One of our reader wrote to us in distress because she keeps finding these little black “worms” around her house. The specimen in the photo below was found on the side of her bathtub. At first she thought they were coming from the drain, but has since found them in places nowhere near a drain. She has also found them on the floor of her bedroom and other rooms of the house. She explained that she has a 2 month old, and so is constantly vacuuming and cleaning her house. Finally, she said she has two indoor cats, but she doesn’t think the organisms are related to the cats because she hasn’t found any in their bedding, near their litter box, or on them. Our reader ended by saying the presence of these “worms” is driving her crazy and she really needs our help. Here is a picture she sent us:

It is difficult to make an identification based on the photograph since it doesn’t reveal any details about the specimen. However, based on the tear-drop shape and rust color, we think this specimen could be a carpet beetle larvae. Also, since carpet beetle larvae can travel to different rooms in a house looking for food, it makes sense that our reader has discovered these creatures in different areas in her home.

Carpet beetle larvae eat animal products, like fur, leather, and wool, and other fibers and small particles inside a home. Getting rid of them requires removing damaged items, and vigorous cleaning. Since our reader said she keeps her home super clean, we think she should focus on finding the damaged items and removing them and therefore getting rid of potential eggs that will hatch into a new generation of carpet beetle larvae. These items could be towels, clothing, furniture, or mattresses. Another sign of the presence of carpet beetle is their droppings, which appear as rust colored dust.

To sum up, we believe one of our readers has found carpet beetle larvae in her home. While the presence of carpet beetle larvae is certainly annoying, our reader should know that the larvae don’t pose any threat to humans or pets. Also, carpet beetle larvae are fairly common, so we have written many posts about getting rid of them!