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Carpet Beetle Questions for those more experienced
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
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Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 17 2009 13:25:04
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I have carpet beetles. Thought I had bedbugs but only found CB and hope that's all it is.
I've done a LOT of reading on this site and know that they are relatively harmless, I just happen to be allergic to their hair. They aren't after my pets or biting me. I get it.I remember finding one years ago in a container I had of cat hair. 7 1/2 yrs ago when I bought my house there were a few dead birds in the attic. I've never seen such skeletons. So I know they've been around. It's an old house. LOTS of cracks and places to go.
Okay...here are my questions:
Why am I only reacting now? Is this some kind of season where they are more active?I am in pain from all the cleaning last night. Threw out cat beds, cat toys, washed the few I kept. Pulled out furniture. They were everywhere. Not tons. Like five in the sofa bed. A few under the couch. One in the daybed in my guest room. A few under my headboard. A few under my nightstand. But it feels like I'm infested because I found two in the bathroom on my bathmat! I'm getting a new vacuum today with a pet hair attachment.
Will all this cleaning make a difference? Are they here to stay or will they just progressively get less? It's an old house with tiny closets and lots of stuff. I'm not taking apart my great grandmother's dresser to see if they're in there.How crazy do I get?
Thanks in advance.
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
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Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 17 2009 13:28:44
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Oh yeah. I have 4 cats and 4 birds. I vacuum downstairs EVERY DAY but I didn't go behind the couch b/c it's too heavy for me to move. (sofa bed) Upstairs I'd vacuum once a week or so depending on how it looked. Again, didn't pull out the bed. The cats actually don't seem to go under it.
I am so skeeved. I couldn't sleep b/c everytime I closed my eyes I saw little larvae climbing all over making me itch.
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
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Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 17 2009 13:50:54
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Another question is about the strays. I found one near a bed. A lone guy by my hutch in the dining room. Are those just strays wandering out looking for food or are they a sign things are gonna get worse? Is it a good sign I only found a few here and there? I did find a bunch in cat beds or dead ones where cats used to lie. Are they travelling around on my cats?
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Hi,
I most homes you can find carpet beetle cast skins, they are a pest that flies in through the window in search of dead organic matter such as fur, feathers and wool. Its not uncommon when you find one or two to go on and find a lot more of them.
Why you are only just reacting to them, well as reactions are often an individual response you may need to look for changes in your life that may have stimulated a reaction. This could be anything from stress to heat to environment and even medication.
It is important to clean in a way that will remove the fine hairs which cause the reaction so a HEPA filter cleaner is needed.
When you finish with the cleaner lightly dampen down the area with a mister of cooled water that has boiled in the kettle. This will remove the static pockets that you sometimes get from the motor in the cleaner.
If you are certain that its not bed bugs then you may want to seek medical advice on the use of mild antihistamines to reduce your reaction until the issue passes.
And finally no they are not travelling around with your cats but they may find the shed cat hair tasty enough to be found in areas that the cats often occupy.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
thebedbugresource
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Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 17 2009 21:56:45
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Paranoid001 - 8 hours ago »
I remember finding one years ago in a container I had of cat hair. 7 1/2 yrs ago when I bought my house there were a few dead birds in the attic. I've never seen such skeletons.Oh yeah. I have 4 cats and 4 birds..
Okay from the information you have provided ...
How sure are you that this is not mites or fleas that are causing the problems?
Carpet beetles are fairly common in most homes and given the amount of animal fur, feathers, and dander that must be in your home it is even more likely that you have had them.
"I just happen to be allergic to their hair."How do you know this? Have you been to an allergist to determine without a doubt that this is what is causing your problems?
I think there are many more possibilities to explore here before one can pinpoint the source of your discomfort.
Sincerely,
Sean.
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Fri Sep 18 2009 7:31:42
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I'm fairly certain my reaction is to the carpet beetle. I seem to have been "bitten" in areas that indicate it was when I was sitting on my couch, where I found most of them in areas I occupy and the cats as well. When I vacuumed (HEPA filter in vacuum as well as a air cleaning HEPA unit running in my house 24/7) I had to pull hair out of the canister. My hands get sore and itchy after. Since the cleaning started that's the only new places affected. There are no fleas or mites. The cats have been checked and the one year they had mites I got bit in clusters in different areas. If it were mites or fleas I wouldn't have just 4 big marks on each thigh or wrist area. They tend to get my ankles, waistband area, etc.
"When you finish with the cleaner lightly dampen down the area with a mister of cooled water that has boiled in the kettle. This will remove the static pockets that you sometimes get from the motor in the cleaner." This confused me. Please clarify which area I should mist down...the area I vacuumed or somewhere in the vacuum itself? I don't think I can get the HEPA filter wet? Not sure.
