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What kind of bug is this--ick!

Posted by sooz (My Page) on
Sun, Oct 11, 09 at 17:00

I was helping a friend and we found a number of these tiny bugs in her linen closet. She had some doggie Xmas stockings in the linen closet that were a gift (last year) & they had real milk-bones on them, and the milk-bones were crumbly...so either the bugs were IN the milk-bones as eggs and the eggs hatched, or she has some kind of infestation.

There is NOTHING in her bedding that is on the beds, just a bunch of these critters in her linen closet.

What are they? Any special treatment to make sure they are gone?

Today, we'll be cleaning out the linen closet, washing everything, and spraying it down with a mixture of bleach and water. Not my idea of a fun Sunday visiting with a friend, but it'll be good to help her out with this.

Thanks for any help!!!!!!!!

Photobucket


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: What kind of bug is this--ick!

It looks like a carpet beetle to me. Here's a link, click on this and scroll down to about half way down the page and it will show you a picture - looks pretty much that the critter you got there!

Here is a link that might be useful: carpet beetle


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RE: What kind of bug is this--ick!

What a good friend you are. My guess is they are from the milkbones for sure. I did a search and seems bugs in milk bones is not a rare thing, but could not id the bug.
What a good friend you are. Did I say that already? My guess is that they will be near their food source, so cleaning out the linen closet will hopefully do the trick. Wish I could be of more help. Good luck!


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RE: What kind of bug is this--ick!

Thank you both for your posts! We're taking a break, but things are going well. Gosh, someone is going to have a lot to launder!!!

They are not quite as "hairy-looking" as a carpet beetle, but I'm sure they are close cousins!

Thanks again!
Sooz


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RE: What kind of bug is this--ick!

Those are the larvae of pantry beetles. You can find them in cereals, flour, nuts, pet food, bird seed, etc. Next time, keep doggie treats in the freezer.

P.S. Your friend might want to look closely at her food pantry, too.


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RE: What kind of bug is this--ick!

Here's what we discovered... we read on-line that laundering the items kill the bugs...but wait !!

My friend did laundry in hot water, hung them on the line to dry...and she found two bugs were still alive and clinging to the linens when she went to hang up the sheets and towels! She shook out the linens, brought them in to fold, and discovered another one--so if you have these bugs, use the dryer AND inspect before you fold and put away!

Laundering, if you dry the items in the dryer on HIGH, *might* kill the bugs, but plain old washing in hot water won't.
Ewwwwwwww!

Sooz


 
 

 

 


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