Carpet Beetles Bedbugs

Carpet beetles and cockroaches come up a lot in conversations about identifying bed bugs.

Carpet beetles bedbugs.

Both carpet beetles and bed bugs are insects but bed bugs feed on blood and carpet beetles feed on substances like carpet woolen fabrics and other materials as well as stored food sources. However carpet beetles can damage fabrics and bed bugs can bite people. The carpet beetle and bed bug not only leave similar looking bites but there are other similarities. Whether you have bed bugs or carpet beetles whether you have both you can deal with this issue.

Differences between bed bugs and carpet beetles. First and foremost they feed not on blood but on animal based fibrous materials like textiles silk and fur much like clothing moths. Diet carpet beetles do not feed on blood. Bed bugs can cause red itchy welts on the skin due to their bites and although carpet beetles do not bite the larvae have prickly little hairs that can.

The difference here is that bed bugs have a mouth made for piercing skin and sucking blood while carpet beetles have a mouth made for chewing on plants and other fibrous material. They feed on other sources like. Because carpet beetle larvae are bigger than bed bugs you may be more likely to see the beetles themselves. Nectar pollen wool hair bristles feathers dried plants silks and furs.

Both insects can breed fast and may remain hidden for a while before you start to notice them. Carpet beetles are different from bed bugs in many ways. Bed bugs are in the family cimicidae while carpet beetles are in the family dermestids. However the carpet beetle is the smallest of the two and averages 1 8th of an inch in length while the bed bug is about 1 4th of an inch long.

Cockroaches and bed bugs are the most similar but are noticeably different under a lighted magnifier where you can see the cockroach has hairy legs and bed bugs have no fur or hair on their legs. Bed bugs and carpet beetles are both very small. Carpet beetles are not bed bugs. Carpet beetles are sometimes confused with bed bugs.

Bed bugs do feed on blood hence the bed bug bites. Both pests can be worrisome and may create stress. Some varieties even feed on plant based materials meaning they can also be found in food products. I know you can.

Habitat carpet beetles are usually found inside wall voids attics and other places inside homes where dead insects or spiders have. So if you already have bed bugs carpet beetles may stay in your house because of the food abundance. If you think you have either bed bugs or carpet beetles contact your local ehrlich pest.