RSS Feed
Email this article
Printer friendly page


Carpet Beetle


Those darn kids! It's not the adult carpet beetle that causes the problem; it is the larval stage in the carpet beetle's life that causes damage to carpets and other fabrics inside the home.  The larvae of carpet beetles are about a ΒΌ inch long and look like a brown caterpillar covered with short bristles. They prefer dark, secluded places like closets, attics or the spaces behind walls and under floors.

The adult beetle is about the same size but enjoys sunlight and feeds on pollen and nectar. But, because the adults are more open about their

carpet.jpg
Larvae

presence, they get blamed for everything. Adult carpet beetles shiny black or brightly colored depending on the species. Finding adult carpet beetles indoors on window sills may indicate a larval infestation somewhere in the house.

The larvae of carpet beetles move around from room to room, so the source of an infestation can be difficult to locate and treat. The best way to treat for carpet beetles is to keep areas clean of animal hair, dust, old spider webs or soiled fabrics. Carpet beetle larvae really like that stuff. Vacuum frequently with a beater-bar vacuum cleaner to eliminate eggs lying in the carpets. Eliminating food sources is the best way of preventing carpet beetles, but identifying where they are coming from is the first step in getting rid of an

carpetdamage.jpg
Carpet Beetle damage

existing infestation.

Carpet beetles originate from an old bird's nest or dead animal hidden behind a wall. Old cereal in boxes or other grains can be good food sources for carpet beetles, too. Adult carpet beetles can be brought into the house on cut flowers. Finding molted shed skins that look like the larva of the beetle, but crusty and brittle, can help you to locate where the beetles are feeding.

If you discover carpet beetle damage on clothing you will need to do a thorough house cleaning including emptying, vacuuming and treating dressers, closets or other storage areas with prescribed pesticides. You need to kill the eggs, larva, and adult forms of the insect to get control. Roughly brush the clothing to kill eggs. Avoid spraying pesticides on clothing, of course. When storing fabrics, seal them in air tight containers and add moth balls or resin strips to keep beetles out and to kill larvae. Resin strips must be used in airtight places so the pesticide can build up in the air, if there is a leak the larvae can survive and keep on feeding. A negative about using mothballs is that everyone within a hundred feet of you will know you are coming before you get there. Same problem with putting clothing in cedar closets. The smell announces your entrance .

If you aren't sure that it is carpet beetles damaging your belongings you can

carpetmothballs.jpg

purchase carpet beetle traps from various on-line web sites. Placing traps around the house will help you determine where the carpet beetles are coming from.

Carpet beetle feeding patterns are similar to clothes moths, but carpet beetles generally feed on one large area rather than leaving many small holes. Sometimes carpet beetles will eat objects you wouldn't expect like the felt and hammer inside a piano. The beetles also will eat stuffed animals or the horns of mounted animals. Museums with animals on display often have this problem.

If you want to eliminate carpet beetles but don't want to fumigate or use pesticides then you can freeze infested objects for two weeks or heat the object for thirty minutes at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously, these solutions will only work on smaller objects. If it's your carpet that is infested you have little choice, but to treat yourself or call in a professional pest control company to do the work.





Comments

Brian Smith
22 Apr 2009, 21:02
What insecticides are on the market that I can buy to treat carpet beetles and where exactly can I buy it? Also pleae supply me with different version of the insecticide( liquid form and powder form) thank you
Ask the Exterminator
24 Apr 2009, 16:27
There are tons of pesticides listing carpet beetles on their label. Any major hardward store will carry the pesticides. Read the label and look for carpet beetle listed under target pests. Follow the label directions exactly. More is not better. And use protective clothing if called for. This is poison you are handling.
brian smith
26 Apr 2009, 21:15
what do you suggest i do since i have 2 young kids in the house a 3 year old and a 7 month old.....should i just call my exterminator?
Ask the Exterminator
27 Apr 2009, 07:00
I would, under the circumstances. Go for experience. Check them out with the Better Business Burea or Angie's List before hiring them. And, tell them your concerns. Ask them how they intend to treat and what materials they will use. Ask for labels of every product so you can read the precautions. It's your house. You have a right to ask. If they object, hire someone else.
jon
30 Apr 2009, 12:52
Just wondering if there are any *natural*
alternatives, for eliminating these pests?
I'm very sensitive to chemicals, so I'm hoping there's an alternative method possible. Thanks!
Ask the Exterminator
30 Apr 2009, 14:28
There are a world of non-chemical pesticides on the market. Most of them are comprised of various oils of one sort or another. They are advertised to flush and kill insects. I'm not exactly sure how Rosemary Oil and Peppermint Oil kill insects, but you can find these products sold by EcoSmart Technologies on line.
Sam
15 Jul 2009, 21:25
I see carpet bugs in one room of my apartment in my living room but not my bedroom. Should i still wash all my clothes in the other room in hot water?

Also, what would happen to my couches and furniture?

I'm going to move to a new apartment but i want to make sure i don't take the carpet bugs with me.

