A reader found a “really super tiny skinny worm like bug” in her bed. She said the worm looks brown in the middle and darker at the ends. Although the photograph she sent us is quite blurry, we think we know what the creature is! We believe the specimen our reader found is a carpet beetle larva!

There are three different species of carpet beetle that we write about: varied carpet beetle, furniture carpet beetle, and black carpet beetle. All three species of these beetles and their larvae look slightly different. Based off of the photo, we believe our reader has found a furniture carpet beetle larva. Here is an up-close photo of a furniture carpet beetle larva that we have from another reader:

Carpet beetle larvae inhabit dark, undisturbed locations where they eat a variety of dead animals and animal products including: silk, leather, fur, wool, pet hair, and feathers. They also eat dust, and certain stored products. They do not eat synthetic fibers. We suspect that the larva our reader discovered is feeding on some item of her bedding, perhaps her mattress or comforter that is filled with feathers.

To get rid of the larva, she needs to start by finding the primary food source they are feeding on. She should inspect her bedding set for signs of damage. Once she believes she has found the infested item, she needs to remove it from her home immediately. If it is savable, she should have it professionally cleaned. If it is ruined, she should throw it out and replace it. She should was all of her bedding weekly to make sure all larva and eggs are killed. In addition, she should clean her room, and the other rooms of her house, by sweeping, vacuuming, and wiping the surfaces to eliminate dust.

To wrap up, one of our readers found a carpet beetle larva in her bed. Since she only found one of these larva, we have confidence that she can handle this infestation before it gets out of hand!