What's this bug I found in my bed?

August 5, 2009 7:12 PM

BugFilter: Found a bug on my bed. Legs are in the wrong location on the body for it to be a bedbug, so what is it? Photo here.

It is a pretty slow little bugger -- I'd say slower than an ant. It measures about 5mm in length. If there are other details I can provide to aid in identification, please ask. Thanks!

posted by roomwithaview to science & nature (8 comments total)

I'm not sure that what you've pictured isn't a bedbug. Is it relatively flat?
posted by ellF at 7:24 PM on August 5

It's very . .square looking. In the last segment of its body, I mean. It looks like a beetle, to me. Do you think it's this guy?
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:31 PM on August 5

No worries and thank your lucky stars, that's definitely not a bedbug
posted by brookeb at 7:31 PM on August 5

It looks some kind of ordinary beetle. Its jaws don't look like they would be piercing human skin.
posted by Burhanistan at 7:37 PM on August 5

Red flour beetle? Scroll down for the red flour beetle. It looks like your little guy.

Do you eat in bed? Could be munching on the crumbs....
posted by JujuB at 7:47 PM on August 5

That's actually far too big for a flour beetle, and only the larvae actually eat the grain. Their eggs usually are already in packaged grains(which is why you should put bags of flour and grain based mixes in the freezer for a few days before storage in a pantry) rather than adults attracted to spillage.
posted by Burhanistan at 8:34 PM on August 5 [1 favorite]

It might be a Lined Flat Bark Beetle. Is it extremely flat (dorsoventrally), as in the 3rd photo here? That might be another diagnostic clue.

For comparison, check out the images of Laemophloeus biguttatus and Laemophloeus fasciatus.
posted by nobodyyouknow at 2:29 AM on August 6

Lined Flat Bark Beetle sounds very promising. My bug is quite flat and the brown markings on its back do match up with what is in the photos.
posted by roomwithaview at 2:53 AM on August 6