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Pest Identification Photos
#
1001 to 1100
:
What is this pest?
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This space reserved for
your pest photo |
The pictures below have been
submitted by visitors. If you can identify them you are invited to send us
your answers.
Your description is also welcome.
Please
Include the picture number
in your answers.
If you have a digital camera or
scanner send us photos of any pest you would like identified.
Please
include the location the pest was found and any other information you can offer.
Hopefully one of our visitors will be able to identify them. Send your photos
or answers to:
webmanager@pestcontrolcanada.com
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Some comments
from visitors |
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This site is fascinating! We just
finished watching the new David Attenborough series on "Life in the
Undergrowth". These creatures you are identifying are very important to
life on the planet and I am very happy to have discovered your site
after watching the series! Spellbinding! thank you.... Beth
I'd like to add my sincere thanks to
everyone responsible for this very informative web site, especially Ed
Saugstad. Publishing 1000 pest photos and identifying them must
have taken many hours.
I recommend this site to all my students as a reliable learning
resource. Charles McD. Toronto.
Congratulations for having received
question #1000, and I'd also like to join the previous readers in
thanking Ed Saugstad for his conscientious work of providing great
answers to all questions; I also like this site a lot, I even added it
to my browser's toolbar! Best regards, -Peter (Canton, MI)
This is a wonderful web-site! I learn something
every time I visit, and have even had a couple of our own pests
identified by your resident experts (including the weevil, #989 which is
presently visiting our home, in northern Alberta) :)
What I really want is to send a big thank-you to Ed Saugstad
for the frequent responses and very helpful information, including
web-links, for the many "bugs" that appear on these pages. He clearly
loves what he is doing, and we are all beneficiaries of his beneficence.
Thank you, Ed!
Ted Drouin, retired biologist (not entomologist, though)
Thanks to Ted
Drouin and others for the kind words - this actually is fun, and teaches
me how little I really know!
Ed Saugstad
I do some photography of various
critters found around my house (central Okanagan, BC) as well as
exotics from private collections. Often I have pictures I cannot
complete as I have no name. Your site helps me find these names.
Keep up the good work.
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A little background on a volunteer expert respondent:
Ed Saugstad.
B.S. in Entomology - NDSU, 1963.
M.S. in Entomology - Purdue University, 1967
A life-long interest in natural history. Formally trained in entomology, he
also has a personal interest in herpetology and has read widely in many
biological fields. He is a member of Entomological Society of America,
Society for Vector Ecology & National Speleological Society. |
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 1100
I live in mid Manitoba, its early September. I've been finding a couple of these
in the basement in my ferret enclosure which I clean 2x a day. They are about a
half an inch long, have a dark segmented body and a white underside with 6 legs
at the front and many tiny hair-like projections at the sides. What are they and
what can I do? Jacqueline.
This appears to be a larva of a
larder beetle (Dermestes lardarius; Coleoptera: Dermestidae), a common
pantry pest that feeds on a wide variety of proteinaceous foodstuffs, including
cured meats. See
http://k41.pbase.com/u38/holopain/large/32059066.Dermesteslardarius.jpg
for an image of a larva, and pest photo no. 1087 for the adult beetles. A fact
sheet found at
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2104.html
includes control recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV. |
 1099
I live in west
central Saskatchewan. I seem to have these little beetles in my house. I find
them in cardboard boxes, under newspaper, in folded clothes. It seems that they
climb the walls in the night because often first thing in the morning, I find
them on the ceiling in different rooms. I do not find them in any pantry items.
They do not smell. They crush quite easily. I would like to identify so that I
can discuss with an exterminator how to get rid of them when I also have parrots
in the house. Enclosed 2 pictures. One showing size and the other showing the
little beetle better. Thank you.
Wayne
Although no scale was
provided in the photo posted, the overall appearance of the beetle is very much
like those in the genus Tribolium (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Two
species in this genus, T. confusum (the confused flour beetle) and
T. castaneum (the red flour beetle) are common pantry pests. See
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/teneb/Tribolium_confusum.jpg
and
http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/teneb/Tribolium_castaneum.jpg
for images of these beetles, both species are about 3.5 - 5.0 mm long. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2087.html
for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations. Although you say that
you have not found them in pantry items, have you also checked containers of dry
pet food? Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
First, thank
you very much for your time. While I've wondered if it was a confused flour
beetle, the thorax seems the wrong shape and more separated from the lower
body.
