Description
The adult carpet beetle has attractive black wing casing mottled
with patches of white and pale yellow, is up to 4mm long and is
found outdoors from spring to early summer feeding on pollen and
nectar before moving indoors to lay its eggs.
The larvae require a protein diet and are, therefore, to be
found in birds’ nests, animal furs and skins and carpets where they
feed voraciously. The larvae are approximately 5mm in length and
are commonly known as woolly bears due to their characteristic
covering of hairs.
Biology and Habitat
The carpet beetle is a major textile pest of the home where
central heating provides a welcome uniform heating and fitted
carpets provide harbourage for undisturbed breeding.
An adult female will produce up to one hundred creamy white eggs
and deposit them in cracks and crevices. Within four weeks the eggs
hatch and the emergent woolly bears embark on a continuous feeding
binge and moult several times before pupating; the length of the
larval life is normally sixty-seventy days but this may increase or
decrease depending on temperature, humidity and diet. They
certainly have a capacity to hibernate in cold conditions and to
remerge in spring. The adult lives for up six weeks during which
time it will fly off in search of pollen and nectar and for egg
laying sites.
Importance
Carpet beetles neither carry germs nor do they spread disease
hence their presence does not constitute a risk to health. However,
the activities of the woolly bears will cause damage and indeed
ruin carpets, animal furs and leathers.
Control
Carpet beetles have a capacity to wander and hence infestations,
whilst manifesting themselves initially in one room, may also exist
in others and hence vigilance is required.
It is important to first trace the source of the infestation.
Check the roofspace for old birds’ nests and wool based lagging or
other materials, examine the cracks between floorboards around the
edges of rooms and under skirting boards for accumulations of
debris and check sheepskin rugs and all animal fur/skin
clothing.
Infested nests and inexpensive materials should be removed and
burned and the areas from which they have been removed thoroughly
vacuumed using a nozzle head and paying particular attention to
cracks and crevices.
The above should be complemented by treating using a residual
insecticide to ensure that all larvae have been killed. The powder
containing BENDIOCARB and available in a puffer pack, can generally
be used on infected carpets although a small area of the carpet
should be tested before a full treatment is carried out. As for
leather clothing, etc, specialist advice should be sought from
reputable traders in such products.
Safety
Not all insecticides are safe for use indoors, particularly
where food is present or on certain materials/surfaces. To protect
yourself and others and to minimise damage to the environment
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE APPLICATION AND USE INSTRUCTIONS PRINTED
ON THE CONTAINER.
Fur Beetles
Although the adults have a distinct white spot on each wing
casing and the larvae are different in appearance to woolly bears,
the life cycle of the fur beetle is similar to that of the carpet
beetle and certainly the larvae cause similar damage to fabrics,
animal skins and fur coats.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s advice on control
measures, safety, etc, is therefore as for carpet beetles.
