AboutNathan Riggs Expertise I have expertise in identifying and diagnosing insects, spiders, and other arthropod critters that infest lawns, ornamentals, structures, trees, pets and livestock. Mites are not a strong point of mine, but I can provide some help. I'm not a licensed doctor, so I cannot provide medical diagnosis of conditions possibly related to insects. If you've got an interesting photo for me to see, let me know and I'll give you my email so the picture will get to me. If you have hosted an insect photo on a website, please include the link so I can go look at it and provide a faster ID for you. Don't forget...you can now attach pictures to your questions as well!
Experience 15 Years' Experience as an entomologist: 5 years as a biologist with Merck Animal Health and 7 years as a Pest Management Specialist in San Antonio, Texas with Texas Cooperative Extension.
Organizations Publications Veterinary Parasitology, Southwestern Entomologist, San Antonio Express News, San Antonio Gardener Newsletter
Education/Credentials BS - Entomology from Texas A&M University in 1992.
Board Certified Entomologist, 1996-2000 - Medical and Veterinary Entomology Specialty (Entomological Society of America)
Awards and Honors Texas A&M University Vice Chancellor's Award in Excellence - 2000 for leadership on the Texas Fire Ant Program Educational Team.
Expert: Nathan Riggs Date: 7/2/2008 Subject: moth or fly?
Question Hi Nathan,
I live in Pittsburgh, PA and last year we had tiny black flies with triangular wings in our bathroom in the basement. They went away in the winter and we have remodeled as well. Now they are back and seem to come rapidly. I feel like I kill 6 or more every day when I shower. They move fast like they see you coming and when you smash them they turn to powder leaving a black dusty smear on the wall or toilet paper. No blood and guts when you kill them, they don't even pop under the paper so you really don't know if you've squashed them until you look at the paper. That's when I thought it might be a tiny moth because of the powder smudge it leaves behind. Please help me identify this tiny pain in the butt so I can get rid of it for good.
Answer It's a fly...named after a moth!
You have an infestation of moth flies. They develop in drains. Although they look like a moth, they are related to flies.
For more information on these creatures, do a search for "moth fly" and you'll get all you need!
