IPM Photo Reference

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This Photo Reference Table is meant to be the primary resource to aid in pest identification for Integrated Pest Management activities.  Each image links out to a larger version. It is highly recommended that you open these images in new windows, to avoid needing to re-load this table. When possible, image sources have been provided.

NameScientific NameApprox.
size		Main ImageOther ImageLarval/Nymph
Image		Notes
Ant Formicidae family 2-15 mm Ant
image source
 Blunderer.  This family covers a wide variety of any sizes and colors, but all are non-threatening to collections.
Ant, Flying Formicidae family 2-15 mm Flying ant
image source		 flying ant secondary image
image source		 Blunderer.
Flying ants have elbowed antennae, two pairs of wings of different sizes, and long legs (to differentiate from termites)
Beetle, Asian Harmonia axyridis 5-6 mm asian beetle
image source		 asian beetle 2
image source		 asian beetle larva
image source

Blunderer. 

These beetles are unavoidable in the fall and early winter after soy crops are harvested.
Beetle, Cabinet Trogoderma angustum 2-4 mm Cabinet Beetle
image source		 Cabinet Beetle 2
image source		 Cabinet Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Eats both plant and animal specimens as well as untanned hides and proteins (leathers,gelatin sizing, and animal based glues)
Beetle, Carpet Anthrenus verbasci 2-3 mm Carpet Beetle
image source		 Carpet Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Backs covered in colored scales.  Larvae are particularly destructive and eat animal specimens, fur and feather, and woolen textiles.
Beetle, Cigarette Lasioderma serricorne 2-3 mm Cigarette Beetle
image source		 Cigarette Beetle 2
image source		 Cigarette Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Also called a tobacco beetle.  Similar in appearance to a drugstore beetle, but has finer, more straight antennae and no lines on the back of their wing covers.  Eat a wide range of dried plant materials including tobacco, but also known to eat animal proteins.
Beetle, Click Conoderus bellus 2-6 mm Click Beetle
image source		 Click Beetle 2
image source		 Click Beetle larva
image source		 Blunderer.
Identifiable by the pointed protrusions on the corners of the thorax where it meets the abdomen. The larva are also called wireworms.
Beetle, Drugstore Stegobium paniceum 2-3 mm Drugstore beetle
image source		 Drugstore beetle 2
image source		 Drugstore Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Also called a biscuit beetle.  Eat dried vegetable materials and cellulose, including tobacco, nuts,  and dried plant specimens. Also noted to eat paper mache, some animal specimens and fungi.
Beetle, Furniture Anobium punctatum 3-5 mm Furniture Beetle
image source		 Furniture Beetle 2
image source		 Furniture Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest:
Wood borer, leaves gritty frass and bored exit holes about 1.5-2 mm in diameter.  Prefer cool, damp conditions.
Beetle, Ground Carabidae family 6-38 mm Ground Beetle
image source		 Blunderer.
Beneficial predatory beetle that lives in corn and soybean fields. Prevalent in warm weather.  A very large, very common family.
Beetle, Hide Dermestes peruvianus 7-10 mm Hide Beetle
image source		 Hide Beetle 2
image source		 Hide Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Eat leather and skins, but not generally good condition tanned leather. An infestation may indicate a dead rat/pigeon or other animal somewhere on the premises.
Beetle, Odd Thylodrias contractus 1-4 mm Odd Beetle Male
image source		 Odd Beetle Female
image source		 Odd Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Male only has wings.  Eats dead insects and known to attack natural history specimens.
Beetle,
Powder post		 Lyctus brunneus 5-6 mm Powder Post Beetle
image source		 Powder Post Beetle 2
image source		 Powder Post Beetle Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Wood borer, leaves very fine talc-like frass.  Tends to eat relatively fresh wood.
Beetle, Rove Staphylinidae family
 1-20 mm Rove Beetle
image source		 Rove Beetle 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Identifiable by short elytra (wing covers that typically hide the abdomen) and segmented abdomen.
Beetle, Spider Ptinus tectus 3-5 mm Spider Beetle
image source		 Spider Beetle 2
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Feed on animal and vegetable detritus, can damage books, paper, textiles and wood if located near food.  Frequently a sign of poor housekeeping or animal carcasses or nests in the vicinity.
Beetle, Weevil Curculionidae family 3-10 mm Weevil Beetle
image source		 Weevil Beetle 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Most have a well-developed downward-curved snout; antennae elbowed, clubbed, and the first segment often fits into a groove in the side of the snout.
Book Louse Psocoptera 1 mm dorsal view of a booklouse
image source		 winged book louse
image source		   Indicator.
Feed on microscopic molds and can infest flour, paper and cardboard.  Prefer warm, humid (above 60 % RH) environments.
Centipede, House Scutigera coleoptrata 5-30 mm House Centipede
image source		 House Centipede 2
image source		 Indicator.
The house centipede, has an average of 17 pairs of very long, delicate legs and a rigid body. The legs also have dark stripes. House centipedes feed on spiders, bedbugs, termites, cockroaches, silverfish and other household pests.
Cockroach,
American		 Periplaneta americana 30-40 mm American Cockroach
image source		 American Cockroach Nymph
image source

Library/Museum Pest.

