Carpet Beetles

Carpet Beetle Q&A

Where do Carpet Beetles come from?

If you find yourself with a carpet beetle infestation, this has probably come from one or two beetles that found their way into your home. Since the adults feed on pollen, one of the most common ways they sneak their way in is on cut flowers you may bring into your home. There are countless other ways they can get in (just like almost any bug), which is why it’s important to inspect anything you bring into your home, particularly if it was from an insect-prone location. 

Does one Carpet Beetle mean I have an infestation?

If you see a carpet beetle (carpet bug) in your home, do not panic yet. That may not mean there are more in your home, but the adults are not what you need to worry about. The larval stage of the beetle causes the damage, and below you will find information on identifying these pests in all stages. If you see an adult beetle, it may have laid eggs. Search dark, secluded areas where animal matter (furs, woolen fabrics, lots of dust) may be lurking, as this is where the larvae like to feed and what they like to feed on. This page features all the information you need to identify and eradicate this pest from your home.

Identification

Identifying adult and larval carpet beetles will help you to take the proper steps to eradicate the pest and protect your home from future damage. 

Varied Carpet Beetles

The adult beetles are black with white, brown, and dark yellow scales in an irregular pattern. These scales can wear off and older adult beetles look solid black or dark brown. They are about a tenth of an inch long. Mature larvae are the same length, but look very different. They have light and dark stripes with tufts of dark hair covering their bodies. They are wider towards the front of their bodies and taper towards the back.

Adult Varied Carpet Beetles lay around 40 eggs that take 10 to 20 days to hatch. The larval stage lasts anywhere from 220 to 630 days, and the adult stage is only about 2-5 weeks. 

Here at DoMyOwn.com we have assembled some of the best products available on the market for carpet beetle control. With our help, you can get rid of these pests. No need to call an exterminator, you can exterminate them yourself as long as you follow the directions. Give us a call and we’ll walk you through the treatment process.

See below for pictures of Varied Carpet Beetles:

Varied Carpet Beetle Pictures 

Image courtesy of the University of California

Image courtesy of Joseph Berger

Furniture Carpet Beetles

These are slightly larger than varied carpet beetles at about an eight of an inch and have a highly variable scale pattern with white, dark yellow, orange, and black colored scales. The scales can wear off and the beetles will appear dark black. The undersides of these beetles are white.

The larvae are white and mature larvae turn dark red or chestnut colored. They are opposite of the varied carpet beetles in that they are wider in the front, narrower in the back. Adult females lay about 60 eggs and take 9-16 days to hatch. The larval stage lasts from 70 to 94 days and the adult stage lasts 4 to 8 weeks.

See below for pictures of Furniture Carpet Beetles:

Furniture Carpet Beetle Pictures (Adult & Larvae)

Image courtesy of the University of Florida


Image courtesy of Clemson University

Varied Carpet Beetle Larvae

Black Carpet Beetles

These beetles look very different than varied and furniture carpet beetles. They are 1/8 to 3/16 inches long and are a shiny black or dark brown, with no colored scales. The larvae are 5/16 of an inch long and are a light brown or black and are shiny, hard, and smooth. They are covered in short hairs and the tapered body ends in a long tuft of hair. The females lay about 90 eggs that take 6-16 days to hatch. The larval stage lasts around 166-330, and the adults live for 4 to 8 weeks.

See below for pictures of Black Carpet Beetles:

Black Carpet Beetle Pictures (Adult & Larvae) 

Image courtesy of Clemson University


Image courtesy of Clemson University

Common Carpet Beetles

These beetles are nearly round and roughly the same size as the other varieties. They are gray to black in color with small white scales with a band of reddish orange scales running down the back and around the eyes. The larvae are a red-brown color and are a quarter of an inch long, covered in dark brown hairs. 

See below for pictures of Common Carpet Beetles:

Common Carpet Beetle Pictures 

Image courtesy of the University of Florida


Image courtesy of Joseph Berger

Carpet Beetle Larvae

Carpet beetle larvae cause the most damage to home goods. The larval beetles feed on animal materials like wool, silk, fur, hair, feathers, leather, dried plant products, and animal carcasses. Much like name suggests, the beetles can be found in wool carpets, but they do not feed on fabric generally. See some of the pictures above for examples of carpet beetle larvae.

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

Management and Treatment of Carpet Beetle Infestations

Carpet beetle infestations can be very difficult to control. The best weapon for getting rid of them is to combine cleaning and insecticides.

• Vacuuming: Carpet beetle larvae like to feed in dark, undisturbed locations like closets, attics, basements, and storage areas. The wide availability of food sources for the larvae (including dust and lint, and pet hair) makes vacuuming the best way to ensure there is minimal food for the larvae to feed on. Vacuuming can also help to remove the larvae and adult beetles already in the home. Regular vacuuming and laundering of rugs, furniture, and linens can help to ensure the beetles are removed and have no food source. If you find a contaminated item, bag and remove this item from your home, if possible.

• Proper storage: Before storing silks, woolens, or furs, dry clean as the beetles are attracted to stains and soiled garments. Store in a well-sealed container, using mothballs. Mothballs can limit the beetle’s attraction to the wool or silk. Store pet food, dried meat, and other dried animal products in a well-sealed container.

• Insecticides: For things that cannot be washed or dry cleaned, insecticides are the best bet for prevention and eradication. Both Talstar P and Suspend SC are excellent products to use.

Insecticides can be used for spot-treatments, as a boundary at the edges of rugs, under rugs, under furniture, walls and floors of closets, shelving, cracks, and lint or dust accumulating areas. Be careful around oriental rugs or other fabrics, as some insecticides can stain. Never spray clothing or bedding with insecticide, and always read instructions.

• Outdoor maintenance: Adult carpet beetles are most commonly found outside. They feed on pollen and nectar, but lay eggs in bird, rodent, bee, or wasp nests or old spider webs to give the larvae an abundant food source. Clearing these away from your home, along with checking near highly pollinating plants near your house and checking cut flowers for the beetles before bringing them inside. 

Do Carpet Beetles Bite?

Unlike bed bugs, carpet beetles do not bite humans. The stiff hair on the larvae may irritate skin and mimic the irritations of bites. However, they can cause significant damage to woolen fabrics, silk, and fur garments.

Carpet Beetle Life Cycle

The life cycle of carpet beetles is widely varied from a few months to a few years. When the eggs are laid, the larvae can develop under a range of conditions, and often feed in dark, hard to reach places. The larvae can take nine months to three years to develop and move to the pupal stage, much like a moth. The adults are attracted to sunlight and feed on pollen; the adults do not cause damage.