Question: Recently, I have had a small problem with a weird-looking insect that I have never seen before. It’s small and seems to congregate under wood such as plywood.
It has a slender, gray body that is broader at the head and tapers down towards the end; it also has three antennas.
Answer: From your description, I think it may be silverfish or a closely related species. With a specimen the identification would be conclusive.
Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are often found around the home. They have probably found a food source under the plywood. Silverfish also like moist areas. Their preferred diet is sugars and starches, so they can damage books and documents.
Contact your qualified Orkin Pest Specialist to conduct a thorough inspection of your home. They can make recommendations on ways to reduce their food sources and moisture, and develop a customized treatment strategy to rid your home of these insects.
Question: I have seen really slender, flattened body, grayish bugs in the bathrooms. They move really quickly to hide under the sideboard. I looked up the silverfish, and it looks like the silverfish but this bug did not have any back or front antennas.
Question: I have this flat, grayish bug that I keep finding in my bedroom. It is very fast, and it has two antennae. I’m trying to find out what it is, and if its harmful because I have a new baby.
Grey bugs come in many shapes and sizes, and they can be found all over the world. While some grey bugs are harmless, others can cause damage to your home, garden, or even your health. Being able to identify common grey bugs is an important skill for any homeowner or gardener In this article, we’ll go over 22 of the most common grey bugs you may encounter, how to identify them, and what to do if they become a problem
1. Silverfish
Silverfish are one of the most ubiquitous grey bugs, especially indoors. These slithering insects have a metallic, silvery-grey appearance and two long antennae. Silverfish feed on starchy foods like paper, photos, wallpaper glue, cereal, and even some fabrics. They like warm, humid environments. To get rid of silverfish in your home, clean up food spills right away, store food in sealed containers, and use sticky traps or diatomaceous earth.
2. Springtails
Springtails are tiny grey bugs, usually under 1/5 inch long. They are named for their ability to jump, sometimes several inches into the air. These bugs feed on mold and organic materials in soil. They occasionally end up indoors in damp basements or bathrooms. Fix leaks, improve ventilation, and dry out problem areas to get rid of springtails.
3. Booklice
Booklice are aptly named – these tiny, wingless grey insects feed on mold and fungi found on books, wallpaper, or other starchy items To control booklice, lower the humidity in your home, clean up mold with products containing borax, and store items like books or papers in sealed containers.
4. Pillbugs
Pillbugs, also called rollie pollies, are not insects but land-dwelling crustaceans. When disturbed, they can roll up into a tight grey pill-shaped ball for protection. Pillbugs feed on decaying plant material and rarely damage healthy plants. Find and seal any cracks or entry points they could use to get indoors.
5. Ticks
Ticks go from brown to grey after feeding on the blood of a host, like a human, dog, deer, or other animal. Ticks transmit several dangerous diseases, so inspect yourself and your pets after being outdoors and remove any attached ticks promptly. Talk to your vet about tick prevention products for your pets.
6. Flesh Flies
Flesh flies are large, grey flies that feed on decaying organic material. They can be beneficial by speeding up decomposition, but they can also spread bacteria and pathogens. Avoid leaving food waste exposed, install window screens, and use fly traps to control these nuisance flies.
7. Drain Flies
Drain flies live and breed in the slime inside drain pipes. They emerge as small moth-like insects with fuzzy grey bodies. Clean drains thoroughly with boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar to eliminate breeding areas Cover drains when not in use
8. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Stink bugs are shield-shaped insects that can be grey or brown. They damage fruits and vegetables by sucking out juices and causing spots, scars, and stunting. Hand pick them off plants and use row covers or netting to keep them away. Insecticidal soap or neem oil can provide some control as well.
9. Cabbage Aphids
These small, grey, soft-bodied insects cluster on the undersides of cabbage family plants, sucking out sap. Heavy infestations cause yellowing, stunting, and wilting. Knock them off plants with a strong stream of water and apply insecticidal soap to kill aphids. Attract native ladybugs which feed on aphids.
10. Grasshoppers
Grasshoppers come in a variety of colors including brown, green, grey, and black. Some species change color to better camouflage with their surroundings. Grasshoppers chew on garden plants, particularly seedlings and tender leaves. Cover plants with floating row covers to form a barrier.
11. Cricket
Field crickets can be black, brown, or grey. Their coloring helps them blend into soil, rocks, and leaf litter while they feed on decaying plant material. Crickles chirp loudly, which can be annoying. Seal cracks and gaps around your home’s foundation to prevent entry. Use sticky traps or diatomaceous earth for indoor infestations.
12. Ladybugs
The ash grey ladybird is a beneficial predatory beetle that feeds on aphids and other soft-bodied insects that harm plants. Welcome them to your garden! Do not confuse them with Asian lady beetles which can be problematic invaders in homes during cold weather.
13. Spider
Jumping spiders are compact, hairy spiders that hunt by pouncing on their prey. Some species like the grey wall jumper have grey and black banding that helps them hide in vegetation and shadows. Although startling if they jump on you, jumping spiders are not dangerous to humans.
