# Why Are Bugs Attracted To My Paper Plates (And How Do They Get There Without Me Spotting Them)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 30, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807 "2012-07-30T02:09:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807/1 "2012-07-30T02:09:15Z")

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There are a horde of small black bugs living in my stash of white paper plates in the top cupboard. Why are they attracted to paper, and how did they get up there without me spotting them on the move? I don’t remember holding the cupboard door open for them.

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**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807/2 "2012-07-30T03:14:11Z")

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You should check the potatoes. Pinching your nose.

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**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 30, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807/3 "2012-07-30T04:23:56Z")

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> [@The\_Niply\_Elder](#):
>
> You should check the potatoes. Pinching your nose.

Ugh. There’s not much worse than going to grab what LOOKS like a perfectly healthy potato and squeezing a brown bag of mush. Ick.

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**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-bugs-attracted-to-my-paper-plates-and-how-do-they-get-there-without-me-spotting-them/629807/4 "2016-09-11T17:36:32Z")

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SCIENCE:  
[INDENT]

> [@](#):
>
> **Why do the homes of the affluent have more bugs?**  
> Rich in arthropods – a new study reveals that homes of plenty are also home to plenty of insects and bugs.
> 
> [Why do the homes of the affluent have more bugs? - CSMonitor.com](http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0803/Why-do-the-homes-of-the-affluent-have-more-bugs)

[/INDENT]  
You should throw out those paper plates before those bugs crawl into your ear and lay eggs on your brain.