Carpet beetle

7087.       I have found some of this in my apartment. Not sure is it summer related, it is very small, like 4 mm long. Thanks! Montreal, Quebec. Canada

Number 7087. This is a carpet beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae); it may be a banded carpet beetle, Attagenus fasciatus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Also known as the wardrobe beetle, it is a cosmopolitan pest species. Click here for some control recommendations.

European hornet

7086.      We had a nest of very large dark orange wasps last year, similar to the fat blue ones I have seen before. This is a wasp found in August. This is not the biggest I have seen but really want to know what they are. Burlington, Ontario. Canada

Number 7086. This is a European hornet, Vespa crabro (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), an introduced species. Click here for details on its life history.

Cross orb weaver

7085.        What kind of spider is this it’s a bit scary. Dollard des ormeaux, Quebec. Canada

Number 7085. This is Araneus diadematus, a cross orb weaver, aka a European garden spider. It is a harmless orb weaver (family Araneidae) that is found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. We often see them in England when we visit family there.

Monkey slug caterpillar

7084.        An employee Found this crawling around on a roof next to a large maple tree. Never seen anything like it before. Vankleek Hill, Ontario. Canada

Number 7084. This is a monkey slug caterpillar, Phobetron pithecium (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae). Contact with its hairs reportedly can cause dermatitis as well as painful inflammation in some cases. Click here for more detailed information.

Yellow-striped oakworm

7083.        Inman, South Carolina. United States

Number 7083. This is a yellow-striped oakworm, Anisota peigleri (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae); Click here for details on its life history.

Dogwood spittlebugs

7082.        I took this picture in August of 2020. I can’t find it anywhere in order to identify it. Murillo, Ontario. Canada

Number 7082. These are dogwood spittlebugs, Clastoptera proteus (Hemiptera/Auchenorrhyncha: Clastopteridae); Click here and Click here.

Woodwasp/horntail

7081.        I am not looking to publish anything, I have never seen such a flying insect in this region during fifty years of living here. I am concerned about evasive species. Del D’Arcangelo. Courtenay, British Columbia. Canada

Number 7081. This is a native species; it’s Urocerus californicus, a woodwasp/horntail (Hymenoptera/Siricidae), Click here. Woodwasps lack venom and are harmless to humans.

European hornet

7080.        Very curious as to what type of hornet this. I’ve never seen one like this before at our cottage. Coldwater, Ont. Canada

Number 7080. This is a European hornet, Vespa crabro (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), an introduced species. I have found these to be less aggressive than their cousins, yellow jackets. Click here for more detailed information.

Assassin bugs

7079.        Found in an apartment building in Windsor. Windsor, Ontario. Canada

Number 7079. These appear to be assassin bugs known as a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus; Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), a cosmopolitan species often found indoors and reputed to have a very painful ‘bite’- Click here for more detailed information.

Ichneumon wasp

7078.          Black with yellow stripes around its butt, it didnt seem aggressive but looked like it could sting. Looks similar to a hornet but way skinnier and its unlike anything I’ve seen. Trying to figure out if this is what caused my allergic reaction. Truro, NS. Canada

Number 7078. This is an ichneumon wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). These all are parasitic on other arthropods, mainly other insects; they lack a stinger and are harmless to humans. Click here for an image

Banded horntail

7077.          We saw this or a twin bug carring a grasshopper at least 1 1/2 times its size which is about 2 1/2 “. rock creek, BC. Canada

Number 7077. This is a banded horntail, Urocerus gigas flavicornis, (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). Also known as a woodwasp, it would not have been carrying a grasshopper, or any other insect for that matter, as they do not feed on other insects – Click here for details on its life history. The insect carrying the grasshopper more likely was a great golden digger wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae); Click here for an image.

Drugstore beetles

7076.          I believe they are cigarette beetles. Toronto, ON. Canada

Number 7076. Based on the appearance of the antennae, these more likely are drugstore beetles, Stegobium paniceum (Coleoptera: Anobiidae). Control recommendations for both species are identical; Click here for details.

