What Is This Bug?

[JetsetBkk]

I thought there'd been a topic on this some time ago, but can't find it in this forum. So I'm asking the same question again: what is it?

I find them hanging on the walls. They are usually not so dark as this one, and are about 1 cm long. They appear to be a soft sac, maybe made from silk and contain a small caterpillar-like creature that expands and contracts its body to move it and the sac around.

You can see the head and two legs of the caterpillar at the top of the one in the picture below.

No matter how many I pick off the walls, they keep coming back. I have found about a dozen over the last three or four days and thought that the house was clear of them, then this one appeared out of nowhere a few hours ago:

I first noticed that there was something inside when I saw one of them moving a few days ago. There was a small (2 to 3 mm long) grub inside the 1 cm long sac. Here's a video I made yesterday of a particularly active one that I found on the floor. I put it on some kitchen paper and it went off at great speed dragging its sac behind it.

Has it got a name?

Is it indicative of some nasty infestation?

Or am I worrying over nothing?

Should I let some jin-joks back in the house and let them eat the bugs?

[PoorSucker]

Mt wife says the name is "No ploblem"

[Rimmer]

Have you noticed they seem to have a head at both ends?

[Patsycat]

That looks 'orrible..

[DanaDeLuxe]

Thanks for that scary movie, JetsetBkk! #*shiver*

I think it might be kind of a bag worm of the moth familiy psychidae, sub family Oiketicinae. There are several hundred varieties of those worldwide. Typical is the sack that the female lives in and moves around with.

[JetsetBkk]

Have you noticed they seem to have a head at both ends?

Yes - I had one that had a bit of spider's web tangled up with its sack, so it had trouble moving. It tried to go one way, then went inside and popped its head out of the other end and tried to cut the web! Then it went back to the original end and tried moving again.

So I don't think they have two heads - I think it's just the same one coming out of both ends as I've never seen two heads at the same time

[JetsetBkk]

Thanks for that scary movie, JetsetBkk! #*shiver*

I think it might be kind of a bag worm of the moth familiy psychidae, sub family Oiketicinae. There are several hundred varieties of those worldwide. Typical is the sack that the female lives in and moves around with.

Thanks for the info - I shall do some Googling!

I put some of them in a sealed jar and they crawled up the wall to the top and hung there on a thread about 1 cm long. That reminded me that I'd seen these things hanging down outside the house from door and window frames, so I think they may be just blowing in on the wind as it's quite breezy at the moment.

[PoorSucker]

Hmm, seems like some posters don't have them.

In all the places I have lived I've had them.

JetsetBkk, do you also have these small irritating flies.

I think these are the same.

[Moonrakers]

It's the larvae of the case bearing moth, they feed on pet hair and so if you have pets you are likely to have more og them.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Moonrakers

[JetsetBkk]

Hmm, seems like some posters don't have them.

In all the places I have lived I've had them.

JetsetBkk, do you also have these small irritating flies.

I think these are the same.

I used to get some small black "delta winged" flies several months ago, but not any more. They were only about 1 to 1.5 mm along each of the 3 edges - just like a miniature Vulcan bomber! But they were mostly found in the shower and were impossible to get using water from the shower head - they were much too quick and maneuverable. Had to wait until they settled on the wall and then slap them quick with my hand

[JetsetBkk]

It's the larvae of the case bearing moth, they feed on pet hair and so if you have pets you are likely to have more of them.

Thanks for that name - yes, that's definitely the one. Here's a link:

[PoorSucker]

I asked the question on a Entomology forum and got this answer.

This is the larva of a casemaking clothes moth. The silken "sac" is constructed of silk and bits of whatever the larva is feeding on. Larvae feed on animal-based fabrics such as wool, felt, dried skins, hair, etc. They do not feed on synthetic fabrics or plant-based fabrics such as cotton or jute. You'll probably find small buff-colored moths which are, of course, the adult stage of this insect.

Take a look at this page http://www.livingwithbugs.com/clothes_moth.html for pictures and more life history information.

These insects can be very damaging to fabrics on which they feed. If you have wool rugs, clothes, etc. you'll want to check and clean them very carefully. No need to use insecticides or mothballs. Mothballs, in fact, can be very hazardous to your health. See http://www.livingwithbugs.com/mothball.html for reasons not to use mothballs.

BTW, the video is excellent. You might consider re-naming it "clothes moth larva" so others can find it through a google search. Thanks for posting it.

[JetsetBkk]

I asked the question on a Entomology forum and got this answer.

Thanks for doing that, PoorS, but actually I don't think it is that particular bug. I think it's the one that Moonrakers found - here's a link: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2007/04/10/cas...ing-moth-larva/

The case of the case bearing moth is identical to what I get, unlike the one in your post on the Entomology forum. Also, I just checked my wardrobes and there's no sign of them there, and also no damage to my clothes.

Today I vacuumed the house thoroughly, went out for three hours, came back and found two of them in the bedroom about two feet up the wall - and there are no open windows in that room!

