Male carpenter ant
7483. Jackson, Kentucky. United States
Number 7483. This looks like a male carpenter ant, Camponotus sp. See Carpenter Ants Identification & Control .
Thousands of pest photos submitted for identification.
Terrestrial crustacean
7482. Found in basement suite. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Canada
Number 7482. This is a terrestrial crustacean in the order Isopoda; they go by numerous common names, including sow bugs, woodlice, and roly-polys. They are for the most part harmless scavengers on decomposing organic matter. See Terrestrial Crustacean detailed information .
Rove beetle
7481. We have lots of these in the house in the last few weeks. They have an orange area in the middle of the body and some have wings. We put out sticky pads to capture them. New Bothwell, Manitoba. Canada
Number 7481. This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). The vast majority of these beetles are general predators on other small invertebrates; there is no need to control them. See Rove Beetle Detailed Information .
Larva of a dermestid beetle
7480. My client originally thought her cat and son’s dog had fleas and bought medication from us. The owner claims she gets bugs on herself and has developed a rash on her back. She had a fumigator come to her house and says it seemed a bit better since. Yesterday she brought us the bug in the picture. Is it a carpet beetle? What is the best way to get rid of them? Cochrane, Alberta. Canada
Number 7480. This appears to be a larva of a dermestid beetle in the genus Trogoderma. They will feed on a very wide variety of seeds as well as dead insects and animals, cereal products, candy, cocoa, corn, corn meal, dog food (dried and ‘burgers’), fishmeal, flour, oatmeal, milk powder, spaghetti, spices, peas, wheat, barley, and pollen. In grain, they cannot feed on whole grain, but can feed on broken kernels that are usually present. The best control is prevention; start by examining all potentially infestable products in your home, discarding anything that appears to be infested. Then, give all storage areas a thorough cleaning. In the future, store all potentially infestable products in sealable glass, plastic, or metal containers.
Grain beetles
7479. Found in kitchen pantry. Also appears to have burrowed in charcuterie board. Burlington, Ontario. Canada
Number 7479. This appears to be one of the grain beetles in the genus Oryzaephilus (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). They can be pests in dry stored food products such as flour, baking mixes, dry cereals, dry pet food, etc. I suggest inspecting your food storage areas for any signs of insect infestation. See Grain beetles detailed information
Beetles – Dermestidae
7478. I have been finding these beetles (?) crawling inside our house in random places at least once day for the past few weeks. They can fly but almost never do, move very slowly and are easy to pick up. Approx 5 mm in lengths. It is February, we live in Black Mountain area of Kelowna, lots of trees around. Kelowna, BC. Canada
Number 7478. These are beetles in the family Dermestidae (hide/skin/carpet beetles and allies); it looks like Megatoma variegata, a species native to the Pacific Northwest – see Beetles – Dermestidae detail information
Bed Bugs
A friend of mine recently had bed bugs. Thankfully, it seems they were caught early, and after two sprays two weeks apart they seem to be gone. Erring on the side of caution, I’m wondering when it will be safe to have my friend over to my place again, or to go visit him at his place? I know bed bugs aren’t exactly “contagious” but I’m concerned about one possibly hitching a ride on a jacket, tote bag, backpack, etc. And, of course, I don’t want to make my friend feel bad. I can’t find any good information online about this. Could you please help me out? Toronto
Don’t take/wear anything with you that you cannot fit into a large (contractor size) plastic bag after your visit. Then see https://tinyurl.com/4vhdwnkn for suggestions on using either heat or cold to kill any unwanted hitchhikers.
German cockroaches
Adult German cockroach was seen and killed on Dec 16 but my son had seen small dark bugs in the kitchen about a week ago. The place was sprayed yesterday on Dec 21st. They notified us that no further treatments were required. Will one treatment get rid of all of them? Where can I buy bait etc. to ensure none survived? I’ve looked and looked and I can’t find anything in Canada.
German cockroaches are notoriously difficult to bring under complete control. I suggest using ‘Roach Motels’ as monitoring devices, and if cockroaches show up in them, schedule another treatment. In the meantime, the insect growth regulator (IGR) Pyriproxyfen should be available in Canada – see http://tinyurl.com/yckcpc38 It usually is marketed under the brand name NyGuard.
larva
Can a larva get inside a humans ears and mouth? Gulfport Mississippi
Yes, this can occur, but very uncommonly, and then usually associated with other underlying factors. See http://tinyurl.com/3duchw6v and http://tinyurl.com/3kwx59sx for oral (mouth) and http://tinyurl.com/yhndh338 for aural/otic (ear) cases.
