At Timberwise, our surveyors are specialists in all manner of beetles that can affect properties. Although we only treat beetles that infest timber to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments correct identification of an infestation is vital – It is vital not only to make sure the treatments are correct but also to ensure property owners do not spend money on incorrect, or unnecessary treatments.
Upon a recent visit to a property in Kent we came across a classic case of misdiagnosis of a beetle – the property owner had called upon our expertise for what was thought to be woodworm infestation, only for our surveyor to re diagnose carpet beetle as the cause of the damage.
What is a Carpet Beetle?
The carpet beetle also known as ‘Anthrenus verbasci’ can cause severe damage to your carpets. These small, oval beetles are a major British textile pest and getting rid of carpet beetle can be very tricky procedure and takes a lot of time and patience.
It is the carpet beetle larvae from the eggs that actually do the damage. Infestations can spread very quickly and are attracted to dark and undisturbed areas of the house.
Identifying Carpet Beetles in your property
Identifying carpet beetles can be difficult to task as they are rarely visible in the egg stage as they remain hidden within fabrics. The carpet beetle larvae migrate from room to room in search of food. The infestation can spread quickly throughout your home, these infestations can be usually found near dead insects, debris from air ducts and animal skin. There are different kinds of carpet beetles:
• Furniture carpet beetles
The furniture carpet beetles are usually found in furniture where they feed on hair and feathers.
• Common carpet beetles
The common carpet beetles are round, black or yellow bugs. These types of beetles attack carpets and they also eat woollens, silk, furs and feathers.
• Black carpet beetles
The black carpet beetles can cause serious damage to fabrics which feed on fur, hair, dead animal materials and plant materials.
Carpet Beetle Lifecycle
Eggs & Larvae Stage
The carpet beetles lifecycle begins when the adult females lays her eggs. Carpet beetles lay their eggs indoors but there are also other areas they can infest in such as nests of birds and other insects. The females can lay more 100 eggs at a time and then will hatch into larvae after 35 days.
Pupae & Adults Stage
The duration of the pupae and adult stage can vary with the carpet beetle usually emerging in the spring and summer. The young carpet beetle transition into an adult lasts from 9 months to 2 years. Once the carpet beetle is an adult then their life span will survive only a few weeks.
How to get rid of Carpet Beetles?
There are a number of ways to get rid of carpet beetles such as:
- The simplest way to immediately and directly remove carpet beetles from your property is to use vacuum cleaner.
- Washing your fabrics in hot water will differently make sure that the carpet beetles are removed from your clothes and fabrics.
- If you are dealing with rug or carpets then the most efficient way would be use a steam cleaner.
- To keep the common carpet beetles away from your home permanently then boric acid is the most efficient procedure. The insects are killed almost instantly as it comes in contact with it, though it is completely harmless to humans.
- There are carpet treatments that contain certain ingredients: chlorpyrifos, bendiocarbs and allethrin are also effective way of getting rid of carpet beetles.
Contact Timberwise for more information
Not sure if you have woodworm beetles or carpet beetles? Looking for a second opinion to confirm an infestation? Timberwise can help.
If you have any questions then please feel free to request an online survey or contact one of team where they will be happy to help with any of your problems. Simply click on the ‘let’s chat’ button, fill out the contact form or call on 0800 288 8660.
