What Causes Carpet Beetles

“After looking at our couch, we found many hairy larvae, they belong to some bugs. Strangely though, there were several spiders huddled in the same area. Later, we noticed a few corpses on the windowsill.” – Alex

Spotted tiny black beetles crawling around the house? Do not panic! If you and your pets do not suffer from the bites, these are definitely not bugs or fleas. Chances are, you are facing the common carpet beetles.

What Are Carpet Beetles?

As the name suggests, carpet beetles are the insects that often live and feed on the carpets, rugs, fur, wool, feathers, skins, leather, and upholstery. This pest is quite nasty and can spoil the appearance of your favorite rug or home decor. Once growing, their larvae look like a furry small caterpillar, and when they become a beetle, they reach up to 4mm long. An adult carpet skin-eater is responsible for the reproduction of the population and does not eat household items, but its larvae pose a serious threat to the rugs and furniture. Adult insects have a rounded shape, antennae, six legs, and can be of a variety of colors: black, black with white speckles, or orange.

While carpet beetles have an unusual ability to digest rug fabrics, skin and can feed on silk, wool, or even cotton, they won’t bite you or cause much damage to your home.

What Causes Carpet Beetles?

Carpet beetles can enter the home in many different ways: through the open windows, with flowers and furniture, shoes and clothes that have been in an infected room for some time. They get into houses easily, and for some time you will not even notice that you have the new “neighbors”. But sometimes it’s very difficult to get rid of them. In especially advanced cases, you may even need professional assistance.

The majority of the carpet beetles breed and live outdoors, and feed on nectar and pollen. How do they get into the house? By sneaking into the open windows, and cracks in the windows and doors. They may also find their way in through the soffit vents, plumbing entrances, electrical conduits, or chimneys (just like Santa, only with six legs).

They can also get into your apartment from the indoors, arriving on the infested items, and target the wool carpets, oriental silk rugs, and other natural fabrics. Their larvae feed on the small particles of various materials – dust, lint, hair, paper, and other organic debris. Such food is available even in the cleanest apartments, as it appears even the day after the cleaning.

Here’s a list of common causes for carpet beetle infestations:

1. Presence of Organic Materials: Carpet beetles are attracted to and feed on organic materials like wool, silk, leather, fur, feathers, pet hair, and even dead insects. Accumulation of these materials in homes provides a food source for carpet beetles.
2. Poor Housekeeping: Neglected or irregular cleaning routines can lead to the accumulation of dust, lint, and hair, which serve as food sources for carpet beetle larvae. Areas such as under furniture, along baseboards, and in closets are common harborage sites for these pests.
3. Infested Items: Bringing in infested items into the home, such as second-hand clothing, upholstered furniture, rugs, or carpets, can introduce carpet beetles. Eggs or larvae may already be present in these items, leading to an infestation.
4. Outdoor Access Points: Gaps, cracks, or openings in doors, windows, screens, and walls can allow adult carpet beetles to enter the home from the outdoors. They may be attracted by outdoor sources of food or light.
5. Pets: Pet fur and dander can attract carpet beetles. If pets are not regularly groomed or if their bedding is not cleaned frequently, it can provide a suitable environment for carpet beetle infestation.
6. Bird Nests: Birds’ nests built near or in the home, such as in chimneys, attics, or vents, can harbor carpet beetles. Once the birds abandon the nests, carpet beetles may move into the abandoned nest material in search of food.
7. Stored Food Items: Pantries or storage areas with spilled grains, cereals, flour, or other food items can attract carpet beetles. They may feed on these items or on other organic materials nearby.
8. Humidity and Temperature: Carpet beetles prefer warm, humid environments. Improper ventilation, high humidity levels, or warm temperatures in certain areas of the home can create favorable conditions for carpet beetle infestations.
9. Seasonal Changes: Carpet beetle populations may increase during certain seasons, such as spring and summer, when outdoor conditions are more conducive to their development and reproduction.
10. Previous Infestations: If a home has had a carpet beetle infestation in the past, there may still be remnants of eggs, larvae, or adult beetles present, which can lead to recurring infestations if not properly addressed and treated.

Basically speaking, the appearance of the carpet beetle is just bad luck. However, they will spread faster when living on a dirty carpet and have access to dead insects, hair, and wool.

