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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. 21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist;
duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes,
cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on
mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years
as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution
of vector-borne diseases worldwide.
He is a member of Entomological Society of America,
Society for Vector Ecology & National Speleological Society.
Publications
American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological
Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology,
Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.
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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
as an attachment, not embedded in the body of
your email to:
webmanager@pestcontrolcanada.com
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Click on the
photos to enlarge. They are usually much clearer. |
 1400
This bug, roughly 1/2 inch long, was found on my grape vines and in some
lettuce. Something has been eating them both and I wondered if this could be the
culprit. The grapevines are being eaten and falling off, big vines even. I
live in Trail, BC (southern interior) What is it and is it bad? Geoff
Scott
This insect is helping, not hurting
your grape vines, as it is a larva of a lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).
They feed primarily on aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1399
Our mulch is infested with these little red bugs. They scurry
around quickly. Are they something we need to deal with?
This appears to be a young nymph of
a boxelder bug (Boisea trivittatus; Hemiptera: Rhopalidae). They are more
of a nuisance pest than an economic one, and control measures usually are not
needed. See
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0998.html
for more detailed information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1398
I collected this bug in the garden, I am saving it for my Grandson to study. It
is BRILLIANT GOLD I provided it with foliage from the plant it was on, later in
evening the colour changed to orange with metallic blue sides. This morning it
is metallic gold once again. Thanks, Pat Smith, P.S I
thought I had stuck it rich right on my own land no need to pan in a faraway
creek
|
 1397
Hi, Can you please identify this flying beetle for me ?
Location - Anola (just east of Winnipeg), Manitoba. It is approximately 1
inch long and seem to only come out at night. We have only noticed them in the
spring and early summer. Can you please advise what this beetle is and
what it eats? The can fly but they crash into everything, spend a lot of
time lying on their backs trying to get up. They seem to have found their
way into an outside wall in our house, we are hoping from the outside and will
be immediately trying to locate the source, but would like to know what we are
dealing with. Thank you in advance, Deb. Anola Manitoba
This beetle is in the family
Scarabaeidae; and is one of several species known collectively as "June beetles"
or "May bugs." Their larvae are known as white grubs, and can do considerable
damage to turf grass as the feed on the roots. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2500.html
for more information. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bug picture 1397 is called a June Bug in Texas. They come out at night in the
Spring and are attracted to almost any light source. The adult stage of grubs
and come out of the Earth. They are very prolific here in Texas and we have to
turn off all outside lights to reduce the number of them in our garage at night.
They don’t bite or harm us but they tend to land on you an crawl on you. Most of
them seem to be gone in the morning. Paul Koby. Simonton,
Texas
|
 1396
We found this one in our back yard
in Eagan MN and are unsure what it is. Help! Jim.
Why don't spiders stick to their own web but other insects do? LW.
This appears to be a
wolf spider (family Lycosidae); note the reflection from a large eye. Some
species in the families Agelenidae (funnel web spiders) and Pisauridae
(fishing/nursery web spiders) can be very similar in overall appearance, but
they lack the enlarged pair of eyes characteristic of wolf spiders, and
agelenids have prominent spinnerets at eh end of their abdomen. All are active
hunters that do not construct capture webs.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1395.
This large spider measured around 1" long. We live in Northeast
Washington below the Canadian border. The staples next to the spider measure
1/4". We have never seen a spider like this one in 18 years. Note the hairs on
it's legs. Thank you, Ellen
|
 1394
We live in Okotoks Alberta (just
south of Calgary) and have noticed this caterpillar like bug on a monkshood.
