A reader wrote to us about a few worm-like organisms she found in her bathroom and also on her carpet. She said that she has been bleaching the floor and vacuuming every day but they are still appearing. She would like to know what the organisms are and where they are coming from. The first photo she sent shows two of the creatures on her bathroom floor:

We can see that the creatures in question are dark brown or black, and have thin long bodies with a tapered end. So, what are these creatures? Let’s take a closer look by examining the other photograph our reader sent:

This photo confirms what we suspected, the worm-like organisms our reader is dealing with are carpet beetle larvae! Carpet beetle larvae are some of the most common household pests that our readers discover. Carpet beetle larvae feed on a wide range of items in a home including carpets, upholstered furniture, stored food, bedding, animal products, and animal hair. Since these larvae can survive for long periods of time without eating and travel from room to room looking for food, they can be especially difficult to get rid of.

First, our reader will need to find the primary food source that these larvae are feeding on. Since she has found them on the carpet it could be the carpet itself. Or it might be a towel or linen in the bathroom. Once she identifies the source, she needs to remove it from her home immediately and begin an intense cleaning regime. She should sweep, dust, vacuum, and do laundry every day to eliminate potential food sources and to eliminate any unseen larvae or eggs. She should also investigate for signs of carpet beetle larvae in other rooms of her house. Anything that looks suspicious should be removed and professionally cleaned or thrown out if it is damaged beyond repair. Although getting rid of these larvae can be daunting, it just requires dedication to a cleaning regime until there are no more signs of the larvae. If our reader is struggling to get rid of them, she can reach out to a professional for further assistance.

To wrap up, a reader discovered carpet beetle larvae in a few rooms of her house. We encourage her to get started on an intense cleaning regime to get rid of these unwanted visitors.