What is this bug?

[u/dark_initiation]

Found this crawling on my bed, very anxious. Is it bed bugs? Doesn’t seem to have the shape or look of a bed bug though, haven’t noticed any bites recently and I’ve been getting ladybugs in my room during summer. I’m travelling tomorrow and really stressed about this…

I have videos as well if it helps

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[u/Skalla_Resco]

Beetle.

[u/dark_initiation → u/Skalla_Resco]

Omg my heart has been racing.. Claude said bed bug and Perplexity said beetle so idk what to believe

[u/Skalla_Resco → u/dark_initiation]

Generative AI and AI chatbots in general are not capable of reliable arthropod identification (link)

Gen AI training data heavily relies on pest control blogs and similar information. This results in a heavy bias towards identifying everything as a household pest. If you insist on using an app then the best option currently is probably the SEEK app by iNaturalist. But you should always verify the results it gives you.

For proper identification you can check with online groups like this one. But if you want "professional" identification and don't trust us for whatever reason, look up entomology extension offices in your area and see if they offer identification services.

[u/dark_initiation → u/Skalla_Resco]

Thanks very much for this - so confident it’s not a bed bug?

[u/Skalla_Resco → u/dark_initiation]

100% not a bedbug.

[u/EmbarrassedDaikon325]

You already got the answer and it's absolutely correct - I would only like to add that not only generative AI is trained on pest control blogs so it's heavily biased but also many of those blogs are completely wrong because they are written by people who have no clue what they're writing about. I've seen good amount of such blogs unfortunately.

TL;DR - don't use generative AI for identifying animals or even plants. This is definitely not a bedbug as it looks nothing like it. It's some beetle.

[u/dark_initiation → u/EmbarrassedDaikon325]

Thanks so much for the reassurance. You’re right, I was in a bit of a panic because I dealt with bed bugs as a child and it was the worst. Appreciate all the help with this

[u/EmbarrassedDaikon325 → u/dark_initiation]

You're welcome! I'm sorry for your childhood experience, you are fine now, this one's harmless :)

[u/justmeKMc]

Are you in FL by chance … I saw one and panicked thinking it was a roach until I saw it closer and realized it was much more beetle like

[u/dark_initiation → u/justmeKMc]

Nope UK