Why Carpet Beetles Invade Western Massachusetts Homes

Like their name suggests, “carpet beetles” could be after your carpet, but that’s not the only damage they’ll do. There are two main types of carpet beetles that Massachusetts homeowners have got to worry about: the varied carpet beetle and the black carpet beetle.

Varied carpet beetles have round or oval bodies with yellow, black, and white calico coloring. Black carpet beetles, however, tend to be larger and have completely black bodies. In some cases, black carpet beetles get mistaken for bed bugs, but carpet beetles don’t bite or feed on people.

Both species will feast on your carpet, but it’s not the adult carpet beetles you’ve got to watch out for – it’s their larvae. Young carpet beetles won’t just feed on and destroy your carpet, but they’ll also make a meal out of your other favorite fabrics too, and they even feed on dead skin cells, lint, or hair.

A carpet beetle infestation can signal bad news for homeowners, so here’s what you should know about how these pests get into your home, how you can prevent them, and what to do if you’ve got an infestation on your property.

How Do Carpet Beetle Infestations Start In Western Massachusetts?

Like a lot of pests, carpet beetles enter your home because they’re looking to feed on their favorite meals: carpet and other fabrics. When they’re outside, adult carpet beetles primarily feed on nectar or pollen from your flowers, but female carpet beetles want to lay their eggs when larvae food sources are abundant – and that means inside your home.

These bugs will usually fly in through doors, open windows, or other small openings, and once they’re inside, pregnant carpet beetles will lay their eggs on your carpet, furniture, or other types of fabrics.

While flying in may be the most common way carpet beetle infestations start, you can sometimes bring these bugs in yourself. For instance, you may purchase secondhand or used furniture that’s already infested. Bringing in flower pots or plants that carpet beetles used to feed on could also potentially start an infestation in your home.

Once they’re inside, identifying a carpet beetle infestation isn’t always obvious. Both adult and larvae carpet beetles prefer to spend their time in dark, undisturbed parts of the house where they can feed peacefully. When they’re left alone to breed and feed is when carpet beetles do the most damage to your furniture, carpet, and other fabrics.

How To Prevent Carpet Beetles In Western Massachusetts

Carpet beetle infestations aren’t always completely preventable, but there are steps you can take to reduce the chances that they’ll get inside your house, such as:

• Seal any cracks or crevices that carpet beetles may use to get inside. Deal with any tears in window screens, gaps under doors, or other openings that may be small enough for carpet beetles to fly through.
• Clean pet bedding. Carpet beetles like to feed on dead skin, and your pet’s bedding can be full of it, so it’s important to make sure you regularly wash these items.
• Vacuum your carpet and furniture on a regular basis as they can be hiding spots for carpet beetles.
• Regularly wash laundry and fabrics. Soiled or dirty fabrics can attract carpet beetles so be sure to regularly wash fabrics and other clothing in hot water.
• Inspect second-hand furniture or clothing before you bring it home. If you are purchasing used furniture or clothing, make sure you thoroughly inspect it before you bring it inside your home.
• Be careful about bringing in flowering plants from your garden or yard. Since carpet beetles may feed on these plants, you’ll want to double-check that they’re not hiding in the pot before you bring them inside.

It may seem like a lot of steps but preventing a carpet beetle infestation is far easier than trying to remove one.

How To Effectively Control Carpet Beetles In Western Massachusetts

Unlike some pests, you can’t just take away a carpet beetle’s food source, and the longer these critters are left to feast on your carpet and fabric, the more they’ll thrive. Once an infestation starts, carpet beetles take over quickly, so it’s important to get professional help as soon as possible and that begins with American Pest Solutions.

If you’re worried that you’ve got carpet beetles in your home or you’re noticing signs of carpet beetle damage, you shouldn’t wait for the problem to get worse – call us at American Pest Solutions to find out more about how we can help with your carpet beetle problem.