![Amateur Entomologists' Society home page [Logo]](/images/aes-logo-wplant.gif){kind=logo}
Identification services for non-members
A ferocious predator in freshwater ponds, the back-swimmer, Notonecta glauca.
As a non-member we are unable to provide individual responses to identification queries via email. However, you can try and identify the invertebrate yourself through the following resources on the AES Web site:
- Introduction to arthropods - if you are not sure whether you have found an insect, arachnid, crustacean or other invertebrate, then this is the place to start.
- Key to adult insects - if you are trying to identify an adult insect why not try and determine what group it belongs to using our key.
- Insect groups (Orders) - if you know what group your insect belongs to (or have identified it using the key) why not read our fact files about that group?
- If you have been unable to identify the insect then please use our discussion forum to talk to experts.
AES Bug Club discussion forum
You can submit a query about invertebrates through the AES Bug Club discussion forum that the society runs. The service is free and the group contains lots of experts from all over the world who can help you identify your insect. In order to post your question to the group you will need to provide an email address. Once you have received identification advice you do not need to stay on the forum although you might enjoy the lively discussions that take place if you do.
In order to have the highest chance of success of someone identifying your insect, you will need to provide as much information as possible. For example:
- Location: where you found the insect (including the country).
- Description: size, colour, number of legs, does the insect have wings and how many?
- Photograph: if you can provide a photograph of the insect then this will make it much easier for people to help with the identification. Photographs should be uploaded to the files area on the Yahoo Groups site: http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/bugclub.
If you think you have an adult insect you could try identifying it using the key to adult insects, you might also like to read 'The mystery fly'.
Linking to this page
If you found this service useful, and would like to refer others to it from your Web site, please feel free to use the following code:
<a href="http://www.amentsoc.org/insects/what-bug-is-this/non-members-id-service.html">What bug is this? An insect identification service from the Amateur Entomologists' Society</a>