While bed bugs love to bite the truth of the matter is that carpet beetles do not bite.
What do carpet beetle bites look like.
Bed bugs and carpet beetles are both very small.
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.
It may also leave a spot like red bumps on the skin sometimes itch and red welts.
Once their larvae come out of the eggs they start looking to feed on natural fibers dead insects seeds and any milled items they can find.
They generally come inside the home to lay their eggs in carpets and other dark discrete places where you can t see them.
The carpet beetle and bed bug not only leave similar looking bites but there are other similarities.
Because carpet beetle larvae are bigger than bed bugs you may be more likely to see the beetles themselves.
Carpet beetles will also feed off the felt under furniture and lamps and inside musical instrument cases.
Nevertheless on occasion the crawl of the insect on an unwary individual leaves its marks as wheals papulovesicles or bullae.
If you re not sure which you have you can have an exterminator come look for bedbugs.
As carpet beetles look very similar to bed bug most of the people misidentify these pests.
There are three types of carpet beetles the varied carpet beetles the black carpet beetles and the furniture carpet beetle.
Carpet beetles can exist inside and outside of a home.
This misconception developed for the bite of evidence they create on human skin.
In fact what appears to be carpet beetle bites is an allergic reaction due to the hair bristles fur of the carpet beetle larvae.
As we mention earlier these are not for bites.
The common carpet beetle is not common in modern well sanitized homes and even where it is abundant effects from it are not common.
Carpet beetle bites vs.
However an allergic reaction to these pesky creatures may.
While other bugs you encounter may bite dust mites themselves don t actually bite your skin.
What do dust mite bites look like.
The carpet beetles never bite or destroy anything it is their young ones you should blame.
Differences between bed bugs and carpet beetles.
What do carpet beetles look like.
As their mouths are made to chew plants and other fibrous material carpet beetles do not bite but if you contact carpet beetle larvae you may feel as if you were bitten thanks to their long hard hairs.
Do carpet beetle bites exist.