Today we will investigate a worm-like organism one of our readers found in her sheets. She said this larva is “tiny, black, and squiggles around.” The larva is so small that she only noticed it because it stood out against her white sheets. In addition to the larva, she discovered what she believed was flea feces. However, the only pet she has is an indoor cat, and the cat does not have fleas (the vet has already checked for fleas.) She wonders if the potential flea feces substance and the larva are related.
This larva is tiny! It is so small that we can’t make out any notable features or physical traits. We will just have to rely on the information our reader gave us: its tiny, black, and squiggles around! We think this might be a carpet beetle larva. We can’t confirm this based on the photo or description alone, but we think there is a good chance that this is a match!
Carpet beetle larvae are destructive household pests that feed on animal products, carpets, bedding, upholstered furniture, and a wide variety of other items found around a home. Readers find these larvae all over their homes, and often they find them in their bedding, just like this reader! Carpet beetle larvae shed skin in areas they are feeding. We believe that the “flea feces” our reader found is actually skin that the carpet beetle larva shed and left behind.
If the small black larva our reader found is a carpet beetle larva, she will need to begin a cleaning regime immediately to get rid of these creatures! She should wash all of her bedding and check her mattresses and pillows for signs of damage. She should also do laundry, sweep, vacuum, and dust her house daily to get rid of additional potential food sources for these larvae!
To wrap up, a reader found a small black worm in her sheets. We think this might be a carpet beetle larva. If our reader doesn’t think this is a match, we encourage her to send in more information or a clearer photograph for us to investigate!
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