lay ... | |
| roach | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: every August - almost to the day - I will see a roach - i know there are others but I have a pest ... A: The ootheca issue could be true, but what is more likely happening is climate-related than anything ... | |
| Insect identification | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Nathan, I live in southeast Tennessee near Chattanooga. When cleaning out my gutters I have noticed ... A: You are seeing earwigs. Earwigs live in areas with decaying organic material and vegetation. They ... | |
| bug ID | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: We seem to have a small infestation in our 60-year-old wooden piano. After moving the piano last ... A: Without a picture, I'm not confident that I can provide an accurate guess for you. I'm somewhat ... | |
| ID of source of pinholes and tubes from ceiling | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: I just noticed a multiple very small (sub mm) pin holes and 1/4-1/2" tubes extending from a two of ... A: I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but this appears to be a mud tube constructed by ... | |
| flying beetle? | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: This insect flew into the house this morning. Body about an inch long with longer wings. Made a ... A: This is an adult cicada. They live in trees and feed on sap. They develop in the ground over a ... | |
| mystery bug | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I saw this bug? on my patio two days ago in the early afternoon. Reminds me of a fish. could not ... A: This is a Puss Caterpiller (also known as an asp). THIS IS A STINGING CATERPILLAR AND SHOULD NOT BE ... | |
| Sparrow/Mites | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: About a month ago we found a baby sparrow in our backyard. We could not find the nest and left it ... A: Well...all I can say is that sometimes our need to do good comes with a price. You did a good thing ... | |
| Spider | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I have this elborate web builder in my front yard. I was wondering if it was dangerous. I live in SE ... A: This and the second email you sent are pictures of a small orb-weaving spider in the genus Araneus. ... | |
| Book Lice | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: I'm 85% our family home is infested with book lice. I've ruled out mites & fleas. I only feel this ... A: The following link takes you to a page where you can click and find the county extension office ... | |
| unknown flying insect | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me what kind of bee this is? Found it outside the office in Newnan, GA. A: This is a Cicada killer. It is a large hornet where the females dig tunnels in loose soil and fill ... | |
| white caterpillar | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I am a nurse at Notre Dame. We have had 2 cases of students coming in with stinging/ burning ... A: There are 3 possibilities here: they may have been sting by a puss caterpillar, a hag moth ... | |
| Names of insects | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: Could you help me with the name of this insect? A: This is a species of Chrysomelid beetle. The common name is leaf beetle, but I don't know the ... | |
| earwig, hoppy thing | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: I found a strange insect in my harmonica, and I can't figure out what it is. Im in Oregon. It was ... A: My first impression is an insect called a jumping bristletail. They fit the size profile and the ... | |
| Giant Hornet - Virginia Beach, VA | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to ID a very large flying insect. They are predominatly yellow with black bands, very ... A: You have encountered a Cicada Killer wasp. These large ground-nesting hornets catch cicadas in the ... | |
| What is this??? | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: My friend was telling me about the bug, looked almost like a fat worm with eyes. With the colors ... A: This is the larva of a swallowtail butterfly. The "eyes" are actually spots on the tail meant to ... | |
| Not sure if Velvet Ant | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I live near Atlanta, GA and this year we've started seeing something in our yard that resembles ... A: You're welcome. Velvet ants are actually a species of wasp. The females are wingless and the males ... | |
| Not sure if Velvet Ant | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: I live near Atlanta, GA and this year we've started seeing something in our yard that resembles ... A: Not all velvet ants are fuzzy. Some have hairs that are smooth to the body and require a closer ... | |
| strange larvae in rotting tree trunk | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: Really curious about a larvea that has appeared in a rotting tree trunk in our yard...it is quite ... A: You are seeing the larva/grub of either a Rhinoceros beetle or Hercules beetle. These large scarabs ... | |
| Biting insects | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: Sir, over the past couple of months, I have been bitten on or around my ankles/feet, but no other ... A: Bites in this region indicate the possibility of chiggers or fleas. Chiggers develop in grassy ... | |
| Please help!! | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: I live in the UK and have noticed that I have itsy bitsy tiny insects?/mites?/creepy crawlies? in my ... A: Sounds like granary mites or clover mites. They have been known to feed on dry dog food and cat ... | |
| California Prionus | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: We found what we are relatively sure to be a California Prionus on our screen door this evening. ... A: Beetles in this group are considered pests and borers of a wide variety of trees. They do not ... | |
| weird bug | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: found an elongated light brown/tan beetle with 4 white spots on its back. Long antennae sticking ... A: This is a species of wood boring beetle (also called longhorn beetle) that is known to infest pine ... | |
| insect identification, flying ant/wasp? | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: I live in Skokie, IL, a Northern suburb of Chicago. I found the enclosed in our basement. I have ... A: This is definitely a species of wasp...most likely possibility is a species of mud dauber wasp. ... | |
| Help, unidentified bug is everywhere and biting me | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I keep finding this tiny bug, about the size of a pin-head. It is dark brown/black, six legs that at ... A: You may have an infestation of bird mites. If you have a lot of pigeons or sparrows ... | |
| Wasps/bess/hornets? In the ground, | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: Nathan-- I am a city girl-- who just moved to the country! I have 6 little boys and a house (in SE ... A: Do a search for "cicada killer" and see what you get. These large ground-nesting hornets like to ... | |
| little black bugs | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: My two little dogs have about 20 to 30 biting little black bugs on them all of a sudden. They are ... A: If they go into the woods, they may have come across a newly hatched batch of ticks, also known as ... | |
| little white 6 legged spider-like critter | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: Are you able to identify my new office companion? I almost wiped him off of my desk as a piece of ... A: This might be an immature lacewing larva. They glue the carcasses of their prey on their backs as ... | |
| small white (?) bugs | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: We are in a suburban area of Cincinnati, OH. We have quite alot of trees/plants on our lot, our ... A: Sounds like mealybugs, scales, whiteflies or possibly woolly aphids. All of these are sap suckers ... | |
| furry afro insect identification | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a little friend here that I would love to have him identified. He looks alien. At first I ... A: My first impression is a camouflaged lacewing nymph/larva. They cover their body with the carcasses ... | |
| FLIES | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I found two dead birds in the attic leading to my son's bedroom and now have really large flies ... A: I would not spray the attic. What you have are either flesh flies or black blow flies emerging from ... | |
| weird bugs feasting on my indoor hibiscus | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: what are theses things? i found them 10 minutes ago on my hibiscus. I live in Arlington Virginia and ... A: including scales, mealybugs, whiteflies and aphids. I can't say for sure, but these might be an ... | |
| bugs in my coffee pot | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: my wife and i have been seeing bugs that look like ants but could be termites. they seem to go where ... A: The only things I've seen nest in a coffee pot are sugar ants, also known as pharaoh ants. They ... | |
| tiny black bugs on my walls and floors | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: I live in Northeast Ohio where it's often rainy. I have been finding these tiny black bugs (their ... A: My first impression is springtails, also called collembola. These insects like to live in humid ... | |
| Thousands of bugs at pool and deck | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I am attaching a pic of bugs that are all of a sudden infesting my deck and pool. They are a little ... A: These look like sap beetles, but they are not known to bite. When you mentioned the attraction to ... | |
| golden egg laying mystery bug | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I live in Biddeford, ME and I have some sort of bug laying eggs in my vegetable garden. It is ... A: This appears to be a clutch of eggs laid by a moth or possibly a butterfly. There are several moths ... | |
| Repellent for small flying black insects | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: What can I use to combat bites and/or stings from small, visible, flying black pests? I believe ... A: There are 2 really good repellants that will work here: look for repellant products that contain ... | |
| Small tick-like bug with long front pincers. | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I just found a very strange bug on my ceiling, and I'm wondering what it is. It looks like a tick: ... A: You have encountered a pseudoscorpion. These 8-legged creatures live under bark, feeding on insects ... | |
| insects | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I keep seeing these same red shrimp like insects in my house they are always dead the also get into ... A: There is a creature called a "scud" that is sometimes found in pools and standing water on the ... | |
| Invisible biting bug | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: For the past 3 weeks or so, (since it finally warmed up here in Minneapolis), I've been getting bit ... A: Possibilities include thrips, mites (chiggers, bird, rat, clover, or grain), or no see ums (very ... | |
| cast skin | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. I have become obsessed witht the notion that I may have bed bugs, carpet ... A: Wow! The picture you've sent is really blurry and I'm having a difficult time getting an idea what ... | |
| indoor plant bug identification | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: i have an indoor banana tree in my nyc apt. i have noticed, after repotting (with new bagged soil,) ... A: It is quite possible that you've developed an infestation of fungus gnats. They feed on fungus that ... | |
| insect ID | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: There are these tiny insects that we have around our town that my dad used to tell me that they were ... A: They kind of look like a fairy, don't they? This is a winged form of the woolly aphid. They feed ... | |
| moth or fly? | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I live in Pittsburgh, PA and last year we had tiny black flies with triangular wings in our bathroom ... A: It's a fly...named after a moth! You have an infestation of moth flies. They develop in drains. ... | |
| type of ant? | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I live in the high desert in southern california (U.S) and i've noticed these cute ants. They are ... A: These could be harvester ants or a species of formica ant. Harvester ants sting and you should be ... | |
| Ants carrying other ants | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: I was sitting on my concrete patio yesterday, and I noticed a steady stream of small black ants ... A: It is possible that the ants being carried were newly emerged adults and didn't have the capacity to ... | |
| 6 legs, black wings, red bugs | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: My yard is swarming w/these little bugs that look like they should fly but I haven't seen that yet. ... A: Sounds like a large population of box elder bugs or red-shouldered bugs. As immatures, they are red ... | |
| identification | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: A big bug flew into my husband one day when he was working in the garage. I think it was a beetle. ... A: It may have been a species of wood boring beetle. Some of them have very ornate antennae. In other ... | |
| beetles | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: Im sorry I sent you an email a little bit ago. I found a picture of it. Go to this web site.. ... A: This is a Hercules beetle. They develop as grubs in decomposing organic material like compost ... | |
| insect identifying kitchen dilemma | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: since yesterday morning I discovered tiny red ants crawling on top of my kitchen countertop. Now ... A: Sounds like it may be sugar ants, also known as pharaoh ants, also known as "piss ants" in TX. ... | |
| Spiders Galore | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: I live in Basking Ridge, NJ in a small condo. I have a sliding glass door that leads to a small, ... A: Spiders are nearly impossible to kill with sprays because only the tips of their feet touch the ... | |
| tiny red bug | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: i live in the uk, in edinburgh, the weather of late has been rather warm for here, i was visiting ... A: Red spider mites are found on plants and are VERY tiny. They don't move very quickly and aren't ... | |
| tiny nat/ant like bugs | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: We have just moved into a new developed neighborhood in central north carolina and have discovered ... A: Sounds like a large population of springtails. These insects prefer humid environments with shade ... | |
| A bug in my garden... | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: Riggs, On May 17 I started a vegetable garden in a brand new raised planter. I put in storebought ... A: These are a species of springtail. They live in humid areas with lots of decaying organic material. ... | |
| bug ID | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: Im in the middle of Iraq at the moment and I have been back and forth here the past 4 years I have ... A: It sounds like a Camel Spider, also known as a Sun Scorpion. It is an 8-legged creature with a ... | |
| ants | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 large colonies of ants near my home they are about 3/8" long and have a bright red head and ... A: Ortho Max contains one of the strongest active ingredients available on the market today. If you ... | |
| ants | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 large colonies of ants near my home they are about 3/8" long and have a bright red head and ... A: These might be Formica ants from the description. Ortho Max is a powerful CONTACT insecticide and ... | |
| bird mites and moth balls | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: I am currently fighting a bird mite infestation. They seem to love me and not my sister and her two ... A: Vacuuming and moth balls will certainly help, but not eradicate the problem. If you have bird ... | |
| losing wing bugs | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: i live in tampa, fl. this morning i woke up and found these tiny worm or larvae looking things. i ... A: Sounds like a termite or ant swarm. During the spring, ant and termite colonies produce alates ... | |
| Unidentified Wasp Insect | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: Today, one of my bug loving friends gave me a little container with an insect inside knowing that I ... A: This sounds like a type of parasitic wasp called an Ichneumon wasp. The females of the species ... | |
| leech like bugs | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: i keep seeing leech like bugs mainly by my bathroom because it is next to my back door. Theese bugs ... A: This sounds like either a silverfish or a firebrat. These insects like dark, humid environments and ... | |
| Bee-like flying insects in my yard | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: We recently removed from our yard a line of english ivy planted in a series of rocks and started to ... A: It sounds like these might be hornets or yellowjackets (ground nesters). There may have been a nest ... | |
| bug identification | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: i live in vancouver, BC Canada and I'd really like to know the name of this bug(attached picture). ... A: This is either a Silverfish (light colored) or a Firebrat (dark colored). They live in dark, humid ... | |
| help.. what is it | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: we live in west Memphis, Arkansas. we have an indoor koi pond with Arkansas fieldstone as its ... A: My first impression is some sort of aquatic insect like a stone fly, damselfly, or a caddisfly. ... | |
| What was this winged, ant-like swarming insect? | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: While walking around a friend's house we found these insects swarming (in hundreds) on the sidewalk ... A: Well, it definitely sounds like a swarm of ants...short wings (termite wings are longer than the ... | |
| Bettle | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: So there are these ladybug-like creature in my home and I am worried that they may be affecting my ... A: There are many different species of lady beetles (lady bugs). Some are pink with black spots, ... | |
| Unknown Bug in South Carolina | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: I have bugs in my house that I've never seen around here before. I live in Columbia, South ... A: I am not a doctor, but I think there are 2 issues at work here... First, it sounds like you've got ... | |
| bed bugs? | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: i have these tiny insects all over my bed that bite. they are oval shape with two long antennae, a ... A: Bed bugs are rounded and flattened in shape with a gray color. They do not have antennae that are ... | |
| White maggot looking worms falling from tree | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: I have these falling from my Cork Oak tree today. They are as stated above maggot looking worms. ... A: These almost look like thrips. Thrips feed on the sap from flower petals and grasses. They are ... | |
| Hopeful Identification of an insect | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: My name is Andrew and I have a curious insect that I have never seen in my home before. In the ... A: Andrew: You should know that all insects have their skeletons on the outside, but some have soft ... | |
| unidentified flying bug | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: One night a large green flying bug about 6 inches (including wingspan) with a suction cup type thing ... A: I'm not sure about a suction cup, but these are my guesses here... 1) Praying Mantis 2) Luna Moth ... | |
| harvestmen and Megarian Banded Centipedes | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: We live in Andalucia in southern Spain. We let a little cottage. Unfortunately the cottage is also ... A: Clothes washing detergent will do fine...about 2 tablespoons per gallon of water... Regarding the ... | |
| black worm with webs | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: im from south east asia, which might make this a little difficult... the bug i saw is something ive ... A: Sounds like a species of inchworm (a caterpillar of a species of moth). They can spin silk and hang ... | |
| found bug in bed | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: I awoke this morning and found a weird bug. It is red with a hard shell, it has eight legs and it ... A: My first impression is that you've found a tick of some kind. Most ticks feed on blood from ... | |