Japanese beetles

7075.         WOODBRIDGE, ON. Canada

Number 7075. These are Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a widespread introduced pest species. Click here for more detailed information, including control recommendations.

Nymph of an assassin bug

7074.        What kind of bug is this? Does it bite? Is it a bug that can turn into an infestation? Kelowna, BC. Canada

Number 7074. This is a nymph of an assassin bug known as a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus; Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), a cosmopolitan species often found indoors and reputed to have a very painful ‘bite’- Click here for more detailed information.

Banded carpet beetle

7073.       It was 5mm. Ottawa, ON. Canada

Number 7073. This appears to be a banded carpet beetle, Attagenus fasciatus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Also known as the wardrobe beetle, it is a cosmopolitan pest species. Click here  for some control recommendations.

German cockroaches

7072.      KLEMTU, British Columbia. Canada

Number 7072. These are German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), a peridomestic species difficult to bring under complete control. Click here for some control recommendations.

Orb weaving spider

7071.        I live in kelowna BC. This thing was super huge. The body w/o legs was about the size of a quarter at least. When I squished it with a broom handle, it popped like a massive pimple. What the heck is it? West Kelowna, BC. Canada

Number 7071. This is a harmless orb weaving spider (family Araneidae) in the genus Araneus, Click here for an example. If you see another, please let it live, they are volunteer pest controllers.

Giant ichneumon wasp

7070.          Wondering what this Insect is, I thought it was an immature dragonfly, there are about 50 on this dying tree. Are they harmful? Do I just leave them alone? Turkey Point, Ontario. Canada

Number 7070. This is a giant ichneumon wasp, Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, in the genus Megarhyssa; likely M. macrurus. It is a female in the act of boring through the tree wood in order to lay her egg in the tunnel of her prey, the larva of a wood wasp in the family Siricidae. They are harmless to humans as well as to the tree. Click here for details on their life history.

Maggot of a muscoid fly

7069.           August 23, about 1/2 inch in size. Found about 20 of these on our floor in the house this morning wondering if they are maggots or something else. Started searching for where they would be coming from and cannot find anything anywhere in the house Pulled fridge and stove out moved furniture around but cannot find any source to where they would be coming from, I am stumped. Renfrew, Ontario Canada

Number 7069. This is a maggot of a muscoid fly, so there must be a food source somewhere in the vicinity. When these maggots complete their growth, they crawl away from their food source in search of a safe, dry place to undergo pupation.

Mature larva/prepupa of a rodent bot fly

7068.         Found this in our crawlspace. What is it? Oro-Medonte, ON. Canada

Number 7068. This is a mature larva/prepupa of a rodent bot fly (Diptera: Oestridae; subfamily Cuterebrinae) Click here for details on their life history.

Predaceous diving beetle

7067.        This big guy I found on my driveway. About an inch to an inch and a half long. Tried to find some photos online but no luck. Bay Tree, Alberta. Canada

Number 7067. This is a predaceous diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). They and their larvae (“water tigers”) are general predators on other small aquatic life forms. They also are very strong fliers, and may be found quite some distance from any water source.

Pigeon tremex

7066.         Found in our yard on August 19th. Regina, Saskatchewan. Canada

Number 7066. This is a pigeon tremex, Tremex columba (Hymenoptera: Siricidae). They lack a stinger (what looks like one actually is their ovipositor); Click here for more detailed information.

Earwig

7065.        What is this? I found one on my kitchen counter last week and another just crawled on me in the living room. Please help. Ont, Toronto. Canada

Number 7065. This is an earwig (order Dermaptera). These basically are harmless nuisance pests; most species either are scavengers or predators on small soft-bodied insects, but some occasionally can cause damage to very tender vegetation. Click here for more detailed information.

