Please help with insect identification.


  #1  
Old 09-14-21, 03:48 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Please help with insect identification.

I found about 20 of these little blighters on my bed today. They are clumsy and measure about 1mm.
I’ve attached an image and would welcome any help please?
Thx Paul.


 
  #2  
Old 09-14-21, 04:05 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 26,660
Received 1,808 Upvotes on 1,626 Posts
Just some sort of beetle. Probably a nuisance for you but harmless.
 
  #3  
Old 09-15-21, 05:09 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 26,795
Received 1,950 Upvotes on 1,746 Posts
Where are you located? Different parts of the country and world have different insects.
 
  #4  
Old 09-15-21, 05:45 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thx for the replies.
I’m in an apartment in NYC, we recently had a massive roof leak and now these little guys are everywhere.
 
  #5  
Old 09-15-21, 06:00 AM
P
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1,896
Received 102 Upvotes on 95 Posts
Definitely a beetle as Xsleeper said; probably a "stored product pest" meaning that somewhere nearby there are products such as grain, cereal, flour, nuts, seeds, pet food, woolen materials, taxidermy, animal skins/furs, stored nearby. Check inside closets and boxes and storage areas that you haven't seen in a long time.

This beetle may be a "saw toothed grain beetle". The body shape is similar, but I can't see it well enough to see if the saw-toothed edges are there. In any case, I feel certain that it is a stored product pest of some sort.

Magnify the sides of the insect, the middle body part section (thorax), to see if the saw toothed edges are present.
 
  #6  
Old 09-15-21, 06:06 AM
P
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1,896
Received 102 Upvotes on 95 Posts
With the additional info about the roof leak, I would add that stored product pests, some species, will live in decomposing organic matter such as could be found in a roof leak. If so, then the resulting repairs/drying would go a long way to slow/stop the problem.

The roof leak could also be co=incidental, too, so I'd continue with thorough inspection as noted above. Keep us posted.
 
  #7  
Old 09-17-21, 06:03 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
So Here is an update. I noticed after the leaks that the walls and ceilings were darkening, my guess was mold.
I sprayed everything with a water/bleach solution every day for the last 3 days and today I noticed that the bugs have stopped appearing. I’m not sure if it was a coincidence with the bugs and the mold appearing and then disappearing at similar times but the bug problem has definitely abated.
Thank you everyone for your input and kind help
Paul
 
  #8  
Old 09-17-21, 07:20 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 26,660
Received 1,808 Upvotes on 1,626 Posts
If you had a massive roof leak you better call your insurance agent since you probably do have a ton of mold in the insulation, framing, and the back of the drywall.
 
PAbugman voted this post useful.
  #9  
Old 09-18-21, 06:09 AM
P
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1,896
Received 102 Upvotes on 95 Posts
If the bleach/water did anything to the beetles, it may simply be repelling them. I suspect there are hidden issues of mold, chronic moisture, insects out of sight, but still present.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: