About ScanaBug

Why ScanaBug exists

Finding an unfamiliar bug in your kitchen, garden or bed usually raises two questions: what is it, and should I worry? Search results are often full of pest control sales pages that make every bug sound like an emergency. ScanaBug was built to give a calm, plain-language answer first, and to be honest about what it cannot tell you. Most bugs people find are harmless, and we say so.

What you will find here

Identifier tools. The Insect Identifier, the Spider Identifier and the Bug Bite Identifier. Upload a photo and get a likely match and general guidance.

Identification guides. Articles on insects, spiders, household and garden pests, with sources listed at the end of each one. Browse them all on the Blog.

Bed bug information. The Bed Bugs guide helps you recognize bed bugs and decide what to do next.

Start here: What Is an Insect?, Best Free Bug Identifier Apps for Android and iPhone, Bed Bugs and Black and Brown Spiders: Not Every One Is Dangerous.

Who is behind it

ScanaBug is created and run by Attique Ahmed Abbasi. He builds and maintains the tools, and edits and fact-checks each guide before it is published. You can reach him directly at support@scanabug.com.

We are not a team of licensed entomologists or pest control professionals, and we do not claim to be. Our guides summarize information from established public sources and link to them, so you can check the original and decide for yourself.

How the identifier works

The identifier uses AI image recognition. Your photo is sent securely to a third-party AI service, which returns a likely match. We add a general safety label (Harmless, Caution or Avoid) and suggested next steps. The result is a suggestion, not a verdict, and it can be wrong. The Bug Bite Identifier suggests possible causes only. It cannot confirm what caused a bite or diagnose a skin reaction. Read How Our Identifier Works for the full explanation.

How our guides are made and checked

Guides are researched against university extension programs, public health agencies and taxonomic databases. Names, sizes, ranges, and bite and sting facts are checked against those sources before publishing. Each guide shows the date it was last updated, and we correct mistakes quickly. Our Editorial Policy explains the process in full.

What we will not do

• Diagnose medical conditions.
• Use fear to push you toward a purchase.
• Change an identification result or safety label because someone paid us.

How ScanaBug is funded

The tools and guides are free to use. ScanaBug displays, or may display, advertising served by Google AdSense to help cover the cost of running the site. Advertisers have no influence over our guides or results. We do not currently use affiliate links. See our Advertising Disclosure.

Your privacy

You do not need an account to use ScanaBug. We do not save your photos in our own storage and we do not use them to train any model. Our Privacy Policy explains what happens to your information.

Health and safety

ScanaBug is not medical advice. If you have severe symptoms after a bite or sting, see a doctor or call your local emergency number. Read our Disclaimer and Medical Notice.