Oh no! Have you spotted a beetle in bed? You could find many different beetle species in your bedroom, but it can be challenging to understand what insects you’ve seen.
Some beetles are harmless, while others can cause problems for household items. It’s essential to understand the difference to protect yourself and your home!
While any run-of-the-mill beetle can end up in your bedroom, there are a few species you’re more likely to see.
Check out our article, where we’ll give you everything you need to know about any beetle you may find crawling through your covers.
Have you ever woken up in the morning only to find tiny bugs crawling on your bed? If so, you may have an infestation of carpet beetles.
Carpet beetles are common household pests that can make their way into beds. They are attracted to natural fibers and can damage items like blankets pillows, and bedding. While carpet beetles themselves don’t bite, having them in your bed is unpleasant and a sign that action needs to be taken.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about carpet beetles in beds including
- How to identify carpet beetles
- Why they may be in your bed
- Signs of an infestation
- How to get rid of them
- Prevention tips
What Are Carpet Beetles?
Carpet beetles are small insects that grow up to 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. They are oval-shaped and come in various colors like white, brown, black, and yellow. As their name suggests, carpet beetles love to feed on materials found in carpeting like wool, silk, cotton, fur, dead insects, and animal hair.
There are different species of carpet beetle, but some of the most common include:
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Varied carpet beetle – This has a mottled shell with various colors. It is the most widespread species.
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Black carpet beetle – These are solid black and drawn to mold or mildew.
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Furniture carpet beetle – These feed on animal products like leather in furniture, though they eat varied items.
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Common carpet beetle – This is black with gray and yellow scales in an irregular pattern.
The beetles themselves do not damage fabrics or bedding. The larvae are the ones that cause damage as they feed on materials before turning into adult beetles. The larvae are tan to brown in color and resemble a hairy caterpillar.
Do Carpet Beetles Live in Beds?
Carpet beetles don’t actually live and breed inside mattresses and bedding. But they can find their way into beds as they look for places to lay eggs or food sources to eat.
Your bedding can be a tempting food source if it contains materials that appeal to carpet beetles, like:
- Wool blankets or comforters
- Silk sheets
- Feather pillows
- Cotton bedding
- Upholstered headboards containing horsehair stuffing
- Stuffed animals on the bed
- Hair from you or your pets in the bed
- Dead skin cells that accumulate in the bed
Adult carpet beetles are also attracted to lights, so they may fly or crawl onto the bed at night when lights like lamps or nightlights are left on.
While carpet beetles don’t colonize beds, an infestation can get out of hand and spread to the bed once beetles gain access to your home.
Signs of a Carpet Beetle Infestation in Bed
Watch out for these signs that carpet beetles have made their way into your bed:
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Visible beetles or larvae – Catching sight of the adult beetles or caterpillar-like larvae is a tell-tale sign. Look along mattress seams and tufts, as well as bed skirts and linens.
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Small holes in bedding – Look for damage to sheets, quilts, pillows and mattresses. The larvae chew through fabrics as they feed.
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Seeing them elsewhere – Carpet beetles in your bed likely means an infestation elsewhere too. Check carpeting, baseboards, wardrobes, etc.
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Allergy symptoms – Some people have hay fever-like reactions or itchy welts when exposed to carpet beetle larvae and their shedded skins. Reactions may be worse at night in bed.
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Dead beetles – You may find the shells of dead carpet beetles in bedding. This indicates an ongoing issue.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles in Bed
If you suspect or confirm carpet beetles have made it into bedding, take action right away. Here is a step-by-step guide to eliminating them:
1. Wash all bedding and linens – Strip the bed and wash everything in hot water. This kills all stages of carpet beetles. Add bleach or borax if desired.
2. Vacuum the mattress thoroughly – Use the crevice tool to vacuum along seams, tufts and edges where carpet beetles may be hiding out.
3. Check the bed frame and headboard – Vacuum and wipe down the bed frame. If upholstered, consider spraying with an insecticide labeled for carpet beetles.
4. Apply desiccant dusts – Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or silica aerogel in tufts and crevices of mattress. Also apply light dusting along baseboards, vents, and carpet edges.
5. Use insecticides when needed – Sprays and foggers containing lambda-cyhalothrin can help knock out severe infestations. But only use as a last resort.
6. Seal up bedding when not in use – Ensuring bed linens are sealed in plastic bags or containers prevents re-infestation between washes.
7. Address widespread infestations – Getting rid of carpet beetles in the rest of the home is key for preventing ongoing issues in the bedroom.
Tips for Preventing Carpet Beetles in Bed
Preventing carpet beetles from making it into bedding is ideal. Here are some handy tips:
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Use mattress and pillow encasements to deny entry.