| harvestmen | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: We live in Andalucia in southern Spain. We let a little cottage. Unfortunately the cottage is also ... A: *** [FOLLOW UP] *** A mild soap solution will dissolve the waxes on their exoskeleton (skin) that ... | |
| fruit flies? | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: I have tiny black flying bugs ALL over my house. Thought they were fruit flies, they seem to like ... A: Fruit flies, once in a home can be difficult to eliminate. They find little pockets of moisture on ... | |
| caterpillars | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: How many legs do caterpillars have? A: Good question! Because caterpillars are an insect larva, they have 6 true legs located just behind ... | |
| black caterpillar type bug | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: I live near Louisville,KY. Yesterday I found what looked like a fat, fur-less, black caterpillar in ... A: My first impression is that of a black soldier fly larva. They aren't necessarily fat, but they are ... | |
| tiny biting insect | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: I live in Gainesville, Florida and my son and I were outside yesterday around 5:00 p.m. getting our ... A: My first impression is fleas. Fleas develop in loose sand/dirt and will be concentrated in areas ... | |
| Little Black Bug | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: Pa.I occasionally come across this little black bug in my home(can't be no bigger than a half ... A: My first impression is that you've encountered a pseudoscorpion (false scorpion). These little ... | |
| big, black flies | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: I have a sudden infestation of them. Found a dead but LONG dessicated squirrel but got rid of it ... A: These flies are the adult results of eggs laid on the squirrel carcass weeks or months ago. ... | |
| red bugs that live in bricks | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: i have these tiny very hard to see bugs that live in the bricks of my house htey seem to come out of ... A: Sounds like an infestation of some sort of mite or possibly springtails. You might consider ... | |
| Worm like bugs. | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: I just moved into an apartment and I have noticed small orange worm like bug coming out of the ... A: You might have an infestation of carpet beetles in the exhaust fan area. The larvae of carpet ... | |
| Bug Identification | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Over the last year I have seen four of a particular insect. One of them was on the outside of a ... A: My first guess based on your information and drawings is possibly a stink bug or box elder bug. ... | |
| Little white bugs | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: We have a dark pantry in our house and today we saw some white stuff on a can that we pulled out. ... A: It is very possible that you have an infestation of book lice, also called Psocids (sew-sids). ... | |
| Fruit Flies?? | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: This is my first spring in a house I'm renting that i can only guess was built in the '20s and I ... A: Sure does sound like fruit flies! Not only are they attracted to fruit, they are also attracted to ... | |
| unknown flying insect | 2/26/2008 |
| Q: I live in the UK, it is our winter now, cold and wet with the occasional frost. I found a cocoon in ... A: Ooo! I would love to see a picture of your creature. The weather here today is beautiful...72F ... | |
| What to feed a bug? | 2/26/2008 |
| Q: I found a bug in the inside of my window. I would like to know the following: 1) What kind is it ... A: To answer your questions: 1) This is a species of stink bug...it appears to be an immature stage ... | |
| Bonsai Tree w/ insects in soil | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: Hey Nathan, I've noticed tiny silver insects in the soil of my bonsai tree. It's an indoor plant, ... A: My first impression is that these are either springtails or symphylans. Both of these insects feed ... | |
| worm-like creature in septic line | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: Our floor drain burped tonight in our basement and there were thousands of 1/4" wiggly things in ... A: There are a lot of possibilities here...all of them probably leading to some sort of insect larva. ... | |
| tiny, black/brown jumping bugs outside | 2/6/2008 |
| Q: Over the past few days my mother has started to see little blackish/brownish jumping bugs in our ... A: My first impression is that you are seeing an increase in springtails after all of the rain. These ... | |
| BEES | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: How may times their own weight can a bee lift? And at what speed must it be travelling at to ... A: This is just my opinion, but I don't think bees are suited for lifting anything. The heaviest load ... | |
| re: bugs in home | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: this past summer I noticed these small (approx 1/2 inch)bugs that used to cling to our screen door. ... A: They might be a cousin to the box elder bug: the red-shouldered bug. They are overwintering inside ... | |
| tiny hardshelled black bugs | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: we live in Nashville, TN. My grandmother was bitten by a bug that has left peculiar spots on her. ... A: My first impression is fleas. Sometimes cats or dogs will frequent garden areas because of the soil ... | |
| bite | 1/23/2008 |
| Q: I woke up last night with a stinging sensation in my hand from a bite. it is about 1/2 inch in a ... A: The only stinging insect that leaves the stinger at the wound is a honeybee. Other possibilities ... | |
| Seed Ticks | 1/18/2008 |
| Q: Nathan- This past evening my chocolate lab woke me up with a crying barking type noise that I am ... A: The term "seed tick" is used to describe the stage of tick that is newly hatched from the egg. This ... | |
| Bug on paper and clothes | 1/17/2008 |
| Q: I'm from Miami. I found a bug on a shirt the other day, and today 2 of the same bug crawling on a ... A: Please say hello to the silverfish. This insect prefers dark, humid places like bathrooms and ... | |
| Spider Identifacation | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: In my room is a medium (About 5 cm) spider that is gray and blackish and really Hairy could you ... A: My first impression is that you are seeing a Bold Jumper. These spiders are very common in and ... | |
| ticks | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: The doctor told my mom she has a tick bite. She barely goes outside. She got the bite while ... A: Although your dogs are on tick prevention medication, ticks will still get on them and ride around ... | |
| Red bug | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: I have this red spider/bug that is all over my child's swing set and you please tell what they are ... A: This appears to be a batch of immature boxelder bugs. These feed on the sap from boxelder seed pods ... | |
| Christmas Tree Bugs | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: About 1 week after Christmas, I noticed something black under my Douglas fir tree...to my surprise ... A: This is a species of aphid that infests pine trees. They feed on the sap from the tree and excrete ... | |
| Tiny little black bugs | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: I was gone away from my house for about four weeks. When i came home i found about thirty to forty ... A: If the fridge/freezer was turned off, then the insects may have gotten in to infest some food there. ... | |
| ident | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: Nathan, I have a bug that clings to our stucco walls on the house . It is flat with no apparant ... A: Sounds like a bagworm. Bagworms live inside a tough silken bag and stick their heads out to move or ... | |
| unknown worm/cenitpede | 1/7/2008 |
| Q: I found a worm, or grub-like insect on my porch this morning. Its about 1 1/2in long and its all one ... A: I think this is a Garden Centipede. These creatures feed on decaying organic materials and are very ... | |
| brown insect | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: I have asked Walter Hintz previously about this insect but the photo I attached was not focused at ... A: This is a very young cockroach of some kind (I'm not sure of the species). They are attracted to ... | |
| Cockroach Eggs | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: I would understand if you won't be able to answer my question because I'm not sure how to describe ... A: Cockroach egg cases are routinely parasitized by many species of tiny wasps. These wasps are ... | |
| Bugs in my house! | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: I live in Scotland at the moment its middle of winter and cold, recently i have been finding bugs ... A: [FOLLOW UP] These insects infest cereal grains like rice, corn or wheat. They will also get into ... | |
| dog bugs | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: For many months my two dogs have been very itchy. Just recently I started finding a brown bug ... A: This sure does sound like and fit the description of a flea. Female fleas are larger than males and ... | |
| dont see the insect that bites me! | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: WHAT IS IT THAT BITES ME? I HAVE TWO CATS THEY HAVE THERE FLEA COLLAR ON, AND ARE NOT OUT DOOR ... A: Depending on the age of the flea collar, the fleas may still be coming from the cat or its bedding ... | |
| Strange bugs found on Christmas Tree. | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: I have just noticed a large cluster of very tiny (about the size of a pin head) black bugs on our ... A: These are a large species of aphid that feed on pine trees. They suck sap from the tree and excrete ... | |
| silver insect | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: I live in Austrlia and have recently been finindg all thesde tiny silver bugs in my kitchen around ... A: You may have an infestation of springtails. These insects prefer moist, dark areas and feed on ... | |
| catepillars | 12/18/2007 |
| Q: I was Altoona Florida and a round fuzzy caterpillar light tan in color was on my shirt and I was ... A: Chances are, this was a Puss Caterpillar, sometimes called an "asp." These caterpillars possess ... | |
| terrestrial caddisfly larvae?! | 12/12/2007 |
| Q: I'm located in Cookeville, Tennessee and while sitting here at my computer desk I noticed something ... A: You're correct...caddis flies are only aquatic. Sounds like the caterpillar of a casemaking clothes ... | |
| Spider identification | 12/11/2007 |
| Q: Could you please help me identify this spider? I lived in Tyler, Texas (East Texas) for about 5 ... A: [FOLLOW UP] There are 2 types of trap door spiders in Texas: a red species and a black species, ... | |
| Black Furry Insect. | 12/10/2007 |
| Q: I was walking in the outskirts of the woods near my friend's house and stumbled upon a dead bug that ... A: It appears to be a dead woollybear caterpillar or possibly the empty skin of one. They are very ... | |
| worm identification | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. I have these very tiny reddish brown worms all over my house. They are on ... A: I wonder if you're seeing the larvae of Carpet Beetles. Carpet beetle larvae live at the edges of ... | |
| Potato Bug parasite? | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: This morning at work we had a driver run over a potato bug in the parking lot. Rougly a half hour ... A: [FOLLOW UP] I guess I'm not surprised. Those worms have to be pretty tough if they are going to ... | |
| small yellow bug | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: I live in a dorm at the University of Washington in Seattle. There is a bug that every once in a ... A: My first impression is that you've seen a silverfish. They are a fairly small insect that like ... | |
| raised black "dots" | 11/28/2007 |
| Q: Our home is white stucco, located on the north side of a small lake in central Florida. Primarily ... A: ..you're too kind! Yes to insect droppings. Insects in the fly group produce "dot-like" ... | |
| Tiny Black Bugs w/ Red Legs | 11/28/2007 |
| Q: We have recently had an influx of tiny (1/2 the size of the head of a pin) bugs. The body is dark - ... A: It is possible that these are a type of clover mite that are seeking warmer areas in the face of ... | |
| what bug is it | 11/27/2007 |
| Q: I am living in Germany. Last Saturday, I found a lot of small white bugs of size less than 1 mm in ... A: This appears to be a grain mite or possibly a clover mite. They probably came in with some ... | |
| Something biting my son | 11/14/2007 |
| Q: Recently I have found some bugs in my house. They are small and reddish in color. They are very ... A: [FOLLOW UP] Thank you...you are too kind! It is not uncommon for tick eggs to hatch this time of ... | |
| Something biting my son | 11/14/2007 |
| Q: Recently I have found some bugs in my house. They are small and reddish in color. They are very ... A: Ticks begin life from an egg. When they hatch, they are called "seed ticks" because they are very ... | |
| itchy bites | 11/13/2007 |
| Q: I have been followed from California to Oregon by some biting thing that has plagued me for a few ... A: The locations of the bites and the description of intense itching sure does point to chiggers. ... | |
| What is it? | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: I live in North central Florida, near Gainesville. In the evening I see what appears to be a type ... A: There is a group of moths called Sphinx moths. Within this group there are a family of moths called ... | |
| help us identify a spider | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: My grandfather found and killed a spider outside our home, and then noticed some strange markings ... A: My first impression is of a species of Orb Weaver in the genus Araneus. They are reddish brown and ... | |
| Who's home is it? | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: I found this mound/tube on my property in the high desert. Located in Apple Valley, California. ... A: This was most likely constructed by a species of solitary wasp, but I'm not for sure. Before I saw ... | |
| Large alien looking insect | 11/6/2007 |
| Q: This weekend at the deerlease (11/4/07)in Coleman Texas, our campsite was visited by the oddest ... A: [FOLLOW UP] #8 shot is definitely in the ballpark!! I think some butter or olive oil in a skillet, ... | |
| MYSTERY BUG? | 10/31/2007 |
| Q: I've recently noticed a bug that looks like a coffee bean around my dog's bedding and when I caught ... A: These are fully fed female ticks...most likely Brown Dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Unfed ... | |
| spider | 10/31/2007 |
| Q: Do you know what kind of a spider this one is? I've never seen one like it before. A: This is the Spiny Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis). They are really common this year...I've ... | |
| Grey bugs - trying to identify | 10/31/2007 |
| Q: I've found a number of 1cm long 'grey bugs' in a bedroom in my house. They do not move much and may ... A: Howdy from San Antonio, TX! In Texas, there is an insect called the Black Soldier fly that produces ... | |
| little tiny creamy coloured bugs | 10/31/2007 |
| Q: UK, and for the last few months have seen little creamy coloured beasties running round my house. ... A: Howdy from San Antonio, TX! My first impression is that you might have silverfish. They are an ... | |
| Spider | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: I was outside, on my porch today in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and noticed a strange looking spider. The ... A: This appears to be a species of orb weaver called Araneus marmoreus (Marbled Orb Weaver). They are ... | |
| Spider ID | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: I am in Benton Harbor Michigan, and my friend was bitten by a yellowish-brownish spider whose body ... A: It could have been many spiders. Orb weavers, wolf spiders, brown recluse spiders and nursery web ... | |
| Weird Insect | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: I found this bug in my house. It is pure black, pretty big; it has 8 legs (long and thin) on the ... A: Wow! I think you've encountered a whip scorpion, also known as a vinegaroon. This creature is ... | |
| BUG ID | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: Location: Australia, NSW, Coffs Harbour Time: Night Season: Spring Colour: Light tan brown ... A: It might be a species of hissing cockroach or a type of grasshopper. Insects constrict their ... | |
| slug in my shower | 10/30/2007 |
| Q: I found a slug type of bug in my bathroom recently. The first time it was on the floor moving around ... A: You have squished a silverfish! Silverfish are insects that live in dark humid areas of the home ... | |
| spider | 10/29/2007 |
| Q: My 6th grade student found a small black spider in my classroom. He had green eyes and had white ... A: My first impression is a spider called the Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax). This is a very common ... | |
| Tiny biting bug (Outside) | 10/24/2007 |
| Q: .. I have been repeatedly bitten by a teeny, tiny bug in my backyard. I cannot id it on any ... A: My first impression is that you are being bitten by thrips. Thrips are a tiny insect that feeds on ... | |
| caterpillars | 10/17/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Riggs I have a cottonwood tree and this little caterpillar is eating it's leaves. I live in the ... A: This is a caterpillar of a species of Tussock moth that I'm not familiar with. Tussock moths ... | |
| spiders! | 10/16/2007 |
| Q: I live in Guadalupe, California; U.S. We have 65-75 degree weather pretty much all year round. In my ... A: It might be a shield-backed orb weaver. Do a search for "Gasteracantha cancriformis" and see what ... | |
| home bug infestation | 10/15/2007 |
| Q: I have a bug infestation and I am trying to determine whether I need to get the exterminator out ... A: It appears to be an American Spider Beetle. They are an indicator of some sort of stored food ... | |
| spider identification | 10/15/2007 |
| Q: heya, i live in the UK, i was at work today when i found a spider. its a funnel web, and about 5 cm ... A: Josh: There are many species of funnel web spider across the world. Many of them can be aggressive ... | |
| What is it ? | 10/11/2007 |
| Q: Under my wooden deck I found 2 sets of several earth tubes each containing many black cocoons. Could ... A: These are mud dauber nests. Mud daubers are a species of wasp that build a mud tube nest and fill ... | |
| teeny tiny jumping black bug | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I noticed a teeny tiny black bug (maybe) that as soon as I tried to smash it jumped really fast on ... A: There are 3 possibilities here: 1) It is a springtail. Springtails are harmless insects that feed ... | |
| Wierd Bug | 10/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a picture of this bug. Ihave never in my life have seen such a thing. It's about 3" long. It ... A: This is called a Giant Water Bug. They are excellent flyers and feed on insects. They are ... | |
| strange insect | 10/2/2007 |
| Q: I found an insect that looks just like a walking bread crumb. It's white, about a quarter inch in ... A: This is a lacewing nymph. Lacewings eat insects and are very beneficial for gardens. Lacewing ... | |
| Help Identify Please | 9/27/2007 |
| Q: ok, so I wake up the other morning seeing something odd on the bedroom wall. I put my glasses on, ... A: What probably happened is that a moth got trapped in your house and then deposited a clutch of eggs. ... | |
| stink bugs! | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: I live in PA. there are stink bugs all over my porch and screen doors, and they are starting to come ... A: Brochymena is a predaceous stinkbug and is considered beneficial because it feeds on caterpillars. ... | |
| Bug in my house! | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: I recently saw a very large bug in my older house. I just recently moved in and have no clue what it ... A: This sounds like a House Centipede. These creatures live in dark, humid places such as bathrooms ... | |
| What the heck? | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: I just moved to Missouri and have found two mud like cocoons on the outside wall of my brick house. ... A: These "mud cocoons" are actually the nests constructed by a Mud dauber wasp. These wasps fill the ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 9/25/2007 |
