AboutEd Saugstad Expertise Will accept most questions in general entomology, including those related to medical entomology, taxonomy, ecology, arthropod surveillance, and pest management.
If you are requesting a 'mystery bug' identification, PLEASE either attach an image to your question, or post an image on a web page (such as Flickr) so that I can look at it, as verbal descriptions frequently are insufficient for a definitive identification.
Experience 21 years in the U.S. Army as a medical entomologist; duties varied from surveillance of pest populations (including mosquitoes, cockroaches, ticks, and stored products pests) to conducting research on mosquito-virus ecological relationships and mosquito faunal studies. Ten years as a civilian analyst for the Department of Defense, primarily on distribution of vector-borne diseases worldwide. Limited experience on surveillance of agricultural insects in North Dakota and Indiana.
Organizations Entomological Society of America, West Virginia Entomological Society, Society for Vector Ecology, National Speleological Society, West Virginia Association for Cave Studies.
Publications American Journal of Public Health, Contributions of the American Entomological Institute, Japanese Journal of Sanitary Zoology, Journal of Economic Entomology, Mosquito News, and Mosquito Systematics.
Education/Credentials B.S. in entomology from North Dakota State University in 1963, M.S. in entomology from Purdue University in 1967.
Question QUESTION: Hi Ed -- I'm hoping you can help me -- a few months ago I found several holes in one of my favorite wool sweaters. I wrote it off as being a one time problem.
Then last week, I found a hole in a pair of wool pants. Now I'm just plain scared that I have a big problem.
I have never seen any bugs in my apartment, but I emptied out my entire closet tonight and went investigating with a flashlight. I only found one shell of a skin -- very small, cream colored with light brown striations across the body of the skin. The skin was sort of curled up -- (the shape reminded me of the "pill bugs" we used to play with as kids -- gray colored bugs that would curl up if you touched them)-- except this skin was much smaller -- a little smaller than a grain of rice.
Can PLEASE you help identify what this is and how I can get rid of the problem? I'm REALLY worried all my beautiful wool garments are at risk.
QUESTION: that's it Ed -- it looked just like the picture of the shed skin. I was searching more online last night after I left you my question and I realized that I did see bugs in my place last summer or spring. I thought at the time that they were lady bugs -- they looked very similar to lady bugs with a reddish brown hard jacket and a pattern of dots on their backs. They were crawling around the big picture window in my front room -- not lots of them -- maybe seven or eight. I'm assuming these were the carpet beetles, correct?
Can you help with a few other questions:
1) Can a regular refridgerator freezer be used to do the freezing technique?
2) I have wool carpet in my bedroom and bedroom closet (where I found the damaged clothes) -- how can I ensure the carpet is completely bug free? Do I have to tear it up?
3) I've also read that brushing and vaccumming clothes will get rid of any bugs / eggs / larvae on the clothes -- is that true?
4) Also -- are the pheromone traps for adults worth buying?
thank you so much for your help. Mary
Answer Dear Mary - The adults of some carpet beetles can resemble small lady beetles - see http://insektenfotos.de/Anthrenus%20verbasci%20(Wollkraut-Bluetenkaefer)_022.jpg, http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/images/cain1277.jpg, and http://www.zin.ru/animalia/coleoptera/images/foto/anthrenus_scrophulariae_l.jpg for some examples. They are attracted to light, and thus often are found at windows.
As to your other questions:
(1) To insure killing all stages (eggs, larvae, adults) You need a freezer that will reach a temperature at least as low as -28C (-18F). I doubt that a refrigerator freezer can attain that temperature.
(2) If your carpet is wall-to-wall, the chances are that it is synthetic, and thus not subject to attack. However, if you know that it is at least partially made of wool, you will need to inspect it.
(3) Brushing/vacuuming should remove any eggs/insects that are on the clothes. However, just to be certain, I would still consider dry cleaning/laundering/freeze treating any susceptible clothing in closets/storage areas where infestations were found.
(4) Pheromone traps usually are not considered control devices per se, but they can assist in detecting the presence of the beetles before they become a manifest problem.
