Wasps, and flies are insects that most people find annoying when they get into the house, but few give much thought to the carpet beetle, which may well be living right under their feet,
Apart from the ick factor of having these living creatures living in your home, carpet beetles are also extremely destructive and a pest that needs to be tackled a soon as they make their presence known.
Keep reading for some more information on how to spot them and how to get rid of carpet beetles from your home.
What is a carpet beetle?
The most common species is the variegated (or varied) carpet beetle, It is small, measuring just 2-4 mm, and like a ladybird it cream, brown and grey or yellow spots on both its back and wings.
Fur beetles are black, with just one spot on each wing, while the rarer black carpet beetle is also dark but shaped more like a bullet than an oval, as its commoner cousins are.
Spotting carpet beetles
Most beetle larvae are covered in hair, and as they mature this level of skin is shed. In many cases coming across these discarded skins is what alerts home owners to their unwelcome visitors.
It’s quite common to mistake them for bed bugs, but as it’s the larvae which are the actual problem watching out for the caterpillar like, hairy carpet beetle young makes it easy to spot the difference.[Bed bug larvae are more like small worms.]
Like any good parent the adult carpet beetles are most concerned with finding a decent food source for their offspring, and unfortunately for humans for this reason they are attracted to fibre-rich materials, such as carpets.
From April to June the adults are on the move, looking for good places to lay their eggs, so this is the season when they are easiest to spot, while from October they hibernate.
How to get rid of carpet beetles
Clean thoroughly
Vacuum all fluff from every surface of the property, including shelving, under rugs and all upholstered items such as furniture. Wash everything that can be laundered, such as curtains, throws and cushion covers.
Use an insecticide spray or a powder
All affected areas need to be treated with a suitable specialist product. This means spraying under both carpet and underlay, and into the small spaces between floorboards. Boric acid is another option, simply sprinkle and vacuum up after a few hours. [Keeping pets away for a day or two of course.]
Carpet beetles are now the number one destructive pest in UK homes, [having taken over from the moth] and although a nuisance they are not terribly difficult to banish from your home for good.
Stay alert to the typical signs that you have carpet beetles around, and once dealt with take the time to beetle proof your home for good.
