In terms of stuff you don't want in your ears - this live maggot is pretty high up there.
The fruit fly lava was found to be nestling behind a 48-year-old woman's hearing aid, the New England Journal of Medicine revealed on Thursday.
Dr Hui-Ming Feng of the Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, writes: "The skin over the floor of the auditory canal, close to the eardrum, was eroded."
You're not from round here
Dr Cheng-Ping Shih told NBC News: "The larvae was still alive in the ear while the patient visited our emergency department," adding it could have been there for a day or longer.
It is thought the bug chose to nestle in the woman's ear because it was warm and cosy. It was easily removed and the patient made a full recovery.
"Most cases of animals in the ear canal are the flying objects and cockroaches," Dr Cheng-Ping added of the unusual visitor.
Indeed. Back in January we brought you the unfortunate tale of Hendrik Helmer, who had a 2cm long cockroach nestling in his.
And in 2012 we revealed charming photos of a spider peeking out of Chinese woman's ear canal.
Incy wincy spider: The arachnid peers out of a Chinese woman's ear canal