|
| |
Pest Identification Photos
#301 to 400: What is this pest?
|
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
|
|
 #400
My friend and I were sitting on his deck around 5:00 pm in Little Rock,
Arkansas when I noticed that his schleffera plant seemed to be dripping
water. On closer examination it was this insect that is sucking sap and
passing it on through to the tune of a drop per 1-2/sec. You can clearly see
a drop that is ready to be passed. The insect is roughly the size of a
lightning bug (1/2 - 3/4 inch). Behind him appears to be 2 holes that he
previously bored into and in front appears to be another. I've looked at
hundreds of photos but I cannot find out what this insect is. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance. Carl
This
is a leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae); some species are called
‘sharpshooters.’ They can injure plants not only by removing sap during
their feeding, but also by causing physiological changes to the plant
(such as blocking xylem and phloem vessels) and by transmitting viral
diseases of plants. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
Get rid of pests for good—guaranteed. Terminix® treats both the inside and
outside of your home—to eliminate all the pests, even the ones you can’t
see.
Click here to learn more
|
Let your mouse
do the walking
through our
Directory of Pest
Professionals
Ants,
Ant nest photos
Ask the experts,
Bats,
Bees,
Birds,
Carpenter Ants,
Canadian Pest Management Association,
Carpenter ant photos,
Choosing
a professional.
Cockroaches,
Controlling
pests,
Finding a
Pro,
Fleas,
Flies
Getting rid of Carpenter
ants
Hantavirus,
Home page,
Insects,
I.P.M. ,
Mice,
Moles,
Moths, ,
Other
pests,
Powder post
beetles,
Raccoons,
Rats,
Real Estate & Pests,
Rodents,
Snakes,
Spiders,
SPMA of
BC,
Sow
Bugs,
Supplies for
pest control,
Termites,
Wasps,
Wildlife pests
Let your mouse do the walking through our
Directory of Pest
Professionals
|
Get rid of pests for good—guaranteed. Terminix® treats both the inside and
outside of your home—to eliminate all the pests, even the ones you can’t
see.
Click here to learn more
|
|
#399
I
live in Swansea South Carolina. I was stung or bitten by this animal and I
had a whelp mark on the back of my neck. It is solid black with a lot of
pointy things all over him. He is about one inch long.
The image is extremely fuzzy, but this appears to be a caterpillar in the
family Arctiidae (tiger moths). The caterpillars of some species in this
family possess specialized urticating hairs that can cause a rash if they
penetrate sensitive skin. To the best of my knowledge this is not dangerous,
although it indeed can be irritating. However, there are 'stinging
caterpillars' in other families that can cause more serious envenomations -
see
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1033.html
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
In regards to photo #399, I live in
Texas and have also had the misfortune of putting my hand on one. Not
sure about the technical name, but have always been told they are wood
asps. Hope this helps
|
#398 I found this spider crawling around our hallway last night and in
our livingroom this afternoon. We're in Victoria BC, I've been here all my
life and have never seen a spider quite like this. We find ants and spiders
everyday in our basement suite, but last night and today were the first
times we've seen this kind. Our landlords said they found one the other day
on their kitchen window. We want to make sure we're safe because we have a 5
month old and we're finding spiders in her room, in her towel hanging up on
the door, etc... Al
This appears to be
another example (see #s 288 and 388 ) of the woodlouse spider (Dysdera
crocata) that specializes in feeding on isopods (sowbugs/pillbugs/woodlice).
Their powerful jaws easily penetrate the tough exoskeletons of their
crustacean prey. They are harmless to humans. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
dysdera crocata It
tends to like to live in and around building walls in loose soil or under
boards, logs, etc. It eats wood bugs, piercing their shells with long fangs
adapted for this purpose.
http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/survival/spiders/spid10.htm
http://spiders.entomology.wisc.edu/Dysderidae/Dysdera/crocata.html
Ian Marsman, St. Catharines, ON,
ian.marsman@gmail.google.com
http://flickr.com/photos/imarsman;
http://imarsman.blogspot.com |
#397
Hi there,
Great site!!! I have a bug problem; my wife is fanatical about cleaning but
also a bug hater so of course she sees every little dot and assumes the
worst. This time she was right. We have a dog and the wife if pregnant
with our first child, we obviously can’t use pesticides and we don’t want to
have a problem with any insects and our new child. Please help. Here are
the pictures I’ve managed to capture. We live in Oshawa, Ontario and for
the sake of my wife’s sanity, please keep our email and names anonymous,
thank you.