Nymph of an assassin bug

7064.         Hello! I found this bug on a bedroom wall by the window, in a rural part of northern Nova Scotia. We had spent the day at Waterside Beach, and it’s possible this came from the beach home with us — though the house is also in a rural setting surrounded by fields and some trees. I’ve been told it’s possibly an assassin bug, maybe a kissing bug, and it could be a western conifer seed bug. I have children staying here and my main concern is safety. Many thanks in advance! Scotsburn, NS. Canada

Number 7064. This may be a nymph of an assassin bug known as a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus; Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), a cosmopolitan species often found indoors and reputed to have a very painful ‘bite’- Click here for more detailed information.

Nymph of a hairy chinch bug

7063.        These insects have infested our house, especially around windows area. We went on vacation the last week of July and when got back we noticed some in our house and have not been able contain. Quispamsis, NB. Canada

Number 7063. This looks like a nymph of a hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Blissidae), a lawn/turf pest – Click here for details including control recommendations.

Nymph of a hairy chinch bug

7062.         They come out by the hundreds, only on hot sunny days, along the foundation and my deck. Glen Haven, Halifax. Canada

Number 7062. This looks like a nymph of a hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Blissidae), a lawn/turf pest – Click here for details including control recommendations.

Hooded grasshopper

7061.        Want to know how is it different from grasshopper. What is the special thing near the neck part. Odisha, Dhenkanal. India

Number 7061. This is a so-called ‘hooded grasshopper’ (Orthoptera: Acrididae; Teratodes sp.). They get that name from the shape of their pronotum, which is expanded into a high crest – Click here

Nymph of a hairy chinch bug

7060.          These insects have infested our house, especially around windows area. We went on vacation the last week of July and when got back we noticed some in our house and have not been able contain. Quispamsis, NB. Canada

Number 7060. This appears to be a nymph of a hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Blissidae), a lawn/turf pest – Click here for details including control recommendations.

Nymph of a hairy chinch bug

7059.           They come out by the hundreds, only on hot sunny days, along the foundation and my deck. Glen Haven, Halifax. Canada

Number 7059. This looks like a nymph of a hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtus (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Blissidae), a lawn/turf pest – Click here for details including control recommendations.

Hooded grasshopper

7058.         Want to know how is it different from grasshopper. What is the special thing near the neck part. Odisha, Dhenkanal. India

Number 7058. This is a so-called ‘hooded grasshopper’ (Orthoptera: Acrididae; Teratodes sp.). They get that name from the shape of their pronotum, which is expanded into a high crest – Click here

Robber fly

7057.        Alabama, United States

Number 7057. This is a robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae); Click here for an example. These are ambush predators on other small arthropods, mainly other insects..

Nymph of a masked hunter

7056.         I found this guy walking slowly on the wall at night. Haven’t seen anything like this. From what I can gather online, it resembles a bit like a masked hunter. I’m wondering if his mottled appearance is due to cat litter. The picture is magnified as the bug is trapped under a shotglass and I zoomed in 4x with my phone. His real size is around nearly a cm I found him August 15th, 2020. Cheers. Toronto, Ontario. Canada

Number 7056. This is indeed is a nymph of a masked hunter (Reduvius personatus; Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Reduviidae), a cosmopolitan species often found indoors and reputed to have a very painful ‘bite’- Click here for more detailed information.

Yellow bear caterpillar

7055.         We have never seen this caterpillar around before and I have a garden so I’m outside all summer, weather permitting. It was first discovered on a sunny warm day on August 6th, 2020. I first saw one on my ornamental fig tree. I didn’t want to kill it so I put it in the grass. I saw what seemed to be a bigger one on the 9th in the vegetable garden near my finished cauliflower plants. I have no idea where it went from there. I showed the picture to my local nursery and they didn’t know what it was. I don’t want to hurt it but I also don’t want predators in my gardens. Surrey, BC. Canada

Number 7055. This appears to be a yellow bear caterpillar (Spilosoma virginica; Lepidoptera: Erebidae). This species is highly variable in appearance; Click here for some images.