We all remember the childhood terrors of the creepy-crawly invaders who were rumored to scurry across our sheets at night and eat us alive, as we cowered uneasily beneath our covers. Of course, as adults, we no longer fear these “bed bugs,” less commonly known as Cimex lectularius, but do they not still creep through the back of our minds as we lie in bed feeling a little itch on our legs or a tickle coming from our pillows? Unfortunately for the alliteration of the bedtime farewell, these may not be bed bugs. They may, in fact, be carpet beetles.

The carpet beetle is a small, dark, oval insect, with some colored marks on its back, typically measuring less than ¼ inch in length. This opposes the bed bug, which is a reddish brown-colored, flattened, oval, wingless insect with microscopic hairs that give it a banded appearance. Adults grow to be about 4 to 5 mm (one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch) in length. Bed bugs are often found in commonly unsanitary places such as hotels or motels and can attach themselves to one’s clothing or stow away in one’s luggage. They are generally only active around dawn and tend to be found hidden in darker places such as mattress seams, mattress interiors, bed frames, nearby furniture, carpeting, baseboards, inner walls, tiny wood holes, or bedroom clutter. Carpet beetles, on the other hand, are not afraid of the daylight. They are commonly found indoors, sometimes around windows. Larvae can be found wandering from room to room in a house, which results in an infestation throughout the house. They can also be found wandering about in cereals, stored grains, nuts, meal, Indian corn, red pepper, and similar products. They may feed on wool products, furs, hides, horns, feathers, hair, and silk.

If it seems that your house is, in fact, infested with carpet beetles, take steps to prevent them from getting too cozy in your home. Vacuum regularly, and do not store fabrics that have been exposed to food spills. Check your house for infested material, and discard anything you find to be contaminated. You can use moth crystals or flakes when storing wool or food products that are potentially at risk.

So, goodnight, sleep tight, and make sure you get your bugs right!