How to Identify Small Brown Insects

Identifying small brown bugs can help keep your house from infestation. Bugs can creep in from anywhere, including grass, trees and streets, depending on where you live. Staying alert to the presence of insects is essential to spotting the cause of their arrival. Keeping a home clean and crumb free will keep bug food out of reach. Making necessary home repairs, such as fixing holes in floors and walls and using pesticides are other ways to keep bugs at bay.

Things You'll Need

  • Jar
  • Paper
  • Magnifying glass
  • Flashlight
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Bug field guide
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look for brown bugs. Check corners of rooms and counter tops. Look in cabinet drawers to identify any evidence of insects - dismembered legs or wings or dead bugs, for instance. Snoop carefully for bugs, moving slowly to avoid disturbing insects and making them scatter. Search for insects at night as many bugs enjoy moving in the darkness.

    • 2

      Place an empty jar over top the brown bug. Slip a thin sheet of white paper under the lid to pick the insect up and move it, if necessary. Be careful when sliding the paper under the jar to avoid damaging the bug in any way.

    • 3

      Identify the bug's characteristics. Count the legs and wings of the bug. Note any additional colors or patterns on the skin. Take notice of stand-out features, such as large eyes or antennae, and assess the bug's length. Make as many notes as possible on the captured insect.

    • 4

      Compare your notes to a comprehensive bug field guide. Match the characteristics you found to brown bugs listed in the text. A brown spider will have eight legs, while a beetle will have a maximum of six legs. Brown centipedes, on the other hand, may possess 12 or more legs. Cockroaches can measure up to 1 1/2 inches long, while beetles often measure one-third of that length.