Pest Identification Photos

6874.        These little critters suddenly started landing on us on the back deck around dusk last night. Approx 3 mm in length, and it felt like they were trying to bite before we squished them. We saw about a dozen of them before going back into the house. I’ve never seen this insect in the 17 years we’ve lived here……..what is it, and is it dangerous???? Lynden, Ontario. Canada

Number 6874. This is a weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); its size and shape are suggestive of one of the grain/granary weevils in the genus Sitophilus,  Click here for an example. These would not in the least bit interesting in biting humans, but you might want to check any grain products you have in storage for signs of insect presence.

6872.       I saw this Bald faced Wasp at 7pm in my backyard on June 2, 2020. I have never seen on before in my life. My husband Googled it. I am wondering if I should submit this to you. Midland, Ontario. Canada

Number 6872. Bald-faced hornets, Dolichovespula maculata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) actually are beneficial in that they prey upon insects such as deer flies, horse flies, and caterpillars. As long as you do not disturb their nest, they most likely will leave you alone. They are quite common on our property, and in 20 years of living here, we never have been stung by one. Click here for more detailed information.

6870.       About 2cm long. Hid in the dark, moved slow. Tried matching it to different types of insects, but no luck. I’ve never seen one before. Live in a high-up lakefront apartment. Oakville, Ontario. Canada

Number 6870. This appears to be a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae), a harmless accidental ‘visitor.’ They are quite capable of flying, which is how it most likely entered your apartment. Click here for details.

6868.       Found under couch. Assassin bug? Penticton, BC. Canada

Number 6868. This is a nymph of an assassin bug known as a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus; Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), a cosmopolitan species often found indoors and reputed to have a very painful ‘bite’-  Click here for more detailed information.

6866.        I have never seen this type of bug/insect at our cottage before so am anxious/curious to know what it is and details. The photo was taken on May 27th, 2020 at Fire Route 214, Beaver Lake Road, Cathacoma, Ontario. Thank you. Toronto, ONTARIO. Canada

Number 6866. This is a shed ‘skin’ (exoskeleton) of a dragonfly naiad (the aquatic, immature stage). When a naiad completes its growth, it emerges from the water and clambers up on anything handy, secures a grip, then splits open and the adult slowly emerges. Click here for a short video clip of this process.

6864.        My mom saw this on her walk a few weeks ago. She also took a video because it was making a really weird sound. Looks like a naked rat but we can’t find anything online that matches. We are located in South Jersey.

Number 6864. It could be a juvenile roof rat (Rattus rattus);  Click here for a comparison chart.

6862.       Was flying around the window behind the curtain, has a body like a hornet just slimmer with a brown lower section. Barrie, Ontario. Canada

Number 6862. This appears to be an ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). These all are parasitic on other arthropods (mainly other insects and spiders) and are harmless to humans. Click here for an example.

6860.       Found floating in our pool. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

Number 6860. This is a weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), it looks like a member of a group known collectively as billbugs. These can be serious pests of grasses/turf.  Click here for an example.

6858.       Its bite led to blisters and burning. Haryana, India.

Number 6858. This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in the genus Paederus. It did not bite you, you are experiencing a reaction (paederus dermatitis) to its body fluids. Click here for a detailed explanation.

6856.      Ottawa Ontario, end of May, evening, indoors old house top floor bedroom.

Number 6856. This appears to be a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) that has been somewhat squished. A harmless accidental intruder. Click here for details.

6854.          Just found one bug in my bathroom. I don’t know its type. Your help is appreciated. Waterloo, Ontario. Canada

Number 6854. This appears to be a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the subfamily Lebiinae, Click here for more detailed information. There also some beetles in the family Anthicidae (ant-like flower beetles) having a similar appearance, but their antennae usually are slightly clubbed rather than thread-like in carabids. Strictly an accidental and harmless intruder.

6852.         Large infestation found in a crawl space of the building. Hundreds living in the dirt around a pool of sewage caused by a disconnected waste pipe from the unit above. Size of average spider is about 1 inch. Toronto, ON. Canada

Number 6852. This is a hacklemesh/lace weaver (family Amaurobiidae); it looks like Amaurobius ferox, commonly known as the black lace weaver –  Click Here. They can bite, but the bite is not dangerous to humans. This is a matriphagous spider, meaning that the young devour the mother after hatching. After her young hatch, she lays a second set of eggs on which the newly hatched spiders feed. Then a few days later, she actively encourages her offspring to devour her.

