# Advice on getting insect signs idenitified? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [June 28, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334 "2021-06-28T19:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![renekimray](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/renekimray/32/12747_2.png) [@renekimray](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/renekimray)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/1 "2021-06-28T19:11:55Z")
This is the season when I seem to find lots of mystery insect signs: eggs, molts, chewed leaves, etc. Any suggestions on how to best tag these observations for identification? Or other resources, field guides, websites for identification? All suggestions welcome. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![boguo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/boguo/32/6899_2.png) [@boguo](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/boguo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/2 "2021-06-28T19:34:32Z")
I don’t know about US, but in Europe there are particular field guides on tree/plant damages. Maybe your forestry services have some resources on them, that’s a start. ---
**Author:** ![romainclem](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/romainclem/32/8714_2.png) [@romainclem](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/romainclem)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/3 "2021-06-28T20:19:46Z")
I remember [Tracks & Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates](https://www.amazon.com/Tracks-Sign-Insects-Other-Invertebrates-dp-0811736245/dp/0811736245), by Eiseman and Charney, being highly recommended during one of the iNat online workshops. I haven’t had the opportunity to use it, but it has been on my list since then! ---
**Author:** ![marina\_gorbunova](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/marina_gorbunova/32/31454_2.png) [@marina\_gorbunova](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/marina_gorbunova)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 7:59am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/4 "2021-06-29T07:59:10Z")
Well, if you don’t know what it is you can id them as winged insects (most of insects are in that group) and add annotations if you’re sure in any, and we’ll id it for you, there’re many resources on ids of things, including projects for US [galls](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-north-america) and [leafminers](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/leafminers-of-north-america) (European [too](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/leafminers-of-europe), plus whole [website](https://bladmineerders.nl/) on them), if you need to id moult you’d like to look up insect larva, e.g. [here](https://entomoresin.com/1pdf/larva.pdf) or read up about whole groups, like [here](http://www.entomologa.ru/boxes/52.htm). Or you can tag one of iders. ---
**Author:** ![mamestraconfigurata](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/mamestraconfigurata/32/10149_2.png) [@mamestraconfigurata](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/mamestraconfigurata)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/5 "2021-06-29T12:58:08Z")
If you find insect eggs you could try rearing them. I would assume they would most likely be on a leaf, and that plant could be the food source. Even a hatched larva could give clues as to what the insect type is. ---
**Author:** ![renekimray](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/renekimray/32/12747_2.png) [@renekimray](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/renekimray)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/6 "2021-06-29T13:16:18Z")
Not sure I’m brave enough to rear them, but the idea of including info on the host plant/food source is great advice! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 1:17pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/advice-on-getting-insect-signs-idenitified/24334/7 "2021-08-28T13:17:15Z")
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