Could Worms in Toilet Paper be Carpet Beetle Larvae?

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A reader reached out to us because she discovered some worms in a bag that contained old toilet paper. She explained that she was given some toilet paper that had been in storage for many years. When she opened the bag she noticed a few dark brown bugs on the toilet paper. She quickly put the toilet paper in a sealed plastic bag and doesn’t want to look into the bag again. She wants to know if we have any ideas as to what these creatures are. She didn’t include a photograph with her message, but she did disclose that the creatures are dark brown and the toilet paper smelled like old books.

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to provide our reader with a definite identification without a photograph (the photo featured with this article is from a previous article on carpet beetle larvae) or more details about the creatures besides what color they are. Since we know they are dark brown and eating the toilet paper, we think these creatures might be carpet beetle larvae.

Carpet beetle larvae are extremley common household pests. Since these larvae have such a wide range of potential food sources, readers find them in all rooms of their homes. Carpet beetle larvae eat carpet, upholstered furniture, animal products, linens, dust, and other fibers including toilet paper. Our reader should just throw out the bag and check the area around where the bag was to ensure there aren’t any other larvae hiding.

To sum up, one of our readers discovered dark brown worms in a bag of old toilet paper. We think these might be carpet beetle larvae, since carpet beetle larvae are dark brown and potentially eat toilet paper. Of course it is also very possible that these mystery dark brown worms are something else, we just can’t say for sure without a picture.

 

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Summary
Could Worms in Toilet Paper be Carpet Beetle Larvae?
Article Name
Could Worms in Toilet Paper be Carpet Beetle Larvae?
Description
A reader discovered dark brown worms in a bag of old toilet paper. We think these might be carpet beetle larvae, since carpet beetle larvae are dark brown and potentially eat toilet paper. 
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Author: Worm Researcher Dori

2 thoughts on “Could Worms in Toilet Paper be Carpet Beetle Larvae?

  1. PREVENTION!

    1) Make sure when you purchase the toilet paper that the package is intact and unopened.

    2) I use disinfectant spray on all contact surfaces DAILY including the toilet seat, furniture, faucets, door knobs, soles of your shoes when you 1st come inside your home. Disinfect your car and worksite too if its an indoor job.

    3) And I no longer use furniture to house my clothing or hang my clothing up without it being completely sealed up in a garment bag. I use light colored laundry bags that I keep sealed to house clean and dirty laundry. All laundry should be washed in 135 degree or hotter water, and dried on High Heat for at least a full 60 minutes.

    4) I use Tea Tree Oil Shampoo from head to toe.

    5) And I do a simple body cleanse every 3 months.

    6) And become a chronic hand washer:) Wash your hands with soap between the webbing, under nails and wrists, for a least 1 full minute, each time.

    Things that go bump in the night? Unexplained pops and other strange noises? You might just have a bug or parasite issue. And they can get into eeevvverything! Prevention is key:)

  2. I too believe that I have seen/found some sort of larvae type thing in my toilet paper and paper towels. Although easier to spot if they’re in the cardboard roll, I swear these things are so small that you can almost see them between the sheets (meaning if you have a two or three ply material). When I have seen something between the sheets, all I can discern is a bit of white moving. Looks like this tiny, horrible, insatiable little maw just consuming away. Don’t know if that’s a CB larvae but am confirming that I too have seen “bugs” in bathroom tissue. For now, I just ignore them although I am of course still thoroughly grossed out.

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