r/Entomology Aug 13 '11

Help us help you: Guidelines for submitting pictures for identification

93 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 20h ago

Insect Appreciation I found a pseudoscorpion!

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600 Upvotes

Technically an arachnid, but look how neat!!! I wonder which species..? :)


r/Entomology 3h ago

Ant Mimicking Spider

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26 Upvotes

r/Entomology 1h ago

Please help me ID this Stingless bee species - From India

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Upvotes

Location - Assam, India Terrain - On top of a small hill (elevation < 200m from sea level). There were several colonies / concealed hives in this location made in man made structures like wall cracks, open pipes etc.


r/Entomology 1h ago

ID Request Flying ants or something worse?

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Upvotes

These have been appearing in my bathroom for the last few days, seems like they’re coming out of an excesses light fixture.

Are they flying ants? Or god forbid termites?


r/Entomology 16h ago

What’s this bug? Seen in NYC, USA. Thank you.

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88 Upvotes

r/Entomology 9h ago

What wasp is this?

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13 Upvotes

Anyone know what insect this is? Trying to figure out if this wasp is dangerous or harmless, I tried taking better shots but it flew away after stuffing a caterpillar it caught earlier inside the nest. So far it hasnt stung anyone even though we got close to it.

It made a nest attached to a small metal statue as seen in the photos.


r/Entomology 4h ago

What are these orange specks?

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6 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I am from the eastern shore MD and (according to google lens) saw a horned faced mason bee. After watching it do its thing for a few minutes it “peed”. When I looked closer I saw there were orange specks in it. I wasn’t sure if they were poop, pollen, eggs, or something else. I’d appreciate the help! Thanks :-)


r/Entomology 18h ago

sweet bee

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85 Upvotes

r/Entomology 1d ago

Why is this milipede tweaking?

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353 Upvotes

r/Entomology 6h ago

ID Request What will this be?

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5 Upvotes

Found this pod while pulling weeds from a garden pot. Looks like a cocoon but it was under a few inches of soil. Any idea what will come out? I live in the US North East.


r/Entomology 21h ago

ID Request Got some new visitors in the laundry room. Should I worry?

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79 Upvotes

They've appeared throughout the winter, dead, in a dry drain in the laundry room. Lately, they've now started moving around the floor, very not dead. I also believe they can fly. They are pretty small, maybe 2-3mm

🇳🇴 Norway


r/Entomology 4h ago

What this on my Holly leaf, Midlothian, Scotland

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2 Upvotes

Hi, I’m hoping someone be able to identify this? Found it on my Holly it looks like it’s attached to the leaf with some silk and on the back you can see something has been eating the leaf. Thanks


r/Entomology 1d ago

Giant bee

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297 Upvotes

Giant bee in the garden this morning. Nearly an inch long. London, UK


r/Entomology 2h ago

ID Request Who's partyin on my deck?

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2 Upvotes

I'll add the video in the comments if I can figure it out! They're moving around like jumping beans, there's an oak tree and an elm above this spot- in arkansas/Missouri area. It's like 38 degrees outside, rough guess.


r/Entomology 2m ago

I drew this cicada and turned it into a sticker. Would love your thoughts! 🐞

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Upvotes

r/Entomology 4h ago

ID Request Help me identify 🙏🏻

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2 Upvotes

Ive never seen these kind of insect near where I live but this buddy showed up in my room, it looks like an early stage but i cant figure out what it is. Im from Barcelona, Spain btw


r/Entomology 1h ago

ID Request Is this a black-legged tick? Boston, MA

Upvotes

Found crawling in bed.


r/Entomology 1d ago

Insect Appreciation For all the bug loving baddies 💅🐜

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2.2k Upvotes

Took me 5 hours 💅 love them 💖


r/Entomology 1d ago

What kind of insect is this?

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76 Upvotes

6 legs and the antenna is about as long as its legs. Found them on a rosemary plant.


r/Entomology 14h ago

ID Request Lacewing eggs or fungi?

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9 Upvotes

Found on a piece of rotting wood in Texas after some rain.


r/Entomology 2h ago

ID Request Are these scale eggs?

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1 Upvotes

Location: NC, USA. Sorry for such bad resolution. The tiny white dots that are everywhere are pollen. The larger white ones in a line, are these scale eggs? I'm guessing these are scale because I've also found what might be a scale crawler on another plant.


r/Entomology 1d ago

Discussion This will change everything

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73 Upvotes

r/Entomology 4h ago

Pet/Insect Keeping Where can I buy mantises and centipedes

1 Upvotes

I have been wanting to buy some centipedes and or mantises to keep as pets but I dont know where I should look to buy them! Anyone have any tips?


r/Entomology 23h ago

ID Request Does anybody know who this is?

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34 Upvotes

Never seen it before, I thought it looked cool. (I’m in Florida btw)


r/Entomology 5h ago

Bee-fly

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0 Upvotes