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See also:  Spider categorized species photos
More spider photo identifications
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 ( Out of focus, poorly lit and subjects too small to identify will not be published.)
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Ants & Cockroaches

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I moved into an apartment building a couple months ago (move was rushed, and went with the first place I could find). I’m worried because I’ve heard stories that most of the apartment buildings in the GTA have Roach problems. While THANKFULLY I haven’t run into roaches, I do occasionally spot ants in my kitchen, normally around my kitchen sink and stove. Not a lot, and not super often (like, maybe spot some every few weeks?), they are just teeny-tiny ants, not big ones. When I see them, I usually kill them, or spray the area down with RAID, clean up, and move on. But tonight while I was doing my dishes, I spotted quite a few of them, think I killed about 8 or 9. No trails though, no idea where they’re coming in from (I filled in some holes in the wall with caulk). So now my question; I’m considering putting out ant poison, but I’m worried that I’ll attract something worse if I do. I do have some Terro liquid ant bait traps but I’m hesitant to use them. Is there an ant bait that I can leave out that will deal with these little buggers but won’t attract roaches?

If the ants are golden in colour and tiny then you are dealing with Pharaoh ants. It would be important for you to reach out to your strata or property manager and request assistance from a professional pest management company. This recommendation is coming from the fact that likely more than one unit has the Pharaoh ants, and based on their reproductive method called budding which can quickly lead to building wide infestations. Highly recommend that you do not spray them as Pharaoh ants are extremely chemical sensitive and it will trigger a budding response, which again can lead to building wide issues. If the ants are tiny and black then the terro traps will work fine. Any bait that is put out has the possibility of cockroaches feeding on it, however the bait will not encourage cockroaches to come in from other units in the building.

Argiope aurantia

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7535.      My friend found in Perth Ontario. Is it poisonous? Perth, ON. Canada

 

Number 7535.     The spider is an argiope aurantia or more commonly referred to as a yellow garden spider. It’s part of the orb weaver family and is not poisonous.

 

Psocid

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7534.       I found this bug on my bed at my parents house after i had bedbugs at my apartment. I am worried if this is a bedbug nymph. It was very small and it was moving very slow. Ontario Yorkville. Canada

 

Number 7534.    This is a psocid, also known as book lice. See Book Lice detailed information

 

Root weevil

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7533.    Just wondering what this is. Second one I found in the house. Thank you. Sturgeon County, Alberta. Canada

 

Number 7533.  This appears to be a root weevil of some kind. There are quite a few different species of root weevil in Western Canada. Root weevils in general are an exterior pest, they do not cause structural damage, and they do not bite/sting. They are what we would consider an occasional invader. Below is a link to some info on the strawberry root weevil and the black vine weevil for reference as they are both very common, however as mentioned the specific weevil may be slightly different from the ones outlined. See Strawberry Root Weevil detailed information & Black Vine Weevil detiled information

 

 

Long-jawed orb weaver

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7532.  Kenmore, ON. Canada

 

Number 7532.    A long-jawed orb weaver (family Tetragnathidae). These often build webs alongside/over small bodies of water. See Long-jawed orb weaver image 

 

 

Ground beetle

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7531.   Have found several all over house in random places my bed, kitchen and hall way. Fort McMurray, AB. Canada

 

Number 7531. A small beetle, possibly a ground beetle (family Carabidae). Certainly nothing to be concerned about. See Ground beetle detailed information

 

 

Drugstore or Cigarette beetle

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7530.    Probably less than 5mm in size, found inside newly built house during July. New Brunswick, Canada

 

Number 7530.  It’s a beetle in the family Anobiidae; it could be either a drugstore or cigarette beetle, both are cosmopolitan pests of dry stored food products – see Drugstore or Cigarette beetle detailed information

 

 

Pentatomid nymph

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7529.    Found inside around front door in Perth, ON Canada

 

Number 7529.    Pentatomid nymph – possibly the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) – see brown marmorated stink bug detailed information

 

 

Tiger moth

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7528.  Iroquois, Ontario. Canada

 

Number 7528. This looks like a tiger moth (Arctiini) in the genus Ctenucha that has not completed fully hardening after emerging from its pupal case. See Tiger moth detailed information

 

 

hard tick

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7527.    Wernersville, PA. United States

 

Number 7527.  This is a hard tick (family Ixodidae) in the genus Dermacentor.

