Identification of Immature Insects

Insect Identification Laboratory
Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech

Select the larva that most closely resembles the pest found in your house or pantry.


FLY MAGGOTS are slender and are narrow at the head region and broad at the tail. They appear (and are in fact) headless. They can either be BLOW FLIES or HOUSE FLIES. Maggots are usually associated with dead animals or rotting food.	BORERS: OLD HOUSE BORER, FLATHEADED BORER, ROUNDHEADED BORERS AND POWDER POST BEETLES are in general all pale to creamy in color and have a dark head and small or missing legs. They are found in wood and their tunnels are filled with sawdust. All leave exit holes as they exit the wood.

CARPET BEETLES are small (1/8 inch or 3 mm) and very hairy. They appear to have two tufts of hair on the end of their abdomen. Associated with food and wool.	BLACK CARPET BEETLES are similar in size to the varied carpet beetle but are golden yellow and have a long tuft of curly hair on the end of their abdomen. Associated with food and wool.

INDIANMEAL MOTH are slender creamy white caterpillars often with a pink or green tint. They will be associated with food or may be found on the WALL or CEILING.	MEALWORMS are associated with animal feed and meal. They are dark colored and have are long and slender like a wireworm.

CLOTHES MOTHS are associated with wool clothes and WOOL carpets. The make a case from the wool they feed on and are identified by this characteristic.	LARDER BEETLES are associated with cured meat and dead animals. They are hairy and have two spines on the end of their abdomen.