The plant is on the north side of the house in a fairly shady area and is
watered on a very regular basis. They seem to have cocooned themselves in a pod
like mass on the top part of the plant where it would flower. Any help on
identifying it and ways of dealing with it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Samantha
Although I cannot
identify these particular specimens, there are at least a few species of moths
in the family Noctuidae whose caterpillars will feed on monkshood. Regardless of
their specific identity, they should be susceptible to insecticides that are
approved for use by private individuals around the home and garden.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1393
Hi my husband was bit by this bug once last year and again this year. It burns
like a cigarette held to your skin. and leaves a large hole and welt the size of
a nickel. please help us identify it. both times it was in our bedroom. in
Illinois. during the end of spring. Heather
|
 1392
I've never had a pest problem before, but over the past couple of days, I've
found 4 of these little bugs. One in the bathroom sink, one in the shower and
two on bedroom walls. It is less than a quarter of an inch long and it's easy to
smush them - they don't run at all and stay out in the light. Previous posts
(1336 and 1334) kind of looks like my bug, which someone identified as a
brown-banded roach, but everything else I read about them don't seem to fit the
habits of this tiny bug. I usually have a pest control spray about twice a year
and they just sprayed a couple of weeks ago. Can anyone help? Thanks!
Unfortunately, this does appear to
be a nymph of a brown-banded cockroach. I suggest that you review the material
at
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brown_banded_cockroach.htm
for prevention and control measures for this species.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1391
Hello. I found this guy on my patio furniture outside in Edmonton, Alberta.
He's about 8 or 9 mm long. There is a red triangle extending across each of his
sides, underneath his wings, and his belly has white stripes. There is only the
one black stripe down his back when his wings are closed, so I couldn't identify
him as either the carrion or the box elder bug. 6 legs, two antennae and a
couple of really small mandibles. Is he a problem for me? I assumed since he had
wings, I don't need to be too concerned as he probably just flew away from the
rest. Jacqueline.
This is a soft-winged flower beetle
(Coleoptera: Melyridae); likely in the genus Malachius; a harmless
visitor. See
http://www.lesinsectesduquebec.com/insecta/24-coleoptera/malachius_aeneus-3.JPG
or an image, and nos. 1317 and 939 for other examples.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1390
I’m
hoping you can help me because I can’t seem to figure out what this bug is. I’ve
only seen a bug like this twice. The first time was I picked up a towel on the
floor in the laundry room (which is adjacent to the kitchen) and it came out. It
did not move super fast or anything. I was able to catch it rather quickly. The
second,( the bug in the picture) I caught near my kitchen sink. What is
confusing is both bugs were active during the day time. I have not seen these
bugs at night, so that’s part of the confusion. Also, the bugs were thin and
actually kind of tiny. I squished the heck out this one in the back so I hope
you can still help. Thanks. Amanda
This is a click beetle
(Coleoptera: Elateridae), a harmless indoor visitor. The larvae of some click
beetles (often called wireworms) can be serious garden/agricultural pests. See
no. 1367 for another example.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1389
I live in Chelsea, QC and found this spider on my
daughter's stroller. I was just wondering if anyone knows what it is and if it
might be harmful. It is about 3 inches in diameter. Leah
Like no. 1388, this is
another fishing spider (family Pisauridae) in the genus Dolomedes. It is
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. |
 1388
Hello, attached is a couple of
photos of what I believe to be a Fishing Spider. When my son first found it, we
were convinced it must have been a lost Tarantula of some sort. We aren't used
to finding hairy spiders in the 4" diameter range. It was found in a 2nd story
bedroom in our home in Bracebridge, Ontario. After determining that it was
likely a Fishing Spider, we let it go in the woods. We are about 100 meters
from the Muskoka river. Is it common for these spiders to enter and live
indoors, or did he hitchhike a ride home in our gear while boating?
This is indeed a
fishing spider (family Pisauridae) in the genus Dolomedes; see
http://canadianarachnology.dyndns.org/data/spiders/19664.
They will wander some distance from water in search for prey, so it may not have
needed to ‘hitchhike.’ See no. 1386 for a different example of this family.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1387
I live in the Willamette Valley in Marion County, Oregon (Keizer, just north of
Salem).
