|
| |
Pest Identification Photos
#401 to 500:
What is this pest?
|
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.
e-mail your answers
|
|
|
|
This space reserved for
your pest photo |
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
or answers to:
webmanager@pestcontrolcanada.com
|
|
|
Click on the photos to enlarge. They are usually much clearer.
|
#500 Hello! what a great website! i live just outside of Detroit,
Michigan.
this little guy flew up at me one night inside my bathroom, and in my
fright, i squished him. looks like he might have come out of my floor vent
(the furnace register). then, i found another one just like this one,
lurking near another vent in an adjacent room only a day or so later (but
none since then - about a month ago). i THINK it could be similar to #242,
#234, #334 (but without the copper body part), #305, or #473 - the antennae
are short though and the body is completely black (so i think it is not a
kissing bug). looks like it has four wings, black body (no red on the body
at all), about 2cm long (including the wings), and it made a satisfying
'crunch' sound when i squished it. any help in identifying would be
appreciated. just let me know if you think it could be a biting/stinging
insect - thanks! Constance.
This
appears to be another assassin bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), the same
information provided for no. 499 applies.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
|
#499 I am trying to identify this bug. I have found several in my
Milwaukee, Wisconsin house recently. They seem to be coming in through my
window frames. I always find them near my kitchen sink or occasionally in
the bathtub. They seem kind of clunky, slow moving and are really easy to
catch.
This leads me to believe they really are at home in the soil or on a plant.
They are all over brownish-black and look like they might have wings that
are tight against the body, however, I have never seen one fly. Why are they
coming inside? Is this some kind of tree bug? We have some extremely large
pine trees nearby. Peg
|
#498 I hope you can identify this tiny insect for me. I have searched and
cannot discover the name nor any information about this insect. I live in
Hampton, Iowa. This insect was found in the Northern part of Iowa in early
June. The insect floated past me and landed on my vehicle door while I
happened to be taking pictures of the landscape. I shot a quick macro zoom
shot of it and it immediately flew (drifted?) away. It looked like a fluff
of cottonwood "cotton" as it flew/drifted away. I have only seen these
insects one other time, and did not have a camera ready, so this time I was
extremely lucky. The black "line" in the photograph is the crack where my
vehicle door meets the frame. I measured it at .218 inches, so the "body"
of the insect is approximately one tenth of an inch across. I did not even
see that the insect has wings until I viewed the picture on the computer
screen. I don't know if this insect is a pest, but I would like to know
it's name and a little more about it. Thank you. Sincerely, Steve,
Hampton, Iowa
This appears to be
a wooly aphid (Homoptera: Eriosomatidae), and they can appear quite
ethereal in nature as they drift through the air. Like other aphids and
their close cousins, the adelgids, they are sap feeders, and some species
can be serious pests. Some species also form galls on their host plants,
and many have complicated life histories involving alternation of
generations on differing host plant species. See
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e453woollyaphid.html
for a fact sheet.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
|
#497 This is a worm that
I've just noticed crawling around the outside of my house. It is fairly
small in diameter, but when I noticed it, there was a full 12" sticking out
of the ground (this is a picture of the last 3"). It has a flat head &
seems to search blindly when on the move. Christy
From your
description and the image, this could be a terrestrial planarian
(flatworm), such as Bipalium kewense, an introduced species
that preys on earthworms. See
http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/bipalium_kewense.htm
for an image, and http://cals.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/pdf/Nov03.pdf
for more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
|
#496 We live in New York City, on the third floor of an apartment
building with "weed trees" behind one window and a dumpster under the other
one. Usually we know it's summer when the fruit flies invade, but this year
instead of fruit flies our apartment has been infested by these tiny flying
beetles. They are only about 1-1.5 mm in length, with brown bodies and red
heads. When distressed they roll up like sow bugs. Every night exactly at
dusk dozens of them swarm through the insulation between my windows and
start crawling up towards the ceiling. They also seem to be living in the
rubber gasket around the window panes as well. They are nocturnal and fairly
easy to catch since they are attracted to the color white and don't move
very fast, preferring to crawl rather than fly. No matter how fast we vacuum
them up, in a few minutes the kitchen is full of them again. WHAT THE HECK
ARE THEY and how can we get rid of them? They don't bite but they're driving
us nuts. In this picture, the top one is on his back, the middle one is on
his tummy, and the bottom one is on his side.
This is just a
guess, but these beetles may be in the family Anobiidae. Most members of
this family are wood-borers as larvae, but a few are pests of dried
vegetable products, including tobacco and spices. See
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/stored/cigarette_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes images. You might try submitting specimens
to your nearest county office of the Cornell University Cooperative
Extension Service for assistance in identification and control
recommendations. See
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/countyMap.php
for contact information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
|
#495 Here is a picture of
a BEAUTIFUL moth that i took last summer. It sat for this photo and didn't
shy away at all! I took several pictures, but the rest are buried on a disc
somewhere. This was also found in Clarksburg, WV. "He" measured probably
between two and three inches in length. What is he and is he common enough
that I'll be lucky to see him again in my lifetime? Thanks!!!
Danny L. - Clarksburg, WV
I cannot be
absolutely certain, but this appears to be a royal or regal moth
(Lepidoptera: Citheroniidae), a family closely related to the
Saturniidae (giant silk moths). Several of these moth species have
become scarce in portions of their ranges because of habitat (forest)
modification and as unintended victims of spraying programs. Their
larvae feed on the leaves of several tree species, but seldom become
abundant enough to cause substantial damage.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd
recognize that beauty anywhere. I see many of them every year in GA, AL, and
NC. It is a Citheronia regalis - a moth commonly called both the Royal Walnut
moth or the Regal moth - both names are accepted. The larvae is a very intense
looking caterpillar that earned the common name, Hickory Horned Devil. From the
look of your photo, the moth appears to probably be a female, as females are
much more plump than the slender males, and also have broader wings. J.D.
