How to Identify Flying Insects in Ohio

There are many reasons why you might want to know how to identify insects. You might be an insect collector, you may hope to increase your scientific knowledge, or perhaps you simply want to know what is flying around in your house. Most flying insects in Ohio fall into one of three broad categories: beetles, wasps and flies.  Of these insects, many can be easily identified by their body shapes, wings and location.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifying glass
• Insect identification guide (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Attempt to classify the insect as a beetle, wasp or fly. Beetles have ovular bodies that usually have a slight sheen due to their hard external coating. Wasps have long abdomens and resemble large winged ants. Flies have shorter bodies than wasps and usually appear to have a hunched or rounded back, according to Ohio State University.

• 2

  If you are not sure whether an insect is a wasp or fly, count its wings. Wasps may have two or four wings, but most flies in Ohio have only two wings. Wasps have wings that are about as long as their bodies; fly wings are usually shorter.

• 3

  If the insect is a beetle, the wings are the most helpful identification feature. Some beetles will have spots or glossy stripes on their wings that will aid in identification. Ladybugs (a type of beetle) have red or orange wings with black spots, ground beetles have shiny black wings, and carrion beetles have orange heads with bumpy black wings, according to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

• 4

  Look at the color markings on the body (thorax and abdomen) to help identify wasps. Paper wasps have a reddish or brown body with yellow marks on their abdomens. Yellowjacket wasps have alternating yellow and black bands on their abdomens.

• 5

  Consider the location of the insect. You are not likely to see a stilt-legged fly in your house, as this species is native to wetlands; you are more likely to see a house fly, bottle fly or black garbage fly, according to Ohio State University.

• 6

  Consult a book or website that contains an insect field guide if you have collected identifying information about the insect and are still unsure of its identity. Insect Identification has large, color pictures of hundreds of insects to aid identification. As for books, the "Peterson First Guide to Insects of North America" is a very thorough reference tool.