Enclosed this
pix. hopefully to show size and a clearer picture. While the measure is
showing in inches, I believe this one is slightly over 6mm in size. Have
never found them in the dried dog food but perhaps I haven't looked hard
enough (I will now). I also don't find them in the bird seed. Folded over
newspaper will often be a spot I find some, or as mentioned, in folded
clothes. A crack in a piece of wood will often have some in it although
maybe that is a place to lay eggs? Again, thank you for any further
thoughts you may have. Wayne
Unfortunately,
neither photo is clear enough to see diagnostic characters (tarsal and
antennal segments, coxae, etc.) needed to run the beetles through a key. In
my initial diagnosis, I had assumed (usually a bad idea) that the separation
between the thorax and abdomen was an artifact of the beetles having been
slightly squashed. If they are not flour beetles or a close relative, they
may be only nuisance pests as opposed to something one would have to be
worried about. If you can take clearer photos at a greater magnification, I
can take another stab at them. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks
Grove, WV.
|
 1098
I live in south Florida USA. I saw three four of these pest in my bed room, bath
room and in the living room. I saw them two or three times in a week. I have
never seen this in side my home before. Someone told me that it is in the AC
duct and so clean ac duct with professional cleaner, but after that also I see
it once in my bed room. Now I am calling a professional pest control person and
he is saying that it is coming from outside. But All my doors and windows are
closed all the time and it is not possible for the pest to come inside. It
scrolled very fast on carpet but looses its speed on tiles. Is it poisonous? It
is very scary. Is it a snake? How can I get rid of the creature. Any
suggestions? Thank you. Manideep
Difficult to be certain from
the photo, but this more likely is an oligochaete worm than a millipede (and
definitely NOT a snake), as I can see no evidence of any appendages. See
http://bmbiris.bmb.uga.edu/wampler/biolum/worm/img004.JPG
for an image of Diplocardia longa, a very slender
worm found in the southeastern US. In either case, it would not be poisonous or
a serious pest, but simply an unwanted indoors intruder. If you have indoors
potted plants, you might check their soil for the presence of these creatures.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1097
I live in Winnipeg, Canada. I have a question to any experts out
there. A week ago, I saw what looks like a yellow jacket wasp land in a pot lamp
fixture over my front door, and never come out. Examining the fixture, I could
see that insects could have access to the empty space behind the fixture through
mounting slots for the screws holding the fixture in place. Am I correct in
suspecting that a queen wasp could be using this space to hibernate over winter?
I today sealed the holes in the fixture with caulking. I have endured an
infestation of wasps into my house this summer. They had established a nest
behind a eavestrough over my kitchen area, and I found up to half a dozen of
them on the inside on the dinette windows each morning. I eventually destroyed
the nest. Thanks. Michael.
This is a yellowjacket. The pot light is an
excellent entry point for a queen to spend the the winter. She will emerge in
the spring to start building a new nest. When wasps build nests in a
building cavity some of them may accidentally find their way into your living
space. |
 1096
I found three of these in my bed. The attached picture was taken at 60X
magnification. They are about 1/3 centimeter long - see the pin head for some
sense of scale. I live in Portland, Oregon. Please have a look at the attached
picture - any idea what they are? Could they be Silverfish in a early stage of
life (I have seen those around). Thanks, Dale
These are larvae of dermestid
beetles, likely in the genus Anthrenus (see
http://www.lucianabartolini.net/Immagini/strani_due/dscn2717.jpg
for an image). Known as carpet or furniture beetles, the larvae can do
severe damage to materials of animal origin, such as woolen fabric/carpets. You
should carefully inspect all such items for the presence of these larvae or
signs of their damage. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html
for more information, including control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1095
Location: Vancouver BC.
Place: Backyard of House. Help! I
have hundreds if not thousands of these things in my backyard. One stung my
wife (quite painful she said). If I leave a water cup out there will be 6 or 8
of these things in it the next day. I think they are falling from the pine
trees. Do they nest together? Were do they live? In Pine Trees? Can I
destroy the nest? I don’t want my kids getting bitten… Thanks for any info.
