They are invading my duaghters room..please help!
Location: in bedroom beside window
March 13, 2011 2:19 pm
Hi
We are trying to figure out what these bugs are and where they are coming from. Do you have any idea?
Signature: Mom needing her daughter to sleep in her room again
Varied Carpet Beetle
Dear Mom needing…,
This is a Varied Carpet Beetle. Larvae feed on a variety of organic materials including the woolen fibers found in rugs. The rug in your photo looks like a wool rug. You should search our archives for images of the larvae. Other than the damage that the larvae do to home furnishings and museum collections, they pose no threat to your daughter. Adults feed on pollen.
Every year we get ’em
Location: North West washington (America)
March 13, 2011 5:00 pm
This lil critter likes to sit in our window sills.
He is about 1/16 inch?
They have the ability to fly but seem to rarely
seem to.
I thought they looked like lady bugs, But they
aren’t the correct color.
If you can identify and tell us if they are harmful
in any way…That would be great.
Signature: Tom & Kelly Gorham
Varied Carpet Beetle
Hi Tom & Kelly,
This is a Varied Carpet Beetle. The larvae are considered household pests and they will feed on a wide variety of organic matter in the home, including shed pet hair. Adults feed on pollen. They are attracted to the windows in their attempt to gain access to the outdoors.
What is this bug?
ILocation: celing of pantry and just outside the pantry
March 10, 2011 12:21 am
I am hoping you can ID this bug.
Signature: Bill
Indian Meal Moth
Hi Bill,
You have Indian Meal Moths, Plodia interpunctella, a cosmopolitan species that has adapted to feeding on stored foods in domiciles. Often the first indication that there is an infestation is the adult moths feebly fluttering in the kitchen or in front of the television set. The adult moths do not feed on grain products, but the larvae do. The presence of the adult Indian Meal Moths should be a signal to check the pantry for infested grains, cookies and other similar products. They have also been known to infest bird seed and pet food.
Why the ”ick” factor??
Location: NYC
March 9, 2011 8:39 pm
I am both fascinated and terrified of bugs. Your site has really increased my tolerance and awe of the insect world. I love reading about them, finding them but not touching them! I never fail to find myself ”itchy” whenever I am on your site- but I always come back to look and learn some more. All bugs are escorted out of my house now with the glass on magazine method. There is one exception to that rule and I must confess it to you- the nyc waterbug. My 6 foot, chiseled chinned husband is reduced to a squealing little girl at the sight of them and even the cat runs the other way. Why do these bugs send us into such hysteria? We don’t see them often in our home but they are regulars in the NYC underworld of the subway system. I have seen one of them part a crowd of hundreds of hardened, rush hour commuters. Will you speak to this atavistic, gut reaction to a creepy crawly water bug please?
Again, I hope to grow ever more tolerant of the beloved bug world.
Signature: The Lovely Mrs. Phillips
Cockroach
Dear The Lovely Mrs. Phillips,
We are happy to hear that your tolerance level for the lower beasts has increased because of your exposure to our website. With regards to the “Ick” factor and entomophobia, we can only deduce that our collective unconsciousness has been affected by negative media coverage of Cockroaches. The NYC Waterbug is a Cockroach. The few species of Cockroaches that infest human homes can be very prolific and they are rarely found singly. Pop culture shows like Fear Factor have also contributed to the entomophobia zeitgeist, and as a culture we have become conditioned to associate Cockroaches with filth.
2
I live NEAR San Francisco, but about 25-30 min away
Location: Redwood City, California
March 7, 2011 6:03 pm
can you identify this bug?
found about 5-6 around my kitchens window sill, whiped them up and flushed them down the toilet [last night].
2 more appeared today.
they’re really tiny, about hm, a bit bigger than a pen’s head.
ick.
Signature: xblueduckx
Varied Carpet Beetle
Dear sblueduckx,
This is a Varied Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus verbasci, and you can read all about it in our archives or on BugGuide. We have been responding to several identification requests each day for various species of Carpet Beetles and their larvae.
Found this bug in the mattress
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 5, 2011 12:44 pm
Should I be worried abut this fella? I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is not the first time I see one of these, this was small I recall seeing bigger ones of about 0.4in long.
Sorry for the blurry pic but I maxed out my camera macro capabilities. thanks!!
Signature: Pablo
Carpet Beetle Larva
Hi Pablo,
We find your bilingual illustration quite amusing. You do not need to be worried about personal injury because of your Carpet Beetle Larva in the family Dermestidae, however, a Carpet Beetle infestation might eventually cause damage to some of your home furnishings. The larvae feed on organic materials like fur, feathers and wool, and they will damage wool rugs and carpets. They also feed on shed pet hair, which is not a problem. Dermestid Beetles can do considerable damage to museum collections including insect collections.
Whats this bug?
Location: Riverside CA
February 23, 2011 3:46 am
Does anyone outhere know what bug this is. There alot of them in my apartment.
Signature: What tha bug?
Silverfish
Dear What tha bug?,
You have an infestation of Silverfish, a type of primitive insect that commonly infests homes, feeding on a wide variety of stored foods and other organic materials including the starch used to hang wallpaper and to bind books. Silverfish are reported to be extremely difficult to eradicate.
1
Please Tell me this isn’t a species of ROACH!
Location: San Diego, Ca ??
February 22, 2011 12:23 am
I’ve seen two of these bugs around my house. One was in the pantry and this one was crawling through the living room. I promise I put them outside! Thinking he just snuck in from outdoors. They don’t seem that fast.. So my questions
1. Is this the kind of bug that would be ’infesting’ my walls?
2. What kind of bug is this?
3. How do I get rid of these guys before my partner sees one?
Signature: Please don’t tell me this is a Roach!!
Silverfish
Dear Please don’t tell me this is a Roach!!,
We will not tell you this is a Roach because it is not. It is a Silverfish, a common household pest. Silverfish are generally found in damp dark locations. They will eat a variety of organic substances in the house including the starch used to hang wallpaper and in book bindings as well as typical food items. They are difficult to eradicate once they have become established. They may be in your walls. We do not offer extermination advice, however, some of our advertisers are in the exterminating business.
3
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