 

 

Spider beetle

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7526.    Québec, Québec Canada.

 

Number 7526.    This is a spider beetle (Coleoptera: Anobiidae; subfamily Ptininae). Specifically, it is Mezium affine, known as the shiny spider beetle. Spider beetles have a cosmopolitan distribution, and often are found infesting dry stored food products. See Spider beetle detailed information

 

 

Beetle

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7525.     These are approx 3mm they have been showing up in the main floor bathroom. Prince Rupert, B.C. Canada

 

Number 7525.    This is a beetle in the family Dermestidae (hide/skin/carpet beetles and allies). See Beetle detailed information

 

 

Non-biting midge

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7524.    These little “flies” are all over the front of our house and inside around the windows/on the ceiling. I sweep them away and they’re back the next morning…any suggestion as to what they are/how I can keep them away? Thank you so much! Burlington, Ontario. Canada

 

Number 7524.     This is a non-biting midge (Diptera: Chironomidae). These can be real nuisances when they occur in extremely large numbers. See Non-biting midge detailed information

 

 

Clover mite

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7523.     Hello, I am wondering what these bugs are. They are around the washroom and downstairs living room only. Reddish colour. Newcastle Ontario. Canada

 

Number 7523.    This is a clover mite in the genus Bryobia (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae; subfamily Bryobiinae). These are nuisance pests that cause no real harm, but can cause reddish stains when crushed. See Clover mite detailed information

 

 

Larva of a crane fly

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7522.    What is this squishy worm like thing and why is it in my house. Found about 15 of them right outside my front door on the ground. North Vancouver, BC. Canada

 

Number 7522.  This is a larva of a crane fly (Diptera: Tipulidae). Some of these larvae, known as leatherjackets, can be turf pests in moist areas. See Crane Fly Images .

 

 

Silverfish

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7521.  Arcadia, Nova Scotia. Canada

 

Number 7521.    This looks like a silverfish (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae), a common peridomestic nuisance pest. See Silverfish Detailed Information

 

 

Giant water bug

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7520.    Dunchurch, Ont. Canada

 

Number 7520.  Its a giant water bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Belstomatidae). They can deliver a very painful bite if mishandled. See Giant water bug detailed information

 

 

Dark-winged fungus gnats

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7519.      South East Kansas on Jan 22 2025. Found inside house. I do have some house plants be will find them one or two at a time never this many. But all these are dead? Found on the floor and window seal. Also notice little black ant or two in my bedroom tho there is never any drink or food in there, looks like the same tiny black ants commonly found in summer running a trail to the food they find in a kitchen trash can or a long counter tops. . Like. My house is very clean and kept nice. I live with me and a girl who super clean as well. My question is what are these flying ones as seen in pictures. And should I be concerned and or how to delete them. Arkansas City, KS. United States

 

Number 7519.    These appear to be dark-winged fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae). The adult flies are harmless nuisance pests, but their larvae can damage tender plants, especially in greenhouse/indoor situations. These larvae usually are found in very damp/saturated soils having a high organic material content. If you have indoor plants, you should let the soil dry out as much as practical between waterings. See Dark-winged fungus gnats control suggestions .

 

 

Larder beetle

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7518.      Found on basement. Calgary, AB. Canada

 

Number 7518.     This is a larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), a common peridomestic pest species. These and their larvae will feed on a very wide variety of organic materials. See Larder beetle detailed information .

 

Brown marmorated stink bug

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7517.      I live on Ile Bizard. A small bedroom community off the Island of Montreal in the Des Prairies river. Its winter, house is closed up tight. Last night this thing came flying into my home office as i sat by my computer. It headed straight for the desk lamp. Never saw such a big flying bug in my house before ever. I freaked out. I have a fly killer toy called “The Bug-A- Salt ” which is basically a shotgun that shoots spray of table salt like a shotgun shoots pellets out to about 3 feet. I use it to kill house flies in summer. It took only one shot to disable this thing. Looks like I shot off part of one wing. This morning it’s still twitching. Flies are tougher actually to kill. I took a few pictures and here we are. What the hell is it, where does it come from and can I expect more of them? L’île-bizard, QC. Canada

 

Number 7517.   This is a brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), an introduced species that has become a widespread pest in much of North America. See Brown marmorated stink bug detailed information .

