Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#48206
any idea what these

any idea what these "shrimp-like" creatures are? - Arcitalitrus sylvaticus
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA
April 16, 2006
they are all over my carpet floor. usually appear dead, have never seen one that is actually moving. it has a shiny golden yellow exoskeleton or shell or whatever you call it. and everytime i clean them up. new ones will appear the next day. please help.

Arcitalitrus sylvaticus
These are an exotic (from southeastern Australia) terrestrial (!) amphipod species, Arcitalitrus sylvaticus. They invaded California not so long ago. They can come out in huge numbers - I typically find them by my porch lights at the right time of the year.

 
Moved
to a new guide page. Thanks for your help!

Amphipods
These are apparently common enough in Orange County that the Vector Control District has issued a Pest Control Bulletin (PDF format- 52KB)

They need plenty of moisture, but- oddly enough for crustaceans- will drown in water. What's probably happening is that they're being flooded out by the rains and looking for shelter in your house. As soon as they get inside, though, they die from the dry indoor air.

The good news is that they'll stop appearing in your house as soon as the soil starts to dry up outside. In the long run you'll want to check your landscaping for overwatering, since Los Angeles is normally too dry for large populations of these non-native creatures to survive the summers.

Lawn Shrimp?
See this article.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.