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Tag Archives: Household Pests

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Grain Weevils

Pointed head bug
Dear bugman,
Perhaps you can identify this bug picture I sketched. I cannot find a close match anywhere to say that I am sure what it is. It is a 6 legged bug VERY tiny, about 1/10". I can tell you that not only did they show up in my kitchen, but there were literally millions in a bag of birdseed! There were so many that you could hear the bag rustling. Gross! I looked in the bag to see millions of these creatures with their pointed heads and antennae. I hope you could steer me as to what these bugs are.
Thanks!
Tom Bartman
Pottstown, PA

Hi Tom,
Weevils are one type of Pantry Beetle whose shape matches your description and drawing. Weevils are a type of beetle belonging to the family Curculionidae. Grain Weevils belong to the genus Sitophilus and have the head elongated into a snout.

Posted 09 July 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Bugs in the Cat Litter

I use World’s Best Cat Litter. It’s an organic product made from corn. I have bought bags before that contained these small, elongated, lighter brown, hard, beetle type bugs. They don’t seem to be able to fly. I think they might develop into some sort of tiny moth, because I have seen the little (tiny!) moths in the litter enclosure, but nowhere else. I have tried freezing the bag before I use it in the litter box, but sometimes this does not work. What are these bugs and how do I get rid of them? Are they harmful to my cat? Could they get into the rest of the house? Sorry I don’t have a picture.
Christa Moeller

Dear Christina,
Both meal moths and pantry beetles will infest stored corn. Neither will harm your cats, but they may invade stored grain products in your pantry.

Posted 09 July 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (1) ° Also tagged:

Pantry Beetles hitch a ride!!

Hi there:
I found your site today and have looked through it but couldn’t find anything that even remotely resembles the bugs I’m dealing with. I’m completely lost and desperate – please help! Here is my situation – I have bugs in my car! I live in an urban area of the hill country of central Texas. Several months ago (I’m thinking maybe in March?) I started noticing these bugs in my car. At first it was just a few, but they have become more plentiful. The bugs are a little larger than a flea, smaller than a tick. They are completely black. This is where I’m going to sound dumb – I’m not sure if they have wings or not. They have no visible wings, but I think they may lay against their body, if they do have them. I think I have seen a few of them fly, but only for a short stint. Most of them do not fly. I’m not sure if it’s possible that only some would have wings while the majority wouldn’t. They don’t move fast. I can pick them up with ease, they don’t run away. Lately I’ve also found their larvae. The larvae look like tiny meal worms. The picture of the beetle grub that you have on your website closely resembles this larvae, but these are much much smaller and a more "normal’ larvae color. I’m guessing that these bugs are some sort of beetle but I have no idea what type. Shortly before I started noticing them I found a lady bug in my car. A friend indicated that she had similar bugs in her house once and they turned out to be baby lady bugs, but I’m not really sure that she knows what she is talking about. The bugs are most abundant in the backseat but are also showing up on the floor boards, headliner, sun visors, etc. The bugs seemed to originate from the area where the back part of the back seat and the seat part of the back seat meet. My back seat doesn’t fold down so I have no way of getting in there to clean it out really well. I have tried vacuuming in this crevice many times but I can’t get rid of the bugs (although I have decreased their population). I’ve also tried spraying the area where they are most prevalent with bug spray. This also hasn’t been fruitful, I think in part due to the fact that I have no idea what I’m trying to kill. They seem to be attracted to "bread" type products like crackers (and crumbs) and they attach themselves to any fabric items that I leave in the car (jackets, sweaters, diaper bags, etc) but they seem to avoid my umbrella. I washed several items that had been in my car recently and found LIVING larvae still on the items after I removed them from the washing machine. I’m so confused and I have no idea what to do. I’ve searched the internet for information on these bugs but have come up empty. My next options are to bug-bomb my car or sell it. If you could help me figure out what I’m dealing with I’d really appreciate it. If you could give me some hints to get rid of them, I’d be forever grateful.
Thanks for your anticipated help with this desperate situation!
Infested in Texas
Cindy Mooneyham

Hi Cindy,
It does sound like you have pantry beetles munching on a stash of food under the seat. Since you are unable to clean up the problem, I think fumigation might be the answer. We don’t like to recommend that, but I can’t imagine what else to tell you.

Posted 30 June 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Silverfish

Bug in my house – Please help
Dear Bugman,
I am so glad that there is a site such as yours. I don’t’ know what I would do if I didn’t find your site. I have a critter in my house that just baffles me. I don’t know what it is and I have gone through the books in the library and I just can’t find out what it is that is living with me. It’s about an inch long from head to tail. It has antenna on its head and the tail is like a tail of a fish or mermaid with another set of antennas. It swings form side to side. At the bottom, it seems to have multiple legs like a caterpillar? I’m really not that sure, it just seems to slide on the floor. Anyway, I find it on the walls, in my drawers in the kitchen, bedroom, bath, on my bed… I can catch it pretty easily, it doesn’t move too quickly, BUT it does have the capability to slide right into the WALLS. When I kill it by smudging it, it just seems to just flakes into pieces. I don’t see it all the time; I see one maybe every other day in a new location. Would you PLEASE offer any information to see how I can terminate it?

