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A little background on a volunteer expert respondent:
Ed Saugstad. B.S. in Entomology - NDSU, 1963. M.S. in Entomology - Purdue University, 1967
A life-long interest in natural history. Formally trained in entomology, he also has a personal interest in herpetology and has read widely in many biological fields. 21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist; duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes, cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution of vector-borne diseases worldwide.

He is a member of Entomological Society of America, Society for Vector Ecology & National Speleological Society.

Publications
American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology, Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.

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No photo, just a message of thanks for your website, by which I finally identified our pesky basement "hoppy bugs" as Camel Crickets.
Linda
New Jersey

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The pictures below have been submitted by visitors. If you can identify them you are invited to send us your answers. Your description is also welcome.
Please Include the picture number in your answers.
If you have a digital camera or scanner send us photos of any pest you would like identified. Please include the location the pest was found and any other information you can offer. Hopefully one of our visitors will be able to identify them. Send your photos as an attachment, not embedded in the body of your email to: webmanager@pestcontrolcanada.com
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Click on the photos to enlarge. They are usually much clearer.

1797 Hello I found this spider on the hallway wall of our single storey home in Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada. I was wondering if anyone could identify it for me and possible provide some information on it. Jonathan

1796 Hi I hope you can help me identify this worm I found in the soil while digging some sod up It was on a sandy slope in Melbourne Ontario Canada on April 27 2008. this worm had 2 spots on both ends and a pointer of some kind that it used to drag itself around while on my hand it was quite active see attached photos thanks in advance. \Dave"

1795 I recently moved to Oakville and am experiencing my 1st spring here. I live > on the 11th floor of an apartment building facing west just near the lake, (not sure if this has a bearing on problem). Since early April there have been hundreds of tiny black fly/gnat/aphid type bugs living on the walls, floor and ceiling of my balcony. They don't bite but are extremely annoying and seem to be multiplying like crazy. No one in the building, facing any direction, knows how to get rid of them or where they come from. I've tried safer soap, raid spray, spider ban, (because there were a few spiders out there also), and plain old sweeping them down, but nothing seems to eliminate them - they keep coming back and are covering everything in sight now. What are they and what can I do to get rid of them????

1794 Dear Sir/Madam, This bug was found in my nephew's home in Belgium . It is in the kitchen and I think they have walls made of ( partially ) straw. They have a brand new baby ! and are worried !! Thanks for your help, Quentin Verhaegen

1793 Hi there, Can anyone tell me what these are …The biggest I have seen is about 1mm in length, they don’t appear to fly or jump, but they can run very fast for something so little. Have been doing some building work and there is probably more dust than usual but I’ve noticed them in a couple of rooms – living room, dining room … Normal conditions all round really. Thanks for your help in advance!!! Cheers, Gideon

1792 Hello, My cat was playing with this bug in the long grass behind my house. It was found in South-Eastern New Brunswick, Canada. Can anyone tell me what it is? Thanks. Lillian

1791 I am in Toronto, Canada. I found 2 of these fast crawling bugs, and 2 larvae under my bed near the baseboard, I had an extra pillow stored under my bed too. I have gotten a couple of small bug bites on my torso / back each night for the last three nights but today is the first day I found any bugs. I've washed all linens in hot water and thrown out the pillow - but what should I do now? Does this type of bug bite people? Susie

You appear to have two different genera of carpet beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae); Attagenus (black carpet beetle and relatives) and Anthrenus (varied carpet beetle and relatives). Neither of these are in the habit of biting humans, but the larvae can be quite destructive to woolen fabrics, furs, taxidermy specimens, and just about anything else containing proteinaceous material of animal origin. See http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These photos appear to be of the larvae and adult of a member of the beetle family Dermestidae, Attagenus spp. These insects are associated with birds nests, so check out your loft. Not known as 'biting insects'. However, there are other creepy crawlies such as bird mites ( Dermanyssus gallinae) that do bite! and are also associated with birds nests. Phil. Field biologist with a UK pest control company

