How to identify and get rid of carpet beetles

Unbeknownst to most homeowners, they may have a few visitors lurking in their carpets, rugs, fur coats, or closets.

Carpet beetles, also known as larder beerles, are infamous for eating natural fibers and fabrics, causing minor to major damage to furniture, clothing, and carpeting.

While these little guys may not look like much, they can do some serious damage to your favorite silks, wool coats, or taxidermy if left unchecked.

Two of the most common carpet beetles are the black carpet beetle and the varied carpet beetle. Both will have an oval shape to their body, but the black carpet beetle will be all black, while the varied carpet beetle will have a mottled pattern of white, brown, and yellow wavy bands.

The larvae can also often be seen on carpets and fabrics and are covered in hair with patches of light and dark brown. If you get really close, you may be able to see a few tufts of hair that stick out from the rear end of the larva.

Additionally, you may see the shed skins of larvae in an area of high infestation.

Adult:

• Oval shaped
• Mottled pattern or black
• Clubbed antennae

Larvae:

• Hairy
• 3 pairs of tufts along the end of the abdomen
• Light and dark brown patches

How big are carpet beetles?

Carpet beetles are small beetles that can vary between 1/16 to 1/8 inch in size.

What are the signs of a carpet beetle infestation?

The first obvious sign of carpet beetles is the damage they do to your furniture, clothing, rugs, or carpets. This could look like tiny to small chewed-up holes in the material. It’s the larvae that do the damage.

You might also see the shed skins of the larvae around the areas of damage. These shed skins will look fuzzy but will be empty inside. If the infestation is severe, you might also see a large number of adults, like on a window sill.

While their natural habitat includes nests of birds and small mammals, carpet beetles also prefer a variety of organic fibers and materials inside your home. This could include furs, silk fabrics, feathers, wool, and felt. They tend to stay in dark, undisturbed areas, such as closets or storage boxes and totes.

The first line of defense is a good offense. That means you should be regularly vacuuming your carpets and rugs and keeping storage boxes or totes securely closed and sealed.

Adding naphthalene balls, also known as moth balls, to a storage box or closet can help repel insects that damage clothing and fabrics, like carpet beetles. However, be careful when handling moth balls or breathing in the odors when in confined spaces.

Remove any sources of infestation around your home. That will mean removing abandoned bird nests or rodent nests in your attics.

If you have garments or fabrics you want to keep safe in long-term storage, you’ll want to take a few preventative measures before placing them in boxes or totes. Dry cleaning the susceptible item can kill any larvae or eggs, or you can freeze the items for a period of time.

• If your freezer reaches 0°F, you’ll need to keep it in the freezer for a week. If you have a chest freezer that goes below -20°F, you can shorten that time to 72 hours.
• After dry cleaning or freezing the item, place it in a tight container without any gaps or cracks for longer storage time.

One of the best ways to prevent carpet beetles from coming into your home is by spraying and maintaining a bug-barrier. Pestie offers a solution customized to your location. You can even save on an annual subscription to keep all kinds of pests out of your home all year long.