r/Entomology • • Aug 13 '11

Help us help you: Guidelines for submitting pictures for identification

136 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 • • 2h ago

Grass-carrying wasp (Isodontia mexicana) storing paralysed grasshoppers in its nest chamber for its young to feed on after they hatch.

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105 Upvotes

Video credited to @wildbieneundpartner.ch on IG.


r/Entomology • • 6h ago

Insect Appreciation Surprise Find in Western Australia

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200 Upvotes

While visiting WA recently, I was introduced to the sandgroper. Colloquially, people in WA are sometimes called sandgropers but, because the actually creature is one most residents have never seen, I anticipated my likelihood of see one to be limited to the WA Museum. In an astonishing turn of good luck, I had one of these critters present itself to me, on a pathway in Neil Hawkins Park, Joondalup. This one was roughly 9.5 cm in length.


r/Entomology • • 2h ago

Insect Appreciation Anotha day another bug

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38 Upvotes

Ten lined June beetle! I have to quit saying this is my favorite bug because at this point I would have hundreds of favorites.

I love this one because of the hissing sound they make. Sounds very similar to bat hissing sounds! šŸ¦‡


r/Entomology • • 7h ago

Insect Appreciation As the days get colder I start to mourn the eventual death of many of my insect friends, but I also feel such an immense appreciate towards them šŸ’š

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77 Upvotes

The forests are growing quiet. These are my most recent observations as the autumn settles in. I love my insect friends so much. They mostly go unnoticed and underappreciated by many, while they work hard to ensure the cycle of life continues šŸ’ššŸŖ² they are the real mvps!


r/Entomology • • 1d ago

Insect Appreciation "Stinkbugs" by David Plunkert

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737 Upvotes

The notorious BMSB illustrated by Baltimore based artist David Plunkert (not me) for the New Yorker's article "When Twenty-Six Thousand Stinkbugs Invade Your Home" by Kathryn Schulz, published in 2018.


r/Entomology • • 1h ago

Insect Appreciation Diabolical Ironclad Beetle (San Fernando, CA)

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• Upvotes

Saw this beetle outside and thought it was one of the coolest looking bugs I’ve ever seen. Just wanted to post it


r/Entomology • • 4h ago

ID Request Moth laying eggs

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6 Upvotes

Any idea what type of moth this is? Tried to find it online. I've spotted them a few times throughout my life, but never while laying eggs. Was super cool to see! - South Africa


r/Entomology • • 12h ago

Insect Appreciation Blue one’s gotta be the prettiest robber fly I’ve seen

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26 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 7h ago

Discussion Insect hotel project for preschoolers?

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9 Upvotes

My daughter’s preschool class has been very interested in bugs so far this year. The school does a great job of following the organic interests of the kids and structuring supportive, creative learning experiences based on those interests.

I thought about suggesting a bug hotel project, and have been doing some research on it. It seems the main down side is the potential for mites and parasite populations getting too concentrated? If I recommended they plan to disassemble the hotel next year in the summer since properly cleaning them isn’t necessarily practical, would this be a good activity?

They have a large campus (it’s a private K-8 school) with a wooded area. Other than the wooded area, they definitely don’t ā€œleave the leaves,ā€ and I don’t think there’s a good chance of me convincing them to. So while I understand the best way is to simply let nature do its thing, I thought this could be a fun and educational project for the kids who are already showing a lot of interest in insects.

Also, should I propose it be installed somewhere outside their main outdoor play area? The idea being they could still take class walks to check it out with teacher supervision, but it wouldn’t be inviting curious hands to disassemble it every day.

Any advice appreciated! Especially if it includes suggestions for preschool age books that could accompany this extended lesson.

Pic is not my own, using it to satisfy the algorithm tax


r/Entomology • • 19h ago

Can anyone ID this?

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76 Upvotes

Found this on my morning jog. I've never seen a dragon fly this big, southeast asia region.


r/Entomology • • 7h ago

Why are they flying like this?

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7 Upvotes

Taken about a month ago in Korea. I think they’re midges and I often see them flying in clusters from late summer through autumn but this is the first time I’ve seen them flying in vertical columns. There were several of these columns along the river. Kinda reminded me of Death Stranding.


r/Entomology • • 1d ago

šŸ”„ Jumping spider caught a fly and they both ended up spinning.

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772 Upvotes

Video credited to @bethany1079 on IG.


r/Entomology • • 1d ago

Meme Plume moth (oc)

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716 Upvotes

I thought this group might appreciate my comic about plume moths, aka IUD mothsšŸ˜‰


r/Entomology • • 11h ago

Insect Appreciation This absolute monster I keep finding outside our house! One of my favorites!

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8 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 23h ago

Insect Appreciation Posó de una forma bien bellašŸ’• (OC)

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79 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 11h ago

ID Request Tiny arachnid(?), inside home, mid-day autumn Czechia

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8 Upvotes

Found this little guy repelling from my monitor using a web before quickly climbing back onto it after I accidentally shook it and the whole table. After clearly accidentally scaring him I moved him to a planter (which he wasn't too sure about) and he moved onto my lamp where I took the video. Very distinguished.


r/Entomology • • 1d ago

Termite Alate wing

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66 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 1h ago

ID Request Mystery Mantis in England

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• Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 1d ago

I came across this little party of fellows. Who are they?

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137 Upvotes

Nobody moved at all until I left.


r/Entomology • • 6h ago

[Munich, Germany] Look at those antennae! Longhorn Fairy Moth (Adelidae) resting on a leaf

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2 Upvotes

I spotted this incredible little moth with ridiculously long antennae resting on a green leaf. After some research, I believe it's a type of Longhorn Fairy Moth (family Adelidae). Its antennae are almost comical compared to its tiny body size! Has anyone else had the chance to photograph these fascinating insects?

Camera Settings:

  • Camera: SONY ILCE-7M4
  • Lens: FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec.
  • ISO: 100

r/Entomology • • 10h ago

ID Request What type of mantis is this?

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4 Upvotes

First time I've ever seen one in my life and I want to know what type / genus it is. If anybody can help I'd be very grateful .

About the size of my index finger, maybe a little longer.

About 5:00 pm

Northernmost India, near the Himalayas.

Thanks in advance! I'm just so excited.


r/Entomology • • 1d ago

ID Request Found this one in Vietnam. Can anyone help me identify it?

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215 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 14h ago

Insect Appreciation Bugs from the garden! UK east-mid

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7 Upvotes

r/Entomology • • 21h ago

ID Request Hairy little guy

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20 Upvotes

Hello! Found this indoors on a wall. Located in OH.

Looks like some sort of larvae or maggot? Just curious if anyone can tell what it is. Thank you!