Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles are the kinds of animals that strike terror in the hearts of those who have wool rugs or carpeting. Considering the fact many oriental rugs are made of pure wool – at least the most expensive varieties – it is not surprising that collectors have an ever-watchful eye open for these little pests. Belonging to the family of the dermestidae, carpet beetles and their relatives are known to consider bones, carcasses, and any kinds of dried plant and animal parts to be yummy food sources.

The family dermestidae - carpet beetles being the ones that affect homeowners the most – is known to eat carpets made from wool. While in the past the common wisdom dictated that only wool carpets were going to be affected, the reality dictates that even those rugs made of wool and man made fiber combinations are at risk for infestation by those voracious carpet beetles. TAMU (the Texas A&M University) has provided much research on the subject.

To get rid of carpet beetles, you will first of all need to thoroughly vacuum your carpets and rugs. Use your vacuum attachment and pay close attention to corners, underneath furniture, and under baseboards, where not only the beetles may congregate and lay eggs, but also go after molting. There is an urban legend that asserts that carpet beetles can live in human hair. Much like the spider story – a spider allegedly lived in a woman’s beehive hairdo, laid eggs, and sent the woman into clinical madness as the spiderlings hatched - carpet beetles pictures and research have shown that the animals are taking nourishment from shed hair, not live hair.

How to get rid of carpet beetles that have infested a hair stuffed piece of upholstery is harder. Spraying carpet beetles works to a certain degree, but you will most likely have to repeat the spraying to get rid of the carpet beetles that will hatch from the eggs left behind by the previous generation. Fumigation will usually dispatch carpet beetles inside old horsehair stuffed chairs or settees, and since many antiques still showcase this kind of stuffing, carpet beetles and antiques seem to go hand in hand. If you find a few carpet beetles in your home, do not panic! Your first course of action will need to be a thorough cleaning of all areas where these insects may congregate and if you continue to notice them a call to your local exterminator will usually take care of the problem permanently.