“What is this worm?” asks Billie in her submission regarding the brown-striped creature pictured below. “I found them on my children’s bedroom floor. We thought we had powderpost beetle infestation because we have small holes in some of our new hardwood floors. Maybe these bugs are unrelated? I found three at 6:30 in the morning after turning on the lights. The largest is probably less than 1/4 inch long.” We can tell Billie straight away that this is not a powderpost beetle or a powderpost beetle larva (which are white in color with a small black spot on its head), but is a carpet beetle larva. Billie may have heard of carpet beetles before: they are a notorious pest that do not feed on hardwood floors, but the rugs and carpets we put on top of them.

In actual fact, it is not the adult carpet beetles that feed on carpets (as well as any other textile that has even partially made from organic materials like wool or cotton), but their larvae. They like to hide in dark, cramped spaces where they can eat in peace, like dresser drawers, the back of a wardrobe, under rugs, and under and behind upholstered furniture. Although Billie only photographed one, she does imply that she found many, and we recommend being on the lookout for more. These guys seldom just wander into people’s homes, but are usually born inside the home, an adult beetle having laid its eggs inside. So, where there are a few, there are likely more. We also suggest that Billie vacuum her home and launder any potentially infested clothing and other textile items.

Carpet beetle larvae are not harmful to children or humans at all, though their bristles — which they leave behind on the items they munch on — can cause a rash. As we said before, they do not eat wood, so we would think their presence is unrelated to the powderpost beetle infestation; as far as we know, they have no connection to powderpost beetles. For that problem, we recommend Billie contact a professional. With all of that said, maybe the carpet beetles are entering Billie’s home through the holes made by the powderpost beetles. As for preventing future infestations of carpet beetle larvae, it is good to store unused textiles made from organic materials in airtight containers, vacuum often, replace or mend torn window screens, and seal sizable gaps in walls and floors (like the ones the powderpost beetles are making).

To conclude, we think Billie found carpet beetle larvae on her child’s bedroom floor. It is likely she is experiencing an infestation and she should act immediately. It is definitely possible to get rid of a carpet beetle infestation, it is just difficult. Prepare to have to vacuum and launder a few times over the course of a couple of weeks to fully eradicate the infestation. We hope this helps, and we wish Billie the very best.

Summary

Article Name

Brown Striped Worms in Children's Bedroom are Carpet Beetle Larvae

Description

"What is this worm?" asks Billie in her submission regarding the brown-striped creature pictured below. "I found them on my children’s bedroom floor. We thought we had powderpost beetle infestation because we have small holes in some of our new hardwood floors. Maybe these bugs are unrelated? I found three at 6:30 in the morning after turning on the lights. The largest is probably less than 1/4 inch long." We can tell Billie straight away that this is not a powderpost beetle or a powderpost beetle larva (which are white in color with a small black spot on its head), but is a carpet beetle larva. Billie may have heard of carpet beetles before: they are a notorious pest that do not feed on hardwood floors, but the rugs and carpets we put on top of them.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton