Carpet beetles with their brightly colored wings are pretty to look at and quite useful in the great outdoors – in the apartment or house, however, they quickly become an annoying nuisance. In doing so, they not only damage carpets and clothing, but can even pose a health risk. Timely and thorough control of the carpet beetle is therefore essential. But which means and measures really help?
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Material damage and a health hazard
As adults, carpet beetles feed mainly on pollen and nectar as so-called adults. They typically leave the house to do this, so they are extremely rare to find on indoor plants.
The larvae are different. These prefer protected, dark habitats and feed on keratin. This substance is a protein found in feathers, hair, nails and skin. Therefore, the larvae of the carpet beetle are often found in living rooms. Here, of course, they eat away at fabrics such as wool and fur. Attracted by flakes of skin, hair and sweat, however, they can also indulge in other textiles. The carpet beetle larvae are therefore primarily material pests.
Due to their external nature, however, they also represent a health hazard. Responsible for this are the fine arrow hairs which the larvae are covered with. If these loosen, for example during pupation, they can be very irritating. In particular, allergy sufferers, asthmatics and people with chronic respiratory diseases often experience deterioration in heavily infested rooms and should take the fight against carpet beetles seriously.
The appearance of carpet beetles and their larvae
The adults, i.e. the adult forms, the carpet beetle, are three to 5 millimeters in size. Depending on the exact type, they have a dark body on which single-colored, light patterns are drawn or the wings are adorned with red, white and black spots. Variants with bluish tints are also possible. As varied as the color appearances are, they all have an oval-shaped body in common.
The larval stages of the carpet beetle, on the other hand, are elongated and divided into individual segments. At first glance, they are very reminiscent of caterpillars. Their bodies are usually completely covered by hairs that are significantly elongated on the head. Larvae in the first stages of development are two to three millimeters long. The closer they get to adulthood, the bigger they get too. Shortly before the last pupation, they measure about 5 millimeters.
Feeding marks
Because of their preference for keratin, the carpet beetle larvae leave visible traces of food. Mostly on – as the name suggests, carpets. Curtains and other home textiles can be affected as well as clothing.
The feeding marks are irregular in shape, which makes the assignment difficult. Because clothes moths and numerous other material pests leave similar holes.
The first step to successful control is therefore to determine which insects are at work.
Life cycle
Adult carpet beetles only have a lifespan of about a month. During this period they go outside and feed on pollen and nectar, primarily from white-flowering plants.
While foraging for food, they encounter other carpet beetles. The females of the genus are fertilized and relocate their habitat again in the house or apartment. If this is not possible, they go to animal structures or bird nests. The fertilized eggs are deposited in a keratin-rich environment. A clutch can contain 20 to 40 eggs. Each female carpet beetle releases eggs only once during the adult phase, so reproduction is relatively slow and restricted. However, if there is a plentiful supply of food and high temperatures, it can also be explosive.
Eggs and larvae
Depending on the ambient temperature, the first larvae hatch from the eggs after a few weeks or even after a few months. In contrast to the full-grown representatives of the carpet beetle, they mainly feed on keratin. For example feathers, hair, skin flakes and textiles of animal origin.
Again depending on the current temperature and the food supply, the larvae grow by pupating. With optimal external conditions, they can be fully grown within three months. In less favorable circumstances, the development can take up to a year.
Preventive measures
Since carpet beetle larvae require large amounts of creatine-rich food during their development, an infestation is usually relatively easy to prevent.
Prevention tips:
- Vacuum or beat carpets frequently
- Vacuum and mop floors regularly
- Depilate and wash animal beds and resting places
- Do not return worn textiles unwashed to the wardrobe, or leave them lying around or store them
- Wash seasonal clothing before storage and put it in sturdy, tightly fitting plastic bags
- Often vacuum and wipe out dark storage areas such as cupboards, chests, and bed boxes
- Empty or change vacuum cleaner bags and containers regularly
If the carpet beetles find no food or if it is withdrawn from them, an infestation can be prevented in advance. But even if a few specimens have already nested, they can be quickly discovered and destroyed by regular and thorough cleaning.
Combat by natural means
As annoying as carpet beetles and their larvae are, they can usually be dealt with naturally without any problems. These include:
- Pyrethrum, an active ingredient obtained from chrysanthemums
- lavender
- cedar
- Plankton fossils
- Tea tree oil
- Neemöl
Insecticides containing these substances repel or even kill the pests. They are completely safe to use for humans and pets.
In order for these substances to develop their effect, however, they must be used in the right places – just like the following means and measures.
