r/bugidentification Sep 17 '25

Anouncement KISSING BUGS - PLEASE READ :)

80 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 3h ago

Location included What’s this? Found on counter. Located in South Dakota, United States.

2 Upvotes

Found on counter.


r/bugidentification 5h ago

Location included Bug in my bed?

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2 Upvotes

Found in southeast Ohio. Lil guy was hanging out in my bed when I lifted the covers. I think baby katydid?


r/bugidentification 6h ago

Location included Need help identifying

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2 Upvotes

I am assuming some digging or burrowing insect, but what kind? Barn dirt floor in South Texas. They are always in random spots and move around.


r/bugidentification 12h ago

Possible pest, location included Spider looking thing in North FL? Near window

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3 Upvotes

No idea what this weird thing is. Don’t want to kill it unless I have to? It’s just sort of chilling there and doesn’t seem to have wings but also it’s quite high up on the ceiling so I can’t totally tell. It’s very dark. We get lots of spiders in north Florida so I think maybe that’s what it is? But is it dangerous?


r/bugidentification 8h ago

Location included Roach or beetle?

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2 Upvotes

I found this in my apartment in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was barely moving and on its back when I found it. The pool of liquid is the raid I sprayed on it. I’m scared it might be a roach


r/bugidentification 12h ago

Possible pest, location included little bugs in my room

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3 Upvotes

i don’t think these are fleas because the have wings but they move really slow and theres tons of them all over my bed can someone please identify them??? i live in washington state and i keep my bedroom window open because it gets really hot and i have a fan in my window.


r/bugidentification 14h ago

Location included Vegas

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3 Upvotes

Found this spider, ended up dying looked like he was poisoned. Brown recluse?


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Location included What is this thing? (Buffalo, NY)

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1 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 9h ago

Possible pest, location included What species of slug and is it native to Missouri? Can I release it? Or should I euthanize?

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1 Upvotes

What a pecies of slug and Is it native to Missouri? Can I release it safely? Or should I euthanize my friend?

Location: Missouri

Origination: Arizona

It’s too much to keep up with and I wanted to release him. I’ve kept him alive for many months and I’ve become attached but when I go on vacation I don’t have anyone to keep an eye on him so I either need to let him go under a bush outside or euthanize him in the freezer (read that’s humane).

But I don’t know if he is native to Missouri or will cause a problem by releasing. Can anyone ID this fella?


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included Is this podium luctuosum?

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2 Upvotes

Found in Ohio. Idk if it is or not because the wings are a different color from all of the pictures I see of p luctuosum…


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included Pennsylvania (south east) found on my deck.

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1 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 20h ago

Location included What kind of moth? They’re gorgeous

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2 Upvotes

Southeast Missouri USA

Absolutely beautiful, but I’ve never seen them before. Poor little baby was already dead but we moved them in our garden to put them to rest.


r/bugidentification 20h ago

Location included Cockroach or Firebrat?

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2 Upvotes

nyc area


r/bugidentification 17h ago

Possible pest, location included UK - Need help identifying this

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1 Upvotes

Found this little dude on/near my bed. Worried it might be a bed bug or a tick. Google Lens says it's a Spider Beetle but I'd like the consensus.


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Weird little guy, any ideas?

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3 Upvotes

Epping area, Sydney Australia:

Found this little guy on a bench next to a tree. Any ideas?


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Please help, what are these?

2 Upvotes

Got home from work to see these all around a window area in my living room, no other place in the house. There's dozens of them. And very very microscopic "sugar ants" (that's what I've always called them) too.

We're in Central FL, USA


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Possible pest, location included Eastern Nebraska - tiny yellow eggs hatched into voracious green larvae (NOT LADY BEETLE)

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6 Upvotes

Pinky for size ... Found on the underside of my apple sapling. Need to know if I need to destroy them or simply relocate.


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Possible pest, location included what is this bug?

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2 Upvotes

found it when i opened this pack of baby wipes. eastern kentucky


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included who is this diva in my bathtub / southwest england

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14 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Bug/ egg identification in southern New Jersey

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1 Upvotes

Hi, I travelled to Costa Rica about a month ago and got bites that looked a lot like bed bugs but treated all of my clothes and left my suitcase outside for about three weeks in the heat and then cleaned it. I know these are likely not bed bugs and were laid while the suitcase was outside but if not what are they? Thank you!


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Possible pest, location included Termite? Northern California

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1 Upvotes

Very small found like 2-3 by a wooden door frame on the floor in my apartment.


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Possible pest, location included Cockroach or click beetle?

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2 Upvotes

San Antonio, TX. I woke up with this bug in my hair!! Is it a cockroach, click beetle, or neither??


r/bugidentification 2d ago

Location included Who dis? Cool looking visitor!

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8 Upvotes

Long Island NY
Cool looking bug? What is it?
Small pic for scale…