
A reader just asked us to identify the “little monster” in the photograph shown above. He explained that today he found 4 of these creatures lurking around in his kitchen. The specimen-in-question is small, brown and tan, and has a pointy tail and small hairs poking out from its body. This is a carpet beetle larva!
Carpet beetle larvae are the immature form of the adult carpet beetle. As their name hints, carpet beetle larvae feed on carpet. However, they also munch on other upholstered furniture, dust particles, animal hair, blankets, clothing, and other various fibers. When they invade a household, they might migrate from room to room searching for more food and therefore spread out across a home rather quickly. To get rid of these larvae, strict cleaning procedures must be upheld.
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First, our reader must find the source of the infestation. Since he has already seen 4 of them in the kitchen, that is a good place to start. If he has pets, he should examine their beds and areas where they spend some time and shed a lot, like near their food and water bowls. If he doesn’t find anything that looks damaged, he should check the fabrics in other nearby rooms. Anything that has been damaged should be removed and professionally cleaned. If it has been significantly eaten up, he might just want to throw it out. All bedding, linens, and clothing should be laundered once a day until the infestation is completely handled. Vacuuming and sweeping daily to eliminate dust must also be a priority. After eliminating these larvae, the trick to avoiding a future infestation is keeping a clean house, and storing all linens in air-tight containers.
Some readers have a really difficult time getting rid of carpet beetle larvae and must call a professional for assistance. However, it seems like our reader discovered these larvae early on and has a good chance at getting rid of them on his own. To sum up, a reader sent us a photo of a creature that he described as a “little monster”. We are confident that this “monster” is a carpet beetle larva, and we have laid out some steps for saying goodbye to them.
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.
What is the name of the poison that will kill these dark brown worms and where can I buy it?