WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES THIS BUG IS PARASITIC? OR MAYBE ITS PARASITES PARASITIC?
Location: Urban ”forest” Surrey BC
May 13, 2011 2:31 pm
Dear Mr. Bug man
moved into ground level condo one year ago 3 months ago rash developed. shortly there after began seeing moth like winged guys (once or twice) very late at night in kitchen. Got extermination stuff. dr said the moth and rash were not related and that rash was scabies. Did treatment washed everything in house steamed extra. while doing scabies treatment small slightly transparent creature came out of my eye and then went under my fingernail. Husband dr. and mother think I am crazy. Other strange occurrences. Husband acnologes moths as pests but refuses to believe my story. I have been under stress at work… dr says the mind is very powerful and my stress has triggered these delusions.
Can you give any insight into this?
Heres some specimens i have collected. There are also ”lint” like cases attached to many of our clothes… which everyone also says I am over reacting to…. Ive never had so much lint. also had two budgies recently die…. related? or have I gone mad?
im hoping I have gone mad…
Christina
Signature: An otherwise normal happy slightly exentric housewife
Indian Meal Moth
Dear Christina,
We need to begin our response with a disclaimer. We are not doctors and we have no qualifications to diagnose any health related issues, nor are we entomologists, so any insect identifications we provide are questionable at best. We are artists who have a mission to promote an appreciation of the lower beasts as well as to make people aware of the interconnectivity of all things on our fragile planet and beyond. With that stated, we are convinced that the moth in your photo is an Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella, and that you have also supplied us with a photo of its larva. You may find information and photos of the Indian Meal Moth on Bugguide and you can also compare your larva to this image of an Indian Meal Moth Larva on BugGuide. According to BugGuide, the Indian Meal Moth: “infests a wide variety of stored food products such as flour, oatmeal, dried fruits, seeds, nuts, powdered milk, biscuits, chocolate, and bird seed“ With that said, it is senseless to try to exterminate your Indian Meal Moth problem with pesticides since they are feeding on your food. The pesticides would need to be applied directly to your food before they would have any effect on the problem. You should thoroughly inspect the food in your pantry and definitely discard anything past the expiration date. Pay close attention to corn meal, oatmeal and any boxed cake mixes or flour products. You should be able to locate the place where the larvae are feeding and dispose of those items. Larvae are the destructive stage and adult moths do not feed on stored foods. It is virtually impossible to rid you home of all insects, but you can take certain precautions to guard your clothing against clothes moths. Sachet was a popular item in days of yore. There are certain herbs that are known to discourage insects from damaging clothing. These dried herbs can be sewn into small silken pouches and hung on hangers with woolens and other organic fibers. The herbs of choice include lavender, sage, rosemary, wormwood and peppermint. Not only will this sachet repel moths, it will also make your clothes smell nice. We do not know what caused your birds to die. If your doctor believes that stress is contributing to your condition, you should follow his advice or perhaps seek a second opinion. There is a condition known as Delusory Parasitosis and here is a link to a journal article called Delusory Parasitosis by Nancy C. Hinkle that originally appeared in American Entomologist, Volume 46, Number 1 in Spring 2000. Stress can cause the mind to trigger delusions, and “Bugs” are an easy target. We hope your condition improves.
Larva of Indian Meal Moth
3
Worm like creature
Location: Newport, South Wales , United Kingdom
May 10, 2011 8:10 am
Hello
After recently cleaning under my bed (The first time in a while) I came across a worm like creature no longer than _____ this space when constricted.
They appear to have what seems to be some material wrapped around their torso for protection/domicile/cocooning and stretch outward to pull much like a snail does.
I found them mostly individually and around collections of dust.
I would like to know what this bug may be and whether I may have a possible infestation ?
I found close to thirty of them in my bedroom, the warmest room in the house.
Thank you for any feedback you could give me.
Signature: Mr R Heaney
Case Bearing Moth Larvae
Dear Mr R Heaney,
You have relatively benign Case Bearing Moth Larvae. They feed on natural animal fibers, and while it is possible that they might damage a wool rug, they are more likely than not feeding upon shed pet hair. Vacuuming more regularly should help to control their prodigious numbers.
Household Intruders
Location California
May 9, 2011
Unknown Nymphs
Ed. Note: Reader assistance requested
Our coworker at LACC, Betsy from the Nursing Department, hand delivered these two nymphs taped to a small notepad. We are uncertain if they are immature Cockroaches, Termites or Earwigs. Betsy indicated that they were found in large numbers on the kitchen counter and that the new downstairs neighbors have reported a Cockroach infestation which makes Cockroaches our number 1 choice, and they do seem to closely resemble this image of a German Cockroach nymph on BugGuide. They are very tiny. If any readers can confirm an identification, it would be greatly appreciated.
German Cockroach Nymphs we believe
3
Small Dark Red Tick-like Bug
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
May 4, 2011 9:28 am
I’ve found 3 of these bugs in my house within the last month (2 in a bathtub and 1 in a closet), but never before. Maybe it’s the warm weather? I thought they were ticks, I have two cats, but their extremely brittle/fragile. I killed the only live one I’ve found by accident when trying to trap it. They have a bulbous body that’s dark red, so I thought it would store blood, but it’s hollow and I can see through it. Thanks for your help and time!
