Does anyone recognise this insect ?

Question

There were three of them hidden in crevices of an aerosol deterrant which sits outside my bedroom window on the ledge. They were milimetre or two long with fairly flat bodies looked a bit like apple pips but symetrical either end of body with several segments to body , looked similar to a flat brown woodlouse but smaller. I squashed them as I got a feelingthey were not good bugs and could tell immediately that they were blood sucking insects from the blood and amount that was shown upon doing so. I was concverned they were parasitic like bed bugs or ticks but thought ticks were grey? And bed bugs living outside on my window ledge ? Its too cold for them is nt it

I must add that they dropped of from the can and ran about on the carpet in different directions, heading for the safetey of the bed for cover. I have recently been plagued with a nasty really itchy rash on my arms and tummy and its driving me mad. when I have sprayed the room with pymethran instectaside have noticed my symptomss improve for about week or so. The cat is not dropping fleas, I've checked him and so has vet. They are not fleas. I live in rented victorian house with draughty sash windows (whereinsects could easily invade) and damp, silverfish, mice , things that die behind the wall somewhere from time to time and produce en mass bluebottles, yuk! and lots of black mould in the brickwork which is contained only just by the burgeoning paint straining under pressure from mould growth beneath. Hence my fear of parasitic insects being unleashed into my habitat

Answer 1

Was the aerosol can inside at any point ? (would explain if they are something that might be munching on you during your sleep got out there)
If they look like http://bugguide.net/node/view/46270 I have the misfortune of announcing a bedbug problem ... One sign you have them is by looking at the bedsheets for bloodstains... the faeces of the bedbugs leave red stains. Check under your sheets, in the corners around where the stitching on the mattress, etc. as they hide in small tight places during the day.

On the other hand you may be lucky and have something else (well if you take into account the amazing diversity in insects it's unfortunate if if you get one of the few species that do feed on human blood, even if that doesn't seem like it when you're being swarmed by black flies...), if it looks more like lice http://bugguide.net/node/view/66314 (often darker) you can hope that there's a critter (a rat your wall or a pigeon nesting near your window) that has lice.

Now that I've made you nervous, there's also a good chance it's nothing at all just some poor little insect trying to hide from big things that want to eat / squash it ! It is a very common shape in the insect world, could have been something as simple as a book louse which at worst could start chewing through one of your books. http://bugguide.net/node/view/67/bgimage?from=48
The vast majority of insects are nothing to be worried about, only reason I mentioned the bedbug is because you mentioned the itching driving you mad which can be a symptom of those guys. If you can manage to get a picture of one and post it it may be more helpful in identifying your guest.

Answer 2

weird! Animal ticks, perhaps?

Answer 3

you shouldnt kill them, they must be ok as they were outside not inside

Answer 4

No. Who do you think I am? Gil Grissom?