Fallen
There are two basic types of traps commercially available for controlling carpet beetle larvae. On the one hand there is the glue trap, which can also be used to determine the type of pest.
Not only carpet beetles but also moths, cockroaches, silverfish, flies and many other insects stick to these. If the trap is full or loses its adhesive strength, it is disposed of with household waste and replaced with a new one.
So-called pheromone traps are very similar to sticky traps. With these, however, there is also an attractive effect in addition to the adhesive effect. The carpet beetles are attracted by sexual attractants and suspect a partner in the trap. Once arrived here, they land on adhesive surfaces where they are held.
cleaning
Thorough cleaning of the apartment and house is already an important preventive measure. However, it should also be carried out in the event of an existing infestation.
A powerful vacuum cleaner is a helpful tool here. Especially if it has a narrow nozzle, with the help of which narrow spaces, for example in upholstered furniture, can be reached.
Warmth and cold
Persistent cold and temperatures above 60 ° C are tolerated by carpet beetles and carpet beetle larvae. Combating with heat and cold is therefore inexpensive and healthy.
Textiles that can be washed at 60 ° C make this particularly easy. Alternatively, they can be put in the oven dry at this temperature for about an hour. Upholstered furniture and all other areas benefit from cleaning with hot steam.
If the pieces are very sensitive, cold is the better choice. Packed in plastic bags and placed in the freezer for a day, the pests in clothing and Co. are safely destroyed.
Whether heat or cold is used, thorough washing or further cleaning should always be carried out after the treatment. This will remove the dead carpet beetles, larvae and eggs. This is important because they too contain large amounts of keratin and could become a feast for new pests.
Typical hiding places
As already noted, means and measures to control carpet beetles need not only be properly selected. They must also be used in the appropriate place. Because no matter how much the kitchen flashes and flashes down to the last corner, if there is hair behind the sofa, the pests will not go away.
So it makes sense to know the typical hiding places of carpet beetle larvae and to proceed particularly carefully there. This includes:
- Areas between cushions, such as armchairs, sofas and beds
- The floor behind and under beds and upholstered furniture
- Carpets
- Wardrobes
- Bed boxes
- Chests in which textiles are stored
- Vacuum cleaner bags and containers
- Animal beds and beds
- Animal cages, bird cages and aviaries
- Handbags, rucksacks and travel bags
- Laundry baskets
- Dry and reasonably warm attics, basements and garages where textiles can be found
- Furs and skins
- Winter shoes with or without a fur insert
It is not uncommon for carpet beetles and their larvae to be infested only when a seldom used bag, pair of shoes or a coat is taken out of the closet. Because in these the pests can spread unnoticed and grow undisturbed for a long time.
If such an infestation is found, every piece of furniture, every accessory and every piece of clothing should be cleaned and, if necessary, treated with natural agents.
Eggs, larvae, beetles – differences in control
It is true that it is only the larvae of the carpet beetle that cause the damage, but eggs and adult beetles must also be destroyed for successful control.
Otherwise the problem is only solved for a short time and will start all over again with the next clutch or hatch.
In order to combat all stages of development at the same time, various measures and means should be combined with one another. Thorough cleaning is ideal, in which the eggs are removed, but the larvae and beetles are also deprived of their nutritional basis.
Additional sticky traps catch fertile carpet beetles and their voracious larvae. Specimens that do not get caught up in them can be destroyed by fossil plankton or other natural means. Such products also destroy the eggs.
The treatment should be repeated so that really all stages are killed and removed. The warmer the environment, the shorter the distances have to be.
Prevent a new infestation
Some apartments seem to be magically attracted to carpet beetles. Be it the proximity to plants that adult specimens use as a source of food, or a large number of bird nests that serve as egg-laying – here one infestation follows another. In addition to the actual control, further measures must then also be carried out. It is helpful:
- Proven windows with close-meshed fly screens
- To seal gaps and cracks in the masonry and on window frames
- Cultivate strongly scented plants that are a deterrent to carpet beetles, such as lavender, on windowsills and balconies
- Place pheromone traps outside the home
If the weak point through which the carpet beetles penetrate simply cannot be found, the areas between the wall and the furniture can still be considered. Dust, hair and the dried-up shells of other insects form the ideal nutritional basis for the larvae. In addition, holes and cracks remain hidden. So it can make sense to move even heavy cabinets away and clean them behind them. Although this involves a lot of effort, it is still easier and more time-saving than cleaning everything over and over again.
Conclusion
Carpet beetles and especially their larvae can cause some damage and quickly become a nuisance despite their comparatively slow reproduction. With patience and the right means, however, the pests can be combated effectively and further infestation reliably prevented.
