ID of small black bug?

June 18, 2014 9:20 AM

My friend saw a small black bug in her apartment maybe 1/4-inch long. It was long rather than round and moved fairly slowly and low to the ground. She said it didn't look like a roach (lacked the long antenna, high speed, flat body), beetle (didn't have the segmented structure or mandibles), termite, silverfish or house centipede. What could it have been? No photo, unfortunately.
posted by shivohum to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

In what part of the world does your friend live?
posted by desjardins at 9:26 AM on June 18, 2014

Response by poster: New York City.
posted by shivohum at 9:28 AM on June 18, 2014

Pill Bug/Roly Poly/Armadillidiidae?
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:29 AM on June 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Could it have been a Larder Beetle? Its segmentation might not have been noticeable.
posted by FallowKing at 9:41 AM on June 18, 2014

Maybe a Rove Beetle
posted by sanka at 10:54 AM on June 18, 2014

Earwig?
posted by Coatlicue at 12:24 PM on June 18, 2014

Click beetle? Some type of borer beetle?
posted by gueneverey at 4:44 PM on June 18, 2014

Seconding Click beetle. They are a pretty common household beetle. I loved to play with these as a kid.
posted by The Violet Cypher at 10:08 AM on June 19, 2014