Insect & Mite Identification Service

Whether a USDA research entomologist, state entomologist, museum specialist, amateur entomologist, or someone simply concerned about potential pests in your home or garden, SEL's Insect Identification Service is available to assist with specimen identification. Further, SEL scientists collaborate with other scientists, internationally, on the identification of shared pest and beneficial insects. The guidelines that follow provide useful tips to help you get the most out of the Insect Identification Service.

General Considerations

SEL provides identifications based on specimens. SEL does NOT provide extensive biological information along with its identifications, and lab personnel are not authorized to provide specific information regarding pest control strategies. Questions about managing pest species should be directed to your State Cooperative Extension Office.
Not all specimens can be identified. Insects represent the most diverse group of animals on the planet, and our knowledge of this diversity is still very limited. Additionally, many insects are only known from specific life stages (larva, pupa, or adult) or from a single sex. As a result, it is not uncommon for specialists to be unable to provide a complete, species-level, determination.
Submissions are directed to our research leader, and then disseminated to the appropriate scientist. If you send specimens directly to scientists, there is a greater probability that your specimens will be misplaced or lost. Our research leader maintains a database of all pending SEL identifications, and this system allows us to keep track of submissions within the lab.

Submissions must adhere to SEL's standard submission requirements. This includes the online submission of the ARS-748 form (the SEL's Identification Request Form), as well as the hard-copy of the same form shipped with the specimens. Please use the free Adobe Acrobat to fill out the PDF and maintain its fillable format. Please do not print, fill out, then scan as this complicates our automated process for recording form data.
All specimens that are collected will be considered for inclusion in the National Insect Collection at the discretion of the scientist identifier; submission of specimens means the submitter accepts this agreement. This of course will be discussed with the submitter, as some reference specimens, returned to the submitter, is beneficial to all parties. The SEL is hosted by the NMNH, Smithsonian Institution, and SEL must adhere to the NMNH specimen acquisition guidelines. The submitter must include with the ARS-748 any and all evidence of permission for collecting said specimens. If the specimens originate from outside the United States, the appropriate export permits for the country of origin, as well as permits for entering the US, are also required. Specimens collected without permits, or collected illegally, cannot be processed in the NMNH and will not be considered for identification by the SEL. The ‘Comments’ field on the 748 form is where permissions information can be added.
We realize that many of the specimen preparation techniques require specialized materials that may not be readily available to the general public. When such materials are unavailable, feel free to improvise. Pill bottles are a good substitute for vials, and rubbing alcohol can be used in place of ethanol. Do NOT use tape or other adhesives to secure specimens to paper.
The following information is required for submission. If there are many specimens, a spreadsheet of collecting events, emailed to the scientist identifier, would be preferred.
Country: State: County: Town
Host or Specific Location
Date: Collector's Name
Contact Information

Send Submissions to:
Mailing Address (USPS):
Research Leader, Systematic Entomology Laboratory
Department of Entomology
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 168
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Shipping Address (UPS, FedEx, DHL and other couriers):
Research Leader, USDA, Systematic Entomology Laboratory
c/o Department of Entomology
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
1000 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20560-0165

e-mail: michael.gates@usda.gov
phone: 202 633 4554