1790 What is this? It is chalky WHITE! I found this on the back side of a roof tile placed against a stone wall the day before. It was gone the next morning. We live in the Sonoran Desert North of Phoenix, Arizona. This is the exact orientation. When I first saw it the wings were against the body. It was about 3 inches long at least an inch wide it was adhered to the back of the tile with the legs.
Difficult to be certain because of the angle of the photo, but this most likely is a sphinx moth (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). If you encounter another specimen, try to photograph it from directly above. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1789 Hi I am from Western Australia, Australia. I found two of these on wood used for a step in the backyard are they nest of something, insects maybe? Thanks Marina

Hard to say what this might be. It looks more like something of fungal than insect origin - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/8023288@N06/589638187/ for an example. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1788 This bug was found in the living room but i find them everywhere in my house on the floor even sometimes on wall if someone can identify this pest thanks

This could be a black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor; Coleoptera: Dermestidae) or a close relative. You should carefully check any carpeting that contains wool or woolen clothing for signs of beetle larvae (see http://www.insectslimited.com/Black Carpet Beetle adult & larva.jpg for an image) or their damage. If you find any signs of infestation, see http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/blk_carpet_beetle.htm for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1787 Soooo many thanks for this website!
I had a laptop computer in the corner of a closed closet for a month. I pulled it out and it was covered with these buggers crawling everywhere on and in the computer. I put the computer out in the hot sun for two days but saved a couple specimens. Since clearing them from the computer, I've not seen them return to the computer or the closet. The photos were taken under a 60x and 200x microscope. The bugs appear to be smaller than a millimeter. I was guessing they're some type of mite feeding on the dead skin probably in the keyboard. I'm particularly concerned that I should do something to ensure they aren't still in the closet.
More thanks, Topher

These are mites, but exactly what kind is uncertain. They do not appear to be dust mites (Dermatophagoides spp. - see http://www.catnmore.com/images/HouseDustMite.jpg), a ubiquitous houseguest worldwide, but do bear a superficial resemblance to those in the genus Tyrophagus - see http://www-dev.hgca.com/images/upload/LEPIDO~1.jpg for an image. Members of this genus can be found feeding on a variety of organic material such as flour, cheese, moulds, etc.; if a mite specialist could step in here, I would be most grateful. Regardless of their specific identity, giving your equipment a good clean (vacuuming, compressed air) and lowering the relative humidity in storage areas should help control them. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1786 These are in large numbers in my yard in San Antonio, TX. Can anyone identify them? Are they beneficial or should they be controlled? Thanks.

These are bordered plant bugs (Largus succinctus; Hemiptera: Largidae). They are general feeders on many species of plants, but seldom cause any serious injury. Like boxelder bugs, they can become nuisance pests when they occur in large numbers around homes. See http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg60.html for more information on this species. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1785 Hi, I am from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. We live on an acreage and I found this "big guy" on our deck almost crawling into our house (thank goodness for screen doors!). It appears to have damage on the one side of his body and his legs are rather hairy looking...Does anyone know what it is? Thanks so much, Amanda

