Species guides
What did you just spot?
Quick, honest guides to the bugs, spiders, mushrooms, plants and birds people run into most — how to recognise them, and whether they're anything to worry about. Not sure? Identify yours from a photo.
⚠ Dangerous & venomous species— venomous, toxic & risky ones in one placeInsects & garden bugs
- Asian lady beetleHarmonia axyridis
- Bed bugCimex lectularius
- Black carpenter antCamponotus pennsylvanicus
- Boxelder bugBoisea trivittata
- Brown marmorated stink bugHalyomorpha halys
- Common yellowjacketVespula vulgaris
- European earwigForficula auricularia
- European paper waspPolistes dominula
- German cockroachBlattella germanica
- House centipedeScutigera coleoptrata
- Japanese beetlePopillia japonica
- Periodical cicadaMagicicada septendecim
- SilverfishLepisma saccharinum
- Tomato hornwormManduca quinquemaculatus
Butterflies & moths
- Black swallowtailPapilio polyxenes
- Cabbage whitePieris rapae
- Eastern tiger swallowtailPapilio glaucus
- Luna mothActias luna
- Monarch butterflyDanaus plexippus
- Mourning cloakNymphalis antiopa
- Painted ladyVanessa cardui
- Polyphemus mothAntheraea polyphemus
- Red admiralVanessa atalanta
- Woolly bear (Isabella tiger moth)Pyrrharctia isabella
Spiders & other arachnids
Mammals
- Eastern chipmunkTamias striatus
- Eastern cottontailSylvilagus floridanus
- Eastern gray squirrelSciurus carolinensis
- European hedgehogErinaceus europaeus
- GroundhogMarmota monax
- RaccoonProcyon lotor
- Red foxVulpes vulpes
- Striped skunkMephitis mephitis
- Virginia opossumDidelphis virginiana
- White-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianus
Backyard birds
Reptiles & amphibians
- American bullfrogLithobates catesbeianus
- American toadAnaxyrus americanus
- Common garter snakeThamnophis sirtalis
- Common snapping turtleChelydra serpentina
- CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix
- Eastern box turtleTerrapene carolina
- Eastern rat snakePantherophis alleghaniensis
- European adderVipera berus
- Five-lined skinkPlestiodon fasciatus
- Gray treefrogHyla versicolor
- Green anoleAnolis carolinensis
- Northern water snakeNerodia sipedon
- Red-eared sliderTrachemys scripta
Plants, trees & flowers
- Aloe veraAloe vera
- American pokeweedPhytolacca americana
- Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirta
- Common ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- Common sunflowerHelianthus annuus
- CrabgrassDigitaria sanguinalis
- DandelionTaraxacum officinale
- Eastern white pinePinus strobus
- FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
- Garden tulipTulipa gesneriana
- Giant hogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum
- GinkgoGinkgo biloba
- Japanese knotweedReynoutria japonica
- Lily of the valleyConvallaria majalis
- Monstera (Swiss cheese plant)Monstera deliciosa
- Northern red oakQuercus rubra
- OleanderNerium oleander
- Pacific poison oakToxicodendron diversilobum
- Peace lilySpathiphyllum wallisii
- Poison hemlockConium maculatum
- Poison ivyToxicodendron radicans
- PothosEpipremnum aureum
- Sago palmCycas revoluta
- Silver birchBetula pendula
- Snake plantDracaena trifasciata
- Stinging nettleUrtica dioica
- Sugar mapleAcer saccharum