Thank you in
advance for any help!!! BuggedByBugs
Could you provide another
photo and a description of the circumstances where the insect was found?
The image is too fuzzy to be certain, but, I suspect that this could be a
dermestid beetle. The family Dermestidae (often called hide or skin
beetles) includes a number of species that can be household pests, such as
carpet beetles and the larder beetle. If it is a dermestid, you need to
locate its food source and then apply appropriate control measures. These
primarily consist of sanitation (cleaning up and/or removing the source(s)
of the infestation and protection (keeping infestable products (flour,
cereals, pasta, dry legumes, dried fruit, dry pet food, etc.) in sealable
plastic containers or in the refrigerator. Chemical control should not be
necessary except for very
unusual circumstances. See
extension.usu.edu/files/factsheets/carpetbe.pdf and http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1045.html for fact
sheets.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#396 I found this moth in our woodpile a few weeks ago (April). We
live in the south Yukon. Can you tell me what it is? Sierra, age 7
ED
identified this type under #489 as a miller moth (cutworm). I get a ton of
these in my house every summer because of a very large alfalfa feed next to
my house in NE Washington. There are many different types of cutworms in
the PNW and Western Canada
http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/idinsects.htm
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05597.html
Although #489 is not a black cutworm that I can see.
#396 is not adequately preserved to make an identification as I'm only an
“enthusiast”. Craig Baker |
#395 Can you post this on your site for ID? this thing looks like a
caterpillar of sorts? Thank you so much. -N
This appears to be a caterpillar of
the white-marked tussock moth
(Orgyia leucostigma – Lepidoptera:
Lymantriidae; see
home.earthlink.net/~h111/Media/tussokl.jpg ).
They possess specialized hairs that can cause an
irritating rash (somewhat like stinging nettles) on tender skin. Some
species in this family also can be serious defoliators of trees. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#394 I live in Nanaimo, BC. I keep finding these in my garden, they
are below the soil and sometimes in the roots of plants. I've been pulling
them up for the last month but just recently they start to wriggle with the
pointed end in my hand. Thanks. Nati
This appears to be a moth pupa, possibly that
of one of the so-called ‘cutworms’ (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) commonly found
in garden environments. See # 342 for a similar example.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#393 I live in the Chicago suburbs. I have found many of these tiny bugs in
the basement of our 5 year old home. They are on the floor and on the
window ledge (along with some spiders). I initially thought that they were
"bug droppings" since they are so small, about 2mm in overall length
including the 'tail.' I used a 10x microscope to take the picture. Thank
you. Steve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although the image is fuzzy, these might be
collembolans (‘springtails’), a very primitive order of insects often found
in damp situations, sometimes in great numbers. See
www.discoverlife.org/
nh/tx/Insecta/Collembola/ and
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent525/soil/soilpix/images/collembola.jpg
for some images of collembolans.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
  #392
The bug in these photos was found in
an out building in a wooded region of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington
State. The critter is approximately 45 to 50 millimeters in length and 15 to
20 millimeters in width. Any identification of this cute little critter with
the big eyes is appreciated. Thank You,
Bob / Tacoma, Washington, USA
This is giant water bug (Hemiptera: Belastomatidae),
the largest true bugs in North America. Sometimes called ‘toe-biters’ or
‘electric light bugs,’ they are voracious predators on other small aquatic
animals (mostly insects, but occasionally including small fish). When they
capture prey with their powerful front legs, they inject enzymes that break
down the prey’s tissues so that the bug can then ingest the resulting ‘soup’
through its beak. If mishandled, they can deliver a very painful ‘bite’ with
that beak. Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#391 I have been finding
these egg clusters every spring buried just under the surface of the ground
in loose soil. What are they?? -Mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Place some of these objects in a
closed container with some of the soil they were in to see if anything emerges -
they may not be eggs at all, but could be seeds in a fecal pellet of some kind.
