Question

Under the microscope  
Normal size   QUESTION: I have just returned form a week vacation and i found these in my bathroom. When I approached them they jumped about 6 to 8 inches. They don't look like fleas and I don't have any pets. I do have very little carpet in my condo. It has been very humid these days but it has been humid also other summers and never saw those before. I took a picture of it under a microscope because my digital camera does not focus near enough to get a good picture. I also took a picture of it with a pen to give you a size perspective.

ANSWER: Josh,

This looks more like a crustacean than an insect. Have you been to the beach/ocean lately? I can't see it clearly but this could be a "sand flea" which is a small crustacean that jumps. They occur near salt water and are very common on sandy beaches.

Jack DeAngelis



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jack, thank you for the quick response. I have not been to a beach lately except in April Dominican Republic. I have just bought a dehumidifier and left it running while I was gone. Obviously when I came back it was full and had shut off automatically. It stayed off for probably 5 days. Could these be some kind of bugs that have grown because of the stagnant water in the tank? I have remove the dehumidifier last night and have not found any bug on my floor this morning.
Thank you

Answer
I doubt that the dehumidifier is the source. This one has me stumped because the close-up image just does not look like an insect. Can you get a picture that is a little less magnified so I can see the overall shape? I am sure they are not anything to be concerned about but it would be interesting to figure out what they are.

Jack DeAngelis