| Q: So when I was younger I read about a bug that would kill ants and stick their carcasses onto spikes ... A: The only insect I know that does anything remotely similar to that is the immature stage of the ... | |
| unidentified insect | 9/25/2007 |
| Q: I live in Eastern PA and found this insect on my house at dusk. I am surrounded by corn and soybean ... A: This is a Wheel Bug. Wheel bugs are a species of assassin bug that feed on insects. They are a ... | |
| dasymutilla gloriosa | 9/25/2007 |
| Q: my wife was just stung by the velvet ant or the above stated latin name, what are the affects or ... A: A velvet ant is nothing more than a species of wasp where the females are wingless. Females do the ... | |
| Stinging Ant? | 9/25/2007 |
| Q: I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I am wondering what the bug is that I attached to this e-mail. ... A: This is a species of wasp. I'm not sure what type, but it is definitely a wasp. The legs and ... | |
| cereal bugs | 9/19/2007 |
| Q: what kind of bugs would you find in an unopened box of cereal? A: There are probably 3 possibilities here: Rice weevils, drugstore beetles, or confused flour ... | |
| Slug (?) in Mouse | 9/19/2007 |
| Q: I'm really hoping you can help me identify a bug. With fall approaching and nights getting cold my ... A: If, in fact, the mouse is infected with internal parasites, there's always a chance that one could ... | |
| strange infestation | 9/19/2007 |
| Q: I work in Jamestown, RI, and recently the outside of the building I work in has been infested with ... A: Sounds like an infestation of immature boxelder bugs. Boxelder bugs feed on the seed pods of trees, ... | |
| Tiny Tiny Jumping Insect | 9/18/2007 |
| Q: I noticed a bunch of tiny insect crawling around on my drive way and my garage door the other day ... A: Sounds like springtails, or possibly jumping bristletails. Both of these insects live in very humid ... | |
| Small black flying bug - ashy when killed | 9/18/2007 |
| Q: I'm from Michigan, in the Metro detroit area. For a little while we have discovered small black ... A: My first thought is a Moth Fly. Moth Flies are insects that look like a tiny moth but are a type of ... | |
| Small bug. See photo | 9/18/2007 |
| Q: Wonder what this is. See photo A: This is a Pseudoscorpion (translation: "false" scorpion). These tiny creatures live under bark and ... | |
| Moving Dots | 9/14/2007 |
| Q: I have these small dots that are no larger than a grain of dirt/soil. At first thats what I thought ... A: We can rule out fatal right off of the bat. It sounds like a mite infestation of some ... | |
| Yellowjacket or paper wasp or sweat bee? | 9/14/2007 |
| Q: For the past 2 months we've had these wasps/bees INSIDE our home, at first found dead on the ... A: Definitely yellowjackets...and by your description, they have a nest somewhere within the walls of ... | |
| These very tiny bugs on my dog | 9/13/2007 |
| Q: I live in mid state georgia. My dog is an outdoor dog who has been treated for fleas and tics. ... A: Your dog may have an infestation of chiggers. Chiggers are the immature form of a species of mite ... | |
| Spider identification | 9/13/2007 |
| Q: I found a large tarantula looking spider on my porch. I live in Covington,GA. Spider was dark ... A: It could have been a wolf spider or a trapdoor spider. Either of these can attain that size. Do a ... | |
| mystery bug | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: I live in a New York City prewar building and once a few years back saw this odd pin head sized ... A: Although the picture's a little bit fuzzy, it sure looks like a common house spider, or cobweb ... | |
| bathroom drain mites? | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: ..lately I have noticed very small dark in color bugs in my bath tub and around the rim. They are so ... A: Spider mites are only associated with plants. These might be springtails, since we are talking ... | |
| Spider identification | 9/11/2007 |
| Q: I'm trying to identify a spider I found. It was on a large (2'-3' circular) web outside my house. ... A: It's about time AllExperts allowed users to add pictures to these questions!!! This is a species of ... | |
| Litlle flat white bugs | 9/11/2007 |
| Q: I live in Tampa, FL. I've been noticing a certain type of bug in my bathroom. I've only been ... A: There are 2 possibilities: 1)It could be a bagworm. These insects are a type of moth and feed on ... | |
| small light grey bugs | 9/11/2007 |
| Q: I have seen these bugs all my life, but only outside and now I have them all the time in our ... A: These are pillbugs. Pillbugs feed on decaying organic materials and live in humid environments, ... | |
| Help us! What kind of bug is this? | 9/11/2007 |
| Q: I live in house with 5 other college girls in Norman, Oklahoma. Recently our house has been ... A: This is the infamous Sooner cricket!!! I'm just kidding...being an Aggie, I can't let that one ... | |
| Nats in the Office | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: We're in Ohio. We had quite a bit of rain a couple weeks ago and since then we've noticed quite a ... A: Insects like fungus gnats are directly related to the presence of excess moisture. They will ... | |
| moth infestation | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: My house has been invaded by tiny, solid gray-winged moths. They are about 3-4 mm in size and are ... A: You've got a small infestation of Moth Flies. Moth flies look just like small gray moths, except ... | |
| What kind of bug is this... and how do I get rid of them? | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Wisconsin... we just built our house this summer, and moved in at the end of ... A: It's hard to say...the beetles could be attracted to the lights around your home or maybe the fact ... | |
| bugs on maple trees | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: First of all I do not have any pics, I can only describe these things to you.We have these little ... A: The two possibilities in my mind are thrips and lacebugs. Both of these insects feed on sap. ... | |
| Very large bug that climbed on my foot | 9/4/2007 |
| Q: This guy scared the heck out of me when i felt him climbing on my foot as i put my feet on the floor ... A: This is a Jerusalem Cricket, also known as a potato bug. These insects are found in the Western US ... | |
| Bug in my house | 8/29/2007 |
| Q: I have found a really big bug in my house, I live in the U.K. I have never seen anything like it to ... A: It might be the larval stage of a ground beetle called a Caterpillar Hunter. I've seen critters ... | |
| Mystery Spider | 8/29/2007 |
| Q: I friend of mine took a picture of a spider that had built a web on his front porch & we were ... A: This is an Orb Weaver spider of the genus Araneus. They are very common, in summertime and make ... | |
| UJI (Unidentified Jumpibng Insect) | 8/29/2007 |
| Q: Seen two in as many days. Its body is about 1cm with hinged legs about 2cm long(hinged halfway); ... A: This sounds like a either a species of katydid or a snow cricket. Snow crickets are bright green ... | |
| Largest Hornet looking thing I have ever seen! | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: I like in Stone Mountain, GA, just outside Atlanta. Yesterday I has to use a Shopvac to dispose of ... A: You have encountered a Cicada Killer wasp. These large, solitary hornets dig tunnels in fluffy soil ... | |
| repeated house spider bites | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: We live in Maryland and for 7 yrs have been getting bitten repeatedly every summer by house spiders. ... A: Spider traps are designed to capture crawling spiders that don't make webs. House spiders are ... | |
| black, forked tail bug in bathroom | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: I have these bugs that so far are limited to my bathroom. They are very small, maybe 1/2 inch, some ... A: Chances are that these are immature earwigs and don't exactly resemble the adults. They feed on ... | |
| Catapiller to Butterfly | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: We found a Catapiller outside, so my 4 yo put it in a plastic water bottle with holes for air. He ... A: Considering the time of the year, there's still a chance that this cocoon may produce a moth or ... | |
| Bug On trees | 8/23/2007 |
| Q: I have these little Black bugs with yellow stripes on their body and wings. There is a huge clump of ... A: These are a species of Bark Lice and are harmless to the tree. They feed on dead insects and ... | |
| itchy skin-bug related? | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: I live in a suburb of Boston, MA. I recently moved into an apartment in a two family home. The ... A: Not being a doctor, I can say with some confidence that one tiny white spider is not the cause of ... | |
| tiny white insects | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me what kind of insect this is? I live in Houston, TX., and I have these tiny,tiny, ... A: All of the rainfall this summer in Texas has resulted in lush vegetation which has provided plenty ... | |
| Tiny black insects | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: I live in Asia country. Half a year ago, I moved in to my new apartment. But the whole builing is ... A: Book lice feed on paper and starchy foods and can develop large populations if there's food ... | |
| an over abundance of Orb Weavers | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: I'm an avid gardener in East Tennessee. I love my gardens, they are an absolute passion to me. My ... A: Orb weaver spiders depend on food for population density and it sounds like you've got plenty of ... | |
| New home, lots of bugs | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: We just moved into a new home in the east part of Iowa last week, got sod about 1.5 weeks ago. We ... A: The reddish bugs might be a species of mite, such as a clover mite, but they are not known to bite ... | |
| big black flying bug | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: We saw a very interesting, slightly frightening bug at a child's birthday party this weekend. No one ... A: As you might understand, there are many large, black flying insects in the US. Possibilities ... | |
| My 4 Year Old's Caterpillar | 8/20/2007 |
| Q: My son found a caterpillar in our front yard this morning in Colorado Springs, CO. It is black and ... A: This sounds like a species of woolly bear caterpillar. If so, it will become a moth and might do so ... | |
| Strange Bug! | 8/19/2007 |
| Q: I live in Old Bridge, NJ (Middlesex County, central part of the state). With three fishponds in the ... A: Liz: I think you are seeing the cast skin of a cicada nymph. Cicadas spend most of their lives ... | |
| large green flying insect | 8/19/2007 |
| Q: My husband found an insect in our tree that has wings that look just like leafs. It,s large,about ... A: This sounds like a species of Katydid, which is a type of grasshopper. Katydids live in shrubs and ... | |
| Largest fly I have ever seen? | 8/18/2007 |
| Q: I live outside Philadelphia where I lease a condo. Over the past few days I have noticed what appear ... A: Well, it IS true that all fly eggs hatch into maggots, not all flies can help spread disease. In ... | |
| crawling bathroom bug | 8/18/2007 |
| Q: Trying to determine type of bug found in Oklahoma bathroom last night. About 1.5 inches long or a ... A: It is very possible that you saw a species of earwig, but a small centipede is not out of the ... | |
| New Super Mosquito? seen twice - I've captured one | 8/18/2007 |
| Q: Virginia. Twice this year I have seen a new flying insect. It looks like a huge mosquito (or a ... A: My first impression is that you've found a crane fly. They resemble mosquitoes, but they do not ... | |
| Giant Love Bugs?? | 8/18/2007 |
| Q: I live in central Alabama way out in the country. This year, for something different to do, I ... A: This sounds like a species of leaf-footed bug. Leaf-footed bugs feed on the sap from various plants ... | |
| Bug pod, possibly a caterpillar? | 8/18/2007 |
| Q: I noticed a strange new bug on my front porch yesterday. I live in the suburbs of Indianapolis, ... A: These are called bagworms. Female and immature bagworms spin a silken bag and attach bits of plant ... | |
| Unknown Sandbox Bug | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: We have just recently noticed strange funnel shapes (with a hole at the bottom) in our children's ... A: You have encountered a very common insect that loves sandy environments: the ant lion. Ant lion ... | |
| WORMS | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: WE NOTICED WORM LIKE THINGS IN OUR GARDEN TUB AFTER OUR DAUGHTER HAD USED IT. THEY ARE ABOUT 1/8 TO ... A: These sound like carpet beetle larvae. These creatures feed on dead insects and the like and pose ... | |
| more info. | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: Okay, I did some more reading and I found a picture on the internet of a ground beetle. The bug ... A: There are many species of Ground beetles, none of which are considered harmful to humans, BUT they ... | |
| help please | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I was researching to find out what these bugs are that have invaded my kitchen. I found this post on ... A: There are 3 possibilities: 1) Drugstore beetle - VERY common pantry invader that gets into dried ... | |
| weird bug | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I have these bugs that I only see them in the dark like at night time when I turn my lights on their ... A: I've got two possibilities in mind: 1) House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata)- feed on insects ... | |
| flying reddish bug | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: I first noticed the bugs infesting some old dog bisciuts. I have cleaned everything and they still ... A: There is only one thing this could be...this is called a Confused Flour Beetle. These insects are ... | |
| Identification of Flying Insect | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: Nathan: We recently moved to a home in South Texas and have noticed an abundance of what appear to ... A: These are Cicada killer wasps. They dig tunnels in loose soil and fill them with paralyzed cicadas ... | |
| pool bug | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: My sister has a swimming pool and at least once a year since they've had it they find a long worm ... A: There are 2 possibilities: 1: This is a land planarian. They live in wet environments and feed on ... | |
| U/I Small Biting Beetle | 8/12/2007 |
| Q: .. I've got several questions; but if you'd rather limit this posting to one, here goes. I live ... A: Well...since I live over here just south of San Antonio, I know right where you are! This sounds ... | |
| bug under leaves of ornamentals | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: I have mounds of cotton ball looking stuff on the under the leaves of a hibiscus and a plumeria. On ... A: These are called whiteflies. Whiteflies suck the sap from hibiscus and produce the cottony wax as a ... | |
| SPIDERS | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: We recently moved into a new home in Oct 06. After moving in we found huge black spiders in the ... A: Basements are very attractive places for spiders. Sounds like some wolf spiders or possible house ... | |
| brown bugs | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: I rencently moved into a new townhome and every afternoon/evening I find these tiny flying brownish ... A: Sorry for the delay! Boric acid is a stomach poison and must be consumed to be effective. These ... | |
| What's this bug/bee? | 8/10/2007 |
| Q: Can you help me identify this one? ... A: Nice picture and thanks for posting it! This is a fly. Most likely a species of Hover fly feeding ... | |
| cave crickets | 8/10/2007 |
| Q: I have BIG cave crickets but the strange thing is I haven't seen one in the basement. I just moved ... A: With all of the recent rains, higher humidity in the air may allow them the chance to hang out in ... | |
| Bug or bird? | 8/10/2007 |
| Q: Yesterday we were in Prescott AZ and watched what at first appeared to be a hummingbird. However, ... A: You saw a species of sphinx moth. These moths are fast fliers and hover around flowers. One ... | |
| Tan with 20 legs! | 8/9/2007 |
| Q: I had a bug crawling on my arm that was 1" or so in length, tan, resembled a roach, but had about 20 ... A: This is a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They occur in dark humid places such as ... | |
| springtails | 8/9/2007 |
| Q: i bought a new house in february that was vacant for 4 years while being used as the model home. ... A: Springtails flourish in the presence of humidity and decaying organic material. They can develop ... | |
| what is it? flying insect | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: "have seen a few around mostly around some carpenter bee nests, they have black bodies and wings w/ ... A: This is a species of fly called a Hover Fly. I see these around my house as well. Hover flies are ... | |
| What is biting me at the office | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: I recently changed jobs and I have noticed that I am being bitten in my office. I have a few bites ... A: The fact that you describe the bites occurring along a tight spot such as a bra strap points ... | |
| Strange bug... | 8/8/2007 |
| Q: I have just seen a lot of very small bugs on my kitchen counter and I can only think they are coming ... A: You've got an infestation of springtails. Springtails live in humid places and feed on decaying ... | |
| strange insect | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: I have noticed this strange insect on my plants (flower & cucumber). I have searched many websites ... A: My first impression is that you have one of the species of assassin bug that is orange. Assassin ... | |
| what kind of bug is this? | 8/3/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me, I have a 2 year old child who is constantly being bit in her ... A: You're correct...mosquitoes. There are many different species of mosquitoes including species that ... | |
| red and black ant | 8/2/2007 |
| Q: For the last couple of days I have been seeing red and black striped large velvety looking ants in ... A: You have seen a male and a female velvet ant. Velvet ants are a species of wasp where the females ... | |
| big,black bug that bites | 8/2/2007 |
| Q: We live in Southwestern Oklahoma.My neighbor was taking a short cut thru a vacant lot when he was ... A: It is extremely doubtful that a bat did this. There are no species of bats in the US that are small ... | |
| spider | 8/2/2007 |
| Q: we want to find out what type of spider we have in our backyard - she is about the size of a silver ... A: It's very possible that you are seeing a species of Orb weaver spider (there are many different ... | |
| Very large winged insect | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: I live in Ontario Canada - near Ottawa. This evening about 2 hours after dark my wife and I saw a ... A: My first impression is that the insect you've found is a Dobsonfly. The males have large law-like ... | |
| leaf eating bugs | 8/1/2007 |
| Q: I found some creatures on my young orange trees who apparently made a nice snack out of the leaves, ... A: I think you've got some Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars feeding on your tree. There is a species ... | |
| What was this" thing "that was inside this mouse ? | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: I saw a mouse on the kitchen counter ,I grabbed a broom and hit it ..It was moving but didn't run ... A: It's very possible that this was an intestinal roundworm of some kind. These intestinal parasites ... | |
| wasp? | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: I killed a large flying insect about 3" long with a large black and yellow abdomen and wings that ... A: This is a Cicada Killer. The females of this ground nesting hornet attack and paralyze cicadas in ... | |
| Odd Bug, curious about it | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: I am wondering if you can help me identify a bug I saw recently in my house. I know nothing about it ... A: It may have been a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). These creatures feed on insects in ... | |
| mite question | 7/27/2007 |
| Q: You said you may be able to provide some help. I do have them all over my deck and then also in the ... A: Mites like high humidity and warm temperatures. Consider using a seaweed extract spray to deal with ... | |
