Tag Archives: Household Pests

Tick

weirdest bug ever
Location: Washington D.C. area, by chesapeake beach
December 7, 2011 10:59 pm
We found this bug, dead, on my little brother’s bed in a pile of what looked like it’s own goo. It has a huge abdomen and it looks like six tiny legs only on the front. It has, what looks like, one large eye in the front. Very strange, we are just a little freaked out because we have never seen anything like it and it was on his bed!
Signature: -Kris Moss

tick kris 300x206 Tick

Tick

Dear Kris,
This is a blood engorged Tick.  Perhaps it entered the home on a household pet.

thank you for the reply. after i posted on your website i was able to figure that out on my own, it was fairly simple and i feel a little stupid. But maybe you can help me more, are there any steps that you suggest i take to ensure we dont find anymore?

Use a Flea and Tick product on your pet.

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Indian Meal Moth

We think it’s a moth
Location: Ottawa, ON
December 7, 2011 11:13 pm
We’ve had a bunch of these in the house recently. They seem to be a moth of some kind, but they’re not in clothes or carpets or food. We’d like to know what it is, and what we can do to help get rid of them.
Signature: Bret and Meg

indian meal moth bret 300x229 Indian Meal Moth

Indian Meal Moth

Dear Bret and Meg,
This is an Indian Meal Moth, a common moth that infests stored food in the pantry including corn meal and oatmeal as well as pet foods and bird seed.  You should inspect the pantry and remove any infested grain products.

Bed Bug

Red Bug Who are you
Location: new paltz , newyork in bedroom of house
November 8, 2011 1:19 am
I found this bug in my house crawling on the wall of the bedroom
Its red.has a fat body. small head.. looked like 4 legs and 2 antenntas and was impossible to smush i had to use a pen to kill it but that didnt even kill it..
here a pic
it wasnt tiny. I could see it well it wasnt big neither
Signature: steve

bed bug steve 300x233 Bed Bug

Bed Bug

Dear Steve,
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we suspect that where there is one Bed Bug, they are most likely more Bed Bugs. 

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Silverfish

Apparently we have roommates
Location: Yorba Linda, Ca
November 7, 2011 1:22 am
I find these guys everywhere. They hang out mostly in bathrooms and the kitchen. I find them mostly in our vanity drawers, bathroom counters, in cabinets, under dog bowls, in sinks and tubs but now I found one on one of my garments in my closet and I am getting concerned. My home is about 30 years old. Can you tell me whay they are?
Signature: Lucy

silverfish lucy 300x217 Silverfish

Silverfish

Dear Lucy,
We regret to inform you that you have an infestation of Silverfish, one of the most difficult household pests to eradicate.

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Indian Meal Moth and Caterpillar

New uninvited guests
Location: Maryland
October 1, 2011 5:46 pm
Hi,
I am trying ti ID these characters.
Don’t know if their related or not.
Finding the grub/larvae mostly on ceiling, and on walls. Has a ”silk” thread. Also, Have seen a fly? with silver/grey/tan on wings both appeared around same time.See third photo. About 7mm-1cm in length. When crushed(sorry)insides leave a very pronounced black stain.
May have come in with some birdseed, though not sure.These insects appear daily, even after thorough removal of all visible specimens. Could really use your help. Thanks
Signature: Eric, The Bugged.

indian meal moth cat eric 300x239 Indian Meal Moth and Caterpillar

Caterpillar of the Indian Meal Moth

Hi Eric,
The moth in your photo is an Indian Meal Moth,
Plodia interpunctella, a species that infests stored grain products as well as bird seed.  The caterpillar also looks very much like the Indian Meal Moth Caterpillar images posted to BugGuide, and since the appearance of both the moth and caterpillar happened at the same time, it is a fair assumption that they are related.  You might want to remove the bird seed and we would also recommend cleaning out the pantry to make sure they haven’t infested the oatmeal, nuts or cornmeal you might have stored on the shelf. 

indian meal moth eric 300x237 Indian Meal Moth and Caterpillar

Indian Meal Moth

Hi Friends,
Think I have found answer to my dilemma:
Indian Meal Moths!!! But if you have the time please confirm this.
Thanks again for your time, Eric

Hi again Eric,
We did not notice that you had already self identified your Indian Meal Moths prior to our creating this post.

Hello,
Let me first say thank you for your fast reply. I did manage to ferret
out the ID of these. But one thing is for sure I have found another interesting site to visit and
find it to be not only a valuable resource, but rather entertaining.
Best Regards, and Thank You again,
Eric

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Bed Bug, NOT Delusory Parasitosis Perhaps

Ed. Note October 4, 2011:  This posting was originally entitled:  What’s That Bug? does not correct our contributors’ grammar.
Continued correspondence with “need2relax” has caused us to speculate that there is a greater problem here that we are not qualified to address.

Psychologically messed up..Please help.
Location: couches
September 29, 2011 3:43 pm
I am quite paranoid. In jun we had kept discovering bites and servile of them and our baby was getting bite everyday i automatically though bed bugs called 4 exterminators with in two weeks and non of the 4 seen anything or evidence?..Time went by figured it was mosquitos or spiders bites lowered..
Then in the last week of august starting getting bit BAD and it was scary. Inspected my beds inspected couches and had professionals seek and found nothing..Every time though we site on the couch we get bit my husband was wide awake watching a movie while talking to friends and he seen a little brownish black bug and had bites..i inspected the couch seena spiderish looking teeny tiny bug WEIRD nothing else though..
Was in a nother living room and seen a yellowish looking tan color bug when i smashed it black goo came out it was fast not scared at all i was wide awake and it was maybe the size of a rice grain..Dont have fleas maybe mites? or just the rainy weather living next to the beach and have a lot of lanscaping around just bugs? idk what to do i cant sleep i panic al night making sure no bed bugs but thank god no bites ever while sleeping and no bugs in bed ever..please help
Signature: need2relax

psychotically messed up 300x224 Bed Bug, NOT Delusory Parasitosis Perhaps

What's That Bug?