Jason
This is an earwig (order
Dermaptera). Primarily scavengers, some species can damage tender vegetation.
For the most part, they are considered nuisance pests, and they can occur in
tremendous numbers. They don’t bite, but they can give a slight pinch with the
forceps-like cerci at the end of their abdomen. They thrive in moist
environments that include abundant harborage (they are nocturnal in habit,
remaining under cover during the daytime). See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2068.html
for a fact sheet that includes control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1094
Cool website! I was hoping someone could identify this bug for me. I live in
Southern California near the coast and found this rather small, "White waxy pill
bug like creature" crawling around the bark of our Tangelo tree. My husband
describes it as a, "White elliptical walking shag carpet". I have also seen them
in our lemon tree. When disturbed/poked at with a pine needle the waxy shag
easily breaks apart. The beast seems to be pill/sow bug in body yet flat, same
kind of feet...Any ideas? Ann
This appears to be a woolly aphid (Homoptera:
Eriosomatidae). Some species, such as the woolly apple aphid, can be
economically important pests.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1093
We saw several of these on golden rod today. They are quite
striking. Can you tell me what they are. Jeff. Rochester, New York
|
 1092
I just came upon your wonderful site. The pictures I have are
of a fly (?) we saw on the counter in the kitchen. It as about 3/8" long and
seemed to be drinking off the damp counter. As it walked, its wings moved
backwards and forwards. We released it after it had finished drinking. I
looked at other sites for a key, but some of them are much too technical for
me. I looked in diptera because it seems to have only one set of
wings, but I couldn't find it. I'm sure that it is not a pest. Can you help
identify it for me? I live in Edmonton, Alberta.
This appears to be a fruit
fly in the family Tephritidae. This family includes several species of
economic importance, such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, apple maggot, and
blueberry maggot. Fortunately, your specimen does not match any of those.
The wings of flies in this family usually bear striking markings, and wing
movement plays an important part in their courtship. Also, some researchers
believe that certain wing patterns in conjunction with wing movement may
mimic the posture of jumping spiders, and thus afford he flies some
protection from predation - see
http://www.users.qwest.net/~phidippus/page14.htm
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry this is not a Fruit fly, Tephritidae, it is a Flutter Fly,
Pallopteridae. A close relative of the Fruit flies. This is the genus
Palloptera (=Toxoneura), the larvae live in decaying plant material or a
predators of insect larvae, and are not considered a pest. Dr. Martin
Hauser, Plant Pest Diagnostics, California Department of Food & Agriculture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks once more to Dr. Hauser
for correcting a misidentification on my part. I simply was not familiar
with the family Pallopteridae, but neither was I comfortable with
designating it as a Tephritid, as there was something about the wing pattern
that just didn’t seem right to me.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1091
We live in a wood frame house in North Vancouver, B.C. Canada. We have come
accross several of these spiders. My son has experienced bites that are creating
an inflammatory reaction. We're trying to find out what kind of spider
this is and whether or not it's bites are toxic. thanks, Belinda
This could be
Enoplognatha ovata, a highly variable species in the family Theridiidae
(cobweb spiders). See
http://st.blog.cz/f/foto.blog.cz/obrazky/101589.jpg
and
http://www.ulg.ac.be/museezoo/ara/agrandi/images/45.jpg
for images. It is not dangerous to humans. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1090
Hi; I live in the Wasaga Beach area of Ontario, Canada, and while I was
out in my back yard I saw this fellow in my geraniums. I was able to take this
photo. Would it possible for you to identify it for me. Gary
This is a robber fly (Diptera:
Asilidae). They are ambush predators on a wide variety of other arthropods; see
nos. 1008, 987, and 915 for other examples. The depressed area between the eyes
is characteristic for this family. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1089
Found this one wandering around
here in Stratford Ontario. Thought it was something in the Roach area but
haven't seen any images like it so, anyone out there, any ideas ? JKC
|
 1088
Hi. I live in the Salmon
Arm/Shuswap area of the BC Interior. This beast with a 5" wingspan was spotted
the other morning outside our front door. It remained motionless for at least 6
hours before flying away. Unable to identify after much Internet research.
