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What bug has four legs on each side and two pincers?

Question: What kind of bug likes to hang out in wet/damp areas and has four or more legs on each side with two long, crablike pincers? It's the size of a tick and has the body of a crab.

Answer: Without a specimen, it would be hard to give a proper identification of what you are seeing. But from your description, it may be a pseudoscorpion (order Pseudoscorpionida). A bad name for this animal, since it has no relation to scorpions!

Pseudoscorpions are arachnids, which are predators on mites and small insects. They will not bite people or pets. They live in wooded areas, and they are usually brought into homes on the fur of pets or the pant cuffs of people that have been in the woods.

When found indoors in large numbers it could be an indication of a sizable population of springtails, psocids (booklice), or other small insects. In this case, as psuedoscorpions are predators, the best approach to control is to take care of the food source. Once you contact us, a trained Orkin Specialist will be happy to come and conduct a thorough inspection of your home and, after a detailed assessment, recommend the best course of action to resolve the situation.

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