I now believe they are dropping through from the roof space above the ceiling through the small gap around the light fittings. These fittings are built in to the ceiling and contain low power florescent bulbs. And, there does seem to be some insect activity around these fittings - traces of fine silk and minute bits of debris.

I also realised that the one room I haven't found them in is the washing machine room, which is actually an extension to the house and has no roof space above the ceiling.

So I've vacuumed around the light fittings and even stuck the fine attachment up around the bulbs to suck out anything loose. What I want to do is hang something under the lights to see if I can catch a bug after it falls. That would prove it for me and then I would get someone to go up in the roof space and do what was necessary.

One thing I discovered - if you hold a vacuum cleaner in one hand, the pipe in the other and stare straight up at small florescent bulbs for a few minutes, you don't half get dizzy.

[pongosnodgrass]

Moonraker - you blooming genius! That's been puzzling me for ages!

I find them quite interesting to watch and the really tiny mini-me versions are quite sweet in a way. I have noticed them clinging to hair and I thought they just got stuck but now I know that's what they eat, that makes sense. I have a dog and seven cats so maybe I'm destined to keep having them. I've managed to live in harmony with them for a while and apart from looking unsightly when they amass in large numbers, they don't seem to be doing any damage. Their moths are tiny (about 3 mm) and they too don't seem to do any damage to the house or people. They haven't attacked any clothes or wool. But those tiny brown stripy furry weevils have so if you have those, get rid of them fast..

[PoorSucker]

That makes sense, should rename it to case bearing hair eating moth.

[JetsetBkk]

Update:

Just to add an ending to this thread...the moth that hatches (pupates?) from this larva is pretty boring. Here's one in a jar where I kept it:

I'm still finding one or two per day, but less than before.

[Rimmer]

Update:

Just to add an ending to this thread...the moth that hatches (pupates?) from this larva is pretty boring. Here's one in a jar where I kept it:

SNIP PHOTO

You have missed your vocation, you should be an entomologist

[JetsetBkk]

Update:

Just to add an ending to this thread...the moth that hatches (pupates?) from this larva is pretty boring. Here's one in a jar where I kept it:

SNIP PHOTO

You have missed your vocation, you should be an entomologist

Considering the lengths I go to to keep my house totally bug free, it's surprising how much I enjoy taking photos of the little buggers.

[PoorSucker]

For me they are seasonal creatures.

Only one, two right now.

In six months 30-40 specimen.

[Sir_Sanuk]

Just wanted to say thanks for the posts above.. I've been picking these things off my walls every day now for the last week and have been trying to work out what the hel_l they are.

Strange thing is I'm up on the 33rd floor, so I'm not sure where they're coming from but at least I know what they are now. Thanks

[JetsetBkk]

Just wanted to say thanks for the posts above.. I've been picking these things off my walls every day now for the last week and have been trying to work out what the hel_l they are.

Strange thing is I'm up on the 33rd floor, so I'm not sure where they're coming from but at least I know what they are now. Thanks

I'm still getting them - 2 or 3 a day. I think they are coming in through the light sockets in the ceiling. I find myself scanning the walls and floor every time I enter a room, looking for them. It's like an addiction - I'm quite disappointed if I don't find any.

[T_Dog]

Our place has about an equal number of those larva along with Jinjok scat on the walls which looks very similiar. The larva remind me of caddis fly larva back in Montana and Idaho trout streams. The caddis fly larva makes a "case" out of bits of dirt and grass and then lives in it on the bottom of the stream. We called them "rock rollers" and the fish would eat them, case and all.

[JetsetBkk]

Our place has about an equal number of those larva along with Jinjok scat on the walls ...

My house is jin-jok free! If ever I see any scat, I clean it up and keep looking every day to see if it re-appears. If it does, I turn the place upside down looking for the little bugger. I found one about 5 days ago in the washing machine room - had to move a large cupboard to get to him, and then chase him around. Got him in the end though. It's good exercise

[SamuiJens]

It bugs me!

[Crypt36]

Interesting topic, you always see those things stuck on the wall here, always did wonder what they are

[Korat88]

Update:

Just to add an ending to this thread...the moth that hatches (pupates?) from this larva is pretty boring. Here's one in a jar where I kept it:

I'm still finding one or two per day, but less than before.

Belated thanks for this information. Was searching TV forums today for interesting points and I have often wondered what these larvae are destined to turn into. Now I know. We don't have any pets though. Still I am sure that this is what we find in the condo from time to time.

[Briggsy]

In Bangkok, I had loads of them. They seemed to be most congregated around a space in the wall where possibly termites were also present.

In Chonburi, I've had very few.

[PoorSucker]

In Bangkok, I had loads of them. They seemed to be most congregated around a space in the wall where possibly termites were also present.

In Chonburi, I've had very few.

Yes the BKK moths like Pink Floyd.

[Samsonanddelilah]

I've got these too! I have been hoovering them off the ceiling. I have no clue as to what they are and am a tad concerned about them, should I be?

[Rinrada]

Saw this lttle guy sitting on my Tamerind tree (next to the new pool)but nobody ....including our workers ..seems to recognise it ...any idea?