Posts tagged bugs
I live near Pittsburgh PA, and I just saw a stink bug, possibly the first one I have seen all year. In the last couple of years they have been a major pest. Now they seem to be mostly gone. Where...
I'm concerned about ticks and want to treat some of my outdoor gear with Permethrin, a spray-on very persistent treatment against ticks and mosquitoes, to reduce the chances that I'll bring home ti...
I found this dragonfly, here, at around 13,400 ft. The coordinates are 43°10'52.96"N, 109°39'17.74"W if anyone would like to check the location themselves. It didn't look like it was moving...
Can anyone tell me what type of bug this is? I found two of them in my bed in Tennessee, United States. It's not a tick. The shell is hard. It was alive and you could see it moving. It's .016", ...
Where I work, there is a rather large population of Spotted Lanternflies around our office building. From what I've read, they are considered invasive species and quite a problem this year in ...
I was wondering whether the deer would be able to smell bug repellent if you are wearing some while out hunting. Is there a specific type of bug repellent that can be used that is less likely to m...
Assuming I am not allergic, or showing signs of allergic reaction, what's the best way to treat multiple yellow jacket (a type of wasp) stings in the outdoors while hiking/backpacking? My key conc...
On my trip I've been accompanied by a few wasps. I don't know what attracted them but they were trying to sit on me, which wasn't comfortable to me, since a bite of a wasp is causing by me a swelli...
I have a camera setup outside. Wasp seem to enjoy nesting in and around this camera. I know there are all kinds of wasp killers but is there anything I can do to repel wasps from nesting in and aro...
I've just recently moved to Europe (southern Germany), so this might be a common sight to someone who has been living here for longer. Yesterday I noticed dozens of these insects walking on the si...
I am looking for solutions on how to effectively repel black flies while hiking or picnicking. In my experience, repellents that are effective against mosquitoes do not work at all with these ankle...
I have a bug house and it looks as if several insects have laid in the house over the spring/summer. All of the bamboo seems to be clogged up and has been for a couple of months. Are there still i...
We encountered these guys in a small inland (freshwater) creek in southern WA. There were hundreds, covering low flat rocks in the water; every one carrying a shell made out of either tiny rocks,...
Would it be possible to use canoe paddles - and eventually some cords and beach stakes - to hang a bug net such as this? Our paddles will be about 2 meters (6.5 feet) long and can be split in ha...
Is there any effective repellent against deer flies (Lipoptena cervi)? It should be safe for humans as well as dogs. All related information I could find is about a different deer fly (Chrysops).
I found this bug in my back yard and walls outside of my house. Can you help me identify? I was worried if this is a tick.
I found this spider yesterday running across a sidewalk next to a canal, it was bigger than a quarter and I think it was carrying an egg sack. Does anybody know what kind of spider this is?
I drink canned beverages when I'm gardening and camping. I know several people who have ended up in the hospital due to swallowing bees that were stuck in their beverage (stung in the mouth). How...
Sometimes, bees will split from a hive, and a bunch of them (including a new queen bee) will swarm, and move to build a new hive. As you can see, there is an awful lot of bees huddled together a...
Do you recognize these flying insects that seem to enjoy broccoli flowers? I have several almond trees around, and bees are busy these days but I'm not sure these particular insects are of any ben...
I know that eating bananas is one way to turn yourself in to a mosquito magnet. The potassium in the bananas apparently attracts them to whomever eats them. Whenever I meet someone who says they al...
When camping in areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic, what options are there in terms of mosquito nets? The mosquito nets I've seen are meant to be hung above a bed and tucked under the ...
There are a lot of options for trying to prevent mosquito bites (DEET on skin, permethrin on clothing, mosquito nets while sleeping, etc.), but what about after you get bitten? What is the most eff...
What are best methods for non-medically-trained personnel to remove a small cockroach from their own or someone else’s ear?
Can anyone tell me which caterpillar this is? Its body looks black and it has hairs that are white and black, with a little bit of brown. It was on a utensil which was kept in a dark place. I wa...
DEET is an effective mosquito deterrent, but there are many reasons it cannot be used. Per the CDC, cuts, eczema, and being a kid are all problems if you want to use DEET. What proven alternative...
I've noticed that there is a moth on the outside of my apartment door that has been just sitting there for two days now: There is a light outside my apartment door that likely is what attracted ...
We found this beauty in our yard: It was 10 cm long and it was crawling pretty fast. What made it even more spectacular were the little turquoise spots on it. I suppose it will be a butterfly (...
I thought I knew every pest in our woods and on the trail to Great Falls National Park, and had been bitten by all of them, but I have never encountered chiggers. Not in our woods, not on hikes to ...
During the summer, I always hear this sound. It's like a long "hissing" sound. I assume that it is some sort of insect that produces this, and it's usually during warmer days. It can be heard ...
While walking in a state park in New Jersey last week, my husband and I came upon what looked like anthills. This small sign was posted on a nearby tree: "Please don't step on the mounds of dirt. M...
What's the best way to repel flies and bugs when hiking in summer? Where I hike is not really humid (southern California) but it's hot on summer days and a lot of insects and flies gather around me...
In season 3, episode 5 of Survivorman, Les Stroud mentions the value of throwing cow dung, or any variety of others, on a fire to drive away insects. And he has "no idea why." Why does this work?
DEET is very toxic to dogs. How can I use DEET-based sprays and not poison my dogs? (my dogs often lick me, and they can get poisoned)
In addition to Mosquitos, many of us northwoods campers have been made victim to the vast swarms of biting flies. Despite slathering myself with DEET, they don't seem deterred, and they especially...
I admit that this is not intended exclusively for the great outdoors. In truth I rarely venture into areas that are wild and overgrown with vegetation, tending to stick to more sub-urban excursion...
What species is the following cockroach? Is it dangerous, that means is it likely to transport diseases? I live in South Germany.
What species is the following? I assume it is a cockroach, but I am not sure. What is it exactly? I live in South Germany.
I found these structures while hiking in Wayne Township, Clermont County, Ohio, USA, on June 7, 2016, at approximately N 39° 12.5 W 084° 04.0. I only had my phone, and not a real camera, so sorry ...
Today I've learnt that one can't vaccinate against Borreliose, also known as Lyme Disease. I've thought that I can't get that (yeah, that was stupid) and so didn't really care about ticks. However,...
Today I've learnt that one can't vaccinate against Borreliose, also known as Lyme Disease. I've thought that I can't get that (yeah, that was stupid) and so didn't really care about ticks. However,...
Yesterday we were sitting on a porch and suddenly a wild bug appeared. It was completely black1 and had no horn etc. It just looked like a common bug without any special features. Okay, nothing spe...
Yesterday we were sitting on a porch and suddenly a wild bug appeared. It was completely black1 and had no horn etc. It just looked like a common bug without any special features. Okay, nothing spe...
What are these bugs on my porch and how can I get rid of them? They latch onto the siding upside-down or sideways and stay there for weeks. I've never seen them move. I noticed they had moved posit...
Note: An update has been added to this post, and is found below the first set of pictures. I live in Central Massachusetts, in the town of Holden. We're on the border of the large city of Worces...
Let's please begin with the understanding that I have already sought and received professional medical advice. Also, about two weeks have passed, my heart and lungs still work and nothing has turn...
Post-monsoon we have lots of flies and insects in the forests. I was hiking up an easy trail last weekend. It got dark and I still had a couple of hours of walking distance to cover. With no light...
I was walking my dog through high grass, in England. We came across a big spider. The web was almost like a bowl/tube. The spider was black but the back part was big and a white colour. We avoided ...
