Identify insect

caddy16

Hey folks,

Would anyone know what this little guy is - will need to zoom in but we're under attack from them, all covered in bites. Thanks!

caddy16

caddy16 wrote: »

Hey folks,

Would anyone know what this little guy is - will need to zoom in but we're under attack from them, all covered in bites. Thanks!

Attached

beveragelady

Obviously very hard to tell from that photo but my guess is that it's a flea. Have you any pets?

Does it have wings or does it jump?

caddy16

beveragelady wrote: »

Obviously very hard to tell from that photo but my guess is that it's a flea. Have you any pets?

Does it have wings or does it jump?

No pets. Ya jumps alright. Presume flea but don't know where they could be coming from, bites on are mainly in lower legs. No long grass around house.

New Home

Not a flea, definitely not. Wrong shape, size and colour.

Fleetwoodmac

Are they st marks flies perhaps... though usually appear later in the month

caddy16

Fleetwoodmac wrote: »

Are they st marks flies perhaps... though usually appear later in the month

They do look like them but after a quick search they don't seem to bite.

jimbobaloobob

Would the bite mark tell you more about what they might be?

caddy16

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Would the bite mark tell you more about what they might be?

Attached

jimbobaloobob

caddy16 wrote: »

Attached

I wonder if you looked them up against common bites or something would t give you any insight. Appears as if they are along seams and collars.

jimbobaloobob

Just looking at Doctor google there op the shape of the insect you posted looks like a flea and the bites seem similar to theirs as well
Might be worth sending the pics to your GP and get their professional opinion.
Have do the insects travel?
Would you be able to trap one?

caddy16

Appreciate the response. 90% of bites are around the ankles so I'm guessing they don't fly.
Will do and will trap one next time. My wife saw the ones I posted and her camera isn't the best so I'll be on the look out today!

beveragelady

Leave a tray or a shallow dish of soapy water in the room tonight with a lamp over it so it's the only bright point in the room. See what's there in the morning.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^

never heard that before, will they be attracted to the soapy water or light?

beveragelady

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^

never heard that before, will they be attracted to the soapy water or light?

Lots of things move towards the light. If the water is soapy it means there's no surface tension so if they land on it they're stuck.

fryup

even the likes of fleas & mites ?

New Home

That's still not a flea, though - the body is too dark, too long, too pointy, and with legs which are too short for a flea. It doesn't look remotely like this, to me:

https://www.fleabites.net/what-do-fleas-look-like-flea-pictures/

I'll keep looking. It's a shame Srameen isn't around or he'd be able to tell you in no time (and some of the other folks, too).

caddy16

beveragelady wrote: »

Leave a tray or a shallow dish of soapy water in the room tonight with a lamp over it so it's the only bright point in the room. See what's there in the morning.

Had one in the dish this morning.
Clearer picture attached.

Alun

Some kind of ladybird larva? They're known to bite.

New Home

100% not a flea, and 98% not a ladybird larva, either.

Tiercel Dave

caddy16 wrote: »

Had one in the dish this morning.
Clearer picture attached.

Hi caddy16, put something in pic for scale so we can gauge the size of the creature.....

New Home

If I'm correct, I don't think it's bigger than 4-5mm, if even that. I know I've seen them around before, I just can't think what they are.

Zoomed in picture snip here.

Duke of Url

Best way to catch insects i found is to put a bowl of Apple Cider Vinegar in the room.

beveragelady

Could we see it from the side to get an idea of the legs? And maybe add something for scale if you can manage it too.

caddy16

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

Hi caddy16, put something in pic for scale so we can gauge the size of the creature.....

Correct I'd say 3-4mm, I'll put something down for scale next time I capture one.


BTW the soapy water caught one last night!

Rancid

Any chance it's a springtail?
I know...legs don't look right and I can't see any antennae but the thin shape and the fact that it hops? But I don't think they bite.
(I think I've just ruled out springtails!)

10-10-20

Is it a swift louse?
http://members.home.nl/gierzwaluw/Dag-logboeken/Diary%20-%20Logbook%202007/June/gierzwaluwluisvlieg.htm
Or louse fly:
https://www.pestium.uk/bedbugs-bites-stings-and-itches/mosquitoes-and-flies/louse-flies/

"From the nests, the lice flies can sometimes stray into homes. This probably only happens if the birds, for some reason, leave the nest during the breeding season, or if the bird do not return to a nest in which louse flies are overwintering. Louse fly innovations happen in the months from April to August, mostly in June."

caddy16

10-10-20 wrote: »

Is it a swift louse?
http://members.home.nl/gierzwaluw/Dag-logboeken/Diary%20-%20Logbook%202007/June/gierzwaluwluisvlieg.htm
Or louse fly:
https://www.pestium.uk/bedbugs-bites-stings-and-itches/mosquitoes-and-flies/louse-flies/

"From the nests, the lice flies can sometimes stray into homes. This probably only happens if the birds, for some reason, leave the nest during the breeding season, or if the bird do not return to a nest in which louse flies are overwintering. Louse fly innovations happen in the months from April to August, mostly in June."

Could be on to something here, definitely the right shape. Also I've an unused nest in the garage from last year. Have been cleaning out garage over the last week so that's what might have brought them into house.

