- Q: What kind of bug is this?
- A:Michigan State University's Diagnostic Insect Service is available for Michigan residents to
have pest insects identified. I reccomend this especially if you need to mail a sample in for identification.
On the other hand, if you have found some bizarre-looking bug that you have a photo of, you can email it to
me at mfobrien@umich.edu, and I'll get back to you with an identification, if possible.
If you are out-of-state, please try local contacts first.
- Q: I have a swarm of bees around [or in] my house. Is there a beekeeper that will come and get them?
- A: Perhaps -- it depends on where you are located. In SE Michigan, try the SE Michigan Beekeepers
Association. If you are in SW Michigan, try the SW Michigan Beekeepers Association.
- Q: There is a big hornet nest in my yard. I heard that you might like it.
- A: Thank you, but no, we don't need any wasp nests. If the colony is active, and posing a problem,
contact a local exterminator. If they are not posing a problem, leave them alone. For the most part, they are
beneficial insects that take a lot of flies. Once the frosts have killed off any remaining wasps, the nest is
safe to remove with pruners if you think you need a trophy. They are not reused the following year.
- Q: What can you tell me about the Emerald Ash Borer? What can I do to protect my ashes?
- A: The US Forest Service and the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture have some excellent resources available. A good site is here.
- Q: I think I see or feel small bugs burrowing into my skin, making me scratch, but I can't convince anyone
that they are real. My physician hasn't found anything. Can you help me?
- A: This is one of the harder questions for us. Even if your physician has examined you and tested you
for any specific allergies, and you have had dermatological tests with no resolution, all we can do is try to identify
a specimen if provided with sample. We cannot examine you or provide any medical diagnosis or pest-removal service.
However, be aware that there is a real syndrome associated with many cases that sound like yours. Please read more
about it here.
- Q: I hear a funny croaking sound in the trees along my street in late summer. Is this some kind of frog or insect?
- A: It's very likely that you hear this sound. It's made by males of the Northern True Katydid,
Pterophylla camellifolia. They sing to attract females for mating.
- Q: I have a large silk moth, maybe a Cecropia or a Polyphemus. What should I feed it to keep it alive?
- A: Unfortunately, these large silk moths do not even have functional mouthparts, as they do not feed as adults.
They use up their fat reserves in the process of mating and egg-laying, and once that has been accomplished, they die.
The best thing you can do is to let it go and let nature take its course. If it is a female, she will lay eggs and
there will be more moths to take her place another year.
- Q: Earwigs! I hate them. What can I do about them?
- A: Earwigs -- Order Dermaptera, and the common European Earwig, Forficula auricularia, in particular, are one of
our most misunderstood insects. Granted, they are rather creepy with the way the hide out and appear in unlikely places,
but they do not infest ears, nor wigs. They are scavengers (detritivores), and also feed on plants to some extent.
You can find out more about them here.
- Q: My child needs to start an insect collection for 4-H (or a class). Where can I get more information about making a collection? Where do I buy collecting supplies, such as an insect net?
- A: If your child is engaged in an entomological activity such as making a collection for 4-H, you should visit your
local 4-H office at your County Extension office. They will often have some of the 4-H publications (state or national)
that contain basic information to get started with an insect collection, as well as the local requirements for the
various levels of achievement.
Collecting supplies can sometimes be found locally at some craft stores, but your best bet would be to look at BioQuip Products on the web.
They have student kits that contain everything a person needs to get started.
- Q: Are Brown Recluse spiders found in Michigan? I think I saw one in my garage, and I'm worried that somebody might get bitten.
- A: The Brown Recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, is not reported for Michigan. However, Loxosceles rufescens, a similar species
from Europe, has been found in southern Michigan. It is uncommon, but has been found in old warehouses and similar situations where it
arrived here in other materials. It's probably 99% unlikely that you have a Brown recluse spider around your home.
- Q: The ladybugs are driving me crazy this year! They are landing on me, biting me, and are all over the side of the house. What can I do?
- A: You are probably referring to the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis. This beetle has been in Michigan
for about 10 years, and depending on weather and food, has been very prolific in some years, resulting in large numbers of
ladybeetles in the fall. This species overwinters as an adult, so they are seeking shelter for the cold months. If they are
getting into the house, you can sweep them up or vacuum them. Sometimes they will hang onto you with their mandibles, but they
are not biting you for food. The USDA has an informative page on them.