I’m writing this article a little in jest, making fun of insect pictures that are texted or emailed to me for identification.  However, with the good cameras available on many phones, a picture can really help.  Below is a picture submitted a couple of years ago. I could immediately identify this as a lesser cornstalk borer.  This saved me an unnecessary trip.

In contrast, the pictures below were texted to me this week.  Obviously, I need a little more to make an identification.  Please use your camera and send pictures.  They can be very helpful if they are any good.  If you just can’t get a good shot, remember that almost all the County Extension offices are set up to take pictures (and even through a microscope). And they can submit images for identification directly to a specialist or the Distance Diagnostic Center.  Be sure to provide a little context if you send a picture, like where the critter was found.