A reader wrote to us recently about some worms she is finding in “dark places” around her house. More specifically, she is finding the worms “in lounge, under sofa, behind sofa,” so evidently the worms have taken to hiding around or under furniture. The worms, which are about an inch long, are a cream color with brown tips, although some appear to be mostly brown, which makes them difficult to see because they are the same color as her carpet, and they are always on her carpet. The reader wants two questions answered: what are the cream and brown one-inch worms she is finding, and how can she get rid of them?

We received a question a while ago from a reader about brown worms that turn into beetles. She is finding the brown worms all over her home, particularly in dark places (like under furniture), and she is concerned because she has three children. We are basically certain our reader found carpet beetle larvae, which means the brown worms under her furniture are not in fact worms, but rather a type of insect larvae. First we will explain why we believe the brown “worms” are carpet beetle larvae, and then we will move on to the more pressing question of how to get rid of carpet beetle larvae.