Bugz!

[dddave]

Over the last few days, my apartment seems to have become infested with a bug I'm unfamiliar with.  I've killed about 50 so far.

 

They are black, just shy of 2mm long and seem to be crawlers, not flyers.  They kind of resemble a tick but with a narrow body.

When I look at one under a magnifying glass, they appear to have an elongated snout; kind of like a miniature elephant trunk.

Any ideas as to what they are and the best way to get rid of them?

 

I admit to not being the most fastidious housekeeper...corners tend to collect dust and other stuff.  Guess I'll have the mop and pail out today.

[CharlieH]

There are various 'bug' aerosol type sprays you can get in Tesco etc.
Spray that around at floor level, should do the trick.

[pigeonjake]

they sound like the ones that come out after a good downpour they have wings at first then they fall off and become crawlers they get all over the place, could be them, mind you ive been wrong on many other things,,

 

 

jake

[chickenslegs]

they sound like the ones that come out after a good downpour they have wings at first then they fall off and become crawlers they get all over the place, could be them, mind you ive been wrong on many other things,,

 

 

jake

 

I think the flying bugs are termites.

 

The bugs the OP is seeing could be these http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/305124-what-is-this-bug/

[pigeonjake]

i know my ducks and chickens like them,lol, they are like kangaroos jumping up in the air to get them, its funny to watch them

[dddave]

 

they sound like the ones that come out after a good downpour they have wings at first then they fall off and become crawlers they get all over the place, could be them, mind you ive been wrong on many other things,,

 

 

jake

 

I think the flying bugs are termites.

 

The bugs the OP is seeing could be these http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/305124-what-is-this-bug/

 

 

That's it!!   Thanks very much for the picture and the link and to all for the effort.  Definitely the variety of insect I'm dealing with.  Interesting that it's the rice weevil.  I store very little rice...never more than a 1 or 2 kg at a time.  I just checked my supply and it is clear as is my flour container.

My building has about 400 units so they may be migrating from another area.

 

I was a cleaning fool today...under the bed, kitchen unit, sofa...all the places I've been neglecting.  I never found any concentration of the things...they just keep appearing on the floor.  I put some sticky tape on the bottom of a wooden rod and just pick them up that way.

 

I am relieved that they are not biters and even more relieved that they aren't bedbugs.  They didn't look like the pics of bedbugs I'd found online but I was worried anyway because they are so notoriously difficult to get rid of...like fleas.

[dddave]

AaaaHaaa!!!!   Just found the source!!  The kitchen unit drawer where I store pasta.  Some of the half used bags were not well sealed and there they were...hundreds of the little buggers.

 

Just threw away about 8 bags of Pasta...they even managed to get into sealed bags of spaghetti.

Lesson learned about pasta storage!!!

 

Thanks guys!!!

[Whale]

I always keep pasta in the fridge because of these fellas.

[Gecko123]

If rice weevils get into your rice, you can put the bag of rice into the freezer and it will kill the weevils. When you rinse your rice all the dead weevils will float to the top. You don't necessarily have to throw the food away.

[dddave]

If rice weevils get into your rice, you can put the bag of rice into the freezer and it will kill the weevils. When you rinse your rice all the dead weevils will float to the top. You don't necessarily have to throw the food away.

 

I considered doing the same but then on second thought, considered how well fed these critters had been and that what goes in, eventually comes out in the form of tiny turds.  That less than appetizing aspect of the equation settled the issue and to the trash bin the pasta went.

[Lite Beer]

Weevils. The eggs are in Rice,Pasta,Flour etc. when you buy it.

Put it in the freezer when you buy it and kill the eggs

 

 

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-prevent-get-rid-of-grai-140955

[dddave]

Weevils. The eggs are in Rice,Pasta,Flour etc. when you buy it.

Put it in the freezer when you buy it and kill the eggs

 

 

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-prevent-get-rid-of-grai-140955

 

That's interesting and probably how they appeared in unopened packages of spaghetti I had.   Thanks.