Insect Identification
Insect Identification
If you have an insect (or any other small arthropods) you would like to have identified you can take it to your local UW Cooperative Extension Service office. The knowledgeable personnel who work there can often identify insects, especially common pests immediately. Sometimes a species level identification can be made but often identification of the insect’s Family is all that is necessary for good management recommendations. If the local CES personnel can’t help you they will then send the insect on to the University for identification. If you need to, you can submit the insect, spider, or other arthropod with a completed Insect ID form and check (made payable to Univ. of Wyoming, Insect ID) yourself directly to:
Make sure you obey postal regulations and pack the creature you are sending in such a way that it won’t mold, rot, or be crushed before it gets to the University. Identifications will be done as soon as possible but if the personnel are out of the office doing research it may take a while to get a response. Please include an email or phone number as that helps you get a speedy response. Also include as much information about the insect sample as possible. If it is a plant pest, including a sample of damage it is causing the plant will aid identification. If the creature has bitten someone and there are any health concerns they should seek immediate medical attention rather than waiting for official identification the offending pest.
Learn more about mailing a specimen or sending in a digital picture here!
Created 2007,
Maintained by Jerod Smith, Alex Latchininsky, and Scott Schell.
Last updated:
September 25, 2007
Insect
ID Key (2007)