I took these pictures of this spider who had made a nest up inside my
folded-patio-table-umbrella last night (about 0100 on May 31, 2007). She didn't
care much for the flash and poked her head out of the inside of her nest to see
what was going on! Any idea what she might be? I checked a number of
possibilities. Clearly not a hobo, doesn't seem like an orb weaver, I don't
THINK she's a Wolf Spider - I think she was about 1/2" long...I'm too durn'd
ignorant of spiders to even have a decent guess. Any help would be greatly
appreciated! Thanks! Jeff
This is a jumping spider (family
Salticidae) in the genus Phidippus; likely Phidippus audax - see
http://canadianarachnology.dyndns.org/data/spiders/35430.
These spiders are active hunters with excellent (for spiders) eyesight. They do
not spin capture webs, but do construct silken ‘retreats’ where they may rest
when not hunting, and also will lay out a single line while stalking prey, that
acts as a safety should they misjudge a jump.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1386
I live in South-central Ontario, and found this rather large spider outside on
my pop-up screen tent. It was happily checking out the bugs around, and not
bothered by me moving the tent around, I left it there. It was about 2 inches,
from end to end, really that big! Anyone know what it was? Sara.
This a nursery web spider (family
Pisauridae, some species also are known as fishing or dock spiders), in the
genus Pisaurina; see
http://canadianarachnology.dyndns.org/data/spiders/19773.
These spiders do not spin capture webs, but actively hunt down prey as do their
close relatives, the wolf spiders. In spite of their size and appearance, they
are harmless to humans, although large specimens can deliver a painful bite if
mishandled.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1385
Hi: I just came across your
website and it looks wonderful. Attached are three photos…two of white
puffy elongated pests on the undersurface of my pittosporum leaves. The pests
are mushy and kind of brown inside. The other photo is of a bug from my rose
plants. I live in Sebastopol, California. Thanks,
Felice
I cannot identify the beetle; it might be a soldier beetle
(Cantharidae), but there are aspects of it that bother me with that diagnosis.
At any rate, it likely is not a leaf-feeding beetle. The leaf pests appear to be
scale insects, such as the cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi;
Homoptera: Margarodidae), a species commonly found on pittosporum - see
http://www.insectimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5186081
for an image and
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html
for control recommendations. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1384
Hi. We live in Kimberley BC and found this spider on
our decking. It has black at the head and red at the tail on the topside. I
have been unable to identify it !! Can you assist? Unfortunately we killed
it first before taking the picture!! Apologies if it is obvious but we
have just moved here from the UK. Dave and Angela
This appears to be the
remains of a jumping spider (family Salticidae) in the genus Phidippus.
Jumping spiders have excellent eyesight (for spiders), and actively stalk their
prey. They do not spin a capture web, but often lay out a dragline as they move
about; this can serve as a safety if they misjudge a jump.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1383
I live in Huntsville, Alabama
and I found this bug in my Rec room this morning not far from a sliding door and
my dog door. It looks like a millipede that was cut off but its body is almost
flat. It is approximately 2 ½ inches long. I picked it up in a tissue and took
it outside; when I did, it started to elongate its body. When I found your
site, I went back outside and took pictures; unfortunately, the best one is the
one that I took of its underside. I will also attach the best of the ones that
I took from the topside but it was agitated by an ant so it started to crawl
off. Thank you, Norma
This is a centipede
(note that there is one pair of legs per body segment, millipedes have two pair
per segment). It is in the order Scolopendromorpha, that includes the largest
and most venomous centipedes. Specimens larger than yours can deliver a very
painful bite. Many years ago, I was bitten on the hand while trying to collect a
4.5" specimen in San Antonio; it raised a welt the size of a half dollar.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1382
My husband found this in our
bathroom on the ceiling. There are two spots and they are little clusters or
mounds of tiny little worms. What are these? Are they dangerous? San Antonio,
Texas
Unfortunately, the
image is too fuzzy to make any determination. Can you provide a clearer image?
