THE JOURNAL / Bug Identifier
A little deeper.
A little more curious.
Helpful guides, thoughtful observations, and the details worth a second look. Find your next discovery.
Showing 55–72 of 150 guides
THE READING ROOM / 04Emerald Ash Borer Identification: Signs, Look-Alikes, and What to Check
Learn how to identify emerald ash borers by their metallic green bodies, distinctive features, and the clues they leave on ash trees.
Read the guideFishing Spider Identification: Key Features and Lookalikes
Learn how to identify fishing spiders by their size, markings, leg posture, habitat, and behavior, and distinguish them from similar spiders.
Read the guideFlour Beetle Identification: How to Tell Red and Confused Flour Beetles Apart
Learn how flour beetles look, where to find them, and how to distinguish adults, larvae, and similar pantry pests.
Read the guideFlying Ants vs. Termites: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare winged ants and termite swarmers by their antennae, waist, wings, body shape, and where you find them.
Read the guideFruit Flies vs. Fungus Gnats: How to Tell Them Apart
Learn to distinguish fruit flies from fungus gnats by their appearance, flight patterns, and where they gather indoors.
Read the guideFruit Fly Identification: How to Recognize These Tiny Kitchen Pests
Learn how to identify fruit flies by their size, eyes, wings, and behavior—and distinguish them from drain flies, fungus gnats, and other small insects.
Read the guideFungus Gnat Identification: How to Recognize Adults and Larvae
Learn how to identify fungus gnats by their slender bodies, long legs, clear wings, and soil-dwelling larvae—and distinguish them from similar small flies.
Read the guideGerman Cockroach Identification: Key Features and Life Stages
Learn how to identify German cockroaches by their markings, body shape, egg cases, and nymph stages—and how to distinguish them from similar species.
Read the guideGerman Cockroach vs. Brown-Banded Cockroach: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare German and brown-banded cockroaches by markings, size, habitat, and behavior, with practical tips for identifying an uncertain specimen.
Read the guideGrain Weevil Identification: Signs, Lookalikes, and Life Stages
Learn how to identify grain weevils by their snouts, body shape, color, and presence in stored foods, and distinguish them from common lookalikes.
Read the guideGrass Spider Identification: Key Features and Lookalikes
Learn how to identify grass spiders by their funnel webs, body markings, and habitat, and distinguish them from common lookalikes.
Read the guideGreen Caterpillar Identification: A Practical Field Guide
Learn how to identify green caterpillars by body shape, markings, host plant, and movement, while recognizing when a reliable identification needs more evidence.
Read the guideGrub vs. Caterpillar: How to Tell Them Apart
Learn how body shape, legs, habitat, and movement can help distinguish a grub from a caterpillar—and when visible clues are not enough.
Read the guideHarvestman vs. Spider: Key Differences for Identification
Learn how to distinguish harvestmen from spiders by body shape, legs, eyes, silk, and the clues each arthropod leaves behind.
Read the guideHornet vs. Yellow Jacket: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare hornets and yellow jackets by body shape, color, nest, behavior, and the limits of visual identification.
Read the guideHorse Fly Identification: Key Features and Common Lookalikes
Learn how to identify horse flies by their size, eyes, wings, and behavior, and distinguish them from deer flies and other similar insects.
Read the guideHouse Centipede Identification: Key Features and Lookalikes
Learn how to identify a house centipede by its legs, body, movement, and common lookalikes, including what can make visual identification uncertain.
Read the guideHoverfly Identification: Key Features That Set Them Apart
Learn how to identify hoverflies by their wing shape, eyes, body markings, flight, and flower-visiting behavior—and where visual identification has limits.
Read the guideNo guides match those filters. Try another word or choose “All topics.”