We recently received a picture from a reader of a tiny specimen on a toilet paper roll. She explained that she found the creature on the windowsill in her bathroom. She described it as being orange with a darker head and tail, and having legs. She didn’t ask any specific questions, but we assume she is curious about the identity of the specimen and probably also wants to know why it is in her bathroom and how to get rid of it.
We are confident that this tiny creature is a carpet beetle larva! Carpet beetle larvae are extremely common household pests and we are very familiar with them. They eat a wide variety of items, so readers find them in many different areas of their homes. Some of their food sources include carpeting, upholstered furniture, wool, felt, feathers, leather, cardboard, paper, pet hair, linens, dried foods, and many other small particles. Getting rid of carpet beetle larvae requires extensive cleaning after identifying and removing the primary food source. It is important to act fast since a small carpet beetle larvae problem can turn into a full-blown infestation if left ignored.
Since our reader only found one specimen in her bathroom, we don’t think she is dealing with a lot of larvae, and hopefully they are only in her bathroom and haven’t spread to any other rooms in her home. She should investigate her bathroom for the primary food source for these larvae. It might be a towel, bathmat, toilet paper roll, or something else. After she pinpoints the source, she should remove it from her home immediately. As long as it isn’t of high value, we recommend that she throw it out. If the item is significant, then she should have it thoroughly cleaned before putting it back in her bathroom to ensure there are no more larvae or eggs on it. Once the food source has been dealt with, our reader will need to begin an intense cleaning regime until she is certain that her home is free of carpet beetle larvae. We recommend she clean daily for at least two weeks. She should do laundry, vacuum, sweep, and dust to make sure there are no more carpet beetle larvae and food sources lying around. Although the cleaning might feel tedious, it is the most effective way to say goodbye to these annoying creatures!
In summary, one of our readers discovered a carpet beetle larva in her bathroom. Getting rid of carpet beetle larvae is all about cleaning, so we encourage our reader to start a daily cleaning routine ASAP!
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Hello there! I have recently been seeing these little white worms on my counter top and haven’t seen them before. My husbands cat has been getting into the house and I don’t know if they might be coming from him or from somewhere else. Please help!!