Carpet beetles are an unfortunately common pest in Long Island and the country at large, capable of causing significant damage to your carpet, furniture, clothing and stored foods. What’s worse, they’re difficult to control given their capacity to find food no matter how well-kept your home is. Thankfully, there are ways to deal with them. Outlined below are the ways to identify and control a carpet beetle infestation.
Identifying Carpet Beetles
The best way to identify if you are dealing with carpet beetles is to look for the damage they cause. Most of the damage from carpet beetles is done during their larval stage. During this stage, carpet beetles will feed on materials such as wool, fur and feathers. When distinguishing between damage caused by carpet beetles and damage caused by clothes moths, note that carpet beetles will normally eat away one large area rather than the many small areas you typically see with moths.
Another sign of a carpet beetle infestation is the presence of brown, bristly cast skins that the carpet beetle larva shed when they molt. These skins combined with signs of damage are almost proof positive of a carpet beetle infestation.
Eliminating Carpet Beetles
The first step in eliminating carpet beetles is to control their food sources as best you can and insect proof your home. Start by cleaning any rugs, curtains, upholstered furniture and other places where carpet beetles may congregate. Be sure that your windows and doors are sealed so that carpet beetles can’t get in from the outside, and be careful about bringing in cut flowers as adult beetles will sometimes hide within them. A careful examination should show if any are present.
If your carpet beetle problem persists, we recommend you enlist the aid of our Long Island carpet beetle control specialists. At Arrow Exterminating Company, we specialize in quickly and efficiently eliminating carpet beetles and ensuring they do not come back. If you would like to learn more about the methods we use, feel free to contact us today.
