Black larder beetle (Incinerator beetle) Order: Coleoptera Family: Dermestidae Genus and species: Dermestes ater De Geer The black larder beetle has a worldwide distribution. It feeds on various organic substances, especially dead insects and vertebrate carrion. It...

Odd beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Dermestidae Genus and species: Thylodrias contractus (Motschulsky) The aptly named odd beetle is the most bizarre member of the family Dermestidae. Males and females bear little resemblance to each other. Males average 2.9 mm long...

Variable carpet beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Dermestidae Genus and species: Anthrenus verbasci (Linnaeus) The varied carpet beetle is a serious pest of stored organic products in homes, warehouses, and museums, and it has a virtually worldwide distribution. The...

Pennsylvania leatherwing Order: Coleoptera Family: Cantharidae Genus and species:Chauliognathus pensylvanicus (De Geer) The Pennsylvania leatherwing is a distinctive orange and black beetle from the eastern United States, ranging as far west as Texas. Adults can be...

Glow-worm Order: Coleoptera Family: Phengodidae Genus and species: Phengodes spp. The term glow-worm is applied to the beetle families Phengodidae and Lampyridae. Both families contain species in which females are wingless and resemble larvae. Wingless females and...

Eastern Hercules beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Scarabaeidae Genus and species: Dynastes tityus (Linnaeus) The eastern Hercules beetle is relatively common in Arkansas. It also occurs from southeastern New York south to Florida and from southern Illinois and Indiana...

Japanese Beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Scarabaeidae Genus and species: Popillia japonica  Newman Both adult and immature Japanese beetles are highly destructive pests. Adults emerge in July and August and feed on the foliage and fruit of hundreds of species of...

Dark flower scarab (Spangled flower beetle) Order: Coleoptera Family: Scarabaeidae Genus and species: Euphoria sepulcralis (Fabricius) Euphoria sepulcralis is a day-flying scarab beetle from the eastern United States. Adults are often found in association with...

Green June beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Scarabaeidae Genus and species: Cotinis nitida (Linnaeus) Sometimes called the fig eater because of the adult’s fondness for figs and other ripe, thin-skinned fruits, the green June beetle is native to and widely distributed...

Pinching bug Order: Coleoptera Family: Lucanidae Genus and species: Pseudolucanus capreolus (Linnaeus) All life stages of stag beetles (family Lucanidae) can be found in old stumps, decaying roots, and in logs of a wide variety of trees, commonly in moist woodland...

American burying beetle Order: Coleoptera Family: Silphidae Genus and species: Nicrophorus americanus Olivier The American burying beetle is a member of the carrion beetle family Silphidae. It is large, with some individuals reaching a length of 1.5 inches. It is...

Caterpillar hunter Order: Coleoptera Family: Carabidae Genus and species: Calosoma scrutator Fabricius This brilliant, metallic green beetle is sometimes found in large numbers during the Arkansas spring, being attracted to lights at night. It may cause alarm because...

Oleander aphid Order: Hemiptera Family: Aphididae Genus and species: Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe The oleander aphid, also sometimes called the milkweed aphid, feeds primarily on plants in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) and milkweed family (Ascelpiadaceae), but...

Dog day cicadas Order: Hemiptera Family: Cicadidae Genus and species: Tibicen spp. Cicadas are easily recognized by their large size, 1–2 inches in length, their characteristic shape, with transparent wings held tent-like over the abdomen, and the presence of 3 ocelli...

Periodical cicadas Order: Hemiptera Family: Cicadidae Genus and species: Magicicada spp. This spring many Arkansans and other southerners will witness one the most astounding acts of nature – the near simultaneous emergence of millions of large, noisy, black and...

Squash bug Order: Hemiptera Family: Coreidae Genus and species: Anasa tristis (De Geer) Arkansas gardeners often notice that their zucchini plants dramatically wilt, die, and turn brown and crisp in midsummer. This syndrome is caused by squash bugs. The bugs can be...

A common leaf-footed bug Order: Hemiptera: Heteroptera Family: Coreidae Genus and species: Acanthocephala terminalis (Dallas) Acanthocephala terminalis is readily recognized by the distinctive shape of the leaf-like dilation of its hind tibia. It is frequently...

Harlequin bug Order: Hemiptera Family: Pentatomidae Genus and species: Murgantia histrionica (Hahn) The harlequin bug is an important pest of cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and related cruciferous crops, and it is a minor pest of some other vegetable crops,...