Name that bug
June 16, 2018 5:28 PM Subscribe
Can anyone identify this bug, and tell me how to stop their invasion?
We’re getting probably a dozen carcasses a day in one upstairs bathroom and one other room. The rooms are adjoining, but the bugs seem to be coming from opposite ends. The bugs themselves appear to have a brown band in the center, crunchy shell (like a ladybug), and most are dead when we find them. My wife says she thinks they have wings; I haven’t seen that yet. They don’t seem to harm us, but their presence is becoming tiresome. We’re in central Massachusetts, if that matters.
We’re getting probably a dozen carcasses a day in one upstairs bathroom and one other room. The rooms are adjoining, but the bugs seem to be coming from opposite ends. The bugs themselves appear to have a brown band in the center, crunchy shell (like a ladybug), and most are dead when we find them. My wife says she thinks they have wings; I haven’t seen that yet. They don’t seem to harm us, but their presence is becoming tiresome. We’re in central Massachusetts, if that matters.
Best answer: Thirding guess of carpet beetle. Back when I didn't have pets spraying something like the Ortho Home defense around the perimeter of the room/exterior walls seemed to cut down on the incursions.
Now that I have a pet I mostly just vacuum more frequently, especially along the perimeter.
posted by TwoStride at 9:56 PM on June 16, 2018
Now that I have a pet I mostly just vacuum more frequently, especially along the perimeter.
posted by TwoStride at 9:56 PM on June 16, 2018
Yeah I guessed carpet beetle before I saw the picture, and yup it's a carpet beetle. We had them in our pantry and an infestation in the dry dog food, so I'm very familiar with them.
We had to seal our food tightly, and vacuumed frequently. Online guides say to sprinkle boric acid (in a child/pet free home) on your carpets and vacuum after a couple of hours, and to also wash clothing/linens in hot water.
posted by littlesq at 10:06 PM on June 16, 2018
We had to seal our food tightly, and vacuumed frequently. Online guides say to sprinkle boric acid (in a child/pet free home) on your carpets and vacuum after a couple of hours, and to also wash clothing/linens in hot water.
posted by littlesq at 10:06 PM on June 16, 2018
They like dry foods such as flour, cereals, crumbs etc. I also got an infestation of them from a birds nest in a wall cavity.
posted by KateViolet at 2:16 AM on June 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by KateViolet at 2:16 AM on June 17, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by dilaudid at 6:12 PM on June 16, 2018