“I’ve had six inspections for bedbugs”, starts this reader in her submission, who goes on to say that all six inspections have come out negative for bed bugs. “For five years, every spring from April to August, I get these horrific bites/rashes, and I can’t figure it out. I do see carpet beetles during this time in the doorways and windows, but I don’t sit on the floor or carpets. They itch terribly! They are also raised as welts. I thought carpet beetles don’t bite, so what the hell could this be? For five years I can’t figure it out, and then it disappears at the end of summer. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.”

There is a lot to unpack here. So, normally, we would not address submissions like these, given that the situation is somewhat medical in nature. Since we are not medical professionals, we are not qualified or legally able to identify organisms which affect the health of people or pets. That said, our reader does specifically mention that she sees carpet beetles every summer, and that their presence coincides with the appearance of the “rashes/bites”. For that reason, we think it’s prevalent to point out the fact that carpet beetles can, in fact, cause rashing: specifically, carpet beetle larvae.

There is certain toxin present on their bristles that can cause this allergic reaction for people. And you don’t even need to be sitting on the floor or touching the carpets because carpet beetle larvae do not just stick to carpets. In fact, carpet beetle larvae feed on the organic fibers present in all kinds of textile items, including bed sheets, clothing, towels, and upholstery. Even if a carpet beetle larva is not present on a certain piece of clothing at the time of someone wearing it, if the larva was at some point in time on that piece of clothing, they could have left behind some of their bristles, which could still cause this reaction. This is why cleaning one’s entire home when carpet beetles are noticed is essential. This includes laundering any infested, or potentially infested, items near the source of the infestation, as well as vacuuming all floors, rugs, and carpets. If possible, steam cleaning is also great.

Now, we cannot advise our reader on how to treat the rash, and we also cannot say for certain that the carpet beetles are causing the rash. While the timing and consistency of the carpet beetles and rashes seem more of a coincident, we cannot risk claiming that there is causation here given the possibility that something else could be causing these rashes. For that reason, we recommend that our reader consult a medical professional about her rashes, and that she mention to them the presence of the carpet beetles, and the possibility of an allergic reaction to them. To break the chain of these consistent infestations, we recommend our reader do a number of things: Deep clean of her home and eliminate the infestation via vacuuming and laundering. Keep her home consistently vacuumed. Mend or replace any torn window screens. Install window screens where there aren’t any, as well as screens in vents. Store unused garments and other textiles in airtight containers.

To conclude, it is possible that our reader rashes are caused by her carpet beetle infestations, though we cannot say anything for certain since we are not medical professionals. We hope this helps, and we wish her the very best!

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