“Anyone know what this could be? I have found two piles of these … in my daughters’ room.”


Facebook, among other social media platforms, was the original place for setting up amazingly friendly communal groups.

Some of them are associated with very regular but useful topics, like groups for cleaning and homemaking! However, these groups are not all about tips and help.

Sometimes, some posts send the group scrambling for answers, with a bit of added concern as to the well-being of the original poster. In the group called “Homemaking Tips,” Kelli Tarin posted a bizarre image of a mysterious pile.

The mysterious pile of unidentified pellets found.

The original post went up on 10th August, which is fairly recent. In the post, Tarin provided an image. The image shows a pile of a fine, dirt-like mess on the floor. Tarin asks if anyone can help with telling her what it is since she found two mysterious piles that she cleaned every day. Worryingly, both piles were in the room of her daughter, so it is very important that she figures out whether it is something to be alarmed over. She also adds that it happened quite quickly because they moved into this rented house. As to its nature, Tarin describes them as feeling like shells but looking like coffee grounds or ant beds.

The Mysterious Pile Becomes Even More Mysterious

The homeowner had sought help from the online group, and the mysterious pile soon went viral. Over 9000 comments were left on the post, along with more than 440,000 reactions. However, even with all this attention, not a single person could confirm with full certainty what exactly the mysterious piles were! Nevertheless, there were suggestions, and a lot of them. Here is the image:

The mysterious pile of unidentified pellets found.

Some believed that it truly was a nest of ants, and this colony was particularly persistent and tricky to deal with. Others believed that it was the excrement of mice. As for excrement, quite a few others believed that the source was actually termites. Taking all these suggestions into consideration, Tarin went about calling the professionals for help.

However, their conclusion only elevated the mysteriousness. She had called two pest control companies, and both said that this was their first time witnessing anything like the mysterious piles!

In subsequent updates, Tarin explained that she ensured that their daughter slept with her father until the mystery was solved. It’s not termites, because their droppings are not this crunchy or “seed-like”. She eliminated roaches because not only did she do a thorough spray down, but she also never saw any live ones inside the house.

The most she ever saw were a couple of dead ones rarely. She also explains that her childhood was spent on a farm, so she knows what mice droppings look like, and these are not them. The final suggestion was Bats, however, her location being West Texas makes it extremely unlikely.

The Mystery Finally Gets Solved

She also reiterated twice that she cleans the whole house daily and that it is only found in her daughter’s room. In fact, she says that it takes about two days at most to form. In the final update before the solution, she says that the landlords have been called to check them out. Regardless, Tarin was very thankful for the group’s reaction. Even if they had not managed to answer completely, they definitely helped her maintain a light mood throughout a worrying ordeal.

The identity of the mysterious pile

In the end, the solution is extremely out of place. One comment had apparently suggested that a lavender bear belonging to one of their kids had burst. At that point, stuff like this was inside. This made Tarin remember that the pile of toys on top of the mysterious pile had a lavender blush bear among them.

She had discarded it because she assumed it was infested. She went back to search for it, found it, and saw that it, indeed, had a hole inside. When Tarin then looked at what was inside – lo and behold – it was the stuff in the mysterious pile! We suppose all’s well that ends well.