Insect ID (Habitat): Just Flying Around (3 sections to check out: Indoors / Bright Lights / Outdoors)

Commonly Encountered Flying Around Indoors:

Carpenter Ant Queen (winged)
Carpenter Ant
(Winged Queen)
4 male Carpenter Ants (males have wings for the purpose of nuptial flights)
male Carpenter Ants (males have wings for the purpose of nuptial flights with winged queens)
A male Carpenter Ant (males have wings for the purpose of nuptial flights)
A male Carpenter Ant
photo of Pavement ant reproductives (a queen + 2 smaller males) (next to a US penny for scale purposes) (Gardiner, ME; 9/1/2023)
Pavement ant reproductives (one queen and two smaller males)
An Eastern Ash Bark Beetle
Eastern Ash Bark Beetle (Hylesinus aculeatus) (July 21st, 2021; from firewood in Pittsfield, Maine) (with five phoretic mites hitching a ride on its back)
Photo of a type of fly called a Blow Fly
Blow Fly
photo of a Blow Fly on a rock
Blow Fly
photo of a cluster fly
Cluster Fly
a Drain Fly (also called a Moth Fly)
Drain Fly (also called a Moth Fly)
Photo of a Drain Fly (also called a Moth Fly)
Drain Fly (found around sewage or other wet areas)
Photo of a fishfly
Fishfly adult (July 16th, 2016; central Maine)
a Summer Fishfly (Chauliodes pectinicornis) resting on the side of a house in Old Town, ME; 7/13/2018
Summer Fishfly (Chauliodes pectinicornis) (Old Town, ME; 7/13/2018)
a common fruit fly
Fruit Flies
photo of a Case-bearing Clothes moth and some of their pupal cases
Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella)
Brown-dotted Clothes Moths / European House Moths (Niditinea fuscella) (Peaks Island, ME; 6/28/2024) (Photo courtesy of Jean Hoffman)
Brown-dotted Clothes Moths / European House Moths (Niditinea fuscella) (they do not feed on clothing or fabrics; captured on a pheromone trap intended for fabric-damaging clothes moths; Peaks Island, ME; 6/28/2024) (Photo courtesy of Jean Hoffman)
a newly-emerged Flour/Pantry Moth, April 23rd, 2021
Pantry Moth / Flour Moth (Plodia interpunctella) (newly-emerged; 4/23/2021)
A Pantry/Flour moth next to a US penny for scale purposes
Pantry Moth / Flour Moth (Plodia interpunctella)
A Meal Moth resting on a bathroom wall in central Maine; 5/10/2021
Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis) (resting on a bathroom wall with its abdomen curved up and out for more effective pheromone dispersal; central Maine; 5/10/2021)
A Meal Moth in central Maine next to a US penny for size comparison
Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis) (central Maine; 5/3/2021)
Photo of a crane fly resting on a balsam fir branch
Example of a Crane Fly (this one is a “Large Crane Fly” in the Tipulidae family)
a type of Crane Fly known as a Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
photo of three Fungus gnats captured on a yellow sticky card placed inside a potted houseplant (Dark-winged Fungus Gnats; Family Sciaridae) card.
Dark-winged Fungus Gnats (Family Sciaridae) captured on a yellow sticky card placed in the pot of a houseplant (they are drawn to light and also to the color of yellow)
About three dozen Dark-winged Fungus Gnats (Family Sciaridae) captured on a yellow sticky card (they are drawn to light and also to the color of yellow) (8/1/2023)
Dark-winged Fungus Gnats (Family Sciaridae) captured on a yellow sticky card over a period of only two days, with a similar number of them caught on the reverse side of the card as well (8/1/2023)
Photo of a mayfly adult on the side of a house
Mayfly
Photo of a Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle on a windowsill
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle — ID Tip: The large, black ‘W’ pattern that can be seen just behind the head is a handy way of identifying the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle from other types of ladybugs.
a Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Ladybug) on a windowsill
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Introduced Pine Sawfly adult - Diprion similis - beside a US penny (April 15th, 2020)
Introduced Pine Sawfly adult (Etna, ME; 4/15/2020)
a Green Lacewing atop a cranberry upright - click to see some images of their eggs as well
Lacewings
Photo of a stink bug
Stink Bug
A pair of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs captured in Churchville, NY - April 2019
Pair of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (Churchville, NY – 4/16/2019)
a Metallic Wood-boring Beetle (Family: Buprestidae)
Metallic Wood-boring Beetle (Family: Buprestidae)
A metallic wood boring beetle (Flatheaded Hardwood Borer / Dicerca divaricata) (Photo courtesy of M.O. Metcalf)
A metallic wood boring beetle (Flatheaded Hardwood Borer) (Photo courtesy of M.O. Metcalf)
Stonefly (adult) (this species emerges in Maine in early March, typically)
Stonefly (adult)
a Stonefly (the immatures/nymphs are aquatic)
Stonefly (adult) (the immatures/nymphs are aquatic)
Western Conifer Seed Bug
a Western Conifer Seed Bug with its wings spread open in order to reveal the yellow and black patterning on its abdomen
Western Conifer Seed Bug with its wings spread partway open to reveal the abdominal patterning (When the insect is at rest, the wings are folded neatly over the abdomen, but when people see one like this they will often not recognize it as a western conifer seed bug)
a Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis)
Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis)
A male Tawny cockroach (genus Ectobius) seen in Acadia National Park; Oct. 11th, 2009.
Example of a wood roach (Tawny Cockroach, Ectobius pallidus) (male) (Acadia National Park, Maine; 10/11/2009)
A male Dusky Cockroach (Ectobius lapponicus) (7/13/2015)
Example of a wood roach (Dusky Cockroach, Ectobius lapponicus) (male) (Stetson, Maine; 7/13/2015)
a Virginia Wood Cockroach (Parcoblatta virginica) (Naples, ME; 6/26/2024) (Photo courtesy of M. Shepard)
Example of a male Virginia Wood Cockroach (Parcoblatta virginica) (Naples, ME; 6/26/2024) (Photo courtesy of M. Shepard)
a Common Aerial Yellowjacket worker (side view)
Yellowjackets

