Pest Identification Photos

5923  Hi.  I have a  ton of these beetle like bugs hanging around inside my house around the windows. What are they? 

This is a special kind of leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the subfamily Bruchinae. Often called pea or bean weevils, the larvae of several species will infest seeds (primarily those of legumes), both dry stored ones or still in the field. If you have any stored seeds, including bird seed, check for signs of infestation and dispose of anything found to be infested. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5921  Hello,   I have been seeing these tiny little bugs in my basement over the past few months.  I like in the Halton region, in a brand new house. I do some woodworking in my basement, so initially thought the dust/wood was drawing the bugs into the house.  I’ve cleaned the saw dust and still see these bugs in the basement floor and on my work bench occasionally.  They are white/clear in colour, and there is also a few I’ve seen that are darker and seem to have wings.  Trying to compare to something similar online, I have thought maybe they are booklice.  All websites I’ve seen indicate I should plug in a dehumidifier to draw out the moisture in the basement.  It seemed to work for a few weeks (didn’t see any bugs), but I saw quite a few again last night.  There definitely is moisture in the house; I’ve emptied the dehumidifier every day and a half for the past few weeks.  Any help/insight on how to get rid of these bugs would be appreciated.  Thanks,  Chris

I cannot see the wing venation clearly enough for a positive identification, but I would include booklice (order Psocodea) as a possibility. It certainly does not appear to be a destructive pest of any kind needing immediate control. Please see if you can obtain clear images, and in the meantime, continue with your efforts to reduce unnecessary moisture sources and lower humidity levels I your home. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5919  We live at Lighthouse Cove, Ontario near the mouth of the Thames River on Lake St. Clair.  These flying insects seem attracted to our house. We have a white stucco exterior and during a sunny day, our house will be covered in them.  They are now making their way into our house. The attached photo is one that I caught today. It is ¾ inches long.  We’d appreciate your help in identifying these insects so that we can put measures in place to eradicate them.  Thank you.  Darrell 

This is a box elder bug.  They are common in your area as they seek shelter in the fall to hibernate over the winter.  They can be a nuisance but are harmless.
Read more about box elder bugs.

5917     I live in Kilworthy Ont. Canada…we believe they are coming out of our wood for heating our home…hope you can help me…thank you
Karen

This is a pigeon tremex, Tremex columba, a horntail wood wasp (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). Their larvae develop in the trunks of dead and dying trees, including ash, beech, cottonwood, elm, maple, and oak; they are not pests that need any control. See http://tinyurl.com/jzf2u4v for more detailed information on their life history.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5915   Please identify. They are Black on one side and green underneath. They are biting too.  Sherry

These appear to be plant seeds of some kind, not insects. They may have short spines that irritated your skin. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5913   We got this guy today on sticky paper . Both my husband and myself have been getting bites likely at night in bed.  The bite starts off the size of a dime and  swells to quarter size, burns, itches for about 5-6 days. The area around the actual bite swells to a tea cup saucer size. I got two on my ankle than a week later on my arm. I got a skin infection from that one and was on antibiotics for a week.  We checked for other insects..bed bugs etc. but we found nothing. Even the doctor confirmed they are not bed bug bites. We got obsessed since they really SUCK and cleaned our bedroom like mad!!!   We though it was gone but I got bit last night and we found this spider living in a tube in our bed frame.  Could this be the thing that’s biting us?  It looks maybe like a house spider but there are SO many varieties.  Your help is most appreciated.   Taya

This spider is extremely unlikely to be responsible for any bites. It is Steatoda triangulosa, a very common peridomestic species; I have been unable to locate even a single report of this species ever biting a human. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5911      I this a kissing bug?   Audrey

This is an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), but not a kissing bug. This one looks like Zelus renardii, known as the leafhopper assassin bug – see http://tinyurl.com/hclhvvm for an image. Like most assassin bugs, it can deliver a painful bite if handled carelessly, but they are not at all dangerous to humans. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5908   About 1 inch long slim body, always on wall near the ceiling, live in Manitoba so cold outside. Have seen about 15 in December and Jan. What are they and where do they come from? Thanks  Larry S.

This is a crane fly (Diptera: Tipulidae); see http://tinyurl.com/2fz8joo for an example. It is not unusual to find some active in the winter in sheltered places.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5906  Hello,   Can you advise what the attached Bug is ?  Came out of Vancouver BC.   Thanks.  Brendan. 

