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Identification

How to identify a bug

The fastest reliable identification usually comes from a clear photo or an intact specimen checked by an entomologist. Extension insect labs exist for exactly this, and some identify samples for state residents at no charge.[1][2]

The short answer

  • Photograph the bug on a contrasting background with a coin or ruler for scale, from the top, bottom and side; zoom out and move the phone close rather than zooming in.[1]
  • A physical specimen beats a photo: images aren't always enough to identify an insect.[1]
  • Put small or soft-bodied insects and spiders in rubbing alcohol in a leak-proof container; a bug mailed loose in an envelope usually arrives too crushed to identify.[1]
  • Bites and rashes are a question for a doctor, not an insect lab: entomologists can't diagnose symptoms, and many skin conditions are mistaken for bites.[1][5]

Take photos an expert can use

Take the specimen out of the jar or bag before photographing it. If it keeps moving, a short time in the freezer will slow it down.[1]

  • Use plenty of light and a contrasting background: a light background for a dark bug, a dark one for a light bug.[1]
  • Include something for size: a coin, paperclip or pencil works, but a ruler is best.[1][2]
  • Steady the phone on something solid or hold it with both hands, and make sure the image is in focus and high resolution.[1][2]
  • Send two to four pictures from different angles, plus where it was found and how many you've seen.[1]

Collect a specimen that can be identified

Legs and antennae matter for identification, and dry insects that rattle around in a container usually lose them in transit.[1]

  • Collect several specimens if you can, and use clear containers with tight lids such as glass vials or pill bottles.[2]
  • Alcohol (ethyl is preferred, isopropyl works) or vinegar in a small leak-proof container is the best way to send most insects, including beetles and crickets; butterflies and moths go dry instead.[1]
  • Large hard-bodied insects can be wrapped in tissue or paper towel inside a small crush-proof box so they don't shift.[1]
  • Say where the sample came from, what plant it was on if any, whether it's a home or commercial setting, and whether you want control advice or only a name.[1]
  • Labs refuse vacuum bags, leaking samples, excessive numbers of specimens, samples with no collection information, and anything containing blood, scabs or other body fluids.[1]
  • Some labs don't process samples taken from people or animals at all.[2]

Common look-alikes

  • Termite swarmers have straight antennae, a thick waist and four wings of equal size; flying ants have elbowed antennae, a pinched waist and front wings longer than the hind wings.[3]
  • Winged termites indoors almost always mean an infestation; winged ants indoors may mean an ant nest in the structure.[3][4]
  • The most reliable brown recluse feature is six eyes in three pairs (most spiders have eight), which takes a hand lens to see. The violin mark is consistent in adults but faint in some related species.[6][5]
  • Many skin conditions, including staph infections, are misdiagnosed as recluse bites.[5]

Where to get a bug identified

Start with your county extension office: many states route samples through county offices, and agents forward hard cases to the state diagnostic lab.[2]

  • The MSU Extension Insect ID Lab identifies insect specimens and digital images for Mississippi residents and gives management recommendations, with no charge for individual samples from state citizens.[7]
  • The NDSU Plant Diagnostic Lab identifies insects for the public from physical samples or digital images, and NDSU Extension has an office in every county to help identify pest issues.[8]
  • Cornell's Insect Diagnostic Laboratory identifies insects and related arthropods from submitted samples or photos for a small fee and offers management suggestions.[9]
  • OSU's C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic in Wooster identifies insects and plant problems as a fee-based lab and accepts samples from homeowners and backyard gardeners.[10]
  • The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic, serving the state since 1965, identifies unknown plants and insects (including spiders and other arachnids) and accepts samples year-round.[11]
  • The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic identifies insects, mites, spiders and other arthropods, including samples from homes and structures.[12]
  • The CAES Insect Information Office answers insect and arthropod questions for all Connecticut residents, identifies specimens, gives management advice, and identifies ticks and refers them for testing.[13]
  • OSU's Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory identifies household pests such as ants, termites, scorpions and spiders; home gardeners start by sending photos to their county Extension educator.[14]
  • Penn State Extension Master Gardeners in 58 counties staff a Garden Hotline that answers residents' questions, including insect identification, and can consult Penn State's Entomology Lab.[15]
  • The UMass Extension Plant Diagnostics Laboratory sends written diagnoses with research-based pest management strategies, but it does not identify insects found in the home, on animals or on people.[16]

Common questions

Is a photo enough to identify a bug?
Often, but not always. Labs prefer a physical specimen because images aren't always sufficient.[1]
Can an insect lab tell me what bit me?
No. Entomologists aren't qualified to diagnose symptoms, so photos of skin irritation should go to a physician.[1]
How should I mail a spider or caterpillar?
In alcohol or vinegar in a small leak-proof container, padded with paper towels in a crush-proof box.[1]

Start from what you're seeing

Sourced pages for the most common identification questions.

Sources

  1. Mississippi State University Extension, “Insect Identification (sample and photo submission tips).” extension.msstate.edu/insects/insect-identification (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. NDSU Plant Diagnostic Lab, “Plant and Insect Identification: submission guidelines.” www.ndsu.edu/plant-pathology-microbiology-biotechnology/plant-diagnostic-lab/services-and-fees/plant-and-insect (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-604: Termite Control: Answers for Homeowners (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef604 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Carpenter Ants, Publication 7416 (August 2009).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pncarpenterants.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-631: Brown Recluse Spider.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef631 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Brown Recluse and Other Recluse Spiders, Publication 7468 (revised November 2018).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnbrownrecluse.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. Mississippi State University Extension Service, “Insect Identification.” extension.msstate.edu/insects/insect-identification (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. North Dakota State University, “Plant and Insect Identification.” www.ndsu.edu/plant-pathology-microbiology-biotechnology/plant-diagnostic-lab/services-and-fees/plant-and-insect (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. Cornell University, Department of Entomology, “Insect Diagnostic Laboratory | CALS.” cals.cornell.edu/insect-diagnostic-laboratory (accessed 2026-10-06)
  10. The Ohio State University CFAES, “Home | PPDC.” ppdc.osu.edu/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  11. University of Missouri Extension, “Plant Diagnostic Clinic.” extension.missouri.edu/programs/plant-diagnostic-clinic (accessed 2026-10-06)
  12. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Plant Pathology, “Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic.” plantpathology.unl.edu/extension-outreach/plant-pest-diagnostic-clinic/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  13. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, “Insect Information Office New Haven.” portal.ct.gov/caes/insect-office/new-haven/insect-information-office-new-haven (accessed 2026-10-06)
  14. Oklahoma State University Extension, “Plant Disease & Insect Diagnostic Laboratory | Oklahoma State University.” extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/plant-disease-insect-diagnostic-laboratory (accessed 2026-10-06)
  15. Penn State Extension, “Garden Hotline — Educational Outreach — Master Gardener.” extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/outreach/garden-hotline (accessed 2026-10-06)
  16. UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, “Plant Diagnostics Laboratory.” www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/services/plant-diagnostics-laboratory (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.