“What kind of worm is this and should I be worried?” asks this reader from Lancashire, UK in her submission to us. “I found them around my loft hatch,” she adds, referring to the minuscule, black creatures pictured below.
Unfortunately, our reader adds no more context to her query, and the pictures she attached are taken so far away, and are of such poor resolution, that it will not be possible for us to make an identification with any degree of certainty.
With that said, we think that these are insect larvae of some sort, just based on the sheer number of them, and the physical characteristics that we can make out. They might be the caterpillars of some moth that has flown into her loft hatch and lain her eggs there. Or perhaps they are the larvae of a beetle who wandered in through an open door or window. Alternatively, they could be fully-grown insects of some sort: it really is very hard to tell from the photo.
In any case, there are some basic habits our reader can adopt to control and prevent infestations of all kinds of creatures. Such methods include, but are not limited to: Consistent cleaning of one’s home, especially vacuuming and laundering (these forms of cleaning will eliminate unseen eggs and larvae). Keeping organic debris away from the outside walls of one’s home (many species of insects like to hide in piles of twigs and rocks). Ensuring the durability and good quality of one’s window screens. Moving any roaming larvae outside, preferably far from one’s home, so they do not just wander back in.
Now, if our reader were to find more of these “worms” and still wants our help, then she is welcome to send better pictures and more context, so that we have a better chance at identifying them. Alternatively, she can bring samples of the worms to her local county extension office for a second opinion. There, they will be able to physically examine the creatures, so our reader will be more likely to get a concrete answer on their identity.
To conclude, we do not know what the worms our reader found are. We nonetheless hope that this article proves helpful, and we wish her the very best.
All About Worms is always free, always reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP Publishing.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
You might also find these guys interesting!
Centipedes Infest Home for Two Years- Thin White Worms Floating in the Air Infest Woman’s Home
- Striped Dark Bug Could be a Carpet Beetle Larva
- Array of Worm-like Critters Invade Home, Including Microscopic Worms From Faucets
- Small Black Worms Swarming Home Office are Inchworms
- “Alien” Organisms Caked Onto Surfaces “Devouring” this Woman’s Home
- String-looking Worms All Over Clothes and House
- Worms That Eat Through Walls, Porcelain, Glass, and Humans
The sheer numbers of them, and what we can tell about their physical characteristics, lead us to believe that these are insect larvae of some kind. Possibly, these caterpillars are the eggs of a moth that has nested in her loft.
This blog is about tiny dark worms found in loft hatches. They are likely insect larvae, which many of us are unaware of. Thank you for sharing this information with us. It seems to be helpful.