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Small Black 'droppings' On Window Ledge And Blind


Andy Bown

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Posted
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire

We have begun to find small black 'droppings' on the kitchen window ledge and, on latter inspection*, there are a number of them on the blind which we pull down at night - those on the blind are in a join which is at the same level as the window ledge when the blind is down.

A few days ago we thought they may be things dropping off the leaves of a plant which was in the window, so we removed the plant. The leaves had some of them on too.

However having cleaned the ledge more have reappeared since yesterday evening - although much less than we cleaned off, *and this afternoon was the first time I checked the back of the blind. They only seem to appear overnight although I am going to make checks more regularly!

The photo below has been taken this afternoon, not many 'droppings' but there were 10 times as many before cleaning.

They are definitely not mouse droppings as I know they are bigger than these, but having done an internet search I'm left wondering if they could be drom Drywood Termites or small caterpillars which may have lived in the removed plant - there is still a small pot of parsley on the ledge so I suppose that could be housing something! I am also going to place the removed plant, now in the garage, on some white paper.

Has anyone any advice or thoughts please?

post-107-0-00274900-1349882253_thumb.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Ashford, Kent
  • Weather Preferences: Anything
  • Location: Ashford, Kent

Colud be woodworm, is it a woodfarme window or is it set into wood? If so close inspection should reveal tiny little holes, about 1-2 mm across. Used to get similar on all our window ledges but that was a very old house. I think we treated it ourselves with a can of insecticide but more severe infestations will need a pro. Could be caterpillar though so what you are doing with the plant seems sensible.

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Posted
  • Location: North York Moors
  • Location: North York Moors

There will be a camouflaged caterpillar involved somewhere.

If the damage isn't too bad (to the plant) why not let it mature?

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Posted
  • Location: Mytholmroyd, West Yorks.......
  • Weather Preferences: Hot & Sunny, Cold & Snowy
  • Location: Mytholmroyd, West Yorks.......

Millipedes also leave droppings like you describe but they tend to 'line up' rather than be random stools?

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Posted
  • Location: Carlisle, Cumbria
  • Weather Preferences: Atlantic storms, severe gales, blowing snow and frost :)
  • Location: Carlisle, Cumbria

Looks like fly poop? cc_confused.gif

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Posted
  • Location: Hayward’s Heath - home, Brighton/East Grinstead - work.
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and storms
  • Location: Hayward’s Heath - home, Brighton/East Grinstead - work.

I'd move out sharpish.

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Posted
  • Location: NE of Kendal 215m asl
  • Location: NE of Kendal 215m asl

Looks like fly droppings to me, had loads of them round here in 2010, left these black dots everywhere. Had fly papers hanging up in every room dripping with half dead flies, they were a interesting talking point when visitors came round, kind of a modern art installation!

Edited by Mountain Snow
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Posted
  • Location: East Hull, East Yorkshire
  • Weather Preferences: Warm and stormy.
  • Location: East Hull, East Yorkshire

I've got a houseplant thats been outside in the shade during the summer months and decided to bring it in last month, and when i got up in the morning there was a sprinkle of black bits around the plant up to 6 inches away on the window sill. After close inspection of the plant i found a very small caterpillar under one of the leafs so i snipped the leaf of with caterpillar removed the both to the garden, no more droppings :). Under my buddleia that hangs over the path is the same droppings but a tad bigger, caterpillars again.

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Posted
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire

Thanks everyone, the latter explanation has confirmed a small caterpillar for me along with the fact that the removed plant has more droppings

on the paper underneath it! If there are any on the ledge tomorrow morning there must be something in the parsley too!

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Posted
  • Location: Bangor, Northern Ireland (20m asl, near coast)
  • Weather Preferences: Any weather will do.
  • Location: Bangor, Northern Ireland (20m asl, near coast)

time for a bit of potty training me thinks.

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Posted
  • Location: Cockermouth, Cumbria - 47m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Winter - snow
  • Location: Cockermouth, Cumbria - 47m ASL

Looks like bat droppings. If they are don't use any poison or try to block any small holes as they have the highest protection under law. You can phone your local Natural England bat help line who will advise and help you remove them if you want but they dont do any harm.

edit...

Bat Conservation Trust on 0845 1300 228 - they'll help and may be able to identify the species from your photo (if they are bats that is!)

Edited by Red Raven
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Posted
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire

Thanks again guys.

Most definitely not a bat!

No new droppings in the window ledge/blind this morning but plenty on the paper beneath the plant which is now in the garage, so it must be a caterpillar

as the droppings look like images I Googled.

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Posted
  • Location: ANYWHERE BUT HERE
  • Weather Preferences: ALL WEATHER, NOT THE PETTY POLITICS OF MODS IN THIS SITE
  • Location: ANYWHERE BUT HERE

It will be a large spider

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  • 1 month later...

We have had exactly the same puzzle here in Dorset. Black droppings, soft and irregularly shaped compared to mice and bats. The dropping were wet and green if squashed when found on the leaf.... and dry and soft or even powdery when dry. They were completely odourless. When I saw them I immediately thought caterpillars. They only occurred at night. Search as we did we found no caterpilllars. I believe they are caterpillars and am very interested to see a picture or a description to find out what they are.

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