IdentifyUS
Rapid, confidential & expert identification of bed bugs, ticks, head lice, fleas, flies, mites & other pests.
Plus comprehensive pathogen testing for tick-borne diseases and viruses.
About US
Learn more about the products and services offered by IdentifyUS, LLC.
Who we are
Richard J. Pollack, PhD - President and Chief Scientific Officer
IdentifyUS pest identifications and guidance services are performed by Richard J. Pollack, Ph.D. Dr. Pollack has earned degrees in Entomology (B.S.) from Cornell University, Medical Parasitology (M.Sc.) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Parasitology (Ph.D.) from the University of Pennsylvania. He has served as a public health entomologist at the Harvard School of Public Health since 1988 where he engaged in research and offered instruction on diverse public health pests and pathogens locally and internationally. He also has held academic appointments at Boston University, Tufts University and MIT.Dr. Pollack has consulted for, and provided training to, a broad range of health/public health, housing and education agencies/organizations as well as for private businesses across the country and abroad. He has delivered keynote addresses and made professional presentations for international, state and regional scientific and pest control conferences, and has provided expert witness testimony in numerous cases pertaining to pest-related injuries and damages. His advice is frequently sought by manufacturers, as well as packagers and providers in the pesticide, pharmaceutical and food industries. Furthermore, he is regularly requested to offer guidance on pest control by property management companies, owners, tenants, the hospitality industry, schools, hospitals and other health facilities, as well as for legal counsel. Dr. Pollack has evaluated tens of thousands of real and presumed pests for medical professionals, educational and professional clients, and for members of the general public.Although he has served (and may continue to serve) on technical and scientific advisory boards, he neither holds financial interest in the companies nor endorses any product. His views and conclusions are, therefore, independent of manufacturers, vendors and suppliers of services, and they do not necessarily reflect those of any academic institutions with which he is affiliated.
What we do
IdentifyUS provides professional services to quickly evaluate and identify pests and pest-affected items. We work with individuals, businesses, schools, laboratories, clinicians, museums, libraries, food service establishments and just about anybody else who needs expert evaluation of pests and pest-related problems. We are frequently asked to provide guidance on the biology and management of bed bugs, ticks, and head lice, and we also provide insights and guidance on diverse other pest-related issues. Our expertise includes:
Identification of any pests affecting public health, whether they bite, sting, infest or create other risks to persons or other animals, and most pests of relevance to commodities, whether during their production, shipping or storage
Landscape architecture to ensure proposed or built designs do/did not create new habitat for arthropod, mammalian or avian pests that may affect persons, dwellings or critical infrastructure
Building design reviews to ensure dwellings are appropriately pest-proofed to exclude pests and to deny pests the ability to disperse though buildings
Sanitation assessments of solid waste handling and sanitary plumbing systems to reduce the attractiveness of these sites for pests and to limit the chances for pests to enter and thrive within
Intervention design to develop justifiable, attainable and sustainable goals meant to reduce risks to persons, infrastructure, the environment and limiting budgets
Archival / conservancy assessments to prevent and mitigate pests and pest damage to museum and library accessions
Public relations / reputational responses arising from injuries or damages sustained from pests
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need help identifying or evaluating something of concern to you or if you are interested in our identification services and visual search tools.
What we offer
Value and savingsWe regularly save clients hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars. How? Many times each day we are able to calm fears as we report that the suspected ‘bed bug’ was something of far less concern. Many kinds of creatures found in the home or office can be managed by inexpensive means. Why pay for services that might not be necessary?The information we provide may also prevent you from unnecessarily treating your home with pesticides. Our guidance and fast service can offer you peace of mind. Our clients (whether they are homeowners, tenants, building managers or others) regularly report to us that the minor cost to evaluate their specimen was the ‘best money they’ve ever spent’.Know thy enemyBefore you go into war against a pest, you should know who or what you are battling. Why? Because the appropriate means to combat one kind of pest are often quite different than those you’d use against another kind. For some bugs, a vacuum cleaner or a broom is the method of choice. For others, carefully chosen and targeted pesticides may be wise. In yet other cases, broad-spectrum insecticides, applied throughout the dwelling by a licensed professional, may be the most logical choice. So, be sure you know who or what you are battling before you spend your hard-earned money. Pest management services can easily cost many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Hiring a licensed pest management professional is often the wisest choice if you’re battling bed bugs or certain other pests. Before you commit to such costs… and to the application of pesticides… it is wise to independently confirm the identity of the pest. That's how we can help you.We’re independentNot all pest control professionals have experts on hand that can identify a broad array of pests. Many don’t have the necessary expertise or equipment, and customers often worry that there may be a bias for them to sell services that may really be unnecessary. IdentifyUS serves you by providing independent confirmation of the creatures you’ve found.Educational focusOur educational website, formerly hosted at the Harvard School of Public Health, was visited by many millions of visitors, and thousands have written to offer their appreciation of our calm, helpful and easily understood information and guidance. We've updated that information and now offer it here in a new and improved format on our website for your benefit.
