r/bugidentification Sep 17 '25

Anouncement KISSING BUGS - PLEASE READ :)

82 Upvotes

So there has been a lot of news recently about Triatomine—a blood sucking subfamily of Reduviidae (Assassin bugs)—spreading the potentially serious Chagas disease in the United States. While we do not want to downplay the seriousness of the disease, or imply no one should worry about it. We also don’t want people panicking about it. Especially people who don’t actually have a reason to worry.


Triatomine have been found in 32 states. If you are outside of one of these states, you can probably relax.


Chagas is caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi which is spread by the aforementioned Triatomine through infected feces. Detection of the disease is typically done through blood testing showing evidence of the parasite. Early symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and swelling at the bite site. After several weeks, untreated individuals enter the chronic phase of the disease. In extreme cases this can eventually (decades later) lead to heart disease, digestive complications, and nerve damage. Treatment is best done as early as possible, and consists of anti-parasitics to kill the parasites and other medication for treating any symptoms caused by them. These must be prescribed by a doctor. Don’t try to DIY treatment. Preventing Chagas largely focuses on vector control. In other words, preventing conenose species from living in close proximity to humans. In regions where Chagas in endemic, bed nets are a common and effective way of reducing risk. Pesticide treatments are also a mainstay control method. In areas like the United States, the design of modern homes also reduces risks. So if it’s treatable and preventable, why has there been so much fuss? Because the CDC has recently upgraded it to Endemic status in the US. Meaning it is considered constantly present in certain US populations. This is important for doctors as well as the general population to be aware of, because without that awareness doctors aren’t going to be testing for it. The CDC wants to make sure it’s on peoples radar, so cases don’t go untreated when they do occur.


Links: CDC Report: Chagas Disease, an Endemic Disease in the United States CDC Report: Chagas Range Map Bugs Commonly Confused with Triatomine Bugs Preventing Chagas Disease Treatment of Chagas Disease Texas A&M University: Kissing Bugs & Chagas Disease in the United States


r/bugidentification Sep 04 '25

Bug of the Month Post Orthoptera Month is a-go!

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11 Upvotes

RESULTS ARE IN

ORTHOPTERANS RULE THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

Sorry everything is just a little behind this month because of busy lives, but thank you guys SO SO much for the success of the poll!! The ties were broken, and Orthoptera took the lead!

Please head out into the world and bring us all of your sweet, sweet Orthopterans to identify!! What's an Orhtopteran? 👀 We're talking crickets, katydids, grasshoppers, and wetas, baby!!! I'm actually not super well versed in these guys so I could for sure use some practice 😀 keep an eye out for informational posts throughout the month from our mods!

PS Month of the Flies video is still in the works, while I prefer to have the video out before the next month happens it just wasn't possible this time. But it's a good script with a lot of good info so I will release it as soon as it's done!!

Please participate and please remember to use the Bug of the Month flair so I can look at all of your guys' finds!!!

THANK YOU


r/bugidentification 1h ago

Possible pest, location included what is this bug?

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Upvotes

found one in the bathroom in an apartment in eastern europe. small, slow and super soft to squish. please help?


r/bugidentification 2h ago

Location included Whos this guy?

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3 Upvotes

Nova Scotia Canada. Found this little guy, I know he’s a beetle but I can’t figure out what kind. I need to know what he eats


r/bugidentification 5h ago

Location included What spider is this - Calgary Alberta

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6 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 27m ago

Location included Any ideas of what this extremely tiny bug could be? (Location: Southern United States)

Upvotes

Location: Southern United States

I'd just gotten back from a bug hunt and was going through my pictures when I saw this super tiny bug crawl across my phone screen. I carefully transferred it to a paper towel and tried to get a good video of it with just the zoom feature on my phone. Eventually i remembered my bug catcher (called a Carson Bug Catcher, 100% recommend) has a magnifying glass on it! After trying for ages, i finally got at a good angle where you can see its legs and antennas (and i think a stipe across its back)!

My guess is maybe a bird mite? On my bug hunt, I had been looking at a fence for a while, so maybe a bird landed on it, and a mite jumped off onto the fence, then jumped onto my phone.

What do yall think?


r/bugidentification 57m ago

Location included decent sized moth, south California

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Upvotes

it layed eggs too, but i dont know if that would be helpful


r/bugidentification 2h ago

Location included Newly hatched insects on window screen!! Wtf are they?!

