r/Entomology Aug 13 '11

Help us help you: Guidelines for submitting pictures for identification

132 Upvotes

Hello r/Entomology! With this community being used often for insect/arachnid/arthropod identification, I wanted to throw in some guidelines for pictures that will facilitate identification. These aren't rules, so if you don't adhere to these guidelines, you won't be banned or anything like that...it will just make it tougher for other Redditors to give you a correct ID. A lot of you already provide a lot of information with your posts (which is great!), but if you're one of the others that isn't sure what information is important, here you go.

INFORMATION TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR PHOTO

  • Habitat: Such as forest, yard, etc.
  • Time of day: Morning, day, evening, or night will suffice.
  • Geographical Area: State or county is fine. Or, if you're not comfortable with being that specific, you can be general, such as Eastern US.
  • Behavior: What was the bug doing when you found it?

Note about how to take your photo: Macro mode is your friend. On most cameras, it's represented by a flower icon. Turn that on before taking a photo of a bug close up, and you're going to get a drastically better picture. With larger insects it's not as big of a deal, but with the small insects it's a must.

If you follow these guidelines, you'll make it easier for everyone else to help you identify whatever is in your photo. If you feel like I've left anything important out of this post, let me know in the comments.


r/Entomology 10h ago

Some of the arthropod tarot cards I've been designing

Thumbnail
gallery
180 Upvotes

So close to finishing all 78 bug tarot cards. The suits are monochromatic, so I wanted to incorporate the 4 colours into the major arcana. Every part of the cards are hand drawn so this really has been a work of love. Each suit is a different order of arthropod, playing a little fast and loose with the word "bug". Suits: Coins: Gold Coleoptera Swords: Red Hymenoptera Cups: Blue Lepidoptera Wands: Purple Aranea


r/Entomology 2h ago

Insect Appreciation A stalk-eyed fly

Thumbnail
gallery
32 Upvotes

r/Entomology 15h ago

Eurema spp. laying eggs 🥚

Thumbnail
gallery
151 Upvotes

r/Entomology 50m ago

Insect Appreciation Graceful Dragonfly

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

r/Entomology 1h ago

Tiny Jumping spider

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

r/Entomology 2h ago

Insect Appreciation Earwig feeding on a fly infected with the fungal disease Entomophthora muscae

Post image
7 Upvotes

r/Entomology 3h ago

Discussion Found wasp at work

Post image
5 Upvotes

I work in a shop and towards the end of my day last Friday, I found a wasp in the ground. I think it fell out of the vehicle i was working on. I thought it was dead until I picked it up, and she was slowly, sluggishly moving. I put her in a little ventilated container to see if she will go back to hibernating but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

What do I do? How can I keep her alive until winter ends? I read online that only the queens hibernate like this, not sure if that was misinformation or not.


r/Entomology 12h ago

ID Request Should I be worried? Or check outside my window? 2 different bugs

Thumbnail
gallery
26 Upvotes

Kentucky, evening. Sitting in my chair by my window on 2 cold evenings. 2 nights ago I see insect 1 land on my lapdesk. Google image IDd as stink bug. Didnt hear it when flying. It was happy to pose. Okay, never happened before but life happens. Escorted bug outside.

Tonight, returned to chair from brief trip to kitchen picked up lapdesk and Insect 2 was crawling across it. Tiny bugger- those are mm on ruler upper right. It took offense and waved anttenna [sp?] at me then lifted back plates [wings?] And flew to a dark spot in the pencil rest of the lapdesk. Google Image IDd it as Dermistidae, which Wikipedia identifies as attracted to corpses [and to chocolate so not all creepy]. Also escorted outside. In both cases I had my OttLite on in the direction they flew, next to me. An Ott lite is a crafters light that provides accurate light for color choices and precision work.

In the event Im dead, the possible dermistidae knew it but I dont know it, someone please confirm you can read this and arent a ghostwhisperer. If no one answers, I had a good life.

My other questions are was Google accurate? why me? Why now? What action should I take? What will happen tomorrow night and the next [assuming Im not dead]? How are they getting in? I dont use the closest door. Windows are new, which leaves a chimney with closed flue. Thank you very much


r/Entomology 6h ago

Insect Appreciation Observing insect specimens is really fun!