Thanx. Nancy
|
1087 I am trying to identify these beetles. I have been finding them in
numerous locations in the house- mostly in the kitchen and living room. The
marking on the wings is very distinctive. Is this a variation of a cigarette
beetle? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!!
These are larder beetles (Dermestes
lardarius; Coleoptera: Dermestidae); household/pantry pests that will feed
on a wide variety of proteinaceous materials. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2104.html
for a fact sheet that includes control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larder Beetles. Jay |
 1086
Hello,
I found this bug crawling on Orobanche sp. where I work in As-Sweida,
Syria (West Asia). The long of this bug is about 10 mm. Although the pictures
are not clear, but I think the characteristics are obvious. It is Hemiptera, but
I couldn't get further identification. Could anybody help? Thank you. Wa'el
Almatni
This is a true bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera);
likely in the family Lygaeidae (seed bugs). See
http://insects.tamu.edu/images/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/odonata/lygaediae/lygaeus_kalmii_adult_lateral_m_01.jpg
for an image of a similar species found in North America.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1085
Can you identify this
caterpillar? I live in northeast Ohio, in the suburbs of Cleveland.
I found 2 of them hanging out on my butterfly weed...not sure if they are
actually butterfly caterpillars, or something destructive. Thanks! Jodie McLeod
|
 1084
I live in Virginia but while I
was camping, this was found in 4 Oaks, NC. On a truck door while camping
surrounded by woods. This bug does fly when touched. Thanks Tiffani
It
appears that this is a Box Elder Bug, sometimes called a Maple Bug because
it eats Manitoba maple trees.
Here is a closer and clearer picture of the
insects in 1074. My wife calls them "Viburnum Beetles" because they used to
infest our viburnum bush . . . however they do not resemble any reference to
any Viburnum Beetle I have ever found..
John B.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a long-horned
wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). From its overall appearance,
it may be one of the sawyers in the genus Monochamus; see no. 1029.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1083
I am curious as to what this insect is. It is not compressed like a flea,
and resembles a type of beetle. The one thing that struck me as odd is the long
pincher front appendages. It has three sets of legs and one set of pinchers = 4.
It is about 3 mm (not including pinchers). Picture was taken Sept.4, 2006 in
southeastern New Brunswick, Canada in a home crawling along the wall. Any ideas
on what this little critter is would satisfy my curiosity. Thank you, Anne
This is a pseudoscorpion, small
arachnids that are harmless to humans, but voracious predators on other small
arthropods. See no. 1072 for another example.Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1082
Is this a Bag Worm? Found in Ohio on the side of a Garage, above
a juniper shrub. I've lived 52 inquisitive years in the same state and NEVER
seen one! How amazing is that? Thank You!
Yes, this is a bagworm,
likely the evergreen bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis; Lepidoptera:
Psychidae). The adult female remains wingless and larviform, never leaving her
bag. The adult males are winged (see
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG189/html/Bagworm.HTML),
and disperse in search of mates. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1081
We spotted this wasp (?) outside our cottage in central Ontario in June.
Marybeth
Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa atrata
reference:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/59666/bgpage
Jenny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This an ichneumon wasp,
likely the so-called giant ichneumon, Megarhyssa atrata (see
http://www.rowanpix.com/inverts/images/ichneuman.jpg
for an image of a female ovipositing. They are parasitic on larvae of wood wasps
(Hymenoptera: Siricidae). Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1080
Hi, I live in Vancouver near the Fraser river. I don't
think it's a mosquito, although it flies like one. There is a swarm of
it outside my front entrance in the corner, where it is shady and sheltered from
the wind. They fly into my face whenever I open my front door. My husband
nicknamed them the "reindeer flies", because of their antenna, but I'd really
like to know what they are called. Anybody know? thanks, Wendy
This is a midge in the family
Chironomidae. Closely related to mosquitoes, they do not bite, but occur in such
enormous numbers as to be extreme nuisances. See no. 951 for another example.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1079
Hello, I came across your web site, very cool. I just found these insects on my
window sill, there are about a dozen or so of them alone just near my window,
most are dead. I live in south San Jose, California. Are they termites? They
look a lot bigger than termites I've seen before, they are almost 1/2 inch long
from head to bottom of wing. I would not like to have my name mentioned on your
web site. They don't seem to fly much and their wings look like they come off
easily (lots of loose wings on window sill) Attached is a photo. Thank
you! Just a renter...whew!
