Carpet Beetles
Carpet Beetles nestle amongst your soft furnishings, laying eggs that hatch into larvae hungry for soft furnishings. Carpet Beetles don’t refer to just one type of beetle, but a whole family of Dermestid beetles that all feed on natural fibres.
These Beetles can damage your clothes, furnishing and yes, your carpet. Carpet Beetles have plagued museum collections. If an infestation is left unchecked, Carpet Beetles can do serious damage to your home and belongings.
The Varied Carpet Beetle (also known as Anthrenus verbasci) is the most common type of Carpet Beetle in the UK. It is a pill-shaped insect around 2-3mm in length, identifiable by the speckled pattern of yellow, black and white scales on its carapace. Varied Carpet Beetles have a squat head with 2 antennae protruding from it.
Adult Carpet Beetles do not eat organic fibres. Instead, they consume pollen and feed from garden flowers. Female Adults lay around 40 eggs and seek out dark, undisturbed locations to do so.
Varied Carpet Beetle larvae are unique. They can reach up to 5mm in length, longer than Adult Carpet Beetles. They are known as woolly bears for the long hairs that cover the length of their bodies.
These hair growths are segmented, giving the impression that Carpet Beetle larvae are striped. Woolly Bears use these hairs for self-defence against predator insects like wasps.
They can detach to cause mild allergic reactions in humans.
Woolly Bears are responsible for carpet and soft furnishing damage. They feed on chitin and keratin of organic fibres. This means that as well as carpets and soft furnishings, they may also feed on things like insect husks and bird feathers.
Varied Carpet Beetles have quite long lifespans when compared to other common UK pests. Once grown, they last around a month depending on environmental conditions. However, larvae may take up to 10 months to grow into full adults.
Although they may hatch quicker in warmer conditions, this is still a considerable amount of time for larvae to wreak havoc in your home. Getting rid of Carpet Beetles is very important to safeguard your carpets and soft furnishings.
In the United Kingdom, the Two-spot Carpet Beetle, scientifically known as Attagenus pellio or sometimes referred to as the Fur Beetle, is a commonly encountered species. These adult beetles exhibit a typical length of approximately 5mm. These adult beetles measure about 5mm in length and are primarily black, adorned with tiny white hairs. Their name is derived from the presence of two distinct white spots, one positioned on each wing. This distinctive feature sets them apart from other beetle species and aids in their identification.
Like the Varied Carpet Beetle, Two-spot Carpet Beetle Larvae can grow even longer than their adult forms, reaching up to around 7mm in length. They are yellow, with dark orange segments and orange hairs. Two-spot eggs are tiny and white. Female Adults lay around 50 of these at once.
Adult Two-Spot Carpet Beetles usually live for around 3 months.
Carpet Beetles leave many signs of their presence around the home. Look out for:
Moulted casings
Carpet Beetle larvae
Frayed edges of holes in carpets, clothes and leather materials.
Dead or live Carpet Beetles
Faeces. These are scentless tiny dark grains that usually present in clusters
Unfortunately, Carpet Beetles can fly! They often enter homes through open windows and can hide in out-of-reach areas. They are attracted to warm places filled with organic fibres, which makes them the natural adversaries of museums and libraries all over the world.
In nature, Carpet Beetles lay their eggs in and around bird nests, as dropped feathers and other nest materials provide sustenance for Woolly Bears.
Around the home, Carpet Beetles are attracted to:
Heavily carpeted areas
Unsealed food containers containing cereals, pasta or pet foods
Unsecured clothes collections
Dust-covered items, ledges and floors
Light sources
Carpet Beetles will gravitate towards homes rich in these things. They also enjoy feasting on taxidermied animals, which is why they can become a huge problem for museums.
Carpet Beetles get into the home through:
To ensure they don’t enter your home, follow these steps when bringing any organic fibres into the home:
Do a visual check for live Carpet Beetles
Thoroughly vacuum to remove any eggs, larvae or dead carpet beetle
Wash at a high heat (over 60°C if possible)
Carpet Beetles do not pose much of a direct threat to humans, although they can cause skin irritation.
As well as anywhere with natural fibres (including, obviously, carpets!), Carpet Beetles are often found along window ledges and up high. They enter through skylights and windows. Properties near trees with an active bird population are especially at risk of infestation. Due to their diminutive size, they can conceal themselves:
Carpet Beetles have also been found inside cars with leather interiors. They get in through open windows and defects in car bodies. Cars with polyester and nylon upholsteries are safe from Carpet Beetle infestation, as they are artificial man-made fabrics.
Ridding the home of Carpet Beetles is a multi-step process of:
Without ensuring that all three are successfully carried out in sequence, Carpet Beetles will survive, reproduce and continue to eat carpets and soft furnishings. We know all about detection, but prevention is the best form of pest control.
Many things can be done to secure your home against future Carpet Beetle infestations.
The Vacuum Cleaner is a powerful weapon in preventative pest control. Try to vacuum 3 times a week to ensure a dust and Carpet Beetle-free carpet.
This will ensure that Carpet Beetles do not have easy access to the home.
Live Carpet Beetles, larvae and eggs can be eliminated with an entire lifecycle spot treatment.
NOPE! CP Carpet Beetle Killer Spray:
Make sure you vacuum the carpet properly.
Here are some more top tips for an effective pest control vacuuming regimen:
All items that are suspected of coming into contact with Carpet Beetles, larvae and eggs must be washed. To ensure total elimination, wash clothes and soft furnishings at a temperature of at least 60°C. This will kill any live specimens.
Once washed, shake and dry off outside if possible. This will ensure that all traces of Carpet Beetles are removed from the home.
NOPE! CP Carpet Beetle Killer Spray targets the entire beetle lifecycle in one treatment – get rid of adult Carpet Beetles, larvae and eggs.
The NOPE! formulation is odourless and stain-free, allowing you to apply the treatment directly to carpets. Suitable and safe for spot treatments around the house – HSE registered for everyday use. Long-lasting barrier protection offers up to 3 months of protection on an undisturbed surface.
Find out more about the NOPE! CP range of Pest Control Sprays.
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