Mite identification
Location: Asheville, NC
December 28, 2010 11:41 am
My house is infested with a small bug, possibly a mite. And my boyfriend now has them at his house and I’ve carried them to my office as well.
I’ve seen something tiny on numerous occasions, but I have only been able to catch one of these bugs, in some oil. These things are tiny (like the period at the end of this sentence and are very quick to hide. They get into everything in the house and are crawling on my body as well.
Can you help me identify this bug? I have bumps and soars on my skin, which may be bites or just a reaction to the bugs.
My photos are at 40x magnification.
Signature: Dee
Mystery Bug
Dear Dee,
It appears that you have two very different creatures represented in your photographs. One of them is a mystery to us, but it does not look like a mite. The other, which you have labeled Dees Bug, appears to be a Carpet Beetle Larva which is a common household pest, but we do not believe it is responsible for your skin condition, nor do they move quickly. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to identify your other creature. In addition to the two images you have sent, you may also have a problem with Mites which are frequently associated with abandoned bird’s nests in the attic areas of the home.
Carpet Beetle Larva
wtb?
Location: Hungary, Europe
December 28, 2010 6:30 pm
Hello!
I found these creatures in my bedroom.
I think they are from the same species. Their size is about about 2-5 mm. I don’t know what do they do, eat, name etc…so please help to identify them! :]
Ps.: I think they are not full grown bugs.
Signature: Joci
Carpet Beetle Larvae
Dear Joci,
You have Carpet Beetle Larvae, and it appears as though you may have more than one species. Carpet Beetle Larvae are common household pests that feed on organic fibers like wool and feathers as well as organic debris like shed pet hair and even human hair. They have a cosmopolitan distribution. Normally, we frown upon composite imagery on our website, but we are intrigued with your geometric layout that reminds us of a quilt.
New bug in my home
Location: Los Angeles, CA
December 18, 2010 3:34 pm
I’ve recently been seeing more and more of a tiny bug in my home. I usually spot them in the kitchen, but I’ve recently spotted a few in the bathroom. Most of the ones I’ve found have been dead and found on plates or in pots in the cupboard. (yuck!). The bug is about 5mm long, lots of legs and a bit fuzzy. I’m located in the Los Angeles Area. I’ve seen this bug for about the past 6 months.
what is it? and how do I discourage it from living in my home?
See attached photos.
Signature: Fritzy
Carpet Beetle Larva
Dear Fritzy,
Funning the vacuum cleaner more often to remove human and pet hairs should help control your Carpet Beetle population unless you have wool rugs as they will also feed on wool fibers.
1
Was I taken for a fool?
Location: Georgia
December 17, 2010 11:53 pm
Hello,
After visiting some friends who had bed bugs, I got very nervous when I began noticing little bugs around my house. I called an exterminator, who treated my house for bed bugs, but I still have the bugs. The strange part is that the pictures of bed bugs on the internet look nothing like the bugs in my house. Have I been fooled?? Please help me identify this bug. Thank you!
Signature: Pamela
Carpet Beetle Larva
Hi Pamela,
You have Carpet Beetle Larvae and the exterminator probably did not do anything to eliminate them. They eat organic fibers, including pet hair. Keeping the rugs well vacuumed and making sure there is no stray pet hair, or human hair for that matter, accumulating under cushions and on rugs should help control the Carpet Beetle Larvae.
1
Tiny Bug
Location: New Jersey, USA
December 12, 2010 12:32 am
Can you tell me about this bug found in my house? It is very small, about the size of a sesame seed.
Signature: Sincerely
Buffalo Carpet Beetle
Dear Sincerely,
This is a Buffalo Carpet Beetle or Common Carpet Beetle, Anthrenus scrophulariae. Carpet Beetles in the genus Anthrenus are “An abundant household ‘stored product pest.’ In nature they inhabit the abandoned nests of birds and mammals, as well as old wasp nests where the larvae scavenge on accumulated fur, feathers, skin flakes, and dead insects” according to BugGuide. BugGuide gives this advice for Carpet Beetle control: “Controlling carpet beetles can be achieved by keeping your home free of accumulated hair and dust (dust is mostly shed skin flakes of people and pets), discarding infested items and properly storing vulnerable items. Store dry foods (including dry pet food) in glass or metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Store woolens, furs, silks in a cedar chest. Forget mothballs and moth crystals. They are ineffective and carcinogenic respectively.”
Can someone help identify this bug?
