ID-0004 · Insect Identification
Identify Any Insect or Bug
Butterflies, beetles, bees, dragonflies, spiders — point your camera and find out what it is.
About insect identification
Spotter identifies insects and other arthropods from a photo — butterflies and moths, beetles, bees and wasps, dragonflies, true bugs, spiders, and more. Just snap the bug you found and get an identification in seconds.
Each result includes common and scientific name, key identifying features, life-cycle notes, preferred habitat, and range. Results are reference information to help you learn — a fast way to make sense of the insects around you.
For a better identification
- Get as close as your camera allows while keeping the insect in sharp focus.
- Photograph the top and, when possible, the underside — wing patterns and body markings are key.
- Include something for scale and note the habitat where you found it.
- For fast-moving insects, burst mode gives you better identification photos.
Field Notes
- What Is the Big Loud Metallic-Green Beetle? Green June Beetle vs Japanese Beetle
- How to Identify a Praying Mantis (and Which Ones Are Native)
- How to Identify a Monarch Caterpillar (and Its Milkweed Look-Alikes)
- How to Identify a Caterpillar (and What It Becomes)
- Moth vs Butterfly: How to Tell the Difference
- Why Are All These Bugs Trying to Get Into My House in Fall? Identifying the Fall Invaders
More: Insects & Bugs
How Spotter compares
Insect: name it from a photo
Free to download. You get the name, field marks, look-alikes, habitat and safety notes on your phone.
