You may be surprised to know that there are over 350,000 different species of beetles on the earth. Today A Five Star Termite & Pest Control is going to focus on just one of those species; the carpet beetle. As their name implies, carpet beetles like to infest carpets. Adult carpet beetles actually feed on flower pollen. Baby carpet beetles are the ones that actually feed on carpet. They feed on materials that contain keratin, a fibrous animal protein that are easy for them to digest. Keratin is found in wool, fur, felt, silk, feathers, skins, and leather. Cotton and synthetic fabrics are not frequently infested unless they are blended with wool or they have become heavily soiled with body oils or food stains. Carpet beetles will not only infest carpet, they will also infest furniture, rugs, sweaters, scarves, coats, blankets, rugs, comforters, and toys.
What Do Carpet Beetles Look Like?
First we are going to tell you what carpet beetles look like. Carpet beetles are about 1/10 to 1/8 of an inch long as adults. They are black, white, and yellow in color. Some species of carpet beetles will have an orange coloration as well. Most frequently they are black though. Carpet beetles are shaped like an oval.
How Do I Know if I have Carpet Beetles?
How will you know if you have carpet beetles in your home? Unfortunately carpet beetle infestations go unnoticed for long periods of time. You may see carpet beetles flying to lights or crawling on surfaces. Most people actually notice the damage that they are causing before they see the carpet beetles themselves. They chew holes in items throughout your home. Many people notice signs of carpet beetles around the edges of their rugs and carpet. You may also notice holes in some clothing items. As they eat they shed their skin so that they can keep growing. You may notice the skin that they have shed around your home as well.
How to Prevent a Carpet Beetle Infestation
There are a few different things that you can do to prevent a carpet beetle infestation. You will want to frequently vacuum all of the carpet and rugs throughout your home. You should also wash your clothing, bedding, and blankets on a regular basis. Valuable items that you do not use as often you will want to store in plastic bags or containers.
Pest Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
Once you notice that you have a carpet beetle infestation you will want to get it under control right away. You will want to wash any clothing items that were next to the clothing items that they ate holes through. Wash all of the bedding and blankets in your home in case they are hiding there. You will also want to call A Five Star Termite & Pest Control to come out and help you with this endeavor. Successfully getting rid of carpet beetles is a task that our experts can definitely help you with.