Roberts, Entomologist
|
 
#494
I've seen one of these before about 15 years ago need to identify.
I'm holding it on my finger it is about a third of the size of the last one
that I saw. (about 3/4 of an inch in length not including wings). It
was not concerned about me at all just crawled around on my hand and then it
was gone got more pics if you are interested. I live 30 miles west of Ottawa
in a small community called ashton. Many ponds and hay fields around my
house not sure were to start looking for more. Are they an endangered
species, are they able to sting or are they just a type of mantis. Any help
or info on the little fellow would be great. Thanks in advance Brent
Thomas.
This is a
mantidfly (Neuroptera: Mantispidae). They superficially resemble a preying
mantis, but are in an entirely different order. They are harmless to humans,
but are voracious predators on other small arthropods. The larvae feed
primarily on the egg sacs of ground-dwelling spiders.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
 #493
My kids found these bugs
swimming in a bucket of standing water outside our house and wonder what
they are. They were found July 14th in Clarksburg, WV.
Notice the striped body, large
head, and "furry" areas at the base of the head and the tip of the
"tail". There are probably about a hundred of them swimming in a shallow
level of water and the largest of them is about 1/4 inch long. Hope this
will help! Thank you in advance for your help! Danny L. - Clarksburg
WV
These are
mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae), likely in the genus Aedes.
Several species in this genus as well as some in the genus Culex
commonly are found in water-filled containers such as these. I have
found them in just about anything that will hold water, including tin
cans, buckets, styrofoam cups, old tires, wrecked automobiles and
discarded commodes, just to name a few. If you don’t wish the company of
adult mosquitoes, I suggest that you and empty that bucket and seek out
and empty any other containers on your property.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
 
#492 Hi there, here's one for the bug people; put your
eye-piece in Dr. Saugstad! I live in Calgary and spotted these tiny eggs,
~1mm long on ~1cm long stalks, hanging on the underside of an arm-sized
willow tree branch. A sort of double-column patch about 8cm in length.
See the pocket-knife picture for scale and orientation. I enjoyed trying
my new camera out on them, they are a tough customer to image, they
vibrated like tuning forks. 10 days later out pops some nasty-looking
characters, jaws half as long as the rest of the body. There are now some
extra strands of silk strung between the old stalks and now-empty egg
casings. I'm hoping they are a made-to-order predator for the weevils
killing this tree! Thanks and contact me for more photos of these Tiny
Monsters. Jeff M.
Hi Jeff, very nice pictures of eggs and
larvae of lacewings. These insects are in the Order Neuroptera and the
family Chrysopidae. I'm sure you have seen the adults (check out the
links). The larvae as you suspected rightfully are predators of other
(pest) insects. The only bad news is that they will not be able to eat
adult weevils, because their body armor is too thick, but all the soft
bodied insects like Aphids or caterpillars have to watch out. Here are
some useful links:
http://www.insectary.com/lw/lacewing.htm ;
http://www.rinconvitova.com/lacewing.htm ;
http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/laceid.htm
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff's excellent photos made this one a snap. These are indeed
predators, namely lacewings (order Neuroptera; likely in the family
Chrysopidae). Unfortunately for this tree, they are feeders on
soft-bodied insects, such as aphids, and not on weevils. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#491 Hello again, we have found several of these bugs in our home in
Edmonton over the years, in all seasons. I have found them in the kitchen
from time to time, but mostly in the living room by the heat register. I
know it's a common beetle, but I'd like to know what they are and what they
eat so I can get rid of whatever is attracting them to our home. Thanks!
Have a great day! Jan
These are larder beetles
(Dermestes lardarius; Coleoptera: Dermestidae). They will infest a wide variety
of pantry items (primarily those of a proteinaceous nature), and will also feed
on any accumulations of dead insects. See no. 408 and 363 as well as
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/larder_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes control measures. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
 
#490
From my brief online research, I want
to say it's a BLISTER BEETLE, but I cannot find information about blister
beetles in the Moncton-area of New Brunswick. They are massing on the blooms
of the lupines in one area of the yard, and seemingly absent from other
lupine areas within the same 1/4 acre--even though they are quite flighty.
In addition to identification, I want to know: the targets (in addition to
lupines) and extent of damage they can do, whether they should be and if so
how they can be environmentally safely controlled.
Thank you.
--Lynn & Michael
This indeed
appears to be a blister beetle (Coleoptera: Meloidae). The adults feed on a
wide variety of plants (and some species definitely favour legumes – which
include lupines) whereas the larvae are predaceous/parasitic, often feeding
on grasshopper egg masses, and therefore could be considered beneficial.
Usually, control on ornamentals is not necessary, but if they are causing
enough damage for you to be concerned, you can either hand-pick them (use
gloves), dropping them into a bucket of water with detergent added), or
apply the least toxic pesticide registered for home/garden use that you can
locate. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV |
#489 Hi, I live in Maple
Ridge BC (Vancouver area). Could somebody tell me what is this? It's about 1
inch long and shows up at night (in great numbers- looks like an
invasion...) . I think that is the first time I noticed this "moth?"
in my area. Thank you. I.S.
