Last month a reader wrote to us about some creatures she found under a blanket on her bedroom floor. She wants to know what they are, if she should be concerned about their presence, and if the specimens are harmful towards humans or animals (she has pets). She sent us these two photographs:
Although the photographs aren’t very clear, we believe that these creatures are probably carpet beetle larvae. Despite not being able to determine much about the appearance of the worm-like organism, the location in which she found the larvae and the rust-colored droppings suggest that she is dealing with carpet beetle larvae.
Carpet beetle larvae feed on lots of items found around a household, and they are pretty common household pests. They eat animal products such as wool, feathers, fur, and pet hair. The larvae also feed on carpet, upholstered furniture, linens, and other various materials and dust particles that build up around a home. Carpet beetle larvae can be tricky to get rid of because they can survive long periods of time without eating, and they travel from room to room looking for new food sources. Getting rid of carpet beetle larvae is really just a matter of removing their primary food source (or anything that shows signs of damage) and cleaning! Our reader should get rid of the blanket the larvae were found under, and begin a daily cleaning regime that includes dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, and doing laundry to eliminate any potential food sources for these larvae. If she isn’t sure where the carpet beetle larvae are hiding out, she should look out for their rust-colored droppings, like what was on the blanket in the photo.
In conclusion, one of our readers discovered some small brown creatures under a blanket in her home. We think they are probably carpet beetle larvae. While the presence of carpet beetle larvae can be a little stressful, our reader will be relieved to know that carpet beetle larvae aren’t harmful to humans or pets!
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