Information and Additional Photos (Flying Indoors):

2 More Categories:

Attracted to Lights at Night: scroll down

Flying Around Outdoors: scroll down

Flying or resting at a Bright Light (porchlight, floodlight, ceiling light, etc.):

A male Carpenter Ant with wings (males have wings for the purpose of nuptial flights)
A male Carpenter Ant
Photo of a winged carpenter ant queen
Carpenter Ant (Winged Queen)
an Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (7/22/2024)
Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (7/22/2024)
an Asiatic Garden Beetle next to a US penny (Maladera castanea) (North Yarmouth, ME; 8/14/2022)
Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (North Yarmouth, ME; 8/14/2022)
Photo of a May/June Beetle
May/June Beetle
a Brown Prionid Beetle (Orthosoma brunneum) (Etna, ME; 7/26/2023)
Brown Prionid Beetle (Orthosoma brunneum) (Etna, ME; 7/26/2023)
A female browntail moth with newly-deposited egg mass - July 10th, 2022
Female Browntail Moth depositing her mass of eggs (Old Town, ME; 7/10/2022)
Very large numbers of Browntail Moths in Kennebec County, July 1st, 2021
Browntail Moths in Kennebec County (7/1/2021)
A cluster of Browntail Moths in Kennebec County (7/1/2021)
Closer view of some Browntail Moths from the adjacent photo (Kennebec County, Maine, 7/1/2021)
a Cecropia Moth
Cecropia Moth
a Luna Moth
Luna Moth
a Polyphemus moth
Polyphemus Moth (Etna, Maine; 5/9/2006)
Example of a Giant Casemaker Caddisfly (Oligostomis ocelligera) (Orono, ME; 5/19/2022)
Example of a Giant Casemaker Caddisfly (Oligostomis ocelligera) (Orono, ME; 5/19/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
Photo of a crane fly resting on a balsam fir branch
Example of a Crane Fly (this one is a “Large Crane Fly” in the Tipulidae family)
a type of Crane Fly known as a Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
Mayfly - click to see some additional specimens
Mayflies (the immatures are aquatic)
photo of a Mayfly adult resting on a tree
Mayfly
Photo of a mayfly adult on the side of a house
Mayfly
a Female Dobsonfly
A female dobsonfly
photo of a male dobsonfly beside a U.S. penny for scale purposes
A male dobsonfly; Orono, ME (07/17/2018).
a Summer Fishfly (Chauliodes pectinicornis) resting on the side of a house in Old Town, ME; 7/13/2018
Summer Fishfly (Chauliodes pectinicornis) (Old Town, ME; 7/13/2018)
Photo of a fishfly
Fishfly adult (July 16th, 2016; central Maine)
Photo of a Fishfly adult
Fishfly adult
a Giant Water Bug (also called a Toe-biter)
Giant Water Bug (“Toe-biter”)
Photo of a Giant Water Bug
Giant Water Bug (“Toe-biter”)
a Predaceous Diving Beetle
Predaceous Diving Beetle
a Predaceous Diving Beetle
Predaceous Diving Beetle
Stonefly (adult) (this species emerges in Maine in early March, typically)
Stonefly (adult)
a Stonefly (the immatures/nymphs are aquatic)
Stonefly (adult) (the immatures/nymphs are aquatic)
Pair of 'Small Winter Stoneflies' (family Capniidae), Old Town, Maine on March 11th, 2022
Small Winter Stoneflies (Old Town, Maine; 3/11/2022) (possibly Allocapnia recta) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
A male Dusky Cockroach (Ectobius lapponicus) (7/13/2015)
Example of a wood roach (Dusky Cockroach, Ectobius lapponicus) (male) (Stetson, Maine; 7/13/2015)
A male Tawny cockroach (genus Ectobius) seen in Acadia National Park; Oct. 11th, 2009.
Example of a wood roach (Tawny Cockroach, Ectobius pallidus) (male) (Acadia National Park, Maine; 10/11/2009)

