Since January 1997, all programming on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim has been prefaced with a rating bug at the start of each program. The rating bug's design can be used to narrow down when a program was recorded.
| Date of Use | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 1997 - September 30, 1997 |  |
|
| October 1, 1997 - May 21, 2005 |  |
Updated in accordance with the late 1997 rating updates. |
| May 21, 2005 - May 16, 2013 |   |
Includes a larger rating used at the beginning of shows, with a new, refined small bug used after commercial breaks. |
| October 15, 2007 - February 7, 2016 (Cartoon Network) September 25, 2023 (Adult Swim) |
  |
HD enhanced version of the prior ratings. Network-wide until the introduction of the specialized Cartoon Network ratings in 2016, becoming Adult Swim-exclusive afterwards. |
| February 8, 2016 - September 25, 2023 (Cartoon Network only) |   |
Cartoon Network-exclusive rating bug, based on the then-current CHECK it 4.0 branding. |
| September 25, 2023 - present |   |
Standard rating design used for the Discovery networks since 2018, after Discovery merged with Scripps Networks Interactive. |
| Sources |