Unidentified bugs - help!!

Bibbitybob

For the last couple of days I've noticed loads of little dark brown bugs crawling around near my bay window. I moved the sofa out yesterday and hoovered up - there were loads of little dead bugs under the sofa (yuck!). I got rid and washed the floor, but I've just seen three more crawling and how I look under the sofa there are loads of dead ones again :eek: I can't work out where they're coming from, although my window has been open a lot during the last week.

I've googled and all the usual suspects don't seem to match the description. I've taken a couple of photos (look away now if you don't like bugs)...can anyone identify them and please tell me how to get rid? I feel like I'm being constantly crawled on...uurrrggghh.

chrisw

I think they might be carpet beetles:-

http://www.woking.gov.uk/planning/envhealthservice/pest/carpet

Fire_Fox

My thought was carpet beetles too, under the sofa or in crevices is their preferred location.

phill99

I've had these. They are May Bugs. So called because they typically come out in May. The eggs (I think) hibernate in trees and hatch at this time of the year. They often come in via a chinmey. They are not very nice but completely harmless.

phill99

This is a pic off the web.
Have a look here www.elmbridge.gov.uk/envhealth/pests/maybug.htm

but below is an abridged version:

'Maybugs' or Cockchafers

In the evening during spring/early summer, you might be startled by a loud clatter on a lighted window - take a torch and investigate - there is a good chance it will be 'Maybug' attracted by the house lights.

Adult Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha)

Chafers are beetles, and belong to the same family as the scarab or dung-beetles. The most familiar of our chafers is the Cockchafer or 'Maybug'. The adult beetle (shown above) is a night-flier and often comes crashing into lighted windows on warm evenings in spring and early summer. Its large size (25-35 mm) and buzzing flight make it a little frightening, but the beetle is quite harmless and will not bite or sting.

dampdaveski

how big are they bob and do they crawl around quickly or just sit there taking in the atmosphere?
are most of them on your window cills or on your carpets?

Chances are they are carpet beetles, the above will answers will help to confirm an opinion

Bibbitybob

Thanks for the replies everyone.

dampdaveski wrote: »

how big are they bob and do they crawl around quickly or just sit there taking in the atmosphere?
are most of them on your window cills or on your carpets?

Chances are they are carpet beetles, the above will answers will help to confirm an opinion

They range from about 2-5mm and the ones that are alive seem to be crawling around fairly quickly, the rest are dead or just laid on their back wiggling their legs. And I have laminate floor rather than carpet, which is confusing, but they're mostly on the floor around the bay/under the sofa (which is in the bay).

I hoovered again last night, including around the skirting and any cracks I could find. I still can't see where they're coming in, but I don't think there are enough near the window for that to be their entry point.

ormus

i doubt they are carpet beetles. they are mostly black or varied color. like a desert camo color.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varied_carpet_beetle

Bibbitybob

ormus wrote: »

i doubt they are carpet beetles. they are mostly black or varied color. like a desert camo color.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varied_carpet_beetle

These are definitely a reddy-brown colour and not patterned (that I can tell).

I've looked up May bugs and I'm not sure they're them either...May bugs seem to have a pointy tail which these don't, just a very round bum?

dampdaveski

Hi Bob,
the fact that they are quite energetic is quite important, the chances are you have biscuit beetle (having double checked in my insect books)- stegobium pancieum
google 'biscuit beetle' and see what you think to the pictures.

I had an arguement with my local environmental health dept 3 weeks ago about these, they were adamant that they were common furniture beetle (what people call woodworm) and I said they were biscuit beetle (correctly)
have a look here http://www.walsall.gov.uk/index/environment/pest_control/biscuit_beetle.htm

good luck

goggle

Sorry I can't help identify your bugs - but can anyone help me identify what I may have ... I've found several "cases" from bugs round the edges of the carpet in 2 rooms - about 20mm long, black (maybe dark brown?) & obviously hatched from! It looks a bit like a centipede or leatherjacket "casing" - No sign of live bugs, but half a dozen or so of these casings along the edge of the carpet/skirting ...