Send samples to an entomologist at a university extension outreach program, or at the universities insect & nematology museum.. Just so you know, a very common bug that doesn't bite, but causes itching, is called carpet beetle. They are very small, and when they're in their larval form, they have tiny uricating hairs all over their body. This hair serves two functions that drive people crazy: 1. It's got a velcro like effect, causing them to stick to anything, even a fingertip!2. The larvae shed these hairs everywhere A) the hairs resemble micro size black or tan dashes (based on sub species) B) without a macro lens or digital microscope these hairs can be mistaken as a bug too small to see details of C) the hairs (in fact the whole larvae sometimes) adhere to fabrics easily, like the inside of a sleeve, sock or pant leg D) the hairs create VERY prickly feeling itch, So just imagine acupuncture needles (metal, about the diameter of a hair), cut into micro dash sizes, stuck to fabric that's rubbing on your skin. Lsub species of carpet beetle it is. These hairs cause severe itching in people, allergic reactions in some people, like hives, and bumpy broken skin that looks bitten, but isn't! It's all from those dumb hairs! When they grow up, they turn into flying carpet beetles, they're tiny, they resemble mini lady bugs, but most are tan speckled, there is also a dark brown / black version called warehouse beetles, but both are in same family.. Someone here posted an image of a cast larval skin, I couldn't reply to that post though. Anyway they can be hard to be rid of unless you meticulously clean &keep your clean clothes in ziplock bags or containers, until you've resolved the issue.. they can be in the seams of your clothes, they can be in your bedding, mattress, wall moldings & carvings where dust tends to settle. Ironing clothes and bedding after laundering can be helpful in reducing their numbers, as in they're in the pupal stage, they have an impenetrable shell that holds up to extreme conditions (ie: washer on hot, and dryer on high 45m - 1h). An iron, and or dry cleaning is key. Dry cleaning is known to kill most insects as well. It'll be helpful to familiarize yourself by looking at photos of each life stage of carpet or warehouse beetles, so you'll know what to look for, though you'll likely need a lighted magnifier to help. Some can be big enough to see with naked eyes (like very small ladybug size), they also come as tiny as a couple millimeters (the size of maybe 2 of the periods at the end of this sentence). While I know the feeling of having a tiny bug that you're not able to ID, knowing about these critters should help several people here, based on their descriptions of the pests.
Just so you know, a very common bug that doesn't bite, but causes itching, is called carpet beetle. They are very small, and when they're in their larval form, they have tiny uricating hairs all over their body. This hair serves two functions that drive people crazy:
1. It's got a velcro like effect, causing them to stick to anything, even a fingertip!
2. The larvae shed these hairs everywhere
A) the hairs resemble micro size black or tan dashes (based on sub species)
B) without a macro lens or digital microscope these hairs can be mistaken as a bug too small to see details of
C) the hairs (in fact the whole larvae sometimes) adhere to fabrics easily, like the inside of a sleeve, sock or pant leg
D) the hairs create VERY prickly feeling itch, So just imagine acupuncture needles (metal, about the diameter of a hair), cut into micro dash sizes, stuck to fabric that's rubbing on your skin.
These hairs cause severe itching in people, can be mistaken as parasites, can cause allergic reactions in some people that look like hives, and other allergy symptoms. The end result for those sensitive to this is bumpy broken skin that appears as if it's been bitten!
All that from their hairs! They're not interested in biting humans or animals. They're into carpets, fabrics, curtains, detritus, dust, debris, such as dust bunnies of animal hair, or dust and hair build up in the crack between floor & wall, or in molding crevices, other places where debris can build up, that gets overlooked when doing basic cleaning.
Grown up, they into tiny, hard to see, flying bugs. They're tiny, they resemble mini lady bugs, but most are tan & brown speckled, there is also a dark brown / black version called warehouse beetle, they're both in the same family though.
Anyway they can be hard to be rid of unless you meticulously clean your home & things & keep your clean clothes in ziplock bags or containers, at least until you've resolved the issue (plus extra time, to be sure they're gone).. Mothballs are known to kill/ control their population, so using those inside of airtight sealed containers with your clean clothes, can be helpful in case you're concerned any of them survived the laundry.
If you have any rugs, throw away or get professionally cleaned.
Take particular care to check the seams of your clothing, or curtains or anything else fabric with a seam. If you have a car, they can get in there if you've got carpets and or fabric upholstery.
They can be in your bedding fabrics, seams of mattress, wall moldings, decorative carvings, behind shelves, anywhere dust, tends to settle & build (places you don't normally dust when your not deep cleaning).
That said, deep cleaning will have to be the more of a normal frequent occurrence to dispel them from your home.
Ironing clothes and bedding after laundering can be helpful in reducing their numbers, as in they're in the pupal stage, they have an impenetrable shell that holds up to extreme conditions (ie: washer on hot, and dryer on high 45m - 1h). An iron, and or dry cleaning is key. Dry cleaning is known to kill most insects as well.
I'm not sure if pest control helps with this type of thing or not, always worth asking. I know that pest control alone, is not recommended. Poison only, without any detailed cleaning of home & clothes will not remove or control this. They will eat holes in some of your natural fabric (woolens, silk, cotton, hemp) items.
It's helpful to familiarize with the life stages of carpet or warehouse beetles, so you'll know what to look for, though you'll likely need a lighted magnifier to help. Some can be big enough to see with naked eyes (like very small ladybug size), they also come as tiny as a couple millimeters (the size of maybe 2 of the periods at the end of this sentence).
Knowing about these critters🪲should help several people here, based on their descriptions of the pests & couple of photos I saw here. I couldn't reply directly to some of them so I decided to reply to the most recent post. Hopefully this post will help someone out.
If you need more IDing of insects try these sites:
- Reddit.com - has a couple good sub reddits (aka forums) to try- r/whatsthisbug or r/pestcontrol , the people of reddit can be helpful and knowledgeable, many pros)
- whatsthatbug.com
- bugguide.com
- ask2.extension.org
Life stages of a carpet beetle:
https://images.app.goo.gl/8HMYYhwR3XSKZWECA
Cast skins of carpet beetle larvae to watch out for:
https://images.app.goo.gl/hKQTdbEkyfiLub4g9
** btw: Be very very picky if shopping 2nd hand, or vintage, check under collars, tags, buttons, snaps, seams, etc & so on. Be careful, if they're picked up shopping only one item, they'll infest the rest of your garments. If your not sure, put whatever you bought in the freezer, or in airtight bag until you get item cleaned. **
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A few more commonly found, teeny tiny beetles whose hairy larvae cause itching & irritation just like carpet beetles, just in case yours are not carpet beetles.
These are even smaller than most carpet beetles, they're like mite sized:
•Drugstore beetles
•Cigarette beetles
The larval form is similarly hairy & can be itchy, can be attracted to medication, stored products, detritus, fungus, moisture, mold, damp, etc. Similar to carpet beetles, they can be found in poorly maintained rental apartments and homes owned by slumlords who don't deal with plumbing issues in a timely manner.
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