Regards, Marcie
These appear to be alates of
the western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor - see
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/images/l-1782_4.jpg
for an image. They are larger than subterranean termites, and may emerge to
migrate during warm, sunny days in the autumn. Even though you are a renter, you
may wish to look at the control guidelines at
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7440.html
or at least bring it to your landlord’s attention.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1078
I live in the Memphis, Tennessee area and
found this insect on Saturday, September 02, 2006, at about 8:30 a.m. I wasn’t
sure if it was alive but nudged it after taking the pictures and it flew off.
Thanks for your help. John
It's a dragonfly of the family
Libellulidae. It's a little hard to tell the species from the photo, but it
might be a variety known as "saddlebags," genus Tramea. Dragonflies eat
other flying insects and are harmless to humans. --Emily R., studied
dragonflies in graduate school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If this is a Tramea,
it would just about have to be Tramea lacerata, the black saddlebags
(see
http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~fmitchel/dragonfly/Libellulidae/tl_1tta.jpg
for an image)- note the pale dorsal spots visible on some
abdominal segments. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1077
I live in Indiana and my wife and I came across these little red bugs on our
back porch. They gathered closer together as the night came and the air got
cooler. They then made about a quarter sized spot on the wall. This was taken
in the evening though around 5 or so. We wondered if they were cold. We also
notice they look kinda similar to the True Bugs (order Hemiptera) so we were
curios to know if they were related. We hope you can help us identify them, and
thank you very much. This is a very neat site. thanks again. Trevor
These are newly hatched nymphs of a
true bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera), but I am not sure of their precise identity.
Although they resemble very young nymphs of boxelder bugs, their proportions
appear wrong for that species. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1076
Hi; I found this little caterpillar on my dill plant
in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I have found quite a few this year. This one is about ¾
to 1 inch long when resting, but stretches a bit when walking. He is mostly
black with yellow and white markings. The really interesting thing about him is
when he is poked, what looks like antennas stick out the front of his head and
when he does this there is a very strong, unpleasant odour. We have found some
that were quite a bit longer – 1 and ½ inches long. What are they, and what
kind of butterfly/moth will they become? Is this a pest I should be worried
about? Thanks. Barb
This is a
swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. They feed only on parsley and related plants.
They'll take a chunk out of parsley production, but do turn in to beautiful
butterflies-- let them be!
Shauna Dobbie, Publisher and Editor Ontario Gardener Living, Manitoba Gardener
Living, Alberta Gardener Living, Canadian Trees, Beautiful Communities,
Beautiful Landscapes and other fine magazines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This
most likely is a larva of the black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), a species very widespread in eastern/central North
America. However, the caterpillar of the Old World swallowtail (Papilio
machaon) which also occurs in Manitoba, is very similar in appearance (see
http://www.ybis.at/natur/tiere/schmbild/P8103428.jpg),
and hybrids of these two species have been noted. The scent organ you noted is
called an osmeterium, and the strong scent it emits is thought to be defensive
in nature. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1075
These winged ants appeared in the third week of August...some
inside the kitchen, others in a swarm outside. I live in South Delta, BC...any
idea what kind of ants they are?? Doug Temoin
These are reproductive females, possibly field ants (Formica
spp.) They look similar to Modoc carpenter ants but are smaller and swarm
later in the summer. If they are swarming indoors you may have a nest in a
damp wall, floor or ceiling cavity.
Larry Cross.
PCS Gulf Islands.
