# Help! How do I get rid of these bugs infesting my place? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672 "2011-09-17T23:40:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/1 "2011-09-17T23:40:31Z")
“Infesting” is a bit of hyperbole but honestly I got lots and lots of [these little fuckers](http://i.imgur.com/0e8hN.jpg) running around my place (sorry for the bad pic…the two brown ones on the upper right…not the gnat on the upper left). I have no idea what they are. They seem totally harmless but I do not want them. There are dozens (literally) lying dead by my windows. I sweep them up regularly. I have, near as I can tell, determined they are coming from the potted house plants I have. I have used poison and combed through every plant spraying poison to kill them. The poison seems to work to an extent. They come out and they die (leaving me to sweep them up). But, in true bug fashion, the little bastards are prolific and even if I manage to kill 99% of them that 1% repopulates in short order and I am back at square one. I have nice plants and some are not cheap so I’d rather not resort to throwing everything out. While these buggers are annoying it is not exactly awful but definitely annoying. Any ideas on how to rid myself of them? Also, out of curiosity, anyone know what they are? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/2 "2011-09-18T02:03:11Z")
There’s not nearly enough detail in that pic to tell what they are, unfortunately. I can actually easier identify the fungus gnat you pointed out than the other ones. Are your houseplants showing symptoms of any problems? If they’re coming from there, we may be more able to identify them from plant symptoms than from the pic. ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/3 "2011-09-18T05:42:13Z")
I think you might have an infestation of black carpet beetles. They are known to come into houses from flowers, and they also hang around windows. In their larval stages, they feed on organic fabrics like wool, cotton and pet hair, and they shed little caterpillar-like skins, which you might find in corners of your house or in your closets. > **[Carpet Beetle Management Guidelines--UC IPM](https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7436.html)** > > UC home and landscape guidelines for control of Carpet Beetle. > [@](#): > > Carpet beetle adults do not feed on fabrics but seek out pollen and nectar. They are attracted to sunlight and are commonly found feeding on the flowers of crape myrtle, spiraea, buckwheat, and other plants that produce abundant pollen. Be careful not to bring these pests into the home on cut flowers—with their rounded bodies and short antennae, carpet beetles somewhat resemble lady beetles in shape. > **[Ask IFAS: Featured Creatures collection](https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/collections/series_featured_creatures)** > > Details for the Ask IFAS Collection 'Featured Creatures collection', including publications belonging to the collections and contributers > **[Black carpet beetle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_carpet_beetle)** > > The black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor) is a 3–5-millimetre-long (0.12–0.20 in) beetle that can be a serious household pest. The larvae grow to 7 mm (0.28 in) in length, are reddish brown in colour and covered with bristles. The larval form feeds on natural fibres, damaging carpets, furniture and clothing. > Attagenus unicolor undergoes complete metamorphosis, which has four life stages: Egg, larvae, pupae and adult. Each stage looks different, and needs different amounts of time to reach t... ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/4 "2011-09-18T05:59:27Z")
> [@MaceMan](#): > > I think you might have an infestation of black carpet beetles. They are known to come into houses from flowers, and they also hang around windows. In their larval stages, they feed on organic fabrics like wool, cotton and pet hair, and they shed little caterpillar-like skins, which you might find in corners of your house or in your closets. > > [Carpet Beetle Management Guidelines--UC IPM](http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7436.html) > [Ask IFAS: Featured Creatures collection](http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/fabric/black_carpet_beetle.htm) > > [Black carpet beetle - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_carpet_beetle) Thanks but (thankfully) they are nowhere near that creepy (and some have no pics so I do not know if that is what these are). In the OP with the gnat I hope there is some scale to give readers and idea. These things are tiny. You can see them but really little (as the pic in the OP sorta shows). ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/5 "2011-09-18T08:29:46Z")
In the second link I provided, you will find a picture of an adult black carpet beetle. These are usually less than 3 mm in size. Might I suggest sprinkling some food-grade diatomaceous earth around your plants? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/6 "2011-09-18T09:19:34Z")
I suppose you could re-pot the plants. Discard all the old soil, rinse the roots, rinse the pots, and re-pot with new soil. That’s all I got. Also, I’m a big fan of the DE. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/7 "2011-09-18T10:52:20Z")
Link to Amazon > **[Amazon.com: Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger 1.5 Ounce (3 Count) : Patio,...](https://www.amazon.com/Raid-Concentrated-Deep-Reach-Fogger/dp/B0002ZWE5C)** > > Buy Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger 1.5 Ounce (3 Count) on Amazon.com ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders Works great. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/8 "2011-09-18T16:49:45Z")
> [@MaceMan](#): > > I think you might have an infestation of black carpet beetles. They are known to come into houses from flowers, and they also hang around windows. In their larval stages, they feed on organic fabrics like wool, cotton and pet hair, and they shed little caterpillar-like skins, which you might find in corners of your house or in your closets. So _that’s_ what those things are. I never connected the fact that the beatles and the lavae were the same creature. As an aside, people frequently recommend diatomaceous earth for pest problems, but I can’t find it in stores anywhere…which makes me think I’m looking in the wrong places rather than no stores carry it. It’s not with pesticides and insecticides, so what part of stores like Lowes and Home Depot should I be looking for it in? And should I be looking for a bag, jug, or box? I’d really like to find it so next spring’s pansies aren’t all eaten by slugs too. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/9 "2011-09-18T17:30:49Z")
Go to Pool Supplies for DE. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/10 "2011-09-18T17:57:33Z")
Do they have many legs like centipedes, Do they roll up into a ball ? If so they could be _sow bugs_ (woodlice). > **[Woodlouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse)** > > A woodlouse (plural woodlice) is any crustacean belonging to the suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood, and from louse, a parasitic insect, although woodlice are not insects. > Woodlice evolved from marine isopods which are presumed to have colonised land in the Carboniferous, though the oldest known fossils are from the Cretaceous period. They have many common names and although often referred to as terrestrial isopods, some species... ---
**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/11 "2011-09-19T06:44:52Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > As an aside, people frequently recommend diatomaceous earth for pest problems, but I can’t find it in stores anywhere…which makes me think I’m looking in the wrong places rather than no stores carry it. It’s not with pesticides and insecticides, so what part of stores like Lowes and Home Depot should I be looking for it in? And should I be looking for a bag, jug, or box? I’d really like to find it so next spring’s pansies aren’t all eaten by slugs too. I’m not sure you can find it in those particular stores. You can order it online, from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) and [here.](http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/buy_diatomaceous_earth.html#) Just make sure you get the food-grade type, as the pool-filter type is crystallized and is not recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/12 "2011-09-19T07:09:43Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Do they have many legs like centipedes, Do they roll up into a ball ? If so they could be _sow bugs_ (woodlice). > [Woodlouse - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse) That also matches the OP’s statement that they come out and they die - might not be anything to do with the pesticides - woodlice tend to die of dehydration indoors. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-how-do-i-get-rid-of-these-bugs-infesting-my-place/596672/13 "2011-09-19T14:29:21Z")
I got infested by [grain weevils](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_weevil) a few weeks back. They look similar to your little black bugs, but I don’t see the little proboscis in your pictures. If you want a better look, tear off a strip of duct tape and gently put it over your bug, then lift it up. They’ll wave their legs around helplessly and give you lots of time to examine them. The grain weevils were quite prolific, but controlling them was just a matter of removing the food source, cleaning well, and spraying the baseboards. Turns out they were attracted to a container of birdseed I had that wasn’t quite air-tight.