Insect/Arthropod Photo Submission Instructions
To submit images for identification, capture the images and use one of the following options:
- Email your images to pidc@iastate.edu (recommended)
- Text your images to 515-599-1095
In the email or message, include:
- The county and state in which the insect was found
- The date the insect was found
- Information on the insect's size and location (e.g., on a maple tree, inside in the kitchen)
- Any specific questions or concerns you have about the insect
Note that we can not guarantee identifications from photos and we recommend sending a sample for the most accurate Identification, especially for small insects that are challenging to get in focus.
Here are tips to help send better pictures:
- Get as close to the specimen as possible with the camera. Take and send as high a resolution photo as you can so we can 'zoom in' on features we need to see.
- If the insect is fast-moving you can place the insect in the freezer for 15 minutes before taking the picture. They will be immobile for a few minutes before they warm up and resume moving about. Freezing overnight will kill the insect. Take the chilled/dead insect out of the bag or bottle before photographing it.
- Take photographs in a brightly lit room, next to a window or outdoors. A plain grey or white background is usually best.
- Focus, focus, focus. To focus a cell phone camera, often simply tapping the screen will adjust the focus automatically. For standard point and shoot cameras, push the capture button down half-way, most cameras will then focus.
- Include a size-reference such as a coin, pencil, ruler or yardstick (depending on size) next to the specimen in the photograph.
- Take several pictures (digital film is free!) but send only the best 1 or 2
- Take a picture of the top and a bottom of the insect if possible.
- Include basic information about the insect in the message: Where are you seeing them (inside, outside, on a plant), how many insects, what would you like to know (identification, management, life cycle)?
- Keep the insect, if we can't identify it from your photo, we may ask you to send it in.
- Don’t apologize. We’re all in this together and insect photography is difficult (they are so small!).
- Practice and patience. Pictures will get better with practice.