Carpet beetles are common household pests that wreak significant damages on natural fibers and stored foods.
These insects enter homes to lay their eggs. The interesting fact is that the adult carpet beetles that enter homes are harmless.
It’s the carpet beetle larvae that cause the damages.
In this guide you’ll find out the source of carpet beetles infestation inside the house.
You’ll discover where carpet beetles come from and what draws them inside the house.
Plus, there are also carpet beetle prevention tips that you can use right now to secure your home from an infestation.
Keep reading.
Adult Carpet Beetles Identification
Adult carpet beetles are oval-shaped insects that feed on the flower pollen and nectar at the outdoors.
They come in different colors. And depending on their color they’ve got specific names.
The carpet beetles which are shiny black, are known as black carpet beetles.
There are carpet beetles with white spots, which are known as varied carpet beetle.
And there are furniture carpet beetles, which are brownish.
Adult carpet beetles sizes are between 1/8 – 3/16 inches. They have got six legs, a pair of developed wings, and a pair of antennae.
Carpet beetles are capable fliers and crawlers.
Outdoors, the adult beetles will lay their eggs on dead insects. It’s because the dead insects are the food sources for the carpet beetle larvae.
They’ll also lay eggs in bird nests. Their larvae also feed on the feathers and excrements of the hatchlings in the nests.
Carpet beetle eggs are oval, creamy white with a few long bristles on the surface, and they’re 1/2 a mm in size.
Adult beetles are active during the spring, which is their mating season. It’s during this period carpet beetles lay eggs.
The Carpet Beetle Larvae
The carpet beetle larva hatch out of the eggs after 20 days from the day of laying.
The larvae is a tiny brownish worm with tan strips and hairy bristles. They’re 1/2 an inch in size.
Point to note here that the adult carpet beetles are not damaging pests. Their larvae are.
Adult carpet beetles don’t bite. The carpet beetle larvae don’t bite either.
But the hairy bristles on the larva’s body can cause skin irritation if the larva comes in contact with your skin.
Carpet beetle larva inside the house is a glaring sign of carpet beetle infestation that you should never ignore.
Where Do Carpet Beetles Come From Inside Homes?
Adult beetles enter homes either by flying in through open doors and windows or they crawl inside through the gaps on the windowsills, walls, and doors.
These beetles enter homes for only one reason. And that is to deposit their eggs on the food sources of the larvae.
The carpet beetle larvae feed on natural fabric like wool, silk, feathers, leather, and furs. They can also feed on organic cotton and linen.
So, carpets, rugs, clothes, soft toys, and furnishings made from these natural fibers are egg-laying grounds for the adult carpet beetles.
Apart from these, the carpet beetle larvae also feeds on flours, cereals, and processed food grains.
So, the adult beetles can sneak inside closets, wardrobes, dresser drawers, and stored food containers in kitchen pantries to deposit their eggs.
However, that’s not all.
The wall voids in the house and gaps in places like attic, basement, and garage can contain dead insects.
Many bugs like boxelder bugs, wasps, stink bugs, and cluster flies enter homes during the winter to overwinter. They’ll hide in those cracks.
A lot of these bugs and their carcasses remain in the voids.
Those dead insects inside the voids also becomes egg-laying spots for carpet beetles.
The carpet beetle larvae, after finishing the dead insects in the voids, will venture out of these wall cracks and scavenge for food inside the house.
Their search for food draw them to things like woolen carpets, rugs, silk fabric, and to places like kitchen pantry and beds.
Signs Of Carpet Beetle Infestation
- Carpet beetle larvae
- Damages on fabrics
- Damages on stored foods
These are three signs of carpet beetle infestation inside the house.
The carpet beetle larvae will appear on places like walls, carpets, beds, and even inside closets and kitchen pantries.
The larvae scavenges for food and it’s slow crawler.
You can see them on crawling on the walls, especially when the adult beetles laid their eggs in the wall voids.
The larva will crawl out of the wall crevices looking for things like pet hair, spider webs and dead insects to eat.
The same applies when you see them on soft furnishings like carpets, rugs, and beds.
