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Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles

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Household Pests

Slow moving, tick-like bug
December 23, 2009
Hi bug people!
I have continuously seen these bugs in my bathroom, usually on the floor. I have never seen them anywhere else in my apartment. At first I thought they were ticks, but they crush very easily, and are round but don’t appear to be filled with blood. They move very slowly and the one I took a picture of was also moving very cautiously, exploring everything with its antennae. Not sure if this is normal, but when I used a flash, the bug appeared reddish (3rd photo). Otherwise, it appears black. It is also very very small, maybe about 1/2 cm. I’d really like to ID this bug to make sure it’s not posing any kind of risk to me by being there! Thanks in advance!
EG
Queens, NY

Dear EG,
This is a Spider Beetle, Gibbium aequinoctiale, a common pest of stored foods.  The origin of the beetle is unknown as it now has a cosmopolitan distribution.  Though you are finding them in the bathroom, unless you also store food there, you should look for the infestation in the kitchen.

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