Found One Carpet Beetle Larva? There’s Some Bad News!

Carpet beetle larvae are destructive pests. From stored foods to natural fabrics, their range of damage is quite big.

So, you shouldn’t take their presence lightly. And that’s even though you found one carpet beetle larva.

This guide explains why one carpet beetle larva can mean a thriving infestation in the house.

It also lays out a proven action plan for you to follow to remove the carpet beetle larva menace from your home.

Let’s get into it.

Why Are You Seeing The Carpet Beetle Larva?

There are two reasons for carpet beetle larvae sightings in the house.

First, adult carpet beetles laid eggs in your home and those eggs have hatched.

And second, the larvae might have hitchhiked into your home by latching onto things like furniture, old cardboard boxes, clothing, etc.

The first reason is more common than the second.

Adult carpet beetles enter homes during the spring and summer months while they’re in search of egg-laying sites.

Outdoors, adult beetles lay their eggs on things like bird nests and dead insects.

The carpet beetle larvae feed on the birds’ feathers and dead insects, so, it makes complete sense to them to lay the eggs on the food source.

Adult carpet beetles also try to do the same indoors. They also look for food sources of the larvae to lay their eggs.

The carpet beetle larvae feed on things like natural fibers, such as wool, silk, feathers, and fur.

So, the adults can lay eggs on carpets, rugs, and inside furniture like closets, wardrobes, and dresser drawers.

Wall voids with dead insects and stored food jars are also targets for the adult beetles to lay their eggs.

When these eggs hatch, the carpet beetle larvae emerge. And they venture out of their initial places looking for food.

The larvae scour the home looking for food.

So, you start seeing the carpet beetle larvae in areas like walls, beds, floors, and in places like your kitchen and bathroom.

Is One Carpet Beetle Larva An Infestation?

If you’re wondering how many carpet beetle larvae indicate an infestation, the answer is one!

Finding one carpet beetle larva in the home means there are more.

It’s because adult carpet beetles don’t lay just one egg in the house. A female carpet beetle can lay up to 50 eggs at a time.

Carpet beetle eggs 1/4 – 1/2 mm in size and they’re creamy white. These eggs are hard to detect because of their tiny size and surrounding environment.

Carpet beetle eggs hatch in 20 days, producing the carpet beetle larvae.

It’s wishful thinking to presume that only one carpet beetle will enter your home.

Many adult carpet beetles can enter your home and lay their eggs in different locations of the house.

And that certainly means an infestation.

What To Do If You Found One Carpet Beetle Larva?

If you’ve found one carpet beetle larva, then take a bug spray like Raid and spray on the larva to kill it.

Remove the dead larva and dispose of it outside your home.

The next steps should be to inspect their common hiding places and get rid of the carpet beetle larvae hiding in those areas.

Here are the places that you need to look for carpet beetle larvae –

Carpets and Rugs – Carpets and rugs should be your first search for carpet beetle larvae especially when they’re made of natural fibers such as wool or blended with natural fibers.

Carpet beetle larvae hide in the edges and corners of the carpets. These areas of the carpets are less trafficked, so they tend to lie low in these areas.

It’ll be best to flip over the carpet, look for them at the carpet’s undersides. Inspect the stitching on the carpets and tags because the larvae can remain latched on to them.

Clothing Storages – Clothing storage furniture such as closets, wardrobe, and dresser drawers are hideouts for fabric pests such as carpet beetle larvae and cloths moth larvae.

The adult carpet beetles can lay their eggs directly on them. Or the carpet beetle larvae will crawl into those storages while searching for food.

Upholstered Furniture – Any furniture with fabric upholstery such as beds, sofas, and chairs can be hiding places and feeding grounds of the carpet beetle larvae.

Don’t skip inspecting the curtains and drapes.

Curtains and drapes provide a plentiful source of fabric for the larvae to feed on.

And they often go unnoticed in these furnishings.

Wall Hangings, Wall Décor, And Tapestry – Carpet beetle larvae on walls and ceiling hide behind the wall décor such as photo frames.

They can also feed on the tapestries and other decorative fabrics hanging on the walls.

Air Ducts and Vents – Carpet beetle larvae will hide in these areas because these places are full of tiny dead bugs, pet/human hair, dead skin cells, and dust mites. These are all food sources for the larvae.

Beneath Baseboards, Behind Moldings, and In Floor Cracks – These secluded dark areas allow the carpet beetle larvae to escape predators and provide them safe places to pupate.

