/r/whatsthisbug

Photograph via snooOG

Bug identification! All insects, spiders, crustaceans, etc. welcome!

Filter posts by type:

ID Request Just Sharing Other

Frequently Asked Bugs

Carpet Beetle House Centipede Wheel Bug
Cicada Dobsonfly Household Casebearer
Cockroach Water Bug Oil Beetle
Mole Cricket Jerusalem Cricket Silverfish

Please also read our Wiki

Submit a bug!

WELCOME TO R/WHATSTHISBUG!

Got a photo of a bug you'd like identified? Submit it here and we'll try to figure it out! Best view for ID is top-down, well-lit, low-contrast photos. Pictures are preferable to videos for ID requests but we'll work with what you have.

I don't need an ID, but can I share a cool bug? Yes! This subreddit is also a community for any arthropodic discussion. But remember, every ID is needed! If you know the identity of your bug, do share it with the community!

Can I submit a dead bug for ID? Yes, but please bear in mind it’s always easier to ID living specimens. While we realize that extermination is sometimes necessary, comments promoting gratuitous violence against arthropods, or causing unnecessary suffering, (“kill it with fire” etc) will be removed. Linking to subs that explicitly promote hatred is not allowed.

Refrain from posting bites unless you saw the bug biting the person. We CANNOT diagnose injuries or identify insects/spiders that allegedly caused bites. Seek medical advice before our advice if you didn't see a bug biting you.

If your submission does not appear in the "NEW" bucket, message the mods to check the spam filter.


SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  • Indicate the geographic location.

  • Take the clearest and most detailed photo possible. Videos are OK, but pictures are best for IDing.

  • Indicate the size excluding antennae - the more precise the better.

  • Provide any other information you feel could help! If you could not take a photo of the bug, a detailed description (or even a drawing) may work.


IDing GUIDELINES

  • Cite/Link a source whenever possible. Our "ID Guides" section below has some good ones. A search engine result page is not enough.

  • Don't make blind/random guesses. Our goal is to provide positive leads; false leads are counter-productive, e.g. "similar looking" is rarely good enough at the species level. If one is unfamiliar with the taxon, practice diligence, e.g. check other members of the taxon, as well as those of higher taxa. Especially for medically significant bugs, if you aren't 100% sure, leave the ID to someone more knowledgeable.

  • ID guides tend to be regional. While BugGuide.Net is popular, it only pertains to arthropods in the U.S. and Canada. For bugs outside the U.S. and Canada, try to search for a guide specific to that region. For example, if you want to ID a butterfly from Brazil, this would be a great guide.

  • In BugGuide.net, click on the "Browse" tab to switch to an ID-friendly, taxonomic view.


ID GUIDES BY REGION

Americas

North America

Central and South America

Europe

Australia

Worldwide


GLOSSARIES


FRIENDS OF r/whatsthisbug

Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens by Beetles in the Bush

/r/whatsthisbug

908,840 Subscribers

1

What bug is this? Some kind of beetle?

Saw this guy in eastern india

0 Comments
2023/03/18
02:10 UTC

1

Spider + silk found in northeastern USA, approx. 1-2 inches

0 Comments
2023/03/18
01:52 UTC

3

New bug, who dis? (Bic lighter for size reference. Found in Northern Nevada.)

2 Comments
2023/03/18
01:24 UTC

1

what gnats are these? they hangout by the window downstairs too where the plants are

3 Comments
2023/03/18
01:18 UTC

3

New Jersey, whats this bug? (the size of an individual letter on a quarter)

1 Comment
2023/03/18
01:17 UTC

4

What is this lil buddy? Northern NJ, about 1” long.

1 Comment
2023/03/18
01:13 UTC

5

big ole isopeda villosa fella munching on an australian roach nymph for me!

1 Comment
2023/03/18
01:01 UTC

1

What is this bug, saw this little guy on my window screen. Northern CA

2 Comments
2023/03/18
00:48 UTC

1

Need help identifying these that I am going to eat. Northeast Oklahoma

1 Comment
2023/03/18
00:47 UTC

1

Southern California - friend or foe ?

0 Comments
2023/03/18
00:30 UTC

1

Since when do Rollie pollies walk up the sides of houses? Or am I confusing this for something it isn’t?

5 Comments
2023/03/18
00:28 UTC

2

This spider was in my car and it has claws? I think it’s a spider?

3 Comments
2023/03/18
00:27 UTC

7

Jungle bug #3, found this bug when a tree branch fell out of the sky in Surinam.

5 Comments
2023/03/18
00:16 UTC

1

who is this guy? found dead on a towel in Wisconsin

9 Comments
2023/03/17
23:52 UTC

13

Just Sharing a bit of nature art: Can you guess?

17 Comments
2023/03/17
23:42 UTC

1

These little buggers are everywhere (Southwest Texas)

2 Comments
2023/03/17
23:34 UTC

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