Carpet Beetles or Bed Bugs: Know the Difference

If you spot a tiny bug in your home, it can be difficult to identify what type of insect it is. It’s easy to panic and assume you have bed bugs, which is why it’s important to know how to identify this pest and carpet beetles, which are often confused for each other. These pests can look very similar to each other but exhibit very different behaviors. At Florida Pest Control, we are committed to helping our South Florida customers understand the pest threats they may encounter. To avoid panicking over a could-be bed bug problem, it’s best to learn the differences between carpet beetles and bed bugs.

What Are Carpet Beetles and What do They Look Like?

In many ways, the carpet beetle resembles the infamous bed bug. Carpet beetles are oval-shaped from above, but the main way in which they differ from bed bugs is in their coloring. Carpet beetles do have brown on their backs, but they look more spotted or striped with white and light-colored patches mixed with brown. An even bigger difference between the two is in the larvae appearance: Bed bug larvae look like little worms, while carpet beetle larvae look like miniature fuzzy caterpillars. 

How Are Carpet Beetles and Bed Bugs Different?

Both carpet beetles and bed bugs can breed fast and are known to remain hidden for a while before making their presence known. They have very different behaviors and habits that make it easy to tell them apart:

1. Carpet beetles feed on fabrics like carpet, wool, and other natural materials. 
2. Bed bugs prefer to feed at night and get their name from their tendency to breed and live in mattresses or in and around beds.
3. Carpet beetles do not feed on blood and thus do not leave the bite marks that bed bugs do.
4. It’s hard to see the signs of carpet beetles, which get inside through openings or spaces in the exterior of your property.

Need a Carpet Beetle or Bed Bug Inspection?

If you’ve spotted a carpet beetle in your home, or are having trouble differentiating it from bed bugs, it’s time to call a beetle exterminator. The experts at Florida Pest know how distressing the sight of either of these insects can be. When you enlist our help, our licensed beetle exterminators will identify the type of bug you are dealing with and apply treatment to ensure the infestation is controlled. Contact us today to set up a bed bug inspection.