Reference image library
Compare credited photographs with their stated species and life stage. Read the caption: a nymph, shed skin, and adult are different kinds of evidence.
TOOLS / RECORDS / REFERENCES
Make sense
of the evidence.
Start with the evidence you have. These tools help you compare it, record what is missing, and take a clearer question to the right person.
01 / START HERE02 / BUILD YOUR RECORD03 / FIND AN EXPERT SOURCE
I found a clue
Begin with what you can actually see: an insect, loose debris, a stain, a capsule, or damage.
Use the clue finder →I have two possibilities
Compare the life stage, separating features, and what the available evidence cannot establish.
Compare common lookalikes →I need to explain the finding
Organize the location, photo filenames, dates, and open questions before requesting help.
Choose a practical worksheet →BEFORE YOU BEGIN
First, decide whether to leave the clue alone
Suspected rodent or wildlife waste, unsafe structures, inaccessible cavities, and insects that could sting call for a different approach from a harmless object on a windowsill. Take an accessible context photograph if safe and seek appropriate help. Before disturbing suspected rodent waste, read the CDC cleanup instructions; do not dry sweep or vacuum untreated droppings.
Keep your reference and your record together
Plain-language glossary
Decode terms such as frass, ootheca, instar, and current activity. Each definition connects to a guide where the distinction matters.
Private evidence log
Group dated observations and repeat checks by case on this device. Print a focused inspector handoff or download a backup.
Printable toolkits
Prepare an identification request, renter report, inspection brief, first observation, or repeat-observation log.
Where to take an unanswered question
A university diagnostic service can help with identification; a licensed pest professional can inspect a building and discuss a management plan. Structural condition may need a separate qualified assessment. Confirm that a service handles your question before sending a sample or paying a fee.
- Find the right service. Use the university directory below to find your state’s Extension program or diagnostic lab.
- Read its intake instructions. Check location eligibility, fees, accepted material, and photo requirements.
- Send an organized record. Include state, date, location, scale if known, and clear original photos. State what remains uncertain.
- Keep the answer with its limits. Record who made the identification and whether it was tentative, photo-based, or specimen-based.
Build a traceable original record
For photographs and documented cases, keep the original files, identification basis, and permission status together. Our evidence standards explain the difference between an observation, a tentative identification, and a professionally reviewed finding.
Trusted starting points
Selected public agency and university resources, checked September 26, 2026. They are independent of Pest Evidence Guide. Inclusion is not an endorsement of our site by the organizations listed.
UC IPM: home and landscape ↗
Research a pest’s biology, signs, and management options.
Written for California. Check local species and recommendations before applying regional advice.
EPA: how to find bed bugs ↗
Compare physical bed bug evidence and understand why bite appearance is insufficient.
A reference page cannot confirm the identity of a specimen in your room.
CDC: cleanup after rodents ↗
Read the current precautions before disturbing suspected rodent waste.
Choose the instructions for the setting and degree of contamination; avoid dry sweeping or vacuuming untreated waste.
EPA: choosing a pest control company ↗
Prepare questions about qualifications, the proposed work, and the written agreement.
Verify licensing with your state’s regulator. Listing a business online does not verify its license.
USDA NIFA: land-grant university directory ↗
Find a university in your state, then look for its Extension or insect diagnostic service.
Services, fees, resident eligibility, and sample acceptance differ. Contact the service before sending anything.
UMN Extension: insect questions ↗
See an example of a university’s route for questions and photo submissions.
Follow that service’s instructions and eligibility; this is not a nationwide identification intake.
Extension: submitting an insect sample ↗
Understand why a good specimen and collection details can help an identification.
Ask the receiving service how to package and preserve the particular sample. Do not mail unsolicited material.
EPA: integrated pest management principles ↗
Understand the relationship between identification, monitoring, prevention, and control decisions.
General principles do not supply a treatment threshold for every household pest.
Make a useful record before you search again
A focused question with a date, place, and photograph is easier to investigate than an assumed species name.
Open the first observation worksheet →