Here is another one for you, Larry! Thanks for
your quick response to #1075...a week later we had another swarm from the
crack between our slab and the house, and in addition to specimens the size
of those previous (#1075), were these biggies! Are they the same type
or...?!? (they both had wings to begin with...)Thanks, Doug
The first swarm was probably
reproductive males, which emerge earlier and are smaller than reproductive
females (future queens)
|
  1074
I live in Paris, Ontario. I have had these bugs around my house
now for about 7 years. They appear every year in late August and swarm around my
Manitoba maple. They like to stay near the pool as the concrete is very hot. How
do I get rid of them. Bob
You
appear to have a large aggregation of boxelder bug (Boisea trivittatus;
Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) nymphs. They do no real harm, but are considered
nuisance pests. About the only things you can do to reduce the problem are
to remove any nearby female (seedpod-bearing) boxelder trees and any
potential harborage such as piles of boards, branches, rocks, etc. in your
yard. Also, the aggregations themselves may be sprayed, but this will not
prevent reinvasions. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2106.html
for more detailed information. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1073
we have had this bug for a week now in our freezer,
it has shrunk in size but friends of ours have them too, we know they live under
ground there about 1 3\4 inches long and are very loud when passing by. if you
could help us it would be greatly appreciated we all do have small children.
Thanks, Corey & Doug .
This is a cicada
killer wasp. It is not aggressive and if you see it catch a cicada, it’s quite
a fascinating experience! Here’s a link:
http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/HomeHort/F1Column/2004Articles/AUG22.htm.
Pat in NJ |
 1072
I'm from Montreal, Canada. We found this bug
in our bed. It has claws and seems to have 8 legs. It looks like some kind of
mix between a spider and a crab... It’s pretty small. I’d say about 3 of them
would fit on a penny. It got a little squished as we moved it, but I hope
someone can still let me know what this is. Marie
This is a
pseudoscorpion, a general predator on other small arthropods. Most
pseudoscorpions are secretive in habit, and usually escape human notice. They
are completely harmless to humans; see
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2062.html
for more detailed information. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looks like an
adult pubic louse is about the size of this circle "o" and resembles a miniature
crab when viewed through a strong magnifying glass. Pubic lice have six legs,
but their two front legs are very large and look like the pincher claws of a
crab; this is how they got the nickname "crabs." Pubic lice are tan to
grayish-white in colour. Females lay nits and are usually larger than males. To
live, adult lice must feed on blood. If the louse falls off a person, it dies
within 1-2 days.
Attached is a link to a Fact sheet -
http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/dpd/parasites/lice/factsht_pubic_lice.htm#how_look
Merle - Ridgeway, Ontario |
 1071
I used a water trap with a light to get these specimens
from my home. They are flying insects and either sting or bite. I have never
seen these before and may have been carried in through package shipments. They
are quite small (dime comparison), a nuisance and need to be eliminated. I
appreciate your help in identifying this. From Southwest Iowa. Monte
These may be
hump-backed flies (Diptera: Phoridae; see
http://www.phorid.net/phoridae/phorselva/melalon.gif);
with their abdomens bloated through water immersion. They are harmless
feeders on decaying vegetation, and although they may be considered
nuisances by their unwanted presence, they do not bite or sting. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
  1070
Hi, Can someone please help me identify these bugs found in my kitchen. I think
they are the same as post 732. Bug1 has wings, bug2 hasn't developed wings yet,
both about 2mm long. I believe I found eggs between the stove and counter top.
Everything was cleaned yesterday but today I'm still finding more of these
little pests. Please advise how to get rid of them and what they are. Thanks
from Vancouver, BC!
These might be cigarette
beetles (Lasioderma serricorne; Coleoptera: Anobiidae). They will feed on
a very wide variety of pantry items, including tobacco and spices. You should
check all infestable products in your pantry, discarding anything that appears
to be insect- infested. Larvae of cigarette beetles are C-shaped, less than 1/4"
long, and hairy in appearance. After discarding infested items, the pantry
shelves should be thoroughly cleaned, and remaining foodstuffs placed in
sealable plastic, metal, or glass containers. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2083.html
for more detailed information on these pests. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1069
Hi. We live in the Fraser Valley, an hour east of Vancouver ,B.C.
I would not normally post this information, but we seem to have a small problem.
