Carpet beetles are small insects that love to eat household items like rugs, wall hangings, and clothing. They can live and breed undisturbed deep within your carpets until suddenly you have a full-blown infestation on your hands. Let’s take a closer look at how to identify and treat these damaging little pests.
Identifying Carpet Beetles
There are four different species of carpet beetles in Australia, but the varied carpet beetles and black carpet beetles are the most widespread. Carpet beetles have 6 legs and oval-shaped bodies. The variegated species is approximately 2-3 mm long with a mottled yellow, white, and black body. Black carpet beetles are longer (3-5 mm), more oval in shape, and black with brown legs. Carpet beetle adults have wings and will fly, especially on warm days.
The Carpet Beetle Life Cycle
Carpet beetles go through complete metamorphosis, meaning they have four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. During the larval stage, carpet beetles are actually significantly larger (4-7 mm long). They are brown in color and covered in bristles. Sometimes people refer to them as “woolly bears” during this stage. They will moult 6-15 times and then enter pupation for 10-30 days before becoming adults.
Carpet Beetle Diet
Adult carpet beetles prefer to eat pollen and nectar. They mostly live in forests and woodlands, but are attracted to lights and will invade homes when given the chance. Once inside, the female carpet beetles will lay eggs near a food source. When the larvae hatch, they will feed on animal products in the carpet and household furnishings. The larvae can do major damage to rugs, carpets, fur, wall hangings, clothing, wool insulation, and more. Carpet beetles are also commonly found in bird’s nests.
Carpet Beetle Prevention and Control
Keeping your home clean is one of the best ways that you can prevent a major infestation. It is important to vacuum carpets thoroughly and often to get rid of the beetles before they multiply. When you are cleaning, you should make sure to move furniture items so that you can vacuum underneath. This is especially important along the edges of rooms and in corners where you might not clean as frequently. If you have any bird’s nests attached to the outside of your home or in attic voids, they should be removed. If you find that you have carpet beetles, they are relatively easy to get rid of with the help of a pest control specialist. A residual insecticide will kill the current population of carpet beetles and help prevent new ones from coming back.
Sunshine Coast Pest Control
If you have a pest control problem in Nambour, Buderim, Bli Bli, or surrounding areas, Radar Pest Control can help. Our expert technicians will inspect your home and come up with a customized plan to get rid of the pests. For Sunshine Coast pest control, contact Radar Pest Control today.