# what is this strange bug bug?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 10, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097 "2013-07-10T01:35:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/1 "2013-07-10T01:35:12Z")
I have found a strange bug, when I first found it, it looked like a stone from one of my grandchildren’s toys or craft kit. It is 3/4 in long,1/2" wide on the rear end… Shaped sort of slightly like a pear, it has 6 legs, a small dark head with feelers, it can pull it’s feet in to its body. It is gray with a small amount of cream( sort of) spots. When it’s legs are inside of it. it looks like a decoration; it wiggles it’s legs and feelers. seems to have a soft body(looks like it is made of clay). I have looked on line and have found nothing, I tried to photograph it but it wiggles so I can’t get a clear picture of it. I am hoping at least one of the dopers can identify it for me.
Thanks in advance
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### Author:  [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/2 "2013-07-10T01:58:13Z")
[http://www.whatsthatbug.com/](http://www.whatsthatbug.com/)
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### Author:  [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/3 "2013-07-10T02:09:42Z")
Is it a beetle? Hard or soft wings?
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/4 "2013-07-10T03:32:37Z")
Offhand, it sounds like it could be some kind of [weevil,](http://www.whitworthpestsolutions.com/images/root-weevil.jpg) but I don’t think a definite ID can be determined without a photo.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/5 "2013-07-10T07:10:46Z")
Soft body, grey, tiny legs, no mention of wings. Sounds like a soft tick to me - apart from the number of legs (ticks have 8, but they do probe things with their front pair of legs - so perhaps those could be mistaken for antennae)
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### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/6 "2013-07-10T11:53:22Z")
> [@Troppus](#):
>
> Is it a beetle? Hard or soft wings?
It is soft, has no wings, and can seem to be very hearty. All the legs are near the top half of it’s body. I spent a good deal of time looking on line but did not find anything similar. Just loos like a flat stone and can blow its back part larger.
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### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/7 "2013-07-10T11:54:53Z")
> [@Troppus](#):
>
> Is it a beetle? Hard or soft wings?
It is soft, has no wings, and can seem to be very hearty. All the legs are near the top half of it’s body. I spent a good deal of time looking on line but did not find anything similar,. Just looks like a flat stone and can blow its back part larger.
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### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/8 "2013-07-10T11:56:52Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Soft body, grey, tiny legs, no mention of wings. Sounds like a soft tick to me - apart from the number of legs (ticks have 8, but they do probe things with their front pair of legs - so perhaps those could be mistaken for antennae)
It is way too big to be tick. I measure it and it is 3/4 “long and 1/2” wide at the bottom.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/9 "2013-07-10T12:06:19Z")
> [@monavis](#):
>
> It is way too big to be tick. I measure it and it is 3/4 “long and 1/2” wide at the bottom.
Soft ticks can get as big as a large grape when engorged with blood.
Does it look anything like the image on this page?
[http://www.bioactivation-in-fleas.co.uk/pages/whataboutticks/WhatAreTicks.aspx](http://www.bioactivation-in-fleas.co.uk/pages/whataboutticks/WhatAreTicks.aspx)
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### Author:  [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/10 "2013-07-10T14:57:14Z")
Does it look anything like an [ant lion larva](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=1106&q=6+legs%2C+a+small+dark+head+with+feelers%2C+it+can+pull+it%27s+feet+in+to+its+body.+It+is+gray+with+a+small+amount+of+cream%28+sort+of%29+spots&oq=6+legs%2C+a+small+dark+head+with+feelers%2C+it+can+pull+it%27s+feet+in+to+its+body.+It+is+gray+with+a+small+amount+of+cream%28+sort+of%29+spots&gs_l=img.3...23910.23910.0.25090.1.1.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1ac.1.19.img.cNkTc82Vc0U#hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=ant+lion+larva&oq=ant+lion+larva&gs_l=img.3..0i10l2.12654.17613.2.17931.15.15.0.0.0.0.235.1437.12j2j1.15.0....0...1c.1.19.img.nfAlnPREOW4&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48705608,d.dmg&fp=30aea410e1a26bc&biw=1920&bih=1106)?
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/11 "2013-07-10T22:30:00Z")
Or how about [these](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=beetle+grub&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=R-DdUfHWGIn70gWb3oGwBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=653)beetle larvae?
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### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/12 "2013-07-11T11:53:15Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Soft ticks can get as big as a large grape when engorged with blood.
>
> Does it look anything like the image on this page?
> [http://www.bioactivation-in-fleas.co.uk/pages/whataboutticks/WhatAreTicks.aspx](http://www.bioactivation-in-fleas.co.uk/pages/whataboutticks/WhatAreTicks.aspx)
It does resemble it in a way, bur is more flat and has 6 legs and 2 antennae, When I first saw it I thought it was a grey decorative stone, then it pulled its legs out and started to wiggle. I did get a picture of it(finally) but in the enlarged picture it looks brown. This is the closest to any bug I have looked up on Google .For some reason neither Photo Shop, or Picasa have anything close. I will have one of my children see if they can get it on line for me. The only part it seemed to blow up was it’s back part. Other than that it has stayed flat. It is still alive. Thanks for the site.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2013, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/13 "2013-07-11T12:11:25Z")
[I guess everyone has heard about the insect pic posted on Flickr that caught the eye of an entomologist, who eventually determined it to be a previously unknown species.](http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/08/11/158570034/a-new-species-discovered-on-flickr)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/14 "2013-07-11T12:35:34Z")
> [@monavis](#):
>
> I will have one of my children see if they can get it on line for me.
If this proves tricky, you can email me the picture (address in my profile here) and I’ll publish it on my SkyDrive.
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### Author:  [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/15 "2013-07-11T15:04:55Z")
Where do you live?
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### Author:  [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/16 "2013-07-11T15:42:10Z")
I found an engorged tick in the floor the other day which fits the description. I came on here to ask for ID, but I got the idea to search for ticks before I hit submit and was able to ID it myself. It looked exactly like this [Flickr](http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/mplonsky/920828343/)
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### Author:  [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2013, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/17 "2013-07-12T11:24:07Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> If this proves tricky, you can email me the picture (address in my profile here) and I’ll publish it on my SkyDrive.
I will email you. I got some good pictures of it from 3 views. It does look a lot like the one you poste but his one is flat, it could be that it hasn’t eaten in a while. After seeing the picture enlarged and clear, I noted what I thought were feelers are more legs It has 4 on each side, one is missing in the middle of the others.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/18 "2013-07-12T22:59:02Z")
Here’s a link to the files you sent:
[http://sdrv.ms/136C68j](http://sdrv.ms/136C68j)
I’m certain that’s a wood tick - one that has fed and engorged, then deflated a bit (perhaps because it has produced eggs)
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/19 "2013-07-12T23:00:03Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Here’s a link to the files you sent:
> [http://sdrv.ms/136C68j](http://sdrv.ms/136C68j)
>
> I’m certain that’s a wood tick - one that has fed and engorged, then deflated a bit (perhaps because it has produced eggs)
Absolutely no question that’s a tick.
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### Author:  [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-strange-bug-bug/663097/20 "2013-07-12T23:13:57Z")
OP, I sure hope you have pets.
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