“I have found these hard-shelled worm-like creatures”, writes our reader, Summer, in her submission regarding the various organisms pictured below. “The first two pictures were found in dryer lint. The third picture was found on the living room carpet. Just was trying to see if y’all could tell me what exactly they are? Thank you!” Firstly, we want to thank our reader for these great photos – they really help us get a good grasp on what kinds of features these creatures possess. Secondly, we think that the creatures in the first photo might be larvae of the bigger bug in the second photo, while the spotted, beige and brown creature in the second photo is most likely a ladybug.
When it comes to that big insect with the long antennae, we think it is an arthropod. Arthropods are a class of insects that possess hard, segmented exoskeletons, and there are many recognizable species of arthropods, such as millipedes, centipedes and scorpions – to name a few. We think that the worm-like critters in the first photo might be larvae of this arthropod because they too seem to possess similar segmentation. Of course, we cannot affirm this with 100% certainty, neither do we know exactly what species of arthropod this is. At first, we thought it looked like a sowbug/pillbug, but it seems to be far too large to be one, and sowbug larvae do not look like the creatures our reader photographed. Then we thought this could be a cockroach, though their larvae do not look like these either.
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Ultimately, we have to admit that these larvae may not be related to the bug, because our best bet is that the bug is a cockroach. If this is the case, then we are not sure what the larvae are, and the photos of them are not quite as sharp as the ones of the cockroach and the ladybug. In any case, we suggest that our reader move these creatures outside, that she clean her dryer out, and that she vacuum her carpets thoroughly (she might even want to vacuum her entire home in case there are any microscopic eggs laying around). To avoid cockroaches coming into one’s home, one should make sure to frequently clean their home and wipe up spills of food and drink as they happen. Leaving food out in open containers can also attract cockroaches.
To conclude, we are not entirely sure what our reader has been finding her home, though we do think the spotted creature is a ladybug. We think the segmented bug next to it looks like a cockroach, though we are not confident in this identification either. We hope nonetheless that some of the information provided in this article proves helpful, and we wish our reader the very best.
All About Worms is always free, always reader-supported, we don't subject you to ads or annoying video pop-ups. But it does cost us money out of our pocket to keep the site going (nearly 20 years so far!) So your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP Publishing.