Nothing wakes you up from a sound sleep faster than a bug in your bed! And the concern is understandable. Bed bugs don’t transmit diseases, but their bites can lead to itching, sleeplessness, and allergic reactions or secondary skin infections. But another insect can also make their home in your bedding: the carpet beetle. These small beetles are often mistaken for bed bugs since they occasionally show up in bedding and linens, but they don’t bite and pose far less concern.
While you don’t want either of these bedridden pests to get cozy in your bedroom, it’s essential to understand their differences and how to tell when you have an infestation requiring professional pest control treatment.
Understanding Bed Bugs
What’s the difference between bed bugs and carpet beetles? It’s important to know how to identify bed bugs. Here’s what to know about bed bugs and their habits:
Appearance
Beg bugs are small, oval-shaped pests about ¼ inch long and typically have a translucent reddish brown or tan coloring. When they haven’t recently fed, their bodies are flat. They’re roughly the size of an apple seed. While it may look like they have wings, bed bugs cannot fly.
Behavior
Bed bugs are nocturnal, so they prefer hiding out in dark areas like under mattresses, in furniture seams, or behind curtains. These nibbly scavengers will typically come out at night to hunt for blood, which is why you may wake up with bed bug bites and blood stains on your mattress after sleeping in a bed bug-infested room.
Signs of Infestation
Common signs of a bug bite infestation include:
- Bites, especially after sleeping
- Blood stains or rust-colored stains on bedding
- Shed bed bug skins
- Live or dead bed bugs
- A sickly sweet, musty odor
Prevention
To avoid letting an infestation take root, here are some tips for keeping your home bed bug-free:
- Inspect mattress, linens, and box springs for signs of bed bugs, especially when staying in a hotel or short-term rental.
- Wash clothing thoroughly and wipe down luggage after traveling.
- Keep both clean and dirty laundry off the floor so they have nowhere to hide.
- Vacuum and change linens regularly.
Understanding Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles, sometimes called carpet bugs, are often mistaken for bed bugs because they can appear in beds or on the walls and window sills nearby. But a quick glance at a carpet beetle will quickly assuage your fears if you know what to look for.
Appearance
Carpet beetles are also oval-shaped and small, but they’re about half the size of a bed bug (and half the hassle!). They have a striped pattern on their shell, which is either black, brown, white, or orange. Their antennae are very short when compared to both cockroaches and bed bugs as well.
Behavior
The most notable difference between carpet beetles and bed bugs is their diet: while bed bugs feed on blood from humans and animals, carpet beetles prefer to feed on textiles. While this means they are harmless in terms of human or pet contact, their love of wool, carpet, silk, and other textiles can cause significant damage if they are allowed to settle into a home.
Carpet beetles are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They are attracted to light and windows as well as humidity. If you have an en suite bathroom, it may contribute to drawing in carpet beetles.
Signs of Infestation
Here are two key signs of a possible carpet beetle infestation:
- Carpet beetles (alive or dead) in carpet, bedding, laundry, or on the walls
- Damaged carpet or other textiles, with obvious bare spots in the event of a serious infestation.
Prevention
Preventing carpet beetles is very similar to preventing bed bugs. For both, you should vacuum and change bedding regularly and keep clothing off the floor. If you’re noticing carpet bugs on the walls in your bathroom, take some time to clean any rugs and towels in your bathroom as well.
What to Do If You Have a Carpet Beetle or Bed Bug Infestation
Whether you suspect you have a bed bug infestation or carpet beetles, it’s best not to attempt elimination on your own! Any pest you’re facing, Advantage Pest Control has solutions to bring you peace of mind and pest-free living! Contact us today to book your free estimate.
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