Since I've never had this many before with a good thorough cleaning (I vacuum every day but I didn't get behind the couch until now for some time) I'm guessing the numbers should reduce and things will go back to normal? This has made me so paranoid (b/c it's painful to me) that I'm constantly walking around with a flashlight now.
Thanks to both of you for your help and suggestions!
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Fri Sep 18 2009 9:09:05
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Oh yeah...more info: I have not checked all my drawers but since there were some CB under my bed I did check a box I have under there with some sheets in it. No signs of the little guys. So I'm hoping that's a good sign that my situation isn't extreme. Right?
Again, I cannot thank all of you enough for the support and help I've received in this forum. You are amazing people and I am extremely grateful for your help.
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Hi,
You damped down the carpets. Cleaners have massive electromagnetic motors in them that can under some dry air conditions lead to pockets of static building up. The misting down is to settle these and to stop them charging the hairs to make them attract towards you.
I believe it is one of the main reasons why spraying "appears" to help with carpet beetles. Its not the insecticide it is the fact that the carpet has been dampened.
I would suggest cleaning daily is a little too much and once a week would normally suffice.
David
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Fri Sep 18 2009 11:10:28
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Thanks David.
Just paranoid b/c a few of the spots were really itchy. I scratched them and they have little blisters like the one persons photos. C/B poison ivy...maybe maybe not. The ones on my legs are still there but aren't painful itchy. -
Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Fri Sep 18 2009 11:11:09
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So...mist and then vacuum the spots?
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depressedandconfused
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Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 32
Posted 2 months ago
Sat Sep 19 2009 0:51:15
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Just thought I would add to this thread...
Since I thought I might have bed bugs, I've been looking at every speck a lot more closely and have discovered carpet beetle larvae all over the apartment -- the bed, a chair in the bedroom, a plastic bag in the bedroom, in the office closet, and even in a box of stationery inside a drawer in our TV cabinet. I've also found powder post beetles in several places, including underneath some unfinished bookcases. I have not found ANY evidence of bed bugs, even though a K9 alerted to several areas in our bedroom. (I've checked the mattresses, inspected cracks with a flashlight, ripped the cover off the base of the box spring and inspected -- nothing.) I am going through with treatment just to be safe and am hoping the treatment will help with the CB and PPB problem.
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Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Sat Sep 19 2009 16:47:28
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BBcoukHome - 1 day ago »
Hi,
You damped down the carpets. Cleaners have massive electromagnetic motors in them that can under some dry air conditions lead to pockets of static building up. The misting down is to settle these and to stop them charging the hairs to make them attract towards you.
I believe it is one of the main reasons why spraying "appears" to help with carpet beetles. Its not the insecticide it is the fact that the carpet has been dampened.
I would suggest cleaning daily is a little too much and once a week would normally suffice.
DavidThanks David.
I sent you a PM which I hope is okay and does not upset you in any way. I find your posts extremely informative.
I have to clean daily downstairs b/c of the birds and cats playing. Our main area has been vacuumed every day for 2 straight years. Part of the reason I'm so upset this happened. Like it's an advertisement that I have a filthy house when I work very hard to keep it from being so. I hate clutter. In a previous post under this topic you stated that it is normal to find one or two and then some more. I found two in one drawer but I pulled out the clothes and nothing was on them. The rest of the drawer was clean as well. No dirt. Other drawers had nothing at all. One had a CB and a small slightly faster bug. It's light in color and I did catch it. I can barely see it to identify it but it definately looks long in shape and not round like the baby BB. Didn't stop me from having a severe anxiety attack that it's a BB anyway. Is this normal? Could this be a baby CB larvae? Will this just slack off and stop? Those hairs really hurt and I'm so upset.
Plus, I don't have anyone to talk to and reassure me since most people act horrid when you say BB or CB. People treat me like I have some kind of contagious nasty dirty disease. Like I live in a condemed building full of wild rats.Thanks for ALL your help.
Take Care,
Regina -
Paranoid001
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 27
Posted 2 months ago
Sat Sep 19 2009 16:48:50
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depressedandconfused - 15 hours ago »
Just thought I would add to this thread...
Since I thought I might have bed bugs, I've been looking at every speck a lot more closely and have discovered carpet beetle larvae all over the apartment -- the bed, a chair in the bedroom, a plastic bag in the bedroom, in the office closet, and even in a box of stationery inside a drawer in our TV cabinet. I've also found powder post beetles in several places, including underneath some unfinished bookcases. I have not found ANY evidence of bed bugs, even though a K9 alerted to several areas in our bedroom. (I've checked the mattresses, inspected cracks with a flashlight, ripped the cover off the base of the box spring and inspected -- nothing.) I am going through with treatment just to be safe and am hoping the treatment will help with the CB and PPB problem.I haven't found Powder Post Beetles and had to googles them when I read your message. Other than that it sounds like you and I are in the same boat. Want to see if we can get a discount on councelling?
Regina
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