About Insects Explained

Insects Explained is an independent educational publication covering insect identification, insect biology, household pests and pest-management topics. We write for people in the United States who want to know what they found, whether it matters, and what to do next, and for students and naturalists who want a clear reference on how insects are built and classified.

What you will find here

• Identification guides organized the way people actually meet insects: by the room, the size, the color and what the insect is doing. The identification finder ties them together.
• Household pest guides for the groups that cause real problems in homes, from termites to carpet beetles, covering identification, signs, prevention and control.
• Reference pages on insect orders, external anatomy, metamorphosis and the major orders, plus a printable Caterpillar Identification Guide.
• Pest management explainers that describe how prevention and treatment methods work and when professional help makes sense, starting with pest control basics.

How we work

Every page is researched from authoritative sources: university extension services, federal and state agencies, natural history museums and peer-reviewed literature. Sources are listed at the end of each article so you can check them. Our editorial policy and sources policy set out the standards we follow.

The illustrations are original drawings made for this site. They are drawn to show the features that matter for identification, with a scale bar where size is useful.

What we are not

Insects Explained is not a pest-control company, a university or a government agency, and we do not sell treatments or services. Our pages are general information. For a confirmed identification of an insect that could damage your home or affect your health, your county extension office and licensed pest-management professionals can examine a specimen in person.

Get in touch

Questions, suggestions and corrections are welcome. See the contact page.