Frequently Asked Questions About Carpet Beetles
Outside, they feed on pollen and nectar. Once they've found their way into a home, however, these beetles will also eat hair, wool, fur, clothes, and any other fibrous material they can get their mouths on.
What Do Carpet Beetles Look Like?
There are different types of carpet beetles including black, varied, common, and furniture carpet beetles. They range in color depending on their type. Some look like a black and yellow ladybug while others might be a solid brown or black color, and some may be orange and white. They are smaller than a bed bug usually.
Carpet beetles have antennae with 11 segments and membranous wings with hard exterior shells. Young carpet beetles have tufts of hair on their body.
Are Carpet Beetles Harmful?
Carpet beetles do not bite humans, but they can cause skin rashes upon contact for some people. While not overly harmful to humans, carpet beetles can damage your carpets, upholstery, fabrics, furniture, food and other items in your home.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Prevent Carpet Beetles?
To prevent carpet beetles, you'll want to make sure your home's cracks and crevices are sealed, and window screens with rips or holes are replaced. Wash fabrics, bed linens, and clothing regularly, as well as any of your pet's bedding materials. Outside, you can keep bird nests away from your doors and windows.
If you find carpet beetles inside, vacuum the infested area thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum bag or empty the vacuum canister and dispose of the trash.
Where Are They Hiding in My Home?
As their name indicates, carpet beetles are often found in carpets – but that is not their only hiding place inside the home. They fly, so they can enter the home through any cracks or open windows, and doors. Because they eat pollen and nectar outside, carpet beetles often come into homes on fresh cut flowers that are brought in.
Carpet beetles are more attracted to wool carpets, if you have synthetic carpeting, they may look for spaces to hide in your attic or basement, between walls, in crawl spaces, or chimneys. They tend to gravitate toward areas of your home where other insects have lived, even if the insects are now dead. If you have plants in your home, you may find carpet beetles living in the leaves and flowers.
Can Witt Pest Management Help?
If your prevention measures didn't work to prevent carpet beetles and you find them in your home, call Witt Pest Management for professional pest control solutions. Because they are naturally good hiders, if you see one or two in your home there is a good chance there are many more invading your home. Our experienced pest control technicians will come to your home, verify that you have a carpet beetle infestation, and take steps to eliminate them while preventing a future infestation.