Carpet Beetles

Overview:

Carpet beetles are small beetles who's larvae feed on animal matter such as wool, leather, fur, feathers, silk, foodstuff such as pet food. In the wild, they are useful, eating animal remnants other creatures leave behind. However, when they find their way into our houses, they can cause serious damage to carpets & furnishings.

There are many species of carpet beetle around the world. There are four carpet beetles found in Australia; The Variegated Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci), Furniture Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus flavipes), Black Carpet Beetle (Attagenus unicolour) & Australian Carpet Beetle (Anthrenocerus australis). The adult is oval shaped & approximately 5mm long.

Carpet beetles have four life cycles;

Only the larvae that feed on fabrics & furnishings, the adult beetle feeds on the pollen of flowering plants. They enter our homes via small cracks, open doors & windows or on cut flowers. The female will lay between 50-100 eggs close to food sources. Eggs hatch into larvae (also known as wooly bears) in around two weeks.  As larvae grow, they moult several times, leaving behind old brown skin cast offs.

Signs of carpet beetles:

• Finding skin castings around the home.

• Larvae may be seen.

• Adult beetles may be observed around window ledges, trying to make their way back outdoors to feed.

Prevention & control of carpet beetles:

Prevention is always better than cure & it is always best to try and avoid carpet beetles inhabiting your home in the first place.

• Frequent vacuuming, paying close attention to under furniture, skirting boards, carpet edges, shelves, vents and around pet beds etc. When you are finished, the vacuum cleaner bag should be removed & thrown out.

• If clothes (especially ones made from natural fabrics) are not going to be worn for a period of time, clean & store in air tight storage bags.

• Store foodstuff, materials, insect specimens etc., in airtight containers.

• Remove and destroy abandoned birds and rats nests around the home.

• Where possible, identify the source of infestation. Look for larvae, larvae skins, droppings, signs of damage to furnishings, clothing, bedding etc.

• Discard infested products that are not valuable. If they are to be kept, either spray with an appropriate insecticide, wash in hot water, dry clean or store in the freezer for several days.

• There are many commercial insecticides on the market to control & treat carpet moths. Spray rugs & upholstery front and back. Wash clothes that have been infested. Treat carpets, paying attention to the edges.

• Pheromone traps can also be purchased to help control carpet beetles. Regularly check traps for signs of carpet beetles.

• Call your local pest controller for further help.

Also see:

Clothes moths, pantry moths