Purple small-headed fly Order: Diptera Family: Acroceridae Genus and species: Lasia purpurata Bequaert In 1933, Harvard University entomologist Joseph Bequaert described Lasia purpurata from a large, pilose, metallic blue fly with strong purple reflections that was...

Robber Flies Order: Diptera Family: Asilidae Diogmites symmachus Lampria rubriventris Laphria thoracica Holcocephala fusca Nerax aestuans Proctacanthus duryi Promachus hinei Triorla interrupta Ommatius sp Diogmites symmachus Laphria lata Prolepsis tristis Mallophora...

Mydas fly Order: Diptera Family: Mydidae Genus and species: Mydas clavatus (Drury) This common Arkansas species is a large, 1.0-1.5 inch, striking, velvety-black wasp mimic with smoky wings, long antennae, and a bright orange marking on the top and sides of the second...

Snake-worm Order: Diptera Family: Sciaridae Genus and species: Members of the fly family Sciaridae are known as darkwinged fungus gnats. They are often found in dark, shady places, such as forests, caves, and animal burrows. Their larvae have a shiny black head...

Moth flies, drain flies Order: Diptera Family: Psychodidae Genus and species: Psychoda alternata Say and others Moth flies are very small flies covered with a furry coat of fine setae that renders a resemblance to tiny moths. Outdoors, adult moth flies are usually...

Twobanded Japanese weevil Order: Coleoptera Family: Curculionidae Genus and species: Pseudocneorhinus bifasciatus Roelofs The twobanded Japanese weevil, native to the Orient, was first found in the United States in 1914 near Philadelphia. Adults are flightless. The...

Cowpea curculio Order: Coleoptera Family: Curculionidae Genus and species: Chalcodermus aeneus  Boheman The cowpea curculio adults and larvae damage legumes by feeding on seeds within pods. It infests field peas, stringbeans, soybeans. Lima beans, cotton, and...

Common asparagus beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Chrysomelidae Genus and species: Crioceris asparagi (Linnaeus) The common asparagus beetle is an introduced species in the United State. It is native to the Mediterranean Sea region. This species was first noticed in...

Cottonwood leaf beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Chrysomelidae Genus and species: Chrysomela scripta Fabricius Adults and larvae of the cottonwood leaf beetles feed on foliage of poplars, willows, aspens, and alders, sometimes causing severe damage to the trees. Young...

Twig girdler Order: Coleoptera Family: Cerambycidae Genus and species: Oncideres cingulata (Say)   During the Arkansas autumn, when it is time to rake leaves, homeowners often notice that there are lots of 1-2 foot twigs on the lawn. Some might blame high winds...

Red oak borer Order: Coleoptera Family: Cerambycidae Genus and species: Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman)   Severe decline and death of oaks in the red oak group (northern red oak Quercus rubra, southern red oak Q. falcata, and black oak Q. velutina) was detected in...

Ebony blister beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Meloidae Genus and species: Epicauta funebris Horn   Species of the family Meloidae are known as blister beetles. They produce a substance called cantharidin, which can cause blistering of skin and mucous membranes...

Confused flour beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Tenebrionidae Genus and species: Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val Confused flour beetles commonly infest flour and grain stored in silos, warehouses, grocery stores, and homes. They feed on broken grain, grain dust,...

Multicolored Asian lady beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Genus and species: Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) Multicolored Asian lady beetle (MALB) is an apt name for this little beetle. It is the common name officially sanctioned by the Entomological Society...

Nine-spotted lady beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Genus and species: Coccinella novemnotata Herbst Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles, comprise nearly 500 species in the United States and Canada and several thousand species...

Sawtoothed grain beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Silvanidae Genus and species: Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus) Both sawtoothed grain beetles and their close relatives, the merchant grain beetles (Oryzaephilus mercator (Fauvel)), are common stored-food product...

Foreign grain beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Silvanidae Genus and species: Ahasverus advena (Waltl) Foreign grain beetles are brown and tiny, only about 1/16 of an inch long. They have two conspicuous and diagnostic round lobes on the prothorax right behind the...

Drugstore beetles Order: Coleoptera Family: Anobiidae Genus and species: Stegobium paniceum (Linnaeus) The drugstore beetle has a worldwide distribution, and it is one of the most common household pests in Arkansas. The larvae, small white grubs that are rarely seen,...