| A spider and a bug | 7/26/2007 |
| Q: I live in Minnesota and found a spider on my floor after moving the luggage of some visitors from ... A: Well...the first image of the spider appears to be one of two types: either a species of Antmimic ... | |
| flying insect in yard | 7/26/2007 |
| Q: I just noticed a big mound of dirt on my driveway right at the edge of the lawn. Then saw a big ... A: This sounds like a cicada killer wasp. These large hornets dig tunnels under the ground in fluffy ... | |
| bites | 7/25/2007 |
| Q: Yesterday i was practicing for rock climbing by climbing a tree when i got home i realized there was ... A: There are a lot of creatures that sting or bite that can cause this reaction. You must also take ... | |
| Unidentified Insect | 7/25/2007 |
| Q: My husband noticed what he thought was a caterpillar on an evergreen shrub in our yard. It was ... A: You have encountered a bagworm. Bagworms are a type of moth where the larvae and adult females look ... | |
| 1 year old bitten by mystery bug | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: At the pool yesterday, this flying orange insect bit my 1 year old on the back of the nect. Its body ... A: There is a species of Assassin bug that fits this description and is very common in the southern US. ... | |
| flea looking bugs | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: Weird to describe them, but we have these really small brown flea looking bugs in our kitchen, hey ... A: It sounds like you have an infestation of flour beetles or drugstore beetles in some of your pantry ... | |
| Spider Identification | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: We have many of these spiders around the house. ( have a good pic or two to send for identification. ... A: Before you send pictures, do a Google search for "wolf spider." Wolf spiders are generally ... | |
| Small bugs | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: I recently went to Mexico. My son and I sat on a sofa and got fleas. We rid ourselves of them but ... A: It is possible that these are lice. Lice do match your description that you're giving me. Continue ... | |
| tiny insects near pet food | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: i suddenly have teeny teeny brownish flat bugs in my catfood dish and water bowl HOW can I get rid ... A: These are probably sawtooth grain beetles or confused flour beetles. Either of these types of ... | |
| what is it? | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: I have had several of these mystery bugs in my house that I'd like to get rid of but have no idea ... A: My first impression is that you have found some silverfish. These insects live near humid areas of ... | |
| Bee-zilla! | 7/18/2007 |
| Q: My dad found a rather unusual bee on our back porch in Bergen County, New Jersey. First of all, it ... A: This is a Cicada Killer. These large hornets capture and sting cicadas in the summer time and bury ... | |
| water bug bite? | 7/16/2007 |
| Q: I went swimming last Thursday & when I got home later that evening I noticed that a spot on the back ... A: I am not a doctor and cannot give medical advice, but I can say that everyone's immune system reacts ... | |
| A Flying mysterious insect. | 7/16/2007 |
| Q: Around the time I got home from the pool, my brother found this bug and called me over to see it. It ... A: From your description of this creature, you have found a species of Ichneumon wasp. They attack ... | |
| unidentified spider | 7/11/2007 |
| Q: we had these spiders whom seem to only come out past 11:00 at night the are on our back porch they ... A: These might be wolf spiders. They come out at night to hunt for insects and other spiders. All ... | |
| small black bug that bites in Kalkaska MI | 7/11/2007 |
| Q: We have property in S. Boardman, MI (Kalkaska County). This past weekend a saw a small black bug, ... A: Doesn't sound like a tick...ticks cannot be swatted off once they bite because they are attached to ... | |
| strange bug in Minnesota | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: Found strange bugs the 1st week of July, 30 miles west of Minneapolis, MN. 18 mm long overall, head ... A: Sounds like an earwig. These insects like dark, humid places and usually prefer the outdoor ... | |
| can you identify this | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: Our porch is infested with these little tiny orange-red sliver like bugs. If you put anything down ... A: There are hundreds of species of thrips across the world. I'm sorry to say that I'm not an expert ... | |
| can you identify this "bug" ? | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: Our porch is infested with these little tiny orange-red sliver like bugs. If you put anything down ... A: Sounds like thrips. Thrips populations are just exploding right now because of all of the flowers ... | |
| rollie pollie/pill bugs | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: My daughter caught some pill bugs and we think one of them had babies. They are really small white ... A: Pillbug babies are born alive (actually, they hatch inside of the mother's body just before they are ... | |
| insect nest | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: Nest is in a rhododendron bush. Size, shape, and color of a cantalope. Hole in bottom around 3/4 ... A: My first impression is that this is a hornet nest of some kind. The best way to deal with something ... | |
| I have never seen this bug before | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: I found a new (to me) bug this afternoon. It looks like a cross between an ant, and some kind of ... A: You have encountered a velvet ant. This is actually a species of wasp. The females are wingless ... | |
| Ceiling burrows | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: Today I noticed several pointed sandlike burrows 1/4"-1/2" hanging from the drywall ceiling. After ... A: I'm very sorry to give you the news, but it sounds like you have a termite infestation. The ... | |
| Help identifing spider like insect | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out what this is. Picture here: ... A: Nice picture! Thanks for posting it so I could take a look. This is an immature specimen of either ... | |
| small bug that keeps turning up all over the house | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I am TERRIFIED OF BUGS to the point where I wont sleep. There are these really small caterpillar ... A: It sounds like you have an infestation of millipedes. Millipedes feed on decaying organic matter ... | |
| Weird-looking Insect? | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I live in Los Angeles, I saw a weird "insect" in my bathroom earlier today, and saw another 2 on ... A: Michele: At first impression, my mind is thinking that you've encountered a slug. Slugs are ... | |
| What is this? | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: I caught this the other day in Lawton, OK. I have never seen one before and I'm curious to know ... A: Beautiful picture! You must live near a flowing creek or stream because this is a male Dobsonfly. ... | |
| Baby Mosquito? | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: Last night we swatted about 8 small brown flying bugs that look like baby mosquitos. They bite and ... A: Mosquitoes come in many sizes. "Baby" mosquitoes develop in water and look like wiggly worms. Most ... | |
| weird bug | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: we found this bug in our house not sure how to describe it to me it looks like a scorpion and a ... A: Sounds like a wolf spider from the stripes and color description. Wolf spiders are generally ... | |
| Orange Worm | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: Greater New Orleans, LA I recently found a tiny bug on my bedroom wall. At first I thought it was a ... A: You have discovered a caterpillar or a beetle larva building a pupal case of some kind. It might be ... | |
| bug that looks like a grasshoper/spider hybrid | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: We have found a bug that looks like a cross between a very large spider and a grasshopper...once in ... A: Sounds like a camel cricket. They are a tan/brown species of grasshopper that like to live in dark, ... | |
| Unknown 6 legged critter | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: Ontario, Canada and while at work one day I noticed a 'piece of dust' moving with purpose. Upon ... A: You have discovered a predator in disguise! This is a Lacewing nymph. Lacewings feed on pest ... | |
| bug skin in bed | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: I have found shed skin of bugs at the bottom of sheets and on the bedskirt on a bed that no one ... A: When insects shed their skin, they empty their digestive system and that is what caused the dots you ... | |
| Tiny Black Worms | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: recently I was given some clothes from a yard sale. I put them in a hamper to be washed later. I ... A: Flea larvae exist only in the environment and not on animals. They develop in soil, carpets, the ... | |
| tiny bugs at deck & now more in the house | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: From a couple of months ago, I found a lot of tiny teeny bugs on the deck , especially in the ... A: Sounds like springtails. Springtails, also called collembolans, are insects that feed on decaying ... | |
| slow flying black/brown bug sits on wall | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: I have several of these black arrow-shaped (when sitting) bugs that mostly just sit on the walls and ... A: Yes. It was a little blurry, but the insect looks a lot like an Indian Meal Moth. These moths ... | |
| Little black fly in basement | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: Richmond, VA One week ago (late June) I began seeing little black flies in my basement. The flies ... A: This sounds like moth flies. They are a small insect relates to house flies, but resemble a tiny ... | |
| catapillers | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: how do i know if the catapillers in my garden are the type that bites or burns A: There are some keys to look for: If a caterpillar has rigid clusters of spines that resemble ... | |
| tiny beige ants | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: We live in an out lying county of northern California. We have several species of ants. We recently ... A: Chances are that these are Sugar Ants...also known as Pharaoh Ants. These are probably the most ... | |
| Tiny Black Flies | 6/27/2007 |
| Q: I'm trying to identify, and eliminate, tiny black flies that look like fleas that only appear at ... A: There are 2 possibilities here: black flies and psyllids (pronounced SILL-ids). Black flies feed ... | |
| very big beetle | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: I was in NJ in June and got a really big scare when a BIG, long legged, yellow and black striped ... A: There are a couple of creatures it could be... Do a Google search for "locust borer" and do one for ... | |
| White Catipiller on Hibiscus | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: I have these white catipiller eating the life out of my hibiscus. Theses bugs are a 1/4 inch in size ... A: These caterpillars you describe are actually mealybugs. They suck the sap from your plant and cause ... | |
| TINY red bugs on my pool too! | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: Has there been any answer to the treatment to get rid of these tiny red flying, biting bugs? They ... A: Cindy: Your pool has been invaded by thrips. These insects are extremely numerous in spring when ... | |
| Weird Slug-Like Insect or Anthropod thing | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: I was in my bathroom and I saw a small, black, fast moveing, Slug-Like insect ma-thing. I stepped on ... A: There are a couple of options here... The first is a black soldierfly larva. They are associated ... | |
| Weird thing | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: I found this weird... i don't know what to call it. It was clinging on to my wall. It looked like ... A: You have encountered a bagworm. Bagworms are a type of moth where the immature stages and adult ... | |
| Flying Bee like Bugs | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: I have these flying bugs that have burrowed into the hill directly behind my house. When captured ... A: There are many species of bees that live alone in burrows dug in the ground. They are different ... | |
| bugs | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: Are you familiar with bugs of Iraq? A: I'm not familiar with specific insect species in Iraq, but if you have pictures, I can provide ... | |
| baby white spiders? | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: Hundreds of these little white spiders started crawling down on to my dinner. Then all over the ... A: There isn't necessarily a baby spider "season," but most spiders reach adulthood in the summer and ... | |
| Help Identifying insect | 6/7/2007 |
| Q: A woodpecker caused our apple tree to "fall apart" and out came a bunch of brown woody egg shaped ... A: Sounds like wood borer beetle pupal cases. If you were to put these in a jar with some soil or ... | |
| WHAT ARE THESE? | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: I am not sure but I have these red bumps [looks like chigger bites] alllll over my torso, my back ... A: Chiggers are certainly a possibility, but the bites usually itch very intensely. Having said that, ... | |
| little white bugs in the yard | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: what are those little white bugs that come out late after noon, they bite you and drive you crazy ... A: The only white bugs I can think of that bite might be thrips. Thrips are attracted to flower petals ... | |
| possible masked hunter | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: Over the past 5 years of living in our home in Michigan, we have found (by chance) 6-7 "dusty" bugs. ... A: I did a Google search for Masked Hunter and brought up both the immatures (dusty forms) and the ... | |
| Tiny reddish brown bugs on dog | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: My dog has tiny reddish brown bugs on her. We live in Colorado. They are about the size of a ... A: Welcome to flea world! The common cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is found on dogs, cats, ... | |
| Spider-like flying bug | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: On several occassions I've encountered a flying bug that very much resembles a spider. I know ... A: It might be a Crane Fly. They are spider-like in appearance and have long, spindly legs. They are ... | |
| very small black bugs that hop | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: we just moved to a new construction house and this is our first spring. I noticed these very very ... A: These sure do sound like springtails to me. They feed on decaying organic materials in flowerbeds ... | |
| biting bug in backyard | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: Just last week I noticed a small beetle-like bug biting me and my children in the backyard. I don't ... A: The only hopping beetle I know of is the group of beetles called Flea Beetles. They vary in shape ... | |
| Tiny red gnat like biting bugs | 6/5/2007 |
| Q: Someone else posted a question recently that describes my problem to a T..the person that answered ... A: First of all, chiggers are a type of mite and all mites do not have wings, so flying chiggers are ... | |
| Hundreds of bugs on a tree | 6/1/2007 |
| Q: We live in Mobile Alabama. Recently found hundreds of tiny bugs, crawling on the outside of a tree ... A: Sounds like a herd of bark lice. Bark lice feed on dead insects, lichens and other decaying ... | |
| Bugged study | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: We live in Houston, TX. Our house is a nine-year-old single-story on a slab. The other night my ... A: Sounds like winged ants of some kind. If they are red and black, they are probably carpenter or ... | |
| red bug | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: I found solos and clusters of red bugs in my mulch bed, ornamentals grasses, cedar deck and ... A: Sounds like a hatch of boxelder bugs or red-shouldered bugs. Both of these feed on the seed pods of ... | |
| tiny bugs | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: i live in grand rapids, mi and i recently found tiny white bugs crawling over things in my room. ... A: Bed bugs are large and gray. This sounds like some sort of mite infestation. As to the potential ... | |
| Need help ID'ing a spider that many arent able to | 5/30/2007 |
| Q: and greetings from Malaysia. I've had an interest in photography for about a year now, and have ... A: I haven't heard back on this one. I'll send an email and see if there is an ID. Thanks for ... | |
| Need to indentify insect feeding on our flower..... | 5/30/2007 |
| Q: ! We have a flower called "cloth of gold" and we have these little gray insects with white spots and ... A: My first impression is an insect called a Minute (as in small) Pirate Bug. They are a predatory ... | |
| What bug is this? | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: It's a black and yellow striped insect that looks like a long-legged, wingless bee. There are ... A: This sounds like a Locust Borer. It is a species of wood boring beetle that spends its life feeding ... | |
| Spider ID | 5/23/2007 |
| Q: I recently moved to a remote location in central Missouri and was working on cleaning up the ... A: Robert: You are correct: red back spiders are only found in Australia. However, a cousin of the ... | |
| ants | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: I live in Redmond, Oregon. I have a corkscrew willow and just found ants and eggs on the limbs. What ... A: If the ants were carrying the "eggs", then they were moving their colony from one place to the ... | |
| tiny blackish-brown ink-like dots on kitchen counter | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: I have seen these tiny ink-like black dots (like 10 little dots in a 1 inch diameter) on a pillow ... A: Those "dots" are fecal deposits left most likely by a house fly or some other type of fly. Cleaning ... | |
| bugs on lilacs | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: Just last Sunday for Mother's Day, my husband and children cut some fresh lilac blossoms for me... ... A: Thrips would have been my first guess as well. My next guess is some sort of mite. The only mite I ... | |
| Creepy Hairy Black Spider | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: Last night, my son and I found a black spider crawling around on our entertainment center. It's ... A: Jenny: This type of spider is VERY common and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't at least one ... | |
| Insects on Granite Counter, Florida Kitchen | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: Going nuts trying to keep pace with tiny insects that have taken over my granite counter tops near ... A: Adam: These are baby spiders. It appears that a house spider egg case hatched near your sink and ... | |
| Creepy Hairy Black Spider | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: Last night, my son and I found a black spider crawling around on our entertainment center. It's ... A: This sounds like a species of jumping spider called the Bold Jumper. Jumping spiders have the ... | |
| tiny white bugs | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: I've noticed some tiny bugs in my home. I first spotted them crawling on me and have had what seem ... A: They might be springtails or mites. Springtails are commonly found around showers because of the ... | |
| EATEN ALIVE BY A SMALL TINY BACK BUG | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: I live in Omaha, Nebraska. The problem started the first week end in may and continues to persists. ... A: With all of the recent rains up there, I would not be surprised if you are being bitten by black ... | |
| ants or a bee without wings | 5/13/2007 |
| Q: i live in ne. fl. theres this bug. it's red&black fury 1/2 long looks like a big ant or a bee A: You have found a species of insect called a velvet ant. Velvet ants are actually a species of wasp ... | |
| BUGS!! | 5/13/2007 |
| Q: I noticed the other day, there were a couple of really really tiny grey colored bugs in my bed...the ... A: These might be springtails. They are very small, gray insects that sometimes find their way ... | |
| Flying insect | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: We live in Florida, each day we have about 4 or five small mothlike insects flying around the house ... A: It is possible that you have a grain moth infestation in some of your dried food. Grain moths ... | |
