What’s that little bug crawling around my room?
Often mistaken for ticks or bed bugs, carpet beetles are frightening for many homeowners. Adult beetles and larvae can quickly populate your home and pop up in unsuspecting locations.
What should you do whenever you find carpet beetles in bed? Continue reading to find out the best carpet beetle removal tips!
Carpet beetles typically come inside to lay their eggs near a viable food source. While carpet beetles are associated with home damage, the adult insects don’t cause the deterioration you see on carpeted and fabric items.
These pests crawl onto couches, beds, chairs, carpets, and clothing to lay eggs. As the young carpet beetles hatch, the larvae feed on any nearby fabric. Many homeowners find small holes in their t-shirts or linens as the developing beetles chew through your items.
Carpet beetle larvae are difficult to spot. Because adult beetles are typically more active in your home, you may think they’re responsible for the minor damage inside. However, even if you find adult carpet beetles in bed, they won’t cause any harm.
According to the University of California, pollen, nectar, and other plant materials are the foods of choice for adult carpet beetles. Besides coming inside to lay eggs, carpet beetles have no purpose indoors.
Many homeowners question how and why carpet beetles come inside. Like other insects, carpet beetles can crawl through exposed crevices and cracks on the exterior of your home.
Similarly, carpet beetles may invade your residence through ill-fitting doors and windows. Plus, adult beetles can fly inside whenever you open your home to the outdoors!
The insects can also come in from infested plants. Because adult beetles regularly consume organic materials, they can hitch a ride on flowers or potted plants. Once indoors, you may spot them around fabric items, windows, or light fixtures.
While adult beetles consume plant materials instead of fabrics, they can still pop up in carpeting or other cloth items. Adult carpet beetles are often the only sign of an infestation because of the larvae’s size.
If you find fully grown beetles in areas around your home, there’s a good chance that the bugs are either laying eggs or looking for an exit. Carpet beetles typically leave their eggs in secluded spaces under rugs or cushions, keeping their young out of sight.
Carpet beetle larvae prefer animal products over synthetic materials, so blankets, comforters, and pillows are hotspots for carpet beetle infestations, especially if they’re wool or filled with feathers.
Laying over 50 eggs at once, these beetles can quickly create significant indoor infestations. While adult carpet beetles don’t live much longer than a few weeks, the developing larvae can stick around much longer.
Varied carpet beetles can remain in their larval form for almost a year or longer, while other species like the furniture carpet beetle or black carpet beetle last for several months to a year. The pests are the most destructive in this stage, and the larvae can cause unsightly damage as they eat through fabric indoors.
You could have a significant infestation if you see carpet beetles in bed. Carpet beetles prefer to lay eggs and inhabit scarcely used areas like closets or infrequently vacuumed rugs and carpets.
Occasionally, these pests can accidentally interact with humans as they wander around, but they tend to stick to themselves. Finding carpet beetles in regularly used areas suggests an insect problem you should swiftly resolve.
Carpet beetles are tough pests to eliminate, especially if you have an infestation. Removing adult beetles is tough, but finding and getting rid of the larvae and eggs can be even more difficult.
Vacuuming the beetles, eggs, and larvae can quickly help an insect issue, but you may not remove all the bugs hiding away. However, steam cleaning and vacuuming your floors and rugs can eliminate stubborn insects burrowed in the fibers.
Some over-the-counter products like diatomaceous earth work well to kill the pests– as long as you're okay with a little mess!
If the carpet beetles crawl over powder or consume it, they will slowly dehydrate from the cuts on their body.
Spread the powder in areas where you have spotted adult insects, and sweep it up after a couple of days. You should begin to notice a decrease in adults and hopefully less damage to your possessions.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe to consume but still a lung irritant, so avoid breathing in the powder. Also, the product’s effectiveness wanes when wet, so don’t place the powder in frequently damp areas.
To eliminate an infestation, you’ll need to physically remove the insects from infected items, according to the University of Kentucky. If adult beetles have lain eggs within the seams of couch cushions or onto stored away blankets, proper cleaning may be the only way to get rid of the pests.
While it’s unlikely you’ll ever share a pillow with these annoying pests, they could make your bed home during a severe infestation.
To prevent carpet beetles, repair any exterior holes that may grant insects access and gaps in doors and windows. Sealing up their entry points will decrease the number of insect issues you have to handle.
Properly storing your clothing and other fabric items can keep the pests at bay. Instead of stuffing your winter coats in the back of your closet, stow them in tamper-proof bags or containers to keep the insects out.
Vacuuming your rugs and carpet will also ensure that the creepy crawlers won’t make a foothold in your home. Besides fabric, carpet beetles also consume pet and human hair. Check under furniture, rugs, and bedding to ensure you are reaching all possible areas.
When all else fails, give Zunex Pest Control a call! We can eliminate any pesky insect infestation. Contact us today to learn more!
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