This is a larva of a snakefly (order Raphidioptera); likely in the family Raphidiidae. These are general predators on other small arthropods, mainly other insects. See http://tinyurl.com/hht3z5u for more detailed information.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5904   Hello Webmanager, My name is Jack and I found this creature on the mirrored backsplash in our kitchen. We’re in central Alabama where the weather is currently unseasonably warm (70°).
Best regards,  Jack

This is a lacewing, most likely a green lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). These insects and their larvae are voracious predators on small, soft-bodied insects such as aphids and small caterpillars, and thus usually considered as beneficial. See http://tinyurl.com/hjlw5ts for more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5902   Hi, my name is Nancy. We have seen this bug inside around the house, in Winter months. In eastern Ontario, Canada. Have been looking all over the Web to try and identify but haven’t seen any pictures of it yet. thanks!  

 This is a late-instar nymph of an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), likely that of Reduvius ersonatus,     peridomestic species known as the masked hunter. These are reported as having a very painful but not dangerous bite. See http://tinyurl.com/23g4bdy for more detailed information     Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5900   Hello, I live in Kitchener, Ontario and it’s January right now. I just got this new townhouse last February and never noticed these little guys in my basement (basement only), till this month. It’s been snowing a lot and the house is quite dry, Im not sure if the basement is humid though, but we have the heat at 22 degrees inside. These little guys seem white from far until I took the picture. They are less than half a mm in size and when you spook them or touch them they just hop, they don’t fly, but hops quite fast. After taking these pictures I noticed they are really light brown and have little dots on them. I really hope they aren’t bed bugs or termites. New house and they are all over the basement concrete floor.  Thanks in advance!  Ivan. 

This is a psocid, commonly called booklice because of their association with books or paper. Booklice feed most commonly on molds as well as fungi, grains, insect fragments, and other starchy material, including glue from book bindings. In homes, they can be found in damp, warm, undisturbed places where mold and fungi are growing. For more information and control suggestions see http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/psocids

5898  My name is Esther, I’m a single mom of 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 1 crested gecko. I had been hearing noises at night, but i brushed it away thinking it was my crested gecko’s activity since he is nocturnal, until i seen a rodent dash behind my fridge. I purchased glue traps and set them out,  In the past 3 days I’ve seen i adult rodent im assuming much larger then the ones ive captured. I’ve caught 3 rodents in my home, two identical in size and characteristics, 1 much smaller and different shape ears. My location is Los Banos California located in the Central Valley in California.  I was sure i had caught a rat the first 2 catches but the 32rd catch seemed the same in color yet it was much smaller and had larger ears. Could i have rats and mice?

This looks more like an adult mouse, such as a house mouse, than a young rat. See http://tinyurl.com/zkednfx   for some pointers on telling the difference. That aside, it is altogether possible to have both rats and mice; we have that situation on our property.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5896   My name is Ian.  – Photo was taken on January 8, 2017. – Insect found in apartment in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
– About 2mm in length. – Indoors, on wall in a carpeted room. – Winter. – Thanks.

This is a larva of a beetle in the family Dermestidae (hide/skin/larder/carpet beetles and allies), likely in the genus Anthrenus – see http://tinyurl.com/z3oqpsv for an example and http://tinyurl.com/zl9w25c elsewhere on this site for some control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5894  I found this bug it has a brown back with stripes on it it looks like a bed bug but im not sure.  Brandy. 

Yes this is a bed bug.  There could be many more where you found it.  You would be wise to have a professional do an inspection and discuss methods to eliminate the problem.  They are difficult to find.  For more information see:  http://pestcontrolcanada.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bed-bugs

5892  I am from Nova Scotia.  Last week we came home to find these beatle/ bugs in our kitchen. They are black , hard shell, can fly or jump a little about 1/8 inch long max.  We have killed about twenty so far I squashed them with my thumb as they seem hard to kill any other way. They don’t come out in the dark.  They appear to come from our pantry where we have canned or sealed packaged food, nothing opened.  We did have an open bag of potatoes in that area.  Help.  Gary

This is a leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the subfamily Bruchinae. Often called pea or bean weevils, the larvae of several species will infest seeds (primarily those of legumes), both dry stored ones or still in the field. If you have any stored seeds, including bird seed, check for signs of infestation. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5890  See attached Photo a friend of mind took on New years eve, found in a home in Eastern  Newfoundland . Just curious as flying bugs in Winter doesn’t seem the Norm.

