A carpet beetle is a small insect that is usually oval-shaped that could create an infestation when you’re not careful about them. They can cause a significant amount of damage to furniture, carpet, bedding, and more in the long run.
You wouldn’t want to leave these insects alone especially when you’ve spotted one already. The young ones and the larvae live off eating silk, wool, leather, and other natural fibers. Not only that, but they also consume pet hair, flowers, and plants.
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of insect infestations is to identify them from the get-go. Once you’ve marked where they hide and where they go for food, you can quickly plan how to control the pests with the help of professional pest control services.
Carpet Beetle Species To Be Aware Of
There are several carpet beetle types:
- Common Carpet Beetle or the Anthrenus Scrophulariae (Linnaeus)
- Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus Verbasci)
- Furniture Carpet Beetle or the Anthrenus Flavipes (Leconte)
- Black Carpet Beetle or the Attagenus Unicolor (Brahm)
The common carpet beetle can cause the most damage even in its larval stage. These pests and bed bugs are not the same, although many people tend to confuse them with each other. Even if both are some similarities, the former are more attracted to natural fibers and are fond of damaging clothing, furniture, and rugs.
Not only that but carpet beetles will also consume felt located inside music instrument cases and under your lamps and furniture. The structure of their mouths is designed to chew more on fiber materials and plants. Unlike bed bugs, these pests won’t bite but it would feel like they’re biting you because of the long red hairs they possess.
Carpet Beetle Life Cycle
The insects lay eggs less than 1mm in length. Their eggs are white or cream-colored, and adults can lay about a hundred eggs at once. The hatching period takes around 10 days up to a month.
Furniture carpet beetles on the other hand can lay 60 eggs with a 9 to 16-day hatching period. The species’ larvae live around 70 to 90 days before they begin to pupate. The next stage of these insects is 14 to 17 days in pupa until they emerge as adults. A furniture carpet beetle has a lifespan of about 4 to 8 weeks.
You are dealing with dime-sized common carpet beetles that measure around 2.5 to 3.8 mm long in adulthood. They are quite small and the common carpet beetle has a striped black shell with orange yellow or white colors combined.
Infestation of Carpet Beetles: How to Detect It?
There are many ways to stop the infestation of carpet beetles and the key is locating them early on. Don’t wait for the infestation to grow big to the point that you can’t control it anymore. If you don’t have any experience dealing with these insects, it’s best to let professionals handle them.
Locating the Source
It’s always important to locate where the infestation began. There are many places in your home, office, or business where you can spot these pests. The most obvious one would be your rugs, then it would be your curtains and upholstery.
In case you have pets, these insects also tend to hide in animal beds. Make sure to also check your bedding, chimneys, and even your flour and dried pasta containers. Insects could easily enter homes through small gaps in your open doors or windows.
Infestations begin with getting furniture that is already infested. Apart from your rugs, taxidermy is also a hotbed for carpet beetle infestations. You might spot larvae in the areas mentioned especially when they are not properly cleaned regularly.
Finding Signs of an Infestation
Apart from locating the source, you should always want to check signs that indicate your property is infested. Being familiar with signs also helps you see which areas of your property are infested with pests.
You will want to look at areas where you have wool-blend rugs and wool clothes. These pests also camp in blankets and in a variety of hidden areas around the property. When the area is infested you will likely find larval skin, and dead pests, especially on the walls and your windowsills.
Make sure to also check your light fixtures. Carpet beetles are attracted to light, that’s why they gravitate to places where there is a constant light source. An important thing to note is that larval beetles cause the most damage which is why you should get rid of them first.
What to Do if a Carpet Beetle Infestation Occurs
When you find an existing carpet beetle infestation on your property, it’s time to plan how to take them out permanently. Even though there are existing DIY solutions, the infestation will likely return later on. That’s why it’s always a better option to contact pest control services.
Preventing the Spread of the Infestation
After setting a schedule for pest control services, you will also need to do regular cleaning of your property. You don’t want the infestation to keep spreading while waiting for pest control services. At this point, you have to apply temporary preventative measures.
One thing you can do is regularly clean your rugs and draperies. Wipe down your upholstered furniture and keep other locations free of insects. Always vacuum the property and remove any possible food sources for pests to feed on.
If you can, try to move your furniture around so that you can inspect what’s under it. Also, make sure that you wash and store your clothes in clean and dry areas. If it helps place them in sealed bags or storage to avoid pests reaching them.
Controlling and Eradicating Infestations
Pest control services will begin by performing an inspection of your property. They do this to mark areas where you have found insects. In addition, they will also thoroughly scan the property to look for more possible infested sections.
They will then identify which types of pests are plaguing your property and decide which pest control procedures will best fit the situation. After identifying that you have a carpet beetle infestation they will start the proper eradication procedure.
Pest control services will seal any cracks or holes in the property that could serve as hiding spots for insects. You can choose to work with companies that use non-toxic pest eradication products to protect you and your family’s health.
Keep Your Home Free From Carpet Beetle Infestation
The great thing about hiring professionals to clear infestations on your property is that they can finish the job immediately. They know what to do, how to get rid of the pests, and how to make sure infestations don’t return.
A good pest control service will give you suggestions and advice on how to keep your home carpet beetle-free. Remember that pests can thrive in different types of environments which is why you should always clean your surroundings.
Responsible bettle pest control services will give you feedback on what attracts beetles the most and how you can find alternatives to easily infested materials. But you may be wondering how to get rid of carpet beetles permanently, the answer is hiring beetle exterminators who ensure that the carpet beetle extermination is done properly.
