i found a bug?

Question

I found theis weird looking bug in my bed near my 7 month old baby. It is a long bug but very small. It has many legs. It is not a centiped, that I know. It is light brown in color and has a few pointy hairs as a tail. How and were can I find out what kind of bug this is?

Answer 1

Sounds to me like it's probably the larva of a carpet or larder beetle (a family known as Dermestids).

Here's some pictures of other Dermestid larvae to compare http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=dermestid

Carpet and larder beetles are very common household pests. They are completely harmless to humans, but kinda icky and gross, and they get into food stores, and will eat wool clothing, leather or other animal products (especially things like stuffed and mounted critters - Museums hate them). I've also had several books ruined when they burrowed into the pages to pupate.

The best way to get rid of them is to find out what they're feeding on, and get rid of it, or seal it up. In some cases, this could be a dead rodent in the walls, or dead bird in the attic, which may not be accessible, and the beetles are actually doing you a favour getting rid of it.

There are several pesticides that are effective against these beetles, but with a baby in the house, you may not want to use them. Vacuuming, especially along baseboards can help keep their numbers down, and trying to make sure there's as little food as possible for them to munch on. Otherwise, most of the potential 'cures' (including diatomaceous earth - essentially powdered glass that is sprinkled along baseboards) are probably worse health risks for your baby than the beetles are.

Answer 2

Sounds to me like you might have found a silverfish. (Not all of which are silver)... these are funky looking creatures, but harmless. It might have been attracted to the baby by the food-smell (milk or baby cereal)

They are usually found in dark humid areas - such as basements and bathrooms. But I've found them in drier places - such as dresser drawers.

The link I provide has some excellent photos and info.

Answer 3

they happen whilst there's a grimy atmosphere so which you in all probability at the instant are not cleansing your mattress like eating snacks and not cleansing it and youre not looking after your room attempt to scrub it employing by using vacuum purifier and additionally open your living house windows to allow the clean air are available :)

Answer 4

Go to the library and look in a field guide on insects.

Answer 5

i have seen that before... it's either some sort of exotic caterpillar, (be very careful, could be poisonous), or a really strange millipeid. check your baby to make sure it wasnt bitten, and if it was, call your doctor.

good luck and very best wishes.

Answer 6

The carpet beetle larva sounds like an excellent candidate. Just to be sure, here are some more pages from bugguide.net (a great website) that might include your bug:

Rove beetle larva: http://bugguide.net/node/view/126/bgimage?from=0

Silverfish: http://bugguide.net/node/view/79/bgimage?from=0

House centipedes: http://bugguide.net/node/view/22/bgimage

Stone centipede: http://bugguide.net/node/view/13169/bgimage

Earwig: http://bugguide.net/node/view/2709/bgimage

Walking sticks: http://bugguide.net/node/view/14905/bgimage

Another walking stick: http://bugguide.net/node/view/14905/bgimage

Caterpillar. There are hundreds to choose from: http://bugguide.net/node/view/57/bgimage

Also, please note that caterpillars and millipedes do not bite, as the first responder suggested. Some of them produce harmful secretions or have irritating hairs. Here are some medical links just in case: http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic62.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic794.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic793.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic89.htm

Answer 7

Sounds like it may be an earwig.

Answer 8

its a wierd caterpillar. there hairy and are brown as you described.