Author: Dr. Marcus Webb

You found a bug crawling up the inside of a sunny window in October, and the first question is which one it is. Four very different insects cause nearly all fall... Read more.

You found a flat, shield-shaped brown bug clinging to a window in October, and the first question is whether it is the invasive one everybody complains about. The... Read more.

You found a wasp working the eaves or buzzing the soda can at a cookout, and the real question is which one you have, because that decides how careful you need to... Read more.

You watched something black and yellow land near the patio and the first question is the right one: is that a bee, a wasp, or a hornet, and does it matter? It matters... Read more.

You found a scorpion on the wall and the only question that matters is whether it is the dangerous one. The short version: in the United States, only the Arizona... Read more.

You found a scorpion on the patio wall and the first question is whether it is the dangerous one. The short version is that it almost never is. Most US scorpions... Read more.

You spot droppings under the sink or hear something scratching in the ceiling, and the first question is always the same: is it a mouse or a rat? The fastest tells... Read more.

You found termites in a beam, killed the few you could see, and assumed you had bought yourself some time. You did not, and the reason is the colony itself. A termite... Read more.

You found a cluster of winged insects at a sunny window, or a pile of shed wings on the sill, and the first question is whether it matters. It does. A swarm of winged... Read more.

You found a many-legged thing on the basement floor and you want a name before you decide whether to worry. The fastest tell is to count the legs per segment and... Read more.