What are these?

[StormCattitude]

Posting for traffic.

Picked up a tub I've not used for less than a week. Tub had laid uncovered in kitchen extension where the ceiling above is not plastered but is insulated with kingspan. Last used tub about 5 days ago. Tub is always in the same place.

Today came to it to find bits in it, on closer inspection they are some sort of bug Any help on identifying possibilities? Stamp for size. They are tiny. Like 1mm.

Should have said, never seen 1 before but there must've been about 100 in the tub. They scurried but didn't fly, possibly a small jump was done though.

Biscuit beetles?

Was the tub wet/damp when put away? As mosquitos lay eggs in the hundreds! This is what it reminded me of.

@mumpower3

Was the tub wet/damp when put away? As mosquitos lay eggs in the hundreds! This is what it reminded me of.

It prob did have traces of water in the bottom. I use the tub to transfer hot water across the kitchen & don't dry it after, I just drain it.

There was no water in it by today.

How would they get inside? I've heard of them outside in stagnant water etc. Wondering how they'd have got in to that spot.

@JaneJeffer

Biscuit beetles?

I think I've seen those before, and they were bigger. Need to google to check!

I dont think it's biscuit beetles, they seem bigger, 2-3mm.
Or mosquito larvae as that looks like a round head & a point body. These critters looked like their silhouette was in 2 body parts & beetley-shaped when I zoomed in (couldn't make this out by the naked eye as they were too small, only on the photo)

I think they look like weevils but I haven't seen them outside of cupboards where flour etc has been before

Springtails? They jump like fleas and like damp places.

A friend suffered from an outbreak of pantry moth, took ages to get rid of them.

@StormyWindow

Springtails? They jump like fleas and like damp places.

Ooo this looks possible, I shall read up! Thanks for every suggestion, all helped even if just to eliminate!

They look like dispensary beetles. Very small oval shape and move slowly. We had them in our spice cupboard.

OK so I cleaned & dried the tub, vacuumed around the area. Noticed today approx 5 days on, they've started appearing again.

Attached some better photos.

Don't think they're springtails now but not sure what they are! Some of these pics look like they may have shed an outer layer? Seem to be shaped like some sort of beetle, but too small for biscuit beetle, woodwork & carpet beetle I think at about 1mm.

There's other areas nearby with no evidence of these things too which makes it even weirder why in this tub. No food in this area of the kitchen, except cereal & dry cat food on a table above to the left but it is all in lock n lock containers.

Could it be something falling through from the ceiling? We've had issues with leaks so it's likely the wood and insulation (kingspan) might be damp if not dried out. It's not plastered so stuff could fall thru gaps. But this isn't under where the leak was exactly & it's no where else I've noticed.

Rice weevils?

Doesn't seem to have the pointy snout of the weevil

No, though they do sometimes point it downwards. Horrible things.

To the naked eye they're literally specks. It's only on camera I can make out their shape better. So I guess I could miss a pointy snout if it's pointing down. Just wish I knew what they were so I could tackle them at source.

Rice weevils are usually in… well, rice and things, not wandering about in swarms. So you're probably right and it's not those. I hope someone can identify them for you.

Are they grain mites?

I had those once in a rented house with bad damp. There were millions of them, they just appeared and multiplied very quickly. No idea where they came from and it was in the living room, not kitchen, but I think they liked the damp (at least someone did!). I kept wiping them away and used a dehumidifier and after a couple of weeks they'd completely gone and didnt return.

Good luck with your identification/eradication!