|
#390
I live in Calgary, AB… this photo was taken in
the backyard, on the fence, in late August of 2004. Not being a big fan of
insects in the first place, particularly wasps and yellowjackets, I got as
close to this ‘strange-to-me’ event as I dared… it’s not a very clear
photograph but this is basically what I saw: approximate length 1 ½” to 2”…
the smaller of the (apparently) 2 insects at the bottom seemed to be
squirming around as if either trying to get out of the body of the larger
insect, or eating its way out?? I have no idea… perhaps it was a mating
ritual… or a molting process? I’m really not that hip on the lifecycles of
insects (mating, birthing, molting, feeding, etc.), but I am VERY curious to
know if anyone can identify a likely solution, despite the poor quality of
the photo. Thanks in advance! Lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My best guess is that this is
a mating pair of wasps. Although I have never personally witnessed this,
it makes more sense than the other possible explanations. Also, mating in
these insects usually takes place in late summer/early autumn, with the
males dying shortly thereafter. Only inseminated queens survive the winter
to carry on the species' survival. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV.
|
#389 I
LIVE IN TOBERMORY, ONTARIO....THIS INSECT LANDED ON MY ARM LAST SEPTEMBER
AND I NEED HELP IDENTIFYING IT, CAN YOU HELP ME? IT IS ABOUT 1 1/2" LONG.
THANK YOU....LENORE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a
cone-headed grasshopper (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae, subfamily Copiphorinae).
They usually are found in areas with tall grass and weedy growth, and
although herbivores, they can give a very painful nip if handled carelessly.
Yours is a female, as you can see the tip of its very long ovipositor
extending just past its wing tips.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#388 This spider had crawled into my boyfriend's shoe and bit him. We
are in Northwest Oregon, and I was worried this was a hobo spider or
something venomous. I see these occasionally in the garden, but we have
never had a problem before w/them. I can't really make out any discernable
markings; this guy is redish in color, with a large swollen looking grayish
bottom section. Any info would be great! Do I need to watch out for these
guys? Noel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be
Dysdera crocata, a spider that specializes in feeding on isopods (sowbugs/pillbugs/woodlice).
Their powerful jaws easily penetrate the tough exoskeletons of their prey.
See # 288 for another example.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These spiders are entirely harmless, venom wise. This spider, known as the
Wood Louse Spider, has fangs that are disproportionately large to the rest
of it's body. The reason for the large fangs is because this spider feeds on
isopods which have hard shells that need to be cracked open. So you don't
need to really worry about that spider except for a little pinch... actually
I'd say a pretty big pinch. Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist. |
#387 Hi. Attached are a few pics of some creepy crawlies that have been
showing up every so often in my basement for the last several months. I'll
go weeks without seeing any, then for a few days I'll spot 2 or three of
them. Also attached is a picture of a beetle that showed up and I can't
figure out where it came from. I live in Edmonton, Alberta . S.B.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The top photo is a sow bug. It can be
distinguished from pill bugs by the 2 appendages at the rear end which
prevent it from rolling into a ball like pill bugs. Read more about
sow bugs and pill
bugs. Mr. Saugstad may be able to tell us about your beetle photo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a ground beetle (Coleoptera:
Carabidae), a very large family most of whose members (including your specimen)
are general predators on other small arthropods. A very few (such as the seed
corn beetle) are ‘rogues’ that can be pests.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#386 My wife woke me up at
about 4:30 am complaining that something was crawling on her. I noticed the
spider on top of the sheets. We live in a historical house approx. 300 yrs
old. We have 2 acres of land that
has a brook that runs 100 yards from the house. We are also surrounded by
farm land. Thank you for your help.
Chad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be a male
wolf spider (family Lycosidae). They are active hunters, and sometimes will
wander into buildings during their search for prey.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The information that you gave in the e-mail was helpful except for one
thing: You didn't say what province/state/country you live in. Anyway I
assumed that you were from North America. I am almost positively sure that
this spider is the Northern Wolf Spider. They usually live riversides in a
silken burrow and it is active both day and night. An interesting fact, if
this spider is covered with rising water it will remain in it's burrow and
breathe using air bubbles. Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This reminds me of a dock
spider. See link below for picture.