| little black spider with a red abdomen | 5/12/2007 |
| Q: I'm in Sebring, that's in central FL. I saw a little black spider, about the size of an oat(that's ... A: There is a small jumping spider called "Eris limbata" that sort of matches this description. ... | |
| flying critters | 5/11/2007 |
| Q: okay a few days ago i started getting flying bugs in my apartment, i thought it was from leaving the ... A: These sound like Carpenter Ant alates. Alates are the winged, reproductive form of ants and ... | |
| What is this insect? | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: We live in the White Mountain area in northern AZ. I have seen several of these insects and want to ... A: You might be seeing a Pepsis wasp, also known as a tarantula hawk. These large, solitary wasps are ... | |
| Ficus Bug | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: I have an indoor ficus plant which has recently had some white bugs appearing on the leaves. They ... A: Your ficus has been infested with a species of mealybug. Both of these insects feed on the sap of ... | |
| Spiders in Maine. | 5/4/2007 |
| Q: I recently moved to a new home in Maine, and I have noticed many spiders coming in to our home from ... A: My suggestion would be to contact a local pest control operator or visit your local cooperative ... | |
| Itsy Bitsy bugs in bathroom | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: . I have noticed tiny (i mean tiny) bugs along my window ceil and in my bathtub lately. I get rid of ... A: It sounds like some springtails have moved in. Springtails are small insects that thrive in humid ... | |
| small black vegas bug | 5/1/2007 |
| Q: Some sort of small black flying bug has shown up around my window of my home in Las Vegas. It ... A: You are witnessing the annual mating of the "Love Bugs." They are also known as buffalo gnats. ... | |
| Identifying a small insect | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: I live in College Station, TX and I came home to these small dark brown (almost black) insects ... A: First of all, Gig'em! I'm A&M Class of 1992 and I love College Station. What you are seeing are ... | |
| bugs around a sandbox | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: I live in Raleigh NC. We have a wooden sandbox located close to our tree line and on top of mulch. ... A: These are earwigs. Earwigs like humid, dark places where they feed on decaying organic materials. ... | |
| carpet beetle larva? | 4/24/2007 |
| Q: I work in a historic building in Washington DC. In the fall we decided to set out sticky traps to ... A: Your first insect definitely matches the description of a Carpet beetle larva. They are small, ... | |
| Tiny almost invisible spiders, many | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: Recently found them in my bathroom, all over ceiling, many thin almost invisible webs, got rid of ... A: It sounds like an adult house spider in your home has produced some offspring. The most important ... | |
| earwigs | 4/21/2007 |
| Q: i really need to get to the bottom of this...many different sources are telling me different things. ... A: Tim: Earwigs use their pinchers against each other to establish the pecking order and to compete ... | |
| 28-legged brown insect in Shelby Michigan | 4/19/2007 |
| Q: Please identify (have photos-email if you want them)this bug with a dark brown body with a much ... A: Sounds like a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They are common in your part of the country ... | |
| ants | 4/18/2007 |
| Q: I often see ants carrying other ants. Why do they do that? Thanks. A: Ants carry other ants for a few different reasons... 1) When an ant dies in the colony, another ant ... | |
| Bugs on the stove | 4/16/2007 |
| Q: I recently found a bunch of teeny tiny little blackish brownish bugs on my stove. They are very ... A: My first impression is that you've found some sort of rice weevil or similar beetle. They are not ... | |
| A bug on the beach | 4/10/2007 |
| Q: Um, For Easter I went to the Santa Monica beach near Malibu, California. As I Was Building a ... A: It may have been a species of grasshopper, but I'm not 100% sure of that. The only harm ... | |
| egg laying in human skin? | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: I have encountered a patient who stated a bug had bit him and layed eggs in his skin which had ... A: There is an outside chance that a species of blowfly could have laid eggs in a person's skin, but it ... | |
| ants behavior | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: do you know if ants have a consciousness because it seems to me that they are well organized and ... A: Ants, hive bees and termites are classified as social insects. They exist because they live to make ... | |
| tiny black bugs | 4/6/2007 |
| Q: Please help, I am from Oregon and am new to Louisiana and have never seen this bug before. They are ... A: Welcome to the world of fleas! Fleas in the south are like evergreens in Oregon. The flea in ... | |
| Very tiny biting yellow bugs | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: My husband took down a plastic pool that has been up since last summer and immediately put up a new ... A: These are thrips. A thrips is a small insect that feeds on plant sap, especially from flower ... | |
| Strange red tiny bugs | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: I have noticed on my white kitchen floor strange reddish orange smears after I clean the floor. I ... A: I'm pretty sure they're not ants. Sounds like a mite or thrips of some kind. Mites come into homes ... | |
| Hard shell beetles | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: My granddaughter has to label insects on a poster board. We live in South Mississippi. We had a ... A: Chances are, it is a species of June Beetle. If you have a picture, please email it to ... | |
| tiny brown bugs in my house | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: everytime i clean my house i find these tiny little brown bugs that close up look like they have ... A: These are carpet beetle larvae. The larvae have small hairs on their body and have a striped ... | |
| Need ID & information about an insect. | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: I made a naturalistic cat tree from some dogwood limbs a few months ago. Recently we have noticed ... A: Chris: I concur with your pest control guy on the diagnosis of powder post beetles. The hole size ... | |
| bugs in general | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: Do bugs have feelings, such as what do they feel when they die? Do they have hearts? A: Insects have a sac in their abdomen that has a hole at each end. This sac pulsates and sucks blood ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 4/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a pine sign that I hung up on my back deck. I noticed wood shavings on the floor underneath ... A: The insect you saw was probably a type of wood boring beetle. Adult wood boring beetles spend their ... | |
| what is this ? | 4/2/2007 |
| Q: please can you find out what they are and if they are harmless. thank you A: This sounds like a species of wasp called an Ichneumon. This particular species of Ichneumon uses ... | |
| boring insect ADDENDUM | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: WHOOPS I MEANT less than 1 mm diameter. Tiny. A: Sounds like powder post beetles. They are a type of wood boring beetle that can infest wood and lay ... | |
| No SeeUms | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: do you think spraying a screen enclosure for NoSeeUms is worth the trouble? How long does their ... A: You could try an application of some insecticide, but it may not last as long as you'd like. There ... | |
| What is this bug?? | 3/31/2007 |
| Q: I discovered hundred's of tiny red bugs in my house today while cleaning. They are red in color. ... A: Tracy: These might be velvet mites that somehow found their way into your home to stay during cold ... | |
| thirps | 3/30/2007 |
| Q: Recently we have had what I think are orange thirps floating in our pool. They are too small to ... A: Thrips are attracted to blooming things and feed on sap in the flower petals. They are also ... | |
| identify bright green worm | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: We live in Huffman Texas, just recently we were overcome by these little bright green worms with ... A: Jill: Welcome to the world of the Oak Leaf Roller! These caterpillars feed on the new leaves of ... | |
| spider id question | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: I live just outside Waycross, Georgia. Its spring here, and I saw a spider in the grass that I don't ... A: This sounds like a bold jumper (Phidippus audax). It is a species of jumping spider that is very ... | |
| bagworms | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: what causes them how and when do the larva hatch and how to get rid of them A: Bagworms feed on trees and begin life laid as an egg inside the bag of a female bagworm. Bagworms ... | |
| id bugs | 3/26/2007 |
| Q: I have a lot of flea sized bugs in two rooms. They crawl, and maybe fly, are reddish brown and the ... A: Two types: Sticky boards used to catch mice and rats placed in the pantry will catch these ... | |
| tiny orange possibly worm | 3/22/2007 |
| Q: Sarasota Fl While sitting on our porch on breezy late afternoon 3-21-07 (no screen) my wife found ... A: Those tiny orange somethings were thrips. Thrips are very small insects (6 legs and one pair of ... | |
| insect id | 3/22/2007 |
| Q: I found an insect on the sidewalk this morning but i can't id it anywhere. it has a larva like body ... A: Sounds like an adult termite reproductive, or alate. This is swarming season for subterranean ... | |
| bug bites | 3/21/2007 |
| Q: I went to the grand canyon about 2 weeks ago with coworkers. There were small flying "gnats" that ... A: It is possible for people to have delayed reactions to bites, but I'm not a doctor and can't provide ... | |
| insects/bugs | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: I have some insects or bugs living in some seagrass boxes in my bedroom. They seem to like material, ... A: These might be what are known as Book lice, or psocids (soh-sids). They feed on starchy materials ... | |
| Is it a beetle? | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: I'm living in Selma Oregon at the moment, and when I walked out onto the front steps the other day, ... A: Sounds like a species of Camel cricket. Camel crickets like to live in humid, dark places where ... | |
| bee question from 3/8/07 | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: I think that you answered this but what is the official name of the bees you said are solitary and ... A: I answered a question about these bees a couple of weeks ago, but I don't have a scientific name for ... | |
| house centipede | 3/19/2007 |
| Q: I need to know how to kill them, and if they can be harmful to human. I live in new mexico and it is ... A: House centipedes are not harmful to humans. They feed on insects and live in the dark, humid places ... | |
| bizarre "caravan"caterpillar?centipede? | 3/9/2007 |
| Q: and THANK YOU!I have been gardening in the south of france..there are these caterpillars(?) which ... A: I'll admit that I'm out of my league regarding French insects as well, but these might be a species ... | |
| small bees that are all over our yard | 3/8/2007 |
| Q: I have a picture of one of the bee's and the piles they are digging up. We thought there were bugs ... A: These bees are a solitary species (they live one per hole) and are harmless to people and animals. ... | |
| Tick id, Dermacentor species | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: Nathan, Please look at my images on Smug Mug (see below). I think they are very clear dorsal views. ... A: I think you're probably right, but here are a few things to consider: D. variabilis males have a ... | |
| small red bugs in shower | 3/3/2007 |
| Q: There are small red colored bugs that come out onto the shower ledge when the water is turned on. ... A: Sounds like an insect called a springtail. Springtails are found in humid places such as basements, ... | |
| I do not know what kind of bug this is. | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: I have bugs under my house and they are really weird looking. They look like spiders but jump like ... A: Sounds like a species of Camel cricket. Camel crickets like dark, humid places and are commonly ... | |
| Bugs in the shower | 2/24/2007 |
| Q: My wife showed me what looked like tiny bugs in the shower. They appear to be coming from a corner ... A: It is possible that a fly of some kind crawled down the tub and toward the drain for moisture. Fly ... | |
| Large bug in bath tub | 2/22/2007 |
| Q: Hey, my wife told me that she has seen a very large bug in the bathtub on a couple of occasions, and ... A: You have encountered a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). These creatures are common in ... | |
| insect nest or cacoon?? | 1/24/2007 |
| Q: I just recently found a nest or cocoon on the bottom of the curtain in my garage. It looks to be ... A: I'm sorry for completely missing your question! This sounds like a group of old moth cocoons that ... | |
| seed ticks | 1/18/2007 |
| Q: I live in a regular residential subdivision in Tomball Texas. My backyard has become infested with ... A: Natalie: The warmer than normal weather over the past few weeks has stimulated what sounds like a ... | |
| Bug to Identify | 1/15/2007 |
| Q: Can you identify this bug? See the pictures at the webpage I've constructed. ... A: This appears to be a species of carpet beetle. Carpet beetles feed on dead insects, natural fibers ... | |
| They are eating me alive :( | 1/13/2007 |
| Q: Can you please tell me what these are. They have infested my house and also the bedroom. They bite ... A: Mike: This appears to be a carpet beetle larva. Carpet beetles feed on dead insects and natural ... | |
| kitchen pest | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: i've read other entries and i want to make sure i know what i have and ask how i can rid of them. ... A: These sound like drugstore beetles. They infest dried foods and can get into boxed foods as well. ... | |
| tick with front pinchers | 1/7/2007 |
| Q: I live on a mountain near Chatt. TN. In the middle of the night my daughter (17) woke me up and ... A: Since you live in the mountains and there are probably many trees about, I suspect you might have ... | |
| Another one of those "what is it" questions | 1/6/2007 |
| Q: An unusual spider just visited my house in northern New Jersey. It was black and very hairy, about ... A: It is definitely a spider in the Jumping Spider family of spiders. Please email the photo to ... | |
| Bathroom Moth/insect | 12/28/2006 |
| Q: I find these little flying insects in the bathroom each time we return from being away. They are ... A: Happy New Year! These are called Moth Flies. Moth flies develop in drains and are always found in ... | |
| Large, furry catapillers | 12/26/2006 |
| Q: I'm trying to identify a catapiller that I'm seeing around my property. These little fellas are very ... A: I believe that this is a Woollybear caterpillar. They usually hibernate in winter as a caterpillar ... | |
| bugs | 12/22/2006 |
| Q: I have noticed in my bathroom downstairs, just recently, behind the toilet there are little (worms) ... A: If you live in a home with a septic tank, these might be black soldier fly larvae. Black soldier ... | |
| small black flies | 12/20/2006 |
| Q: my home has been infested with small, black, slow flying flies. I've been calling them fruit flies ... A: You're correct...these are not true fruit flies, but another species related to them (the name ... | |
| Little Black bug | 12/16/2006 |
| Q: I live in Northern maine and am being invaded with this little black hard shelled bug with a ... A: Sounds like the Rice Weevil. They are black and have a small snout. Rice weevils feed on stored ... | |
| strange bug | 12/13/2006 |
| Q: This bug is 3 inches long. Is light moss green colored. It has the back end of a grasshopper except ... A: This sounds like one of the large species of Katydids. Katydids are in the grasshopper family. The ... | |
| bugs in my food cupboard | 12/11/2006 |
| Q: The bugs are the same as I originally had although there are slightly fewer than before so guess ... A: These insects might be Psocids (soh-sids). These insects feed on paper and organic glues. They ... | |
| Strange red/orange bug | 12/6/2006 |
| Q: I have found an insect in my house. I have no idea what it is and have refrained from killing it ... A: It is very possible that your insect is an assassin bug. They have long legs and narrow bodies. ... | |
| Mantis religiosa | 12/1/2006 |
| Q: Is there any way that you can tell me the author of Mantis religiosa? If not, could you please ... A: By "author" I assume you are wondering who named the insect? My suggestion would be to do a Google ... | |
| larvae I found on live oak trees | 11/29/2006 |
| Q: Nathan, Thanks for you answer. I am doing maintenance in an RV park in Engleside TX. There are ... A: Whiteflies attack flowering plants such as hibiscus, but usually not trees. There is a white fuzzy ... | |
| larvae I found on live oak trees | 11/28/2006 |
| Q: I found lots of round balls on some dead limbs I was trimming. Out of curiosity I cut one open. ... A: These are galls and the insect inside is a species of gall wasp. Galls are caused when the wasp ... | |
| pool/lawn bugs???? | 11/15/2006 |
| Q: I have a problem with thousands of tinny bugs that hang out around the edge of our pool. They are in ... A: It sounds like the sod may have been carrying some springtails. Springtails are common insects that ... | |
| Spider ID needed in Vermont | 11/2/2006 |
| Q: Since late summer, we've been finding lots of spiders cruising our bookshelves, video shelves, and ... A: Kelly: From the description, here's my guess... This might be a species of Jumping Spider called ... | |
| black tiny dots | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: Recently I am noticing black tiny dots on my exterior walls (front side). First I thought it is some ... A: Sorry for the delay! There are a couple of possibilities here: 1) This is some sort of insect ... | |
| identity of interesting critter I saw in Europe | 10/28/2006 |
| Q: last month while visiting Switzerland and Austria I noticed a very unusual looking bird?bee?moth? I ... A: Sorry for the delay! There is a group of moths in the Sphinx moth family (Sphingidae) called ... | |
| White Larvae Worms in Drain Run Off | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: My husband and I recently moved into a house just north of Dallas, TX (Lewisville). We have noticed ... A: Sounds like it might also be young earthworms. Young earthworms are light pink to white in ... | |
| 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: You have encountered a species of Camel Cricket. Camel Crickets are relatives of cave crickets and ... | |
| hi | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: I have a question that has sorta been buggin' me for some while.(pun intended) I happen to hope to ... A: Insects feed to sustain themselves and to provide energy for reproduction. Most insects live as ... | |
| Can you tell be about this insect or is it bug? | 10/22/2006 |
| Q: We live in New York State, in the Hudson Valley/Putnam County area. Today, this we found this ... A: This is a species of Leaf-footed Bug (I'm not sure which one-there are many). Leaf-footed bugs feed ... | |
| Weird Bug | 10/20/2006 |
| Q: I came accross this bug on my pation tonight. It looked like an ant, but the thorax (back of the ... A: Cory: This is a Jerusalem Cricket, also called a Potato Bug. This relative of grasshoppers feeds ... | |
| Praying mantis eggs | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: I recently had a praying mantis lay its eggs on the side of our house. I look forward to spring to ... A: Praying mantids are an outdoor creature and feed on insects. They only come into homes by accident ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 10/18/2006 |
| Q: I had previously sent you and e-mail about a mystery bug that I found while walking down a path in ... A: This is a Hag Moth caterpillar, sometimes called a Monkey Slug. These caterpillars are venomous and ... | |
| spider that stings? | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: Nathan! I live in Corona California. About 4 years ago my son was poked by a bug that made the blood ... A: Wow! This one is a puzzler. Spiders do not have stingers at all and the only 8-legged creatures ... | |
