Help! - Beetles in the bedroom!

[JemmaD]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this site and in desparate need of some help. I have recently discovered some tiny beetles in my bedroom but have no idea what they are or where they have come from.

I have searched Google for hours to see if I can find them but no such luck. They do, however, look A LOT like the pictures I have seen of Woodworm but I there are no holes in my wood! Perhaps the holes will come later??

They are about 2 mm and a dark brown colour. They have two antenas and I think they have a hard shell (I believe this to be true as they make a crunch sound when squashed). I think they are wingless. I have tried to take photos of them but they are too tiny. I am quite sure they're not bed bugs (phew) because they are not round or flat and I have not been bitten.

Over the past few months I have seen the odd one every week or so but they have recently become much more frequent. Yesterday I saw 5 in various areas of my bedroom. They tend to appear on the walls, which are plastered and painted, or on top of furniture.

Do they sound familiar to anyone? I don't know where else to go to find out what they are!

If they don't sound familiar to anyone do you know what else I could try? Is there some sort of bug identification service I can turn to?


Hope someone can help

JemmaD

[Dogghound]

Are they carpet beetles? type Anthrenus verbasci into google.

[Jason Green]

Welcome to WAB, Jemma

If they don't sound familiar to anyone do you know what else I could try? Is there some sort of bug identification service I can turn to?

That'll be us

I think Doggound has it - it does sound like carpet beetles. For confirmation could you post a photograph of them? For instructions f you need them try here - How do I add images to forum posts? | Wild About Britain

Take care,

Jason

[JemmaD]

Thank you both for your speedy replies!

I have just looked at the carpet beetles on Google and they do resemble them except without the patchy markings. Would the markings on the carpet beetle would be visible to the naked eye because my beetles don't seem to have markings as far as I can see!

I did take some pictures but they aren't very clear at all because the beetle is so small. I will upload them when I get home in a few hours....

In the meantime though, would carpet beetles appear...erm...on the carpet?

thanks again for your help,

Jemma

[Jason Green]

They should do, though they are in no-way restricted to just carpets - they may be found in bird nests and even as pests in Museum collections I believe - but I'm getting out of my depth with this, I don't know too much about them!

Good news RE the photo - yes it may be small, but even distant photos are good. Often people say 'It's not that good' but the photo begs to differ

[JRsbugs]

Hi Jemma,

There are a few small brown beetles which can live in other materials than their name suggests. Google 'tobacco beetle' and you will find the Pied Piper site. At the bottom of the page there will be a link to other beetles or stored food parasites. Biscuit beetle is another 2-3mm brown beetle. Hope this helps.

Janet

[JemmaD]

I hope I have done this properly! As you can see it is very small and dark in colour. There are so many similar beetles (carpet, furniture etc) that it is hard to tell what it is!

[Jason Green]

Hi Jemma

Yes, quite right and yes, you've done it right!

Not too sure it is a [varied] carpet beetle now, it lacks the pattern. Try Niptus hololeucus, the Golden Spider Beetle.

[JemmaD]

Nooo no definitely not a sp***r beetle, the legs are too long and sticky-outie.

Maybe the picture doesn't do the beetle justice but I can't get a better one! It really is the shape of the carpet one without the markings. I think it may shed its skin too...I just found what seemed to be an empty shell of one (im officially going insane now).

Jemma

[Jason Green]

Hi Jem,

I'm pretty sure your beetle's antenna are too long for a VCB, also the body shape's wrong IMO. These said points make me think Golden Spider Beetle above VCB. Can you get a shot from directly above to ascertain proportions, overall shape, etc.?

Someone else'll be round soon