Are Bed Worms Really a Thing?

Ever twist and turn in the night to realize something is crawling on you? Whether it’s bed bugs, fleas, or unidentified worms — the surprise can be so unsettling you can’t sleep. But what causes bed worms?

Bed worms, also known as mattress worms, are not a specific type of pest, but a group of pests and their larvae that can end up infesting your mattress or bedding. Unlike adult bed bugs and fleas, their larvae have not yet developed into an insect with a hard exoskeleton, giving them a worm-like appearance.

Some mattress worms are simply parasitic worms, and will remain in their worm-form their entire life. Others may appear in your home are pinworms, roundworms, and hookworms.

Here’s what you should know about bed worms:

• If you see tiny white worms crawling on your bed sheets, they could be bed bugs, fleas, carpet beetles, clothes moths, pinworms, hookworms or roundworms in their larvae state.
• Most bed worms are insect larvae, not parasitic worms, as parasitic worms typically thrive and lay their eggs in loose soil outdoors. Bed bugs, fleas, carpet beetles, and moths are more likely to infest the inside of your home, where hosts and other food sources live and sleep.
• Bed worms do not spread diseases themselves. However, the presence of worms in a bed should make anyone uncomfortable. The greatest risks for most species of bed worms are lack of sleep and physical discomfort.
• Pinworms, roundworms, and hookworms can cause itching and irritation to skin, but rarely fully infect adult human hosts. Children are at higher risk of contracting a parasitic infection than adults. Parasitic worms cannot survive for long outside a host body, so you are far more likely to find dead, rolled-up worms in your bed than live worms.
• Fiber-loving pests like carpet beetles and clothes moth larvae are less dangerous to humans, but more dangerous to your property. Carpet beetle larvae are known to wreak havoc on carpets, fabric, books, and other natural fibers in homes and museums. Clothes moth larvae are particularly drawn to bed sheets and clothing.

Real trouble tends to start when parasitic larvae — such as bed bug and flea larvae — mature enough to start biting hosts in bed. If you see small worm-like larvae in your bed, be sure to call us for treatment before they become blood-sucking, disease-carrying parasites.

How Do Bed Worms Get in My Bed?

Bed worms can land in your bed in one of two ways: either eggs were laid in or on the bed by a mature parasite, or the worms were carried to the bed by a human or animal previously exposed to the worms or their eggs. If you see any signs of worms or insects in your bed, take action before the infestation becomes permanent. Most of these larvae will breed as soon as they enter adulthood, making population growth difficult to manage.

Long-term exposure to insects can cause a number of health issues, so calling us is the best way to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible. If you notice bed worms, call a pest control company such Alexandria Pest Services right away.

Rely on Alexandria Pest Services for Your Pest Control Needs!

At Alexandria Pest Services, we offer services to help treat pest infestations here in Northern Virginia. Our priority is for our customers to be comfortable inside their homes without any unwanted insects or rodents.

If you find that you are having a problem with bed bugs, bed worms, termites, rodents, or other pests and need an exterminator in Springfield, Burke, Alexandria, or other parts of Northern Virginia, call Alexandria Pest Services at 703-923-0925 to schedule a professional evaluation. We can help you get rid of these invaders in your home or office! Contact us today to learn more.