Carpet Beetle Control

What Are Carpet Beetles?

Adult carpet beetles look like your typical beetle. They have six legs, front wings that provide a hard shell to protect their delicate inner wings, and two antennae. Most are oval-shaped and, depending on the species, are solid in color, a mixture of two colors, or mottled. Carpet beetle larvae are carrot or oval in shape. They are light brown or black and covered in dense, barbed, or bristle-like hairs.

Are Carpet Beetles Dangerous?

The feeding and breeding habits of carpet beetles damage personal belongings. The females lay their eggs on top of a suitable food source, and when the larvae emerge, they begin to feed on the food provided; in our Hampton Roads homes, this means that these pests will damage carpets, clothing, upholstered items, and stored products.

Carpet beetles are often confused with bed bugs. Carpet beetle larvae are attracted to and feed on the oils in our hair. As they climb over our bodies as we sleep to reach our hair, the bristle-covered larvae can cause an itchy rash, often confused for bed bug bites.

Carpet Beetle Control Virginia Beach

Carpet beetles are more often than not introduced into a home in something like secondhand furniture or clothing, a storage box, or a stored food product already infested with their larvae. Adults regularly find their way into our homes through gaps they find around windows or doors as they are naturally attracted to sources of light. Spaces around outdoor light fixtures are another common entry point. Sometimes an adult will hitchhike their way inside on a plant or cut flowers that have been outside. Once adults are inside, the females find a suitable place to lay their eggs, and an infestation begins.

Where Will I Find Carpet Beetles?

Once carpet beetles find their way into your home, they can infest multiple areas. A single female carpet beetle can lay up to 90 eggs, which hatch in one to three weeks. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae can migrate from their original food source to different areas of a home while feeding. It is common to find larvae in closets, upholstered furniture, carpets, behind baseboards, and in stored clothing or linens.

Some common signs of a carpet beetle problem include holes or other damage to clothing, carpets, or upholstered furniture. You may also discover the shed skins of the larvae or see the adults crawling around your walls, windows, or light fixtures.

Carpet Beetles Virginia Beach

The best way to accurately identify, find, and treat carpet beetles that have found a way into your Hampton Roads home is to partner with a local professional. You can feel at ease when partnering with Diamond Exterminators and Crawlspace Solutions, knowing we will solve your pest problems once and for all!

We eliminate carpet beetles and other common household pests by combining exceptional customer service, thorough inspections, and customized, high-quality treatments. Please reach out to us today to learn more about our residential pest control or commercial pest control services. It is a bad day to be a bug when we are in the house!

How Can I Prevent Carpet Beetles In The Future?

In order to prevent problems with carpet beetles, it is vital to eliminate entry points leading into your home and take away their access to food. Below are some simple ways to do both of those things.

• Caulk gaps around exterior lights.
• Make sure weatherstripping around windows and doors is sound.
• Repair any torn or loose window screens.
• Thoroughly inspect secondhand items and plants you bring into your home.
• Store clothing, blankets, and linens in plastic containers with locking lids to help keep carpet beetles away from finding their way to those items.
• Dry clean your clothing before storing it away.

If you are ever concerned that carpet beetles have found their way into your home, reach out to Diamond Exterminators and Crawlspace Solutions, we can help!