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Any entomologists here?

keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,303
Got a desktop collected(PSU failed). In a most disgusting twist, it turned out the PSU had failed, but because it was crawling with bugs who had made their home there. One of which, we managed to photograph before screaming like little girls and throwing the computer in a cupboard as far from ourselves as possible.

There were at least 10-15 living in the computer (still alive and were scampering when we opened it). My skin's still crawling.

I was curious if anybody knew what bugs these are. I've attached the image.

dat bug.png
 
That's a cockroach and you more then likely just infested your home/office with them if they scampered off as you posted :(

I'd call an exterminator ASAP to get ahead of the problem before it becomes too late.
 
No, I'm not an entomologist. Yep, that's a roach. Side note: the term "bug" for a software glitch comes from the first diagnosis of a computer malfunction. This is back in the day, when computers took up whole rooms. Turned out the problem was literally a bug in the hardware. I think it was a woman who found it. Heard about this on a podcast. Wish I could remember which one. Maybe Tech Stuff.
 
7thson said:
No, I'm not an entomologist. Yep, that's a roach. Side note: the term "bug" for a software glitch comes from the first diagnosis of a computer malfunction. This is back in the day, when computers took up whole rooms. Turned out the problem was literally a bug in the hardware. I think it was a woman who found it. Heard about this on a podcast. Wish I could remember which one. Maybe Tech Stuff.
Click to expand...

That would be Grace Hopper.

More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

She found a real bug in a computer. And so did you! Ouch.
 
7thson said:
No, I'm not an entomologist. Yep, that's a roach. Side note: the term "bug" for a software glitch comes from the first diagnosis of a computer malfunction. This is back in the day, when computers took up whole rooms. Turned out the problem was literally a bug in the hardware. I think it was a woman who found it. Heard about this on a podcast. Wish I could remember which one. Maybe Tech Stuff.
Click to expand...

You are referring to Grace Hopper, an pioneering computer scientist who rose to the rank of rear admiral in the US Navy. On September 9, 1947, she was working on the Harvard University Mark II and discovered a problem with the program was actually a moth trapped between the points of Relay #70, in Panel F. When it was fixed, word got out that the program was "debugged". You can see a photo of said moth here:

bug.jpg


"Amazing Grace" had both a Cray supercomputer and a U.S. Navy destroyer named after her.
 
**** guys, what do I do? This computer was assessed a few days ago and locked up ever since. Do we have to get the place gassed or something? I'm in the UK, any advice will be extremely welcome.

My skin is crawling, people. :(

----------

Spoke to the HR guy and he said 'well we nailed all of them' -- there were a few around that were killed and we haven't seen them since -- but I dunno. Sorry if I'm making very little sense, I'm utterly horrified. We're keeping it locked down.

To those posting about 'buggy computers' -- you'd get on with my work colleagues, they all see the funny side of it. :D
 
keysofanxiety said:
**** guys, what do I do? This computer was assessed a few days ago and locked up ever since. Do we have to get the place gassed or something? I'm in the UK, any advice will be extremely welcome.

My skin is crawling, people. :(

----------

Spoke to the HR guy and he said 'well we nailed all of them' -- there were a few around that were killed and we haven't seen them since -- but I dunno. Sorry if I'm making very little sense, I'm utterly horrified. We're keeping it locked down.

To those posting about 'buggy computers' -- you'd get on with my work colleagues, they all see the funny side of it. :D
Click to expand...

Hmm... I would keep the PC off the ground if I were you.
 
chown33 said:
And it's a female roach, and it's carrying an egg case (note tip of abdomen closely).

The most salient fact is simply this: you have roaches.
The most effective response is equally simple: contact an exterminator.
Click to expand...

****ing eggs?! ###

We will have to wait until Monday with this ... Will update the thread then if anybody will be lurking. :)
 
keysofanxiety said:
****ing eggs?! ������

We will have to wait until Monday with this ... Will update the thread then if anybody will be lurking. :)
Click to expand...


Don't wait until Monday. A weekend is enough to make hundreds of babies.

crawling_bug.gif


crawling_bug.gif
 
rdowns said:
Don't wait until Monday. A weekend is enough to make hundreds of babies.



Image​
Click to expand...

I know dude, I know. But ultimately I work in a huge office and my opinion means nothing. :(

Well, at least I get the 'I told you so' bragging rights if it goes tits-up, and a week off work if we get raped by cockroaches. Every cloud ... :(
 
Are those bugs not common in your area? In my neck of the woods they are extremely common.
 
keysofanxiety said:
Got a desktop collected(PSU failed). In a most disgusting twist, it turned out the PSU had failed, but because it was crawling with bugs who had made their home there. One of which, we managed to photograph before screaming like little girls and throwing the computer in a cupboard as far from ourselves as possible.

There were at least 10-15 living in the computer (still alive and were scampering when we opened it). My skin's still crawling.

I was curious if anybody knew what bugs these are. I've attached the image.

View attachment 464915
Click to expand...

But I thought Macs were bug free? It must be a Windows machine. They are full of bugs!
 
A few years ago I seen a bug like that but it was completely black. So I was in bed kinda early so there was enough light to see things sorta. But I opened my eyes and a bug that looked just like the one you seen but completely black ran out from the other pillow ran up it then ran over it to somewhere I now have no idea where I went. But I got up moved the pillow right away and it was gone. I then pulled every thing off the bed and went and washed everything. Never seen it again. It was creepy to thing I could have been on that pillow and that this thing was under it.
 
These fumigators work really well. Good kill, no residue. You add a bit of water in the included cup, put in the canister and it produces a bunch of smoke then releases the pesticide.

http://www.amazon.com/Raid-Fumigato...&qid=1395006992&sr=1-5&keywords=RAID+bug+bomb

Any roach trap with Fipronil as the active ingredient will kill the roaches quickly.

http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Source...=1395019732&sr=1-1&keywords=Combat+roach+trap

These are the two products we use living in a rain forest in Hawaii. Many roaches, spiders and centipedes when we don't use them. Also, my wife is an entomologist.
 
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That computer along with the flooring wouldn't be with us today if I saw that when I opened it. I'm usually not too bad around bugs, but something about roaches would make me throw that thing straight off the desk. :D
 
Right guys, we're gonna open it up again later today and check to see if there are any more roaches living inside the power supply. They'll be having a date with Henry the Hoover.

Should have some pictures for you later. :D
 
Well, they were living in the power supply for sure. Opened it up and one crawled out then went back in. Too quick to photograph, so I've got a nice dead one on the side that I photographed.

Needless to say, the PSU was binned and I think we'll bin the whole thing as it's covered in either cockroach eggs or cockroach crap -- either of which is equally disgusting.

Panic over, hopefully. :)

image.jpg
 
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