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Avoid eating crumbs in bed that can attract pests.
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Check thrift store bedding carefully for signs of beetles before bringing home.
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Reduce clutter around the bed since carpet beetles like to hide.
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Switch to synthetics instead of natural fiber bedding.
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Vacuum and wash bedding frequently.
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Inspect for signs of carpet beetles when traveling and in hotel rooms.
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Store linens in airtight containers between washes.
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Address dampness issues that encourage carpet beetles.
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Seal cracks and crevices so beetles can’t crawl in.
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Limit lighting at night that draws the adult beetles.
With vigilance and proper control methods, you can successfully eliminate carpet beetles from bedroom areas and prevent future invasions. Pay attention to early warning signs before the sneaky pests have a chance to damage prized bedding and linens. A beetle-free bed provides a more peaceful night’s sleep!
Carpet Beetle in Bed
Carpet beetles are common household pests that typically appear during spring or summer.
Homeowners typically spot adult carpet beetles as these pests congregate around light fixtures, windows, and doorways to reach the outdoors. You may even see carpet beetles resting on your furniture too.
Like clothing moths and silverfish, carpet beetles are responsible for home and clothing damage. Preying on animal-based products, carpet beetles can quickly destroy wool or soiled cotton items.
However, while you’re more likely to spot a fully-grown beetle crawling around, adults aren’t the troublemakers here! Carpet beetle larvae are primarily responsible for minor damage to rugs and clothing around your home.
Whenever adult beetles sneak inside, they’ll lay eggs in the seams of couches, under rugs, or inside your closet. As the eggs hatch and the larvae emerge, these tiny pests will snack on the nearby fabric.
After the adult beetles finish laying eggs, they’ll try to escape your home to reach food outside. Once developed, carpet beetles prefer to consume plant materials like pollen or nectar from flowers.
Carpet beetle larvae are tiny, hairy critters, and it’s unlikely you’ll find one crawling around your bed. But don’t be surprised to see an adult trudging through your blankets! Even though they won’t eat fabrics, they’ll still stick around in these spots to lay eggs.
If you see an adult carpet beetle in bed, don’t panic. Larvae can only cause minor damage, and fully-grown pests can’t harm you. Plus, they’re pretty easy to get rid of too.
You can vacuum up any beetles you see, adult or larvae. Run your vacuum along the seam of your mattress to catch possible beetles hiding away. Clean your covers and blankers to eliminate any stragglers.
Drugstore Beetles in Your Bedroom
While typically more common in your cabinets or pantry, these annoying pests can end up anywhere with good food sources, including your bed or bedroom!
As their name suggests, drugstore beetles are nuisances for many pharmacies and feast on a collection of prescription and over-the-counter medications. These tiny brown beetles will also eat grain products and other pantry items.
If you have an abundance of food or other attractants in your room, you could find a beetle in bed with you. Like other beetles and insects, drugstore beetles prefer heavily-lit spots and stick to areas with many lights.
Drugstore beetles usually infest your home from already-infested food products or packages. If you’ve accidentally brought home a food product full of beetles, they could overrun other items in your pantry or spread out around your home.
To prevent these pests from dispersing, remove infested food items from your pantry or your bedroom. While you’ll unlikely see them under the covers, they can venture out toward any crumbs or containers near your bed.
It may be tempting to keep your hard-earned groceries, but it’s better to dispose of any infested materials. This will preserve your other food and ensure you won’t have any creepy crawlers in places they shouldn’t be.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles (4 Easy Steps)
FAQ
Why am I finding carpet beetles in my bed?
What Causes Carpet Beetles? Like bed bugs, carpet beetles can enter the home through infested furniture or through an open door or window. Adults are attracted to fabric and animal products such as furs or rugs so they can lay their eggs. If left unchecked, carpet beetles can easily take over your home.
Is it safe to sleep with carpet beetles?
While carpet beetles pose no direct health threat to humans, they can be problematic in terms of property damage. Regular cleaning and proper storage of textiles can help prevent infestations. If an infestation occurs, it may be necessary to consult pest control professionals for effective removal.
How do you get rid of carpet beetles in a mattress?
It looks like a carpet beetle. Sprinkle some baking soda on your mattress and leave it for a few hours then vacuum it up. If you have any fabric furniture it might be best to sprinkle some on it and any carpeting you have and vacuum really good. I’d do this once a week to keep them away.
What’s worse, bed bugs or carpet beetles?
The most significant difference between a bed bug vs carpet beetle is that carpet beetles don’t bite, and bed bugs do. Bed bugs need blood to grow and reproduce. Like a mosquito, a bed bug will stick its elongated nose into your skin and extract your blood.