What kind of bug is this--ick!

14 years ago

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!!!!!!!!

Comments (5)

nanny2a
14 years ago
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
fleur222
14 years ago
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!
Related Professionals
Bay City General Contractors · Fort Lee General Contractors · Halfway General Contractors · Jefferson Valley-Yorktown General Contractors · Jeffersonville General Contractors · Langley Park General Contractors · Lewisburg General Contractors · Rancho Santa Margarita General Contractors · Torrington General Contractors · Westmont General Contractors · Broadlands Home Builders · Glenn Heights Home Builders · Home Gardens Home Builders · Lake City Home Builders · Santa Cruz Home Builders
sooz
Original Author
14 years ago
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
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
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.
sooz
Original Author
14 years ago
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