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1381
I live in Eastern Ontario and found this on a bare wall in my basement. It was
slightly less than 10mm in size. This is the second one I find. The first
one was crawling around on my lawn mower after taking it out from winter
storage. Philip
This is a comb-footed spider (family
Theridiidae) in the genus Steatoda; possibly Steatoda bipunctata -
see
http://insektenfotos.de/Steatoda bipunctata
(Fettspinne)_014.jpg for an image. They are related to the
widow spiders, but are not dangerously venomous; some are called "false widows."
They can deliver a painful bite if mishandled, as I can personally attest.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1380
Help! I have had these insects
in my apartment for the past year or so. They are able to fly, and tend to fly
from surface to surface, though spend most of their time perched on a wall or
another surface. They don't seem to have any seasonal pattern. I am including a
photo of one of them, alongside my thumb for scale. Is there any other
information I could provide to help identify these insects - and hopefully get
rid of them!? Thanks, Simon
The image is too fuzzy
to be certain, but it could be a fungus gnat (there are many species that fall
under this rubric). They breed in damp/wet soil high in organic matter, and
often are found in potted plants. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2114.html,
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/uc/uc-028.html,
and
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1573e/eb1573e.pdf
for fact sheets that include control recommendations. If after reviewing these
you believe that your insects are not fungus gnats, please submit a clearer (and
larger) photo. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1379
There is a colony of these hanging out in and around a friend's deck area here
around Sacramento, CA. They move around pretty slowly, and the mature ones fly
around sometimes, and the large ones are about one cm in length. Robert
These appear to be western boxelder
bugs (Boisea rubrolineata; Hemiptera: Rhopalidae); although they usually
no real damage (they will feed on pears, causing ‘dimpling’ of the fruit), they
can become nuisance pests when they occur in or on houses in large numbers. This
species also can be found listed as B. rubrolineatus or Leptocoris
rubrolineatus. See
http://spectre.nmsu.edu/dept/docs/pdc/O-04-Boxelderbugs.pdf
for more information on boxelder bugs in general.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1378
My husband found this bug?? at work and we are not sure what it is and was
wondering if maybe you knew? Thanks Robin
This is a giant water bug (Hemiptera:
Belostomatidae), likely in the genus Lethocerus. Sometimes known as
electric light bugs or toe-biters, they are voracious predators (note the
raptorial front legs) on other aquatic life, including arthropods, snails, small
fish, and salamanders. They can deliver a very painful ‘bite’ with their sharp
beak (see
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/bugs/belostomatid02.htm
for an image) if mishandled, and are strong flies, often found some distance
from the nearest water. See
http://www.naturenorth.com/summer/bug/wtbgF.html
for more information on these fascinating giants of the insect world.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1377
I live in NJ, and am seeing these
little guys everywhere outside. They are stuck to my windows, on the ground
etc. Just wondering what to do, and if they can harm anything. Thanks!
This appears to be a
mayfly (order Ephemeroptera). They are harmless, but they can be nuisances when
they occur in very large numbers. They spend the vast majority of their lives as
aquatic larvae; the adults do not feed, living just long enough to mate and lay
eggs. For much more information, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayfly
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1376
Attached is a photo of a beetle larva found in a wood-framed sand
box. The grounds around the sandbox host flowering ornamental trees. Within
the past two weeks, the ornamental garden beds have been mulched with wood
chips. Location: Providence, RI, USA. Date: May 10, 2007. The
larva is approximately 8cm long and 6cm in circumference near the head.
This appears to be a larva of
a long-horned wood-boring beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the genus
Prionus; see
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/scaffolds/2000/graphics/0724_Prionus_larva.JPG
for an image. These are the largest wood boring beetles in North
America, feeding on the roots of trees. Young larvae begin by feeding on the
exterior surface of smaller roots, but as they mature, they may tunnel into
larger roots. When ready to pupate, they emerge from their gallery and move
towards the surface. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1375
Hi, I found this bug flying around near the lights in my room in Ottawa,
Ontario. Very loud buzzing sound! Any idea what it is?
