Pest Identification Photos

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.

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

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 

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 .

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

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.

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

7454.          What kind of insect is this and does it bite? Scarborough, ON. Canada

Number 7454.      This appears to be the empty ‘shell’ (exoskeleton) of a cicada nymph (Hemiptera/Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae). When cicada nymphs have completed their development under ground, they tunnel up to the surface and seek out some vertical surface to climb up on, where they will then shed their exoskeleton and rest a while before taking wing as adults. They do not bite.

7452.         I have more pictures but they won’t upload. Please email if more are required. I have never seen this bug before. Inkerman, Ontario. Canada

Number 7452.     This appears to be a great golden digger wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). The female wasp digs burrows in the soil that she then provisions with insects (most often relatives of grasshoppers) that she has paralyzed with her sting. These serve as food for her developing larvae. See Great golden digger wasp detailed information .

7450.         Fredericton, Nb. Canada

Number 7450.     This is a mature larva of a predaceous diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae); it has completed the aquatic phase of its life cycle, and has emerged from the water in search of a safe place to undergo pupation.

7448.         Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada

Number 7448.  This is a scarab beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the genus Osmoderma, most likely O. eremicola. Commonly known as the hermit flower beetle, hermit beetle, “odor-of-leather beetle” (for strong odor of “Russian Leather”), their larvae develop in rotten, punky wood. See scarab beetle details on their biology .

7446.       At least 3 cm long. Montréal, QC. Canada

Number 7446.      This is an adult cicada (Hemiptera/Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae) emerging from its nymphal ‘shell’; it will gradually change colour and harden its skin over the next few hours, and then fly off in search of a mate. Cicadas of this type often are referred to as ‘annual’ or ‘dog-day’ cicadas, as some emerge every year (usually after midsummer) after spending several years as nymphs feeding on tree roots underground.

7444.      Located on East-South facing outside wall but migrating to all sides of the house. We had consecutive days of rain. Current temperature 21*C, Daytime high of 27*C. Mass of them on concrete foundation. They were not there yesterday. Impressive amount of them. Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Canada

Number 7444.    These look like nymphs of the white-margined burrowing bug, Sehirus cinctus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Cydnidae). They feed primarily on the seeds of plant in the mint and nettle families.

7443.       Started seeing these a couple weeks ago, mostly in tiled bathrooms and front entrance. No sign of any in bedding , nor no insect bites. They’re very dark coloured—like black. They move slowly. Do not fly. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

Number 7443.      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 example .

7441.        I have a problem with my apartments not sealing my baseboards and open areas we have bombed sprayed and fogged and they keep getting in Spiders, and roaches. There are 100s outside and I work hard to keep them out my apt but they don’t have proper sealing. Any way is this a roach or a spider. Yuba City, CA. United States

Number 7441.    This definitely is a cockroach; possibly an oriental cockroach Blattaorientalis (Blattodea: Blattidae). See cockroach detailed information .

7439.      Found in my garden on my Holy basil plant. Milton, Ontario. Canada

Number 7439.      This is an annual/dog-day cicada (Hemiptera/Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae) in the genus Neotibicen. See Annual/dog-day cicada image .

7437.      Can’t figure out what this insect is, but would like to know. We have many of them in our back yard, usually found on patio stones. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

Number 7437.     This a nymph of a true bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera) in the family Rhopalidae; most likely an eastern boxelder bug, Boisea trivittata. See Eastern boxelder bug detailed information .

7435.      Lester Beach, Manitoba June 12, 2023. Scary but cool! Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada

Number 7435.    This is a clearwing hummingbird moth (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in the genus Hemaris, most likely Hemaris thysbe. See Clearwing hummingbird moth detailed information .

7433.    Black beetle with red markings. Many on peonies, but none seen on other plants. Edmonton, Alberta. Canada

Number 7433.    This is not a beetle, but a twice-stabbed stink bug, Cosmopepla lintneriana (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). See Twice-stabbed stink bug detailed information .

7431.     Hi, We found this bug in our pool and on our patio window. Not sure what it is but it is very small. As you can see in the pics, the bug is on an pool surface skimmer ring. Wendover, Eastern Ontario. Canada

Number 7431.      This is tortoise beetle, a leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the subfamily Cassidinae; it looks like a clavate tortoise beetle, Plagiometriona clavata. See tortoise beetle detailed information .