Knowledgebase
Black bug #847073
Asked August 24, 2023, 8:58 AM EDT
I found this bug in my hair when Inwoke this morning . It was crawling and then fell when I touched it. It had a very hard exoskeleton. It did get a little squished when I picked it up to take the photo. Just worried that there is something in my house. I thought I might have had something last night too, but couldn’t find anything.
Boulder County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Moira,
It is difficult to tell because of the photo resolution, but it does not appear to be an insect of medical/veterinary significance. Are you able to take another photo?
I suspect that it is a beetle in the family Dermestidae or Nitidulidae. Both feed on decaying organic matter, but only the former are considered pests because they sometimes feed on carpet fibers, wool, silk, fur, cotton, linen, and feathers. The latter prefer organic matter with more moisture in it, and would be more likely to have invaded your home by accident. Again, I would need a photo of higher resolution to make a definitive identification.