14. Squash Bug
Squash bugs have flat, oval grey or brown bodies. They infect cucurbits like squash, melons, and cucumbers with deadly bacteria as they suck the plants’ fluids. Hand pick adults, eggs, and reddish nymphs. Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly once plants start vining to prevent infestations.
15. Wheel Bug
This large grey bug has prominent wheel-shaped gears on its thorax and a painful bite, though is not likely to bite unless handled. Wheel bugs impale their prey on their sharp beak. They help control caterpillars, beetles, and other crop pests. Knock them off your plants and into a bucket of soapy water if they become problematic.
16. Citrus Flatid Planthopper
Shiny grey or white waxy planthoppers feast on citrus as well as grapes, herbs, and ornamentals, spreading disease as they feed. Apply horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps to control them, coating undersides of leaves where they hide. Attract native flatid planthopper predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and spiders.
17. Boxelder Bug
Boxelder bugs are black with red-orange markings as adults, but nymphs are bright red and grey. They feed on boxelder, maple, and other trees, sucking out sap. These bugs overwinter indoors in large groups. Seal cracks around your home, install door sweeps, and vacuum up bugs to keep them out.
18. Earwig
Unmistakable with their large pincers on their abdomen, earwigs are mostly active at night. They feed on plant debris and can pinch with their cerci if picked up. Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around plants deters earwigs. Trap them by placing rolled up damp newspaper near plants at night – discard in the morning.
19. Darkling Beetle
Also known as mealworms, darkling beetles are common in grain barns or chicken coops where they feed on spilled feed, grain dust, and decaying plant and animal matter. Their exoskeleton appears greyish-black. Improve sanitation and remove sources of moisture to reduce the food available to these scavenger beetles.
20. Cockroach
Cockroaches prefer to live and breed in damp, dark places with access to food debris. Sealing cracks, eliminating clutter, and keeping kitchen and bath areas dry will discourage roaches from taking up residence in your home. Use sticky traps and baits to catch indoor roaches.
21. Termite
Most termite species live underground and cause major structural damage to homes as they eat the wood framing. Swarmers, which are winged grey insects, emerge in spring to mate and establish new colonies. If you see swarmers indoors or find mud tubes on your home’s foundation, contact a pest control professional immediately.
22. Carpet Beetle
Varied carpet beetles are common household pests. Their greyish-white larvae chew holes and damage materials like wool, leather, fur, and dried foods. Regular and thorough vacuuming can help remove these pests. Dry cleaning or freezing items will kill any lingering larvae.
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What is this bug
FAQ
What are these grey bugs in my house?
Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are often found around the home. They have probably found a food source under the plywood. Silverfish also like moist areas.
Can bed bugs be gray?
Adult bed bugs are around 4-7 mm long, about the size of a lady bug. They are gray or brown in color, but turn red after finishing a blood meal.
Are silver bugs harmful?
Are Silverfish Harmful? These insects are generally nuisance pests. They won’t hurt you, but they can contaminate your food. Silverfish leave their poop behind in your food, so make sure to check for any insects.
What are the grey water bugs in my house?
Although they are often called waterbugs because of their love of cool, damp areas, these hard-shelled insects that infest homes are Oriental cockroaches. These cockroaches gather in large numbers and feed on any available food or organic matter like hair or even books inside or on your property.
What are some examples of gray bugs?
Gray bugs are small, annoying creatures that can infest homes. The most common gray bug is the silverfish — a tiny, nocturnal silvery-gray wingless insect seen slithering across bathroom or kitchen floors. Other gray bugs you could find in the home or yard can be stink bugs, gray blister beetles, weevils, or pillbugs.
What do tiny gray bugs look like?
Some little bugs appear as a pile or layer of gray dust. These gray bugs appear in the unlikeliest places in your home, like on your ceiling, walls, bathroom, window sills, and even on your bookshelves. In this guide, you’ll find ten tiny gray bugs that look like dust.
What is a common gray bug found in bathrooms?
The most common gray bug found in bathrooms is the silverfish — a tiny, nocturnal silvery-gray wingless insect seen slithering across the floor. Gray bugs are small annoying creatures that can infest homes. Other gray bugs you could find in the home or yard can be stink bugs, gray blister beetles, weevils, or pillbugs.
What is the smell of a gray bug?
Stink bugs, which can be gray among other colors, are known for the foul odor they emit when threatened or squashed. This smell is the most distinctive feature of these gray bugs.
How can you identify a gray bug?
To identify the species of gray bug, note the insect’s shape, patterns, number of legs, and if it has wings. Additionally, consider the bug’s habits and behavior, and whether it is only seen at night or during the day.
What are gray springtail bugs?
Gray springtails are tiny wingless arthropods with a slender gray body, six short legs, and two segmented antennae. They are hard to spot as they only measure between 0.07” to 0.16” (2 – 4 mm) long and are never a pest in the home. The minute grayish-brown or pale gray bugs live in the soil.