Dear need2relax,
We don’t know what you have.

Did you get the pictures?

Ed. Note:  We referred Aussietrev’s comment and then received this reply.

Thank you. That is probably it.
And also I was thinking biting midges or noseeums. See lots of those.

Update:  October 3, 2011
This is the last email.
I also want to include I had 4 exterminations and none of witch did not see any evidence Nether have I just bites. Then I seen a large bug on the back of my head board. Like a size of a quarter or a half dollar. Could that be bb? Maybe it wasn’t a bug??? Ease help. No ink stains or blood anywhere. And no smell no other bugs tore up the whole house. Please please help.

Update:  October 3, 2011
Hey. I’m sorry to bug you. LOL. Do you think this is bed bugs!!

bug need2relax 300x223 Bed Bug, NOT Delusory Parasitosis Perhaps

What's That Bug?????

Dear need2relax,
We cannot discern any details in your photos.  If four exterminators did not find anything, you might want to seed professional attention for a syndrome known as Delusory Parasitosis.  We have no professional credentials.  We are not entomologists and we are not able to help you.

UPDATE:  October 6, 2011
My last email. I promise. Just answer please.
Cherry red blood came out. And it was teeny tiny. Roundish brownish black. Please help

whatsthatspot1 300x224 Bed Bug, NOT Delusory Parasitosis Perhaps

What's That Spot???

Dear need2relax,
You are obviously quite troubled, but we are unable to discern any details in the blurry photos you have sent to us.  Perhaps you might want to hire a professional photographer to document the things you are finding in your home.

Yes I am. It’s just I keep seeing weird little things and no one understands. And I know your not a bug specialist and I’m sorry to drive you nuts. I just seen this little tiny almost invisible black bug and when I smashed it cherry red blood came out. I dont think it had antennas? It had remarkably small legs.. What could this be? Is it just a harmless little outdoor bug that wondered in? Or is it a mite or a be bug a very small blackish brown sitting in the seam of my blanket very slow motion moving bug. Any ideahs. ( yes I will seek psychological help ) thank you.

What you describe does not sound like a Bed Bug.  Mites could be a possibility.  Some Mites infest the nests of birds and rats, and if such nests are in your attic, the Mites might find their way into the home when the young birds or rats leave the nest.  See this posting and others in our Mite category.

UPDATE:  October 12, 2011
Bed bug right?
Or could this be a mite. Like a clover mite. It busted red like blood.

bedbug need2relax 300x224 Bed Bug, NOT Delusory Parasitosis Perhaps

Bed Bug

Dear need2relax,
This does indeed look like a Bed Bug.  We apologize for suggesting that you might have Delusory Parasitosis.  Your earlier photos were unrecognizeable as insects.  Often times, many small insects find their way into beds.  Carpet Beetles and Pantry Beetles do not bite, but they are often found between the sheets.  This latest photo has enough detail to be identified as a member of the order Hemiptera which includes Bed Bugs.  There is not enough detail for a conclusive identification, but we can at least speculate that since it was found in the bed, and since it contained blood, and since you are being bitten, that a Bed Bug is an excellent candidate.  You might want to take the actual specimen to your local disease vector headquarters or to a local exterminator to give you a more certain identification.  If you have Bed Bugs, you will have to begin an extensive eradication program.  Start by searching under the mattress, along the baseboards, under pictures hanging near the bed, and other likely hiding places.  Good luck with your eradication efforts and again, please accept our apology for our initial reluctance to confirm you had Bed Bugs.

 

Bed Bug, Carpet Beetle Larva or other???

Bug I have never seen before
Location: Ohio
September 24, 2011 4:06 pm
I first found this bug last night when I got some bedding out of my daughter’s closet. Only saw one, but then I saw two more this afternoon in a laundry basket in the basement. Any idea what this is?
Signature: Megan

bed bug megan 300x268 Bed Bug, Carpet Beetle Larva or other???

Bed Bug, Carpet Beetle Larva or other???

Hi Megan,
There is not enough detail in your photo for us to say with any certainty what the identity of your insect might be, but two possibilities are a Bed Bug or a Carpet Beetle Larva.  A better photograph would help.

I know for a fact that it isn’t a bed bug.  Have too much experience with those so I know exactly what those look like!  I looked up carpet beetle larva and found this picture (attached).  It looks like the bug on the left.  Now to research these things and find out more about them.  Thank you!

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Carpet Beetle Larva

No Clue
Location: Western Massachusetts
September 11, 2011 1:41 am
Hello Mr. Bugman, I have searched the Internet trying to identify this crazy little bug. It was found under the covers of a bed that’s not used very often. It has little hairs all over its carrot shaped body and long grey hairs that protrude from it’s hind section. Turned over, it looks like six legs near the widest part, or head section. I could only see these features with a jeweler’s loop. I would say the bug measures 3/64” wide x 1/4” long half body half tail. Thanks for the help
Signature: Bugman

attagenus massachusetts 300x190 Carpet Beetle Larva

Carpet Beetle Larva

Dear Bugman,
Just yesterday we posted another image of a Carpet Beetle Larva.  We believe your Carpet Beetle Larva is the larva of a Black Carpet Beetle in the genus
Attagenus based on this image posted to BugGuide.

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