Phorid flies pupae

5817   My name is Ellie…  These photos were taken in Columbus, Ohio.  In October, these bugs were found under the cat’s water bowl on an ident on the underside of the bowl. The area around where they were found was wet and bowl had not been moved for a bit. (The apartment has AC and cat is only an indoor cat.) They all measure about a quarter of a centimeter. They are a light brown/ tan color with very small reddish-brown coloring on “face” and tail end. It appears that they have antenna. They look like very small grains of rice- or like a oval pill shape.  Thank you!

These are the pupae of flies in the family Phoridae (scuttle/hump-backed flies). These are very common nuisance pests whose larvae develop quickly in bits of decomposing organic matter. They are frequent ‘guests’ in our kitchen where we have a small composting bin. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.