All species A–Z

Every insect, spider and bug in our guide, from A to Z. 85 species with photos, identification tips and safety information.

American cockroachPeriplaneta americana
Allergen carrier

American dog tickDermacentor variabilis
Disease vector

American giant millipedeNarceus americanus
Irritating secretion

Arizona bark scorpionCentruroides sculpturatus
Venomous sting

Asian lady beetleHarmonia axyridis
Mild irritant

Asian tiger mosquitoAedes albopictus
Disease vector

Bald-faced hornetDolichovespula maculata
Painful sting

Bed bugCimex lectularius
Bites cause itching

Bold jumping spiderPhidippus audax
Mild bite

Boxelder bugBoisea trivittata
Non-toxic

Brown marmorated stink bugHalyomorpha halys
Non-venomous nuisance

Brown recluseLoxosceles reclusa
Venomous bite

Buff-tailed bumblebeeBombus terrestris
Can sting

Cabbage whitePieris rapae
Non-toxic

Carolina wolf spiderHogna carolinensis
Painful bite

Cat fleaCtenocephalides felis
Bites, disease vector

Cecropia mothHyalophora cecropia
Non-toxic

Chinese mantisTenodera sinensis
Non-toxic

Common clothes mothTineola bisselliella
Non-toxic

Common eastern bumble beeBombus impatiens
Can sting

Common eastern fireflyPhotinus pyralis
Harmless to people

Common fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster
Non-toxic

Common green darnerAnax junius
Non-toxic

Common green lacewingChrysoperla carnea
Non-toxic

Common house spiderParasteatoda tepidariorum
Mild bite

Common pill bugArmadillidium vulgare
Non-toxic

Common waspVespula vulgaris
Painful sting

Convergent lady beetleHippodamia convergens
Non-toxic

Deer tickIxodes scapularis
Disease vector

Differential grasshopperMelanoplus differentialis
Non-toxic

Drugstore beetleStegobium paniceum
Non-toxic

Eastern black carpenter antCamponotus pennsylvanicus
Bites and formic acid

Eastern bloodsucking conenoseTriatoma sanguisuga
Potential disease vector

Eastern carpenter beeXylocopa virginica
Can sting

Eastern cicada killerSphecius speciosus
Painful sting

Eastern dobsonflyCorydalus cornutus
Pinch possible

Eastern Hercules beetleDynastes tityus
Non-toxic

Eastern lubber grasshopperRomalea microptera
Irritating secretion

Eastern subterranean termiteReticulitermes flavipes
Harmless to people

Eastern tiger swallowtailPapilio glaucus
Non-toxic

Eastern yellowjacketVespula maculifrons
Stinging wasp

European crane flyTipula paludosa
Non-toxic

European earwigForficula auricularia
Non-toxic pinch

European garden spiderAraneus diadematus
Mild bite

European hornetVespa crabro
Painful sting

European mantisMantis religiosa
Non-toxic

European paper waspPolistes dominula
Painful sting

European peacockAglais io
Non-toxic

European stag beetleLucanus cervus
Non-toxic

German cockroachBlattella germanica
Allergen carrier

Giant house spiderEratigena atrica
Mild bite

Green June beetleCotinis nitida
Non-toxic

Greenhouse camel cricketDiestrammena asynamora
Non-toxic

Hobo spiderEratigena agrestis
Mild bite

House centipedeScutigera coleoptrata
Mild bite

House cricketAcheta domesticus
Non-toxic

House flyMusca domestica
Disease vector

Indian meal mothPlodia interpunctella
Non-toxic

Isabella tiger mothPyrrharctia isabella
Irritating hairs

Japanese beetlePopillia japonica
Non-toxic

Lone star tickAmblyomma americanum
Disease vector

Long-bodied cellar spiderPholcus phalangioides
Non-toxic

Luna mothActias luna
Non-toxic

Monarch butterflyDanaus plexippus
Harmless to touch

Noble false widowSteatoda nobilis
Mildly venomous

Northern giant hornetVespa mandarinia
Dangerous sting

Painted ladyVanessa cardui
Non-toxic

Pharaoh cicadaMagicicada septendecim
Non-toxic

Red imported fire antSolenopsis invicta
Painful sting

Red velvet antDasymutilla occidentalis
Painful sting

Rosy maple mothDryocampa rubicunda
Non-toxic

Saddleback caterpillar mothAcharia stimulea
Stinging caterpillar

Seven-spot ladybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Non-toxic

SilverfishLepisma saccharinum
Non-toxic

Six-spotted tiger beetleCicindela sexguttata
Non-toxic

Southern black widowLatrodectus mactans
Venomous bite

Southern flannel mothMegalopyge opercularis
Painful sting

Speckled woodPararge aegeria
Non-toxic

Spotted lanternflyLycorma delicatula
Non-toxic

Tomato hornwormManduca quinquemaculata
Non-toxic

Varied carpet beetleAnthrenus verbasci
Irritant hairs

Western conifer seed bugLeptoglossus occidentalis
Smelly secretion

Western honey beeApis mellifera
Stinging insect

Wheel bugArilus cristatus
Painful bite

Yellow garden spiderArgiope aurantia
Mild venom