Carpet beetle larvae can get on to your bed. Sweat stains, food stains, and food crumbs on a dirty bed linen can attract the larva to your bed too.
The second glaring sign of carpet beetle infestation in the house is chewed holes on the natural fabrics.
The carpet beetle larvae will feed on the fibers and cause threadbare holes. They’ll also leave behind their fecal deposits and shed skin on the fabrics.
The larvae damages food too by feeding on it and by discharging it’s feces. The food starts to stink and grows stale.
How To Prevent Carpet Beetle Infestation?
The key to prevent an infestation is to prevent adult beetles from entering the house and removing the food sources of the larvae.
Here’s how you can do it.
Throw Away Old Fabrics In Storage Areas
Old fabrics in storage areas like basement, attic, and garage attract the adult beetles to lay eggs on them.
These fabric have lint which the larvae eat.
So, remove those old dusty fabrics to make sure that they don’t attract carpet beetles.
Seal Cracks And Gaps
Adult carpet beetles will deposit their eggs in the cracks and holes on furniture, walls, and floors.
These cracks can contain things like pet hair and dead insects. So, they contain the food sources of the carpet beetle larvae.
So, caulk those cracks with a quality sealant.
Also, ensure to seal the cracks on the windowsills and door frames. Carpet beetles can crawl through them and sneak inside the house.
Install Window Screens With Fine Mesh
A meshed window screen on the windows prevents the adult beetles from flying inside the house.
Adult carpet beetles are also attracted to light from the light bulbs. They’ll fly inside the house through the open doors and windows to reach the light source.
Install the screens on the windows of your home, especially on the windows of kitchen, basement, and on the vents of attic, to prevent the adult beetles from flying inside.
Inspect Your Stored Foods
Check your stored food grains, especially processed grains and cereals, for any signs of carpet beetle larvae.
If you find any, then put the grains in sealed plastic bags and keep them in a freezer for 48 hours.
The freezing cold kills the larvae in the foods. Wash the food grains in hot water before restocking them inside robust airtight jars.
If the grains have turned stale or emitting a stench, then it’ll be best to throw them away.
Keep Your Home Clean
Vacuum clean your home daily, especially during the spring and summer months when carpet beetles are active.
Clean the soft furnishings like carpets, rugs, beds, and clothing storage areas like closets and dresser drawers.
Carpet beetles are also fabric pests that sneak inside the closets. So, keep moth balls and cedar inside the fabric storage places to keep the carpet beetles away.
Use Insecticides Sprays
If you see any adult carpet beetle larvae or adult carpet beetle in your home, then use a spray like Raid to kill them.
Don’t use the pesticides sprays in your kitchen pantry or stored food. The pesticides contain poison that can seriously harm you.
Extensive cleaning, treating the infested food, and using repellants in kitchen are the best ways to prevent and treat carpet beetles in the kitchen.
Call Professional Pest Control
Carpet beetles have the habit of laying their eggs in hiding in the thinnest of gaps inside the house. Find them and eliminating them can be difficult.
Call a professional pest to control company for eliminating these pests if they’re coming back despite your repeated efforts.
Summary
The source of carpet beetles is the open doors and windows from where the adult beetles fly inside to lay their eggs.
You can also bring carpet beetles home by bringing in potted plants or old furniture with carpet beetles in them.
The key to prevent an infestation is to deny the food sources that the carpet beetle larvae need and stop them from sneaking inside the house.
Dr. Thomas Orbert, the Microbial Maestro, dances with the tiniest of creatures as an entomologist extraordinaire! With a PhD in entomology, his passion lies in unraveling the secret symphonies of insect-microbe interactions. From minuscule marvels to captivating complexities, Dr. Orbert unveils the hidden world of bugs, igniting curiosity one buzz at a time!
Nang Chen is an Entomologist and Arachnologist who is associated with Vienna’s museum of natural history. He’s also a consultant with real estate groups, insecticide conglomerates and law enforcement groups as a forensic entomologist. Nang Chen holds an M.S. from South China University and he’s a regular contributor to our site.