Bug Identification Blog

Expert guides on identifying household bugs, garden pests, venomous species, and beneficial insects.

Three harmless black and brown spiders shown side by side, illustrating that not every black or brown spider is dangerous.
Spider Identification

Black Spiders and Brown Spiders: Not Every One Is Dangerous

Black widow and brown recluse are not the only black or brown spiders out there. See the other common species that share their color, and how to tell them apart.

August 20266 min read
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A smartphone showing a spider identification result with a danger rating, illustrating what a useful spider ID app should include.
Tools and Apps

Do Spider ID Apps Tell You If It's Dangerous?

A species name alone does not tell you what to do next. See which spider identifier apps actually include a danger rating, and which just guess the name.

August 20264 min read
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A hoverfly and a wasp shown side by side, illustrating commonly misidentified insects.
Insect Biology

What Insect Is This? 20 Commonly Misidentified Insects

Twenty insects people constantly mix up, from hoverflies mistaken for wasps to click beetles mistaken for something dangerous, explained side by side.

August 20267 min read
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A cluster of insect eggs on a leaf underside, illustrating tools for identifying insect eggs and larvae.
Tools and Apps

Apps and Tools for Identifying Insect Eggs and Larvae

Eggs and larvae look nothing like the adult insect, which makes them the hardest thing to identify by app. See which tools actually handle this well.

August 20265 min read
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A grid of common bug photos including a ladybird, ant, spider, mosquito, beetle, and wasp, from the ScanaBug photo gallery.
Bug Photos

Bug Photo Gallery: Common Bugs Identified by Picture

Browse the most commonly searched house bugs, garden bugs, spiders, and flying insects, each with a quick identifying feature and a danger note.

June 20267 min read
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A smartphone displaying a bug identifier app result, illustrating the best bug identification apps for Android and iPhone.
Tools and Apps

Best Free Bug Identifier Apps for Android and iPhone

Compare the most used free bug and insect identifier apps for Android and iPhone, and see where a no-download browser tool works just as well or better.

June 20266 min read
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A fruit fly hovering near fruit on a kitchen counter, illustrating how to identify flying bugs by where they hover.
Home Pests

How to Identify Flying Bugs in Your House

Gnats, fruit flies, drain flies, or moths? Identify the small flying bugs in your home by where they hover and what they land on.

June 20266 min read
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A carpet beetle larva on wool fabric, illustrating carpet beetle identification and removal.
Home Pests

Carpet Beetles: Complete Identification and Removal Guide

Identify carpet beetles at every life stage, tell them apart from bed bugs, and follow a full step-by-step removal process that finishes the job.

June 20267 min read
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A paper wasp nest under a house eave, illustrating how to identify bug nests by shape and location.
Home Pests

Bug Nests and Stings: Identify What's Living Near Your Home

Identify wasp, hornet, bee, and ant nests by their shape and location, and work out which insect stung you based on where and how it happened.

June 20266 min read
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An adult praying mantis resting on a leaf, illustrating how long praying mantises live at each life stage.
Insect Biology

How Long Do Praying Mantises Live?

See how long a praying mantis lives at every life stage, what shortens or extends its lifespan, and how captive mantises compare to wild ones.

June 20266 min read
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A ladybug eating aphids on a leaf, illustrating what ladybugs eat in the wild.
Insect Biology

What Do Ladybugs Eat? A Complete Diet Guide

Ladybugs eat far more than aphids. See what wild and pet ladybugs eat at every life stage, what to feed one you're raising, and what they will not touch.

June 20267 min read
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A garden leaf showing a beneficial ladybug next to aphid pests, illustrating garden insect identification.
Garden Pests

Complete Garden Insect Identification Guide: Friend or Foe

Identify the most common garden bugs by appearance, and learn which ones help your plants and which ones damage them.

June 20268 min read
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A person using a flashlight to check a mattress seam for bugs during a home inspection.
Home Pests

How to Check Your Home for Bugs: A Room by Room Guide

A practical room by room bug search checklist covering the exact spots pests hide, the signs to look for, and what to do when you find something.

June 20266 min read
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More guides coming soon

We're writing more in-depth guides on bug identification and pest management.

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