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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Clear Worm with Black Markings in Sink is a Drain Fly Larva

“What is this?” asks Jennifer in her submission regarding the semi-translucent worm with black markings pictured below. “I found this in my bathroom sink while brushing my teeth. It was wriggling near the sink drain. The picture is magnified several times.” We think Jennifer has found herself a drain fly larva, and it is quite incredible that she captured it in such detail, especially considering the photo is magnified. These guys are really tiny, and to the naked eye they just look like little black worms, so we commend Jennifer on the excellent photo! Neither drain fly larvae or the mature flies are harmful to humans, though they can prove to be quite the nuisance.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Toilet Full of Drain Fly Larvae After Weeks Away From Home

“We found these worms in one of our toilets after returning thirteen days later”, writes Jerry in his submission regarding the many, tiny, black, worm-like creatures pictured below. “No one used this toilet while we were gone. This toilet is on the second floor.” Considering the worms’ appearance and the context in which Jerry found them, we think he has found drain fly larvae. Also known as moth flies due to their stout, furry bodies which resemble moths more than the common house fly, drain flies are notorious bathroom pests. They are not pests so far as doing any real damage to the items in one’s home, but infestations of them can be hard to tackle and the flies can thereby become a real nuisance.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Black Worm in Bathroom is a Drain Fly Larva

“I found this in my bathroom and don’t know what it is”, writes Dainé in her submission regarding the bristly, black worm pictured below. “Could you please help me?” We are, of course, happy to help Dainé identify this creature. Although she does not provide much context, the little that we are provided, coupled with the fantastic photo, is enough for us to identify this organism, which is a drain fly larva. Otherwise known as moth flies, drain flies are commonly considered pests, though we would argue they really are not: they do not damage anything in the home, and they pose no real health threat other than potentially causing asthmatic reactions if an infestation of them is left for too long. Drain flies are attracted to bathrooms which have been left uncleaned or unused for a long time, laying its eggs on the organic film that forms in the lip of drains.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Worm-like Critters in Cat Fountain are Drain Fly Larvae

“I found these worm-like critters living in my cat’s automatic waterer”, writes Linda about the black creatures pictured below. “What are they and where did they come from?” Based on the excellent photo and the context that Linda provided us, we think she found drain fly larvae in the waterer. Drain fly larvae are harmless to humans and cats, but can be quite a nuisance. As their name suggests, they are found near or inside drains, as the adult flies lay their eggs on the organic film that forms in the lip of a drain. They do this because the diet of the larvae largely consists of the organisms that grow in stagnant water, like algae and fungi, as well as microorganisms.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Worms Swimming in Toilet are Drain Fly Larvae

“I returned from a holiday to find these worms swimming in our toilet”, writes Siobha about the black creatures pictured below. “What are they?” We have to admit that, were it not for the size and color of the worms, as well as the location they were found in, we would not be able to identify these creatures based on the photo and video alone, because the quality is simply not that good. Fortunately, we can make an educated guess based on the aforementioned factors: we think these are drain fly larvae. As their name suggests, drain fly larvae are the immature form of a species of fly that like to infest drains. They are not harmful, but they can be quite a nuisance.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Black Worms in Toilet are Drain Fly Larvae

“I found these in our toilet after five days of no use”, writes Cindy about the swarm of black worm-like creatures pictured below. “One of my grandchildren used the toilet last. Could these be pinworms?” First and foremost, we have to make clear that we will unfortunately not be able to confirm or deny if these are pinworms. For context, pinworms are parasitic worms that situate themselves in the intestines of their hosts. They are very common in children, so we understand Cindy’s concern, especially since these were found in a toilet. However, we are not qualified or legally able to identify parasites, given that their presence indicates a medical situation. Only a medical professional is able to identify such organisms, as that identification acts as the diagnosis which determines what kind of treatment may or may not be needed for the person afflicted.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Interesting Bugs Worms Found in the House

Drain Fly Larvae Found in Snail Clutch

“I purchased mystery snails and one laid a clutch”, writes Jessica about the black, worm-like critter pictured below, as well as the clear-white objects, also pictured below. “Well, I thought it was hatching last night, and these tiny shell-less, slug-like, tiny, black worms were inside. Only like five of them, but they have antennae and kinda the same ribbed look as the snail’s siphon. They kinda move in an ‘inch worm motion’. Not sure if they prefer water habitats, but they are inside an empty aquarium and seem to be able to survive and swim. Are these the newborn snails? They don’t look like them, because they have no shell.”

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Parasite Worms Worms Found in the House

Small Black Worms Infesting Home are Drain Fly Larvae

“I have an infestation in my condominiums in Henderson, Nevada”, writes Jennifer in her submission regarding the mass of black, worm-like critters pictured below. “They are parasites and live in the walls, under sinks, even the toilet tank. I’ve been spraying and cleaning everything, and it keeps it bearable, but never gone. I recently found a spider in my front door area, and I think there is a nest of some sort right outside of my house. Please help me if you can.” Right off the bat, we have to say that we will only provide suggestions for the creatures’ identities under the assumption that they are not parasites.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Black Worm in Bathroom is a Drain Fly Larvae

“What is it in the bathroom (live, ~8-10 mm)? Best regards,” is all this reader writes in his submission regarding the black, worm-like creature pictured below. Although our reader does not give a lot of context surrounding the worm’s discovery, knowing the location it was found in, and seeing what it looks like, leads us to believe that this is a drain fly larva. Commonly known also as sewage flies, sink flies, filter flies and moth flies (due to the adult insect’s stout furry body), drain fly larvae are common household pests that show up near people’s drains, hence the name.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Striped, Worm-like Creature in Bathroom is a Drain Fly Larva

