S & W Pest Management Inc : Insect Guide

Pest Guide » Occasional Pests » Varied Carpet Bettles:

Varied Carpet Beetles
Anthrenus verbasci
Color: Black centers, with white, brown and yellow patches in an irregular arrangement
Legs: Six
Shape: Round
Size: 1/16"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: No

There many species of carpet beetles but the most common is the Varied Carpet Beetle. Varied carpet beetles get their name from the rainbow of color on their back surfaces. These pests enjoy dining on carpets, woolen fabrics, dead insects, furs, hides, feathers, horns, hair, silk and bones. Varied carpet beetles are found in homes in attics, Oriental carpets, tapestries and wood-based wall-to-wall carpeting. Good housekeeping is critical.

Adults are attracted by light, fly into homes and may be found on windows and screens. Eggs laid indoors occur in lint accumulations near the food source, in air ducts, under heavy furniture, underneath baseboards, etc. Sixty days to a year or more may be spent in the larval stage feeding, depending on food and temperature. Some life cycles are two to three years, depending on the species of carpet beetle. Usually there are three to four generations per year except for the black or varied carpet beetle that may have one generation per year.

Prevention:

Use a strong suction vacuum cleaner with proper attachments to remove lint, hair and dust from floors, shelves and drawers.
Periodically brush, air outside, or dry-clean furs, woolens, blankets, etc. Clean rugs, carpets, draperies, furniture, baseboards, air vents, moldings and other hard-to-reach places regularly.
Destroy untreated worthless animal skins or hides, valueless insect collections, old woolen rags and old clothing.
Cedar-lined closets and chests help but are not 100 percent effective. Use naphthalene flakes or balls or paradichlorobenzene (PDB) crystals according to package instructions.
Any tight box or bag that can be sealed is a good storage container.
Be sure that all cloth goods are dry-cleaned, washed, pressed with a hot iron, sunned or brushed prior to storage. Fur storage in cold vaults is effective.
Remove and destroy abandoned bird and insect nests in attics, under eaves, etc.

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