What a wonderful find - I haven’t seen one of these in years! It is one of our continent’s largest predaceous diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), either in the genus Cybister or Dytiscus (the key characters separating these genera cannot be seen in this image). Both adults and larvae (often called ‘water tigers’) are voracious predators on small aquatic life; there are at least 150 species of dytiscids known from Alberta - see http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/natural/insects/bugsfaq/diving.htm . Your specimen appears to have suffered considerable damage; possibly by a bird or small mammal. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1784 Hello, I am a Canadian living in Switzerland. Over the past couple of weeks, I have found these creatures crawling from and to the cracks under the bath tub, usually one or two at a time. To be honest I have been pretty content just killing them :-< but recently I found a couple of these bugs on my bed! As I took off the sheets for cleaning, I found these two on the mattress!!! You can imagine how disgusting this feels...I have no idea how they got there nor what they are: I have looked at every single photo on this site (up to photo 1000) and my best guess is silverfish however they lack the characteristic tails. I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me what they are and what they were doing on my mattress (have they travelled from the bathroom to the bedroom?). I realize the photo is a bit out of focus but this is really the best I could do: the general shape is right, I can also tell you they have 4 legs in the front and the stripes are yellow-orange in color while the body is more brown. They also move very fast. Please help! Karim
Rather than silverfish, these look more like the larvae of black carpet beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) or relatives in the genus Attagenus - see http://www.margarets.com/fashionablecarefiles/insectsweb/carpet_beetle_LarveAdult.jpg for an image of larvae and an adult. Also, see http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7436.html for a fact sheet on carpet beetles that includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1783 Hi. I found these little bugs in my room in Northern California. They are about 3-4mm in length, have wings, and a strange thing coming out of it's butt like a stinger. I'm pretty sure it's a parasitic wasp after looking around the website, but wanted to make sure. Pictures of other parasitic wasps look different than the things in my room. I've found the ones in my room look more like ants. Sorry for the blurry picture, I hope you can tell what it is. Thank you! Julianne.
This is indeed a parasitic wasp, but the image is too fuzzy to attempt a definitive identification (there are many families of small parasitic wasps, and they vary greatly in overall appearance). If the wing venation is greatly reduced (see http://cse.naro.affrc.go.jp/konishi/wing4Ch.JPG) and they appear to ‘jump’ when taking flight, they may be in the superfamily Chalcidoidea; if several wing veins are visible (see http://tolweb.org/Braconidae), they may be in the family Braconidae. The ‘stinger’ is its egg-laying organ, called an ovipositor. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1782 This is the smaller version of the bugs we have in our kitchen and sometimes in our bathrooms they only come out at night they are in our sinks on our counters in our dishwasher on and in stoves they are gross and I want to know what they are. Sharron.
I’m afraid you have a cockroach infestation; this is a nymph of a brown-banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa - see http://www.alohatermite.com/images/supellalongipalpa.jpg for an image of all life stages. This species tends to be more difficult to control than most other cockroaches. See http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2098.html for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1781 Hello, I live in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. I found this on a carpeted floor by a bed in my spare bedroom on the second level. Bed is not often used, but did have a large dog stay at the house for a little while and she did wonder into the room on occasion. Thank you very much for your time.
Ryan Clement
This appears to be a larva of a beetle in the genus Dermestes (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), such as the larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius - see http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/HortFactSheets/factsheets/Larder Beetle.pdf for a fact sheet that includes details on its life cycle. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1780 Hi found this in my fridge I think it was in plums can you tell me what it is I live in Inverness Scotland. cheers

This is a female cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllidae); it could be in the genus Gryllus (see http://shop.pollywog.co.uk/images/gryllus_bimaculatus.jpg for an image), but depending on where the plums originated, it may or may not be a native species. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1779 Hi! I am in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I found about 10 of these little guys on my small parsley plant. It's on my apartment balcony (outdoors), in a small pot. The parsley is about 3 inches tall, and in its second growing. These little guys are long, maybe about 1 - 1.5 inches long, with "spikes", and orange spots - with a white middle. It was a super humid summer (30+C) with little rain. I first identified these as ladybug larvae, as they don't seem to be eating the plant. But they look more "wormy" to me, now. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Kimber

This appears to be a third instar larva of a black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes; Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). These larvae change their appearance dramatically during their development; see http://www.butterflygardeningandconservation.com/butterfly/st/black.php for a detailed account of their life cycle. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1778 We are in Western New York. Can you identify this insect that first appeared in our damp basement in cracked corn bird food which has been discarded.. It is now appearing in large numbers on the basement floor next to walls and a few in our bathroom tub and sink. The insect is black, about 3/16" in size, does not fly or jump. I sweep them up and spray, however, they persist. Thank you. Pat

These appear to be grain weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) such as those in the genus Sitophilus - see http://sgrl.csiro.au/storage/insects/beetles_moths/Sitophilus_species.html . You probably should inspect any whole/cracked grain or seed products in your home for signs of infestation.Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1777 We live in Southern NH and this caterpillar is all over our tree farm. I've tried to determine what species it is but to no avail. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks, Katie
I cannot see enough of the caterpillar to be certain, but it most likely is a larva of an owlet moth (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This is a very large family that includes several species of economic importance. I suggest that you take some specimens to your county office of the University of New Hampshire’s Cooperative Extension service (see http://extension.unh.edu/Counties/Counties.htm for contact information) for further assistance.