Dark-winged fungus gnat
7477. Not sure what those flies are, I have a few of them in the house ( bathroom, kitchen ). The weather is fairly cold at this time of the year. Could it come from one of my plants? Thank you. Gatineau, QC. Canada
Number 7477. This appears to be a dark-winged fungous gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae). Although usually just nuisance pests, larvae of some species can damage roots and other soft plant tissues of potted plants that are in contact with soil. They need very moist/wet soil in order to thrive, so one of the simplest control measures is simply to let the soil dry out as much as practical between waterings. See Dark-winged fungus gnat control suggestions .
Geometridae
7476. Port au Choix, Newfoundland and Labrador. Canada
Number 7476. This is a moth in the family Geometridae; their caterpillars are known as loopers, inchworms, or spanworms. This is a huge family, but only a few specie are serious pests. See Geometridae Video Clip
Thread-legged bug
7475. Found late at night in the kitchen walking (slowly) on the kitchen counter. Aproximately the size of an American dime. Pelham, Alabama. United States
Number 7475. This is thread-legged bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae; subfamily Emesinae). Most are general predators on other small arthropods; some specialize on spiders, and may steal the spiders’ prey as well. Very interesting insects that many people never see.
larva of carpet beetle
7474. 3 mm long insect found next to my grandpas day bed. Vancouver, BC. Canada
Number 7474. This appears to be a partial larva of carpet beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) in the genus Anthrenus. See carpet beetle control suggestions .
Boxelder bug
7473. Calgary, AB. Canada
Number 7473. This appears to be a boxelder bug, Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Rhopalidae; Boisea sp., most likely a western boxelder bug, Boisea rubrolineata – see Boxelder bug clip
Leaf-footed bug
7472. Saw this near our trash inside our home today. wondering if it’s a kissing bug? It’s my first time seeing this so I’m a little bit worried cause I have kids around. London, Ontario. Canada
Number 7472. This is a harmless leaf-footed bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Coreidae), likely a western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis). These often enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there. See Leaf-footed bug detailed information .
Weevil
7471. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada
Number 7471. This is a weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). If it is very small (less than 4 mm), it could be one of the granary weevils in the genus Sitophilus. Just to be safe, you should check all food storage areas for signs of insect infestation. See weevil detailed information
Larva of carpet beetle
7470. Hello, We got a few bites this month, like giant mosquito bites but really itchy and large (and we don’t usually react to mosquitos). Checked our room for bedbugs but found no signs at all. But in the room next to us where our laudry piles up and next to a window that has holes in the screen, we found a few of these bugs. They do not seem to jump or fly and are maybe 1-3 millimeters in size. Please let us know! ETOBICOKE, Ontario. Canada
Number 7470. This is a larva of carpet beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) in the genus Anthrenus. It is very unlikely to be the cause of your bite symptoms. See carpet beetle control suggestions .
Grain mites
Hello. I’m seeking assistance in gathering information on grain mites. I have an infestation at my residence mainly in the kitchen. We have done everything from using the wood stove and a dehumidifier to lower the humidity. Countless cleanings. Removal of all food. We have been told we may need to dismantle the kitchen and remove the cabinets to remove any potential food source in the residence. Is this true ? Is there a product or treatment for this ? I believe it was caused by a grocery shopping trip to wallmart and an infected product may have been brought into the home. Please any information will be helpful. We have not been able to cook at home and eating out is extremely expensive in our location. Please any information would be helpful. Thanks
After taking the measures that you have already done, I am somewhat puzzled that you would still have an infestation problem. A complete dismantling of your kitchen should not be necessary. Are you absolutely certain that significant numbers of grain mites are still present? If so, you should be able to detect a distinct ‘minty’ odor. The only other suggestion that I have is that if you haven’t already done do, keep all of your unrefrigerated infestable food items in air-tight sealable containers.
Cloth moths
We had clothing moths – identified by pheromone traps. We have heat-treated textiles that can be heated and put in vacuum-sealed bags, and we are slowly working through freezing items that can’t be heat-treated. There are items where it’s not suitable for either. We have put them in vacuum-sealed bags. I believe that within a couple of weeks, it would suffocate any moths or larvae. My QUESTION is… will suffocation kill eggs? Toronto
Clothes moth eggs usually hatch in 3 to 10 days, so if the materials are kept vacuum sealed for at least three weeks, that should suffice. If the bags are transparent, you should be able to determine whether any living larvae are present. This article has some good control advice: https://tinyurl.com/3wa7u4mm
Grain beetles
7469. Found indoors, in a ground floor condo, smaller than a grain of rice. Toronto, Ontario. Canada
Number 7469. This appears to be one of the grain beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in the genus Oryzaephilus (saw-toothed and merchant grain beetles). They will infest a wide variety of dry stored food products, and nay become pantry pests – see Grain beetles detailed information .
Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil
7468. Trying to figure out what this bug is… flea? Kitchener Ontario. Canada
Number 7468. This is a broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). These often enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there.
Bot fly
7467. This was crawling across my living room floor. Is it a bot fly larva? Can they just come into a home on their own? we have no pets or kids. Toronto, Ontario. Canada
Number 7467. It is a mature bot fly (Diptera: Oestridae; subfamily Cuterebrinae) larva that has emerged from its host (most likely a rodent or rabbit) and is seeking a safe place to undergo pupation. These are incapable of entering buildings on their own. See Bot fly detailed information
Orb weaver
7466. Temple City, California 91780. United States
Number 7466. This is an orb weaver (family Araneidae), it looks like a Neoscona sp., possibly N. crucifera.
Argiope aurantia
7465. Hanging in window, outside. Large! Elora, ON. Canada
Number 7465. This is Argiope aurantia, a very common and widespread orb weaving spider (family Araneidae). Because of its very wide geographic range, it goes by a wide variety of common names. See Argiope aurantia examples . All orb weavers are harmless to humans.
Female Argiope aurantia
7464. Very large spider. Meteghan, NS. Canada
Number 7464. This is a female Argiope aurantia, a very common and widespread orb weaver (family Araneidae) that goes by a wide variety of common names. Like all other orb weavers, it is harmless to humans. See Argiope aurantia more information.
Smokybrown cockroach
7463. It only come out in the light, very fast, around the sink. I’m in GA. I noticed it has a line but some don’t have a line. I tried putting peppermint oil around the counter but it does not fade this bug. Decatur, GA. United States
Number 7463. This is a nymph of a smokybrown cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa (Blattodea: Blattidae) . See Smokybrown cockroach information and Smokybrown cockroach more information .
Grain beetles
7462. We live in Montreal and these are in our pantry and randomly throughout our apartment. Montreal, QC. Canada
Number 7462. The image is too small for me to be certain, but it might be one of the grain beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in the genus Oryzaephilus; these are quite common pantry pests. See Grain beetles more information .
Winged ant
7461. There is a swarm of these bugs dropping onto my back deck, car, roof just everywhere they land. The swarm is flying above some trees in my backyard. I am unable to identify them myself, hoping you guys can! Thanks 🙂 Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. Canada
Number 7461. This a winged ant, but I cannot tell which species it might be. Swarming of winged ants is just a part of their mating ritual – see Winged ant details .
Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil
7460. Hi, What is this bug? We found this at my son’s cloth. So scared. Vancouver, BC. Canada
Number 7460. This is a broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). These weevils often enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there.
Rove beetle
7459. We are on Vancouver Island in a rural area. We suddenly have an influx of small insects in the house. They are quite slow moving, don’t fly, are about 5-6mm long, and seem to be all over the floors. I have never seen them before although we have lived here for 12 years. It has rained recently for the first time in quite a while, but that is the only change in weather. Any thoughts as to what these might be would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Ladysmith, B.C. Canada
Number 7459. This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). The vast majority of these beetles are general predators on other small invertebrates, mostly other insects. Rove beetle detailed information .
Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil
7457. Multiple inside the house. West St Paul, Manitoba. Canada
Number 7457. This is a broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). They often enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there. broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil image .
Cobweb/comb-footed spider
7456. Found in small tangled web behind door, near floor. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada
Number 7456. This is Steatoda triangulosa, a cobweb/comb-footed spider (family Theridiidae) known as the triangulate cobweb spider. Although belonging to the same family as the widow spiders, it is harmless to humans. See Cobweb/comb-footed spider detailed information .
Firebrat
7455. We found them in the kitchen floor. They are active only at night and are very fast! LaSalle, QC. Canada
Number 7455. This is a firebrat, Thermobia domestica (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae). They and their close cousins, silverfish (Lepisma saccharina), are scavengers that will feed on just about any organic material, Usually considered nuisance pests, large populations, if left undisturbed, can damage items such as fabrics, wallpaper, books, and other paper. See Firebrat detailed information , including control suggestions.