The carpet beetle is sometimes referred to as a museum beetle, but these are two different species in the anthracite family. They owe their name to their preference for animal materials, which can often be found in museums for insects and animals. Museum beetles can wreak havoc in museums, but also in our homes. In our living rooms, it feeds on woolen items such as carpets.
Carpet beetle killers can be useful, but they have a negative impact on the carpet and your home furniture.
What does a carpet beetle look like?
Carpet beetles are small, colorful animals that look a little like ladybugs but are much less harmless. An adult carpet beetle is 2 to 8 mm long. Your Elytra are covered with tiny scales, which are decorated with colored spots (orange-red-white-black). Living larvae are brownish in color, very hairy and up to 10 mm long. The larvae are fire retardant and can hide quickly. This makes them difficult to recognize. The development time between the egg and the beetle of adult carpets can range from 250 days to almost a year at room temperature.
How do carpet beetles get into our homes?
The beetles of the carpets have spread all over the world by using the textile transport. They have adapted very well to their new surroundings and are currently among the most common undesirable guests in private households. In the wild, adult beetles are often found near flowers, where they feed on nectar and pollen. You can easily enter our houses through open windows while you fly. Carpet beetles can be found in almost all houses where animal material is present, and they can be found in carpets, cupboards or near baseboards where dust and hair often accumulate. It is the larva that does the most damage. The adult beetle is harmless.
How do you know if carpet beetles are in your home?
A bunch of empty shed skin is a sign of their presence. These are small, pale, furry, lint-like balls. You can also watch the carpet with a magnifying glass. To find out, pull on the carpet threads. If tufts come loose, there is a possibility that carpet beetles will live in your place.
What damage does a carpet beetle cause?
The larvae of the carpet beetle cause the greatest damage, the adult beetles are harmless and feed on nectar and pollen. If you want to be a carpet beetle killer, make sure you get rid of the larvae first. The larvae feed on wool, fur, leather, feathers, clothing, hair, etc. Their clothing and carpets can be attacked. They eat all the animal material they find, and they can also be cuddly toys or collections of insects. However, they have a purpose: they eat dead insects, leftover dry food and old bird nests, dead wasps or bees.
What can you do to get rid of carpet beetles?
Prepare your weapons and prepare to become the carpet beetle killer with very simple tools and procedures:
- Wash clothes at high temperature (60 °) or freeze them at a temperature of -20 °.
- Clean the house regularly to prevent hair, dust, food particles or other animal matter from accumulating on the floor.
- Vacuum thoroughly;
- Hang things in the sun (carpet beetle larvae don't like light);
- Do not leave clothes on the floor.
- Comb your pets outside regularly.
- Buy carpet beetle killers like:
- Delta Dust multipurpose pest control insecticide dust,
- Ortho Home Defense MAX insect killer