| What is this bug? | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: I found a bug in my house and have never seen it before. It is shaped like a raisin with six legs in ... A: This sounds like a female tick of some species. If the tick is somewhat round, it probably filled ... | |
| Little red flies | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: I have noticed alot of little red flies in my bathroom.They are as tiny as lice.All they do is fly ... A: Sounds like fruit flies. Fruit flies come in from outdoors and are attracted to bananas, apples, ... | |
| What was biting me? | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: I threw on a t-shirt from my teenage daughter's drawer and went outside to take a walk with my ... A: The color and size of the insects leads me to believe that these are thrips. Thrips are small ... | |
| wasp like bugs | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: This bug has 3 pairs of legs, 2 antennas, 1 pair of wings, a wasp-like body, and a tail that is ... A: This is a type of wasp called an Ichneumon. There are many species worldwide. This was lays its ... | |
| wasp type bug | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: This is a wasp-type bug with 3 pairs of legs, 1 set of wings, 2 antennaes, a longer body with a tail ... A: This is a female of a species of beneficial wasp called an Ichneumon. Ichneumon wasp females use ... | |
| House Flying Beetle tiny | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: Now I am noticing the things everywhere. I opened a box of clothes today and I saw some in the box ... A: There are a couple of possibilities: 1. It would be a carpet beetle. Carpet beetles feed on dead ... | |
| large ant - queen? - with pic | 10/1/2006 |
| Q: This ant (I am guessing, may be a wasp but the head seems very ant like) was found yesterday in my ... A: Sorry for the delay! This is a species of Blister beetle...probably a gravid (full of eggs) female. ... | |
| beetles? all over outside of house | 10/1/2006 |
| Q: I live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. We have a problem with these bugs that are all over the ... A: Sorry for the delay! These are Boxelder bugs. They gather in large groups for mating during the ... | |
| Flying bug | 10/1/2006 |
| Q: I live in Westmont, IL. Today I am seeing lots of flying insects around my house. They look very ... A: Sorry for the delay! These sound like Boxelder bugs. These insects appear in large numbers during ... | |
| Can you please assist me in identifying this spider | 9/30/2006 |
| Q: i find the following spiders in our house from time to time. Normally this would not bother me, but ... A: Sorry for the delay! This appears to be a young wolf spider. They are a hunting spider that ... | |
| identifying a bug on my tree | 9/29/2006 |
| Q: I live in Sacramento, California, about 2 blocks from the American River. In September we noticed ... A: Sounds like woolly aphids. They can fly and they suck sap from trees. They produce a honeydew ... | |
| Catapillar stings | 9/28/2006 |
| Q: I had an odd experience. I was cooking dinner and felt something picking me on my leg. For awhile ... A: Sounds like a possible allergic reaction to the hairs on the caterpillar rather than being stung. ... | |
| Spider that i found (Very Odd But Beutiful In A Sick Way) | 9/28/2006 |
| Q: I was walking around at a local rec. center and they have abridge that goes over a creek that i was ... A: The closest possibility might be the Humpbacked orbweaver (Eustala anastera). To a Google search ... | |
| Praying Mantis egg | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: The other day while triming a bush, I found two praying mantis egg cases. What is the best way to ... A: Rhonda: The best thing to do is keep them stored outdoors somehow. You can place the egg cases in ... | |
| Tiny Flies confused with fleas | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: I looked up No-see-ums and it sounds like that could be it but do they normally live in houses or ... A: Biting flies can get into a house, but they need humidity to survive for more than a few days. It ... | |
| Tiny Flies confused with fleas | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: I'm writing for my husbands Grandpa, he lives in Syracuse, KS (Southwestern KS) He thought he had ... A: These mite be black flies or no-see-ums. Either of these small, biting flies may be the culprit. ... | |
| bug identify | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: I live in ky.in a holler by a creek been getting these gray hardshell bugs everwhere can you ... A: Sounds like pill bugs, a type of Isopod. They are not an insect, but more closely related to crabs ... | |
| ant-like bug | 9/26/2006 |
| Q: I live in Southern California rith on the edge of a canyon. One day my son found a very large ... A: Pat: Here's my guess: Using your description, my guess is a Sun Scorpion, or Solfugid. These ... | |
| Ants? | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and at night we have bugs come out in one of our bathrooms. They ... A: Sounds like you may have an ant colony in your home that swarmed. Possibilities include sugar ants, ... | |
| Small bug that jumps | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: I live in Richmond, Kentucky. My brother says there are small bugs (varying in color from a white to ... A: Sounds like springtails. Springtails, or collembola, are small insects that flourish in moist ... | |
| spider ID | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: Texas. Right on Galveston Bay about an hour west of the Louisiana border. Somebody brought in a ... A: Sounds like you've got a Lynx spider. Lynx spiders live in vegetation and use their coloration as ... | |
| Spider Bite | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: I live in central NY--near the PA border, close to Binghamton, NY. We live by a lake in a small ... A: Sounds like a small wolf spider. Wolf spiders can inflict bites on occasion that affect people in ... | |
| Spiders | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: Nathan, Can you help me identify this spider? I live in Berwick, PA (Northeast PA) and this is ... A: Sounds like a small Black and Yellow Argiope. They are very common in late summer. These spiders ... | |
| Insect found in our wood pile? | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: ! I just found this bug in our wood pile, and would really like to know what it is! I took a photo ... A: This is a species of House Centipede. I'm not sure if the species in Australia is the same, but in ... | |
| what is | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: what is a bug that is Black and Red that looks like an ant that is about 1/2inch long. A: If it is fuzzy, you are seeing a velvet ant. Velvet ants are a species of wingless wasp that are ... | |
| Catapillar | 9/17/2006 |
| Q: Today my daughter found a catapillar that I have never seen before. It is about an inch or so long, ... A: 9-20-06: Thanks for sending the picture to me. I tried replying to your email, but it bounced ... | |
| BLACK WORMS | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: I LIVE IN CHAPEL HILL, TENNESSEE AND HAVE BLACK WORMS IN ONE TOILET TANK IN MY HOME. I AM ON A ... A: Dawn: These are larvae (maggots) of the Black Soldier Fly. These flies lay their eggs on manure ... | |
| insects | 9/13/2006 |
| Q: about 4 yrs ago i had some archeologist ask if they could take some soul samples in my land , they ... A: The flying behavior and description of this beetle leads me to believe that this might be a Green ... | |
| Walking cones | 9/7/2006 |
| Q: Three of my plants have died. Hanging from them are some kind of insect.They crawl around and ... A: Your plants are infested with an insect called a bagworm. Bagworms are a type of moth where the ... | |
| Identifying a bug | 9/7/2006 |
| Q: I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada I am a potter, and I'm fairly familier with most bugs around my ... A: Karin: These might be springtails. Springtails are very small insects that thrive in humid ... | |
| little orange bugs | 9/7/2006 |
| Q: winnipeg, manitoba canada (prairies) my sister has an emerald swift lizard. lately the lizard has ... A: Sounds like some sort of mite infestation has occurred. The mites probably came from the pet store ... | |
| Flying insect id in San Antonio | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: I live in the NW side of San Antonio, near Seaworld, and have a large flying insect visiting my back ... A: I live about 2 miles from the Toyota plant, but I used to live in the Westcreek subdivision! You ... | |
| caconns in blue spruce | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: There are numerous cacoons hanging from the end of the evergreen tree branches. If you cut the ... A: These are called bag worms. They are a type of caterpillar that live in a silken bag and feed on ... | |
| Misquitos | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: Can you tell me what is the lifespan of a misquito? A: Mosquitoes as adults live 14 days or more. Depending on the species, the eggs may be laid on water, ... | |
| Cockroach metamorphosis | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: I live in Fort Worth, TX. I have perhaps half a dozen large cockroaches living in my kitchen. They ... A: Cockroaches develop through incomplete metamorphosis. They hatch from the egg, develop through ... | |
| no subject | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: I previously asked a question about my failing Skyrocket Junipers. After closer inspection, I found ... A: These are called Bag Worms. They are a species of moth where the immatures and adult females look ... | |
| Scorpions | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: I live in San Antonio, Texas and I just found a striped bark scorpion along a baseboard about a foot ... A: I am a San Antonian as well living about 1.5 miles south of the new Toyota plant. Scorpions are ... | |
| Mad Creepy Spider | 8/16/2006 |
| Q: I encountered a large spider in my house near Richmond Virginia recently about the size of the upper ... A: You squashed a female wolf spider. Female wolf spiders carry their newly hatched young on their ... | |
| bugs eating bark my oak trees | 8/15/2006 |
| Q: my oak trees have aint beds at the base of the trunk; the bark is spliting and curling up looks like ... A: The ants are not causing the problem with your tree. The curling bark may have been caused by some ... | |
| Tomatoes | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: Near Mountain Home, Arkansas. We have a small garden with tomatoes, etc. The tomatoes have small ... A: These spots are caused by feeding activities of one of the following: Green Stink Bug Harlequin Bug ... | |
| Ant-like Critter | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: Near Mountain Home, Arkansas. We have seen a couple of ant-like critters, no wings, about an inch ... A: These creatures are called Velvet Ants. They are actually a species of solitary wasp that live on ... | |
| Weird worm in sack | 8/8/2006 |
| Q: I live in fort Lauderdale, FL. I found this weird bug twice in my sons room. It has only been found ... A: There are 2 possibilities: One possibility is that this is a larva of the casemaking clothes moth. ... | |
| Biting Insects | 8/7/2006 |
| Q: . I have been having a problem with a biting insect.. Wierd thing is it has happened at night and a ... A: It is very possible that a no-see-um or other biting fly is the culprit. Different people attract ... | |
| Tiny bugs | 8/6/2006 |
| Q: VA and recently me and my neighbors have noticed these tiny bugs. They are in our homes and ... A: With all of the rains up there recently, it sounds like the Springtail populations are on the ... | |
| millipedes | 8/4/2006 |
| Q: The basement is also a garage and is open on both ends, I realize that you would get bugs in there ... A: Sometimes arthropod populations just explode for reasons beyond our understanding. Maybe they have ... | |
| millipedes | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: Peru, INdiana We have discovered millipedes in our basement, in the thousands. They are hanging on ... A: A basement is a dark, and usually humid place to hang out. They may be there to hide, or to breed. ... | |
| tiny white flying insects | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: I live in Stony Lake, Michigan. It is a heavily sandy (Lake Michigan dunes) area and our land has ... A: This sounds like a heavy infestation of whiteflies. Whiteflies are sap sucking insects that feed on ... | |
| TICKS | 7/31/2006 |
| Q: Ive been biten by what i beleave are ticks approx 2mm-3mm in size and black hard bodies. looked alot ... A: If they were ticks, they might have been attached for a couple of days or so before noticing the ... | |
| Pillbugs | 7/31/2006 |
| Q: I live in Greeley, Colorado and I have several pillbugs in my lawn. Can they destroy large areas of ... A: The pillbugs are feeding on the dead grass. Sounds like you might have mole cricket or white grub ... | |
| Big red bug in Jamestown, TN | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: Good Morning. We found a bug yesterday at the pool. It looks like an ant, but much bigger than any ... A: You have discovered a species of velvet ant. Velvet ants are a type of wasp where the females are ... | |
| Large flies in our house | 7/26/2006 |
| Q: There has been a small infestation of a large fly in one of our bedrooms. They are about twice the ... A: This sounds like an emergence of black blow flies. Has anything died in the attic or in the walls ... | |
| Spider with tapeworm | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: I live in LaGrande, Oregon. Last night there was a big black shiny spider in my room. It had a ... A: There are parsitic (worms) nematodes that live inside of various arthropods. Horsehair worms are ... | |
| water scorpion preservation? | 7/17/2006 |
| Q: I am in Platte, South Dakota. We are working on our entomology project for 4H, and the kids found a ... A: Water scorpions can be preserved with a pin...just VERY carefully. Pin it in the normal way, but in ... | |
| Furry black bug | 7/15/2006 |
| Q: I noticed a bug in my bathroom. It was oval and about 4mm long. It was black and super furry with 2 ... A: My first impression was that this is a lacewing larva covered with debris as camouflage. My second ... | |
| Identify insect | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: Mr Riggs: We live in Lawrenceburg,Tn and my mother told me that her two maple tress in the front of ... A: The holes are caused by an adult wood boring beetle emerging from the tree. The holes are leaking ... | |
| SPIDER QUESTION | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I am from Jacksonville, NC 28540 and my husband was bit by a spider 5 times. 4 on the front side of ... A: It appears to be a young wolf spider. All spiders have venom that they use to immobilize their ... | |
| 6 legged insect | 7/12/2006 |
| Q: I live in rural Md. on the Eastern shore on the Bay... I noticed an unusual bug while looking for J. ... A: This sounds like an immature Wheel Bug. Wheel Bugs belong to a family of insects called Assassin ... | |
| Red Ants | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: I an expert in the Optometry section and thought I would try to get some advice. We live in Downers ... A: Mike: Sounds like the ants were moving their colony from one place to another. The bits of "rice" ... | |
| tiny bug | 7/9/2006 |
| Q: I live in Spokane, WA. There is a very, very tiny bug that is everywhere in this area in the ... A: There are small biting flies in the Pacific northwest called No-see-ums that like to bite mammals. ... | |
| Silver leaf maple infested and dying | 7/8/2006 |
| Q: We live in Grand Prairie, Texas (Dallas Metroplex) we have the same problem as David M. Couch that ... A: The flat bark beetle belongs to the beetle family Flatidae. They feed on sap, but I doubt that they ... | |
| indentification of an insect | 7/7/2006 |
| Q: i found this insect in zeeland michigan, (south west michigan)ive never seen anything like it in my ... A: Sounds like it might be a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They like dark, humid places and ... | |
| help | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: I live in Albuquerque,New Mexico. I have come across this arthropod like creature twice. It's about ... A: You have discovered a solfugid. These are also known as sun scorpions or wind scorpions. This ... | |
| Can't figure out the name of this bug | 7/2/2006 |
| Q: I live in cleveland ohio I have lived in my house for six years and now I'm finding these bugs, they ... A: You are seeing earwigs. Earwigs feed on decaying organic materials (plants, wood, etc...) in VERY ... | |
| i need help with this bug/insect.please. | 7/1/2006 |
| Q: i live in stewart county,Tn near dover. its in the northwest part of middle Tn. my dad is a farmer ... A: You have seen a bunch of immature ant lions. Ant lion larvae dig cone-like pits in loose soil up to ... | |
| Bugs killing my oak trees | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: Nathan, I live in the Chicago area and my large oak trees are dying on one side. I noticed the ... A: It is very possible that your tree has deeloped a disease that caused the bark to slough off. The ... | |
| brown bugs | 6/30/2006 |
| Q: i had an A/C in my window and pigeons made a nest under it when i went to remove the dirt in the ... A: These could be bird mites or soft ticks. Both of these creatures feed on birds and hang out at ... | |
| Identifying bug bites | 6/27/2006 |
| Q: We live in the East Bay Area of No. Cal. Our problem is a small black flying insect with a fierce ... A: Sounds like a no-see-um or possible a type of blackfly. Both of these insects bite mammals and take ... | |
| tiny bugs on walls and ceiling | 6/27/2006 |
| Q: MD and recently moved to a house which is 50 years old. I noticed these tiny, and i mean tiny little ... A: Sounds like an infestation of springtails. They prefer humid environments outdoors and feed on ... | |
| Mini Orange Bugs on Metal Pool Legs & Lime Green/White Bugs | 6/23/2006 |
| Q: Sure would appreciate your help in identifying some bugs in our yard. Sorry that this is a rather ... A: Natalie: The orange insects sound like thrips. Thips are insects that feed on the sap from flower ... | |
| what kind of bug is this | 6/20/2006 |
| Q: In my apartment we have been finding these little brown bugs. They have two segments, no wings, very ... A: Sounds like a click beetle. Click beetles have a spine on the underside of their body that allows ... | |
| tiny, black insects, teaming on deck and ground | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: I've just noticed today that the deck had black spots on it, and upon closer inspection, have ... A: Sounds like these insects might be springtails. They prefer moist environments with lots of organic ... | |
| Bug Bite | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: I live in Northern Arizona and was working in the yard last week and was biten by something about 50 ... A: Considering the location of the bites, it sounds like you got bitten by chiggers. Chiggers are the ... | |
| Insect Larvae | 5/30/2006 |
| Q: I live in southern New Jersey (Chesilhurst). I was working in my yard making a new Garden and I dug ... A: Karen: Sounds like you dug up a pupal case belonging to a sphinx moth. Sphinx, or hawk moths are ... | |
| Tiny bugs on wood deck and wooden bench in house | 5/19/2006 |
| Q: Little Rock Arkansas For the past few months I have noticed tons of tiny cream colored bugs on my ... A: Amy: You might have an infestation of springtails. These insects like really moist environments ... | |
| what is it? | 5/15/2006 |
| Q: I live in Tracy California. A beetle type big bug bit me last night. It felt like a bee sting. Was ... A: This is a species of assassin bug. They feed on insects and this one just happened to bite you. ... | |
| name of bug? | 5/12/2006 |
| Q: What bug starts out with 6 pair of legs and one eye, then has 12 pair of legs , three eyes, and two ... A: Insects do not have more than one pair of eyes. Other than sounding like a riddle, your creature ... | |
| Blue bug | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: ..Hopefully you can help...I found a bug in my house twice that looke like a centipede o n the body. ... A: Jason: You've encountered a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They occur in damp, dark ... | |