 

 

Nymph of a cockroach

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7516.     Hi, was looking for some help in identifying a beetle that we’ve been seeing a few times in our second-floor bathroom over the past few months. In late November, I killed one after seeing it crawl out of a crack in our bathroom tile. No further sightings for a bit, but we did started seeing very smal bugs that looked similar along the edge of our bathtub and coming out the drain. A pest control expert came by and did an inspection and said they didn’t see droppings or anything that might suggest a cockroach issue. However, today, about six weeks later we killed another bug that looked like the original larger one. Any help identifying it and advice on treatment (we have young children and a dog) would be greatly appreciated. Toronto

 

Number 7516.  This is not a beetle, but a nymph of a cockroach. You might try setting out a few ‘roach motels’, and if you find more than a couple of these, contact your pest control ‘expert’ and show them to him/her. See Cockroach control recommendations .

 

 

Cockroach control

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I’ve had a pest guy come to my place via my landlord for German roaches. They used Dragnet, but I’ve also read that it’s a repellant. Will it work well for a (seemingly) very small roach problem. I’ve seen 6 in the span of 5 months. At this point the pest guy for the building (he’s been doing this building for years) has said there isn’t a problem in the building as a whole (it’s smaller) and seems fine using it. Will dragnet work or should I ask for a spray with a wsg, which he does have. Toronto

Dragnet is a synthetic pyrethroid often used for cockroach control that acts primarily as a contact poison. I have seen mention of it as a termite repellent, but do not know if that would hold true for cockroaches as well. As sprays of any kind seldom can reach all the little hiding places that cockroaches can utilize, baits often are used as a supplement. For a comprehensive treatment of German cockroach control, see https://tinyurl.com/2s74pc9c

Nymph of an assassin bug

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7515.     I believe this is the nymph of an assassin bug but I’m not sure. It was found on my hallway floor after a weekend away. Haven’t found any others. Barrie, ON. Canada

 

Number 7515.    This is a nymph of an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae) known as the masked hunter (Reduvius personatus). This is a peridomestic species often found in buildings where they prey on any other invertebrates found there. They have been reported as being able to eliver a very painful bite if mishandled. See masked hunter detailed information .

 

 

Nymph of a German cockroach

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7514.   Found November 3rd in my basement during the afternoon. What is this? Kingston, Ontario. Canada

 

Number 7514.    This is a nymph of a German cockroach Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), a peridomestic species notoriously difficult to bring under full control. If you see any more, you may want to consider contacting a certified pest management service. See  cockroach detailed information .

 

 

assassin bug

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7513.    On my porch. Not bothering anything. I’m just curious. Wintersville, OH. United States

 

Number 7513. This is an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae) known as a wheel bug (Arilus cristatus).These are general predators on other arthropods, mainly other insects. Although not aggressive towards humans, they can deliver a very painful bite if mishandled. See wheel bug detailed information on this fascinating insect.

 

 

Bed Bug Infestation

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Hi, I moved in to my Windsor apartment in October. I found that it had bed bugs. Building management did first chemical treatment. I followed all the post care steps but I stated to sleep on my bed again, I saw dead bed bugs and a couple of bites. I called the building management again and they did a second treatment. Just last night I went to sleep on my bed again and saw live bug. I caught it and put in ziploc bag. I called the pest control company that did the chemical treatment and they said it was normal to see activity for up to 2 weeks. That the chemical is drawing them out. But is that true? Or should I do a third treatment. When I spoke to my building management, she died the the pest control didn’t find ant activity when they were doing that treatment. Windsor

A third treatment may be advisable as it is not uncommon to require more than two treatments to bring a bed bug infestation under control – consult with your pest control company. Bed bugs are adept at hiding in the tiniest of crevices, so it may have been possible for some to have avoided contact with the pesticide used. Also, many bed bug populations have developed resistance to neonicotinoid pesticides such as acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and deltamethrin – see https://tinyurl.com/4hyf39uy for details.

western black widow spider

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7512.     Spiders found in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

 

Number 7512.  This is a western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, the only medically important spider in Alberta. See western black widow spider detailed information .

 

 

Orb weaver

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7511.     Spiders found in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

 

Number 7511.    This spider is a harmless orb weaver in the genus Argiope, most likely A. trifasciata. 

