Have you ever woken up with swollen skin or rashes on your skin? If yes, then you must be worried about bedbugs. Those small pests are responsible for unexplained itching and bites. However, there is another insect that can cause skin irritation, which is known as the black carpet beetle. Carpet beetles find shelter in buildings by entering through doors and windows. In today’s blog, you’ll learn what carpet beetle bites look like, what causes them to grow, how to get rid of them and much more. Let’s get started:
What is a Carpet Beetle?
Carpet beetles are a type of tiny insects that live outdoors and indoors, where they like to eat fabrics, plants, and other sources of protein. These carpet beetles have four phases in their life cycle:
- Egg
As per the research, it has been noticed that carpet beetles can lay around 90 eggs apiece. They emerge from eggs in 6 to 16 days. - Larva
They grow from eggs as larvae. They are about 5/16th inch long and slim. They have bristly hair on their full body. They stay in this phase for 6 months to a year. - Pupa
The larva emerges from the larva stage to the pupal stage. And, they stay in this stage for 8 to 14 days. - Adult
An adult carpet beetle is around 1/8 inch long and black. It can crawl and fly, similar to other types of beetles.
As larvae, the black carpet beetles eat natural fibres. They are likely to live in dark and quiet spots. The thing that attracts black carpet beetles is fabric. Apart from this, there are other food sources that these types of beetles like:
- Silk
- Wool
- Fur
- Leather
- Pet hair
- Feathers
The items they eat can be damaged. On the fabric, they leave holes similar to the holes that are created by moths. Despite this, they can damage carpeting or furniture as well. Adult beetles like to live outdoors, where they eat pollen from plants. They grow in the spring. You may find them on windows in your house.
Do Carpet Beetles Bite?
Well, carpet beetles don’t bite humans, but they can cause allergies and rash on the human body as some can be allergic to these beetles, even though some are not. They are common household pests that can damage fabrics and other materials.
What do carpet beetle bites look like?
The primary reason why you won’t be able to identify carpet beetle is that they don’t bite you as adults do. However, if carpet beetle larvae exist in your home, then you may experience some symptoms similar to a bite. Allergic reactions to carpet beetle larvae’s shed bristles are not uncommon – and these allergic reactions show the symptoms like pink to a red rash on the skin.
Apart from this, people also experience several symptoms, such as:
- A runny nose
- A rash with welts
- A burning feeling
- Blisters
- Itchiness
- Beetle rash
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Redness
- Swelling
Carpet Beetle vs Bed Bug Bites
Some people don’t get affected by carpet beetles, but if they don’t, then it doesn’t mean that you won’t have carpet beetles in your home. However, by contrast, some people experience irritation and discomfort from bites if they have bed bugs in their homes. Luckily, this fact makes it easy to distinguish between carpet beetle and bed bug bites.
Both bed bug carpet beetle bites are characterized by raised bits of red skin, and how the worse situation for a person will be, vary from person to person. Most carpet beetle rashes will look like red dots on the skin. Bed bug bites take some time to become apparent, but you can identify the bites if there is a small dot or puncture mark in the middle of any rashes. On the other hand, bed bug bites are visible in a zig-zag pattern or straight line, even though they can appear in a cluster.
If you are not able to identify the signs of a bed bug bite and carpet beetle bite, then you must consult with your doctor because it might be possible that you are bitten by another insect.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetle Larvae Bites?
If you are bitten by carpet beetle larvae, then you can be suggested to opt for various methods to get relief from the symptoms and heal the affected area. The following are some methods you can follow:
- If a carpet beetle bites you, you can apply an ice pack to the affected part of your skin for 10 minutes.
- You can also apply calamine lotion on carpet beetle bite to minimize the spread of allergy.
- If calamine lotion doesn’t work properly, then you can use Benadryl cream. However, still, it is recommended to ask your doctor before opting for any method because some methods may worsen the situation.
Conclusion
If you have carpet beetles in your home, then make sure to place all-natural fabric clothes in a suitable place. Ensure to install screens on your windows and remove spider webs. If you are bitten by a carpet beetle bit or bed bug bite, then make sure to consult with your doctor.
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