This appears to be a moth in the family
Noctuidae, the largest family (in terms of number of species) in the order
Lepidoptera. It includes several species of economic importance, including
armyworms and the corn earworm. These moths often are attracted to lights at
night; species such as this one often are referred to as ‘moth millers’ or
‘miller moths.’ Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#488
Hey there. My
daughter found this guy (gal?) crawling through the grass while we were
visiting my brother in Kernersville, North Carolina. It appears to my
untrained eyes to be some sort of large isopod. I’ve tried a couple of
searches on the web, but I’ve come up empty, so I’m hoping someone can
satisfy my curiosity. Thanks, Troy, Colorado Springs, CO
What a lovely millipede! This one appears
to be in the order Polydesmida, the so-called ‘flat’ or ‘flat-backed’ millipedes
(although not all members of this order are truly flat – see no. 484). Ones with
bright colors often give off a defensive secretion that includes a cyanide
compound when disturbed. To check on this, simply pick one up and gently sniff
it. If you detect an almond-like odor, yours is one of the cyanide secretors.
Not enough is given off to harm a human, but other small arthropods may be
killed/incapacitate if kept in a small container with one or more of these
millipedes. They primarily are detritus feeders in moist woodland habitats.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#487
I live in Northern
New Jersey, USA. This critter is a medium sized one about the circumference
of a can of soda. (that's tips of legs around... not body) We've had larger
and smaller... fortunately.. I was able to get a picture of this one before
the cat's did any more damage. I tried to get another... but the cat's seem
to think they are a treat and eat them. We call them, The Creepy, Crawly,
Hoppy, Jumpy ,Bouncy Things... They resemble a part spider... part
grasshopper. They even seem to chase you and if you swat at them... hop a
great distance. Anyone know what they are or any info. on them? They seem
to be immune to any kind of house insect spray. Thanks for any help.
This appears to be a so-called ‘camel
cricket’ or ‘cave cricket’ (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae; subfamily
Rhaphidophorinae). In nature, they frequent damp, dark places, including
hollow trees, under rocks, and caves. However, they may invade storage
buildings, crawlspaces, basements, garages and indoor areas where moisture
may be a problem (such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.). Although
primarily a nuisance pest, if undisturbed populations build up indoors, they
can damage some stored items, such as garments and other cloth packed in
boxes in a garage or basement, if the crickets cannot otherwise find
suitable food (primarily detritus of plant origin). See
http://entweb.clemson.edu/cuentres/eiis/pdfs/hs21.pdf
for a fact sheet that includes control
recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#486 I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and recently we've been
encountering a lot of humidity, and thus, insects. I don't usually have
problems identifying them (nor do I typically care about insects), but these
things are really becoming an issue. We're in a 90 year old house, and I
worry that the few (maybe 10) we've killed in the last few weeks are not all
that we'll see... If anyone can ID them, that would be excellent. in this
picture, there are 3 all in different stages of growth, the smallest is
about 1/2cm in length, the largest is about 1-1.25cm in length. The long
dark one has a white underside as well.
These have been found ONLY on the kitchen floor, under the stove and fridge
and around the cat food dish. Also, any thoughts on their destruction would
be good to know as well. Thanks! Moses.
These are larvae of dermestid beetles;
apparently representing at least two different species. These are common
household pests that can infest a wide variety of organic material, from dry
foodstuffs (including dry pet food) to woolen fabrics and hides/furs. I
suggest that you check all infestible food items in your pantry for signs of
infestation, discarding anything that you find infested. Then keep all such
material (pasta, dry cereal, flour, etc.) in sealable plastic containers or
under refrigeration. See
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05501.pdf for
a fact sheet that includes control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 #485
We first discovered these insects on
a grape bush, but since then we have found them on elm trees, our bamboo
fence, a couple of cactus', a willow tree, etc. I believe they may be
aphids...? However, I cannot conform if they have cornicles, or not. Any
help that you can give would be very appreciated! Thanks for your time.
Jessica. Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
This is just a guess, but they may be nymphs of lace bugs (Hemiptera:
Tingidae). I suggest that you take some specimens to your county office of
the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service for assistance
in identification as well as any necessary control measures. See
http://spectre.nmsu.edu/county/county.html?i=Bern
for contact information. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 #484
Sir, I am attaching a photo of the millipedes I have invading my
apartment. I moved in on May 23, 2005, and have been dealing with these
critters since. I did find a site with a picture of the same millipede - and
they identified it as Polydesmida, but I found other sites which pictured a
different millipede by the same name. (aka the flat-backed millipede.) So, I
am submitting my photos in the hopes we can confirm this millipedes
identity. Once I have an ID, then I can try to find information about
possible effects of my cats eating these critters. Thank you for any
assistance. Jason
This does appear to be a
Polydesmid millipede. Although collectively called “flat-backed,” some of
these such as in the genus Oxidus (for an image see
http://www.bioterium.com.br/bioterium/animais/Diplopodos/Imagens/OxilusGracilis.jpg
) are not completely flat in cross-section. BTW, the genus Oxidus includes some species that can be pests on tender greenhouse plants
and that will invade homes to some extent.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV. |
  #483
I
live in northeastern Massachusetts. found this on the tree.
first one flew into the teens face, she thought it
was wasp and going to sting her. I have asked others, they all sent me
pics of a parasitic wasp. BUT i notice things that are similar but NOT the
same.. on the wasp, the wings attach at the back part of the first body
part, on the one that i have, the wings attach right at the neck nearly.