| inside house on floor bug | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: i dont know if they are fleas because i thought if you went by it it would jump well these ones dont ... A: If you live in an area with high outdoor moisture and lots of organic material in the soil, you may ... | |
| identifying an insect | 5/9/2006 |
| Q: I'LL TRY TO DESCRIBE IT THE BEST I CAN ,AS I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE. I LIVE 30 MI. N OF BATON ... A: Kenny: Sounds like a virgin female reproductive ant stage (queen). From the color description, it ... | |
| Wasp Control in basement | 5/8/2006 |
| Q: ..I live in Oscoda Michigan...we are having a problem with black wasps in our basement...we do have ... A: Diane: The black wasps you are describing sound like a type of blue mud dauber called Chalybion ... | |
| bugs | 5/7/2006 |
| Q: I live in san antonio, texas. We have a envasion of black bugs that have red bellies. How do we get ... A: Alisha: These are called Love Bugs (Plecia nearctica) and they are very common in late spring. ... | |
| Hi I'm Powell River B.C. Canada,... | 5/6/2006 |
| Q: C. Canada, it's about a hundred miles north of Vancouver. I found a bug at work that i have never ... A: Sounds like you may have found a male Dobsonfly. Dobsonflies develop in clean, clear flowing water. ... | |
| Strange bug | 5/5/2006 |
| Q: I live in Athens, AL, and I saw a very strange bug today at work. (I work at Lowe's). I wish I had ... A: Laura: Sounds like you might have found a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They like dark, ... | |
| Dangerous Insects | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: Hey Nathan, I am a biologist in Austin, Texas, and I too graduated from A&M, with a BS in Wildlife ... A: Ryan: Trail runners in our part of Texas have a few insect hazards to watch out for. Trees might ... | |
| tiny biting gnats have infested my yard | 4/22/2006 |
| Q: Help! I live in Austin, Texas, and for the past three days, very tiny off-white colored winged ... A: Charlene: Your new flowers have become home to a hungry colony of thrips. Thrips are very small ... | |
| What is It? | 4/18/2006 |
| Q: I found a bug in my apartment and no clue what it could be. I was able to tape it down and caught ... A: Eric: Sounds like you've found a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They like humid, dark ... | |
| ants in the house and yard | 4/17/2006 |
| Q: It's almost ant season here in central Maine, and I can't find where they are coming in the house.. ... A: Deb: Wow! Small world. I'll be sure to pass that along to Val. If you have ants feeding on cat ... | |
| Unidentified "bug" | 4/14/2006 |
| Q: I live in San Angelo, TX. We found an extremely unusual bug at work today (in a medical office), ... A: You have captured a type of sun spider. They are also called Solfugids. In the middle east, they ... | |
| Leaf-footed bug-Leptoglossus Oppositus | 4/7/2006 |
| Q: I live in Montgomery, Alabama. I have looked at this site and think the bug I want to ask the ... A: All insects in the family Coreidae (Leaf-footed bugs) can spray a defensive liquid when attacked by ... | |
| Most Dangerous Insect | 4/5/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Riggs, In your opinion, what do you consider is the most dangerous insect to humans? Thanks, ... A: Steve: In my opinion, the mosquito is the most dangerous insect to humans. Mosquitoes are ... | |
| Fire Ant Farm | 4/3/2006 |
| Q: Mr. Riggs, I live in DeSoto Parish Louisiana and I am interested in creating an ant farm using ... A: Steve: I worked for the Texas Fire Ant Program from 1998 to 2004 and collected many fire ant ... | |
| Bug info. | 4/3/2006 |
| Q: We live in Hendersonville, N.C. My husband was putting on a pair of work gloves that was in our ... A: Kim: My only guess is that the moth cocoon that your husband squished may have contained a type of ... | |
| Little brown winged bugs | 3/30/2006 |
| Q: I live in Bridgeport Conneticut and I have these little brown winged bugs that look like knats. They ... A: Sounds like an infestation of moth flies, also called sewer flies. These creatures come from ... | |
| Bug identification | 3/29/2006 |
| Q: Vero Beach, Florida. This bug appears on my green tomatoes. It is smaller than 1/2" and is orange ... A: Margaret: This could be one of about three different insects. One of them is the beneficial ... | |
| Pillbugs (rollie pollies) | 3/27/2006 |
| Q: Help! My driveway and front porch are overloaded with these little critters. Yes they are cute but ... A: Pillbug numbers explode when moisture levels and organic material in the soil are high. They can be ... | |
| Bed Bugs | 3/21/2006 |
| Q: Las Vegas, nevada. How likely is it that bed bugs can be transported on a person during a 4 hour ... A: Vanessa: Bed buds are quite suited to be in contact with their host. They can hide in clothing or ... | |
| batbugs | 3/14/2006 |
| Q: My family and I live in university housing in Gainesville, Ga. We have been receiving bites and not ... A: I'm sure that the exterminator explained to you that the mothballs serve as a repellant and not an ... | |
| Identifying a bug | 3/13/2006 |
| Q: Followup To Question - I've been finding these bugs in my house and am quite unsure of what they ... A: Try the link below. I think what you have are Boxelder bugs. They appear in large groups and have ... | |
| a bug found in a bathroom | 3/5/2006 |
| Q: we live in milwaukee wisconsin, and we live in a dorm. we have seen this bug a couple of times in ... A: Sounds like you have a small infestation of House Centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata). They feed on ... | |
| bugs on dead birds | 3/4/2006 |
| Q: we found 3 dead birds in the attic in a vent leading to our bathroom. We removed the dead birds and ... A: Keli: There is a very good chance that these beetles are a type of carrion beetle that feeds on ... | |
| Animal pest identification | 2/21/2006 |
| Q: I live on the island of nantucket MA. we have an indoor cat that sometimes crawls under the ... A: Flea larvae roll up into a ball when disturbed. They are white when freshly molted and a reddish ... | |
| insect i.d./ removal | 2/11/2006 |
| Q: I have small flying buggs that are immune to poisons that are common. they do not like watter and ... A: Cecil: These insects sound like boxelder bugs. Boxelder bugs gather in large groups on warm ... | |
| flies | 2/7/2006 |
| Q: why do flies rub their paws against eachother? A: Sandy: Flies are constantly cleaning themselves and this is part of their behavior. They have ... | |
| Red insect - ant? | 1/24/2006 |
| Q: I live in Summerville, SC and have been noticing increasing numbers of red ant-like bugs on my ... A: Lisa: You are seeing immature insects belonging to a couple of possibilities. They might be ... | |
| flying insect | 1/8/2006 |
| Q: First,I'd like to thank you for your time,this is very generous. Again, Thanx. Ilive in ... A: Robi Jo: The wood your mother is burning may be infested with some sort of wood boring beetle or ... | |
| bugs on kitchen counter | 1/5/2006 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Canada and I have these small black bugs on my kitchen counters. They are a bit ... A: Stephanie: My apologies for the delay. I was at a meeting last week and I didn't check my All ... | |
| INSECTS | 12/27/2005 |
| Q: WHAT IS THE MITE? A: Mites are related to spiders and ticks. They belong to the Order Acari and are found in a wide ... | |
| what is cornicle? | 12/11/2005 |
| Q: i want to know what is cornicle in insects? thanks A: Tannaz: A cornicle is the short appendage on the tip of the abdomen of aphids. If you look closely ... | |
| report due dec.9th 2005 | 12/3/2005 |
| Q: Whould you mind answering these questions about when you were an enotomologist: What is your ... A: Andrea: 1. I am currently employed as the Manager for Community Relations and Water Efficiency ... | |
| Gnats | 11/20/2005 |
| Q: o.k i need big time help, my kitchen is infested with gnats coming from my drains. What can i do to ... A: Sounds like you have an infestation of fruit flies. Fruit flies are attracted to drains because of ... | |
| is it a slug? | 11/12/2005 |
| Q: I found a critter in my flower pot that I keep indoors. It was slimy and looked like a slug ... A: It certainly sounds like a young slug, and they can do damage to tender green vegetation. It is not ... | |
| Water bugs/Palmetto bugs | 11/11/2005 |
| Q: I live near Gulfport, MS. I woke up this morning to find a bug crawling on me. It was about the ... A: Jessica: Palmetto bugs, or cockroaches can nip, but not enough to be of any concern. Female ticks ... | |
| Bug identification | 11/3/2005 |
| Q: I live in Louisville,KY. I have noticed some bugs around the foundation of my house. The smaller ... A: Barry: Sounds like you have a lot of Boxelder Bugs hanging around your home. The red ones are ... | |
| bug identification | 10/27/2005 |
| Q: just recently i've noticed small (4-5mm long) dark brown bugs on the carpet and in my clothing they ... A: Jay: If you have a lot of woolen clothing, it might be an infestation of carpet beetles. They fit ... | |
| Insect venom | 10/26/2005 |
| Q: I m a grade 6 student from Simons Valley school resarching for a virtual science fair. What would ... A: Aaron: When thinking about your question, I guess one thought comes to mind...is the person being ... | |
| Praying mantis | 10/8/2005 |
| Q: Sir, Why female praying mantis larger than male praying mantis. Generally female insects are larger ... A: Javed: In the case of the praying mantis, the female is quite a bit larger because she must be able ... | |
| tiny brown bugs with tiny wings. | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: Nathan, can you suggest an over the counter way, that is safe to use around animals that I can use ... A: These beetles don't carry any diseases and wouldn't hurt the rabbits if they happened to eat them. ... | |
| tiny brown bugs with tiny wings. | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: Nathan, thank you very much for your response.Is there a chance that these drugstore beetles will ... A: Laura: The bird seed is DEFINITELY number one in this case as a culprit for breeding and feeding ... | |
| tiny brown bugs with tiny wings. | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: I live in northern NJ (Ramsey) 4 days ago I moved into a 2nd floor apaprtment. The second day I was ... A: Laura: It sounds like you have an infestation of drugstore or cigarette beetles...sometimes loosely ... | |
| Diet of insects | 10/4/2005 |
| Q: I live in Jamaica New York, I'm helping my 7 year old daughter with a project for school and she ... A: Coco: An insect is simply defined as a organism with 3 body sections (head, thorax, abdomen) and 3 ... | |
| Carbon Monoxide and Brown Recluse Spiders | 10/3/2005 |
| Q: I have a 8 ft x 50 ft cargo container that has become infested with Brown Recluse Spiders. I have ... A: Chuck: The carbon monoxide (CO) will displace the oxygen in the container that the spiders are ... | |
| very strange | 9/29/2005 |
| Q: I've captured the strangest insect I've ever seen. It sort of looks like an overgrown wasp, but the ... A: Leigh: Sounds like to have been introduced to one of the large Ichneumon wasps. These wasps use ... | |
| What is it? | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: Our company is in Fife, Washington. We have found for the second time a bug/insect not ever been ... A: Bob: My first impression of your insect is an Earwig. They are very common in areas with lots of ... | |
| can't tell what insect is in my apartment! | 9/26/2005 |
| Q: I live in Cohoes NY. My apartment is a basement apartment about two blocks from a river. I have a ... A: Katie: Sounds like you've run across a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). These critters are ... | |
| Itty bitty Larvae coming out of my sheetrock | 9/25/2005 |
| Q: I'm in the Kansas City area, and I noticed a black "spot" on my white sheetrock and popcorn texture ... A: Richard: I cannot get your link to work properly. My email is nlriggs@bexarmet.org. It sounds ... | |
| Very strange insect | 9/23/2005 |
| Q: my friend had a wierd experience with an unknown insect. The bug flew at him full force and hit him ... A: Lisa: It sounds like your friend has been introduced to a Wheel Bud (Arilus cristatus). Wheel Bugs ... | |
| garden insect | 9/20/2005 |
| Q: My intention was not in fact, as I now see I seem to be saying, to raise a colony of these beasties, ... A: I doubt that they will be too destructive in your garden if there are a few of them. However, ... | |
| bugs / insects | 9/20/2005 |
| Q: i live in london. i have had problems with some sort of bug / insect for years. its found in the ... A: Olumide: Unfortunately, it sounds like you have an infestation of bed bugs. Bed bugs are insects ... | |
| garden insect | 9/20/2005 |
| Q: Vancouver BC Canada Hello Insect person, In front of me as I write is a jar with what I would ... A: Jill: It sounds like you have been visited by one of the species of moths in the Geometridae ... | |
| Insects | 9/15/2005 |
| Q: I have to find an isect that starts with 'X,N &K'for my home work. I have searched hard on the ... A: Brittany: I'm sorry for not getting back to you until today. My grandfather passed away last ... | |
| Hobo Spiders/Centipedes | 9/14/2005 |
| Q: I live in Preston Idaho and seem to be the new living space for hobo spiders. How can I control the ... A: Diane: I'm sorry for not answering your question until now. My grandfather passed away last ... | |
| spiders | 9/12/2005 |
| Q: IM in San Antonio TX and I have a big yellow, black and grey spider outside my back door, he has ... A: Jeremy: I'm also here in San Antonio! You are hosting a Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope ... | |
| insects banding together in snake form | 9/1/2005 |
| Q: We saw what looked like a flat gray snake about 2 ft long crawling from the grass onto our concrete ... A: Ron: There are a few types of insects that travel in groups. Ants, desert termites, caterpillars, ... | |
| a 3 inch long flying insect in Vancouver, Wa | 9/1/2005 |
| Q: last night what I thought was a small bird was flying above my head at a closed gas station. It was ... A: Holly: You have been introduced to the Giant Water Bug (Lethocerus sp.). These insects are common ... | |
| Maple tree dying/Black body yellow striped ant or beetle responsible? | 8/26/2005 |
| Q: I reside in Decatur, Alabama. I have owned my home for 13 years and have a Maple(don't know the ... A: Hope you aren't getting blown around by Katrina this morning! My first impression is some sort of ... | |
| fleas or mites or worms | 8/25/2005 |
| Q: we went to the doctor (hospital)and place said fleas wich i never herd of and the other said ... A: Crystal: My suggestion is to visit a dermatologist so that your situation may be looked at more ... | |
| What is this bug?! | 8/25/2005 |
| Q: No, that's not what I'm seeing. Not even close actually. The legs aren't nearly that long. As a ... A: Carpet beetle larvae may also be a possibility. Carpet beetle larvae are small - about 1/4 inch or ... | |
| Striped Spiders of NC,USA | 8/25/2005 |
| Q: I think the first picture was the one i was looking for. Now i have another question, are they ... A: Sherman: This spider is not considered dangerous and usually runs away from danger. This spider is ... | |
| What is this bug?! | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: I'm really hoping you could help me! I recently moved to Denver, Colorado. I live in an apartment ... A: Evelyn: Considering your location in the basement, the critter that you are seeing may very well be ... | |
| ant | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: I have seen a few ants around my lawn, that have red and black strips, but they do not look like the ... A: Michael: There are many different species of velvet ants...and yes, they are VERY hard to smash. ... | |
| How do i identify bugs by egg sack? | 8/13/2005 |
| Q: Cumberland, Maine I was out today and found what appeared to be "kicked up dirt" covering half of my ... A: I wonder if you were seeing a type of mold called "Scrambled Eggs Mold" (I can't remember the ... | |
| flying insect | 8/12/2005 |
| Q: I saw a flying insect today by my house. When I first saw it, I thought it was a dragon fly. But ... A: Gary: Sounds like you have seen one of the species of mud dauber wasps. These wasps build mud tube ... | |
| what insect lays pink eggs | 8/10/2005 |
| Q: I found a clump of pink eggs on a container near my pond. What insect layed these? A: Sue: I can't give you a definitive answer on that one. There are many insects that live near the ... | |
| Insect nest | 8/8/2005 |
| Q: I have two different types of insect nests in the corners of my porch. One looks like Honey comb, ... A: Tifanie: The nests on your porch are made by 2 distinct types of wasps. The honeycomb nest is made ... | |
| little white bugs in my car | 8/7/2005 |
| Q: I live in Jacksonville, NC. We've spent a lot of time at the beach this summer and I have kids so ... A: There is a type of insect called a collembola, or springtail, that likes moist habitats. They are ... | |
| feather-like bug | 8/5/2005 |
| Q: I'm in Chicago, IL... I found a bug in the bathroom that reminded me of a centipede, but I'm not ... A: Jen: You have encountered a House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). These centipedes are commonly ... | |
| Strange bug.. would like ID please | 8/4/2005 |
| Q: Riggs I'm afraid I have no picture of this bug, but I'll provide as full a description as possible. ... A: Callum: The first thing that comes to mind is a species of parasitic wasp in the Ichneumon group. ... | |
| strange black bug? | 8/3/2005 |
| Q: My name is Mike Button. I live in Waunakee (a small town just outside of Madison) in Wisconsin. I ... A: Mike: I would have freaked out a little if something like you described flew at me too! It sounds ... | |
| plant water creatures | 8/3/2005 |
| Q: I recently put some outside flower plants in a bucket of water until I could replant them. When I ... A: Cherene: You have encountered some rat-tailed maggots. They are the larval stage of a species of ... | |
| Need help identifying a wasp | 8/2/2005 |
| Q: Spring, Texas - I saw a wasp in the driveway a few days ago. I cannot identify it. It was the ... A: Erin: Sounds like you have come across a Cicada Killer wasp. It is a type of ground-nesting hornet ... | |
| insect identification | 7/30/2005 |
| Q: I live in Franklin, TN. As I was mowing the lawn this afternoon, I came across a very colorful ... A: Sounds like you may have come across a velvet ant. Velvet ants are actually wingless female wasps ... | |
| Insect Identification | 7/28/2005 |
| Q: i live in mount laurel, New Jersey. I work at a daycare and on the play ground we found a black bug ... A: Jessica: Chances are the bug you found does not actually sting. I can't think of any bees or wasps ... | |
| How can I look for stored grain pest eggs? | 7/26/2005 |
| Q: I am searching for an easy way to estimate populations of pest eggs in stored grains. I work on a ... A: Jorge: Greetings from Texas! Thanks for your email. I admit that stored product pests are not by ... | |
| these shells of what were bugs on my trees | 7/25/2005 |
| Q: My husband and Iwere walking along our lawn and looking at the trees saw this bug it ... A: Kim: Sounds like you have found the cast skin of a larval Cicada. Cicadas are present during the ... | |
| Antholes | 7/22/2005 |
| Q: Why are all antholes the same color? Where do they find that particular type of sand, and why do ... A: Yep...those ants are finding a particular layer of soil that they find appealing as a nesting site. ... | |
| Antholes | 7/22/2005 |
| Q: Why are all antholes the same color? Where do they find that particular type of sand, and why do ... A: There are many factors that might influence what you are seeing. First of all, are you talking ... | |
| outdoors biter | 7/21/2005 |
| Q: Hoping you can help me identify this bug that bit/ stung me? I live in WI. I was sitting on my back ... A: Excellent! Lacewing larvae live on plants and trees. This one may have fallen on you from a tree ... | |
| outdoors biter | 7/20/2005 |
| Q: Hoping you can help me identify this bug that bit/ stung me? I live in WI. I was sitting on my back ... A: Lisa: From your description, it sounds like you may have been bitten by a lacewing larva. ... | |
| Flies | 7/9/2005 |
| Q: I recently visted a burger stand where they had several plastic sandwich bags filled with water, ... A: Angela: This is an interesting phenomenon. Down here in Texas, you will find a few merchants with ... | |
| termites | 7/3/2005 |
| Q: Why termites don't attack wood in a living tree ? A: John: That's a good question...you should know, however, that there is a well-known species that's ... | |