Jean-Louis
http://www.fishontario.com/articles/bugs/dockspider.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My wife and I found a couple spiders exactly the same as
the one in the picture - we even caught ours in Tupperware too. We are in
Ottawa, Ontario and ours was about the same size - 3 inches across or so.
I also have holes about the size of a broom stick handle around my yard -
a few site say that Wolf Spiders do that. Is this a type of poisonous
spider? This week, we have found 2 in the house near the patio doors that
I BBQ from and a few more on that deck. I've never seen a spider as
"scary" as it before and am wondering if this spider should be a concern.
Especially if all the holes around the garden are from them.
Thank you, David Grant
|
 #385
I have twenty or
more of these brownish cocoons mostly around the edge of my carpet. The
majority of them are now hollow, but I managed to find one which still
contained a yellowish puss like substance. I am presuming that is the
creature? If anybody knows what this animal is and how to get rid of them it
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Andrea
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be a
puparium of a higher muscoid fly (Diptera; suborder Cyclorrhapha), a very
large group that includes the common house fly. As the larvae (maggots) feed
on decaying organic matter, there likely was a food source for them fairly
nearby. When the maggots are mature, they usually wriggle away from the food
source in search of a drier place in which to pupate, and a carpet would
seem quite satisfactory for their purposes. I once had to remove several
hundred maggots from the carpeting in my station wagon when they escaped
from their container during transport!
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV |
#384 Hi, My dad took a picture of a spider in Seattle, Washington.
It's body was approximately 1 inch long with a hairy rump and hairy "beard".
Any idea what it might be? Thanks! Holly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A dorsal view
of this specimen would be helpful as well. Although it bears a superficial
resemblance to a jumping spider (family Salticidae), there are some aspects
of it that are not consistent with that conclusion. By the way, the hairy
‘beard’ is the base of its chelicerae (‘fangs’).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV |
#383 I found this large beetle on my fence in NJ. can anyone
tell me what it is? Dan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This might be a
Cerambycid, but I would like to see a photo of this beetle taken from
directly above (as opposed to from the side) of this specimen before
attempting an identification.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV
 2nd
photo submission.
(follow-up) – Unfortunately, the second photo is quite
fuzzy, but I still am inclined to think that it might be a Cerambicid as it
was described as ‘large.’ There are beetles in other families that resemble
this specimen, but they are on the small side (less than an inch long).
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blister beetle, Family Meloidae, genus Lytra:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/13503/bgimage
Jim McClarin, insect photographer. |
#382
We live in a 2-story home in
Pickering, Ontario and approx. the 2nd week of April we started noticing
several larvae (see attached photo) appearing on the floor and vanity top
of our master ensuite as well as the 2nd bathroom on the upper floor. We
have removed about 30 over the last week and a half and always find more
every morning and every night. I'm not certain where they are coming from
but am guessing the baseboard area. Please help me to identify what this
larva is as soon as possible!! Thanks, David.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This
could be a larva of a dermestid beetle, a family that includes several
cosmopolitan pests that attack a wide variety of organic materials, from
hides and furs to woolen fabrics and dry stored food products. If the room
where they are appearing has a carpet that contains wool, you may try
lifting the edges a bit to see if you find any of the larvae or evidence of
feeding damage there.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV |
#381
I found this bug
in Victoria B.C. April 27, 2005. It seems to be the same as photo # 91. The
description is the same. What is this insect ? Tammy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This
indeed appears to be the same insect as # 91, namely an elm sawfly (Cimbex
americana; Hymenoptera: Cimbicidae).