The heads are different sizes.. on ours the head is small, on the wasp,
its as wide as the next body segment. Also, these that we got, have
a *scorpion* like rear. They seem to spin? or stretch a leafy green
membrane? it looks like a leaf section from a distance. and they wave it
back and forth and up and down.. then suddenly its gone.. and ONE of the
long things behind them is sticking in a wood pecker hole.. they are not
aggressive at all..
Josephine & Heather,
This is a large
ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) that specializes in
parasitizing the larvae of wood-boring wasps (see no. 469 for another
example). The long ‘tail' you see is actually the ovipositor of the female
wasp. She uses this to bore through the wood into the tunnels made by the
wood wasp larvae. The green membrane is formed by the stretching of the
intersegmental membrane between the terminal abdominal segments as the
female works her ovipositor into the wood. For more information on these
insects, see
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/Images/Hymenoptera/megarhyssa.html.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #482
These are pictures of a very small bug
that is literally all throughout our house.
I find them mostly in the bathroom
around and in the shower but they're not limited to the bathroom. I have
seen them outside so I think they are coming in from outside. Sometimes we
don't see any for a while, then when you think they're gone they return. I
don't think they bite because we've never been bitten by them. They
all seem to be about 0.5mm in length and are skinny. We live in Hawaii on
one of the smaller islands and our local Orkin man couldn't identify them.
He thinks they might be food borne but I've seen them outside. They're
dark brown with two sections and three sets of legs. Oh, and they crunch
when you squish them with the back of your fingernail. I would love
to know what they are and how we might get them out of the house.
Thanks you in advance for any information you can provide. The
Gaspers
I suspect that this beetle
could be in the family Cucujidae (see
http://members.optushome.com.au/davidavid/tribolium.jpg
for an image). Although this family includes some stored products pests,
your specimen does not resemble any of these species that I am familiar
with. I suggest that you contact the appropriate office of the University
of Hawaii Cooperative Extension program for further assistance – see
http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/extout/extout.asp
for links. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #481
Hi; My daughter found this spider in the bathroom of our house in Waterloo,
Southern Ontario. It is small (1cm) and black with three yellow spots on its
back. Regards, Richard
This appears to
be Phidippus audax, the bold jumping spider (see
www.cirrusimage.com/ spider_bold_jumping.htm for more
images). This is one of the largest jumping spiders in North America, and
can give a painful nip if mishandled. See no. 453 for another species in
this family.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
|
Would you like to be part of the pest management industry?
See the
Classified
Employment Ads.
For pest management employers
and job seekers |
|
|
 #480
This guy was in the pool yesterday -
thank GOD I wasn't in with it!! My daughter Julia found it and put it in a
margarine container and then told me that she had a baby chipmunk to show
me...so that she could get me to look at it. It made it worse when I
thought I was going to see something cute only to look at this..The good
thing is that the pool water is so clear and clean that they saw it right
away - well, how could you not!! It was dead but floating with all its legs
spread out to it was nearly the size of the margarine container lid.
Is this a wolf spider? Thanks, Leslie
My best guess
is that this is a wolf spider that accidentally fell/wandered into your
pool, but I will defer to Jacob Duarte for a more definitive diagnosis. At
any rate, it does not appear to be a species of any importance to human
health. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#479 Vancouver, Canada.
I just finished mowing the lawn and was walking on the cement when I
stepped on the snake by accident because i didn't see it. It just slithered
into the corner were it just stayed there. I just wanted to know if anyone
knows if this snake is poisonous or not. John
This is a garter snake (family Colubridae). I
cannot tell for certain from the photograph, but I think that it most likely is
the common garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. They feed primarily on amphibians
and earthworms, taking an occasional mouse or small fish as well. Generally
considered harmless to humans, there are reports in the literature of some
people experiencing a mild reaction to a bite from on, and these only when the
snake held on for a protracted period of time. I have been bitten by them on
several occasions, and never have noticed any ill effects. Their primary
defense when mishandled is to release a very foul-smelling secretion from their
anus. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An interesting tidbit about garter snakes…..tadpoles are attracted to them and
will follow a “swimming” garter snake en masse..which the snake usually turns
around and snakes one up to eat, and if hungry enough will grab more because the
tadpoles are oblivious to their predicament. The only time I had seen this was
at Frater Lake in NE Washington. This school of tadpoles literally followed the
garter snake wherever it went, even if the snake was a foot or two ahead of
them. The tadpoles were of the pacific tree frog. Craig Baker
|
#478 Hi we live in
Victoria BC and we found this bug walking across our hardwood floor. Our
house sits on a crawl space that is dirt floor but covered in plastic. Is
this some sort of ant or termite? We have never seen anything like it
before. Thanks. John
This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera:
Staphylinidae). They differ from most beetles in having very short wing
covers (elytra) and a very flexible abdomen. For the most part, they are
considered beneficial, as they are general predators on a wide variety of
other small arthropods. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
This is a Rove beetle or Staphylinidae. They are
preying on other insects and are only accidently found in houses.
http://www.people.ku.edu/~vlad/Resources.htm
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#477 We live in Vancouver British Columbia and this is the
second one of these creatures we've come across crawling in our living room.
At first I thought they were pillbugs, however, they have longer appendages,
really long antenna, and move fast. Their belly is silver in colour and
smooth. It was about a centimeter in length and not very wide.. If you
could let us know what it is and what this means about our place....Thanks!