This is a bumble bee
(Hymenoptera: Apidae; Bombus spp.) They are social, but their
colonies (usually in cavities below ground level) tend to be much smaller
than those of honey bees. They usually are not aggressive, and must be
provoked into stinging (there are rare exceptions to this, as I can
personally attest). Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV.
|
 1374
I think these may be termites...but they seem way smaller than the ones I'm
familiar with. I first found a ton of these in my bathroom..but they were all
dead! I have never seen one alive. I wonder why they're all dead..?? We haven't
sprayed anything. I have also discovered a little dirt-like nest in the corner
of my ceiling in my bathroom. Now I've spotted these in the nearby rooms....all
dead! Are these baby termites? And why am I seeing a little graveyard for these
little bugs??
These do indeed appear
to be termites, specifically winged reproductives that have emerged in an
attempt to find mates and establish new colonies. Those that are unsuccessful
usually do not survive for very long. You probably should probe behind the
discolored area (it’s not a ‘nest’) in the bathroom for signs of damaged wood,
as well as checking your basement/crawl space for signs of termite presence
(usually irregular mud tubes that serve as their highways when moving between
foraging sites). See
http://www.utoronto.ca/forest/termite/sheltube.htm
and
http://www.doityourselftermitecontrol.com/termites/termiteinspectionpictures.htm
for some examples. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1373
I took the original picture from not very close up, thinking I was snapping a
shot of one beetle. When I got home and loaded the picture onto my computer, I
saw that it was really two beetles, either mating or fighting. Anyways, I found
them at a place called Duchesney Falls (just outside of North Bay, Ontario)
which is a wooded and rocky area beside a large waterfall. If you can, please
tell me what kind of beetle it is! Thanks! Emilie.
These are mating tiger beetles
(Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Nice photo, as these beetles are usually very wary
and difficult to approach closely. They are voracious predators on many other
small arthropods, as are their larvae that ambush prey from the mouth of their
burrow in the (usually sandy) soil. These could be purple tiger beetles (Cicindela
purpurea); see
http://www.uvm.edu/~rtbell/purpurea.jpg
for an image and
http://www.uoguelph.ca/debu/tiger-beetles.htm
for more information.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1372
Hello from Mount Vernon, Washington. I have these
bugs in my upstairs rec room and I clean all of them out one day and they're
back the next day. It's May and springtime here so maybe that's why they're
active now. I noticed a lot of them around a skylight that opens and was
thinking maybe there's a nest or something around the skylight. They are about
1/8" in size and have wings about the length of their body but I really haven't
seen them fly. They don't live very long either. I've attached a photo since I
couldn't see a photo like it on the site. Thanks for any help you can give me...
john
This is a seed bug (Hemiptera:
Lygaeidae), it bears some resemblance to those in the genus Blissus
(chinch bugs), but only if the wings are very short - see
http://www.usga.org/turf/green_section_record/2006/jan_feb/resistant.html
(this cannot be
determined from the photo). Chinch bugs do not make a ‘nest,’ but this is the
time of year that they usually emerge from their overwintering quarters (usually
grass clumps) in search of food and mates. They can be quite damaging pests of
turf grass and grain crops; see
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2503.html.
I have no explanation for your finding numbers of them
indoors. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1371
Please help me identify - I found this insect crawling in my garage. It reminds
me of a praying mantis, but the abdomen is wider, with an orange to tan oval on
top of the abdomen and an orange spot at the "tail", is approx. 3/4" long. M.