They usually do not occur in numbers large enough to require control.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV |
|
Click on the photos
to enlarge |
#380 Hello, I have found a few of these little brownish bugs in
my bathroom. I live in Brooklyn NY. I have a feeling that they are probably
harmless, but need to know if I need to warn other tenants about it. I
looked through several websites and just can't seem to find anything
similar. It has four legs and is reddish brown in color. I hope you can
help. Thank You, M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photo is out of
focus, but this could be a spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae), an
occasional pest of stored products. See #375.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not an entomologist, but I did bring samples of bugs that looked like
this to my doctor who sent them to a lab and they came back as nymph bed
bugs. While the photos aren't the clearest, given the size and location of
these bugs, I urge you to post a response that mentions the potential for
bed bugs. Especially for the one that thought it might be a deer tick. The
bed bug has 3 legs and 2 antenae on each side. The antenae might be mistaken
for legs, esp. with the nymph leading one to think it has 8 legs.
Please please please suggest that these people take the bugs to a lab to
confirm because while bed bugs might not carry disease, they are certainly a
MAJOR nuisance and the bites can be terribly painful and plentiful in even
an mild infestation. Christina. |
#379
The
creature in this picture is still sitting on my windowsill in complete
anonymity. Can you tell me what it is? I live in Scotland so it may not be a
species native to Canada. Many thanks, Sam Gibson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be a bee – perhaps someone familiar with
the species of this region can provide a specific identification.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
 
#378
I live in New
Hampshire US and I noticed this bugs crawling all over my porch and siding
on the house. They are about 2-3 mm long. I was trying to locate the source,
started to look around the yard and found lots of them stick to the branches
of my tamarack tree (it is the evergreen that sheds for the winter) I don’t
know what are they, can’t find any info as to if it’s some kind of insect
that would damaged the tree. I don’t feel comfortable on my porch or yard
because they are everywhere, even on the sidewalk. I don’t know how to get
rid of them. Please help to identify that bug. Thank you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These appear to
be aphids, but not of a species with which I am familiar. They should be
susceptible to most ‘garden variety’ pesticides approved for use around the
home and yard. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 #377
I live in Philadelphia, PA in an apartment building that is over 100 years
old and has not been renovated since the 1970's. This bug was found last
fall in our bathroom in the bathtub. He was less than 1 cm long. We found
many bugs like him in and around our bathtub some much smaller and others a
little bigger. When it got cold the bugs disappeared. It is getting warmer
now and there are some smaller bugs that seem to have appeared again who
look like mini 1 mm versions of this bug. They crawl in and out of the
bathroom tiles and get washed down the drain. Can you tell me what he is, if
I can get rid of them and if they are harmful? Thanks so much! Erin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a sow bug. They love warm moist environments. The small ones
you are seeing will go through a number of molting stages as they grow
larger. See:
sow bugs, pill bugs
and centipedes for more information. |
 
#376 I'm
in North Carolina and I have these guys all over my mulch and top layer of
dirt in the garden next to the house. They remind me of termites, but they
are not seen on my house, which is wood. They seem to be near ants and look
like they live with them, but I've never seen a winged ant. Rebecca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, these are termites,
specifically, winged reproductives that leave a parent colony to found new ones.
Mulch beds that abut a house usually are a bad idea, as this gives the termites
ready access to the structure without having to expose themselves to the outside
environment. See
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1994/3-30-1994/antterm.html for
images of winged ants vs. winged termites. You may wish to contact the North
Carolina Cooperative Extension Service for control advice - see
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/counties/ for
links to county offices.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist;
Sinks Grove, WV
|
#375 I saw this insect (about 4 mm) crawling up the wall in my Toronto
condo at around midnight, beside my computer screen - was moving very slowly
(enough to get my camera out). I'm sure I've seen one like this before in
my old apartment. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. TMH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be a
spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae). They are cosmopolitan in distribution,
and often infest stored food products. See
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2117.html for
a fact sheet that includes control recommendations.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
 
#374 I'm sorry to have to ask for
help from so far away, but, I'm in North Carolina and I have these little
red spider-like guys are all over my irises. I don't know whether they are
good or bad, so I don't know whether I should try and kill them.
