Carpet Beetle Information

You work hard to keep your home nice. You spent hours at work and want to come home and either relax or do something that takes your mind off of your stressful day. The last thing you want to worry about is a hungry insect that wants to ruin your home. If you have a pest infestation like carpet beetles, you can count on Pointe Pest Control to deliver effective and efficient pest control solutions. We put our years of experience to work for you.

General Information

As their name suggests, carpet beetles eat carpet. They also eat silk, wool, feathers, fur, and leather. From clothing to furniture, there are a lot of things in your home that a carpet beetle will eat. Carpet beetles do not prefer to eat synthetic fabrics, but if they are soiled with sweat, food, or oils, they will take advantage and have a few synthetic fabrics for dinner. Adult carpet beetles eat pollen grains, but their larva will eat a lot of different animal products. They will even eat cereal, flour, and stored grains. Carpet beetles enter the home through windows that lack screens, on fresh cut flowers, or from rodent or bird infestations in attics or crawl spaces. Carpet beetle larvae prefer to feed in dark quiet areas, like closets and under your couches. The larvae are tan in color and have a spiny appearance.

The Signs of an Infestation

One of the main signs of a carpet beetle infestation is the damage. If they attack your clothing it will covered in tiny holes. The holes will often be in the same general area. If they are in your carpet, the most common areas of infestation will be along your baseboards. Your carpet will begin to have a tiny cut trails. Another sign is to find their discarded larval bodies. When a larva reaches the appropriate size, they need to molt out of their old skin into a larger version. They will continue to molt until they become an adult beetle. If you notice little furry exoskeletons in your home close to damaged fibers of clothing, carpet beetles are the most likely culprit.

Treatment

You can reduce the food source in your home by practicing good housekeeping techniques. You will want to vacuum often and pay close attention the areas where your carpet meets the baseboards. You will also want to routinely move couches and vacuum under them as well. Vacuuming will eliminate a lot of the larva, but will also reduce the things they eat. They will consume any fallen hair from you, your pets, or your children. Sometimes the infestation is so severe that vacuuming will not be enough. If you have carpet beetles ruining your home, you can count on Pointe Pest Control to provide professional, effective solutions. We have years of experience in carpet beetle eradication. When you give us a call, you will be putting our years of experience and technical training to work for you. Give us a call to schedule a free estimate.