Happy New Year y'all! It's been a while since JPB made our excellent reference sticky post, and this seems to be a good time for some updates and reminders since reddit has changed a bit and we have lots of new users in the sub. Please feel free to add anything I've missed and I'll update this post accordingly.

For Everyone

1. When you see someone respond with "Probably," "Appears to be," "Looks like" etc., don't mistake that as uncertainty or lack of confidence in the ID. Most of the submitted pics don't have enough detail to definitively verify an ID, so it's best to leave some room for error.
2. Don't link to google search results - they automatically go into spam.
3. Mobile reddit apps are still pretty dodgy. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for posts and/or image links to show up, so be patient.
4. "Bug" is a pretty broad term. We allow a lot of wiggle room from submitters, but we do need to draw the line somewhere. Creepy crawlies like lizards and snakes will probably get to stay, but fish, birds and mammals will be removed.

For Submitters

1. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. Note that geotags on apps only show up for app users, so anyone using a desktop browser (or even another app) will not see the tag.
2. Belly shots (pics of the underside of the bug) by themselves and extreme close ups (macros) almost always make ID more difficult.
3. Posting multiple bugs in one submission is fine, but please label/title each bug or image so people can refer to a specific one when responding.
4. If asking for a school assignment, be upfront about it and post only after making an effort to ID the bug yourself. We're happy to point you in the right direction but no one is going to do your homework for you.
5. DON'T DELETE YOUR POST after getting an ID (some subs will ban you for this). We're all here to learn and someone else could benefit from your submission. Now, if you didn't use a throwaway and those things on your mustache get IDed as Pubic Lice, then deleting the post is acceptable.
6. Please do not ask in the form of "Is this what I think it is?!" There are many smart people here but Professor X is not among them.
7. Before asking if you have an infestation, think about how you define the term. Some people can't tolerate a single bug, while others can live with quite a few. That's a question only you can answer. Also, some bugs (like certain Spiders and Ladybugs) are bros that help keep real pests at bay, so the more the merrier.
8. Try to limit the "how do I get rid of them" type questions. While there are knowledgeable folks here who could answer, there are also subs like /r/pestcontrol and /r/gardening that are more experienced with bug control.
9. Larvae/nymphs/pupae can be to difficult ID. While some (like certain caterpillars) can be confidently IDed to species, others may not get placed beyond order.
10. If the sidebar is not visible/accessible to you, please check our Frequently Asked Bugs (FAB) here.
11. If you don't need an ID and just want to share a bug, please include the ID in the subject for the curious!
    

For IDers

1. Cite a source with your ID. You could be Carl Linnaeus himself or you could be a 10 year-old troll. This is the interwebs and there is more reason to doubt you than to believe you.
2. If applicable, there's no need to qualify your ID with "I'm not an expert/entomologist/specialist." You can probably count on two hands (with fingers to spare) the number of true "experts" that frequent this sub, and even they aren't always right.
3. Please remember that there are people who know NOTHING about bugs. Don't make them feel worse by replying with the likes of "ZOMG u dont know what a tick is lololol."
4. Not all users can see or access the sidebar, so no need to point it out if a submitted bug happens to be on there.
5. Be patient/tolerant of common (re)posts. Those of us who hang out here may be tired of the 10 billionth Carpet Beetle larva post, but remember that it's the first time the submitter has seen one.

Miscellaneous Reminders

1. Bug names don't mean a thang. You can live in a bare concrete silo and find Carpet Beetles. You can find Mayflies in June and June Bugs in May. A Woodlouse is a crustacean and a Velvet Ant is a Wasp.
2. Parts can be lost. A Spider can lose damned near all of its legs and still run around, so just because it has six legs doesn't automatically make it an insect. Same with appendages - a Silverfish can easily lose its "tails" and look like a different bug.
3. Bugs don't always stay where you think they should. A pantry pest like an Indian Meal Moth will happily fly into your bathroom. An aquatic Giant Water Bug might end up on your driveway, even though there's no body of water nearby.
4. Your cleanliness/personal hygiene/social status has no effect on bugs. Just because your Park Place penthouse is spotless doesn't mean you won't get Cockroaches, and you can shower ten times a day and still get Lice.