Perry, Cabot, AR
This is an assassin bug (Hemiptera:
Reduviidae); likely in the genus Pselliopus (see
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~sjtaylor/reduviidae/PselliopusRob.jpg
for an image). For the most part, assassin bugs (such as
this one) are general predators on other small arthropods. A few species in
Mexico and Central/South America are blood feeders and can transmit Chagas’
Disease (American Trypanosomiasis).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1370
We first noticed these bugs in our garden two years ago when they
presented themselves as unprovoked stingers. Last year there were many more of
them and this spring all of the spring flowers in our garden have masses of them
visiting and entering deep into the flowers. In years prior to the arrival of
these new bugs our spring flowers were always visited by scores of honey
bees! These stinging insects do not die easily when swatted; they just get up
and try again. We would like to identify them and find out if they can be safely
controlled. Are they appearing here due to global warming??? We live in
Mulmur, Ontario. Approximately one and a half-hour's drive north from Toronto
Airport. Thank you. Pauline.
This is a bee, possibly in
the family Halictidae (the diagnostic characters cannot be seen in this image);
several species in this family are native to eastern Canada. Often called "sweat
bees," some species appear attracted to sweaty skin, where they may sting with
little or no provocation, particularly if they get entangled in body hair. For
the most part, they are solitary bees, nesting in borrows in the ground or in
rotten wood. Control usually is not practical, and the effects of their stings,
although painful, usually do not last very long. Also, they can play a useful
role in pollinating some plants, including sunflowers and blueberries.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1369
Hi, I found this
insect buzzing in the grass, South East England, 3rd May; I was
struck by it’s size, just over 2 inches long and nothing like I’ve seen in this
country; it eventually buzzed itself into the air and disappeared into the
trees. What is it? thanks.
Jenny
This appears to a European hornet (Vespa crabro; Hymenoptera: Vespidae).
It is widely distributed in Eurasia and eastern North America. Unlike some other
well-known members of its family, it is not particularly aggressive, and I have
done yard work in close proximity to a colony of them, without being bothered a
bit by them. See
http://www.vespa-crabro.de/hornets.htm
for much more information. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 1368
hello! I was hoping you could help me. I have bought this plant at a green
house and tried to get it to adjust to the outdoors by leaving it out for a few
days before i planted it. When i went to plant it, around a week after i bought
it) i was pulling it apart to plant and then i found a sack full of eggs. My
husband was convinced it was fertiliser so i messed around with the egg sack and
to my horror i found that a bunch of these horrible eggs have already hatched.
I'm really worried that i bought a bad pest to my garden. Anyone could help me
figure out what they are i would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Keren from
Denmark.
Although I must admit that these do
resemble some pelleted fertilisers, they might be eggs of a millipede or
centipede (see
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG268/html/centipedes_and_millipedes.htm
for a description). However, about the only sure way to
identify them is to find whatever might have hatched from them.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 1367
Hi I live in Newfoundland and since spring has arrived we have
been finding these on the floor and carpet mostly around the doorway and in the
laundry room. They move fairly slowly and are usually about 1 cm in length.
This is a click beetle (Coleoptera:
Elateridae). The adults are leaf feeders, and should do no damage indoors where
they are accidental invaders. The larvae (wireworms) primarily feed on
underground portions of plants (roots, tubers, etc.), and some species can be
important agricultural/garden pests. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
 1366
Photographed in garden in Oakville Ontario - perched on what is
left of dinner - Inula royleana - all five of these second year plants have
large holes - nothing else in garden touched. Any ideas? Many thanks.
Barbara
The bug in the photo (possibly a
leaf-footed bug, Hemiptera: Coreidae) is not responsible for the damage, as it
has piercing-sucking rather than chewing mouthparts. Also, from what I
understand, Inula royleana is considered rather pest-free. If the damage
is being caused by insects, spraying with a garden insecticide registered for
homeowner use should help. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1365
Hello from Idaho Falls, Idaho. I was sitting at my desk today and saw this
spider sitting on the answering machine, so I shooed it away. He came back and
just sat there! Did this many times and it just keeps coming back to sit in that
spot. I am no fan of spiders, used to have 3-4 wolf and jumping spiders in my
bathroom each morning when I lived out in the country. Can anyone tell me if
it's dangerous, I know we have Hobo Spiders here in Idaho. I have seen them in
my house. EEK. Uh, okay, it just appeared there again after I shooed it
out of the room. I'm creeped out. Someone please tell me it's harmless.