Tiercel Dave

caddy16 wrote: »

Could be on to something here, definitely the right shape. Also I've an unused nest in the garage from last year. Have been cleaning out garage over the last week so that's what might have brought them into house.

Those Hippoboscidae are very flat and almost resemble a Tick. They move swiftly in a sideways/almost crablike motion, hard to catch them between your fingers.....

New Home

Ticks have 8 legs, though, and a round abdomen.

New Home

This is the same type of bug, isn't it?

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057923060

New Home

Bingo! It's a rove beetle.

https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2012/11/15/rove-beetle-12/

https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2016/07/22/rove-beetle-19/

More here:

https://bugguide.net/node/view/126

roper1664

Edited, as it seems that the insect has been identified.

New Home

...or maybe not? (the abdomen isn't quite right)

What was your suggestion, Roper?

roper1664

New Home wrote: »

...or maybe not? (the abdomen isn't quite right)

What was your suggestion, Roper?

I think that based on what we've seen and what's been described, that's either it or a very close match. Well done New Home

Just in case the OP doesn't confirm, I'll ask a few questions in a subsequent post.

roper1664

Hi OP.

Just in case your specimen doesn't match the great suggestion above:

It can be difficult to identify insects without microscopy. A clearer photo might still do the trick.

In the meantime, the following will narrow down the candidates:

Do they definitely jump or is that an assumption.

Do they definitely not fly? The lack of flight rules a lot of species out.

Is the head on the right-hand-side of the last image you posted?

Are there any mandibles, like an ant or beetle would have?

Is it entirely black or is it a different colour?

Is the body "hairy"?

Is there anything protruding from the rear of the abdomen e.g., like you would see on an earwig?

Is the body flat/level to the ground or arched?

Anything else that stands out?

I ask the above, as there might be a defining feature that's not visible in your photos.

BobCobb

Saw this thread this morning, and soon after spotted this fly on the back door. Similar shape but probably too long, maybe 8-9 mm and flying around. However, it did act like it might try to bite when I tried to get it out of the house, flying onto me and even up my sleeve.

New Home

BobCobb wrote: »

Saw this thread this morning, and soon after spotted this fly on the back door. Similar shape but probably too long, maybe 8-9 mm and flying around. However, it did act like it might try to bite when I tried to get it out of the house, flying onto me and even up my sleeve.

Not sure if that's it, but that could be some sort of black soldier fly (its larvae are excellent for your composing bin), the flies themselves are quite harmless.

roper1664

BobCobb wrote: »

Saw this thread this morning, and soon after spotted this fly on the back door. Similar shape but probably too long, maybe 8-9 mm and flying around. However, it did act like it might try to bite when I tried to get it out of the house, flying onto me and even up my sleeve.

Horse fly is my best guess.

New Home

roper1664 wrote: »

Horse fly is my best guess.

Don't think so, the wings are "wrong".

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=horse+fly&FORM=HDRSC2

Tiercel Dave

BobCobb wrote: »

Saw this thread this morning, and soon after spotted this fly on the back door. Similar shape but probably too long, maybe 8-9 mm and flying around. However, it did act like it might try to bite when I tried to get it out of the house, flying onto me and even up my sleeve.

That looks like a St Marks fly, Bibio marci.....

BobCobb

Thanks, was just looking them up there and that sounds right. It said that they have weak wings so that might explain why it kept landing on me, similar to how a horse fly might behave alright. Maybe I should have put it to work on the compost heap!

ETA Original reply was to New Home, hadn't seen the latest post, it looks quite like a st marks fly too, plus the sluggish flight would fit the bill.

New Home

Thanks Tiercel Dave, that looks spot on.

Not as useful as a black soldier fly, so.

Eddie B

Is the OP a hundred percent sure that the bites are coming from those insects?

caddy16

Eddie B wrote: »

Is the OP a hundred percent sure that the bites are coming from those insects?

Yes 100%.


I haven't been able to get a closer picture to answer some of the questions above but I'm on the case. Bites have dropped off but still getting a few each day.

caddy16

After easing off for a day or 2 the young lads got well bitten again today. Time to call in outside help I think in the morning.


Got this little guy in their clothes this evening.

New Home

I thought it was a type of rove beetle, but I'm no expert. If you want to be sure, perhaps you'd be better off posting here - https://www.whatsthatbug.com/

New Home

It's also shaped a bit like a louse, but it's way too big to be a head louse.

Tiercel Dave

I'm going to go with Flea OP, when seen from above their body is quite narrow but there is a depth to it, a sort of flattened profile. If it jumps like a Flea and bites like a Flea then.......

Tiercel Dave

New Home wrote: »

I thought it was a type of rove beetle, but I'm no expert. If you want to be sure, perhaps you'd be better off posting here - https://www.whatsthatbug.com/

Looked up Rove Beetle, it seems more akin to a Devils Coach Horse.....

New Home

It is definitely not a flea (unless you mean not a flea like those you find on pets, perhaps a sand flea?), for starters the last pair of legs is too short, the head isn't attached to the thorax* in the same way. Fleas aren't the only insects that bite or jump.

How does this...


look remotely like this:


*not sure if that's the right term.