Although carpet beetles rarely cause any health issues more severe than a rash, they are still a pest you don’t want in your home. They can damage carpets, clothing, and other fabric items in your home. There are three main types of carpet beetles infesting homes in the UK: the Varied, the Two-Spot, and the Brown carpet beetle and when they all feed on similar items. But how do they get into your home? Our experienced carpet beetle exterminators will share with you all the sneaky ways carpet beetles get inside and some tips on how to keep them out.
Carpet Beetles in Nature
Carpet beetles are fascinating creatures with a complex life cycle. Belonging to the Dermestidae family, these insects are known for their ability to feed on various textiles and stored items. In nature, carpet beetles are harmless little creatures, often found flitting about in gardens, enjoying a leisurely lunch of flower nectar and pollen. The adult carpet beetle is typically tiny and oval-shaped, with a variety of colours depending on the species.
It’s actually the carpet beetle larvae that won them their pest status in the human world. Carpet beetle larvae are small, hairy caterpillars with an insatiable appetite for natural materials containing the fibrous animal protein keratin, which they are able to digest. In the wild, they can be found in bird’s nests and mammal burrows, feeding on hair, fur, skin, feathers and even dropping and dead insects. When they enter inside, they are the ones causing the most damage to your rugs, furniture and fabrics – silk, wool, furs, leather and feathers.
How Do Carpet Beetles Get Indoors?
Carpet beetles can enter homes in various ways, including hitchhiking on infested items, crawling and flying. Here are some of the ways carpet beetles sneak inside:
- Infested items: carpet beetles travel on used clothing, second-hand furniture, vintage carpets and tapestry, or even dried flowers, decorations, and potpourri.
- Open doors and windows: these insects fly and crawl through open windows and doors.
- Cracks and gaps: carpet beetles are tiny enough to sneak in through small cracks and gaps around doors and windows and near the house’s foundation.
- Nests: carpet beetle larvae can live in bird or rodent nests under roofs, in attics or crawl spaces, eventually migrating indoors once the nest is abandoned.
- Within walls and inside chimneys: These places often contain animal droppings, remains, feathers, and other protein food sources perfect for the larvae.
- Firewood: carpet beetles can hide in untreated firewood stored inside, emerging once brought into warmer living areas.
How to Keep Carpet Beetles Out
Prevention is always better than having to deal with infestation of any kind. While carpet beetles don’t bite or sting humans, the tiny hairs that cover their larvae can cause itchy skin irritation (a.k.a. carpet beetle rash), especially for people with sensitive skin. Additionally, a full-blown infestation can cause significant damage to your valuable carpets, rugs, and clothing. There are a few things you do to prevent carpet beetles from entering – and staying – in your home.
- Vacuum thoroughly: Carpet beetles can always come inside. But by regularly vacuuming carpets, rugs, and furniture, you minimise the risk of them breeding and laying eggs. When vacuuming, pay close attention to crevices and edges of furniture and carpets. Dispose of the vacuum bag contents outside immediately after use.
- Proper laundry routine: Wash all fabric items that you bring home, such as clothing and curtains, and throw covers in hot water (over 50°C) to kill adult insects and larvae.
- Freeze susceptible items: To kill hidden pests on non-washable items like wool blankets or feather pillows, consider freezing them for at least 48 hours.
- Store properly: Keep seasonal clothing and other susceptible items in airtight containers to prevent infestations from any pests that might wander inside your home.
- Take care of potential entry points: Seal all cracks, crevices and gaps in the walls and install mesh screens on the doors and windows. These preventative measures help keep carpet beetles and other pests from entering your home.
Check also: How to Prevent Ants from Coming In Your Home?
How Does a Carpet Beetle Infestation Start?
Once carpet beetles get inside, they can lay eggs in dark, secluded areas, which hatch into a new generation of larvae. Seeing a single carpet beetle may not mean a full-blown infestation, but you shouldn’t ignore it. Here are some telltale signs that you might be dealing with carpet beetle infestation:
- Visible damage to clothing and furnishings: small holes or patches of thinning on carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture or on your clothes.
- Cast exoskeletons: tiny brown or tan husks shed by the larvae as they grow.
- Frass: tiny pellets of insect droppings, often found near infested areas.
- Live larvae: the hairy caterpillars with brown or black markings prefer darker areas of your home and might be spotted crawling on fabrics or under carpets and furniture.
- Live adults: Some species of carpet beetles might be tiny, but they are still visible to the naked eye. Unlike larvae, they seek light, so you can spot them around your windows, windowsills, and indoor plants.
Read also: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles?
Professional Expertise for Total Carpet Beetle Eradication
Unfortunately, prevention can’t help if you have a carpet beetle infestation. Contacting pest control professionals is crucial for complete peace of mind and effective eradication.
Here at Toxic Respond, we offer comprehensive carpet beetle control services in London:
- Thorough inspection: Our trained technicians will inspect your home to identify the extent of the infestation and the source of entry.
- Targeted treatments: We use safe and effective insecticides designed to target carpet beetles at all life cycle stages.
- Aftercare: We will advise you on long-term measures to keep carpet beetles at bay.
Don’t wait until cherished furnishings and clothing are riddled with holes to take action. If you suspect you are dealing with an infestation in your London home, call us and book our experienced carpet beetle control team today.
