Knowledgebase

HUMAN INTERACTION WITH CARPET BEETLES? #842862

Asked July 27, 2023, 12:06 PM EDT

Please, provide link to photographs of the consequence of human skin to Carpet Beetles. I am trying to identify my own situation. I will provide photographs. Bed-bugs was ruled-out by an exterminator, but he reported finding a solitary Carpet Beetle skeleton. THANKS ! As for photographic documentation: I converted the HEIC files to PDF. They were too large. Reduced both to 7.25, but still won't load.

District of Columbia County District of Columbia

Expert Response

This is not information we have since Carpet Beetles are not considered medically significant as an indoor pest (compared to, say, a biting or venomous arthropod), and we do not have medical training since our focus is horticulture so we cannot diagnose symptoms of exposure to an irritant. People with allergies to chitin (a key component of insect exoskeleton material) or anyone exposed to enough of the exoskeleton bristles on these larvae might develop irritations from skin exposure (contact dermatitis), but you would need to ask a medical professional about this likelihood and how to diagnose it from symptoms.

Miri

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