Ami writes to us about a segmented, black and gray worm-like creature (pictured below) that she found in her bathroom. She writes that she is “not able to figure” out what the worm is. “Please help.” Based on the location of the creature’s discovery, as well as its physical appearance, we have concluded that Ami found a drain fly larva. These creatures are not harmful to humans or pets whatsoever, but they can be quite the nuisance as they tend to infest bathrooms in large numbers. How this happens is that the adult drain fly (which is often mistaken for a moth given its round and furry body) lays eggs on the organic film that forms on the lip of a drain, where the larvae eventually hatch and begin roaming the bathroom.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Black Worm in Shower Could be Drain Fly Larva, or a Legged Creature

“I found a long, small, black worm while I was showering”, writes Kylee about the creature pictured below. “It’s the only one I’ve found, and it was so fast! But it doesn’t look at all like an earthworm. I’ll try to attach a photo.” This is a curious case, because once we think we land on an identification, one of the facts that Kylee gives us seems to put us back in a corner and reevaluate. For example, given where this creature was found, as well as its body shape and coloration, we would instinctively identify this as a drain fly larva. Yet, when we take into account that it supposedly moves “so fast”, then this explanation seems less likely. But in any case, from the picture it looks like the critter does not have legs, like most species of worms, and many species of insect larvae, and if this is the case, then how can it move as fast as Kylee suggests?

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Black Worms with Big Heads in Bath are Drain Fly Larvae

“I was taking a bath when I saw two small worms in it with me”, writes Pam in her submission about the tiny, black worm-like creatures pictured below. “I want to make sure that they are not harmful. They had larger “heads” and thinner yellow and black tails. I have never seen them before.” To start with, we want to thank Pam for the excellent photos she sent us: the resolution is so good that we can even see the finest details on these critters when zooming in on the photos. And it was because of this that we managed to come to a conclusion regarding their identity. Well, sort of.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Tiny Worms Crawling Around Sink Could be Drain Fly Larvae

“I found odd looking worms and possibly their offspring in our bathroom sink”, writes Vicki in her submission regarding the tiny worm-like creature pictured below. “I had never seen them before. I got one pretty good video that I will attach. Do you have any idea what they are? Also, can they be harmful to humans or dogs?” Now, we must say right off the bat that the quality of the video she sent in (from which the photo was taken) is of quite poor quality, meaning we cannot really see any of the worm’s physical characteristics, other than that it is worm-shaped. For that reason, we will only be able to provide an educated guess as to its identity.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Facts Worms Found in the House

Gray Worm-like Critter Found in Shower is a Drain Fly Larva

“What type of worm or larva is this?” asks this reader about the dark gray worm-like creature pictured below. “Found in the shower. Location in northern Alabama. Thanks!” To start with, we want to thank our reader for taking such a clear picture: it really helps us get a quick grasp on what the organism might be. In this case, we think this is probably a drain fly larva. Not only does its physical characteristics match that of a drain fly larva, but the location in which it was found also makes sense. As their name suggests, drain fly larvae are usually found in drains. This is because the mother fly will lay her eggs there, specifically on the thin film that forms in drains that are not regularly cleaned.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Dark Brown Worms in Jacuzzi Jets are Drain Fly Larvae

“From what I have read I think I may have drain fly larvae in my jacuzzi jets”, writes this reader in her submission regarding the organism pictured below. “They are dark brown and when looked at through a magnifying glass, they look like tiny millipedes. Can you please confirm? Thank you!” Immediately off the bat, can we say that these are indeed drain fly larvae: their long, thin dark bodies and tapered ends point to this conclusion. Likewise, the location they were found in matches up with the behavior of drain fly larvae.

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Posted in Carpet Beetle Larvae Drain Fly Larvae Worms Found in the House

Bristly, Dark Brown Creatures Crawling All Over Bathroom are Carpet Beetle Larvae

“I keep finding these small caterpillar-like bugs in my bathroom”, states this reader in her submission regarding the bristly, brown worm-like creature pictured below. “Found two in the bathtub, one in the toilet and most just crawling on the tile floor.”

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Parasite Worms Worms in Humans

Man Dealing with Parasites That Eat Red Blood Cells Shares His Story

A man contacted us with reports of drain fly larvae latching on to his clothing and skin and causing all sorts of symptoms. He does not pose any questions directly, nor does he attach any photos, but we will relay his story nonetheless.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Worms Found in the House Worms Generally

Dark Brown Worm Found in Toilet May Be a Drain Fly Larva, Though Concerns About Parasites are Raised

“What are these worms and should we be worried?” asks this reader, who is worried that the worms are inside her and the people who have used the toilet. The creature, who was found “swimming in [her] toilet”, seems to be a dark-brown color, with a brighter, yellowish tail/head (though it is difficult to tell).

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Leeches Worms Found in the House

Black Worm Found in Tub is a Drain Fly Larva

“I found this on our water while I was filling the tub”, states this reader in her query concerning the black worm pictured below. She is not sure if they are leeches or something else, and wants to know if it is harmful.

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Posted in Drain Fly Larvae Pest Worms Worms Found in the House

Cream-colored Worms Appear in This Woman’s Trailer Two Years in a Row

“I have found cream colored maggots with brown heads two years in a row at this time of year in November,” says this reader. She does not provide photographs, but instead a decent amount of context that we will use to try and figure out how best to help our reader.