Pest Identification Photos

5872   This an apple tree sapling in Rockland Cty. New York.  The weather is turning cool.  The tree is about 2 feet tall. There appears to be some type of bug lined up on the stem. Would like to know what they are.  Thanks, Ann

These are eggs of a katydid – see http://tinyurl.com/hhhg6eg for some images. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5870    Cockroaches?  Found around bottom of A/C in window of suite in Sidney, BC, CANADA

This is a western conifer seed bug.  It is one of the most common insect photos submitted for identification.

5868   Hi, I live in Washington state and found this bug at night under some maple leaves outside. I have never seen anything like this. Thank you.

This is a larva of a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae); see http://tinyurl.com/hc9ts8x for an image of an adult along with a larva. These all are general predators on other terrestrial arthropods, mainly other insects. Your specimen is one of the fattest examples that I’ve ever seen! Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5866  I found this 1cm larvae crawling up the wall in the kitchen of my townhouse. I live on Vancouver Island, BC. Thanks. 

This most likely is a caterpillar of an Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).These caterpillars will feed on a very wide variety of stored food products, including grain-based meals, dried fruit, nuts, bird seed, etc., so you should inspect all your food storage areas for signs of infestation. See http://tinyurl.com/zhgsj23 for more detailed information, including some control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5864   Hey it’s Cal from Calgary, Alberta. I’ve killed about 50 of these little flies in my bedroom every day for the past week. I live in a basement apartment and I can’t find out where they’re coming from! Can you provide any help with identifying these guys?

This is a dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae). They basically are nuisance pests whose larvae are found primarily in very damp/wet soils having a high organic content, where they sometimes will damage tender roots and other underground parts of plants. If you have indoor potted plants of any kind, allow the soil to dry out as much as practical between waterings. See http://tinyurl.com/hrgsoqh for more detailed information. Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5862   This bug was inside my step son shirt in the arm pit and bit him.  The bite left a welt like a bee sting and he said it felt like 2 bees stinging him.  Eastern Washington.

This is a nymph of an assassin bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), likely that of Reduvius personatus, a 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. Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5860  Taken in backyard London Ontario Canada today.  Nov 10 2016 at about 1 pm.  Joanne

This is a female blister beetle (Coleoptera: Meloidae) in the genus Meloe; beetles in this genus often are called oil beetles because of the oily fluid they exude from their joints when they are handled roughly. This fluid contains cantharidin, a chemical that can cause blistering on tender skin. See http://tinyurl.com/z5tg72eor more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5858  Hello.   Can you help me identify this bug found in my bedroom of my fourth floor apartment on Nov 1, 2016 in Calgary, AB. See attached. Thank you.  Charles 

This is a relative of grasshoppers and crickets known as a cave or camel cricket (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae). Some people also call them ‘sprickets’ because of a fancied resemblance to a cross between a spider and a cricket. These insects prefer relatively dark, damp, and undisturbed habitats, such as caves and basements; finding one on the fourth floor of a building would seem a bit unusual for them. They basically are nuisance pests that seldom cause any real harm. See http://tinyurl.com/guowjr7 for more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5856  I found this very hard bodied beetle strolling across my bedroom floor near Leduc, Alberta.  Size of the body is just under 2 cm.  In normal light it is very dark, almost black.  Thank you for letting me know what it is and if I have to be concerned.   Thanks. Esther

This appears to be a stink bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), but it does not look to me like any of the species known to be native to your area. Are you by any chance in an area where international shipments arrive? All that aside, this insect will not damage anything in your home.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5854    Good day,  Recently my basement bedroom and bathroom have become a hangout to tiny black flies. I can’t figure out where they’re coming from or even what they are.    They rally around the exterior windows when its light out, and then after that are found around other sources of light. A candle burning all night in the bathroom usually kills a dozen or so (bodies found in the wax).   They aren’t attracted to vinegar or alcohol, spraying them with Windex seems to kill them, but they will return to that same window after it was cleaned. They currently number under 20 in each window. But when vacuumed up or killed they return to that number within half an hour.    We noticed them after summer, in Nova Scotia, Canada. Its now November and they’re still here.  I’ve taken a photo of some, can you identify what they are? And how to get rid of them!

These are likelyPhorid flies, also known as humpbacked flies.  They are small  and resemble fruit flies in appearance.  The Phorid fly lacks the red eye color that is the classic trademark of the fruit fly.  Phorid flies are in the small category of flies, measuring up to 1/8 inch in length, including the wings. Color:  Tan brown with black eyes; small head; a severely arched (humpbacked) thorax when viewed from the side. Read More

5852    Hi there, Saw this on my way to Victoria BC at Goldstream National Park. What is it??   Taylor.

This is a ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) that specializes in snail-eating, it appears to be Scaphinotus angusticollis – see http://tinyurl.com/6vj9qb8 for an image and details on its life history. Nice find! Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5850   Brampton, Ontario, Canada.  5 degrees Celsius outside, October 31st.  Found in a bedroom on a bed.  Crystal

This is a small click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae), simply an accidental intruder that will do no harm. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5848  I find between 10-20 of these on my bathroom floor (partial Basement) daily. It is a vinyl floor and relatively clean space. Please advise what these May be and how we can stop them?  Thanks.  Gurj