Miep
This appears to be a silverfish or firebrat (order
Thysanura) – see numbers 424 and 425 for other examples. These primitive
insects thrive under moist conditions and can be minor household pests. They
seldom do any substantial damage, but cause annoyance by their presence. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2108.html
for a fact sheet that includes preventive and control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
If the insect was silver-white, it is
a silverfish, in the picture it looks more brownish, which could be a
firebrat
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/firebrat.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7475.html
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#476 I found these little insects crawling around underneath my
clock radio on my night stand. I've also found them on a duffle bag on the
wood floor in the same room and a couple on some clothing in the closet of
the same room. Are these booklice? In the picture with the letter A's on it,
those letters are 12-point Times New Roman and Courier New, which should
give some idea of the insects' size. Thanks for your help! Garvey,
Charlotte, NC
This appears to a booklouse
(Psocoptera: Liposcelidae). They most commonly are found in dusty
environments with relatively high temperatures and high humidity that favor
the growth of molds that constitute their primary food source. I often
encountered these insects in the infrequently disturbed stacks in the bowels
of the Purdue University library. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
Yes
this is a booklouse. They like a humid environment and they are often found
near electrical devices like stereos and TV sets, because they accumulate
dust.... Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois |
#475 We live in Ottawa,
Canada. Recently over the past few weeks, we've come across these
bugs. It seems that we always see them in the kitchen around the vicinity of
the sink and cupboards. Also, we never see any during the day, just at
night. Any help would be appreciated on how to combat this problem and to
help identify what they are...hopefully not cockroaches! Thanks in
advance, Michael
Unfortunately, this is a cockroach – if it is a
large one (more than 30 mm long), it likely is in the genus Periplaneta that
includes the American cockroach among others. For a fact sheet that includes
control recommendations see
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/amer_cockroach.htm
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
Sorry to say, it looks like a cockroach. We live in
roach country (New Orleans, LA). We get them big and bigger. If you don't
mind some advice from the long-suffering: Bag up all your food, then clean
and spray the area. Don't leave food in the dog or cat dish overnight.
They're going for the food. If you have a door to the side of your kitchen,
you might want to think about a screen door. Good luck! Mo.
I'm
afraid to disappoint, but this is definitely a cockroach. Looks like a native
species.. probably a Wood Roach. These
are rarely found in homes in urban centres and probably never in apartments.
Your home is probably in a wooded area. Best solution is sealing and keeping
them out. These are not uncommon in cottages. Sam Bryks, M.Sc. B.C.E.,
Manager, Environmental Health Services,
Integrated Housing Services,
Toronto, Ontario
This is indeed a nice cockroach. Major cleaning necessary, then
spray some stuff or boric acid powder where they like to hide. Keep food in
sealed containers and trash can empty. Avoid water leaks. Rattus
That's
definitely a cockroach; in fact, it resembles the tropical strand that I've seen
in Puerto Rica and brazil. it's much bigger than any cockroach you usually find
in the northern USA and Canada. Fern
Unfortunately, you
have answered your own question posted as to the identification of this insect.
It is indeed a “cockroach”. Likely that being
“German” cockroach species.
Danny Martin, Supervisor ,Environmental Health
|
#474 Please identify this insect. We found it on the wall, of our
apartment in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 2005/06/15, 9:35PM. It has no
segmentation, spots on the body, is mostly flat, and seems to have pores on
it's body. It has 6 legs and antennae. My fiancée thinks it's a bed bug, but
I'm not sure it's some sort of tick or beetle. Ceyshe'
Although the photo is unclear, its
appearance is consistent with it being a lady beetle (Coleoptera:
Coccinellidae). The vast majority of lady beetles are considered beneficial
because they feed primarily on pest insects such as aphids and scale
insects. A very few (such as the Mexican bean beetle) are plant feeding
‘black sheep,’and some may occur indoors in such numbers as to be considered
pests. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hse-fact/1030.html
and
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/lady/
for some lady beetle images. If after viewing these you believe that your
specimen is something else, please take another photo showing the dorsal
(upper) side of the insect, and submit it to this site.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#473
Hi there; My
daughter was bitten by this bug and the bite was relatively large. Luckily
no huge reaction but it was painful. We live in Fergus, Ontario which is
about 20 KM north of Guelph. The bug was found inside our house but I
suspect it originated outside. We live on the edge of the town with large
maple trees surrounding our property. Thanks
for your help. Concerned
parent.
This appears to be a
nymph of a large assassin bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). They are general
predators on other small arthropods, but some tropical/subtropical species
feed on human blood and can transmit a protozoal disease (Chagas’ disease)
to humans. However, although some species in Canada can give a painful
‘bite,’ none are of any real medical importance. Your specimen undoubtedly
did wander indoors accidentally. See
http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/CritterFiles/casefile/thumbs/wheelnymph.jpg
for an image of a nymph of the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus),
the largest reduviid likely to occur in your area.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#472
Hi, we found
this in the soil beside our home on the southern gulf island, Gabriola
Island, BC. It’s quite common. We think it’s a moth pupa?
But which one? If it isn’t a moth pupa, is this
critter going to beneficial or not? Thanks, Penny and Tina
From its size and location (in
soil), I suspect that this most likely is the pupa of a moth in the family
Noctuidae. This is a very large family that includes several species of
economic importance (mainly the so-called army worms). For a more definitive
identification, you might try keeping one or more of these pupae on some
soil in a glass/plastic jar with air holes in its lid, and when a moth
emerges, take a photo and post it on this site.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
Our parents kill these all the time they call them lilly beetles found on
day lillys? Paul, Uk
|
#471 Please identify this spider.