1776 Hello, I found this worm in my newly build house (Aug 2008) in Edmonton, AB, Canada. It is in my upstairs bathroom and I have found these worms about 2 weeks ago when the weather started to get warm. Please help me identify the pest. Thank you. Alan.
This is a beetle larva, but the image is too small and fuzzy to make a more specific determination. However, it does not appear to be either a wood pest or a pantry pest species. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1775 I live in Portland, Oregon. My cats found a few of these in the laundry room. It is about 3/4 inch long. Adrian
This is a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The vast majority of these beetles are general predators on other small arthropods, and thus usually considered beneficial. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1774 Hi there, I'm hoping you can tell me this is a simple house spider. He was unusually large compared to the typical spiders we see here. We found him in our basement. We live in Langley, BC & have 3 small children so I'm concerned about them running into this guy's friends. Thank you, Trudy

The photo is too blurry to be certain, but this spider most likely is in the family Agelenidae (grass/funnel web spiders - see no. 1771). They often wander far from their web, and are frequently found indoors. Large specimens are capable of inflicting a painful bite if mishandled. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1773 Hi, so hoping you can help me with this pest. We have a log home and I am concerned that maybe this fellow could do some damage. Would appreciate your help. Ann

This is not a wood pest, but appears to be one of the grain beetles in the family Sylvanidae. You should inspect all cereal-based dry food products in your pantry for signs of insect infestation, and take appropriate action if any are found. See http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7452.html for guidelines. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1772 We live in Virginia Beach Va and suspected our Dogwood tree has recently died as it did not bloom this year. Yesterday 4-12-08 was quite warm and we witnessed hundreds of these insects walking up and down the tree and on many occasions they appeared to be coupling. They appear to be part of the long horned beetle family but I am not sure. Please let me know what you think they are. Brian. This is indeed a long-horned wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), apparently in the tribe Clytini. It does not appear to be any species known to be a pest on dogwood, so its presence on your dogwood in such numbers is puzzling, especially since the tree is not blooming (many cerambycids are attracted to flowers). Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1771 What a great site.. I live in Squamish BC. I have a nice spider today in my sink , I think I let him out of the house he is so big and nice and if he shows up in the house again I hope somebody can tell me whether I should get rid of them or whether they bite me. I had in the past puncture spots 2 side by side on my leg about 1/4 inch apart and I sure hope it was not him or his friend or family member. Hans
This appears to be a grass/funnel web spider (family Agelenidae); see http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/971/20006358.JPG for an image. They often wander some distance from their webs, and may be mistaken for wolf spiders (family Lycosidaae). However, wolf spiders lack the prominent spinnerettes seen in this specimen, and have greatly enlarged anterior eyes. Large agelenids are capable of inflicting a painful bite if mishandled, but their fang marks would be considerably less than 1/4" apart. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1770 Just wondering what kind of bee this is? There are about 50 of the holes in our front garden. Thanks. Eddie
This is a bee; likely a mining bee (family Andrenidae) - see http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/52743962 for an image. Although considered solitary bees (each queen constructs her own burrow), they may seem colonial when many burrows occur in proximity to each other. Some species may be numerous enough to be valuable pollinators. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1769 Any ideas what these little boys and girls are? Spotted clambering around on a fence at White Oak Plantation, Yulee Florida. They had a great way of walking: when the one behind runs into them, they set off, until they hit the one in front, whereupon they stop. They look like ants, but I am not convinced. Would love to know. Regards, Michael

These are barklice (order Psocoptera). They are completely harmless, feeding on fungi, lichens, and other organic material found on the bark of trees. Some species will spin webs on the bark of the trees they inhabit; these serve as cover for the insects, and do not harm the tree - see http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/Barklice.htm for details. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1768 This spider was found in Kelowna, BC, Canada, about 3 inches from a window frame. Size wise, it was about an inch in size. any help is appreciated, thank you. James
This an orb-weaving spider (family Araneidae); these spiders can become quite large, and thus attract attention. However, their fangs are small in relation to their body size, and all are harmless to humans. If you scroll through the archives on this site, you will find many similar examples. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1767 This critter caught a ride in an RV come up from PA into Alberta. Can you please identify for us? Thanks. Warren. K.