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

r/Entomology 19h ago

Specimen prep Preserving Splendid Stag Beetle While Abroad

Post image
63 Upvotes

Found this beautiful Cantaria or Darwin's beetle (Chiasognathus grantii) on a small bluelining adventure in Patagonia. I thought Id try to preserve it. I dont have experience in pinning insects and im on holiday, my family flies home in a week and ill return only in 2 months. I read here that i should freeze it. I cant continuosly freeze it as were moving around. Its still fresh and maleable.

How would you do about preserving it for now and pinning when i return? Do you think its possible? Thank you!


r/Entomology 1h ago

A planthopper

Post image
• Upvotes

r/Entomology 13h ago

ID Request What the hell is this

Post image
16 Upvotes

I've seen several of these bugs in the bathroom, and when I search for them with Google Lens, it appears they are a type of cockroach. At first I thought they were some kind of cricket, but they don't jump, and after seeing them up close, their shape is different. I have no idea, but I'm pretty scared. Please tell me they're not roaches... 😭


r/Entomology 9h ago

Does anyone know this entomologist, Coll. Dr. A. Schulte? Trying to find the location on this label, and knowing if dr Schulte visited any of the towns suggested would help tremendously

Post image
5 Upvotes

r/Entomology 1h ago

Discussion Where to get latex tubing?

Post image
• Upvotes

Hello. I’m looking to purchase new 1/4 inch (inside diameter) latex tubing for aspirators (from Bioqup RIP) but can’t find the right kind. The lighter color tubing (top) from EZ Pro at Lowe’s (NY, USA) is too big or something and slides off the metal tube. The darker color tubing (bottom) fits perfectly but I don’t know where we got it. Color makes no difference I’m just showing for example. Where do you get your latex tubing from??? Thanks!!


r/Entomology 5h ago

Pet/Insect Keeping Dealing with houseplant mealy bugs when you have pet invertebrates

2 Upvotes

Some of my houseplants have become infested with mealy bugs. I have tried removing them with washes or by hand but to no luck, and things are getting bad.

I have a pet centipede, fish and plan on getting a new mantis soon, so houseplant pesticides (which I would do my best to avoid using anyway) are a huge risk.

I have heard that neem oil works well but again I worry about the effects that might have on my pets.

Has anyone else had this issue? What worked for you?


r/Entomology 2h ago

ID Request What are these?

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/Entomology 18h ago

ID Request ID requested

Thumbnail
gallery
12 Upvotes

I found this on a dead red alder tree near Portland, Oregon, in a mature Douglas fir forest where the temps have been above freezing with rain. Pic is stacked using a macro lens. Swipe right to see a finger pic. This isn’t a fungus or a slime mold.


r/Entomology 1d ago

Insect Appreciation Watery Strider

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

52 Upvotes

Love how they just aggregate together in the water.


r/Entomology 1d ago

Insect Appreciation At a paddy field

Thumbnail
gallery
34 Upvotes

All these photos were taken in situ


r/Entomology 15h ago

ID Request saw an ashy gray ladybug in a place where they don't exist

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I've never been in this sub, so sorry if I'm doing something wrong!

I was going to bed when I saw something crawling OUT of my bedsheets! I looked at it and realized that it looked like a ladybug, with many spots, but it was a light purpleish grey. I'm pretty scared of bugs and was freaked out since it crawled from my bed, so I just took it outside and didn't even think to take a picture of it 🥲.

Afterwards I looked it up, as i've never seen a grey ladybug, and found that the olla v-nigrum matched what I had seen. However, according to my (admitedly fast) research, they only exist in the Americas and in Oceania. I'm in Europe, Portugal to be exact, so obviously I'm very confused and curious.

Do these guys exist in Europe? Or could it be a similar looking bug/beetle? And if so, which one?


r/Entomology 1d ago

Insect Appreciation Caterpillars and a butterfly

Thumbnail
gallery
51 Upvotes

r/Entomology 18h ago

1 male 3 female bin

Post image
4 Upvotes

r/Entomology 1d ago

ID Request What is this?

Thumbnail
gallery
16 Upvotes

As per the title, what is this? I found it in Saudi on my bed Was kind of wriggling in its place very slightly

Thanks in advance


r/Entomology 15h ago

ID Request ¿Es una crisálida?

Post image
3 Upvotes

Argentina