List of Insects in Ohio

Due to the amount of forest coverage and freshwater rivers and streams, the ecology of Ohio is quite diverse. The forested areas cover 6,146,000 acres of land, while rivers and steams are 44,000 miles in length. Ohio is also home to a large insect population, with many relying and surviving off of plants, animals and humans.

  1. Multi-Colored Asian Lady Bug

    • These insects are found all over Eastern United States, including Ohio. Despite their name, they are actually a type of beetle and are sometimes referred to as ladybird beetles. They have a series of spots on their front wings and are colored yellowish orange or bright red. The amount of spots they have on their outer wings, often mistaken for a shell, varies. In Ohio, they are considered a pest by residents because they often take up sanctuary in houses during the winter months and do so in large numbers. They are a different type of ladybug from the native species, often being distinguished by a dark "M" shape on the head of the beetle.

    Blue Bottle Flies

    • The Blue Bottle Fly is a scavenger by nature, choosing to forage through feces and decaying animal remains. They are often the first set of insects to scavenge and consume carcasses of both animals and humans, consuming the soft tissue first. These flies play an essential part in getting rid of biological waste. They have also been known to feed on the open wounds of living animals, eating the dead tissue around the sore. Ohio wilderness has an abundance of wildlife that participates in the life cycle and the Blue Bottle Fly relies on this for its survival.

    Deer Flies

    • This type of insect is also commonly referred to as a horse fly and is known for landing on a host animal or human and drawing blood, which is usually painful. They do this by biting into the soft skin tissue of the victim and making a painful incision. The blood that is released is then consumed by the fly and used by the female to create eggs, which it lays in muddy or wet environments. Females are the only ones to consume blood, while males consume the nectar of plants. Before the larvae transforms into an adult, it feeds on the larvae of other insects for food. Deer flies usually prey upon wild animals, such as deer, which is where their name is taken from.