# HELP: There's an insect crawling inside my computer's LCD **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 10, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474 "2011-07-10T02:51:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [July 12, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/21 "2011-07-12T00:24:07Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > If it is an old school tube monitor, be careful with this. High powered caps can be dangerous. > -D/a There’s actually “LCD” in the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/22 "2011-07-12T00:27:53Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > There’s actually “LCD” in the thread title. True. And I admit I didn’t notice that until just now, when I revisited the thread. I’ll try to save face by pointing out that future people may read this thread and think it applies to them..and that some people don’t actually know what LCD versus CRT means. So..um..it was just a random public service. :smack: -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/23 "2011-07-12T03:42:25Z")
Is the OP certain it’s not the cursor? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/24 "2011-07-12T05:03:32Z")
Take a screenshot so we can all see it. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/25 "2011-07-12T05:04:20Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Is the OP certain it’s not the cursor? Yes of course!!! :mad: And I’m NOT drunk!!! :mad: Tonight Mr. Insect has decided to sleep on the “Power Options” icon. If only I could vaporize him with electricity. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/26 "2011-07-12T14:32:06Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Yes of course!!! :mad: And I’m NOT drunk!!! :mad: > > Tonight Mr. Insect has decided to sleep on the “Power Options” icon. If only I could vaporize him with electricity. How is Mr. Insect doing this morning? ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/27 "2011-07-12T16:20:20Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Is that a bug or a feature? This thread was won in post 5. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/28 "2011-07-12T17:51:39Z")
> [@lukeinva](#): > > How is Mr. Insect doing this morning? Seems to have taken a liking to the red “Follow Up” flag icon in Outlook mail. Or maybe he’s in his last throes, and it’s a call for help. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/29 "2011-07-12T17:59:18Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Seems to have taken a liking to the red “Follow Up” flag icon in Outlook mail. Or maybe he’s in his last throes, and it’s a call for help. If he likes that icon, drag it slowly across the screen to get him to a corner (whichever corner will bug you the least, I recommend upper left or right since most people have the taskbar at the bottom and check the time fairly regularly. Squish, done. He’s already in there. He’s going to die at some point. Might as well make it in a convenient place that you don’t look often, as opposed to him dying of natural causes smack-dab in the middle of your screen. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/30 "2011-07-13T19:16:19Z")
This morning he was gone. I guess he got bored with my screen. Kind of miss him, already. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/31 "2011-07-13T19:28:00Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > This morning he was gone. I guess he got bored with my screen. > > Kind of miss him, already. He’s probably moved someplace more fun. Like your bed. Sleep tight. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/32 "2011-07-13T19:30:10Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Sleep tight. Don’t let the…well…never mind… ---
**Author:** ![wisernow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@wisernow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wisernow)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/33 "2011-07-18T14:40:54Z")
Turn on your laptop, wait for a few seconds and don’t be surprised when this flashes on your screen - [AS/]I’LL BE BACK![/AS] ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/34 "2011-07-20T00:48:03Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > It’s about the size of a baby flea. How do you know this? ---
**Author:** ![Charleythejanitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Charleythejanitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charleythejanitor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/35 "2011-07-27T10:13:16Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > How can I get it out? It’s about the size of a baby flea. It’s crawling upward, to the top of the screen, on top of the “E” at the end of " THE STRAIGHT DOPE." Oh–no, now it’s going back down. > > If I touch the screen it will move a little, but I don’t want to kill it there and have it there forever. > > What can I do? Train him/her to spy for you.Or maybe someone else has already trained him/her! ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474/36 "2011-07-28T05:48:34Z")
> [@lukeinva](#): > > … > Taking your monitor apart is probably the only sure way to remove the insect. Damn. Came to this thread late, and missed my chance for a nuke-sure way joke. Consider it done retroactively. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-theres-an-insect-crawling-inside-my-computers-lcd/588474.md?page=1)