This spider, along with a couple of similar ones, was found in the master
bathroom. Its almost as big as a "loonie", and does not move when discovered. We
have found three in the last month all on the second floor of the house. There
does not appear to be any webs. They are quite scary when you lift move
something on the bathroom counter and find them sitting there! Wayne Baier,
Chilliwack BC
This appears to be a male
funnel-web or grass spider (family Agelenidae); note the prominent
spinnerets. The males often are found wandering about away from any web in
search of potential mates. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV.
|
 1068
I found this on my stairwell wall in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Its leg span is about 3 cm (a bit more than one inch). We don't get a lot of
big spiders around here and this is the largest I've seen. Thanks, Gord
I
suspect that this could be a male wolf spider (family Lycosidae; harmless to
humans), but I cannot be certain. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1067
This little furry moth (?), about 3/4 inch long was found on our front door one
morning in late spring in Montreal, QC. Never saw one before and cannot find in
an field id guides. Thank you.
This appears to be a pearly
wood nymph (Eudryas unio), in the family Noctuidae; see
http://www.marylandmoths.com/Html/Noctuidae/Agaristinae/Eudryas_unio.html
. Their resting pose is thought by some to
resemble bird droppings. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
   1066
Hello. Can you please identify
this. We live in Edmonton, Alberta. I do not recall this worm like
creature being in this location two days ago when I inspected the area prior to
painting. It has there today and has eaten it's way through the wood in one spot
and was beginning a second hole as pictured. It is about an inch long and an
1/8" in diameter, yellow in color with black dots and what appears to be a black
head. Any recommendations prior to filling the holes? Could it have left eggs or
? Thanks in advance for your reply. Christopher
This specimen does not
resemble any wood-boring caterpillar or sawfly/wood wasp larva with which I
am familiar. However, as it is a larva, it could not have laid any eggs, so
you can fill the hole(s) without worry. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After further review, I believe that this is
a sawfly larva, likely in the family Diprionidae. I am still puzzled
about the wood-boring, as this does not appear to be typical behavior
for these insects. It may have been trying to hollow out a place to in
which to pupate. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1065
Hi. I live on an acreage about 30 minutes south of Edmonton, Alberta. I found
this large dark brown spider in a sink full of water in my basement a couple of
days ago. I have never seen one quite so large before. Can you tell me if it
is this just a harmless garden spider of some sort or is it harmful? Thanks!
Jim Whittaker
Although the visible spinnerets
would seem to place this spider in the family Agelenidae (grass/funnel-web
spiders), the shape of the abdomen is more typical of a wolf spider (family
Lycosidae), and the protruding spinnerets could be an artifact of swelling
subsequent to immersion in water. Unfortunately, one defining character of wolf
spiders, namely the enlarged posterior median pair of eyes, cannot be seen in
this image. In either case, these spiders generally are considered harmless to
humans, although a specimen as large as this one could deliver a painful bite if
mishandled. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1064
we live in central Minnesota and over the last few days we have been getting
these on our screen, they are very small...about the length of a grain of rice
but half the width. looks kinda like a mosquito but i don't think it is, thanx.
Donny
This appears to be a naiad
(immature) of a very small mayfly (order Ephemeroptera). Naiads of damselflies
in the family Coenagrionidae have a similar appearance, but the smallest size of
one of these that likely would be found out of water would be about 15-18 mm.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1063
Can you tell me what this is? Mathew
These are female reproductive
caste ants (‘queens’). One of the ways that ants disperse and found new colonies
is by the periodic occurrence of winged females and males. See no. 1033 for a
male reproductive. |
 1062
Hi This bug was found in a cool damp basement in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada. I suspect it is a Pill Bug or Sow Bug. Barry
This an isopod (a group that
includes sowbugs, woodlice, pillbugs, etc.. Although the markings on this
specimen resemble those of Porcellio spinicornis (see
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/woodlice/photos/porcellio_spinicornis.jpg
), that species does not appear to be as slender. Porcellio spinicornis
is a European species that has become quite widespread in North America. |
 1061
Can you identify this large caterpillar found in Cambridge,
Ontario on a tomato plant? Thanks, Gay
This is known as a Tomato/Tobacco Hornworm.l…you’ll find more info on them at…http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Pests/tomato.htm
Charlene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The insect in photo 1061 is a tomato hornworm larvae. It feeds on
tomato plants. They also feed on egglant, pepper and potato. The wasp is its
natural enemy. Dawn Dinoto, Michigan |
 1060
I live in South Eastern Alberta. I have several of these
spiders in my home. They always seem to come around in mid - August. I would
really like to know what this is because I have two small children. I would like
to know if they are dangerous. This is a smaller version(size of a quarter) of
what I had in my kitchen sink yesterday. It was the size of a loonie. And they
move VERY fast. I am not a fan of spiders and these are making me very
uncomfortable because of their size. Can somebody help identify it for me?