Location: Oklahoma
November 28, 2010 5:18 pm
I have these bugs under my washing machine and a few have climbed from under there and on the floor a few inches away. I moved the machine and these are ”nests” of dust, webs, or that’s what it looks like to me. They do crawl but most of time just sit still. There are ”skins” where they have shed them like a snake. The bugs are white or beige with darker on each end. There are many legs like centipedes and the back end looks like it has long antennae maybe 2. I can’t stand bugs and I have never seen these before but now I am looking for them everywhere. Under the machine and on the round legs of the machine seem to be where they are. HELP!!!!
Signature: Barbara
Carpet Beetle Larvae
Dear Barbara,
You have Carpet Beetle Larvae, and now that you have that information, you should be able to find lots of information in our own archive and on the internet. They feed on shed pet hair and other organic materials.
help identifying a bug
Location: New York City
November 27, 2010 9:33 pm
Can you tell me what type of bug this is – see 2 attached photos.
I was told it was a carpenter beetle but it does not seem to match the photos online. I am concerned it might be a bed bug.
I apprecaite any help you can offer.
Signature: ds
Spider Beetle
Dear ds,
It is our casual observation that in recent years, Bed Bug Paranoia has reached epidemic proportions and it affects far more people than actual Bed Bug infestations affect. Every imaginable household intruder or household visitor becomes suspect as Bed Bug infestation coverage saturates the media. We in no means intend to disparage the media for attempting to make the public aware of a possible health crisis, but the fallout to the information has the public flocking to extermination services in situations that would be better remedied with a thorough cleaning of the kitchen cupboards. Your creatures are NOT Bed Bugs. They are relatively harmless Smooth Spider Beetles, Gibbium aequinoctiale, which according to BugGuide, is found “Mainly in houses, flour mills, occasionally in warehouses, hospitals, and stores”. BugGuide also indicates: “This species is a scavenger, feeding on a wide variety of dead plant and animal materials. It has become a pest by feeding on dry stored products.“ We would recommend that you search for the source of the infestation, including possibly stored flour products that have been on your kitchen shelf for more than a year, that jumbo size of pet food that saved you $2 but takes Fido a year to consume, or even the cookie crumbs that have fallen between the couch cushions. Standard extermination services often do nothing to eliminate pantry pests like Spider Beetles because the actual food is not sprayed with the insecticide.
Am I allergic to this hairy bug
Location: Boston MA
November 13, 2010 3:22 pm
Hi Daniel,
Great website! I love learning from what you’ve put together. You’ve made me very curious about bugs.
In particular, I have a bug that I am having trouble identifying. I’ve found them in my home, in the bedroom and a few other places.
Bugs I have observed are 1/8th inch to almost 1/4 inch long. The one in the attached pictures is 3/16ths inch long (just short of 1/4 inch). It’s the biggest one I’ve found. It has hair tufts along its body.
My best guess is a Carpet Beatle / wooly bear, but I am not sure that is right. Is this the larva of Anthrenus verbasci beetle? Or what do you think it is?
What can I expect from this bug living in my home? I have asthma, and have noticed I have been having more irritation with my lungs since I noted these insects, especially after spending a night in the bedroom where I found them. Could I have some allergy to their presence / fur?
If I need to remove them from my home, can you recommend a method?
Thanks so much, Daniel!
Signature: Justin Molloy
Carpet Beetle Larva
Hi Justin,
We are not medical professionals and we feel very reluctant to provide any opinion regarding the possibility of Carpet Beetle Larvae being connected to a complex syndrome like asthma that can be triggered by stress as well as the physical environment. We will try to address you letter as best we can. We agree that this larva is in the genus Anthrenus (see BugGuide), however we are very reluctant to provide an exact species identification, though Anthrenus verbasci is a strong possibility. According to BugGuide, the habitat of Carpet Beetles is: “An abundant household ‘stored product pest.’ In nature they inhabit the abandoned nests of birds and mammals, as well as old wasp nests where the larvae scavenge on accumulated fur, feathers, skin flakes, and dead insects” and additional comments include: “Controlling carpet beetles can be achieved by keeping your home free of accumulated hair and dust (dust is mostly shed skin flakes of people and pets), discarding infested items and properly storing vulnerable items. Store dry foods (including dry pet food) in glass or metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Store woolens, furs, silks in a cedar chest. Forget mothballs and moth crystals. They are ineffective and carcinogenic respectively.“ Because the larvae may feed upon fur, hair and skin flakes, it is possible that environmental factors are contributing to your asthma and that the presence of the Carpet Beetle Larvae is a symptom of an underlying problem that might be corrected by more frequent vacuuming and cleaning of accumulated debris.
Hi Daniel,
Thank so much. This info is very helpful, and is the link to your site on Anthrenus.
Really appreciate your guidance! Have a great day.
Justin
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