Although they are not found everywhere in the USA, carpet beetles are usually found inside homes, warehouses, museums and other buildings. The three main states terrorized by the carpet beetle are Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC. They are known mostly to do damage to any kind of fabric, including both clothes and other fabric goods. Some common species of carpet beetles are:
Varied carpet beetle (also referred to as Common carpet beetle or Furniture carpet beetle)
Black carpet beetle (Megatoma)
The former of these two, the varied carpet beetle, is black with an odd pattern of white, yellow and brown spots on the covers of its wings. Although it is small, similar to the size of a ladybug, it is still visible to the human eye. It’s larvae is recognizable mainly for its spiky or furry texture.
The latter of these two, the black carpet beetle, is usually dark brown to glossy black. It is roughly the same size as the varied carpet beetle. Their larvae is unique in the sense that it is carrot-shaped and has bristles at its narrow end. Female beetles will deposit their eggs on or near wool carpets. Their life span is between two and six weeks and they lay about forty eggs at a time.
Why Would They Show Up Now?
Carpet beetles are major fans of natural fibers, which take the form of wool, animal furs or skins, feathers, human or pet hair, leather, stuffed animals, etc. Aside from natural fibers, they are also attracted to dried and silk plant products. If searching for these pests in the home, looking in any one of the following places will be most effective:
On the floor or around baseboards
In closets
Beneath upholstered furniture
Undersides of carpeting.
Like most bugs, carpet beetles enter the home through small cracks or openings that allow them to creep their way in. Once inside, they will lurk around natural fibers where they will lay their eggs and reproduce.
How Bad Can They Be?
Although the actual beetles are more of a hazard to your clothes and less to you, they are nonetheless a nuisance. They will damage carpets, clothing, upholstery and furniture, among other fabric goods. Their larvae, however, can cause skin irritation if it comes into contact with human skin.
Take Care of Them Now
The main party responsible for getting rid of a carpet beetle infestation is the actual homeowner. The process of looking through items and checking for evidence of infestation is something that homeowners can easily do.
1. If there is infestation of items they should be cleaned in the manner appropriate for the actual item.
2. Natural fiber carpets or rugs that are affected by carpet beetles should be professionally cleaned by a cleaning company. After this is done, it is safe to assume that the infestation is handled.
3. Following the inspection of infested items, a thorough cleaning of the area is needed, including a tool that will help clean natural fibers like pet hair and carpet fiber out of tight crevices and cracks.
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