Rebecca.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These are aphids
('plant lice'), and you definitely want to get rid of them! Fortunately,
they are very soft-bodied, and just a vigorous stream of water from a garden
hose should remove and even kill most of them. Also, there are a wide
variety of commercial aphid control products, such as insecticidal soaps,
that are safe to use around the home.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rebecca,
those little guys on your irises are called aphids. They do not harm people
at all, but they can do a good number on your garden plants. Generally, you
do not have to do a thing because they will only be apparent during certain
parts of the year and then they're gone. However, they reproduce quickly and
when they get to be in large numbers, your irises will suffer. If your
irises start looking sorrowful, you can use a 50:50 mix of water and plain
old rubbing alcohol and spraying the critters directly (spraying the leaves
of your irises with this won't hurt your irises, but it won't "repel" the
insects either... you have to hit the insects with the alcohol to kill
them.) Cheers, KAJ
|
#373 These little guys were found in Houston, Texas. They were in various
places around the apartment. Some on the bed. A couple on some clothes. A
couple on the couch. And, one was found on the dog. Not really sure what
they are. They move pretty slowly and don't seem to bite. They look beetle
like. We just can't figure out what they are and where they are coming from.
Also, what to do to get rid of them. Thanks, Eric. Please help, it freaks my
girlfriend out. She now has a hard time sleeping in the bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is an engorged tick,
likely from your dog. I suggest that you consult your veterinarian for
appropriate control measures. From the apparent small size (assuming that
the match in the photo is a standard paper match), the tick may be in the
genus Ixodes, that includes the deer tick. For confirmation, you also could
take specimens to the nearest county office of the Texas Cooperative
Extension Service office - see
http://county-tx.tamu.edu/ for
contact links.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It looks like a tick but
check out
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2073.html
just to be sure. I'm no expert, but I have pulled a
few ticks off me after a hike. -Rebecca, North Carolina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These are ticks. Your girlfriend is right not to want to sleep in the bed.
They do bite, and many species do transmit diseases (e.g. lyme disease).
Chances are good that they came in on your clothing or your dog while you
were out walking. They can live for months without a blood meal, and will
remain in your clothes drawers or bed, etc. Check your clothing, blankets,
etc. and at the very least, get a good tick collar for your dog! Goodluck,
KAJ.
|
#372 We live in Raleigh NC and we find these bugs on the floor next to
a sliding door.
Can you identify them . real skinny abdomen, like a thread. Thanks,
Dennis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be
a thread-waisted wasp (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae; subfamily Sphecinae). All are
predaceous on other arthropods, from caterpillars and crickets to spiders.
They are not aggressive, and are harmless to humans.
Ed Saugstad, retired
entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In reference to picture # 372, I am no expert,
but it looks like a potter wasp. Check out
http://everythingabout.net/articles/biology/animals/.../wasps/potter_wasp
to be sure. RS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These are commonly called mud dauber wasps. They build nests out of
mud in sheltered areas, often in attics or under shed roofs.
372 is a Mud
dauber. It’s a type of wasp that is harmless unless threatened, but it can
and will sting, especially if squashed. The sting of a mud dauber is
usually less serious than that of a paper wasp. Mud daubers make an
approx. 5 cm (1/2 in.) diameter tunnel from soft mud in which they deposit
a single egg, then add a dead or anesthetized bug, usually a spider, then
close up that chamber with mud and lay another egg against the new wall
with another bug for this larva to eat, continuing until the tunnel gets
to be 5-10 chambers long. Chamber tunnels can be single or with have
another tunnel built onto the side of the first one. The mud dauber’s
sting is used to anesthetize the prey for their young to eat. The tunnels
are usually on protected sides of old buildings or walls. If a tunnel is
broken open before the young emerge, often live spiders will fall out. The
young eat holes in the top of the tunnel to emerge without disturbing
their siblings.
Edith.
|
#371
I live in Victoria British Columbia Canada.
This bug started showing up a couple months ago. It could be found on the
wall in a bathroom on a bedspread or in the hallway. We have found about 15
of them, to date. To gauge the size I have placed this bug on an 8.5 x 11
sheet of paper. It is black and with what looks like gold or yellow
markings. It reminds me of a ladybug. I dumped it out of the jar, a pair
of wings came out as you can note in the picture. When it was crawling
across the picture, the wings were hidden. At no point did it ever fly.