Bev.
This spider is harmless( to humans,
anyway). I cannot be certain because the image is too grainy, but it might be an
oblong running crab spider (family Philodromidae); see
http://zooex.baikal.ru/pictures/araneif/Tibellus1_mod.jpg
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1364
Hello, I noticed a frighteningly
large spider outside my home in Athens, Ohio and photographed it. The spider
appeared, night after night, for several weeks in the same spot on a cinder
block wall. It disappeared for a few days and then reappeared on my porch right
in front of my door. This is the largest spider I have ever seen other than
those in the Tarantula family. I believe it to be a wolf spider, but I am
certainly no expert. I tossed the only thing I had on me, a cigarette butt,
next to it to give a representation of the spider’s size. The cigarette butt
measures roughly 1.1 inches in length, so obviously this is a large specimen.
It appears to be pregnant- can this be? Hope you enjoy the photo.
Ian
This could be a fishing/dock/nursery
web spider (family Pisauridae). Closely related to wolf spiders (family
Lycosidae), they differ in their eye arrangement and in how females carry their
egg sac. Nursery web spiders carry their egg with their chelicerae (‘fangs’) -
see
http://bio-ditrl.sunsite.ualberta.ca/detail/?P_MNO=5143
whereas wolf spiders carry theirs attached to their spinnerets at the end of
their abdomen - see
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/31961757.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1363
Hello from Victoria, B.C.
I recently got almost 2 dozen painful bites from what I thought at first was a
mosquito but now know was not. I found this spider crawling across our floor--
could this be what bit me? Also, is it dangerous? Is it even a spider? I can
only count 6 legs- don't spiders have 8? Very confusing. Thanks. R.P.
This is a male (note the enlarged
pedipalps) spider (it has lost two of its legs), but the photo is too unclear
(and also lacks any indication of its size) to make a determination, although
its overall shape is reminiscent of a Pisaurid. Whatever it is, it is not a
species dangerous to human health, and it is extremely unlikely that it was
responsible for your bites. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.
Addendum: After further consideration, this could be a male
philodromid crab spider such as Philodromus dispar - see
http://dereila.ca/dereilaimages/CrabSpid3.jpg
for an image. They have been reported from southern British Colombia.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1362
I.D. my spider please. Gabrielle
This appears to be a male widow
spider (Latrodectus spp.); note the enlarged pedipalps and the ventral
‘hourglass’marking. Male widow spiders generally are considered harmless to
humans (they are capable of biting, but both their fangs and venom glands are
much smaller than those of female widow spiders).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1361
Good Afternoon, I want to know if you can
help me to know what kind of insect is this and how can we eliminate them I
believe that we have silverfish also. I've seen this in the insole of my wife's
shoes which she doesn't use any more. We have a carpet in our closet and it is
humid. I'll ad a picture of some shoes that have been like eroded. Thank you
very much for you knowledge. I forgot to mention that the shoe was apparently
full of white powder like wall pieces. If it is a larva do I have to look for
the bigger insect or how can i detect it? What should I do? Robert.
This is a larva of a beetle in the family Dermestidae, likely one of the
carpet/furniture beetles in the genus Anthrenus. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html
for a fact sheet on carpet beetles that includes
control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1360
I live in Topsail, Newfoundland and last summer this bug and
thousands of his friends ate almost all the leaves off my privet hedge. Can you
please tell me what it is? Thanks, Pat
|
 1359
We live in Chilliwack, BC. I found one of these crawling across our family room
floor (10 year old house in the mountains). This is the second one if it's kind
that I found in the toilet. We are concerned that it might be a brown recluse...
It is medium brown and about the size of a quarter. We couldn't make out a clear
fiddle shape on it's back, but there was a darker spot there. Please email us
back and let us know if there is anything to be concerned about. Thank you!
