Are Carpet Beetles Bad?

In our coverage area of Maryland and Northern Virginia, we have three primary species of carpet beetle that can cause trouble in your home. They come with cryptic names like: the varied carpet beetle, the common carpet beetle, and the furniture carpet beetle. It isn't necessary to learn the differences between these three species because they all pose the same dangers. Here is what you can expect if you have carpet beetles in your home. You decide if they are bad.

Adult carpet beetles aren't bad, if you don't mind inhaling tiny insects, or having insects crawl all over you while you're watching TV or sleeping. The adult carpet beetles are the insects that are flying around your house. They feed mostly on pollen and nectar, but can get into pantry foods like cereals, rice, and flour. If these foods are in sealed, hard plastic containers, you don't have anything to worry about. But if they are unprotected, you might get a mouthful of something undesirable.

Carpet Beetle Larvae

These little buggers get their own sub-heading because there is a lot to say about carpet beetle larvae. These are the caterpillar-like children of the carpet beetle. Here are some unsavory things they can do in your home:

• Larvae of the carpet beetle feed on natural fabrics. That means clothing, carpets, ornaments, and blankets are a prime target. If you have not seen adult carpet beetles in your home and are finding clothing with holes in them. One way to determine if you have clothing moths, or carpet beetle larvae, is whether or not you have one big hole or several random smaller holes. Carpet beetles tend to eat in one big section.

• Carpet beetles like the essential oils in your hair, this will cause them to get in bed with you and nibble on your hair while you sleep. In doing this, they will walk across your body, which can leave an irritating rash for some people.

• Let's talk about that irritating rash. Often the carpet beetle is confused for bed bugs because people see the adult carpet beetles crawling in their bed, and then wake up with a rash. Since bed bugs tend to feed multiple times in a row, the rash from a carpet beetle can have a similar appearance to bed bug bites, complete with irritating bumps that you'll want to scratch until they start to bleed.

• Carpet beetle larvae feed on dead insects, hides, milled products, pet food, crumbs, lint, felt, soiled clothing, and more. This strange variety of food sources makes carpet beetles hard to control with natural Integrated Pest Management methods.

So, what do you think? Are carpet beetles bad?

If you're dealing with these frustrating pests, we can help. Our team knows how to treat for carpet beetles and their larvae in all the strange areas they feed and breed. Give us a call and we will make every effort to get a certified technician to your home on the same day you call.

Carpet beetles are bad. Get them out and keep them out with expert service from American Pest.