 

 

Non-biting midge

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7510.      What is this bug? All of a sudden I have them all over in every room!!! Two Rivers, WI United States

 

Number 7510.     This is a non-biting midge (Diptera Chironomidae). Harmless nuisance pests. See Non-biting midge detailed information .

 

 

Reproductive termite

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7509.       Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada

 

Number 7509.    This a reproductive termite that has shed its wings; it looks like a Pacific coast dampwood termite, Zootermopsis angusticollis. See Reproductive termite detailed information .

 

 

Larder beetle exoskeletons

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7508.      What are these ??? Hollow shells, and are super small. I found them whilst cleaning; and there’s TONS of them. Conception bay south, Canada

 

Number 7508.      These are shed ‘skins’ (exoskeletons) of a beetle in the family Dermestidae (carpet/hide/larder beetles and allies). These most likely are in the genus Dermestes such as Dermestes lardarius (larder beetle) – see Larder beetle detailed information .

 

 

Giant water bug

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7507.      Is this a giant Asian water beetle. What do I do with it. Found it at our daycare. Same, Red Earth Creek, Alberta. Canada.

 

Number 7507.       This is a giant water bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Belostomatidae), possibly a Lethocerus sp.; these are native, not Asian. See Giant water bug detailed information .

 

 

Termites

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7506.      Hi there, I was referred by a friend that you helped identify pests. We found about 30 of these in our house one day after the first rain in awhile. The summer temperature just recently dropped. Thanks for your help!

 

Number 7506.     These are termites that have have shed their wings and are looking for a place to set up housekeeping. You probably should schedule an inspection from a certified termite control specialist. See Termites detailed information .

 

 

booklouse

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7505.      Hi, I find these dotted around the house. Sometimes in the bathroom or on a windowsill. Theres always only one or two. They were first found in a bathroom where we had a birds nest removed from the exhaust vent. Are these booklice ? Ontario, Canada.

 

Number 7505.    Yes, this is a booklouse (Psocodea: Liposcelidae). See booklouse detailed information .

 

 

Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil

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7504.       Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada

 

Number 7504.    This is a broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). They sometimes enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there. See Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil detailed information .

 

 

Robber fly

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7503.      Central Alabama, temperature about 80 degrees F. Mid August 2024. Pelham, Alabama. United States

 

Number 7503.      This is a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae), possibly in the genus Promachus – see Robber fly example . Robber flies are ambush predators that dart out to nab insects that fly too close to their perch. They then return to their site to enjoy their meal.

 

 

(American) house spider

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7502.      Picture were taken by a friend near his home wanted to know what kind of spider this is because there are small children all around this area. Georgetown, Canada.

 

Number 7502.       This appears to be a common (American) house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum – see (American) house spider image . Although they belong to the same family (Theridiidae) as the infamous widow spiders, these are harmless to humans.

 

 

Grain beetles

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7501.     Super super small under the stove. Calgary, Alberta. Canada

 

Number 7501.      This is one of the grain beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in the genus Oryzaephilus, either a saw-toothed grain beetle or a merchant grain beetle. The distinguishing characters cannot be seen in this image. They may feed on a wide variety of items, including cereals, dried fruit, bran, rolled oats, brown rice, walnuts, breakfast foods, macaroni, sugar, drugs, fried meats, chocolate, tobacco, and snuff. They cannot attack perfectly sound grain, but can feed on slightly damaged grain. See Grain beetles detailed information .

 

 

Booklouse

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7500.    Montreal, Quebec Canada

 

Number 7500.     This appears to be a booklouse (Psocodea: Liposcelidae). These basically are nuisance pests, feeding primarily on mould spores including mould that grows from the paste used in the binding of old books and wallpaper, or sometimes they can even feed on the paste itself. They require high humidity in order to persist in an environment. See booklouse detailed information .

 

 

Grain beetles

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7499.     Grove City, OH. United States

 

Number 7499.    These are grain beetles (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) in the genus Oryzaephilus, either saw-toothed or merchant grain beetles. They can infest a wide variety of dry stored food products. See Grain beetles detailed information .

 

 

Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil

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7498.    Richmond, BC. Canada

 

Number 7498.    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. See Broad-nosed/short-snouted weevil detailed information

 

 

Larva of a ladybird beetle

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7497.      Calgary, AB. Canada

 

Number 7497.    This is a larva of a ladybird beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), it looks like Adalia bipunctata – see Larva of a ladybird beetle image & ladybird beetle detailed information .