Pantry Shelves – The carpet beetle larva is a damaging food pest too. It feeds on pet foods, grains, and many other types of foods you keep in your kitchen pantry.

Other Stored Products – Items such as old books, musical instruments, taxidermy mounts, or woolen items stored in attics, basements, or cupboards are potential hiding spots.

How To Get Rid Of Carpet Beetle Larvae?

It’s a tough job to get rid of carpet beetle larvae because of their tiny size and because of their ability to hide in the hard-to-reach areas of your home.

It’ll be best to hire a pest controller to do the job if you’re running short of time.

However, if you want to get rid of carpet beetle larvae on your own then follow the steps below.

Vacuum Clean Thoroughly To Remove Carpet Beetle Larvae

Vacuum your carpets, upholstery, and anywhere else you’ve noticed the carpet larvae. Vacuuming will help remove larvae, eggs, and adult beetles.

Be sure to use a high-powered vacuum and concentrate on areas that are less disturbed, like under furniture and along baseboards.

Use A Steam Cleaner

If the infestation is severe, consider using a steam cleaner. The heat from the steam can kill carpet beetle larvae and eggs.

Apply Insecticide Spray Such As Raid

Raid kills carpet beetle larvae on contact. Spray Raid on the carpet beetle larvae.

Always follow the instructions on the product label for safe and effective usage.

Wash The Fabrics

Washing the infested fabrics in hot water and dying them in high heat will any carpet beetle larvae and their eggs on them.

This step is specifically important if you’ve found the larvae on the fabric of your closet, wardrobe, and dresser drawers.

You can also give your carpets and rugs for professional cleaning if the larvae infested them too.

Monitoring And Repeating The Steps

If you’re going down the DIY route, then getting rid of carpet beetle infestation will need multiple follow ups.

Repeat the cleaning and vacuuming process regularly until you stop noticing the carpet beetle larvae.

Preventing Carpet Beetle Infestation

Carpet beetle infestation grips many homes during the spring which is their breeding season.

Being vigilant during this period and taking preventative steps to stop the infestation will save your home a lot of damage.

Not to mention, it’s vital to prevent the adult carpet beetles from entering the house and laying their eggs.

Here are the easy prevention methods to follow –

Regular Cleaning

Regular and thorough cleaning of carpets, upholstery, and other fabrics can prevent the buildup of the organic material that carpet beetles feed on.

Seal Cracks and Holes

Seal any cracks or holes in your walls, windows, or doors to prevent carpet beetles from entering your home.

The wall voids in places like attic become the egg-laying grounds for adult carpet beetles and many other wall bugs.

So, sealing them will prevent the adult beetles from laying eggs in them.

Store Clothing Properly

Store clothing in garment bags to protect them from carpet beetles, especially items made of natural fibers like wool or silk.

Don’t keep dirty clothes and fabric in the clothing storage because they draw carpet beetles.

Before storing clothing made of wool, silk, or fur for extended periods, consider dry cleaning them. Carpet beetles are less likely to infest clean clothes.

Regular Inspection

Regularly inspect stored items and areas prone to carpet beetle infestations, such as attics or basements, to catch an infestation before it becomes established.

Keep these areas clean and free of clutter to prevent carpet beetles and other insects from hiding in them.

Use Mothballs or Cedar Balls

Mothballs and smells of cedar balls deter fabric pests such as carpet beetles and clothes moths.

Keep them in your clothing storages such as closets, wardrobes, and dresser drawers. Regularly spraying essential oils such as peppermint also repels carpet beetles.

However, keep in mind that some people are sensitive to the smell of these products, and they may not be suitable for all households.

Install Window Screens With Fine Mesh

Adult carpet beetles are also fliers, and they fly inside the house to lay their eggs.

Adult carpet beetles are attracted to light. So, the reflecting light from the window or the glowing light bulb inside the house can draw these beetles.

So, it’ll be best to install window screens with fine mesh to prevent carpet beetles and many other flies and insects from entering your home.

Conclusion

If you found one carpet beetle larvae, then there are more in your home. Sighting of one larva indicates a carpet beetle infestation in the house.

A female adult carpet beetle always lays multiple eggs in the home. She lays these eggs in hard-to-reach dark corners in your house.

When the carpet beetle larvae hatch out of these eggs, they scour the home looking for food. And that’s the time when you spot the larva.

Searching for their possible hiding places and getting rid of the carpet beetle larvae will save your home from the damages they cause.