It lives in our shed that is over 100
ft back from our house, in a wooded area at the edge of the East Don Ravine
in Toronto Ontario. I'd say it's at least 3 inches total in length.
Thanks! Kristyn.
That is definitely some
kind of Tangle weaver, but it's much bigger than any of the species I've
seen. The species, however, that most resembles it would be the Cob Web
spider. But, as I said before, that spider is much larger than any I've seen
of the Tangle Weaver family.
Jacob Duarte,
aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would like to see some more photos showing
different views of this spider. It does not look like any Theridiid with which I
am familiar, and although I am inclined to think that it might be an Agelenid or
Araneid, I am not really comfortable with either choice at this time.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We see these quite often in our cottage on
Manitulin. The locals call them Hard Wood spiders. The first one I saw was the
largest one I've seen yet. It was sitting on a 2x4 board, and it's width
spanned the 4" (actually 3 and 3/4 ") side of the board. It's length was
longer than 4". Margaret.
|
#470 I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia and today I found an odd little
cluster near my door. It turns out that it was a ball of little spiders. I
have never seen these here before. What are they and are they nasty in any
way? Steve
The problem with pictures
of baby spiders is that some species develop thier more distinctive markings
later in life, luckily this isn't one of these spieces. In fact I saw a
couple of these guys in my backyard just two days ago. They are known as
Pyramid Orb-Weavers called so because of the black marking on the abdomen.
-Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suspect that these may be
spiderlings of an orb-weaver, such as Argiope spp. or Araneus spp. (see
http://www.nicksspiders.com/nicksspiders/spiderlings.jpg
for an example).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
The same thing in UK the boys love them fascinating.
Paul, UK
|
#469 I am in North Bay Ontario. I discovered these "nesting" inside
holes that were made by a woodpecker in my maple tree. I can't find anything
anywhere about these things. Some are all black, some have the yellow
on them. Some of the larger ones are 'blowing' green discs out their butts
(and can suck them back in again) some have tails, some don't. some are only
an inch long others are closer to 8 inches? Good Luck. Dawn
These are large ichneumon
wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) that specialize in parasitizing the
larvae of wood-boring wasps. The ‘tails' you see are actually the
ovipositors of the female wasps. They use these to bore through the wood
into the tunnels made by the wood wasp larvae. The ‘bubbles’ are formed by
the stretching of the intersegmental membrane between the terminal abdominal
segments as the female works her ovipositor into the wood. For more information
on these insects, see
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/Images/Hymenoptera/megarhyssa.html.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#468 We have discovered a voracious leaf eater caterpillar in our
flower garden.
About 3/4" long, white they have, in quick order, "eaten"
most leaves on ground cover
as well as the base of soft- leafed plants. Highly
unwelcomed and our concern is how to eradicate these crawlers ahead of
their complete devouring of plant life. Moreover, we are unsure if these
pests will migrate onto the lawn or into our neighbours vegetable garden
on the other side of the fence. An identification would be beneficial as
well as typical habits and control methods. R. Thibert, Newmarket,
Ontario
Could the submitter of this insect please provide a
closer view of the critter(s) in question? The image provided is simply
too small to see diagnostic characters.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#467 Hi, I live in Aurora, Ontario (just north of Toronto) and i found
two of these in my basement apartment. I think they might be cockroaches but
I certainly hope they're not...can you tell me what they are? Anthony.
Definitely not a cockroach,
but a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae). This is a very large family
with the vast majority of species (including this one) being general
predators on other small arthropods and thus deemed ‘beneficial’ by human
standards. Of course, as in many large families, there are a few black
sheep. Among carabids, these include the seed corn beetle.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#466 Hi, my
name is Donna and I live in
Barrie ON. I was wondering if you knew what kind of bug this was. I found it
outside walking along the curb in the water YUK! 2 inches long.
I would have to say that this is
a "Giant Water Bug" (Order-Hemiptera, Family-Belostomatidae). An unforgiving
predator with a nasty bite! My favorite bug! Andy Mark, Stratford,
Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is giant water bug (Hemiptera:
Belastomatidae); sometimes called ‘toe-biters’ or ‘electric light bugs.’
They are voracious predators on other small aquatic animals (mostly
insects, but occasionally including small fish). When they capture prey
with their powerful front legs, they inject enzymes that break down the
prey’s tissues so that the bug can then ingest the resulting ‘soup’
through its beak. If mishandled, they can deliver a very painful ‘bite’
with that beak.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
#465 Hi, This little guy
shows up in the summer months and appears out of no where. We have
identified a different beetle appearing in our home as a larder beetle but
cant find a match for this one. His body is about 3/16th" or 5mm not
including antennae. Roy
This appears to be a small
weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). It does not resemble any of the
species commonly associated with stored food products, and likely is an
accidental intruder in your home.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#464 I found this spider who's diameter is about the size of a coke
can crawling quickly across the ground in New Jersey. is it a wolf spider
and what is it doing and is it harmful to people? Dan
This spider looks quite a bit like a female wolf
spider. It has two large front eyes, and it carries it's egg sac which
indicates that it has no web. The problem is that there are many different
species of wolf spider so I can't give you much more information than that
printed above. This spider is not harmful to people but it's size indicates
that it could bite if handled roughly. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring
arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is indeed a female wolf spider
carrying her egg case. They usually do this until the eggs hatch, then
often carry the spiderlings about on their back for a time. Although some
of the larger species can deliver a painful bite if mishandled, they are
not aggressive, and none are dangerously venomous to humans.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
 #463
I found this little guy disguised as an apple blossom on our apple tree in
New Jersey. What is he and what does he do. (his little tentacles on
his back move) Dan
This appears to be an
‘inchworm’ caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in the genus Nematocampa.
They often are called ‘filament bearers,’ presumably because of their
rather bizarre projections of uncertain utility. In this instance at
least, they certainly help disguise its appearance as a caterpillar.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
 
#462 Found this bug flying around and running across room pretty
quickly. Its 3/4" in size. I'm in Toronto, Canada. Thanks.
Tony
This appears to be a
soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae). The adults primarily are pollen
feeders whereas the larvae are predaceous.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#461 I live in Labrador City, NL, Canada. Found this ( what looks to
be a grasshopper) in the woods while walking the ski trails. I've lived in
this area 40 years and never seen grasshoppers here before. What is it?
Tom
This
appears to be a pygmy locust (also known as pygmy grasshoppers or grouse
locusts; Orthoptera: Tetrigidae). To the best of my knowledge, none are
known to be of any real economic importance. Some species are semi-aquatic,
often being found near water into which they may leap when disturbed.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#460 I found this guy crawling around our back deck, after flying
around the light out there. By the time I had fetched the camera, it had
made its way down to the yard light, which it whacked into a few times
before falling on the sidewalk. It went pretty slow when it was crawling.
I'm afraid this picture doesn't show it that well; it was more of a shiny
green. I also saw it up close while it had its wings stuck out. It looked
like two wings on each side (plus the covers on its back. Its head and some
of the thorax stuck out quite a way from under the wing covers. I hope
someone knows what it is, because I am worried it could be one of those
"non-native" species that we hear about from time to time. Matt, Prince
Albert, SK
This
appears to be an adult stonefly (order Plecoptera). The larvae are aquatic,
usually found under stones in streams or at edges of lakes, and often
comprise an important source of food for fish. Adults of some species
readily fly to lights at night. They are completely harmless from a human
standpoint.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#459 Do
you know if the attached is a tick or a spider or what? The more I think
about it, I don’t know if it bit me or I just felt it crawling on my neck
and I smushed it into a brown streak of goo.
It was a little later that I caught one of his friends. It’s the third one I
found in a month – always on my neck. Maybe they think I’m their mommy?
Maybe I am? The tick photos I found online show 8 – not 6 - legs and
a different pattern on the back. I am in the suburbs of Albany, NY,
and while the discovery of the bugs was always inside, it was preceded by
spending ~10 minutes outdoors. Thanks, Glenn.
This is the larva of multicolored
Asian ladybug. They are considered a very beneficial insect so don't
kill them. An
average ladybug larva can eat about 500 aphids or other soft bodied prey
like caterpillars or other insect eggs. This food preference continues in
the adult beetle stage.
For more information see this web page:
Ladybugs |
#458
I live in Suffolk county New
York, I found this insect in my back yard. I just
built a new wooden swing, and slide set, and now these things are crawling
all over it. Please if anyone knows the name of this insect, and where I can
find information about it. Thank You, Mike
Like the photos above
(#459), this is the larva of the multicolored Asian lady bug. |
#457 We found this insect in Northern WI. It was crawling across our
driveway when our cat found it and was playing with it. It's 2.5" long and
stings like a scorpion with it's tail. 6 legs with two leg type feelers on
it's round head and two round prongs on the front of it's mouth that makes
one big pincher. It is extremely aggressive when poked with a stick. It's
black and it's belly is tan. Jessica.
This appears to be the larva of a predaceous
diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). See no. 438 for another example. The
larvae of some species of water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
can be quite similar in appearance. The easiest way to distinguish them is
to examine the jaws – they are quite slender and needle-like in dytiscids
and more robust with tooth-like projections in hydrophilids.
Ed Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#456 This is a very large beetle almost 2 inches long (see attached
jpg file) I found it in Johnson City Texas (central Texas). We couldn't find
it in any of the Texas bug books or online. We're not sure what type
of beetle it is, or what it eats. We live in an agricultural area, and
the climate here is pretty warm.
Would appreciate any information you can gather on this interesting
creature. Thanks, Kary
This is a female
Eastern Hercules
beetle, (Dynastes tityus;
Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), probably one of the heaviest insects in the
United States. The males have ‘horns’ protruding from their head and
prothorax (see
http://www.webcom.com/beetle/dynastes/tityus/D-tityus04.jpeg),
and the larvae develop in punky rotting wood of dead
trees, particularly deciduous hardwood species.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#455 Southern California. at least one found each day, inside the
suite. usually half dead when found.
Thanks, Bobby
This is another long-horned wood-boring
beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae); see no. 450.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
This is the Eucalyptus borer Phoracantha recurva, which is native to
Australia (so are the Eucalyptus trees). Some people consider them as a
pest in Eucalyptus trees, others consider the trees a pest and welcome the
beetle to get rid of the trees. There are two species in this genus.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PDF/PESTNOTES/pneucalyptuslonghornedborer.pdf
Martin Hauser, Department of Entomology, University of Illinois
|
#454 Hi, We live close to Milwaukee, WI, and we've been getting
this bug at our home lately. They are mostly close to our sun room. So, it's
possible that this comes from our yard. And it also looks like they can jump
(about 3 inches in distance). They are very small, maybe about 1 mm in
length. Could someone please let us know what this bug is, where they
normally come from, and how to get rid of them? Thanks, Jack.
