A reader sent us two photos of some specimens that have made a home on her bathroom wall. The creatures are tiny, 2-3 mm, have black heads and white bodies, and have formed an entire nest grouped together and are attached to web-like strands. She wonders what they are.
We believe that these are not worms, but moth fly larvae! Their minuscule size is a big hint to that, and also their appearance matches exactly other moth fly larva we have identified. These larvae aren’t harmful to humans, but they are capable of carrying some bacteria on them that could potentially harm humans. Therefore, our reader should definitely make efforts to remove them from her bathroom. These larvae like moisture, and old organic material, so our readers should make sure any excess moisture is removed from her bathroom. She should also clean the area where all the shampoo and soap bottles are stored, because often grime builds up in those areas that could be a potential food source. Finally, she should make sure that her pipes and faucets don’t have any leaks, and that all the windows in her bathroom are properly sealed.
To summarize, a reader found a group of tiny creatures on her bathroom wall. We have identified these as moth fly larvae.
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