Your Guide To Carpet Beetle Problems

If you notice your fabrics or clothes are starting to develop holes in them and they aren’t from wear and tear, your first thought may jump to moths. They are notorious for destroying fabrics and often to blame for clothing destruction.

Before you purchase moth treatment for call in the professionals; take a closer look. Another pest that may be wreaking havoc on your fabrics and carpets could be a tiny beetle that you need to look out for-the carpet beetle!

Carpet beetle larvae though small can cause some significant damage. So identifying that they are the pest that is bugging your home and quick is always important.

We are going to give you some great tips in identifying these tiny ravenous beetles and how to get them out of your home.

What Do Carpet Beetles Look Like?

Carpet beetle larvae are very small, only about one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch long. They are usually tan or brown and covered in bristles. Many times you will hear their larvae referred to as “wooly bears” because of their bristly appearance.

The larvae are most active at night which makes it harder for you to tell if you do have a carpet beetle problem. They will shed their skin several times during the life cycle until they become a fully formed beetle. You can look for these wooly skins underneath dressers and other furniture to give you a sign that you may have a carpet beetle problem.

As adult beetles, they are only one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch long. They are shaped like an oval and can vary in color from black to spotted with white, black, yellow, and orange. When carpet beetles enter their adult stage, they no longer feed on fabrics, they will now eat flower pollen.

However, the adult beetles can lay 50-100 eggs on carpets, air vents, or even areas where there is a large accumulation of pet hair. These can lead to a quick infestation of carpet beetle larvae. And they can quickly destroy a lot of delicate items in your home.

How did I get Carpet Beetles?

But how did these carpet beetles even get into your home in the first place? With many different kinds of pests, the answer can be pretty obvious. Ants in your kitchen are drawn in because they are attracted to the delicious crumbs they find. And mice need a place to call home.

Well, carpet beetles generally live outdoors. The adult beetles live on plant pollen and nectar. So, if you have brought in a beautiful bouquet lately, well they may have hitched a ride in. Or the larvae can accidentally be brought in on a fabric item that already has an infestation.

The adult beetles are also attracted to light, so they can make their way into your home through open windows, chimneys, and any small openings around your home.

And once they are inside, they will make themselves comfortable in a wide variety of places and start to lay their eggs. If you have wool carpets or wool clothing that is their favorite! Carpet beetle larvae’s diet is composed mainly of animal hair, silk plants, feathers, and natural fibers, so they will be around areas that have these items.

Evict Those Carpet Beetles!

Once you have figured out that you do have a carpet beetle problem, it is time to get them out. You don’t want them causing any more damage than they already have.

If you find yourself with a that is infested with carpet beetles, you can freeze or wash and dry the item at high temperatures to kill the larvae. This can be especially helpful if you are bringing in a new item into your homes like a used rug or a used piece of clothing, you don’t want to have a carpet beetle infestation to spread to your whole home unknowingly.

Vacuuming regularly will help to pick up dead skin, lint, and debris that carpet beetle larvae want to feed on. You can eliminate their food source and also vacuum up some larvae at the same time.

If the carpet beetles made their way in through gaps and crevices in your home, a good tip for you would be to seal those up. This is helpful for any type of pest, not just carpet beetles. And with fall around the corner, you never know what type of creepy crawly pests are going to want to keep warm inside your home.

But, ultimately the best way to know that carpet beetles are completely out of your home is to have your home treated by your local pest control company. You don’t want to have to keep having your items destroyed by these pests. We can quickly treat the affected areas and have your home back to normal in no time.

Call us for Help

If you think that you may have a carpet beetle problem, we are here to help you solve it quickly. No one wants to wake up to find holes in their carpets or clothes. We can come to assess your home and make sure that it is indeed a carpet beetle problem and take care of it so that your life can get back to normal.

No matter the pest issue that you find yourself with, our pest control plans can keep your home safe all year round. And If you ever have any questions, don’t forget we always offer free phone consultations. Give us a call, we are always here to help.