What small bugs am I finding in my bathroom?

"I keep seeing tiny bugs in my sink. What are they and why are they in my house?"

Spotting tiny bugs in your bathroom sink is fairly common, as drains and sinks provide a lot of what bugs and insects need to thrive: moisture, warmth, and a steady supply of organic matter. Find out what these drain bugs could be, and what to do about them.

What kind of bugs live in drains?

If you’re spotting bugs coming out of the drain, there are a few species you're likely dealing with: 

Drain flies (moth flies)

Drain flies (Psychodidae) are tiny (around ⅛ of an inch) with fuzzy, moth-like bodies and leaf-shaped wings. They breed in the organic film that builds up inside pipes and drains. You’ve probably spotted them resting on walls or ceilings near the sink rather than flying around.

Phorid flies

Slightly smaller and darker than drain flies, phorid flies have a distinctive humpbacked shape and tend to run across surfaces rather than fly. Like drain flies, they breed in moist, decaying organic matter, including the buildup inside bathroom sink drains and kitchen pipes.

Fruit flies

If the small bugs in your sink are light-colored with red eyes, they may be fruit flies rather than drain flies. Fruit flies are drawn to fermenting organic matter and can breed in kitchen drains where food residue collects.

Cockroaches

Less common but worth knowing: some cockroach species use drains as entry points into the home, attracted by the moisture and food residue inside.

What to do about bugs in your drain

Keeping drains clean is the most effective way to reduce sink bugs. Regularly clearing out buildup with a drain brush and cleaning product can remove the organic film that larvae feed on. Covering unused drains when not in use also helps.

If the buildup is deep in the pipe or the infestation keeps returning, our drain line maintenance and bioremediation services are designed to break down organic buildup at the source, not just treat the symptoms.