How the guides are made

Source standards

Identification claims are checked against US public agencies and university extension or integrated pest management publications. Each guide lists the references used. Commercial pest-control pages may help us understand common questions, but they are not treated as the sole authority for an identification claim.

What we include

We describe what a reader can observe, where a clue was found, likely lookalikes, and what the clue cannot prove. Guides avoid diagnosing an active infestation from a single photo or recommending a pesticide without a proper identification.

The standard for a useful page

A guide should answer a specific identification question, explain the features that matter, compare plausible alternatives, and show what remains uncertain. An article should help a reader complete a task, such as documenting a sighting or preparing an inspection request. We keep related questions together when a separate page would repeat the same answer.

Our worksheets organize observations; example entries are illustrative and are not reports from real inspections. We do not assign infestation probabilities, label a clue as active from appearance alone, or treat a page's length as proof of quality.

Research, writing, and automation

AI tools assist with research organization, drafting, and website development. The pages synthesize linked references and original observation workflows. They are not firsthand field research, and automated assistance does not confer a professional qualification. Readers can follow the references to check the underlying guidance.

Definitions, measurements, and species claims need a relevant source. Public-health and cleanup topics point readers to agency guidance; identification pages do not substitute for an exposure assessment or a site-specific treatment plan.

Images and attribution

Identification photos are selected for relevance and labeled with a source, creator, and reuse license. The subject of a photo may be one species within a broader group; captions say so when that matters. Resized images retain source and license links.

Our evidence standards explain the records needed for original photographs and documented cases, including identification certainty, permission status, and the limits of a conclusion.

Who has reviewed this material?

The publisher has organized these guides from the cited references. They have not yet received an independent entomologist or licensed pest professional review. A source-check date is not a professional certification. We do not claim that the agencies or authors cited endorse this website.

Tools and comparisons

The clue finder uses a fixed set of visible-evidence categories to suggest reading. Location changes the ordering, not the diagnosis. It does not analyze images, estimate infestation probabilities, or replace an inspection. Our comparison tables and observation checklists make the underlying evidence and its limits easier to use.

Review and corrections

Source review dates appear on guide pages. Material changes to primary guidance should trigger a page update. Readers should consult the linked source for full current guidance and a qualified local professional for inspection. A working corrections inbox is pending for this build; see Contact.

Publication dates and substantive update dates are kept separately. A new layout or link change alone does not make an article newly published. A correction should identify the page, the specific claim, a supporting reference, and whether the change affects a reader's next step. Until a working inbox is available, use the cited agency or your local extension service for identification help.