eXtension

Carpet, I think, beetles

Asked February 28, 2019, 5:02 PM EST

If I have carpet beetles, rather than bed bugs, which 2 professional pest control operators have told me, what do you advise? I am financially poor, and cannot afford a pro. I have put diamotaceous powder around my bed, as well as around all baseboards. I have found many dead or shed exo skeletons, though they are decreasing every morning. I have only seen 1 live pregnant adult, which I dispatched. What do you suggest?

Jackson County Oregon

9 Responses

Hi There,

It is not wise for me to give a good recommendation for how to treat a pest problem, until we first identify the pest. Is it possible for you to send me a few good quality photos of the pest?

Hi Gail. Jim Willeford here. I am still being bitten. It is a nightmare.

thanks,

jim Willeford

Hi Gail. Jim Willeford here. I am still being bitten. It is a nightmare.

thanks,

jim Willeford

Hi Jim,

I'm so sincerely sorry that the problem continues. As I've mentioned, I will have to limit my advice to pest management advice, only, since I do not have a M.D. license. But, I would urge you to reach out to a medical practitioner for advice and treatment for the rash and bites.

Have you looked for the source of the beetles? Often, they can be found in a cupboard (bean soup mix, for example, or in a package of flour), or in a bag of dry pet food. If you a box of old clothing or stuffed toys, that may also be something to search through or get rid of. Throw suspected sources of the infestation away. Do not donate.

Locating and removing the source of the beetles is truly the best way to manage this particular pest problem.


Did the pics send?

jim

Hi Jim,

I did receive the photos. It's very difficult to give definitive IDs from photos, but it looks as if there is lint in the photo. There might be what appear to be two exuvia (shed exoskeletons) from insects near the top left part of the photo (the two lighter looking elements) . . . but again, too difficult to tell what they are from a photo.

Are these photos taken in the vicinity of where you expect that there is an infestation?