6850.         Today was really hot outside, I had the AC on the whole day but this insect found a way in. I found It on the curtains of my room. Just wandering what it was. Montreal, Quebec. Canada

Number 6850. This is a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae). These often accidentally get indoors, but do no harm there. Click here for details.

6848.      My husband found this guy today on his walk. He was much bigger but ge stepped on him. Langley, BC. Canada

Number 6848. This is an elm sawfly, Cimbex Americana (Hymenoptera: Cimbicidae). Their larvae (which often are mistaken for caterpillars) primarily feed on leaves of elm and willow but may attack other trees as well. The adults chew on twigs/small branches to feed on sap. But they have no stinger and are completely harmless to humans. Click here for more detailed information.

6846.      Found two of these worm-like guys on a kiwi tree May 25 in Gibsons, BC. At least 5 inches long and VERY skinny. The landscaper trimming the tree had never seen anything like it. Gibsons, BC. Canada

Number 6846. My best guess is that these may be parasitic nematodes in the family Mermethidae. These parasitize a wide variety of invertebrates, mainly insects and spiders. These usually are found in water, as they appear to cause their unwilling hosts to seek out water before they die, and the nematode then emerged from the dying host. However, there are some species that will crawl up on vegetation to lay their eggs where those may then be eaten by potential hosts.

6844.         This centipede dropped out of a planter I picked up at the store. Wondering if it’s invasive to Canada? Winkler, MB. Canada

Number 6844. This is a stone centipede (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha); it looks like Lithobius forficatus, an introduced species now widespread in North America, including Canada. They are harmless to humans. Click here for an example.

6842.         Dozens suddenly on my balcony and windows, with the first warm spring days. Helsinki, Finland.

Number 6842. This looks like a birch catkin bug, Kleidocerys resedae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), a species that occurs in Europe and North America. These basically are nuisance pests that do no real harm. Click here for more detailed information.

6840.      1st dealing with black carpet beetles, a woodlouse spider early may & now found this bug in my apt of building in city. Been thought all beetles & insects in Ont being orange & black but none matched. Was on my bathroom counter middle of may 2020. Cornwall, ON. Canada

Number 6840. This is a checkered beetle (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Most of these are general predators on other small arthropods; a few species are pollen feeders. Click here for an example

6838.      Want to know if this could be a kissing bug, it’s small back it has you small antennas and almost like a mosquito type nose thing. It’s about or just over 1/2 inch long. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Canada

Number 6838. This is an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae). True kissing bugs (subfamily Triatominae) do not occur in Manitoba. Click here for more detailed information

6836.         Found on strawberry plants on balcony in Victoria. Alberta Gibbons. Canada

Number 6836. These are aphids Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae. Also known as plant lice, these all are sap feeders. Click here for more detailed information

6834.        Found this guy near a door to our patio, and kitty litter (pine chips). I found another one approx two weeks ago in the same spot. Unable to figure out what it is. It looks closer to a beetle than a cockroach but has the colouring of a cockroach. Thanks for identifying! Toronto, Ontario. Canada

Number 6834. This appears to be a wharf borer, Narcerdes melanura (Coleoptera: Oedemeridae); their larvae bore in very moist/wet wood, usually in contact with soil or water. Click here for more detailed information.

6832.       Can you help me identify these bad boys? They appear to be worms that I found stuck between cedar shakes that had stacked and half-buried in dirt under our front porch for many years. The webbing surrounding them was so sticky that it was very hard to pull the shakes apart and their bodies left indents in the shakes after I scraped them off. They only was I could tell that they were actually living creatures is because the little green heads on a few of them were wiggling. I Googled ‘worm cartridges’, but couldn’t find anything under this heading 🙂 Any idea what they might be?! Burnaby, British Columbia. Canada

Number 6832. These appear to be cocoons of a bee/wax moth, Aphomia sociella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). This is an introduced European species; possibly entered in bee hives. Click here for an image and additional information.

6830.        This guy is just over an inch long. I have not seen him here before. He slept on my outside broom handle. I almost grabbed him! Wondering if he is normally here and I just didn’t notice before. Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Canada

Number 6830. This is a bald-faced hornet, Dolichovespula maculata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Like most of its ilk, it can deliver a very painful sting, but in spite of its reputation for aggressiveness, I have never been stung by one, even when I have been quite close to a nest. Click here for more detailed information.

6828.        Looked at an apartment today filled with these bugs. Some this size, lots of small ones. The apartment is being fumigated, but because the apartment has been vacant, I am worried about the possibility of them returning. Kitchener, Ontario. Canada

Number 6828. This looks like a German cockroach, Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), a peridomestic species difficult to bring under complete control. Click here  for some control recommendations.