How To Tell If It's Carpet Beetles In Your Plano Home
Have you noticed damaged fabric around the house lately? Spotted tiny bugs around the windowsills? Is that trophy buck mounted on the wall suddenly going bald? Well, you might have carpet beetles.
Carpet beetle infestations can be hard to recognize. But if you know what to look for, you can stop these nasty pests before they wreck your belongings. Here’s how to tell if it’s carpet beetles in your Plano home.
What Are Carpet Beetles?
Carpet beetles are small, oval-shaped insects that typically measure about 1/8 inch in length. They vary in appearance from species to species, but most have speckled patterning with blotches of black and white among other colors. But adult carpet beetles are more interested in feeding on nectar than your carpet. It’s carpet beetle larvae that cause damage around the home.
Carpet beetle larvae are about 5/16 inches in size and have a worm-like appearance. The larvae are covered in bristly hair that can cause rashes if handled. Depending on the circumstances, carpet beetle larvae can take a year or more to reach maturity, during which time they can destroy a lot of your belongings.
Signs Of Carpet Beetles
Like cockroaches and bed bugs, it can be difficult to tell if you’ve got a carpet beetle infestation. Although carpet beetle larvae can be seen with the naked eye, they are still incredibly small and can easily avoid detection.
Carpet beetle larvae are likely to hide underneath and amidst carpets and rugs in your home where they feed on the natural fibers. They are fond of any natural fabrics and fibers and will eat fur coats, wool sweaters, silk scarves, hunting trophies, and even clumps of pet hair.
Some signs of carpet beetle larvae are:
- Damaged fabric - Clothing, blankets, and sheets are all on the menu for carpet beetle larvae. They may either devour the top layer of fabric or chew holes. Soiled items are most likely to be targeted.
- Shed skin – As they grow, carpet beetle larvae will molt and shed their skin several times. These discarded sheets of skin can be found accumulating beneath carpets and rugs and other areas where dust and indoor debris collect.
- Bald spots – If your fur coat, hunting trophy, or wool rug have bald patches, it could be due to carpet beetle larvae.
- Live beetles – Adult carpet beetles are a strong indication that you have carpet beetle eggs or larvae elsewhere in your home.
How To Prevent Carpet Beetles
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to prevent carpet beetles from infesting your Plano home.
- Protect your fabric – Wash blankets and clothing regularly. Store any out-of-season or sentimental items in secure containers.
- Sweep up – Simply reducing the amount of dust and pet hair on your floors can have an impact on the presence of carpet beetles.
- Inspect secondhand furniture – Check for larvae and live beetles in any secondhand furniture, carpeting, or fabric-based materials that you bring home.
- Prevent entry – Make sure that adult carpet beetles can’t enter your home. Be mindful of keeping windows and doors open. Repair and replace damaged screens as needed. Seal any cracks or gaps around windows and doors with caulk.
If you’ve got a carpet beetle infestation in your Plano home, the best thing you can do is to call the experts at Adams Exterminating Company. We’ve been helping customers like you for over 70 years and offer a range of residential pest control programs to fit your needs. So, if you’re suffering from carpet beetles or any other pests in Plano, get in touch with us today.