The image is not clear enough for me to be certain, but I believe that this could be a caddisfly (order Trichoptera) – see http://tinyurl.com/zghoj27 and http://tinyurl.com/hzmju2r for examples. It is not unusual for some species to be active in the winter time. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5888   Can you identify this bug? It appears in our house occasionally. Can they bite?   We are in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Thank you, M. Berkson

This is a milkweed bug, an occasional invader in homes. They are very similar in appearance to boxelder bugs.  See the comparison here:  http://pestcontrolcanada.com/box-elder-bugs   Both are harmless in your home. They don’t bite, have no stingers and don’t carry disease.

5886   Can you tell me what type of insect larvae this is? Thanks     Sherry

This appears to be a dead, mummified caterpillar of an Imperial moth, Eacles imperialis (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). See http://tinyurl.com/bzm7v3h for more detailed information on this species. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5884  Hi I have lived in Washington state all my life and have never ran across anything like this before. I was out at night in late fall and found this guy under a bunch of leave next to a “rollie pollie” bug, a big rollie pollie bug! Wondering if it’s related to the rollie pollie or if it’s something else ? Thank you Tammy. 

This is a repeat of post no. 5868, a ground beetle larva. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5882  Hi there, my name is Remi. Geological location is British Columbia, Canada. I have looked over your site a bit and I would figure this is a beetle, but what kind of beetle is unsure, matter of fact I didn’t even notice the antennas they had until I took a zoomed up picture of it.  Pretty sure they don’t fly, but upon recording a video they also opened their wings.. so at this point I’m not even sure what kind of bug they are.  I am really starting to wonder if these are a threat or can cause problems since more and more started showing up and I have no idea why, they’re not secluded to just one area either. I see them in the bathroom, the kitchen, the hallway near the living room, even in the corner of the room where my TV stand is and they most definitely seem drawn to light since we have a long hallway we end up using a night light and several always seem gathered below it or sometimes just on the wall. 

This appears to be a follow-up to the no. 5879 posting. This time, I can see the antennae, and there is no doubt that this is a drugstore beetle, Stegobium paniceum (Coleoptera: Anobiidae). The cigarette beetle lacks the three-segmented ‘club’ seen on your specimen.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5880   I live in rural Ontario, Canada. These little bugs have been popping up over the past few weeks and I was wondering what they were. Thanks in advance.  -Risa

This is a damsel bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Nabidae), likely in the genus Nabis – see http://tinyurl.com/zvpoopk for an example. Damsel bugs are general predators on other small arthropods (mostly other insects), and thus often considered beneficial visitors to gardens.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5878  Last week I found one of these ‘shells’ and another this week. One was in plain site and the other was in a dark toy bin. The shell is hard and brittle and the inside has a pus like consistency, any information would be appreciated.   Thanks,  Nolan

This is a puparium of a rodent bot fly (Diptera: Oestridae; subfamily Cuterebrinae) in the genus Cuterebra. When the larvae of these flies are fully grown, they emerge from their rodent host in search of a dry place to undergo pupation – see http://tinyurl.com/zr7yx2g for images and more detailed information.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5876   Hello,  I live in North Bay Ontario Canada, right on the waters edge of Trout Lake I’ve seen these little pods all over the outside walls of the house, seems to be concrete or brick only though.  The total overall length is no more that .75 of an inch and maybe 1/4″ to 3/8″ of an inch across.  I assume they’re of biological origin simply because they’ve been attached to the wall. I’ve seen lots of posts elsewhere on the internet that talk about bagworms and show similar cocoons, although I haven’t read anywhere that they’re this small.

This looks like a case made by a grass bagworm, such as Psyche casta (Lepidoptera: Psychidae); see http://tinyurl.com/gt5arlr for some images. These caterpillars cause minimal damage to their host plants (mainly grasses). We often find similar cases on our house in West Virginia.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5874   Hi,I’d like some help in identifying the attached pics of larvae. They are dropping out of a pot light located in my bathroom – about 1-2 every couple of hours. The only place above the bathroom ceiling is an attic. (which contains only insulation as far as I know, since there is no interior access) They started dropping down two days ago.  I live in Comox, Vancouver Island, BC.   When I took the light bulb out, nothing is visible. Should I be taking down the whole light fixture?   I have seen no moths anywhere and I’ve checked out my pantry and it appears bug-free. All the dry goods are in plastic containers.If you can identify these, can you tell me how to get rid of them? Thank you. Dianne Alsop

This looks like a maggot, probably a blow fly maggot that has crawled away from a dead animal in your attic. There could be a dead rat near the pot light. You should have a professional inspect, disinfect and remove any dead rodents.  If you have been using rodent poison, you should switch to traps to avoid more dead rodents in your home.  See the life cycle of blow flies here: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/galleries/technologies/blowfly.html