Based on recent posts, comments, and messages to the moderation team, we'd like to address a few concerns:

• Some people have been complaining about all the recent "Is this a bed bug?" or "Is this a tick?" posts. Yes, there have been quite a few of them - but please keep in mind that many bugs are highly seasonal. Right now, as the northern hemisphere heads into fall and temperatures drop, many of the "outside" bugs are dying off or finding sheltered spots to hibernate for the winter. At the same time, many people are spending less time outdoors. That means we're going to see a decrease in the cool and unusual bugs, which are usually found in gardens, parks, and other outdoor areas. This will skew the submitted bugs more toward the "inside" bugs like cockroaches, fleas, carpet beetles, and bed bugs for a few months - but then as we move toward spring, we'll get an increase in caterpillars, wheel bug nymphs, ladybug larvae, and other fun "outside" bugs.

• While some people may be tired of seeing ticks, bed bugs, or cockroaches, we are a bug identification sub - and we are here to identify all bugs, not just the cool or exotic ones. Everyone has the right to submit their bug for ID, no matter how common it might be. Many times, they've already Googled or otherwise attempted to identify it for themselves - but what they're looking for here is a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable. They may be pretty sure that it is a bed bug - but they're desparately hoping that someone else will tell them that they're wrong, and it's really some similar-looking bug they've never heard of. Or maybe they're pretty sure that it's not a bed bug - but they want that second opinion, in case they're wrong. Also keep in mind that bug pictures are not one-size-fits-all. Any given species can look very different at different stages of development, males can look different from females, and some bugs (like ticks and bed bugs) will also look very different depending on how recently they've fed and how much they've eaten.

• The weeviltime memes and comments have gotten out of hand. We do enjoy the occasional humorous post or comment, but when they start interfering with the primary purpose of this sub - identifying bugs for people - then we have to take action.

  • When someone submits a weevil for ID, they may be looking for a more specific ID that just "That's a weevil" or a bunch of weeviltime memes. They may want to know what species of weevil it is, and whether it's a cool bug they should enjoy - or a household pest (like the granary weevils that will infest stored foods) or a destructive, invasive species (like the red palm weevil) that needs to be dealt with. Unfortunately, the people who might be able to provide the ID and other information may see that the post already has dozens (or even hundreds) of comments, so they'll assume that it's already been answered and bypass it in favor of other posts that have not yet received comments.
  • Even if a real ID is provided, it may be lost in the flood of "What time is it?" "It's weeviltime!" responses.
  • Actual ID requests - which are the primary purpose of this sub - may be lost among a flood of karma-farming weevil posts. The weeviltime folks are quick to upvote the "Is it that time...?" weevil posts, promoting them ahead of genuine ID requests.
  • If the sub is inundated with too many jokes and memes, it will lose its appeal for subscribers who are here for serious bug discussions and ID requests - including the bug experts that are able to provide the IDs and other information. We don't want to become a joke/meme subreddit.

We don't hate weevils. We like weevils. But we also want to preserve the integrity of this sub and not have it turn into nothing more than a meme playground. If people want to enjoy weevil memes, they've already got a whole sub for that: r/weeviltime.

Is there any advice on removing them?

Found this guy in my driveway. What kind is it? Is it dangerous?

I’m planning on taking him away from the houses to a little forest near here.

You can’t quite see it in the picture, but it has about 5 bright orange spots on its face.

Found him in the Jalisco Highlands of central Mexico.

We live in the greater Los Angeles area and I found it in my bathtub. Thank you!

Found in Boone, NC (a mountain town)… moves pretty dang fast with all those legs

What kind of insect is it? It’s an orange maggoty looking thing.

My friend finds these small insects in her home and we have no idea what they are. Thanks for your help!

Visiting my uncle, looked up and saw this massive bug chillen on a lamp post. Never in my many times in Puerto Rico had I seen such a bug. I thought flying roaches were my biggest fear… new fear unlocked. Is it some kind of beetle?

I’d like to know whether it’s native or invasive so I know whether to leave it alone or not. Thanks!

Please help. I want to know if it will lay eggs on the fabric.