Attracted to Lights at Night:

Flying Around Outdoors (examples of perhaps less well-known flying insects that Mainers might encounter):

Note: Well-known flying insects such as honey bees and bumblebees, Japanese beetles, mosquitoes, monarch butterflies, etc. are not included here since most people recognize those. We also have photo galleries for Butterflies and Moths, and Bees, Hornets and Wasps in order to help with the bulk of those identifications.

Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) (technically a type of yellowjacket)
Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) (technically a type of yellowjacket)
Photo of several blister beetles
Blister Beetles
a Black Blister Beetle, named Epicauta pennsylvanica (DeGeer)
Black Blister Beetle — Epicauta pennsylvanica (DeGeer)
a Glire Bot Fly (Genus Cuterebra) (likely either the Rodent Bot or Rabbit Bot) (Portland, ME; 6/18/2022) (Photo courtesy of Hazen Camber)
Bot Fly (Genus Cuterebra) (likely either the Mouse Bot, C. fontinella, or Rabbit Bot, C. buccata) (Portland, ME; 6/18/2022) (Photo courtesy of Hazen Camber)
Photo of a type of blow fly commonly called a Green Bottle Fly.
A type of blow fly commonly called a Green Bottle Fly.
Photo of a type of fly called a Blow Fly
Blow Fly
an Eastern Boxelder Bug beside a US penny for relative size purposes
Eastern Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata) (adult stage) (Hallowell, ME; 4/19/2021)
Magnified view of an Eastern Boxelder Bug
Eastern Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata) (adult stage) (Hallowell, ME; 4/19/2021)
A male Carpenter Ant with wings (males have wings for the purpose of nuptial flights)
A male Carpenter Ant
Photo of a Carpenter Ant (Winged Queen)
Carpenter Ant (Winged Queen)
Photo of a winged carpenter ant queen
Carpenter Ant (Winged Queen)
Example of a Giant Casemaker Caddisfly (Oligostomis ocelligera) (Orono, ME; 5/19/2022)
Example of a Giant Casemaker Caddisfly (Oligostomis ocelligera) (Orono, ME; 5/19/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
an Asiatic Garden Beetle next to a US penny (Maladera castanea) (North Yarmouth, ME; 8/14/2022)
Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (North Yarmouth, ME; 8/14/2022)
an Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (7/22/2024)
Asiatic Garden Beetle (Maladera formosae) (7/22/2024)
picture of a European Chafer adult beetle
European Chafer (adult stage)
a Rose Chafer (type of scarab beetle)
Closer view of a Rose Chafer (The rose chafer is a type of scarab beetle)
Rose Chafers
Rose Chafers (beetles)
Photo of an annual cicada in Etna, Maine
An Annual / Dog-day Cicada found in Maine
Pair of Annual Cicadas mating (photographed August 9th, 2019)
Pair of Annual Cicadas mating (Stetson, ME; 8/9/2019) (female below)
An Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp resting on a deck
Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp (Sphecius speciosus) (~1.5″ long; solitary and non-aggressive) (often mistaken for a Murder Hornet due to its size) (Raymond Cape, ME; 7/11/2022) (Photo courtesy of Paul Tracy)
An Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp inside a glass jar
Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp (Sphecius speciosus) (~1.5″ long; solitary and non-aggressive) (often mistaken for a Murder Hornet due to its size) (Raymond Cape, ME; 7/11/2022) (Photo courtesy of Paul Tracy)
Photo of a crane fly resting on a balsam fir branch
Example of a Crane Fly (this one is a “Large Crane Fly” in the Tipulidae family)
a type of Crane Fly known as a Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
Phantom Crane Fly (Family Ptychopteridae)
Photo of a damselfly
Example of a Damselfly
Elm Sawfly adult, resting on a pea plant
Elm Sawfly adult, resting on a pea plant (7/1/2020; Edgecomb, Maine) (Photo by E. Kerr)
Elm Sawfly adult, resting on a pea plant
Elm Sawfly adult (resembles a large wasp) (7/1/2020; Edgecomb, Maine) (Photo by E. Kerr)
Photo of a fishfly
Fishfly adult (July 16th, 2016; central Maine)
Photo of a Fishfly adult
Fishfly adult (their larvae are aquatic)
Photo of a Flesh fly resting on a leaf
Flesh Fly
a Locust Borer adult beside a US penny
Locust Borer
A Sugar Maple Borer (a type of longhorned beetle that specializes on maple)
Sugar Maple Borer (Glycobius speciosus) (6/13/2021; Panton, Vermont — but also found in Maine) (Photo courtesy of M.O. Metcalf)
an Emerald Ash Borer on a leaf
Emerald Ash Borer
Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) Orono, ME; 5/12/2022
Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) (Orono, ME; 5/12/2022) (Photo credit: courtesy of Edward S. Grew)
Photo of a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)
Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)
Photo of a robber fly in Maine, Efferia aestuans; photographed on July 17th, 2022
Robber Fly (female Efferia aestuans) (Scarbarough, ME; 7/17/2022)
Photo of a March Fly, Family Bibionidae (genus Bibio and likely Bibio femoratus)
March Fly (“Lovebug”) (Family Bibionidae; genus Bibio) (likely Bibio femoratus) (Etna, ME; 5/27/2023)
a Northeastern Pine Sawyer beetle (July 2015)
Northeastern Pine Sawyer
Northeastern Pine Sawyer (closer view)
Northeastern Pine Sawyer (closer view)
photo of pair of Whitespotted Sawyer beetles (male on left; female on right)
Whitespotted Sawyer Beetles
A female Whitespotted sawyer beetle
Whitespotted Sawyer Beetle (female); Photo by C. Armstrong
Syrphid Fly on Queen Anne's Lace
Example of a Syrphid Fly (feeding on Queen Anne’s Lace pollen)
photo of an example of a Syrphid fly that mimics bee/wasp-like patterning
An example of a Hover fly or Syrphid fly that mimics bee/wasp-like patterning
Photo of another example of a species of syrphid fly called a Drone Fly
Another specimen of a species of syrphid fly called a Drone Fly (sometimes written as one word: Dronefly)
Syrphid Fly - Dana Wilde from Unity (mid July 2013)
Syrphid Fly – Photo courtesy of Dana Wilde from Unity, ME (mid July 2013)
Photo of a Drone Fly (a type of Syrphid Fly which mimics a Honey Bee drone)
Drone Fly/Dronefly (a type of syrphid fly which mimics a honey bee drone, such as Eristalis tenax)
A Tachinid fly in the genus Cylindromyia
A Tachinid fly in the genus Cylindromyia (they are common flower visitors in open/weedy areas)
Tachinid - Ashley Anderson (Dayton, ME) (July 2013)
Tachinid Fly – Photo courtesy of Ashley Anderson (Dayton, ME) (July 2013)
A Tachinid fly - probably Hystricia abrupta
Tachinid fly (likely Hystricia abrupta) (Newburgh, ME; 7/28/2020) The adults of this species feed on nectar and their larvae develop inside caterpillars (Photo courtesy of J Atherton)

Flying Around Outdoors: