Do carpet beetles bite humans?

Carpet beetles do not bite, but they can cause an itchy rash called dermatitis. Carpet beetles are sometimes mistaken for bed bugs, but one of the ways to tell them apart is that bed bugs can and do bite.

Carpet beetles are harmless and mostly vegetarians, eating a diet of natural fibers. One reason they are attracted to people sleeping is because of the carbon dioxide that is exhaled and the presence of natural fibers like feathers and wool in blankets and comforters. Steam cleaning carpets is an effective remedy for carpet beetles because it gets rid of their larvae.