Dear S.,
You have Silverfish, a common household pest that is difficult to erradicate. They are very primitive insects. They will eat most anything, including the glue from book binding or wallpaper. We have gotten a report that Cloves when spread around helps to eliminate them.

Posted 30 June 2004 § Silverfish, Bristletails and Firebrats ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Firebrats?

I love your web site!
We recently moved into a new house in the Phoenix, AZ area and we are seeing a lot of small (1/4 to 1/2 inch) bugs in the house that look a little bit like the silverfish that I used to see back in Virginia. They are very fast runners and they like to sit high up on the walls – particularly in the corners. They are beige with 3-4 brown stripes running from side to side and they have long thin antennae and what looks like antennae off the rear of the bug as well. They are extremely soft-bodied and, when threatened, their first response is to try to crawl deeper into the corner rather than simply run.
My camera will not let me zoom in close enough to get a decent photo, so I hope my description is adequate.
Thanks!
Bob
Peoria, AZ

Ed. Note: Several hours later, Bob sent this email.
After reading more about silverfish and firebrats, I suspect that these are the latter. Oddly enough, we don’t find them in the damp areas of the home as much as in the dry. We do not find them in sinks or drains or in greater quantities in the bathrooms or kitchen. Right now, I can find 2 or 3 of them in the living room and each bedroom, parked at the ceilings. The house stays pretty dry (<30% humidity most of the time) and there are no signs of moisture anywhere. They do not seem to be more active at night and they do not seem to hide during the day. The body is less carrot shaped than indicated in the drawings and photos I’ve seen on the web, with a slightly more rounded rear. My wife calls them “trilobites” because of their prehistoric appearance.

Hi Bob,
I am inclined to agree that you probably have Firebrats. They are very primitive insects and your wife likening them to trilobytes is interesting.

Posted 07 April 2004 § Silverfish, Bristletails and Firebrats ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Chocolate Eating Bugs!

Hi,
I stumbled on your website during a search. I have a question concerning Chocolate. I have a co-worker that brings me Hershey Kisses every morning. I don’t eat them right away, so, when I finally decided to eat a few, to my surprise, there were little brown gnat type bugs that had burrowed through the kiss!!!!!!!!!!! One co-worker had the entire Hershey Kiss gone including the almond! It did leave the shell however! HELP. We just want to know what they are! Thanks!
Pamela

Hi Pamela,
Certain types of Pantry Beetles will eat chocolate, burrowing through the candy leaving the shell intact.

Posted 04 March 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

SILVERFISH

DEAR WTB,
I HAVE SEEN SILVERFISH ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED OF THEM. I WAS TOLD BY MY
BIG SISTER THAT SILVERFISH WILL TRY TO BURROW INSIDE OF YOUR EARS. IT THAT TRUE?
WILL THEY HARM PEOPLE IN ANYWAY?
SILVERCHICKEN

Dear Silverchicken,
I think your sister was pulling your leg. Earwigs, on the other hand, have a reputation for seeking
refuge in ears, hence their name. Earwigs will not burrow or do any permanent damage, they are just
seeking shelter. No need to fear silverfish or earwigs.

Posted 11 February 2004 § Silverfish, Bristletails and Firebrats ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Pantry

What this bug?
Dear Bugman,
First, congrats on a great site!
Attached are two closeups of a bug, possibly a bed bug, found when stripping the sheets from our mattress. (We do this every week, but this is the only ‘visitor’ we’ve ever seen). Bug was not dead, but just lying there waving its little legs slowly. Could be because we had had a flea infestation (we>lying there waving its little legs slowly. Could be because we had had a flea infestation (we>sprayed the house and mattress with flea spray last year. Any way here it is…

Dear Richard,
I really wasn’t positive, so I sought out a true expert, Weiping at the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles. Here is his answer:
“Thank you very much for your image. This is a Thylodrias larva (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Thylodrias). It is very common in Los Angeles area. I collected it many times in our museum. Hopefully, the information will help you. Sincerely, Weiping”
I can add the Dermestidae is a family of beetles known as Carpet Beetles or Buffalo Bugs. They are fond of eating skins, furs, woolen materials and dried animal matter, and as a family, are the bane of the entomologist since they can quickly devour a prized insect collection.

Many thanks for the reply – I’m greatly relieved that its only a carpet beetle, and not something worse! Attached the second picture, which was of the head/jaws of the grub.
Best Regards, Richard

Dear Richard,
Thank you for the additional photo. I did find some additional information for you. The beetle Thylodrias contractus does not have the typical form of most Carpet Beetles. It is more elongate with long legs and antennae. I did find an interesting anecdote in Lutz’ book Field Book of Insects. He writes: “In 1908 Mrs. Slosson, the author of such charming stories as ‘Fishing Jimmy,’ published a description of a strange beetle that was eating her collection of insects. She playfully called it ‘Ignotus aenigmaticus.’ This name was in proper form and by the rules of the game remained the scientific name of the beetle until the discovery was made that the beetle was an introduction from Transcaucasia and had a prior name. It is now Thylodrias contractus. It eats like a Dermestid but does not look like one. The female is wingless and the male has no hind wings.” The beetle was originally described in Transcaucasia by Motschulsky.

