Animal Identifier Blog

Field guides for identifying animals, birds, breeds and tracks — what to look for, and how to tell lookalikes apart.

Close-up of a garden spider on its orb web with dewdrops on the silk threads

September 18, 2026 • Spider Identification

Apps to Identify Spiders: What Actually Works

Find the best app to identify spiders from a photo. Honest comparison of Seek, Spider Identifier: AI Scanner, and Animal Identifier.

Puss caterpillar on an oak leaf in Louisiana, showing its fluffy tan hairs

September 17, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Louisiana: Identification and Poisonous Species

Louisiana has 4 stinging caterpillar species: the puss caterpillar, buck moth, Io moth, and saddleback. Learn to identify each one and avoid a sting.

Douglas-fir tussock moth caterpillar on a conifer branch in Oregon, showing cream toothbrush hair tufts

September 16, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Oregon: Identification and Poisonous Species

A guide to caterpillars in Oregon: 6 common species and 3 that sting. Covers the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Io moth caterpillar, and western buck moth.

Nevada buck moth caterpillar on a cottonwood leaf along a Colorado river corridor, showing its dark spiny body

September 15, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Colorado: Identification and Poisonous Species

9 caterpillars in Colorado with field marks and host plants, plus the 3 stinging species: Io moth caterpillar, Nevada buck moth caterpillar, and Douglas-fir tussock moth caterpillar.

Puss caterpillar with silky tan fur coat resting on an oak leaf in Kentucky

September 14, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Kentucky: Identification and Poisonous Species

9 caterpillars in Kentucky with field marks, plus which ones sting: puss caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar, and buck moth caterpillar.

Puss caterpillar resting on an oak leaf in South Carolina

September 11, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in South Carolina: Identification and Poisonous Species

Caterpillars in South Carolina include 6 stinging species. The puss caterpillar is North America's most venomous. Identify each species and learn first aid.

Hickory tussock moth caterpillar on an oak leaf in a New York forest, showing its distinctive white hair and black pencil tufts

September 10, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in New York: Identification and Poisonous Species

New York has 6 stinging caterpillar species, including the hickory tussock moth. Learn which caterpillars in New York sting and which are harmless.

Puss caterpillar resting on an oak leaf in a Virginia woodland, showing its distinctive fluffy grayish-brown fur-like covering

September 9, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Virginia: Identification and Poisonous Species

Virginia has 6 stinging caterpillar species, including the puss caterpillar, the most venomous in North America. Learn to identify which ones sting.

White-lined sphinx moth caterpillar with green body, yellow dots, and orange horn on a desert plant in Arizona

September 8, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Arizona: Identification and Poisonous Species

9 caterpillars in Arizona with field marks, plus which ones sting: puss caterpillar, saddleback, and Io moth caterpillar.

Puss caterpillar with silky tan fur coat on an oak leaf in Tennessee

September 7, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Tennessee: Identification and Poisonous Species

9 caterpillars in Tennessee with field marks, plus which ones sting: puss caterpillar, saddleback, and Io moth caterpillar.

Woolly bear caterpillar with rust-brown and black banding on a mossy log in Washington state

September 4, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Washington: Identification and Poisonous Species

9 caterpillars in Washington state with field marks, plus which ones sting: Io moth caterpillar, Douglas-fir tussock moth, and spongy moth.

Lime-green Io moth caterpillar with red and white lateral stripe and branched green spines on an oak leaf in Oklahoma

September 3, 2026 • Insect Identification

Caterpillars in Oklahoma: Identification and Poisonous Species

Learn which caterpillars in Oklahoma can sting and which are harmless. Covers puss caterpillars, Io moth, saddleback, monarch, woolly bears, and more.

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