Black Grubs are Carpet Beetle Larvae

Worm Researcher Dori August 22, 2017 Leave a comment

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We just heard from a reader in Australia. She explained that she has been finding “black grubs” in her wool carpet. The creatures are about 5 mm long and have brown hairy bodies. She thought they were silverfish, but now thinks they could be carpet beetle larvae. She would like us to weigh in on the situation.

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We are confident that these are carpet beetle larvae. Not only are they a perfect match in appearance, but our reader also mentioned that the carpet has been eaten away at in true carpet beetle larvae fashion. Since she has only found these larvae in the carpet in her bedroom and not in the other rooms of her house, getting rid of these larvae shouldn’t be too difficult.

The carpet beetle larvae our reader discovered seem to be eating her wool carpet as their primary food source. These larvae also eat upholstered furniture, linens, dust, food crumbs, and animal products such as feathers, fur, and felt. Since carpet beetle larvae can last for long periods of time without eating, and can travel among rooms in a house looking for a food source, they can be difficult to get rid of. Luckily it seems as though the infestation is limited to her bedroom.

To handle this situation our reader should begin by getting the infested wool carpet out of her house as soon as possible. She should either throw it out or have it professionally cleaned to ensure there are no unhatched carpet beetle eggs hiding in it. She should clean her bedroom thoroughly to get rid of any other potential food sources for these larvae. This cleaning routine should include doing laundry, sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming every day! While it can be annoying to keep up such extensive cleaning, it is the only way to get rid of carpet beetle larvae!

To summarize, a reader found some “black grubs” in her wool carpet. We believe these organisms are carpet beetle larvae, which she can get rid of by cleaning.

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All About Worms is always free, always reader-supported, we don't subject you to ads or annoying video pop-ups. But it does cost us money out of our pocket to keep the site going (nearly 20 years so far!) So your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP Publishing.

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