Top 20 Most Common Insects in Panama City Beach

The banana spider (Nephila clavipes) is called that because it is commonly found in banana shipments leading from South America. There are many spiders that fit this category (often found in banana shipments), so this one is also called the Golden silk orb-weaver to distinguish them. This name is more related to the strength of its silk, which is stronger than steel based on tensile strength.

The southern House Mosquito is the common pest of the tropical and subtropical world and has spread worldwide from old sailing ships. This nuisance biter makes a meal out of all types of birds and mammals (humans included) and is the main spreader of the disabling disease lymphatic filariasis. The southern House Mosquito has caused massive losses in terms of health and economic damage because of its disease-ridden bites.

The red Imported Fire Ant( Solenopsis invicta ) is native to central South America. These aggressive ants can pose a serious threat to the health of humans, plants, and animals. The worker ants can sting their enemies repeatedly, unlike honeybee for once, and attack anything that disturbs them. In order to get honeydew easily, they farm aphids on plants, which are also harmful to plants. The red Imported Fire Ant cause billions of loss annually in the US.

Thinstripe hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus) is a species of hermit crab that lives in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the western parts of the Atlantic. Like other hermit crabs, it chooses and resides in discarded shells of sea gastropods. The thinstripe hermit crab is distinguished from its cousins by the white-grey stripes and streaks seen all over its body, especially the legs.

Ae. atlanticus is a medium-sized mosquito with prominent white stripes on its abdomen. The females of this species are pestiferous, like their aptly named close cousin Aedes tormentor. In addition to being a vector of yellow fever, the mosquito can carry the Keystone virus, which is common in small animals in Florida, and may be common among humans with only minor symptoms, though only two cases have been verified, as of June 2018. Ae. atlanticus mosquitoes are widespread and common in the southeast US, from Texas and southern Missouri all the way through Maryland. Their reproductive cycle can carry some viruses transstadially through the different stages of the insect's life: a female mosquito may lay eggs carrying the virus, which hatch into infected larvae, eventually maturing into adults that can infect mammals while injecting their anti-coagulant saliva during a bite.

Often confused for the ladybug, multicolored asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) is a separate species that, unlike the ladybug, is a household pest. It is considered particularly annoying for its habit of returning to places from which it is removed. One of the most variable species in the world, there are many different colors and patterns multicolored asian ladybeetle may display, making identification potentially difficult.

Dorymyrmex bureni also known as pyramid ant is a species of ant in the genus Dorymyrmex. Described by Trager in 1988, the species is endemic to the United States and Mexico. Pyramid ants are medium-sized ants, ranging from 2–4 mm. They are light orange in color and fast moving. Unlike other ants in the area like red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), this species is not aggressive towards humans. The workers have a foul smelling coconut odor when crushed. Dorymyrmex bureni hunt living insects, even other winged ants. They also search for sap-sucking insects from which they collect honeydew. On the head of these ants are curved hairs, used for transporting beads of damp sand. Colonies are small. Nests usually have a single entrance with a mound of sand shaped like a crater. Dorymyrmex bureni prefer sandy soil. This species of ant is not an indoor pest, and pesticides should not be used. They are found throughout Florida.

Coquillettidia perturbans is a species of mosquito that have been documented in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. This mosquito is a known as a vector of West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalomyelitis. The geographic range of C. perturbans is increasing due to the growing extensity of the feeding area. They are known to exist throughout the United States, mainly with a southern distribution, and are mammalophilic.

Western honey bee（Apis mellifera） is the most common species of honeybee in the world. Among the first domesticated insects, its cultural and economic impact on humanity has been vast and far-reaching, providing honey, wax and its services as a pollinator. Western honey bee faces challenges worldwide, such as colony collapse disorder, and populations are thought to be decreasing.

The Libellula auripennis is a dragonfly species of the genus Libellula from the subfamily Libellulinae. Its distribution area extends over the USA and Central America.