If you have noticed a carpet beetle, and poke it, it will probably roll over and pretend to be dead. These insects are very slow-moving and can be easily spotted and caught. Search for them in the ark areas, they also love to hide in the flower pots, pet food, floorboards, and air vents.

How Do They Spread?

If you have already discovered the carpet beetles in your apartment, and the fight against them is inevitable, we recommend familiarizing yourself with how they reproduce. The female beetle who got into the home immediately starts to reproduce, and she can do it in any environment. Don’t be surprised if the larvae appear on the furniture or clothing. When the female insect gets into a warm, favorable environment, the eggs will turn into larvae much faster. According to the research, one individual lays up to 100 eggs in a lifetime.

The most interesting fact is that, depending on the environment of the offspring at the developmental stage, it is the larvae that will be more dangerous than an adult beetle. This is due to the fact that during rebirth, the larva starts to eat the material on which it lives. Sometimes the larva eats an area of up to 10 cm long. That is why many people could notice that their rugs were damaged by someone, and the long holes look like a trace from the movement of an insect.

How to Prevent Carpet Beetles?

Now when you know what causes carpet beetles, it’s quite easy to prevent their spreading, you just have to follow some basic rules and practice good housekeeping. If you vacuum clean the rugs and carpets on a regular basis, the eggs and the larvae of these beetles will be removed before they get a chance to eat your carpet. Also, you should vacuum clean the upholstered furniture. If you have pets at home, pay special attention to cleaning the fur from the furniture and floor, as it’s a food source for the beetles.

In addition, vacuum clean the home decor such as needlework and wall rugs, they are also accessible by the beetles. Textile and clothing have to be stored only clean, don’t let the dirty things pile up, and create a favorable environment for the insects. Vacuum clean the shelves, floors on a regular basis, and all the corners that may contain the larvae.

Clothing items have to be stored in the tight-fitting boxes or containers, preferably with a moth repellent.

The majority of such products kill the pests completely within a few weeks. Watch out for the product instructions, as chemical products have to be handled with care. 

After you remove the clothing from the storage, air it for a few days, it will remove the unpleasant odor. To sum it up,

• Store bulk goods in sealed plastic or glass containers.
• If possible, store clothing that you rarely wear in the airtight containers or special covers.
• Woolen clothing and other susceptible cloth has to be dry-cleaned or laundered before you store them for long periods. Cleaning the clothing will kill any eggs or carpet beetle larvae that may be present, and remove the odors that are so attractive to the pests.

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles?

In most cases, you’ll be able to get rid of the carpet beetles by yourself. Start by using the carpet beetle traps.

Professional pest extermination will be required only in rare cases. A thorough cleaning of the areas where carpet beetles live will be enough. 

1. Vacuum clean the whole floor, paying special attention to the corners and areas where your pets may hide the treats. Thoroughly clean the upholstered furniture and carpets. Carpet beetles love hiding under the furniture legs, so move the furniture around and vacuum thoroughly underneath.
2. Wipe all the shelves and cabinets with a universal home cleaner.
3. Check all food storage areas – closets, pantries, and other spaces in garages or basements – for the adult insects and carpet beetle larvae.
4. If you find any signs of tiny black beetles in food, get rid of cereals, grains, flour, and other contaminated foods.
5. Clean up the closets and dressers. Carpet bugs love woolen sweaters and blankets very much.
6. Wipe the inside of the drawers and shelves in cabinets with a cleaning agent.

Another great idea is freezing the apartment. Carpet beetles cannot stand low temperatures. If you leave the room temperature at 17-20 degrees for a few hours, both the larvae and adults will die.

If you don’t want to do all this by yourself, you can contact a special pest control service. But it may be costly. A big advantage of contacting a professional company is that they provide a guarantee for their work.

Conclusion

Carpet beetles are the least expected neighbors, but sometimes we find them eating a favorite rug, or climbing the walls in search of a tasty woolen sweater. Sometimes it is difficult to clarify the specific reason that has led to the colonization of insects in your home. It could be an open window, a dog that came from a walk, or the migration of parasites from not too tidy next-door neighbors. We hope this post has helped you understand what causes carpet beetles and how to win a fight against them.