What is a Carpet Beetle?
Year-round we have to protect our homes from unwanted pests by investing in insect and pest control. But, unfortunately, while some critters might seem harmless, pests will eventually harm your family and home.
Carpet beetles are one of those pests that are common in Oklahoma. They usually infest carpet and other animal-based fabrics such as wool, fur, felt, silk, feathers, and skins. The main species found in Oklahoma include:
- The black carpet beetle
- The varied carpet beetle
- The furniture carpet beetle
- The common carpet beetle
If you suspect you have a carpet beetle infestation, it would be best to understand what carpet beetles look like, if they are harmful to your family, if they can cause damage to your home, as well as how to get rid of them. In this article, we will consider all of these things.
What do Carpet Beetles Look Like?
Carpet beetles have oval, dome-shaped bodies with wings that create a crease down the center of its body. Under the wings, you’ll find its abdomen and thorax, and they also have six legs. Their heads aren’t always visible, but when they are, you will notice they have two antennae that have a handlebar shape because they’re thicker toward the tips.
The color will depend on the species but can range from black to a mottled mixture of brown, white, tan and black, or even orange tints.
Are Carpet Beetles Harmful or Dangerous
As with any pest, the first thing we want to know is: are carpet beetles harmful to my family or home? You can rest assured that they don’t bite or pose any danger to humans. But do keep in mind that some people can develop a
carpet beetle rash .
Even though they aren’t very dangerous to humans, they can cause damage to the following materials:
- Upholstered furniture
- Carpet fabrics
- Feathers
- Furs
- Non-synthetic clothing
Carpet beetles will cause damage when they’re in the larval stage. The female can lay more than 100 eggs at one time that hatch into larvae within seven to 35 days. Since carpet beetle larvae will take nine months to two years to develop into adults, they can be very destructive.
Signs of Carpet Beetles
If you begin to notice adult carpet beetles trying to make their way outside through windows or doorways, then you might need to look for a local insect and pest control company to look for a possible infestation.
Don’t let your bug problem reach that point by looking out for these possible signs of carpet beetles:
- Bare spots. We’ve mentioned various materials that attract these pests, so if you notice bare spots or holes in any of these materials, then you could have carpet beetle larvae somewhere.
- Larvae skin. Although you may not see carpet beetle larvae, you will likely notice the skin they leave behind. The skin they shed is a light brown color that usually accumulates around the areas where they feed.
- Larvae feces. You may also see tiny fecal pellets, similar to grains of salt, concentrated around the area of infestation.
Get Rid of Carpet Beetles With Professional Pest Control
The damage caused by carpet beetles is often confused with that of other pests. The YES Pest Pros are the best solution to identifying and getting rid of your carpet beetle infestation. Even though many would like to try DIY pest control techniques, this type of pest can prove to be very resilient.
If you need carpet beetle pest extermination, save money, time, and frustration by contacting our insect and pest control experts to schedule your inspection, including a free consultation .
The post What is a Carpet Beetle? appeared first on Yes Pest Control.
