Carpet Beetles vs Bed Bugs. Which One Do You Have?

Size and shape settle most cases. Adult carpet beetles are about 1/8 to 1/10 inch long with round bodies and short antennae.¹ An adult bed bug is about 1/5 inch, flat, oval and wingless.²

Food is the other tell. Carpet beetle larvae eat wool, silk, leather, fur, feathers and pet hair, and they do not feed on synthetic fibers.¹ Adults feed on pollen and nectar.¹ Bed bugs feed on blood.³

If it looks like a bed bug, go back to the bed bug guide and check mattress seams.

A varied carpet beetle lays about 40 eggs, a furniture carpet beetle about 60 and a black carpet beetle about 90.¹ Eggs hatch in 6 to 20 days.¹

The larva stage is the long one. It lasts 70 to 94 days for the furniture beetle, 166 to 330 days for the black beetle and 220 to 630 days for the varied beetle.¹ Pupation takes 8 to 17 days, and adults live 2 to 8 weeks.¹

Indoors at 77 to 78°F, eggs hatch in about two weeks.¹

Brown, shell like, bristly cast skins are the best clue, especially with no webbing.¹ They are left behind when larvae molt.¹

• Fecal pellets about the size of a grain of salt.¹
• Damage that covers a large area of one spot. Clothes moth damage is usually scattered holes.¹
• Adults on flowers such as crape myrtle and spiraea.¹

Signs of bed bugs look different. CDC lists shed skins, bugs in mattress folds, rusty blood spots and a sweet musty odor.³

Check closet floors, rug edges and window sills, since larvae hide near stored wool and fur.¹

Carpet beetles are a property pest. The larvae chew natural fibers in rugs, clothes and upholstery.¹

Bed bugs are a blood feeding pest. CDC says they are not known to spread diseases to people. Bites cause itching and loss of sleep, and rarely an allergic reaction.³ See bed bug bites for what the marks look like.

Do not assume a rash proves either bug. Confirm the pest before you treat. EPA says to compare it with its identification pictures or show it to a local extension agent.⁷

Start with cleaning. Vacuum rugs, drapes and upholstery often and dispose of the bag promptly.¹ Wash infested washable items in hot water or dry clean them.¹

Heat objects at 120°F or higher for at least 30 minutes, or freeze sealed items below 18°F for two weeks.¹ Use insecticide only as a spot treatment on items that cannot be laundered. Do not spray clothing or bedding.¹

Bed bugs are a different job. Heat kills them at 113°F, and EPA says to hire an experienced company if you need help.⁷ Only licensed operators can use fumigants.¹

Carpet beetle treatment averages about $250 for a visit in a 1,500 square foot home.⁴ Insecticide treatment runs $150 to $250 and a pesticide treatment about $200 to $400.⁴

Heat treatment is the high end at $1,500 to $4,000.⁴ Prices rise with severity, treatment method and home size.⁴

Bed bug treatment costs more, so get the ID right first.

By home size, a visit runs $150 to $250 for 1,000 square feet and $275 to $350 for 3,000 square feet.⁴ A severe case that needs whole house heat can reach $4,000.⁴

• Keep screens, doors and vents sealed, and check cut flowers before bringing them in.¹
• Store clean wool and fur in airtight containers.¹
• Keep fabrics clean, since food and sweat residue attract beetles.¹
• Air stored woolens, linens and furs in the sun once a year.¹
• Do not count on cedar chests. UC IPM calls them not reliable.¹

• Vacuum often and bin the bag so larvae do not move on to the next room.¹
• Wash and dry clothes and bedding on the hottest setting the fabric allows after travel, which also helps against bed bugs.²

Larvae feed on indoor fabrics, so damage can show up in any month. Adults feed on pollen and nectar, and are often found on flowers.¹ Bring in cut flowers with care.¹

Sticky traps show where beetles are coming from. Check them once or twice a week.¹

Bed bugs also live indoors all year, so the calendar will not settle which pest you have.²

Larvae can feed for months before they pupate, so you can find damage long after the eggs were laid.¹

If you need a pro in Ohio, check the license. A company that applies pesticides for hire needs a commercial applicator license and a business license.⁵ Applicators pass a core exam and a category exam with a 70 percent score.⁵

The license expires every year on Sept. 30.⁵ Ask to see it before work starts. Then read the bed bug hub if you are dealing with bed bugs.

Renting in a building with more than four units? Those buildings fall under the same commercial applicator licensing rules.⁵ Report beetles or bed bugs to the landlord in writing.

UC IPM says only licensed operators can use fumigants on infested items.¹ Heat treatment providers for bed bugs must be licensed and bonded by the Structural Pest Control Board.²

Verify any company on the Board's license lookup before you hire.⁶ Structural pest control covers household pests, inspections, contracts and pesticide use.⁶ The bed bug hub has more California steps.

UC IPM says insecticides are for spot treatment only, on items that cannot be laundered.¹ Do not spray clothing or bedding yourself.