# Can you identify this insect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809 "2021-06-22T02:25:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/1 "2021-06-22T02:25:46Z")
Does anyone have any guess as to what this insect might be? I saw one in my house and I’ve been hearing crackling noises in one wall indicating something’s alive in there. ☹ Pic didn’t come up. How do I post an Imgur link? (Sorry) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/2 "2021-06-22T02:42:16Z")
Just copy the URL and paste it in the message. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/3 "2021-06-22T02:50:51Z")
Thank you! [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/koLhiMx.jpeg?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/ARAh4uQ) The insect flies; I apologize for the poor pic quality. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/4 "2021-06-22T02:55:29Z")
[Drain fly.](https://i1.wp.com/www.fliesonly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Drain-Fly.jpg) ETA: They don’t live in walls. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/5 "2021-06-22T02:59:36Z")
Thank you, beowulff for your quick reponse! Guess I’ll call an exterminator for the wall mystery. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/6 "2021-06-23T19:33:50Z")
My tenant was infested with those. The cause: he didn’t use the sink in the master bath, and all the water from the trap evaporated. These guys live in the sewer, and when the trap is not full of water, they can enter the house. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/7 "2021-06-23T22:32:06Z")
Yikes. How’d you get rid of them? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/8 "2021-06-23T22:42:14Z")
You just block any entrance (like, by filling the trap with water), and make sure there’s no standing water. They won’t live in moving water, so making sure you run some water down rarely-used drains helps. I once had them living in a bucket of old photo fixer I was saving to try to recover the silver from. I was amazed that they could live in that environment. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/9 "2021-06-23T23:21:56Z")
Thanks, beowulff! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/10 "2021-06-23T23:48:11Z")
I’m glad we saved you from spending money on an exterminator. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/11 "2021-06-24T02:26:03Z")
👍 But since they don’t live in walls – I still don’t know what I’m hearing inside one wall. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/12 "2021-06-24T11:17:56Z")
I’m not aware that drain moths make any noise. Perhaps there are two problems. I’d suggest filling all the traps and see if the crackling continues. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/13 "2021-06-25T00:10:45Z")
Good idea! Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/14 "2021-06-25T15:23:25Z")
I think you can hear large cochroaches in the wall. It may be a mating ritual going on. ? high summer in the northern hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/15 "2021-06-26T01:38:39Z")
Yikes. The weird thing is the noise has stopped. I’ve scheduled a free inspection with an exterminator next week. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/16 "2021-07-18T16:04:17Z")
That fly’s native habit includes public restrooms. > [@Newtosite](#): > > 👍 But since they don’t live in walls – I still don’t know what I’m > hearing inside one wall. ☹ Sounds like a job for Stephen King Pest Control. 💀 ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/17 "2021-07-19T00:05:50Z")
Ick. The situation seems to have resolved itself. The noise has stopped, and a pest control guy didn’t see anything. He says my house looks “real good” as far as being sealed. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/18 "2021-07-19T05:34:56Z")
I’m not sure what “crackling” would be but scratching might be a mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/19 "2021-07-19T23:24:44Z")
Thanks. The noise stopped, so I’ve stopped worrying about it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-insect/944809/20 "2021-08-02T22:42:16Z")
“Can you identify this insect?” The pic is blurry, but it sure looks like Roger.