Why we are different
At IdentifyUS we examine the actual creatures you submit and/or your digital images. We then expertly and rapidly review what you submit to us as well as any other collateral information you provide. Based upon this review we then offer you our conclusions as to the true identity of the creature(s) and also provide you with further objective insight and guidance based on our findings.The specimens, images and information you provide may suggest that you’re dealing with an active (extant) infestation or simply with relics of a previous (now possibly extinct) infestation. For instance, you may discover dead or hatched louse eggs (but not live lice) on your child’s hair. This would confirm a past infestation, but not a current one. There would be no justification to treat without the presence of a live louse. Similarly, you might discover a carcass or cast skin of a bed bug in a dwelling, or a dog may detect a scent that may or may not be associated with an active infestation. Whereas these should stimulate efforts to be vigilant and to monitor the environment for these pests, a dead bug, cast skin or odor should not be the basis for treatment. Although others may simply identify what you submit, few will provide further insight or an opportunity to ask direct questions. We will offer you our assessment and guidance as to what steps are justified in your specific case, and will respond to your specific questions.You can upload images to other so-called “identification” websites and wait for someone from the general community to respond or try to match your images and samples with a set of seemingly related ones yourself. You may then have to wait for days or weeks for an actual response, and even then you have no way to know the expertise or the financial agenda of that person. Many pest control representatives have the necessary expertise and integrity, but as in any business a few may have neither. We are independent and are not influenced by manufacturers, vendors or service providers. We also offer a mobile device optimized method for browsing our information and for sending us specimens from a camera-equipped cell phone.Some companies now offer to test a swab sample for bed bug DNA. Such a test, if accurate, would simply alert you that the sample was from a bed bug. It would not inform you whether this suggests an active infestation or that you’ve merely found a relic from years earlier. Furthermore, if not performed under ideal conditions, the test may suffer from contamination within the testing facility. A small bit of DNA from another sample can easily influence the results of your test. Our assessments are based upon more a more complete set of indicators, and we’ll put our results into proper perspective for you.
Compare our services
Compare
Expertise
Independence
Response Time
Followup
IdentifyUS
All samples are evaluated by a PhD trained in entomology and parasitology who has identified tens of thousands of samples
Our assessments are not influenced by manufacturers, vendors or service providers
Usually minutes to hours
We fully respond to your questions and concerns
Others
Varies considerably from expert to inept. Many such assessments are made by individuals with no pertinent training whatsoever
Manufacturers & vendors may attempt to influence you to purchase their products. Pest control companies may lack staff with sufficient expertise, or may err on the side of recommending a service contract
Days or weeks
Generally none
Who we serve
IdentifyUS serves a broad set of customers ranging from individual consumers to ongoing professional support for a diverse set of commerical clients including laboratories, hospitals, clinics, tenant associations, government organizations and private businesses. We play an active role in an advisory capacity with a number of affiliates and partners and offer expert services to the legal industry as well. The following is a partial list of some of the sectors and clientele we engage with on a regular basis:
Hospitals and pathology labs
Private physicians and dermatologists
School nurses
Medical professionals
Private businesses including retail operations
Hotel and lodging establishments
Hospitality industry
Libraries, museums and other public institutions
Lawyers and law firms seeking expert witness skills
General public with specific pest questions
Military and government organizations
Port-of-entry and customs inspection
Where we are located
Shipping Address
for Specimen Submissions onlyAll specimens should be sent directly to our laboratory office facility at:IdentifyUS, LLC
c/o MGPO DermPath Assoc
2 Wells Ave
Newton, MA 02459-3225We do not accept walk-in drop-offs nor can we provide any consultation or assistance from this location.
All specimen shipments should include a printed copy of the Specimen Evaluation Form that you should have completed and sent in electronically prior to sending us the physical specimen.Please abide by these critical shipping requirements! Specimens must be packaged carefully as follows:If dry, the specimen should be secured within a break-resistant vial (such as a pill bottle), or a closed zip lock bag. Live specimes should first be placed in your freezer for about an hour. This will kill almost any kind of creature.If in liquid (such as rubbing alcohol), include only enough alcohol needed to cover the specimen and then ensure the contents are secure within a break-resistant and leak-proof vial or small bottle. Wrap the container with clean paper towels and package all of this within a closed zip lock bag. Package the vial, padding & bag within an envelope. Use a padded envelope or small box if needed for extra protection. Include a printed copy of the IdentifyUS specimen evaluation form that was emailed to you when you submitted and paid for your specimen so that we can match your assigned specimen ID with the physical shipment.The outside of the envelope or box must be marked: IdentifyUS
Send the sealed package to the address shown above.