They are very fragile as picking them up to roughly crushes them. Any help
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Michael.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This photo also is
too fuzzy for me to be certain, but it might be a carpet beetle (family
Dermestidae). Look at the photos for numbers 341 and 335 and see whether you
have a close match. If your specimens are carpet beetles, you need to locate
their food source and apply appropriate control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
I too am from
Victoria BC and have this exact bug. I took it to a pest control guy and
it is a carpet beetle. Can you some
how put me in touch with this fellow from Victoria, so we can converse
about what he has done to take care of this problem. Like his wife, I too
am a bit freaked out with these things. Regards,
Pat
Sorry Pat, in the interest of privacy and security
we do not store e-mail addresses or other personal information once a
question has been published. Larry. Webmanager
|
|
Click on the photos
to enlarge |
#370 I found this guy on my bathroom floor in Missouri. I've had brown
recluses in the apartment before so I'm very jumpy when it comes to spiders.
I don't know what this one is, and I remembered your page from when I was
looking for identification of the recluses a while back. It's a just smaller
than a penny, and is wet in this picture due to the spurt of RAID that I
used to kill it. It looks like it has six eyes, possibly eight, arranged in
a circle on it's head. There's also some kind of design on it's abdomen
which was easier to see when it was alive, but looked more like a white
streak. Thanks, Tom, St. Louis, Missouri.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because of the somewhat
distorted condition of this specimen, I hesitate to make a definitive
statement other than it does not appear to be a species of any medical
importance. Perhaps Jacob Duarte can provide a more
specific identification.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove,
WV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for the compliment Ed. The can of raid did
mangle that spider, but thanks to your comment on the white streak I can
make a pretty good guess. It looks like a Mouse Spider, a nocturnal hunting
spider which favours buildings, and loose tree bark. The white streak is the
defining feature though.
Jacob Duarte, aspiring arachenologist |
 #369
Live In South-Eastern Ontario (just outside Toronto). Found this
attatched to a shubert chokecherry. Backyard. Mid April. Tent Caterpiller??
I have no idea but am wondering If I should remove it before it hatches.
Maybe 4 - 6 inches long. -Chris, Ontario, Canada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This the cocoon
of a giant silkworm moth (Saturniidae), a family that includes the largest
moths native to North America. This particular cocoon most likely is that
of the cecropia moth, Hyalophora
cecropia
- see
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/cecropia.html If
it hasn't been parasitised, the moth should emerge from the cocoon later
this spring.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#368 Hello, We moved
into our newley built house in September 2004 (Burlington, Ontario) I
remember seeing a couple of these things, but didnt think much of it, due to
it being a new house, and having the interior exposed during construction,
figured there would be the odd bug about. In the last 2 weeks (first few
weeks of April) I have found 10 of these things. They are all of the same
size. Most recentley 2 upstairs by the window, and 3 milling around by the
cold cellar in the basement. I am freaked out. What are these bugs???
I think the bug is on its back in this picture, and he is dead. They dont
move fast, and I think they may fly, my cats seem to notice them before I
do! Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although the photo is not clear
enough for me to be confident of a family identification ( it might be a very
small ground beetle), I believe that whatever this beetle is, it is not a threat
to either you or your house, or its contents. Its appearance is not consistent
with any wood-borer or pantry pest that I am familiar with.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#367 I have found quite a few of these guys in my bathroom and
sometimes other places of my apartment. I live in Ottawa, Ontario. My
digital camera does not take close up pictures of small objects in detail so
this drawing is my best interpretation of the pest. It is a light brownish
grayish colour, but I have seen lighter green ones (maybe younger versions
of the pest). My roommate and I think it is a type of cockroach. Any advice
of what it is and how to be rid of it? I Thanks Greg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sent this picture yesterday under the assumption it was a type of
cockroach, I now believe it is a type of silverfish or firebrat possibly
still in developmental stage (notice hind legs are not as long as most
silverfish) Found in an Ottawa apartment. Usually seen at night. Thanks for
any help. Greg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This
indeed appears to be a silverfish or firebrat (order Thysanura). See no. 296
for a reasonably clear photo, and
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2108.html
for a fact sheet on these insects. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#366 Please tell me what these are and how to get rid of them. They
are covering the limbs of my Bald Cypress trees. There are literally
thousands of them covering six trees. I noticed them right as the
needles began budding out. They do not have heads or legs.