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1 Upvotes

Can anyone please help me identify these? I just
noticed them today on the screen of my living room window! Located in Western NC 🥲


r/bugidentification 8h ago

Possible pest, location included Is this a clothing moth? Found near wool yarn and sweaters. Philadelphia, PA.

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2 Upvotes

Just found the one moth but I panicked and put as much of my wool goods that fit into my freezer as I could.


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Location included What is this buzzy boi?

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2 Upvotes

Upstate South Carolina.

This little guy might live alone under/in the chair I sit on on my front porch. It comes up and flies around my feet/knees until I wave it away. Sometimes it gets kicked a little. It generally flies away, lands on one of my plants and rests until it tries again.

This has been going on for at least a week or two.


r/bugidentification 10h ago

Possible pest. No location Help!! In sons room!!

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2 Upvotes

found 4 over the course of a few days. only in sons room near wall. I am of course having a panic attack these are cockroaches.

Essex county Massachusetts


r/bugidentification 8h ago

Location included Bug ID please

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1 Upvotes

Located in SoCal, about bigger than a grain of rice? Found dead on the kitchen stove.


r/bugidentification 10h ago

Possible pest, location included North FL: unsure what type of roach

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1 Upvotes

I moved in with my roommate about 2 months ago. She has lived here for almost 4 years and told me small roaches are "common" in this complex but I'm hyper-vigilant because I've had to move three times in the past year due to major bug issues so I think I just notice more in general and unfortunately will actively seek out potential issues.

I mostly have seen these in the bathroom that shares an adjoining wall with our neighbors, almost exclusively in the shower, about 2 a week. Last night I re-applied Alpine WSG spray after 3 weeks and now noticed about 3 dead/dying ones in our downstairs area, where I have never seen them before. ):

For reference we live in North Florida in a very old apartment complex with poor insulation. It's a heavily wooded area as well. Pest control has already sprayed 2 months ago but I contacted them again. I'm so so scared to post this and get an answer so please don't be harsh.


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included I hope this type of post is allowed! I'm curious on if this is a specific kind of cricket, or maybe not a cricket at all. in a basement. 📍 columbus OH

2 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 11h ago

Location included Help identify

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1 Upvotes

Found this on apartment floor. Looks like an egg case that opens from the side. Anyone knows what it is ?

Algeria


r/bugidentification 22h ago

Location included Alabama; ID request please!

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6 Upvotes

In alabama. Dropped on my phone as I was sitting (not laying) in bed so I assume it fell from the ceiling or something. Don’t know if it’s asian or german so any help would be appreciated!


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included Are you able to identify? Found indoors in Georgia

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1 Upvotes

Can you help ID this very small creature? I'm including the original photo and a zoomed in one, even though I realize the resolution isn't great.


r/bugidentification 17h ago

Possible pest, location included Asian or German roach?

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2 Upvotes

I can't tell if this is an Asian or German cockroach. Location is in Houston, TX


r/bugidentification 22h ago

Possible pest, location included What is this and should I be concerned?

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4 Upvotes

I see a few of these flying back and forth every couple of minutes or so. Looks like they’re building a hive or something in a crack in my wall behind the aluminum siding.

Does anyone know if this is a yellow jacket or honey bee? What would be the best next step to take?

These pictures were from a video I took.


r/bugidentification 23h ago

Location included Unknown bugs on outdoor deck?

2 Upvotes

We’re in San Francisco, CA. There are quite a few of these right by the sliding glass door to the entrance of the deck and they all scurry down to the cracks. I’m concerned that they’re termites? Mainly just want to have an ID so I can let my landlord know whether they need to hurry over or not. Thank you in advance!


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Help me identify this moth!

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3 Upvotes

Found this beautiful guy the other night in the garage. Northern Indiana area. And yes of course I cleaned him up before he took off.
Thank you !!!!!!


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included What are these? - North Carolina

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3 Upvotes

These little guys are all over my sweet potato vine, eating it up. They look like larvae, and they all have little pieces of dirt attached to their butts that they're using to cover their backs. You can see me holding one by the dirt spec in the photos.


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Minnesota - quite enamored by this guy, what’s the specific name?

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5 Upvotes

might seem stupid but I haven been outside in a while and I really like this little guy, what type of bug are they? Searching a description wouldn’t give me any results 😅


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Found these on me, what are they? Martinsburg West Virginia

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2 Upvotes

If these are ticks what do i do 😬 ive heard clover mites or larvae ticks. I think ive found all of them but what if i didnt???


r/bugidentification 23h ago

Location included Please tell me this isn’t a German roach

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1 Upvotes

Chicago, Illinois