Identification of Insects and Mites

Household and Structural Insect Pest Identification

This page provides several choices for identifying your insect.  In most cases, you can identify your insect by it's appearance, staring with choosing whether it's an immature or adult insect below.  

However, you can also attempt to identify the insect by identifying it by it's damage or sting, by looking up our selection of fact sheets, or you can attempt to identify the insect by it's general characteristics if it is too tiny to see well.

Identify Insect by Appearance

To begin identifying your insect by it's appearance, please select whether it is an Adult (crunch) or Immature (squishy) insect:

Adult Insects

   

Adult insects can be dark or brightly colored, with most having wings.

Immature Insects

   

Immature and Larvae insects may be caterpillar, beetle grubs (often hairy), or a maggot.  All are pale and lack a hard covering.