We will again notify you via email soon after we have received and evaluated the item.
Billing & Administrative AddressFor billing, invoicing and other correspondence, please use the following corporate address:IdentifyUS, LLC
32 Crescent Rd
Needham, MA 02494-1436Note: Specimen delivieries can not be accepted at this location
Frequently Asked Questions
We look forward to hearing from you and fielding your questions, however we would ask that you please read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to see if your question(s) have already been answered before you post a new message. Thanks in advance for supporting our site and asking relevant questions.
Bed Bugs
We aim to help you reduce your risk of acquiring bed bugs and to more effectively identify & safely manage a suspected bed bug infestation.
Head Lice
We strive to provide parents, health workers, school officials and others with important information relevant to the biology, diagnosis and management of head louse infestations.
Ticks
We offer guidance on what to do if you find a tick on yourself, a family member, your pet, or simply wandering about on your clothes or in your home. We identify and test ticks for the presence of certain pathogens.
FLEAS
We provide advice and documentation to help you reduce your risk of experiencing a flea bite and to more effectively identify & safely manage a suspected flea infestation. Our FAQs are organized to assist homeowners, property managers and tenants with information relevant to the identification & management of fleas.
MITES
More Mite FAQs coming soon
FLIES
More Fly FAQs coming soon
OTHER
Our website is intended for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by a medical professional. Always consult a physician if you have personal health concerns.
MORE
We do not endorse any particular commercial products or brands used in the control or abatement of any of the pest species we specialize in.
MOSQUITOES
More Mosquito FAQs coming soon
Specimen Evaluations
IdentifyUS offers expert identification of bed bugs, head lice, ticks, fleas, flies, mites and other pests, parasites and biting arthropods.Consumers can submit digital images of a specimen using our Specimen Evaluation Form.Labs and commercial accounts should login to their private web portal to securely submit specimens there.
We offer individual consumers rapid, expert identification of biting pests and for tick specimens we offer comprehensive DNA & RNA pathogen testing services. Find out if the tick that bit you was infected.
Consumers as well as commercial customers and laboratories can use our web portal to create a secure account where you can submit and manage your individual specimen submissions and learn more about pest species you suspect are plaquing you.
IdentifyUS partners with laboratories, doctors and commercial accounts around the world to provide unparalleled entomological expertise with respect to biting arthropods and arthropod-borne disease. Set up an account to give your lab/office team unprecendented access to rapid, on-line specimen identification.
Tick Testing
IdentifyUS partners with laboratory testing facilities to perform assays for detecting diverse infections in ticks. Our partners use highly specific and sensitive DNA detection methods (qPCR) to detect the presence of disease-causing microbes (pathogens) in ticks. It is very important to realize that these tests are not meant for diagnosing disease, as medical diagnosis is a task best left to a medical doctor.Whereas IdentifyUS advises many medical professionals, we do not diagnose or practice human or veterinary medicine. To diagnose disease, always consult with a health care professional. We do help to assess risk of exposure by providing a rapid, expert identification of the type and characteristics of any tick you might acquire. The information we provide is meant to better inform you and your health care professional.Consumers may use the tick test form button below to submit a tick for pathogen testing.
Commercial accounts can login to our web portal for secure access to your specimen submissions.
Web Portal
IdentifyUS offers an online resource where you can submit specimens for evaluation, track the status of any specimen submitted and access more detailed information on a variety of pest species and vector borne diseases. For tick specimens, you can also schedule pathogen testing of a tick and those test results will be posted for review in your private client profile as soon as they are complete.
Web portal users also have access to the IdentifyUS knowledgebase and can download and print formatted versions of Frequently Asked Questions and other relevant reference articles. Web portal users also gain access to our extensive species image library.
What's biting me?
Every person will undoubtedly suffer the bite of an arthropod (insect, spider, tick or similar creature) at some point in time. Some people are bitten far more often because of where they live, the season of the year or as a function of the activities in which they engage. Just because one ‘feels’ an itch or sees a small injury on the skin, however, does not necessarily mean that these sensations or marks resulted from the bite of an insect or other pest. How can you tell what is a bite and what is not? And if it is a bite, how can you stop it from happening again? This is the type of discussion that we offer some insight on regarding the myriad of possible causes along with some guidance on how to solve the mystery of "the bite".