They are black with wide reddish-orange stripes. When removed from
the limb, they have no bottom and would be hollow except for a clear gooey
substance and tiny flat spore-like things that fall out. The shell is
fairly tough. Damage to the limb is evident after removing.
I've used Isotox on all of the trees, but read that anything with a hard
covering may not be effected by pesticides and also, the systematic
treatments can be diluted by the tree's sap making them less effective.
I am really concerned that this could permanently damage the trees and
maybe spread to other trees. Please let me know if there is any
other information I can provide. Thanks, Kristie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although these bear a resemblance to scale insects
in the family Kermidae, I cannot be certain, and I am unaware of any
members of this family that attack bald cypress. I suggest that you take
one of the infested branches to your county cooperative extension service
office for assistance in identification and any recommended control
measures. Go to
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/netlinks/ces.html,
select your state, and you should be able to find
the office nearest to you. Ed Saugstad,
retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#365 This is a very strange creature that I found in my
pool last summer (dead). He is about 1/3 the size of the Tarantulas I've
seen, and doesn't have the hairy body or legs that they have. The two front
"legs" are actually some kind of stingers (look a bit like a Scorpion's
tail), and he has pretty nasty fangs underneath. I have looked everywhere,
but still can't positively identify it. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks! Roberta, New River, Arizona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This appears to be a male mygalomorph spider (suborder
Orthognatha), possibly one of the trap-door spiders or a close relative (see
http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/arachnoida/araneida/antrodiaetidae/antrodiaetus/sp-1.jpg
for an image). Tarantulas also belong to this group of
spiders, characterized by chelicerae (‘fangs’) that move in a vertical (as
opposed to a lateral) plane. What you interpret as the front ‘legs’ are in
actuality the pedipalps, which are greatly enlarged in the males, and used
in sperm transfer during mating. Ed
Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV |
#364 We've been finding several of these jewel toned
beauties in our log home; I remember encountering many of them in my
childhood as well... I suspect they might be mischief makers agriculturally,
but they're so gorgeous! We grew up referring to them as "June
Bugs", but an internet search of that name has proven fairly fruitless.
Thanks for any help. The beetle in the picture is not dead but played
dead several times. He and his compatriots were set free after the photo
shoot! Cindie & Mike, west of Parksville, Vancouver Island British
Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Golden Buprestid:
One of the most damaging wood borers in western North America because larvae
can survive up to 50 years in green timber, logs or poles. In buildings, egg
to adult development may be prolonged to 30, 40, even 50 years. This beetle
is commonly referred to as the Douglas-fir wood borer. The adult beetle
lays her fertilized eggs in bark crevices of injured or fallen trees. The
larvae bore into the center of the tree trunk, feeding and growing in 10
years in their natural environment and in up to 50 years when they live in a
milled piece of lumber. The Golden Buprestid Beetle is considered to be one
of the longest-lived insects in the world. Though these beetles do not
destroy trees and wood, they are considered a nuisance by timber harvesters
because the decrease the value of wood due to the small holes they leave
behind after burrowing. The adult beetles feed on the needles of Douglas
fir-trees. These beetles serve as an important food source for
insectivorous birds like woodpeckers.
For details see
this web site: http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/fetch21/FRST308/lab7/buprestis_aurulenta/golden.html |
|
Directory of Pest
Professionals on Vancouver Island |
 
#363 Hi I am from
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia and we are finding these bugs and grubs in our
house just about everywhere especially in the kitchen. They just seem to
appear from no where! They are freaking my wife out. They appear in April
through July. I think they might be carpet beetles or larder beetles. There
are a lot of dead flies in the attic, but I could not see any of these
critters. Could they be falling from the ceiling? If they are these beetles
how to we rid the house of them? HELP! Jim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is
the larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). They will feed
on a very wide variety of proteinaceous materials, including dead insects. See
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/larder_beetle.htm
for a fact sheet that includes control measures.
Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV
|
#362
| |
