Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Pests

Tiny Bugs with Black Stripe in Garage/Room: Dermestid Beetle Larvae

little bug with black

Friend's garage (used for storage) has fast little bugs on walls, desk, bed, door, drawer. Image shows bug with black stripe.

Expert Answer: Likely dermestid beetle larva (carpet beetle) (image). Larvae feed on dry foods, natural fabrics. Harmless but nuisance if numerous. Check for infested dry food, pet food, or wool. Control info at linked page.

— Jack DeAngelis

Pests: Tiny Hard-Shelled Black Bugs in House: Carpet Beetles; Fungus Gnats in Houseplants: Sticky Traps, Drier Soil, and Nematodes; Tiny Black Bugs on Nepenthes: Scale Insects and Systemic Treatment; Eliminating Fungus Gnats from Wandering Jew Plants; Tiny White Soil Bugs: Harmless or Harmful?; Common Mistakes When Reviving a Neglected Palm Plant; Hibiscus Aphid Infestation: Neem Oil Treatment; Fungus Gnats from Bagged Soil: Sterilization and Control; Identifying and Controlling Pests on Petunias and Pansies; Identifying Tiny Black Jumping Bugs Causing Allergic Reactions

Garden Articles

Tiny Black Bugs Devouring Weeping Willow Branches: Identification and Treatment

Tiny Tan Bugs Swarming RV Identified as Thrips

Identifying Non-Biting Insects Mistaken for Biters: Carpet Beetles, Spider Beetles, Springtails

Pill Bugs in Garden: Not Plant Eaters

Little Red Bugs on Tomato Plants in Northern VA: Likely Bean Leaf Beetles or Spider Mites

Dealing with Flying Black Bugs in Your Pantry: Identification and Control

Controlling Aphids on Holy Basil with Homemade Organic Sprays

Plants

Mold Mites in a Cold, Damp Scottish Home: Managing Humidity and Anxiety

Flying Beetles on Windowsills: Cigarette or Drugstore Beetles from Stored Food

Tiny Brown Bugs in Closet and Bed: Carpet Beetle Larvae from Hidden Food Source

Tiny Dark Bugs in Manitoba Apartment: Springtails, Not Cockroaches

Tiny Brown "Splinter" Bugs Covering Car: Likely Thrips Attracted to Color

Eliminating Fungus Gnats: A Step-by-Step Soil-Drying Method

Identifying Microscopic White Bugs and Webbing on Annuals: Likely Spider Mites