What Does A Sandy Dust Mean In My Home?

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how a cream-coloured dust called “frass” can reveal the presence of woodworm larvae in your garden.

It turns out they’re not the only young beetles that create the substance.

Carpet beetle larvae, which can cause damage to items like clothing and (predictably) carpets, also excrete “frass”, the Natural History Museum said.

They added the beetles are more common in the London area and the southern counties.

So how can you spot a carpet beetle infestation, which Bromley council says is more likely to begin its cycle in summer?

The larvae are sometimes called “wooly bears” because they are long and covered in dense hairs. They are “brownish”, Country Living shared.

At first glance, they can look like dark silverfish.

The Natural History Museum added that other signs include damage to caprets and clothing as well as “frass (the larvae’s extrement) resulting from feeding…. the skins cast off by larvae after many molting events are another sign”.

Most of the damage is done by the larvae, who eat anything containing the protein keratin. Their “frass” can look like “coarse, sand-like material” and may be black or brown, but this can change.

Pert control company Safeguard agreed: “the larvae produce tiny faecal pellets – about the size of a grain of salt – evidence of which will again be concentrated around the area of infestation.”

Shed larval skins can also be a sign.

Though you might think it’s just wool and fur (which can be a part of it), the experts say they can also go for:

• furniture,
• hair,
• clothing,
• stored food like flour,
• books,
• plants,
• leather,
• soft furnishings,
• animal bedding,
• potpourri,
• pet biscuits,
• flowers.

Kansas State University’s Extension reads: “Adult carpet beetles lay their eggs in areas where larvae can find an ample supply of food, such as carpets, woolens, furs, and animal nests”.

The British Pest Control Association said you should remove items like bird’s nests in a chimney where the beetles or larvae may gather.

Vacuum areas where you think the adults, who are most active about now, are gathered – this may include spots like airing cupboards, shelves, floorboards, carpets and upholstery.

They added, “An insecticide is needed to deal with woolly bears and affected items should be sprayed or dusted with a product labelled for carpet beetle control”.

You may wish to contact a professional if you need extra help, as the larvae in particular can be tough to treat.