Sometimes, the name for a pest can give people the wrong idea of where they are likely to encounter it. For instance, bed bugs aren’t only inside a mattress, and carpet beetles aren’t only under a rug. Learning all you can about the traits of invasive and damaging pests can help you stay protected, and carpet beetles are no exception.
What Are Furniture Carpet Beetles?
Carpet beetles are small insects that can look very different depending on their stage of life. Many people don’t know that the larval offspring cause damage to household rugs and fibers, not the adults. So, in the interest of learning all we can about these invaders, here’s how to spot carpet beetles no matter their age:
- Eggs: Carpet beetle eggs are milky or yellowish sacs, often stashed away in dark corners or folds where fibrous materials are nearby to feast on once they hatch.
- Nymphs & larvae: Once hatched, carpet beetles go through several growing stages, and it’s in these developmental stages that they eat things that contain keratin, an animal fiber found in wool and blended fabrics.
- Adults: Once fully matured, carpet beetles look like round, hard-shelled bugs with gray and dark speckles on their backs. They can be spotted either crawling or fluttering around.
Where Are They Found?
Carpet beetles can be found in various environments, depending on how old they are and what edible materials are around a property. Here are all common places to find carpet beetles and their larvae or eggs, besides in rugs and carpets themselves:
- Furniture: Upholstery and fabric covers on furniture can contain fibers that carpet beetles eat. You’ll find them in couches, chairs, and cushions.
- Curtains: In the absence of other easy spots to nest, carpet beetles will cling to and lay their eggs in the folds of curtains and drapes. Also, larvae can crawl from infested rugs or carpeting and up onto curtains for feeding.
- Closets: Like clothes moths, carpet beetles will lay their eggs inside closets, where wool jackets and cuffs provide a meal for newly-hatched bugs.
Prevention For Your Property
Because they can crawl or fly in, there are several areas you need to frequently inspect and maintain in order to stay protected from a carpet beetle infestation. Here are the best, simplest steps you can take:
- Crack sealing: Tiny insects can squeeze through impossibly small holes and cracks, so it’s important to address any faults you may find on your property’s exterior.
- Window screens & door sweeps: Carpet beetles can crawl or fly in through any common entryway, like windows and doors. Make sure screens are well-maintained and free of holes or tears and consider installing door sweeps on and weatherstripping around doors to reduce open spaces.
- Professional treatments: The surest way to drive pests away and keep them out all year is with professional treatments around the outside of structures and yards.
Let Romney Pest Control Help
Not only can their large numbers and chew marks be annoying, the damage that carpet beetles cause can ruin priceless heirloom items and cause costly repairs. It’s better to take the proper steps, protect your Houston home, rather than react to an infestation already forming. Luckily, your local pest pros at Romney Pest Control can provide you with even more prevention tips, and if our inspections reveal carpet beetles or their signs, we’ll get rid of them quickly and thoroughly.
Keep your furniture and other keepsakes safe from carpet beetles by contacting Romney today.