Thanks again Daniel – two further questions,
1. do you have a picture of an adult?
2. Will my bug make it onto your website?

Hi Richard,
I have your letter ready for posting, but the site is currently down due to heavy traffic. I was expecting it to be up today, but still no luck. I know the site is up on the east coast, since I began getting additional letters. Check in a day or two. I have a photo of an adult and will attach it. It was previously identified only generally, but now there is an exact species name. Thank you for your interest.
Daniel

Posted 04 February 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Thylodrias contractus

We live in Columbia, SC. The first picture is a beetle type bug I found crawling on the bottom of our entertainment center in our living room tonight. What is this bug?
The other pic is of a little tiny guy I found on our kitchen floor. It reminds me of a baby rollie pollie. It’s real tiny. It’s tan in color and looks like it has little hairs all over it’s little body and it does have some little legs underneath. It’s real weird though because, especially if it’s turned upside down or on it’s side, it bends it’s back backwards almost in half a lot. What’s this bug?
We keep our house so clean, so these little bugs I am finding are driving me crazy because I don’t know where they are coming from and why they’re in the house!
Help Bugman! I found 2 different bugs in our house in one night! I can’t stand it! Yikes!
Thanks
Seriously Curious

Hi again Bugman,
This is a picture of a little tiny bug I had found in our kitchen last night on the floor that I emailed you about earlier this morning. We live in Columbia, SC.I noticed when looking at this little guy closer under a magnifying glass that he only has 3 pairs of legs (6 legs). He’s got such fuzzy little hairs all over him that we thought he had more legs than that. The bottom end of it’s body is darker than the rest of it’s body and it does not have any legs in that area. It has a segmented body and when it’s crawling it’s body moves in an accordion style.Hope this helps you more with this little guy. What’s this bug?
Thanks Bugman!
Seriously Curious

Dear Seriously Curious,
My better guess on the grub is a pantry or larder beetle, a Dermestid, which infests stored food, hence its appearance in the kitchen. I would put my money on Thylodrias contractus. You have an adult specimen as well as the larval form.

Posted 16 January 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Silverfish, Bristletails and Firebrats

Hello I live in England and I was hoping you could help me work out what the bugs I have in my lavatory are .They are small brown ,worm like and they move by slithering along the floor they remind me of silverfish the way they move but are the wrong colour.
thankyou
Angela Thompson

Hi Angela,
Firebrats are close relatives of Silverfish and are brownish in color. They prefer warm areas, and might be attracted to the heat in your bathroom. They are similar in habits to the silverfish, and are also household pests that feed on starchy substances like book bindings, starched clothing and wall paper paste.

Posted 12 January 2004 § Silverfish, Bristletails and Firebrats ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Case-Bearing Moth

Ok this one is really gross. I live in Singapore. A couple of days ago, I looked down and saw this flattened rice krispie looking thing on my floor. I looked closer and it was moving. A tiny little brown head looking thing came out and helped it inch along. That head like thing could come out either end. The "casing" whatever it was looked like a whitich rice krispie. I think it was something the thing had excreted. I think it is a worm inside but I am not sure. Maybe it is something in its larva stage. Do you know what this sick looking thing is?
wendi in Singapore

Dear Wendy in Singapore,
There are certain moths that have a caterpillar that spins a cocoon like case that they live in. They can drag the case around. sounds like that is what you saw. The family, called Casebearers, is Coleophoridae.

thank you so much. It is difficult to find pictures but I did find one that is similar of the one that eats Larch. The one here is whiter casing but I think you are correct. I really appreciate your reply.
wendi m

Posted 11 January 2004 § Pantry Moths, Clothes Moths, Case-Bearers and Meal Moths ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

Pantry

Hello, we live in Tampa, Florida and we have recently been seeing these beetles in our home. They are brownish in color, about 1/16 of an inch in length, are more active at night, can fly and seem to be attracted to light. They also appear to like linens and laundry. I am trying to find their access to the home as they disturb my daughter at night.
Thank you,
Adam Matthews and Family

Dear Adams Family,
Most of the time when small beetles appear in the home, they are some type of pantry beetle. The larvae feed on a wide variety of grain products in the pantry. They can be found in flour, cookies, dog food and pasta among other things. Adults which fly are pollen feeders. Perhaps your fabric softener is attracting them to the clothes. Check your dry goods and try to track down the source of the infestation.

Posted 06 January 2004 § Pantry Beetles, Grain Weevils, Spider Beetles, Meal Worms and Carpet Beetles ‡ Comments (0) ° Also tagged:

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