Both carpet beetles and bed bugs are surprisingly common pests that can wreak havoc in any home.
From skin irritation and painful bite marks to simply feeling uneasy as you notice the many tiny bugs around your house, both of these pests can leave homeowners feeling like they’re living in a nightmare.
However, even though both of these pests can create a lot of problems, they behave very differently and require different extermination methods to eliminate, which means you need to be able to determine whether you are looking at a bed bug or a carpet beetle before you can take the right next steps.
No one wants to waste time and money fighting the wrong type of infestation, but this could be exactly what happens if you don’t know which pest you’re looking at. So, whether you already suspect you have a pest problem or just want to be prepared for the future, here is everything you need to know about how to tell if you have a carpet beetle or bed bug infestation.
Why Are Carpet Beetles and Bed Bugs Often Confused?
Bed bugs are the far more famous household pest, so it only makes sense that when most homeowners start to suspect that they have a pest control problem, they assume that bed bugs are to blame.
Even though you may know both types of pests, they are still both incredibly small and difficult to get a close look at, meaning that the only way you would be able to tell the difference is if you’ve had prior experience.
In reality, carpet beetles are just as, if not more, common than bed bugs in many parts of the country. This makes guaranteeing that you properly identify which pest you have in your home essential. Otherwise, you may end up getting treatment for the wrong type of pest, allowing the real problem to continue to get worse until you realize your mistake.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
The good news is that though both of these pests are tiny, bed bugs look and behave a lot differently from carpet beetles.
Bed bugs are generally a bit larger than carpet beetles, with adults coming in at around the size of an apple seed. They’re also flat and oval-shaped, and tend to have a reddish brown color, though they do get darker and larger if they’ve just fed.
Younger bed bugs, called nymphs, are much smaller and lighter in color, which makes them a lot more difficult for the naked eye to see, and bed bug eggs are even more elusive. They are tiny, white dots that are usually hiding deep in cracks and crevices, so unless you go looking, you probably won’t notice the eggs at all.
What Do Carpet Beetles Look Like?
Carpet beetles tend to be a bit smaller than bed bugs, though they are a similar shape. The big difference to look out for is their color.
Carpet beetles have colorful patterns that often feature dark blacks and browns and bright whites and yellows. These bright, contrasting colors make it pretty easy for anyone to notice them, but unfortunately, the much harder to spot larvae are what really cause the most damage. These larvae are long, fuzzy, and tend to look a lot like caterpillars.
Where Bed Bugs Hide Compared to Carpet Beetles
If you’re unsure whether you’re looking at a bed bug or a carpet beetle, one of the easiest ways to tell the difference is simply considering where you find them.
Bed bugs like to hide in small cracks and crevices in electrical outlets, mattresses, box springs, headboards, and other furniture, so if you find pests in any of these places, they’re probably bed bugs. If you find the pests close to food sources or in closets, storage bins, air vents, pet bedding, along baseboards, or near carpets, they’re most likely carpet beetles.
Bed Bugs vs. Carpet Beetles: Does It Bite?
Another one of the clearest differences between a bed bug infestation and a carpet beetle infestation is how they affect you. Bed bugs are such a terror to have in your home because they bite people to feed off their blood.
Though the reactions that people have to these bites vary widely, with some people experiencing extreme itching and others feeling almost nothing at all, they almost always look like red welts that usually appear in clusters or lines.
Carpet beetles affect people completely differently. These pests don’t bite at all, and the larvae only feed on common substances found throughout most homes, like wool, silk, leather, felt, dead insects, pet hair, grains, flour, and spices.
The main problem that these pests cause is skin irritation from allergic reactions to their larvae’s tiny hairs. These allergic reactions most commonly appear as a rash, which looks much different than the distinct bite marks that come from bed bugs.
Contact Easy Pest Management Today
Are you a Chester County, PA, resident wondering if you have a carpet beetle or bed bug problem? Do you need a team that you can trust to deal with your potential bed bug infestations discreetly and effectively? Contact us today.
Our friendly team of local bed bug experts is always here to answer questions and will happily tell you more about how we can help you rid your home of infestations for good. We’ll even offer you a free estimate or help you schedule a same-day treatment so that you can figure out exactly what you’re dealing with before you make any big decisions.
Don’t sit around wondering which type of pest is wreaking havoc in your home. Contact Easy Pest Management and take the first step toward a pest-free home today.