| Type of centipede. | 7/1/2005 |
| Q: I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We have an invasion of fuzzy looking centipedes. They aren't the ... A: Andrea: You are being visited by the House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). They are a harmless ... | |
| I have for years, attempted... | 6/27/2005 |
| Q: I have for years, attempted to find a picture in a book, or on line, of a bug I see every now and ... A: My first impression of your creature is that it might be a wooly aphid. They feed on trees, mostly ... | |
| Type Of Spider | 6/24/2005 |
| Q: I live in San Diego, California. On two occasions I've seen what looked like a mud pack (like ... A: Vicky: Sounds like it might have been a mud dauber nest that had been stocked with spiders for the ... | |
| tiny leaf folding caterpillars | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: I have these tiny whitish caterpillars that fold leafs from tip to base. The are on a lilac bush and ... A: These are a type of leaf rolling caterpillar that feed in a group. Are they feeding on the lilac ... | |
| found bug never seen | 6/17/2005 |
| Q: I have found an incect ( ant) with wings and a long red tail and a long spike. do u know what it ... A: Dimitri: Sounds like you may have found one of the beneficial species of wasps called Ichneumonids. ... | |
| mite? | 6/16/2005 |
| Q: I am having a problem identifying this bug. I think they are just tiny mites. I own a 3 year old ... A: April: The biggest difference between where I live (San Antonio) and where you live (Houston) is ... | |
| This is new to me! | 6/14/2005 |
| Q: I found this dead bug in my bathroom on a shelf, like everyone else writting to you I have never ... A: Jennifer: My first impression of the insect you are seeing is that of a silverfish. Please send ... | |
| small beetle like insects in my car | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: I live in flanders nj. I have kids and all of a sudden i found that my car has lots of small beetle ... A: Hemali: Have you been storing any dried foods in your car such as dry dog or cat food, grains or ... | |
| Mysterious insects on my car! | 6/10/2005 |
| Q: Today, I found two identical insects on my car, the likes of which I have never seen. They are ... A: Alisia: These sound like a caterpillar of some kind...probably originating from some sort of moth. ... | |
| chigger? | 6/9/2005 |
| Q: I live in WI. You told me in a previous question that my bites may be from chiggers. Can you get ... A: Lisa: Chiggers are not usually present in fall and winter...ESPECIALLY in Wisconsin. The tiny red ... | |
| Wondering what kind of spider this is | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering what kind of spider this was: http://www.snsware.net/spider/ Those pictures are ... A: Seth: This appears to be a male spider in the family of spiders called Pisauridae, or Nursery Web ... | |
| Odd looking bug | 6/5/2005 |
| Q: My niece and nephew found a very unusual looking flying bug outside near a garden. It has large ... A: Lene: My first impression for this insect was possibly a Mayfly because of the description of the ... | |
| biting insects | 6/5/2005 |
| Q: It's 12:15 PM, and I just found a live insect in my bed. For months, every few weeks or so, I've ... A: Lisa: From the descriptions of the bites and their locations, it sounds like chiggers are to blame. ... | |
| I have these flying insects... | 6/2/2005 |
| Q: I have these flying insects that sworm in at nightime and love to cling onto anyplace where light is ... A: Travis: Living near a woodland or marshy area can bring some interesting insects at night. A ... | |
| red blood bugs | 6/1/2005 |
| Q: I live in Springfield, MO. Outside the hospital where I work there are zillions of extremely tiny ... A: Mel: These sound like red velvet mites. They are eight-legged creatures that feed on insects as ... | |
| Spiders | 5/31/2005 |
| Q: I am living in Long Beach, California. The bug that I saw was very large about the size of a large ... A: Sharon: I'd like pictures of this spider, if possible. I can't get a good picture of this from ... | |
| foamy stuff on weeds | 5/28/2005 |
| Q: i was pruning my parents trees today and came across some foam (bubbly water-like) stubstance. i ... A: Laura: If I understand your email correctly, you found these bubbly masses on some weeds beneath ... | |
| big bug found in sand on shore | 5/16/2005 |
| Q: i live on a suburban lake in minnesota. i was raking the shore of leaves/etc and this bug was ... A: Jane: Sounds like it might be a mole cricket. They have claw-like front legs for digging and a ... | |
| Spider or grasshopper? | 5/14/2005 |
| Q: Spider or grasshopper? I live in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada and my husband has found a ... A: Jennifer: Sounds like you all have found a type of camel cricket. Camel crickets are in the ... | |
| Tree Bugs | 5/11/2005 |
| Q: I live in Covington, GA. I have a white oak and a pine tree in my front yard. They both look to be ... A: Loren: Let's start with the pine tree... Pin holes in the bark, "husks" hanging from the bark, ... | |
| what is this insect | 5/11/2005 |
| Q: I do not have a picture of the beast in question, and hopefully I'll never see another one to get a ... A: Kelly: You have encountered a very common creature in homes (especially those with basements) ... | |
| what is it | 5/10/2005 |
| Q: found a bug that looks like a large centipede? but is about 10" long with a fairly hard shell and ... A: Ken: Sounds like you may have found one of the Scolopendra centipedes. They are known as desert ... | |
| little tiny yellow swarming biting insect | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: i live in the austin, tx area, and i have had this question for a long time. i think most people ... A: Dee: Since it is spring and all of the flowers and trees are blooming, there is a very small insect ... | |
| what is this insect??? | 5/1/2005 |
| Q: My daughter doing a 6th grade science project - must identify common and scientific name of ... A: Shellie: There are two possibilities for what this might be: It is definitely an immature insect ... | |
| little white bugs | 4/29/2005 |
| Q: I've done plenty of web searching with no luck, even had the Ortho Man over, and after two hours he ... A: Thomas: First of all, we can rule out mites because they do not spin cocoons. The only mites that ... | |
| what is this black insect in my house? | 4/18/2005 |
| Q: Nathan Riggs, I have this problem with this black insect in the house. It is primarily in the ... A: Jennifer: My first impression of your insect is possibly a rice weevil or granary weevil. They are ... | |
| Unidentified bugs | 4/17/2005 |
| Q: I have seen these bugs in my house, I was hoping you might be able to help me identify them...? They ... A: These almost sound like the empty pupal cases of house flies or some sort of fly. They are brownish ... | |
| insect | 4/15/2005 |
| Q: I keep seeing this bug, It looks similar to a bee, it has six legs, possibly a stinger of some ... A: Sorry for not replying sooner. The website was down all morning. It sounds like you might have ... | |
| A multilegged creature in my home!!! | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: PLEASE HELP!!! I am soo freaked out by bugs! Apx four times I have found this creature in my home. ... A: Kim: You have run into a common house-dwelling creature called a House Centipede (Scutigera ... | |
| Milkweed bugs | 4/1/2005 |
| Q: HELP!!!!!! MY DAUGHTERS BUTTERFLY GARDEN IS BEING OVERRUN WITH MILKWEED BUGS, THE PLANTS ARE DOING ... A: Hope and Katie: Using plants to attract butterflies for nectar and raising caterpillars brings with ... | |
| Teeny-Tiny Ants | 3/25/2005 |
| Q: This morning I came across a small crumb on my kitchen floor. When I leaned over to pick it up I ... A: Michael: It sounds like you have one of a couple of possibilities for ants. One possibility could ... | |
| MITES | 3/16/2005 |
| Q: COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF BODY MITES, OR MITES IN THE HOUSE. I HAVE ... A: Michele: Your dilemma is shared by many people across the country. I do have some questions ... | |
| Silverfish | 3/15/2005 |
| Q: I live in Fort Thomas, KY in a 2 story home with a basement. We have had problems with silverfish ... A: Sue: Silverfish are one of those creatures that love warm, humid places. The normal response to ... | |
| spider | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: Ok i was in the bathroom getting ready to take a shower and i saw a spider floating in midair (i ... A: Nicole: Spiders generate silk from glands on their abdomens called spinnerets. This is why the ... | |
| yeast | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: why doest yeast needs sugar and warmth to reproduce? A: Sana: Yeasts are living animals that belong to the phylum Protista. Yeasts use carbohydrates in ... | |
| cockroaches | 2/16/2005 |
| Q: i live in a very humid city and run across plenty of cockroaches during the summer. my question is: ... A: Vienna: You're welcome...thanks for choosing me to help you with your question! To answer the ... | |
| cockroaches | 2/15/2005 |
| Q: i live in a very humid city and run across plenty of cockroaches during the summer. my question is: ... A: Your question makes a lot of sense and the answer is partially hidden in your question. If you live ... | |
| Roaches | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: Grandview, Missouri Hi, This is a silly question but do insects like roaches have the same kinds of ... A: Marisa: The internal organs of insects play similar roles as do ours, but they are different. Take ... | |
| Help with identifying a tick | 1/24/2005 |
| Q: I am currently in the Yucatan, Mexico. We are looking at purchasing some land down here and have ... A: Kathe: Chances are that you got into a batch of newly-hatched ticks (sometimes called seed ticks ... | |
| Big freeky bee-thing | 1/21/2005 |
| Q: I have a recollection of an unusual insect that I encountered in my youth. My brother was with me, ... A: David: Sorry for the delay, buy I do have a couple of theories for your insect. A couple of ... | |
| bugs on base of queen palms | 1/11/2005 |
| Q: I live in San Diego CA, and have recently discovered very small white(almost fuzzy)bugs on the base ... A: Kaylinn: Sounds like you've got an infestation of mealybugs. Mealybugs are a sap sucking insect ... | |
| My friend found a bug | 1/3/2005 |
| Q: My friend was in her Cousin's house in North Carolina and she found a bug in her basement. She isnt ... A: Jon: Sorry for the delay...I've been out of town at a pest control conference. The insect you're ... | |
| identify small bug | 12/12/2004 |
| Q: Sir, I work for a pest control company. One of my customers has a small (mite?)bug around her stove. ... A: Kevin: Sounds like some sort of bird mite, possibly a rat mite as well. I worked for the Extension ... | |
| Caterpillars | 12/9/2004 |
| Q: My daughter was stung by an unidentified caterpillar. The caterpillar was green with a red and white ... A: Amy: Sorry to hear that your daughter was stung. From the description, it sounds like an Io Moth ... | |
| Arthropods | 12/8/2004 |
| Q: Is there such a thing as a vegetarian spider? About how long does it take the average spider egg to ... A: To my knowledge, all spiders are carnivorous, feeding on insects and small animals. Tarantulas feed ... | |
| Identifying a caterpillar | 12/5/2004 |
| Q: I found this inch long light green caterpillar near my home in south Florida. It has a red and white ... A: Carly: If the caterpillar as spines on its back, it might be an Io moth caterpillar. They can ... | |
| a yellow worm | 11/19/2004 |
| Q: i have a yellow-golden worm going around in my house, it is very skinny, it is long about 8 inch, ... A: Michal: If it has legs, it might be a type of millipede or centipede. Millipedes have 4 legs per ... | |
| Identification of insect from its eggs | 11/16/2004 |
| Q: Pennsylvania...Lower Susquehaqnna valley...What insect or arachnid lays its pale colored eggs in the ... A: Constance: Sorry for not getting to your question sooner! It sounds like the eggs of one of the ... | |
| What is this? | 11/8/2004 |
| Q: I live in Fresno, California. The bug is about an inch and a half long, it has 6 legs that are ... A: Crystal: There are quite a few possibilities here. It could be a type of horntail wasp. Horntails ... | |
| bathroom bug | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: riggs My name is Nathan Smith and I live in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. my wife was bathing our son ... A: I think I might need more information on this one. If the critter was hard to kill, it probably had ... | |
| What kind of insect would this be? | 10/27/2004 |
| Q: I live in Topeka, Kansas and I have seen two of these things in my house, we live in a basement and ... A: Kyle: Happy Halloween! Sounds like you have camel crickets in your basement. Camel crickets like ... | |
| insects | 10/24/2004 |
| Q: I have a problem with these (tiny) flying insects in the home. Can't understand where they are ... A: It is quite possible that the plants you received were infested with fungus gnats. Fungus gnats lay ... | |
| Tiny bugs in bathroom | 10/23/2004 |
| Q: I live in San Jose California in an old house. In my bathroom recently, I found some tiny dead bugs ... A: Alias: Sounds like an interesting find! With that many insects in the home (especially the ... | |
| Crickets | 10/15/2004 |
| Q: ( this isnt a pest control question! Just so you know...) My name is melissa Im 18 and currently in ... A: Melissa: You add 40 to the number of chirps in 14 seconds to get the air temperature in degrees F. ... | |
| Misquitos | 10/14/2004 |
| Q: As you know, Florida is very wet right now!!! The misquitos are out like never before. I'm in ... A: I can tell from your e-mail that your are frustrated by those pesky mosquitoes! First of all, let's ... | |
| Rollie Pollies | 10/13/2004 |
| Q: I have rollie pollies in my bonsai tree. Will they harm the tree? What do they eat? Will they ... A: Parker: Pillbugs (rollie pollies) feed on rotting organic matter in moist situations as a ... | |
| mystery wasp looking thing.... | 10/12/2004 |
| Q: Living in Gulf Shores, AL yesterday I found a large wasp looking insect. It's total body length was ... A: Brian: Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. You have found a female of one of the large ... | |
| Bug Identity | 10/11/2004 |
| Q: I live in Villa Rica, GA on a fishing lake that is kept very fertile. I also have a pool in the back ... A: Scott: Please accept my apology for the delay in getting back with you. One of the first insects ... | |
| water insect | 9/27/2004 |
| Q: We live in East Tennessee. We found this insect at the bottom of our wading pool. We turned it into ... A: Kelli: You can e-mail me a pictureof the critters, but I'll need the domain name (ex. aol.com or ... | |
| Help!! | 9/23/2004 |
| Q: ok, about 3 months ago I got a job with a wholesale nursery. It's based out of holister, ca but I ... A: Kasey: It sounds like a desperate and unfortunate situation! I can say with a lot of confidence ... | |
| Can't identify worm/caterpillar. | 9/22/2004 |
| Q: Live in central Illinois. Found a brown worm-like creature, head seems to be larger than body until ... A: Stacey: It sounds like you've found a land planarian. Land planarians are flatworms that look like ... | |
| Cacoon identification | 9/20/2004 |
| Q: I live in Southeast Georgia and have an unidentified cacoon hanging on the upper boards of my front ... A: Karen: You have found a cocoon built by a bagworm. Bagworms are a type of moth that feed on a wide ... | |
| Spiders | 9/18/2004 |
| Q: My husband and I are trying to figure out how a spider can make a web from one tree to another or ... A: It is quite possible that a jump could be involved, although most orb-weaving spiders are not real ... | |
| mystery piles | 9/16/2004 |
| Q: I live in mesa arizona and have a strange pile that keeps ending up in front of my front door. It ... A: Dawn: Without seeing the material, one possibility comes to mind...ESPECIALLY since you mention ... | |
| Southern California Pest Problem (in Home) | 9/16/2004 |
| Q: I have a Question about a small pest in my home. If I could name it, the name would be ... A: Mac: It's hard to say. Bed bugs are rounded like adult ladybugs and are a grayish color. Their ... | |
| Stick bug? | 9/13/2004 |
| Q: My granddaughter spotted a large stick bug about 4 inches long with a baby next to it, the bugs ... A: Anita: Stick insects are pretty unique in appearance, so I'll take your word that you are indeed ... | |
| Indentifying an insect | 9/12/2004 |
| Q: I found an insect in my living room floor and was wondering what it is... Hopefully you can help me ... A: Candace: Sounds like you've got a real interesting critter there! Since it has more than 6 or 8 ... | |
| spiders | 9/11/2004 |
| Q: my son found a spider in our backyard and i was wondering if it is poisonous. it is big black and ... A: Lori: It sounds like you all have found a spider belonging to the genus Argiope. It might be the ... | |
| small unknown insect | 9/10/2004 |
| Q: My family and I were walking through the Cleveland Metroparks and found several plants that were ... A: Troy: Not knowing what kinds of plants we're dealing with, I would say that the insects in question ... | |
| insects causing plant diseases | 9/4/2004 |
| Q: what insects cause what diseases in plants? Not as vectors but directly. eg mosquito bites cause ... A: Lee: Your question puzzles me, but I'll give you an answer that I think you're looking for. Most ... | |
| Weird Looking Insect of some sort | 9/2/2004 |
| Q: What is it? The following insect un-identifiable by me and wanted an expert on the matter. Just ... A: Marc: This is not an insect at all, but rather a type of crustacean. In Texas, we have a creature ... | |
| Night bites | 9/1/2004 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me with this problem. My daughter has been waking up the past few days with ... A: Karen: There are a couple of things that could be at work here. Bedbugs are certainly a ... | |
| Wasp ID | 8/31/2004 |
| Q: I've seen this wasp for many summers in my neighborhood in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It is ... A: Steven: There are approximately 22 species of Pepsis wasps in Texas that belong to the Order ... | |
| Dragonflies | 8/31/2004 |
| Q: What do dragonflies eat? I have a male and a female and I have some different flowers in their ... A: Dustin: Dragonflies feed solely on insects. Their diet includes mosquitoes, flies, planthoppers, ... | |
| House spiders and their food | 8/30/2004 |
| Q: I live in a typical suburb of the UK. Our flat tends to get a lot of spiders, the common unmarked ... A: Huw: House spiders make cobwebs in all places. They feed on silverfish, firebrats, ants, small ... | |
| Mystery Bug | 8/27/2004 |
| Q: I have an insect that i killed in my house in pratt kansas usa and it has characteristics of a ... A: Andrew: Sounds interesting! My first impression guesses for this one include crane fly and ... | |
Entomology (Study of Bugs)
Answers by Expert:
Nathan Riggs
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I currently live in San Antonio, TX and have expertise in identifying insects, many types of spiders, and other arthropod critters that infest lawns, ornamentals, structures, trees, pets and livestock. Mites are not a strong point of mine. I'm not a licensed doctor, so I cannot provide medical diagnosis of conditions possibly related to insects or other arthropods. If you've got an interesting photo for me to see, let me know and I'll give you my email so the picture will get to me. If you have hosted an insect photo on a website, please include the link so I can go look at it and provide a faster ID for you. Don't forget...you can now attach pictures to your questions as well!
Experience
19 Years' Experience as an entomologist: 5 years as a biologist with Merck Animal Health and 7 years as an Integrated Pest Management(IPM)Specialist in San Antonio, Texas with Texas Cooperative Extension.
Publications
Veterinary Parasitology, Southwestern Entomologist, San Antonio Express News, San Antonio Gardener Newsletter
Education/Credentials
BS - Entomology from Texas A&M University in 1992.
Board Certified Entomologist, 1996-2000 - Medical and Veterinary Entomology Specialty (Entomological Society of America)
Awards and Honors
2000 Texas A&M University Vice Chancellor's Award in Excellence for leadership on the Texas Fire Ant Program Educational Team.
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