Subject: aaaaah!!! YUCK.
Location: walnut creek, ca. 94596 (east bay area suburb)
December 20, 2013 12:32 am
hello.
ive found more of these disgusting little suckers than id care to think about. and even worse~ considering how theyve managed to go nearly unnoticed each and every time i DO discover one of them, i am left twitching at the slightest breath of air that contacts any and ALL hairs on my body!!! UGH. and, because i havent the slightest clue as to just what kind of hellish creature im actually dealing with, i am left stewing it over in the boundless stretches of my imagination (which is only feeding my concerns and encouraging the involuntary twitching and itching!). DOUBLE UGH.
i have found them in a variety of spots, throughout my house: on my bedding, on the family room wall, on the bathroom and kitchen counters, etc; and i dont think these sightings have been limited to a specific time/season (though i could be wrong)…
please, please, PLEASE HELP!!!!!
Signature: ~still itchin & twitchin
Dear still itchin & twitchin,
This is a Carpet Beetle Larva in the genus Anthrenus, and it is a common, cosmopolitan household pest. According to BugGuide: “larvae scavenge on accumulated fur, feathers, skin flakes, dead insects, etc. keratine- or chitin-rich materials; adults feed on pollen on flowers Typical household products consumed include dry pet food, wool blankets/clothes, furs, and hair and skin flakes shed by people and pets and accumulated in the corners.”