Do you need help removing carpet beetles? Many carpet beetles have no clear identification, and they are difficult to distinguish from moths.
The most common damage is the first sign before any others. Carpet beetles have found many ways to get into carpets.
Obviously, carpet beetles can cause serious health problems when removed only when the person has some knowledge of the insect.
In this guide, we aim to give you all the facts about this pest and how to get rid of carpet beetles.
Carpet beetles are small insects that, if not taken care of, can become a nuisance in the home.
Young carpet beetles and larvae feast on materials like wool, silk, and leather which are natural fibres. They also consume animal products such as pet hair.
On the other hand, adult carpet beetles mainly feed on pollen, plants, and flowers.
Carpet beetles have a range of different symptoms which may not be limited to the flooring but for upholstered furniture.
Some carpet beetle species have a name that is named after the food that it likes. This pest usually resides in organic materials.
The 3 types of carpet beetles commonly found in homes are the varied carpet beetle, furniture carpet beetle, and black carpet beetle.
Varied carpet beetle
The adult varied carpet beetle is very small, with black wing covers covered in a brown, white, and dark yellow pattern of scales.
The wings of adult varied carpet beetles gradually darken, eventually appearing black or brown. Varied carpet beetle females prefer to lay their eggs in wasps', birds', bees' nests, and spider webs when they're outdoors.
The webs and nests are rich in larval food sources, such as beeswax, dead insects, pollen, feathers, or other debris.
Furniture carpet beetle
Compared to the varied carpet beetle, furniture carpet beetles are rounder and bigger.
The markings may differ between adults, but they share common features: black spots on a white and dark yellow/orange background. These can be found on the wing covers.
Furthermore, both kinds of larvae will eat similar things. For instance, furniture carpet beetles can lay around 60 eggs and the adults have a lifespan of 8 weeks.
Black carpet beetle
If you're trying to identify a black carpet beetle, one key distinguisher is its size compared to other types of beetles.
The adult beetles are a little over half an inch long, shiny black, and have dark brown legs. The larvae look like smooth, short, and shiny grubs with stiff hairs all over their bodies. Adult beetles usually lay 90 eggs, and they have a lifespan of 8 weeks.
The carpet beetle larvae also called woolly bears, have bands of hair and are covered by small bristles of 5 mm or more. It's like a tiny fluffy caterpillar.
When the wooly bears grow up into adult carpet beetles, it is rounded with 6 legs with antenna and is of several different kinds.
Variable or variegated carpet insects can be a range of colors: orange, black or white speckled.
The white beetle looks different because its black color seems like the name implies.
The adult carpet beetle is likely to survive for at least a week or two. Freshly laid eggs take between 6 and 18 days to hatch.
In the next two years, they are going through a phase of pupae – in a beetle-like state - which will live from 2 to 3 weeks.
Yes, beetles fly in the house, this is the easiest method to attract carpet beetles from your house. Their flying capability makes carpet bugs more annoying and spreads further around the house.
Carpet beetles don't have any toxic effects but can affect people's respiratory tracts and cause eye irritation.
Here are a few telltale signs that you may have carpet beetle infestations in your home:
If you suspect you have a carpet beetle infestation, don't panic! There are a number of things you can do to get rid of them naturally.
Did you know that Lysol can't kill carpet beetles? Most people don't because it's such a common household disinfectant. It is made up of lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and isopropyl alcohol though.
A cleaning solution of one part bleach and three parts water is also effective in killing the eggs and larvae on contact. The use of a flying insect fogger is good at getting rid of carpet beetles.
Once you've gotten rid of your current infestation, it's important to take steps to prevent future infestations. Here are a few things you can do:
A clean vacuum removes beetle larvae from carpeting quickly and easily. Focus on the source and the infested areas, but vacuum the house for the removal of every single insect. Remove the bag immediately after the vacuum.
Place the glue board trap inside closets, kitchens, or other dark spaces so that the larvae and adults can be found. You may find less carpet beetles in the trap during the days following your treatment. If the area has no activity within one month of your return, leave.
It is possible that a swarm has invaded your house and will infiltrate you soon!
As you may know, the carpet beetle has not only caused a nuisance. It's devastating for those with expensive or historic natural-fiber items.
They may also ruin art pieces or museums' whole collections of rare animals. Although vermin are not capable of transmitting dangerous illnesses, molting insects can cause skin irritation.
If you have tried all of the methods above, and you are still struggling with how to get rid of carpet beetles, we recommend that you call our professional pest control service.