Cockroaches are ubiquitous in campus environments and travel through steam tunnels under campus and into facilities closets.  Cockroaches can damage library materials by chewing on them or excreting onto them, which causes staining.  American cockroaches are the largest species found indoors in IL and are all brown with large wings.
Cockroach,
German		 Blattella germanica  10-15 mm German Cockroach
image source		 German Cockroach Nymph
image source

Library/Museum Pest.

Smaller than the American Cockroach. Identifiable from other cockroaches by the two black striped on the back of the thorax.
Cockroach,
Oriental		 blatta orientalis 10-30 mm Oriental Cockroach
image source		 Oriental Cockroach Nymph
image source

Library/Museum Pest.

Smaller than American Cockroaches.  Identifiable from other cockroaches by the lack of wings and darker color.
Cricket, Ground Trigonidiidae Nemobiinae 5-12 mm Cricket
image source		 Cricket 2

Blunderer.

Crickets often "swarm" in the late summer and may enter buildings in large numbers, but pose no threat.
Damsel Bug Dicyphus hesperus 4-8 mm Damsel Bug
image source		 Damsel Bug 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Fly, Fruit Drosophilidae family 3-4 mm Fruit Fly
image source		 Fruit Fly 2
image source

Blunderer.

These are often a sign of poor housekeeping and unclean trashcans or rotting vegetable matter.
Fly, variable Muscidae family 3-8 mm Fly, variable
image source		 Fly, variable 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Gnat Anisopodidae family 3-6 mm Gnat
image source		 Gnat 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Leaf Hopper Cicadellidae family 3-6 mm Leaf Hopper
image source		 Leaf Hopper 2
image source		 Blunderer.
Millipede Diplopoda class 20-50 mm Millipede
Millipede 2		 Blunderer.
Millipedes are commonly found during the Spring and Fall as they enter buildings from the outside.  They can live in many different habitats such as mulched flower beds where moisture, humidity, and organic matter are high.
Minute
Pirate Bug		 Anthocoridae family 2-4 mm Minute Pirate Bug Blunderer.
Minute Pirate Bugs are most easily recognizable by the V shape their elytra (wing covers) make above the wings.
Mite, Predatory Several 1 mm Predatory Mite Predatory Mite 2 Indicator.
Predatory mites feed on other pests. Frequently, they are orange or red in color.
Mite, variable Several 1 mm Mite Mite 2

 

Indicator:

Mites are an indicator of high-humidity environments.  Most are non-biting, but some varieties can bite humans.
Mosquito Culicidae family 3-10 mm Mosquito Mosquito Larva

Blunderer.

A nuisance  that frequently follows staff and patrons into buildings in the summer months.
Moth, Clothes Tineola bisselliella 10-20 mm Clothes Moth
image source		 Clothes Moth 2
image source		 Clothes Moth Larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Larva found in dark storage areas on fur, feathers, skins, wool and soiled textiles.
Moth, variable Lepidoptera order 5-20mm Moth, Other
image source		 Caterpillar
image source		 Blunderer.
Except for clothes moths, most common outdoor moths are blunderers into libraries.
Noseeum
(biting midge)		 Several 1-2 mm Noseeum Noseeum 2
image source

Blunderer.

This often come into buildings on people who have traveled through the grass recently.
Pill Bug /
Sow Bug		 Armadillidiidae family  8-12 mm Pill/Sow Bug
image source		 Pill/Sow Bug 2 Blunderer.
Pillbugs can roll up into a tight ball when disturbed. Although they sometimes enter in large numbers, they do not bite, infest food, clothing, or wood.  Since they require moisture, they do not survive indoors for more than a few days unless they are in very moist conditions. 
Silverfish Lepisma saccharina 5-15 mm Silverfish
image source		 Silverfish 2 Library/Museum Pest.
Associated with high RH (over 75%).  Feed on microscopic mold, glue, ink, and starch.  Grazers
Spider Araneae order 5-40 mm Spider
image source		 Spider 2 Indicator.
Eats other insects. See identification guide for Brown Recluse spiders.  Otherwise, usually harmless
Springtail Entomobryidae family 1 mm Springtail Springtail 2
image source		 Indicator.
Springtails are carrion feeders that prefer high humidity. Very small and easily missed, they are best identified by their distinctive shape.
Termite

Kalotermitidae
or
Rhinotermitidae

 4-7 mm thumbnail image of termite
image source		 winged termite
image source		 winged termite with larva
image source		 Library/Museum Pest.
Winged and wingless (worker) termites have straight antennae and a long body with short lets.  Winged termites have two pairs of wings of the same size and shape.   Can infect timber and wooden objects as well as wooden structures.   Dry wood termites can infest wooden objects.
Wasp, variable Vespidae family 12-16 mm Wasp
image source		 Wasp 2
image source		 Blunderer.
However can form hives inside buildings.  If large population is observed, call about extermination and/or removal of nest.