This is another example of something that I have seen before, but simply cannot pin a name on; it resembles something in the family Silvanidae or a close relative. I do not believe that it is a serious pest that you need worry about, but just in case, you might check your food storage areas for any signs of infestation. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5846  Hello,  I am attaching a photo of a larger spider that was on the outside ‘side’ of our house….believe he must be some sort of garden spider? I have attached one photo of him taken inside a plastic cup. I set him free after taking the photo. This photo was in the fall season and in northern NE WA state.   Thank you,  Ellen

This is a female orb-weaving spider (family Araneidae). I cannot be certain because of the angle from which this image was taken, but I think that it may be in the genus Neoscona. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5844    This bug is about 1 inch in length and taken inside a store in Mississauga Ontario Canada.   thanks for identifying.  Michael Mississauga Ontario

This is a house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, a cosmopolitan species. Unlike most centipedes, these have relatively good eyesight, and will chase down some of their prey. They are reputed to have a painful (but not dangerous) bite; see http://tinyurl.com/mn7mzffor more detailed information.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5842    Can you tell me what kind of fly this is and the best way to get rid of them.  They come in the house in the fall and stay all winter. The problem started last fall. Donna

Although this fly superficially resembles some fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the genus Rhagoletis, I am by no means confident. I would like very much to see an image that shows the wing veins clearly, as well as knowing the geographic area where the image was taken. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5840  Attached is a photo taken at our home in Miramichi, NB. It was taken on October 13 on an average sunny/cloudy day. The body of the spider was about 1 cm. across. It had constructed a web outside a main picture window at the front of our house (facing NW). It did not appear to be aggressive, staying in one spot as I got within a few inches to take the photo.  John

This is an orb weaver in the genus Araneus; it appears to be Araneus diadematus, a very common and widespread species on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. It is known as the cross spider or cross orb weaver in North America and the European garden spider in Europe. I saw several specimens in southern England while on a trip there earlier this month. All orb weavers are harmless to humans. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5838   This picture was taken in my room in Stratford Ontario. This is the second one I’ve found. Could you please help me in identifying it.  Rebecca 

This looks like the shed ‘skin’ (exoskeleton) of a beetle in the family Dermestidae (hide/skin/carpet/larder beetles, etc.) Just as a precaution, you might check areas where dry food products (including birds seed) and woolen clothing/fabrics are stored for signs of infestation. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5836   Hi there, I recently (late October 2016) moved into a new apartment near Cobourg, Ontario. The last tenants were very messy and in the course of cleaning the cupboards I came across some of these. This was the largest specimen I found and the clearest shots I could take. Grateful for an ID if you have one. I am fighting them with insecticide. Justin

This is a very young nymph of a cockroach, possibly that of a German cockroach (Blattella germanica; Blattodea: Blattellidae). This species is notoriously difficult to control completely; see http://tinyurl.com/h3nd9z8  elsewhere on this site for some control suggestions.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5834   Hi – found the attached insect in back yard (Head Chezzetcook, NS) covered in tiny insects, maybe aphids.  Thought it was a wasp because of the yellow and black on the body which was hard to see, but now thinking might me some kind of beetle.  Hoping you can identify both insects.  Thanks,  Sherri

This is a carrion/sexton/burying beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in the genus Nicrophorus that is absolutely covered with phoretic mites that are using the beetle as transportation to get to their next meal source. See No. 5821 for a similar example. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5832 I’m in Innisfil, Ontario. It is a mild October. This last week have had tiny all black, six legged (plus two antennae)bugs crawling all over my decks and brick and basement windows Not a hard beetle type shell and no wings.  Slow but steady pace when moving. They do not jump or scatter when threatened; they just stop or retreat. There are also present in the mulch in my gardens. Very small. And somewhat similar to picture #5526.  About 1/16th of an inch. Donna

This is an aphid (Hemiptera/Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae). Also known as plant lice, these all feed on the sap of various plants and a few species can be important vectors of plant diseases. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5830   Hi I have been using stinky boards to capture roaming creatures into my garage. I get the usual wood bugs , millipedes and various spiders. This one to the left has me concerned. I have caught a few in the last month or two. Is this a termite ??

This is a rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), these are general predators on other small arthropods, mostly other insects. Unlike most other beetles, the vast majority of rove beetles have very short wing covers and quite flexible abdomens. See http://tinyurl.com/zukwwvo for some examples. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5828  I found this in Hamilton Ontario on my front porch. I wouldn’t have looked twice at it, but from a distance it looked like a small scorpion. Upon closer inspection, it was a flying insect camouflaged like a scorpion, which I find strange, since there are no native scorpion species in this area. –Dan

Flies with this type of wing pattern usually belong to the family Tephritidae (true fruit flies); see http://tinyurl.com/j89kmhs for an example. I have seen it posited that this wing pattern may serve to mimic jumping spiders, common predators on these flies. Some species can be very serious orchard pests. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

 5826  The photo was taken in Mississauga, Ont. on Oct.11/16. The bug is dead, my husband found it crawling on the wall upstairs in our house and squished it, so a leg or two might not be showing up but I think the photos are fairly clear. I hope you can identify it and let me know what it is and if I need to do anything to eliminate any future visits by its friends.  Thanks so much.  June

This is a broad-nose/short-snouted weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; subfamily Entiminae). These weevils often enter buildings in search of shelter, but do no harm there. See nos. 5781, 5779, and 5774 for other examples. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.

5824   What is this? Darrin

This appears to be a winged ant of some sort, but this image is not clear enough to say much more. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.