Size Carpet Beetle Vs Bed Bug

Bed bugs and carpet beetles are both very small.

Size carpet beetle vs bed bug.

The carpet beetle and bed bug not only leave similar looking bites but there are other similarities. Their membranous wings are covered by a hard exterior shell. Bed bugs measure of an inch long. Carpet beetles are small and they only reach up to 1 8 of an inch in length.

The official name for the varied carpet beetle is anthrenus verbasci they are small about 3mm in length and flat in their shape. The second difference and the biggest nuisance is the fact that bed bugs feed on human blood while carpet beetles feed on animal fibers. Carpet beetles will also feed off the felt under furniture and lamps and inside musical instrument cases. Carpet beetles are also small in size but the significant difference between them is their size.

Carpet beetles look very very different from bed bugs when they are larger. Bed bugs have thick antennae arranged in four segments. An important detail when understanding the difference. Is it a bed bug cockroach or carpet beetle.

Carpet beetles typically have 11 segments to their antennae which are shaped like a club. Nymphs are immature bed bugs that are similar to adult bed bugs but are smaller and lighter in size and color. Bed bug larvae look like little worms while carpet beetle larvae look like fuzzy bugs with little spines all over them. The first notable difference is that of size as bed bugs are twice as big as carpet beetles.

You ve noticed that carpet beetles length varies a lot while bed bugs are always the same length. Also once magnified the varied carpet beetle larvae actually look like tiny furry caterpillars with little spines on them whereas the bed bug larvae look like little worms. About 1 5 inch long. Carpet beetles on the other hand measure between 1 16 of an inch and 1 8 of an inch long.

Sometimes they could grow to the size of a ladybug. Reddish brown flattened and oval in shape. Immature bed bugs are similar to adult about the size of a poppy seed and yellowish white in color. They look like tiny furry caterpillars whereas the bed bug larvae look a lot like the larger versions but just very small.

But the main difference is that the varied carpet beetle does not feed on blood. One big difference between bed bugs and carpet beetles that can help you determine which pest you re dealing with is that bed bugs go through an incomplete metamorphosis while carpet beetles go through a complete metamorphosis. That s because bed bugs always look the same but there are a lot of carpet beetle species. However the carpet beetle is the smallest of the two and averages 1 8th of an inch in length while the bed bug is about 1 4th of an inch long.

Carpet beetles often confused with bed bugs are small pests that can cause a large amount of damage if left untreated attracted to natural fibers carpet beetles can damage carpets furniture and clothing.