Follow up: Saw your answering posting for #1731 Ed. It looks quite similar to my bugs we saw next province over on post #1292. Turns out they had come in on some old wood that we had used as a décor piece.
This is a stink bug (Hemiptera [Heteroptera]: Pentatomidae). It bears a striking resemblance to the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys; an introduced species now well established in Pennsylvania.
See http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brownmarmoratedstinkbug.htm for detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1766 Hello, now that spring is here, I sometimes see this type of spider running around in my basement (it's quite fast). It's about the size of a quarter when its legs are extended. I live in Montreal, QC. Can someone identify it please? Thank you. Fad.
This is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae); they often wander indoors while searching for prey. They are active hunters, having very good eyesight (for spiders); large specimens are capable of delivering a painful bite if mishandled. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1765 Hello, I'm wondering if someone can help identify this bug for me. It can be found year round. (On every level of my home, but more so in the basement.) I live in Winnipeg, MB. Canada. What is it and how can I get rid of them? - Thank you!
This is another sow bug. See the answer to # 1753

1764 I recently moved to Kingman, Arizona and have just discovered hundreds of these flying around our roses and other spring foliage. The don't appear to be aggressive or territorial. When you approach the area they are in, they seem to move away, not one has landed on me. The do make a faint buzzing if you get very close to the swarm. Just trying to figure out what they are...some sort of fly, bee or wasp? Thanks! Diane
These appear to be hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) -
see http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2005/06/08/flower-fly/. The adults can be valuable pollinators, and the larvae of many species are voracious predators on aphids. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1763 Hi. Lately I have noticed these cocoon like bugs in my hallway. They seem to have a transparent body with a dark head. Can you help me identify them? Thanks. Cynthia.

This appears to be a household casebearer (Phereoeca uterella; Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Also sometimes known as plaster bagworms, these are close relatives of clothes moths, but appear to prefer feeding on old cobwebs to munching on woolens. See http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/occas/household_casebearer.htm for much more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1762 Hi, I found this spider in our backyard. We live 40 km east of Vancouver, BC. I've never seen anything like this. It is no bigger than a 1/2 inch. Could you please tell me what it is? Thank you very much!

This is a crab spider (family Thomisidae), possibly the flower/goldenrod crab spider, Misumena vatia - see http://www.canadianarachnology.org/data/spiders/30580#image for an image and more detailed information on this species. Crab spiders are sit-and-wait ambush predators; they do not spin a capture web, but wait until potential prey items approach within grasping distance. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1761 Hi, Please let us know what type of spider this is. Found in Southern Ontario (April 2008) on a blind (2cm pleats) in our kitchen. Feel free to post this on your site, which we find very helpful. Thank you, Michael & Lori
This appears to be a nursery web spider (family Pisauridae) in the genus Pisaurina - see http://www.canadianarachnology.org/data/canada_spiders/images/habitus/Pisaurina_mira.jpg for an image. Like their close relatives the wolf spiders, these spiders sometimes are found indoors where they have wandered in search of food. Basically harmless to humans, large specimens can deliver a painful bite if mishandled. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1760 I found these in the cupboards of my apartment. Are they evidence of some type of pest or am I being paranoid? MCG
Difficult to say what this is - did you try cutting it open? It might be of either insect or fungal origin. If you have not done so already, you may want to break open this structure just to be sure that it is not an atypical/incipient termite tube. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1759 Hi, From the screams of my fiancée, we found this spider on the basement wall. We live in Ottawa, Ontario. I have tried to find the spider online, but no success. Sorry about the poor photos, I tried to take photos without our good friend escaping. If you could identify this spider, it would be much appreciated. Thanks, Kim
This appears to be a parson spider (Herpyllus ecclesiasticus; Araneida: Gnaphosidae);
See http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/imgdown.cfm?img=2154065&res=3 for an image. They commonly are found indoors where they have wandered in search of prey; they are active hunters that do not spin capture webs. Bites from this spider usually are of no consequence, but a few people have reported localized swelling and itching at the bite site. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1758 This spider picture was taken by my daughter who lives in Northeast Mississippi. She tried doing a search to find out what kind of spider it is but was unsuccessful. Thanks for any help on identifying it. Hazel
This appears to be a male southern black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) that has lost some of its legs; see http://www.cirrusimage.com/Lynette/black_widow_001.jpg for an intact specimen and http://www.cirrusimage.com/spider_black_widow.htm for more detailed information on this species. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1757 I saw this little guy in the woods behind our house. We live in Middle Tennessee.

