The Carpet Beetle

If observed under a microscope you will find that a carpet beetle has fine colored scales on its body.

The carpet beetle.

The adult carpet beetles are good fliers and usually can be found around windows and lights. These types of materials carpet beetles routinely feast on include wool felt leather silk fur and feathers. These beetles may also eat synthetic fabrics if they are soiled with food or oils. Larvae young carpet beetles are 1 8 to 1 4 inch long and.

While getting rid of carpet beetles can be a challenge it s definitely doable on your own. Many people confuse carpet beetle damage with damage caused by other household pests especially moths. Similar to clothes moths the pests also feed on many other items composed of wool fur felt silk feathers skins and leather. You may occasionally find carpet beetles in your pantry feeding on grains.

Carpet beetles as their name implies sometimes infest carpets. Carpet beetles are tiny round insects that range from 1 to 4 mm in length and have black white and yellow coloration. The carpet beetle is referred to as the anthrenus verbasci that grows from 1 7 mm to a maximum of 3 5 mm. There are many known species of carpet beetles.

They range in color from black to speckled with white brown yellow and orange. The adults are 1 16 to 1 8 inch long and oval shaped. The varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is a 3 mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae. Pollen from flowers are the adult carpet beetle s food of choice and also feed on seeds and plants.

Prevention extends to the exterior of your home. The facts about carpet beetles. Since stored clothing or fabrics are targeted by carpet beetles consider adding cedar or moth balls to your storage boxes or bags. Carpet beetles love to feed on the natural objects that museums are trying to preserve making them one of the worst museum pests.

While the damaged areas look similar carpet beetles tend to feed on a specific fabric or cloth causing large holes while moths feed more sporadically causing scattered holes. Carpet beetles congregate wherever animal fibers can be consumed. Such materials contain keratin a fibrous animal protein which the larvae are able to digest. Mainly these include black carpet beetle varied carpet beetle furniture carpet beetle and common carpet beetle.

They are a common species often considered a pest of domestic houses and particularly natural history museums where the larvae may damage natural fibers and can damage carpets furniture clothing and insect collections. Carpet beetles are persistent pests that can eat away at your carpets clothing and other fabrics.