Insect Identification

I know there are times in my own garden when I look at an insect and say, "What in the heck is that?" And I'm still learning about insect identification.

This can be butterflies, pests eating your flowers, whatever.

The only thing we ask is that the pests be from a continental climate in North America- sorry, but we don't do tropical pests.

Here's a page where you can get assistance in insect identification about the insects in your garden and the controls (if need be) that will work on them.

I suspect you're going to find out that many of these insects are beneficial. :-) And you're going to want more of them. But you never know.

Here's how it works

Important - read these carefully

Step One: Look for the main categories (underlined and in big letters)- there are categories for spiders, moth/butterflies, caterpillars and then by color. See if you insect is there already - if your insect is black and yellow - check both the Black and Yellow categories, if Red and Green - check those categories - etc. We won't upload duplicates if we can avoid it.

Entries that are simply underlined haven't been put into the main categories; they will be modified and changed over time.

Step Two: You have to take a close-up picture of the insect so we can see it

If we can't see it, then we can't tell you what it is. So no llittle bugs in the background shots. Get close!

Unfortunately, we can't id the insect without a picture - there is no exception to this I'm afraid. Submissions without pictures are deleted.

Upload the picture.

Title it Properly with the color of the insect and main descriptor e.g. "brown, 2-inch flying" do not use "ugly bug". This helps with putting the insect into the right category for identification

Tell us where you live and what the insect was doing when you took the picture. What plant it was on and any other detail that will help us give you a good id. A good id is often the difference between helping and not being able to tell you what it is.

Sign up for updates on this submission so you can get an email when your insect is identified.

Step Four: Have Patience. This identification is being done by volunteers and sometimes even they have lives. :-)

Step Five: Most Important. Thank the volunteers for helping you by making another comment in your insect post.

Insect Identification

We need a picture to be able to identify the insect. Sorry but without a picture, we can't do the job and your submission will be deleted

The picture must be clear enough to see the insect

We work on insects from North America

Sorry - but without a clear picture, we can't help you

And do tell us something about the picture - like what this pest is on, what you're seeing etc. As many details as possible are important.

IMPORTANT - WHEN MONI ID'S YOUR INSECT - THANK HER. SHE DOES THIS AS A HELPING SERVICE - NOT PAID EXCEPT BY YOUR APPRECIATION - PLEASE SHOW IT.

Enter a title describing your insect

Enter Text Here Describing Insect. [ ? ]

Upload Your Picture [ ? ]

Add Picture Caption (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

See Other Garden Insects

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

brownish spiked crest 2 1/2-3" long. found in Central Illinois near woody/wet area. Did not see it fly or crawl. Back area golden and glittery. Kind of a horn closer to ...

Cross of Yellow/Orange -7mm (Euonymus Leaf Notcher) Flying insect that is yellow to orange in color with black in tail. Fuzzy. ~7mm in length. Flies around evergreen bush and other bushes. Clings to side ...

Flying creature (Giant ichneumon wasp female) Black body, yellow head and feelers, long black stinger, about 3 inches (body only) stinger was about 5 inches, black wings, black legs. It was on my ...

Black with white markings bee-like insect (Baldfaced hornet) The insect is shown on a brick wall in downtown Toronto on August 7, 2009. It looks somewhat like a bee or wasp. There were 2 identical ones but one flew ...

Pink fuzzy caterpillar (Lycaenid butterfly caterpillar) Hello. We found this pretty pink caterpillar on our sidewalk today in San Diego, CA. It's about 3/4 of an inch long and has a short fuzz, almost like ...