Bug identification! All insects, spiders, crustaceans, etc. welcome!

r/whatsthisbug1.1M subscribers56 active
We're making some long-needed changes to the r/whatsthisbug guidelinesID Request

Based on recent trends, we have made some changes and clarifications to our guidelines.

1: Do not post pictures of bites or stings. There are lots of things - many of which are not bug-related - that can cause bumps, rashes, swelling, itching, or other marks on your skin. It is impossible to tell what caused them from a picture of the symptoms. Post pictures of the bug only.

2: Post helpful responses only. These are responses that will lead toward an accurate identification of the bug in question. Non-helpful responses clutter up the thread and OP's inbox, hindering OP's ability to get an actual answer because people see that the post already has comments and assume that it's been answered - or because they don't want to read through a page full of non-helpful responses to see if a real answer has been offered (or if it is correct).

  • Joke responses are not helpful. We are not opposed to occasional humor - but only when it is part of a more substantial answer. For example, "That's the Pokemon Caterpie!" is not helpful, but "That's the caterpillar of a swallowtail butterfly - one of the Papilio species. This is the real-life caterpillar that the Pokemon Caterpie was based on." would be fine.

  • Intentionally incorrect answers are not helpful.

  • Repeating an ID that has already been established is not helpful. If OP has already been told that they have bed bugs, they do not need dozens of people to chime in saying "That's a bed bug!" hours or days later.

  • Comments mocking or ridiculing OP for not already knowing what kind of bug it is - or for submitting a common bug - are not helpful. These include things like "Haven't you ever seen a cockroach before?" or "How does anyone not know what a tick looks like?" or "You should just Google what bed bugs look like." Keep in mind that the primary purpose of this sub is to identify bugs for people. That includes all bugs - however common.

3: Do not ask for or offer pest control advice beyond basic removal or exclusion of the bug in question or links to reliable sources or related subs such as /r/pestcontrol, /r/gardening, or /r/Bedbugs. We are not a pest control subreddit. While we understand that people are only trying to help, some of the "advice" that has been offered in the past has ranged from totally unnecessary (exterminating a harmless or even beneficial bug simply for existing) to excessive or even dangerous (irresponsible or excessive use of pesticides or other toxic chemicals).

4: No medical or veterinary advice beyond identifying dangers and linking to a reliable resource such as the CDC. Personal opinions and anecdotes will be removed.

5: Refrain from posting inflammatory or anti-bug rhetoric like "WTF is this nightmare fuel?", "Do I need to burn my house down?" or "What kind of demon is this?"

Pinnedby chandaloweModerator⭐Trusted⭐
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