What The hel_l Are These Bugs In My House?

[Bananaman]

Apologies for the crappy picture it was the best I could manage. If you can't make it out then I'll tell you that these things are grey and flat and about a half-inch in length. Currently they are pretty much all over the house, they attach themselves to the wall (they especially like the crevice at which two walls meet) and just, well, do nothing really. At first I thought maybe they were a cocoon stage of something familiar but as of last night I actually witnessed one moving. It was an unusual sight, as something small that might've been a head protruded out of the top while it pulled itself slowly up the wall.

Anyone else got 'em? What the blinkin' hel_l are they?

[sylviex]

Indeed, it's difficult to figure out the point of these creatures, or what kind of fun they get out of life, unless they are an alien species monitoring us silently from our walls.

At least they're quiet.

[toybits]

If it hangs by a silk thread, it looks like case worm to me. Harmless creatures really...

[sylviex]

No threads attached.

[PhilHarries]

No threads attached.

Only this thread.

Oddest looking dang thing I ever saw, what do they taste like?

[Bananaman]

If it hangs by a silk thread, it looks like case worm to me. Harmless creatures really...

These things have no threads attached to them. I have no doubt that they are harmless but their numbers are multiplying!

[pop3]

Heres some photos of mine, the photo of them by the light gives some idea of their size.

They like to hide behind things like wardrobes and cupboards, they are nocturnal so only move by night, our old house was alive with them so we were careful to not bring any here but there must have been one or two on furniture somewhere and now this house also has many of them,

I have asked many Thais what they are but the reply I get is always the same, they say they don't know and that these small creatures have only in resent years started to come into the houses ?

Edited July 4, 2008 by pop3

[chiangmaiexpat]

Heterocera cementica. Concrete-eating moths.

[Ulysses G.]

I see them every once in a while, but usually one at a time.

[Bananaman]

Heterocera cementica. Concrete-eating moths.

Ha Ha Ha....is that what I have to look forward to if too many of them get in the house?

[FTB]

I concur. Over the last three weeks I've been sweeping the buggers off the ceiling where most of mine have been "hanging" about from one end of the body. No threads visible.

I did what i do when encountering things unknown to me in a foriegn country without the aid of a GF. I enrolled the mind of one of the brightest Loi Kroi kittens whom stated it was...spider eggs. Intterviews are now being held for her replacement.

So what are these creatures? Did not see them about last year.

[p1p]

Moving - Not CM related.

[Moonrakers]

They look like Gecko eggs to me.

Oh, they move around... can't be geckos eggs then.

Edited July 4, 2008 by globalj

[toptuan]

I've had them for 5 years. At any one time 5-7 of them for each room. I sweep them off the walls about once a week and out the door. Never saw one move, but never sat and watched one for any length of time either. My Thai friends say they're harmless, but really don't know what they are.

[silverhawk_usa]

Have nothing useful to add except to say we moved to a new house recently near the river. It had a bunch of these critters in every room slowly working their way up the walls at night only to seem to hang dormant once they reached the ceiling.

Never saw them in my previous house and the Thai G/F also has no idea of what they are. Guess they're not edible then.

[Rimmer]

I am really pleased someone has posted this one, they have been been puzzling me for a long time, so much so I have done google and yahoo searches but can find out nothing about them.

I have a new house less than one year old and we have them on the walls as well. Even more curious if you look at them through a magnifying glass if you find one on the floor you can see that they have a mouth at both ends and are equally at home going backwards or forwards. Really weird!!

[Moonrakers]

Iv'e found it folks.

They are cocoons of the case bearing moth:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clothes.html.

I was sure it was a cocoon/egg of sorts, I was a bit out on the Gecko's though.

[Dave the Dude]

they have a mouth at both ends and are equally at home going backwards or forwards. Really weird!!

Sounds like a few Expats I'v met

[sylviex]

I'd say you appear to have solved the *case*, globalj.

Funnily, a wee moth flew up against my computer screen as I was reading your post.

I only glanced through the comments on the link you gave, but why on earth would someone need to know how to "dispose of these humanely" ?

Those disgusting, scuttling things (cockroaches ? ) that appear from the sinks & drains sometimes, waving their antennae, are a different story altogether.

[Moonrakers]

I'd say you appear to have solved the *case*, globalj.

Good work.

[Pierrot]

Iv'e found it folks.

They are cocoons of the case bearing moth:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clothes.html.

I was sure it was a cocoon/egg of sorts, I was a bit out on the Gecko's though.

On the same page there is a "Thereupoda decipiens" aka a Long-legged Centipede. They say they found it in a remote cave in the interior of Borneo but I'm pretty sure I found one very similar (If I can only find the pictures I took) in my house near Korat. Does anybody ever found this "creature" in Thailand? Is it dangerous like some of his cousin ?

[Patsycat]

Do they have names? Can we send names and get prizes? Roger and Emily come to mind,, For my prize i shall take a holiday for two whereever as long as it is not in Morcombe by the Sea.

[Moonrakers]

In Ayudhya once I encountered a huge centipede, about a foot long and brightly coloured in Red and Purple.

Nasty, aggressive bugger it was and it even raised itself up, hissing loudly and spitting what I presume to be venom.

I can never find a picture of it on the net....... anybody?

I have also noticed that Thai's in general don't know much about their poisonous/dangerous species which surprises me. Whilst in Isaan once with an ex, her family wondered as to why I banged my trainers on the floor before putting them on each time, I think that they caught on when a scorpion fell out once though.

[Moonrakers]

Just noticed as well that these moths feed on pet hair.

Which makes sense because before my dog was killed by a nasty cobra, the house was full of them.

So I reckon that the more pets you have, the more of those little buggers you will have hanging out in your house.

[pumpuiman]

Iv'e found it folks.

They are cocoons of the case bearing moth:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clothes.html.

I was sure it was a cocoon/egg of sorts, I was a bit out on the Gecko's though.

Incredible piece of detective work. I'm impressed.

You have given proof positive that this website is a virtually endless supply of information on all things Thailand.

And in record time.

Well done.

[RubbaJohnny]

Just noticed as well that these moths feed on pet hair.

Which makes sense because before my dog was killed by a nasty cobra, the house was full of them.

So I reckon that the more pets you have, the more of those little buggers you will have hanging out in your house.

Butnot if you keep acouple of Bintarong (see my icon) The Asli people of Central Malaya keep as house pets and they just hoover up the competition .

There's avery nice one calledBig Ron in C Mai zoo in NW heights

[tw25rw]

Just noticed as well that these moths feed on pet hair.

Which makes sense because before my dog was killed by a nasty cobra, the house was full of them.

So I reckon that the more pets you have, the more of those little buggers you will have hanging out in your house.

Shame it wasn't one of those nice natured cobras..

[pattaya_girl]

Hey, i have these as well, and as I was reading this post, i thought to myself they are similar to Moths, but with no wings. I also have quite a few animals. I hope they dont eat my clothes same as moths like to do !!!!!! I hate the smell of Moth Balls, but if need be I will have to use them and then I will smell like my Grandma use to do lol...

[Rimmer]

Iv'e found it folks.

They are cocoons of the case bearing moth:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/clothes.html.

I was sure it was a cocoon/egg of sorts, I was a bit out on the Gecko's though.

So now we know, Well done globalj

Now I can sleep nights again.

[NotNew2You]

Every house i have lived in in LOS has had these little critters too. Just have to sweep them off the walls every week or so. funny, though, if they are moth larvae, why dont i ever see them morph into moths at some point and see them flying around inside my house?

also, funny that the resident jin joks found in every house don't scarfe these little fellas down and keep their numbers under control?