Do i have to clean every piece of furniture or if i get my place fumigated will that resolve everything before i move?

Thanks so much in advance!
Ask the Exterminator
16 Jul 2009, 08:56
Fumigation involves tenting an entire structure. Wrong terminology.

Carpet beetles are present because there was some type of animal nest present in the gutters or walls. Once these beetles have finished off the source of food they go looking for new sources of wool, fur or leather. They don't go after synethics or cotton. That should help you determine what pieces of clothing or furniture need to be inspected. You are looking for the larval stage of this insect, not the adult. Little worm-like insects.
Kaz Persad
28 Jul 2009, 18:53
Hi There -
I just found carpet beetle larvae in my backpack. This isn't something I can heat or throw in the washing machine, and it won't fit in my freezer. What if I submerged it under water in my bath tub for some period of time? Would that help??? Thanks much!
Ask the Exterminator
29 Jul 2009, 10:50
Insects go into a suspended state known as diapause when subjected to life threatening environments allowing them to survive. Maybe if your bath water was boiling, then you would get a good kill.
Kaz
29 Jul 2009, 12:25
Crap. So what is one to do with an item like a backpack? (Or other hiking / camping gear for that matter). Thanks.
Ask the Exterminator
29 Jul 2009, 12:28
Turn it inside out and use a vac on it. That should be enough.
Bbelz
04 Aug 2009, 23:16
I am a costumer, so I have a fair amount of fabric that I keep in my apartment. (an older Victorian house) I recently discovered a larval black carpet beetle infestation in some pieces of wool that I had sitting in my sewing room while I was away over the summer. When I started cleaning my apartment, I also discovered a couple in my couch. I have disposed of the wool piece that was infested, and thoroughly vacuumed my couch,living room, and sewing area. I don't have any carpets, the apartment is all hardwood, and I have very little upholstered furniture. just two small couches.
I hate to throw out more material or my expensive wool yarns if they aren't ruined though. Does washing in hot water and drying on high really kill the little critters? And they won't hang out in the washer/dryer afterward to transfer to my regular clothes will they?
Should I be more concerned about them continuing to multiply, or should I just clean everything really well and keep an eye on things?
Thank you so much for any help.
krys
06 Aug 2009, 05:02
I found some carpet beetle larva in my clothing and have since washed everything I own. I am still finding small black specs on the carpet which I am gussing is them shedding? I sprayed pesticide meant to kill carpet beetles around the baseboards twice and had an exterminator spray once so far. How am I supposed to kill these things? Most of the larva I have been finding now is dead but then why are they still pupating or whatever you may call it? I want to be rid of these things for good. I also cleaned every inch of my rug with borax and everything, I don't know what else I can do. I am worried about them moving into my funiture.
janice
29 Aug 2009, 22:06
I have antique braided wool rugs in most rooms in my home. The guest room is rarely used. I was cleaning it for company and noticed a hidden side was completely chewed/destroyed,(about 6 inch area) and tons of tiny pellets/round, on the ground. Then I noticed small holes in the hardwood floor, around the eaten rug area. Some of the holes seemed to have a thin, hard cover, which I removed with my thumbnail. I saw one tiny 1/2 inch or less whiteish worm/caterpillar, and squished it with my finger before thinking to save for reference. Then my husband fogged the room. A few days later I checked the area and sure enough, more tiny pellets, but also 3 dead wormlike insects. What eats wool and bores into hardwood? Do I need to tent my house? Any info appreciated. Thanks, Janice
Jenny
02 Sep 2009, 14:14
We have found a carpet beetle infestation in our mattress and sheets. My mom and I were both bitten up sleeping in her bed and it was infested with the carpet beetles (in the mattress and mattress cover.) The local exterminator defined the bugs as carpet beetles. Can they cause these kind of bites and how can we keep the house clear of them? We live over a crawl space in a ranch house with 3 cats that don't go out and 3 birds. Thank you.
Falguni
17 Sep 2009, 20:48
I have tiny, black bugs that fly in my house mainly on floor & carpet. They crawl over my pants. They bite and suck blood. Are they carpet bites?

The bites itch a lot. Please advise

Thanks
Falguni
KD
26 Oct 2009, 12:26
I have found live carpet beetle larvae on my clothes in the closet. I have a lot of clothes, two FULL closets. I want these devils gone!! I was thinking of using a pesticide around inside the house, but I have a dog and cat that I am concerned about. The house is about 1000 sq ft. with all hardwood floors. I am limited by space so the closets are packed pretty full. What can i do with all the clothes? Wash them all, freeze them...I am afraid there are beetles between the folded clothes. Help please!!

Thanks,
KD
KF
14 Nov 2009, 17:24
We recently experienced bites, and discovered several wooly bear larvae under our bed, so I'm interested to hear if carpet beetles do indeed bite.
*Name:
Email:
Notify me about new comments on this page
Hide my email
The box below is for comments only! Please ask your questions by clicking on the "Ask the Exterminator a Question" button at top of this page.
*Text:
Security Image:

Visual CAPTCHA


 



Categories: