OT Bug ID please?

[AA]

While doing some DIY (just to keep it on topic:) I noticed some little bugs on our hearth. Web searches have been to no avail but I know how you lot love these challenges:) Photo at They are about 1mm, milky white, 6 legged, long feelers (maybe 2mm long), bulbous bodies with a little nipple-shaped bump at the rear.

I later noticed them on the laminate around skirtings. Then I came across a few in a cupboard, then one on the kitchen worktop (may have been transported from cupboard on something like a pan). Now I've seen them around the flush button on our cistern and on a shower room floor (top floor). I'm getting paranoid now. Our carpeted rooms have light coloured carpet so maybe they are thriving there undetected too.

Any ideas?

[Mary Fisher]

Someone round here will know, I don't. I'm interested though :-)

Don't worry, they're not going to kill you or eat you out of house and home!

Mary

[ARWadsworth]

If you do not know, then how can you be sure they will not kill?

Adam

[Mary Fisher]

Ssssshhhhhhhhh ...................

[Mary Fisher]

I know about bugs which kill ... :-)

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

...

Because they are my secret army which I breed in my bug infested hovel

[<me9]

Is this genuine or another bridge dweller?

[Steve Firth]

I think that's "Congratulations, you have cockroaches".

They look like cockroach nymphs.

[John Rumm]

The latter - forged headers.

OldBill and OB are aliases he more usually hides behind.

[cerberus]

Be worried..... be very worried....they may have escaped from a Gov establishment in/near Leeds ;-)

Don.

[Mary Fisher]

Well, it's not my secret army so I expect something has built a shelter under its bridge :-)

Mary

[jolly.roger789]

Did you really think you post unprovoked insults indefinitely without consequence?

[John Rumm]

Ask old bill, seems to be his MO.

[<me9]

What's the best reference for my KF?

[John Rumm]

If you can kill on arbitrary header lines, then try:

"NNTP-Posting-Host: 83.67.12.244"

[jolly.roger789]

You started it, so its your M.O.

[John Rumm]

I think you are mistaken. Have a look at the thread "How to test an RCD module in a CU?" which is where I presume OldBill got the hump.

Rather than post useful information to help the OP solve the problem in hand, he gave an unrelated and somewhat condescending answer regarding part P. Had he have taken the time to read the group for a while he would have realised that the OP is a long standing and respected member of the group who would be fully aware of any regulatory impacts of the work already.

I pointed out that that he was telling the OP something that he already knew, and highlighted that the implicit assumption (that an amateur should not or is not permitted to change a CU) is incorrect.

Hardly calling into question his sexuality, the marital status of his parents, or making claims as to the size of his manhood is it?

While I accept my response to OldBill was not exactly "touchy feely", it hardly seems justification for a multi post and somewhat incoherent rant that involved spoofing messages from me and other members of the group.

[AA]

Hmm, I thought you might be on to something at first given the geneeral appearance, in particular those long feelers. But these have been around for a few months at least with no sign of development or growth. They seem to be active during the day, but I thought cockroaches (and I assume the nymphs) were nocturnal. Plus our house is pretty clean and dry (it is less than a year old so there is no possibility of poor hygenic conditions or infestations in the past that we don't know about). Also, I've never seen an adult anywhere in the house. I guess it is feasible they could have been carried back on luggage from holiday. So I haven't dismissed the roach idea but welcome any other suggestions & will try to get better photos.

[John E]

Could they be booklice?

[AA]

after I last posted I also hit on booklice. The only thing is the humidity, they apparently prefer damp moist areas which isn't really the case. The house is a year old so I guess it is feasible it is still "drying out". But, given the appearance I think it must be booklice.

p.s. One of my searches was for white nymphs - that produced some enjoyable but inappropriate results. Trying to explain to my wife that the images of female nudity on my screen were related to my bug research was amusing.