Bed Worms
Imagine putting your sheets down for a nice night’s sleep only to find teeny, tiny creatures in your bed that resemble worms!
Although this may sound like the stuff of nightmares (and many people who have come into contact with bed worms will agree that it is), these little bugs are among the spookiest things you’ll find hidden in the bed, other than an extensive bed bug infestation.
It makes sense to first comprehend bed worms in order to learn how to get rid of them. You may be surprised at the solution.
What Kind of Bed Worms Do I Have?
It may surprise you to learn that the phrase “bed worm” is really used to refer to the larvae of numerous pests. The larvae are frequently largely harmless (apart from any potential psychological injury), but the adult forms are another story.
Carpet Beetle Larvae
It’s not uncommon for carpet beetle larvae to end up in your bed or clothes because they are a prevalent problem. Some have stripes as well.
These little (between 1/8 and 1/4 inch length) creatures are incredibly destructive. They enjoy munching on textiles, particularly those made of synthetic and natural fibers, as well as on feathers, fur, leather, and wool. They also eat food scraps and even the remains of other insects.
Although adult carpet beetles have been found to consume pollen, they often go through their entire last stage of life without feeding. They occasionally hang around on your potted plants when they do get hungry.
The worst part is that carpet beetle larvae frequently migrate in search of food from room to room. While looking for the ideal food, they may experience prolonged episodes of hunger.
Clothes Moth Larvae
Moth larvae enjoy munching on fabric, particularly worn-out garments that have been kept in storage for a long time. However, it doesn’t guarantee that they won’t appear on your bed sheets. The term “clothes moth” refers to a few different common moths.
These tiny bed worms frequently appear in environments that also draw bed bugs. They devour a variety of organic waste products, such as dust, feathers, fur, hair, leather, lint, and paper.
Whether your bedding are natural or artificial is irrelevant to them. They are particularly drawn to linens that have stains from body fluids, perspiration, or dropped drinks.
The majority of clothing moth larvae have a brown head and are creamy white in color. They can be up to half an inch long. young of the webbing clothing moth will line the tunnels through your garments with silk and leave trails of silk webbing. Be aware that some kinds of baby moths could appear more brownish.
Obviously, locating an adult moth infestation is the quickest approach to determine whether your bed worms are moths. As a result, there are significantly fewer opportunities to mistake the larvae for those of other animals.
Pinworm
We encounter the pinworm, an actual intestinal parasite that puts us in the realm of serious nightmares. Due to their prevalence and ease of distribution in a classroom atmosphere, they most frequently affect school-aged children.
Pinworms are only 1/4 to 1/2 inches long, slender, and white. Typically, pinworm infections don’t have any overt symptoms. In fact, observing a female who has sneaked out of the room and into your pajamas is frequently the first indication. Pinworms are parasites that dwell in the anal cavity. Females come out at night to lay countless microscopic eggs in the soft folds surrounding the anal entrance. In the event that symptoms do manifest, they may include itching in the vaginal and anal regions, along with agitation, restlessness, and occasionally even nausea or stomach pain.
You will need to see a doctor because they are parasitic worms, and your entire family may need to take antibiotics to get rid of the issue. However, you’ll also need to treat the bed area for bedworms in the same manner.
Flea Larvae
Although adult fleas are completely unlike worms in appearance, their larvae are among the various types of bed worms. The Pulex irritans, or human flea, has received a lot of attention lately. The human flea prefers humans, despite the fact that you might be better familiar with a species that primarily infests cats, dogs, or rodents.
The idea that the Black Death was caused by the human flea rather than the rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus) is one that is gaining popularity.
Thankfully, although there are some cases of bubonic plague, the larvae stage isn’t as eager to bite. Only approximately 12 percent of larvae who eat only blood grow up; instead, they also eat excrement, non-viable eggs, and organic materials made from vegetables.
Naturally, this won’t prevent you from experiencing some restless nights. If you don’t notice the adult fleas in your bed and aren’t paying attention to the bite pattern, it’s simple to mistake the attacks for a bed bug infestation.
Air Your Dirty Laundry
The majority of bed infestations are quickly eliminated by heat. To kill any larvae and eggs present, dry any infected linens in a hot drier. Once the larvae are dead, you’ll probably want to wash them to get rid of the carcasses and any excrement they may have left behind.
Vacuum the Bed
If you don’t already own one, you may either rent a commercial carpet cleaner or buy a carpet/upholstery cleaner like the Bissell SpotClean. This incredible equipment can clean carpets and furniture much more effectively than any other widely used cleaning technique.
One works by sending hot water down into the surface of your mattress and box spring, sucking away dirt, debris, and any vermin like bed worms, fleas, bedbugs, or dust mites.
You not only get rid of some of the infestation as a result, but your sleeping surface is also much healthier. To catch any stray pests, use it around the entire bedroom.
Buy a Mattress Cove
Investing in a waterproof mattress cover, such as those made for bed bugs, prevents further infestations from entering the mattress and are simple to clean. If you have a mattress cover on, cleaning the mattress with a warm, moist cloth or a standard vacuum cleaner is simple.
Spray Down the Cracks
Small animals prefer to lay their eggs in tiny nooks and gaps that are out of the way of predators. To access these covert caches, you should employ a thin pesticide spray or other chemical.
We advise combining essential oils (peppermint and cedarwood work well) in a spray bottle and saturating cracks with the mixture to allow them to absorb. These typically have a pleasant aroma and won’t damage your surfaces. Baseboards, headboards, bed frames, and fissures in natural flooring are a few of the areas to pay attention to.
Be aware that many essential oils are toxic to animals, therefore you should wipe down the surfaces to remove any remaining residue.
Eliminate the Host Infestation
It is not sufficient to eliminate bedworms. Additionally, you’ll need to eradicate the adult insect infestation and any offspring that have been left behind. It is crucial to determine the type of bed worm because of this. After the remaining infestation has been eradicated, make sure to take precautions to lessen the likelihood of new infestations. Some of these precautions include routine cleaning, washing bed sheets at least once a week, and locking windows at night if they don’t have screens to keep out any female moths.
There’s a chance you don’t have an adult infestation if you bought used furniture and promptly detected the infestation. In this situation, make sure everything is okay nearby and potentially use an insecticide or natural cure to make the area bug-proof the remainder of the space to prevent pest problems.