 

 

Burrowing/burrower bug

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7496.      Edmonton, Alberta. Canada

 

Number 7496.  The image most likely is a burrowing/burrower bug in the family Cydnidae; see burrowing bug detailed information .

 

 

Yellow sac spider

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7495.      I got bit on my leg by this spider tonight. I was able to kill it. Not sure what type of spider it is but I can’t find any information about a spider that looks like this in Vancouver. so far the area that it bit sings, has a small welt and red. Any help identifying it would be great! Thank you. Vancouver BC. Canada.

 

Number 7495.    This most likely is a yellow sac spider (family Cheiracanthiidae) in the genus Cheiracanthium. See Yellow sac spider example . Their bite is not considered medically significant; see Yellow sac spider detailed information .

 

 

Muscoid fly

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7494.      Looks like a carpet beetle larvae without the fine hairs. I squished one and it had guts. Measures 8mm long by 3mm wide. Found half a dozen on the floor under the plastic garbage can against the kitchen wall. Thanks for the help. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Canada

 

Number 7494. This appears to be a pupa of a muscoid fly such as a house fly. See House fly detailed information .



 

Sexton/burying beetle

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7493.     My son found this beetle on our green (organics) bin and we’ve never seen one before. It was quite large, almost as long as a quarter. We both thought the red “pom poms” on its antennae were cute. Ardrossan, AB. Canada

 

Number 7493.  This is a sexton/burying beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in the genus Nicrophorus. There are at least three species having this general appearance that have been reported from Alberta. See https://tinyurl.com/5capanjx
for an example. See Sexton/burying beetle detailed information .

 

Bugs infestation

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Due to the breakdown of the main A/C unit for the 7 story condo building that I live in, the building is very humid. Many residents are now seeing the presence of silverfish. Would the prolonged humidity and heat be contributing to the silverfish infestation? We have been told bugs in our units is our responsibility. However, how effective is it to treat an individual unit when the silverfish are throughout the entire building? Shouldn’t the entire building be treated? Waterdown, ON

It would indeed be better to have the whole building (or at least all the units reporting an infestation) treated at the same time. Even if you succeed in clearing an infestation in your apartment, it likely might suffer a re-infestation shortly thereafter. You might try seeing how other tenants would feel about suggesting that the management initiate a contract with a reputable pest management concern – see the following commentary from a property manager in the USA:

“I have a 4 story enclosed building with 163 units. One infestation can quickly spread in such close quarters. We have pest control out the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. They treat any units who may have reported an issue as well as the common area hallways and community rooms. When I first came to this community we had a case of the dreaded BB (I can’t even say the words). Our pest company came in and treated the problem which as anyone who has ever dealt with these little buggers knows is a long expensive process. Anyway about a year later the resident who had the infestation filed a suit against us. Thanks to our pest control company and their detailed records of our treatment the suit never went anywhere. Because we had a contract with them the treatment was much less costly then it would have been had we been a new client.
Many times prospective residents have come to our community due to pest issues where they currently live, it has been very helpful to be able to tell them we offer pest control. With all the recent attention in the news regarding BB’s I think it’s something we need to keep if only for a resident’s piece of mind. Awkward moment; when a prospect tells you the reason they are moving is because their current community has a pest infestation.”

Fishfly

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7492.      I found this on the inside of our screened in deck, hence the name I gave it. I have never seen one of these before and I am almost n74 years old. Just curious. Thanks. y Road, River Philip, NS. Canada

 

Number 7492.    This is a fishfly (Megaloptera: Corydalidae; subfamily Chauliodinae). See Fishfly for details on the life history of a representative species.

 

True fruit fly

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7491.      On June 8, 2024, found this flying insect on a red runner bean leaf in my garden. Not familiar with it. Wondering what it is attracted to or eating? Toronto, ON. Canada

 

Number 7491.    This is a true fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae); it resembles a sunflower maggot fly, Strauzia longipennis – see True fruit fly detailed information

 

Ichneumon wasp

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7490.       Lac LA hache, British Columbia. Canada

 

Number 7490.    This is an ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae); it looks like one in the subfamily Ophioninae. These wasps all are parasitic on other arthropods, mainly other insects; they are non-venomous and harmless to humans. See Ichneumon wasp detailed information .

 

Other photo id pages. (click number above)