# A mystery - is this sign of a pest?



## hominamad (Jul 26, 2011)

I have a closet in my house, with a high shelf inside that I don't use often. But whenever I look up there, I see signs of what look like dropping of some sort. I cannot tell where these are coming from, or how they get there. There are no openings nearby big enough for any sort of animal to get in. I put a container there once, and a few weeks later when I went to check it, that was even full of the substance. 

After doing some reading on this site, I saw someone had posted something that looks very similar to my substance, and someone mentioned it might be vermiculite insulation. After reading about that some more, I am almost positive that that's what this. They are irregular shaped, light colored and almost crystal looking. But how is this getting onto my shelf constantly? It's possible I have this in my attic, but there is no obvious way for it to get through the ceiling and onto this shelf.

Another part of the mystery - next to the vermiculite, there is another group, which looks more like droppings. Tiny, circular shaped particles. 

I'm wondering if it's possible some insect or other animal is bringing the vermiculite down from the attic and onto this shelf? But how would it have gotten into the container? There was a spider web there, and the vermiculite even got stuck onto that - so it really seems like it's dropping down from somewhere. 

I'm very confused here. Is this termites? Something else? Nothing?

Here's some photos:


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Photos did not transfer.

You might have varmints in the attic kicking things around, and the insulation is falling through tiny cracks.

May have more ideas when the pictures come through.


ED


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## hominamad (Jul 26, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> Photos did not transfer.
> 
> You might have varmints in the attic kicking things around, and the insulation is falling through tiny cracks.
> 
> ...


Thanks - I just fixed the pics hopefully. I have had mice in my attic before, but I'm not even sure what's above this closet - maybe just a crawl space, and there is no obvious way it can fall through. Right above this shelf is another shelf.....AND that shelf is totally clean! Has nothing on it.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Have pictures now.

In the first pic there looks to be something in the upper corner, that is falling from above, is that a shelf or the ceiling.

In the fifth pic, MOUSE TURDS,

Others are vermiculite, spread from above.


ED


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

Those mouse turds look a lot like dead ants... hard to tell from the pic because it's a it fuzzy..

Have you taken a close look at them ? The picture is a bit too fuzzy to tell for sure...


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## erikjamison (Feb 23, 2017)

Termite treatments different methods are used depending on the extent of the termite activity. Though most of the people prefer dealing with the problem themselves, by using natural termite control techniques, but it is highly recommended to seek professionals' help. No doubt these methods are also effective but you may not have the knowledge of using them the right way.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

erikjamison said:


> Termite treatments different methods are used depending on the extent of the termite activity. Though most of the people prefer dealing with the problem themselves, by using natural termite control techniques, but it is highly recommended to seek professionals' help. No doubt these methods are also effective but you may not have the knowledge of using them the right way.


Who mentioned termites?


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