“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.

Drain flies lay their eggs on the organic film that forms in the lip of drains, and so it is usually bathrooms that are either not often used or not often cleaned (usually they go hand in hand) that are targets of drain fly infestations. Now, we are not saying that Jennifer is experiencing an infestation, though we do urge her to be on the lookout, and to scrub the insides of her drains to clear out any organic films just in case. Usually, where there is one drain fly larva there are more, considering that they usually hatch inside people’s homes and the eggs are laid in clusters.

In addition to scrubbing her drains, we recommend that Jennifer ensure that her bathroom is routinely cleaned, and that all the drains in her home are sanitized on a regular basis. Scrubbing is not necessarily needed every time, though it is a good idea to pour boiling water, followed by a cleaning agent, followed by boiling water (with ten minute intervals) down the drains at least once a month. This helps discourage organisms like drain flies, whose larvae feed on the organic growths that begin to form in damp environments and in stagnant water, from lingering in one’s home (or even going there in the first place!).

In conclusion, Jennifer found a drain fly larva in her bathroom sink. We hope this is a one-off occurrence, though it is not common to just find one of these guys. For that reason, we urge Jennifer to be vigilant and to give her bathrooms and other drains a proper clean. In any case, she does not need to worry for her safety. We hope this helps, and we wish Jennifer the very best.

Summary

Article Name

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

Description

"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.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton