You are here:
- Home
- Science
- Insects/Spiders
- Entomology (Study of Bugs)
- worm/insect with shell?
Entomology (Study of Bugs)/worm/insect with shell?
Advertisement
Question
Hi,
I found this worm-like creature in my bathroom. At first I thought it was a small piece of bark stuck to the wall, but then I saw it was moving.
The "shell" is about 3/4" long x 1/4" in the widest part. It is oblong with a narrower opening on each end. The color was blackish/grey w/ a circular center of whitish grey. I have also seen them with a greyish beige shell.
I put it in a plastic container to observe. A tiny worm like head came out of one opening only to pull back into the shell & pop it's head out the other end. It moved like an inch worm, pulling the shell with it.
Do you know what this is?
Thanks in advance,
Chel
Dear Chel – Firstly, my apologies for the delay in responding. The AllExperts server was malfunctioning earlier, and I was unable to post my answer until now. That aside, from your description, it could be a case-bearing caterpillar, an insect occasionally found in homes. See http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/occas/p_bagworm.htm for a complete description, including some images. If this does NOT appear to match what you have found, please get back to me with details as to how they differ. Or, you could take the specimen to your county cooperative extension service office (usually located in or near the courthouse, and affiliated with a state University) for assistance in identification.
Hope this helps,
Saugy
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Ed Saugstad
Expertise
Will accept most questions in general entomology, including those related to medical entomology, taxonomy, ecology, arthropod surveillance, and pest management. If you are requesting a 'mystery bug' identification, PLEASE either attach an image to your question, or post an image on a web page (such as Flickr) so that I can look at it, as verbal descriptions frequently are insufficient for a definitive identification.
Experience
21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist; duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes, cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution of vector-borne diseases worldwide. Limited experience on surveillance of agricultural insects in North Dakota and Indiana.
Organizations
Entomological Society of America, West Virginia Entomological Society, Society for Vector Ecology, National Speleological Society, West Virginia Association for Cave Studies.
Publications
American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology, Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.
Education/Credentials
B.S. in entomology from North Dakota State University in 1963, M.S. in entomology from Purdue University in 1967.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.