Insects

[HaMalka]

This morning I found some bugs eating some of my woolen spinning that had fallen under my bed. I also found some of the bugs in my bed under my pillow. I'm freaking out and feeling bugs crawling all over me especially on my scalp. Are there any bugs that eat hair as well as wool? Are there any ways to prevent them from infesting my hair? I can't deal with the bugs at the moment as I'm to panicked so I cannot give a description yet. Please, Please, Please, let me know if you know anything.

[Seeshami]

Carpet beetles eat fibers.

If it's not carpet beetles they are drinking blood not fiber eating

[Yosha]

Were they like tiny gray ladybugs? Then likely they are carpet beetles or maybe even museum beetles. I have never heard that they eat keratin from a live animal, like a human. Only old and dead stuff, like woolen carpets and stuffed animals. Or in birds nests, where they may eat from the feathers in the nest (never heard of them eating the feathers of the live birds). When the birds make nests in the roof, some of these beetles can fall off and end up in the rooms below. If it's them, they won't "attack" you. The larvae look like very tiny brown caterpillars. They won't do you any harm. If you're too scared right now, have someone else look at them, or maybe take a picture and then magnify it so you can see what it is without having to stay to close to them for too long. They are pretty slow movers (so not like a spider or anything).

Did you manage to check on them again to see what they look like yet (or let someone else have a look)?

Edit: I saw Seeshami beat me to it :)
Edit2: and I see there's also black carpet beetles

[Amapola]

The insects that eat fiber like quiet. Quiet, quiet quiet and DARK. So if you sat in a closet and held very, very still for weeks on end, then yes, insects *might* eat your hair. :flower: But if you are a normal human and spend the day walking, talking, eating, going here there and everywhere, the insects would be horrified and would stay far, far away. So I think you are safe! :grouphug: Don't be scared, please. :)

[HaMalka]

They are small and look sort of like miniature pill bugs that don't curl up when poked. They do not have visible heads or legs so I'm pretty sure its not lice, bedbugs, or mature carpet bugs. It may be larvae though. I won't be able to take a closer look or get any pictures (or make someone else do it) for another couple of days as things are rather busy. I am fairly certain they are fiber eaters from the condition my thread was in. For the moment I am planning on sleeping on the couch or on the floor in another room depending on how much I freak out tonight.

Amapola, Thank you for the reassurance. I think part of my freaking out has to do with that if it turns out to be something that infests hair I will have to cut my hair because I wouldn't be able to deal with it alone, I don't trust salon people with my hair, and I don't know anyone how is willing to help me with bugs with my knee length hair and I really do not want to cut 6 years of growth off.

"I have never heard that they eat keratin from a live animal, like a human. Only old and dead stuff, like woolen carpets and stuffed animals."
Thank you so much for saying this Yosha. It helps with my panicking.

Thank you for your help and if anyone knows more please respond.

[neko_kawaii]

I had an infestation of carpet beetles a few years ago. They decimated my wool and silk clothes, paint brushes, etc. They love the shed cat hair that collects under and behind furniture. They will eat human hair, but like Amapola said, only in dark quiet places - my husband's old abandoned brush in the bottom of a drawer was clearly affected, but my boar hair brush sitting out on my dresser was not.

There are many resources on the internet for how to deal with them. Don't worry about the hair on your head, it is all other other natural fiber materials throughout your house they are after.

[AspenSong]

Carpet beetles come in several different markings...and to me it sounds like the pill bug looking things you're finding are larvae...Google it to confirm, but it's what they sound like to me.
You are in no danger at all, nor your hair....so try to calm yourself! :) All you can usually do for carpet beetles is a lot of vacuuming and cleaning...crevices, etc. Look into making a boric acid spray to spray around, won't hurt you but will kill them...and maybe sprinkle some diatomaceous earth around. It's easily vacuumed up later and it'll help kill them too.

[vpatt]

You can also Google to find a combination of herbs for sachets to keep in your wool and other fibers. I know whole cloves and cinnamon sticks, but I can't think what else I used. That will help repel bugs.

[Waffle]

You should find what tye of bug it is than find the best way to get rid of them is.

[Amapola]

Here are a couple of things that humans really like but that are death on insects: lavender, cedar oil and strangely enough patchouli! :) Cedar works really well, that is why they make closets and chests out of it: it naturally repels insects. You can use sachets of these things around the area, you can sprinkle a few drops of the oil around, and so on and so forth.

It's really odd but there are things that are toxic to insects that we really enjoy, such as cinnamon. The tree that grows the bark uses its bark to keep itself safe from insects, but that does not work against humans who love apple pie. :lol: So you can also use cinnamon around the house as well, and the bugs won't like that one bit! Don't worry, you will be able to get this under control, and your magnificent hair will be safe.

[MsPharaohMoan]

Watch what you sprinkle around the house if you have pets... I'm not sure the anatomy of these bugs but diatomaceous earth is a personal fav when in need of a mechanical insecticide.