On close inspection, he has the body shape and legs like a tick. And I got that "Ick a tick!!" feeling when I saw him. But he wasn't sleek like a tick. His body looked soft. Any ideas? Thanks! Vickie fowler
This could be a velvet mite in the genus Allothrombium (Acari: Trombidiidae); see http://www.insectimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=2167022 for an image. These mites are predaceous on other small arthropods, such as scale insects and spider mites. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1756 Is this a larder beetle and how should I get rid of them? Lorrie

This is indeed a larder beetle (Dermestes lardarius; Coleoptera: Dermestidae. See no. 1733 for another example, and http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2119.html for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1755 Hi,I have attached 2 pictures of an insect for identification please! It measures approx 25mm in length, and was found in Ireland. He resembles the Devils Coach Horse Beetle a bit but I don’t think he is exactly the same. I would appreciate any help with the identification, Kind Regards, Dr. Brenda Lennon, Executive Chemist, Public Analyst's Laboratory, Galway.

This appears to be a large ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) that has had its wings removed by someone/something.
See http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/beetles/ground beetle 2.jpg for an image of an intact specimen. The vast majority of ground beetles are predaceous on other small arthropods, and thus usually considered beneficial. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1754 Hi there, I live in New York City in a small studio apartment. Recently I have been afflicted with bugs that bite in the night and have not been able to find any evidence of any bug that resembles a bedbug. This bug in the picture is the only type I have found. I have seen about 10 of them. I sleep in a wooden loft bed and have found them there in proximity to my mattress. Any ideas what it might be? I have been getting bitten regularly. Thank you! Cyrus.
This is a larva of a carpet beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), which would not be responsible for any bites. They feed on a very wide variety of animal-derived products, including hair, fur, hides (such as taxidermy specimens), wool, silk, accumulations of dead insects, etc.; they may even attack some dried food products in pantries.
See http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. As for bed bugs, because of their secretive habits and nocturnal feeding, they may be difficult to detect until an infestation becomes extensive. See http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef636.asp for detailed information on these pests. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

1753 Since the warming trend started we have these bugs mostly in our carpet down stairs and they like to crawl under things on the floor most we find are dead and many are alive, the story by the lady in Saskatoon and then moved to Calgary fits our bugs description, I am enclosing two photo's one with the bug upside down and one right side up, our carpet is a light brown and they are hard to see on this carpet., the carpet has a very short nap. What are they? and how do you control them? we have been spraying Household Raid along the base boards. Larry, Moosomin, Sask.

Yes, these are sow bugs, the same as # 1748. Spraying pesticides will only kill the ones you see but they will continue to invade your space until you correct the cause: too much moisture. Read more about sow bugs.

1752 We live in Australia in a tropical climate and have found a nest under our dining table. We are not sure how long it has been there. We just noticed parts of it fallen onto the chair below. We would like to know what it might be before touching it... Any help will be appreciated.. Danielle and Ben.
These are ‘nests’ made by solitary wasps, most likely spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) - see http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_wasps/Palmdart.htm, although nests of some potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; subfamily Eumeninae) can appear quite similar - see http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_wasps/Eumeninae.htm. Although they can sting if mishandled, they are not aggressive like some social wasps. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV

1751 Our family was camping at Blomidon Provincial Park in Nova Scotia when we noticed these flies. They only really appeared around the site when we were cooking and would even sit on the spoon while we were stirring, but they never seemed to touch the food and didn't appear to have any interest in biting us. Would like to know who our cooking buddies were. Loretta
The photo is too fuzzy for a definitive i.d.; this could belong to one of several families, including snipe flies (Rhagionidae; see http://www.cirrusimage.com/Flies/snipe_fly4.jpg for an image) and stiletto flies (Therevidae; see http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/adults/gif/there1c.adu.gif for an image). If you encounter them again, try to get a clearer photo. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.