Lauren
This a male spider, possibly an
agelenid (funnel-web/grass spiders); definitely not a brown recluse (Loxosceles
reclusa). You are far outside the known range of the brown recluse in North
America - see
http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol5num2/special/recluse.html
for a distribution map and more details on this spider.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1358
I live in Indianapolis Indiana and for three years now in the
spring (late April - March) we find these in our upstairs bedrooms. They range
in size from about .25-.75" long. We have large Maple trees that reach over the
house so they may be dropping in from above. Looking at some of the other posts
(1217) it looks like it could be
a moth in the family Noctuidae, such as the large yellow underwing, Noctua
pronuba. I need to know what it is and how to keep them out of my house
without using harmful chemicals. Every time my wife finds one she calls me at
work sobbing. Please help! -Barret
Although this could be
a caterpillar in the family Noctuidae, the diagnostic characters cannot be seen
in this image. I suggest that you contact the Marion County office of Purdue
University’s Cooperative Extension Service (see
http://www.ces.purdue.edu/marion/)
to see if (1) this problem has been reported by other residents, and (2) anyone
there can be of assistance in identification and make any necessary control
recommendations. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1357
Hello, these wonderful little things are found in the earth in our lawn areas.
They are usually found just a bit below the surface in the areas of thinner
grass with very sandy soil. These were found in April. They are approximately 3
cm. in length. We live on Salt Spring Island, BC. Thank You, Michael
These are "white grubs," larvae of
scarab beetles. Some species, such as the Japanese beetle, feed on the roots of
grasses, and when abundant, can cause considerable turf damage.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV. |
 1356
This is the second bug I have found like this in my living in the past 2 weeks.
It is basically black with orange on the wings. They were both dead and found in
the morning. I live in Charleston SC. Thanks for the help!
A dorsal view would be more helpful
for identification purposes. Because of that, I cannot be certain, but one of
the commoner bugs matching your description is the boxelder bug (Boisea
trivittata; Hemiptera: Rhopalidae). See no. 1195 for an example, and if the
dorsal aspect of your specimens differs significantly from that insect, please
submit another photo.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1355
Hello, I live in Maple ridge, B.C., and have encountered this
strange bug. At first I thought it was a stonefly, heck, maybe it is a stonefly,
but the pictures I found on the internet did not match. I've only ever found it
outside, on fences and walls. As you can see in relation to my thumb it's not
very big at all. It does not bite when I pick it up and is very docile. The most
it ever does is vibrate, I guess as a way to scare me off. I'm curious as to
this bug's identity and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Eileen
This appears to be an alderfly (Neuroptera:
Sialidae), note the expanded fourth segment of its tarsi; see
http://www.evasion.it/neurotteri/Sialis_lutaria00.jpg
for an image. Like stoneflies, larvae of alderflies are
aquatic, usually found under stones in streams, where they are predaceous on
other small aquatic insects.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
|
 1354
Perhaps not really bugs, but they do bug me. They appear in large groups around
my shed, on the shed's outside walls, on the composters and a poplar tree
nearby, as well as around my window about 2 m from the shed. While uprooting
bushes nearby, I found an army of them spewing out from the ground at the base
of the bush (do they make tunnels like ants?). They do fly, but there's a reason
I named the picture "Lazy Bug" - I can pick one up without hardly stirring it.
They do not bite (or maybe don't like the way I taste), but I can't help swat or
flick them off my skin as a reflex; and there can be several on me at any given
time (probably just want to rest their lazy whatever wherever). Anyway, any
suggestion on how to get rid of them would be appreciated (unless of course
removing the bushes will see them eliminated as well). Thanks in advance,
Nhuan, Kitchener, ON
This is a true bug (order
Hemiptera). It appears to be a member of the family Lygaeidae, such as the birch
catkin bug (Kleidocerys resedae; see
http://www.chili-balkon.de/viecher/bilder/kleidocerys_resedae.jpg
for an image. If this what you have, you should note a distinct odour if they
are crushed - see
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