Thanks!
This is a male
grass/funnel-web spider (family Agelenidae); note the enlarged pedipalps.
Sometimes mistaken for wolf spiders (family Lycosidae), agelenids have
relatively long spinnerets easily visible from above. Although one species in
this family (the so-called hobo spider) has been implicated in causing
slow-healing wounds, they are for the most part harmless to humans. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1059
Hi! My name is Brenda Lennon
and I have been asked to identify this insect. It was found in a restaurant in
Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland. The insect measures approximately 7mm in
length and has distinctive green stripes on its abdomen. I think it may be a
member of the order Hemiptera as the hind legs are
quite long, but I am not sure. I would appreciate any help you could offer in
its identification. Many thanks, Brenda
This is either a
leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) or a planthopper (Homoptera: Fulgoridae); I
cannot make out some of the diagnostic characters. These all are sap feeders,
and some leafhoppers can be of considerable economic importance as vectors of
viral plant diseases. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
  1058
Would you be able to identify these two caterpillars?
The yellow/black one was found feeding on a leaf in the early fall, while I was
picking blueberries. Thanks, E. Stentaford. Conception Bay South,
Newfoundland
The caterpillar on
the left could be a purple-lined sallow (Pyrrhia exprimens; Lepidoptera:
Noctuidae). Larvae in this genus are extremely variable in colouration. The
yellow and black caterpillar appears to be that of a spotted tussock moth (Lophocampa
maculata; Lepidoptera: Arctiidae); see
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=
http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Insecta/Lepidoptera/Arctiidae/Lophocampa/maculata/images/Lophocampa_
maculata:_larva.JP80106_13.320.jpg
. They feed primarily on alder and
willow, but also will feed on a wide variety of other trees and shrubs.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1057
I found this bug crawling up the interior wall of the office building where I
work in Salinas, CA, USA. Have no idea what it is and was hoping someone here
could help me out. Best I can come up with is a box-elder bug, but the markings
don't really match. Thank you. Dave
|
 1056
Hello. I live on South Vancouver Island BC and recently found this cluster of
what appears to be eggs attached to a dead twig from my Japanese Coral Bark
Maple tree in the front yard. The eggs were creamy off-white when in the
sunlight but then darkened somewhat when I took the twig off the tree and into
the garage. Any ideas on what they could be? Could they be responsible for
killing the branch of the tree? Thanks, Mark
These appear to be
eggs of the fall cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria); Lepidoptera:
Geometridae. Their caterpillars (often called ‘loopers’ or ‘inchworms’) can be
serious defoliators of deciduous trees. See
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/fallcankerworm.htm
for images and more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV. |
 1055
Hello, I live in eastern Ontario and I've been seeing many of these bugs in my
yard lately, up to 20-25 swarming at one time. It's almost 2 inches long. They
don't sting, I've been kicking and slapping and raiding them and they just keep
on doing whatever it is they do. They seem to be living underneath the cement
slab of the pool. Marc.
This is a wasp in the family
Sphecidae. The image is too fuzzy to tell whether or not the thorax has fine
white setae. If it does, it may be in the genus Isodontia (see
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/31318779
). Often called ‘grass carrying’ wasps, they line pre-existing cavities (such as
carpenter bee nests, hollow stems, etc.) with grass and then construct cells
that they provision with their insect prey. The wasps you observed likely were
actively hunting. They are not aggressive, but are capable of stinging.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV. |
1054 Came
across this insect (or more to the point it came across us, as it literally
crawled across my foot while I was in the backseat of the car) between Cookstown
and Innisfil in Southern Ontario. What the heck is it? Marc Couture.
This is a giant water bug (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae; see nos. 1021 and 902 for
other examples). General predators on other aquatic life, they also are known as
electric light bugs or toe biters, and can deliver a painful ‘bite’ if
mishandled. Adults are strong fliers, and often are found at quite some distance
from water. See
http://www.naturenorth.com/summer/bug/wtbgF.html
for more information. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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