Signature: TC
Spider Beetles
Dear TC,
You have Spider Beetles, a common pest of stored foods. Check the pantry for the source of the infestation.
Beetle and Larvae?
Location: Kotzebue, Alaska
April 18, 2011 11:57 pm
I am finding these beetles all over the house on the floor, and I just scooped up 7 or 8 of what I believe to be a larvae stage of the beetle. The worms appear to have six legs and at first I thought they were a type of mealworm but I have been finding these beetles all over the house. I live in northern Alaska, close to Russia and I had the bugs outside in sub-zero temperatures and they are still alive. It is strange to me that even with the extreme cold they are still alive. What can they be? The beetles are black and all have a white stripe halfway down the shell.
Signature: Alaskan
Larder Beetle and Larvae
Dear Alaskan,
You have submitted a photo of a Larder Beetle and Larder Beetle Larvae, Dermestes lardarius. These are pests of stored foods but they may also infest museum specimens like stuffed animals. If they are not in your pantry, you may want to closely inspect your taxidermy specimens like hunting trophies. We are postdating this entry to go live during our holiday later in the week.
They are not only in the pantry, we have been finding them on the floors on the corners of the wall. Even with the best of insulation it is not un-common for insects and mice to spend the winter within a house’s insulation in our area so I assumed they were just one of our winter visitors waking up for Spring. The ones I caught are still alive and kicking somewhere outside so any future beetles I find are heading outside as well, thank you for the ID!
5
Mystery bug
Location: San Francisco, CA
April 11, 2011 12:31 am
Hello there!
Over the past couple of months, I have been noticing an increasing number of these bugs in my house– primarily in my kitchen and bathroom. I am wondering if it is coming in through my drain? I find about a dozen of them each week now. They are quite small– about double the size of a sesame seed. I am curious whether they are something I should be concerned about having in my home?
Thank you!!
Signature: Elaine
Granary Weevil
Dear Elaine,
The tines of the fork provide a nice sense of scale for this Granary Weevil in the genus Sitophilus, or some other closely related Weevil. Granary Weevils infest stored grain and grain products, including rice, corn, bird seed and pet food. If you have any bargain bags of grain or pet food stored in your kitchen, or any pantry products that have been stored for more than a year, that would be a great place to begin searching for the source of the infestation.
¶ Posted 11 April 2011 § Weevils ‡ ° Also tagged: Ewwww Please Help
Location: In my garage located in Central FL
April 10, 2011 8:27 pm
Hi, my name’s Elizabeth and I live in Central FL. I recently went out to my garage to do some laundry and I found tons of tiny black bug/beetle looking things! They are crawling all over my detergent bottles, clothing, and floor. I want to know what they are so I can take the proper action to rid them. Also, are they harmful? I have a 3 month old and I don’t want him getting bit! We had rain about a week ago but it has been hot and humid since then. I have included a few pictures but I didn’t want to stick around much longer. They don’t fly or jump when I near them. They are very easy to smash. I do NOT like any type of insect! Please help me!
Signature: Thanks A Bunch!
Granary Weevil
This is some species of Weevil, and our best guess is that it may be a Granary Weevil in the genus Stilophilus (see BugGuide). Granary Weevils infest stored grain, including rice and corn. They may also infest pet food made of grain and other products with a grain component. In addition to the Granary Weevils, there may be similar genera that will infest stored foods. Check that large bag of pet food or bird seed that might be in your garage for a source of the infestation. Granary Weevils do not pose a threat to your infant as they will not bite.
Thank you so much. I also noticed small white worm like things in my dog food. You are correct about the grain in the dog food. I keep both my cat food and dog food out there. I will take out the containers and wash them then add some fresh new food. Hopefully that will help! : )
The white worm like things are the immature Weevil larvae.
Oh ok. Well hopefully I can get that area cleaned properly and not have to worry about them. My Husband was making fun of me because I was scared of them lol! I kept feeling bugs crawl on me all night long! Some people fear water or heights…I fear bugs and spiders! I do like this website though. I have learned some intersting things from here. Thanks a bunch!
¶ Posted 11 April 2011 § Weevils ‡ ° Also tagged: Black Squirmers Dropping from A/C Vent
Location: Dallas, Texas
April 9, 2011 2:56 pm
I am new to the site and wanted help identifying this odd insect. There are tons of squirmy black bugs with 6 legs coming out of my A/C vent… please help if you can so I can know what this is.
They have a tendency to stay coupled together like a love bug. No idea what it is though.
Thanks In Advance,
Signature: Amanda
Termite Alates Swarming
Hi Amanda,
You have swarming reproductive Termite Alates. They are winged, but they shed their wings shortly after landing. You can see discarded wings in some of the photographs. Once they mate, a king and queen will establish a new colony. It is our guess that you probably have termites living in the attic or crawlspace, which is why they entered the habitable portion of your home through the AC vent. You might want to seek professional assistance with this situation.
Termite Alate after shedding wings
¶ Posted 09 April 2011 § Termites ‡ ° Also tagged: 
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