Waking up to what looks like blood on your bedroom wall would scare most people, but one man found a far less spooky explanation for the mysterious mark. A Reddit user, going by Distinct-Sir-69, shared how his wife spotted a strange backwards letter “C” seemingly written in blood above their closet. The couple was baffled since the mark wasn’t there when they went to bed.

Their home, built in 1885, has had its share of plumbing, electrical, and insect problems, so they kept an open mind about what might have caused it. Despite joking about a poltergeist named Carrie, they decided to ask Reddit for logical explanations before jumping to paranormal conclusions.
The Reddit community quickly offered a surprising answer: the “bloody” mark was likely a trail left by a ladybug. Ladybugs release pheromones to attract mates, and sometimes these secretions can leave reddish stains on surfaces. One commenter shared a similar experience and reassured the original poster not to worry, especially if ladybugs are common in the area.

When asked if their house was yellow—a color known to attract ladybugs—the Redditor confirmed it was a faded yellow, making the explanation even more plausible. However, pheromone trails aren’t usually visible to the naked eye, so the mark might actually be insect droppings.

Another Reddit user suggested the mark could be stink bug droppings, which sometimes form strange shapes. While the exact cause remains a bit mysterious, the original poster felt relieved to learn it was just bugs, not ghosts.
Ladybugs can release pheromones in specific patterns, though they are not visible to the human eye. (Getty Stock Images)

He summed it up by saying, “Some bug is watching me sleep. That’s creepier than ghosts, but I’ll take it.” This story reminds us that sometimes the scariest things have the simplest, earth-bound explanations.