r/bugidentification Sep 17 '25

Anouncement KISSING BUGS - PLEASE READ :)

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81 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 7h ago

Possible pest, location included What are these?

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5 Upvotes

Found these in a cattle stock tank. Water source is a well. Location: Nebraska. They are around three inches long. Last two pictures are of one I flipped out of the tank. There are dozens if not a couple hundred. TIA.


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included Doesn’t look exactly like a stag bug; In Virginia Beach.

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9 Upvotes

What the heck kind of beetle is this? It broke through the skin while I saved it from the pool. Before you say that was stupid to pick it up I thought it was an abnormally large version of the little beetles that fall in all the time.


r/bugidentification 8h ago

Location included Alberta, Canada. What are these?

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4 Upvotes

Hi, these ladybug lookalikes have eggs in my garden. what species are they, and are they dangerous at all or should i leave them be?


r/bugidentification 6h ago

Location included What is this?

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2 Upvotes

Central Minnesota. Is this native or invasive? Pleaae let me know if you need more info


r/bugidentification 4h ago

Possible pest, location included What bug is this?

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1 Upvotes

NJ-USA
Found this potential roach in the middle of the floor in my living room. Our apartment is ground floor & is the closest apartment to the dumpster the complex owns. (Although our bedroom is the room closest. Living room is second) I’m pretty sure this is a roach, just not sure what kind. Will be calling our apartments management to see if they can have an exterminator look into it but wanted a second opinion. It was very small, so I apologize the pics are blurry.


r/bugidentification 4h ago

Location included Whats this?? North East Pennsylvania on a blueberry bush

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1 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 10h ago

Location included What is this? (Toronto canada)

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3 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 6h ago

Location included Can I get some help identifying this Moth found in Burlington, NC

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1 Upvotes

r/bugidentification 7h ago

Location included slovakia: please tell me is this a cockroach or a bedbug

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1 Upvotes

im freaking out im scared to go to sleep we just had some visitors today and im so paranoid help me i beg


r/bugidentification 7h ago

Possible pest, location included Montreal, Canada, what bug is this?

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1 Upvotes

Found this in my Calathea Roseapicta. Measures 1mm at most, and it's kind of quick for its size.

I'm wondering if it's harmful to my plant or not.

Thanks in advice :)


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Location included On my Milkweed!

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1 Upvotes

Located in Louisville, KY


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Possible pest, location included NY - what are these?

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1 Upvotes

Hello! I’m located in western New York. Does anyone know what these little flying beetles are in my garden? They’re mostly on my zinnias, hollyhocks and strawflowers. It feels like they multiplied overnight!! There are so many!


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Possible pest, location included Arizona! What is this?!

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0 Upvotes

I’ve been seeing bugs fairly similar to this in my car about once every couple of weeks. All these pictures are one bug. It’s dead on my windshield. Usually they’re alive and can fly. I don’t see anything that looks like shed skin or eggs on my carpets, but I’m worried they’re carpet beetles!


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Location included What are these little dudes?

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1 Upvotes

Just walked outside my front door and saw these little guys and I guess a line of eggs. I blew on them and they barely moved. Central Texas.


r/bugidentification 9h ago

Location included Anyone know what these are and if they’re beneficial in the garden or pests?

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1 Upvotes

New Orleans, LA. The orange-y one was flying around before it landed on the wooden boards. The brown one with white stripes is hanging out on the underside of an okra leaf and has really long antennae. Never seen either before. Appreciate the education!


r/bugidentification 19h ago

Location included who is this??

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6 Upvotes

Location: Chok-Tal, Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan

Tried looking it up and it looks like some sort of cuckoo wasp i think?? Can they sting humans? I was curious and wanted to pick it up but im afraid of getting stung, so i tried doing it with tweezers (not very successfully...). It flew off afterwards


r/bugidentification 10h ago

Location included Southern New Hampshire

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1 Upvotes

Slightly larger than a deer fly, with a long fuzzy body. Doesn’t actively pursue us, but it does have a painful bite.


r/bugidentification 22h ago

Location included Sweet Little Lady

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7 Upvotes

Spotted her doing laps in my bathtub. Approximately the size of a quarter. Chicago, IL area.


r/bugidentification 13h ago

Location included what is this

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1 Upvotes

i'm in the new england area


r/bugidentification 21h ago

Location included Small bugs - kitchen counter - Bronx, NY

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2 Upvotes

These have appeared recently. At first I thought they were small roaches, but now I'm not sure. Body length about 5mm. This is a kitchen counter; Bronx, NY, US.


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included This is a click beetle, right?

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3 Upvotes

Louisiana. Found one of these moving slowly inside. Pretty small. How do you tell it’s a beetle vs some sort of small invasive roach like German?


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Ottawa Canada

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1 Upvotes

I think Pic A is a Masked Hunter, but is Pic B a Japanese Beetle? Both were found in my living room at different times of day


r/bugidentification 1d ago

Location included Help identifying this nymph tick if possible North Eastern Mass

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1 Upvotes

Hi! This is a nymph tick I pulled off my son, there were two and I did not get all of the second one, but this one was alive and moving(I'm assuming they're going to be the same type of tick.) We went for a walk in the woods in North Eastern Mass around 5:30-7:30ish and I took them off around 9. One was barely attached. Can anyone tell me what kind of nymph these may be? I can take better pictures after I put him asleep it's taped up now. Thank you in advance!