One of our readers discovered some brown worm-like organisms on the floor near her dog’s kennel. She mentioned that she washes his blanket about two times per week. She also found some of the curious organisms in rust-colored dust that was in the corner under her dry sink in her mud room. She mentioned that she sees these critters periodically, but not every day. She is just curious what they are. Here is the picture she sent us:

We are confident that these small brown-colored creatures are carpet beetle larvae! Carpet beetle larvae can become prominent in a home relatively quickly since they travel from room to room looking for food, and because they can survive for long periods of time without eating. They eat a variety of items that are common in households. Carpet beetle larvae eat animal products like fur, leather, feathers, and wool. They also eat upholstered furniture, blankets, linens, and carpets. Finally, they feed on dust, dirt particles, pet food, and other small debris around a home. Getting rid of carpet beetle larvae requires some dedicated cleaning to eliminate their potential food sources. Since they have such a wide range of potential food sources, this can be a big task.

Our reader should remove any items from her home that show signs of damage and have those items professionally cleaned. She should also begin maintaining a daily cleaning routine that includes doing laundry, sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting. She should keep up this cleaning regime until she is no longer finding any carpet beetle larvae. To avoid future visits from these small larvae, our reader should continue to clean thoroughly at least once a week. She can also store her unused seasonal clothing, linens, and bedding in air tight containers. While the presence of these larvae is certainly annoying, our reader should find some peace of mind knowing that they aren’t harmful towards humans or pets.

To sum up, a reader found a few carpet beetle larvae near her dog’s kennel and in her mud room. We have provided some steps to take in order to get rid of these larvae.