This appears to be another
springtail (order Collembola); see no. 448. The best control indoors is to
maintain relatively low humidity levels, and reduce/eliminate unnecessary
sources of moisture. In most instances, they are merely nuisances rather
than serious pests. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2070.html
for a fact sheet that includes control
recommendations.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#453 I've owned the same home for a few years now and this may
I've seen many of these spiders in which ive never seen or noticed before.
It is about the size of a quarter, black with a reddish orange back. it has
four small white dots on its back with two larger ones closer to its head.
We find them in our house on the walls in corners and outside around our
wooden staircases. R. H.
This is a jumping spider (family Salticidae), possibly the
boreal jumping
spider, Phidippus clarus.
These spiders are active
hunters, having arguably the keenest eyesight of spiders. Among jumping
spiders, some larger Phidippus species can inflict a bite if
mishandled, but the consequences usually are less serious than a bee sting.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with Ed. Just a bit of extra information: Jumping
spiders have such excellent eyesight because of the positioning of the eyes; two
in the front, one on each side, and two pairs on parallel sides of the top of
the head. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jumping spiders are actually the only
spiders that have color vision, and they can see all colors that humans can
distinguish (and potentially more) with the large pair of eyes in the front. The
other six eyes can see 350 degrees around the head for motion detection, but
have no color vision. ~Nicole VanderSal, arachnology graduate student, UC
Berkeley |
#452 Thank you for your site. I
had no idea what this bug was until I saw somebody has the same bug. Here is
another picture. Daniel
Yes, this is another
house centipede like the specimen below (#451) |
#451
I live 50km
south of Tokyo and I have found these critters in my dryer and in my shoes.
What is it? Thank you. Milne
This is a house centipede. House centipedes feed on small insects, insect larvae, and
on spiders. Thus they are beneficial, though most homeowners take a
different point-of-view and consider them a nuisance. Technically, the house
centipede could bite, but it is considered harmless to people. The house
centipede is up to 1 1/2 inches long and has 15 pairs of very long, slender
legs. |
|
Click on the photos
to enlarge |
#450 Hi i live in Edmonton Alberta i have a lot of these guys coming
from under my wooden stairs not sure what they are or the damage they can do
can some one help me to identify these guys and how can i remove them.
Thank you.
Manuel
This appears to be a
long-horned wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). You might find the
site
http://weaselhead.org/learn/insects/alberta.php
(Insects of Alberta) of interest – they are looking for more records of
cerambycids.
Ed Saugstad, retired
Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 #449
I have seen these very tiny, almost hard to see bugs mainly around my window
sills.
I have a brick house with vinyl siding / windows and they
seem to be on the brick and around the windows and doors and
some get inside from under the windows. I have seen a few in the bath
room right around the molding on the floor and around my kitchen sink
window. They don't seem to be doing any kind of damage, but what do they
mean, moisture??? They are so small my zoom lens couldn't hardly get them
captured. They are not fleas. They are solid gray to my eye.
in the
pictures they look brownish, but my flash went off. These were taken at
the bottom of a door frame outside where I noticed them today. In the
pictures I noticed they do have 2 longish antennas. I live in North
Carolina close to Charlotte, NC. Our temperature in the afternoon here
has been in the 70s &, 80s, so far but we do see high 90's later in the
summer. You almost need a magnifying glass to see them. Any help
would be appreciated in how to get rid of them. We also have lots
of ants. We treat the surrounding of our house and that seems to keep
them under control from coming inside. Thanks in advance! Patricia
Images are too fuzzy for me to make a
determination. If no one else on this forum can provide a definitive i.d.,
I suggest that you take some specimens to your county office of NC State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service Office to see if someone there
can assist you in that regard. See
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/counties/ for links to
contact information.
Ed Saugstad,
retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#448 Hi, I live in Montreal and I
just found loads of these bugs in my kitchen under the cat's placemat. We've
got very old vinyl tiles, and they are lifting up under the placemat because
the cat's forever spilling his water bowl. The bugs are flea size, some
smaller than a pinhead. They are very fast and don't like the light, because
when I lift up the placemat they run under the tiles. I took the picture
using a 10x magnifying loupe. Thanks, Katrina
This appears to be a
springtail, a primitive insect in the order Collembola. They require a very
moist environment for survival. For the most part, they are harmless
detritus feeders, but a few species can be plant pests. Yours appear to fall
into the first category.
Ed
Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
#447 Found all 4 of these
guys when I was cleaning up my basement area. I put them into a plastic
container and one of the smaller guys killed 2 others instantly. Any
idea what kind of spiders these are? Thanks, Gino
These appear to be cobweb
spiders (family Theridiidae). They are harmless to humans, unlike their
cousins, the widow spiders.
Ed
Saugstad, retired Entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with Ed that they're from the Tangle Web family but they
don't look very much like Cobweb spiders. The black colouration and the fact
that the males (the smaller ones in the photo) are tiny in comparison to the
females (Cobweb males are only a bit smaller) makes these spiders look more
like Cellar spiders. These spiders are mildly poisonous but they only bite
if handled roughly. - Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist. |
#446 We live in
North Central Florida and were inundated (June) on the living room carpet
with what seemed to be giant flea-like insects one night. They ranged from
about 1/3" to 1/2" in size. We came across your site and another posting (#
280) that matches our description exactly as looking like "giant fleas" or
"small shrimp" and they hop. The photo submitted by #280 was too poor to get
an accurate ID. After a bit of searching, I believe they may be crickets in
an early nymph stage. Joan and Falcon. | |
