There are three species of carpet beetle that are the most common problem for homeowners. These are the varied carpet beetle, the black carpet beetle and the furniture carpet beetle. Larvae are by far the most harmful stage in the carpet beetle lifecycle. Female carpet beetles lay anywhere from 50 to 100 eggs near food sources. An adult beetle can live four years, laying eggs once a year. Eggs are incredibly resilient. Once the eggs develop into cocoons and larvae, they stay in this stage nearly a year. The larvae is the most destructive stage of the carpet beetle. Both eggs and larvae are very difficult to detect since they tend to blend in with the fabric they inhabit. Once they mature, carpet beetles are scavengers and may be found in areas well away from food sources.
You may find one or two larvae crawling on surfaces. But the first sign of a carpet beetle infestation is usually irregular holes chewed in fabrics. They feed on the nap of fabrics and carpeting without eating the base threads. If you are finding holes in fabrics around your home, and think the damage is due to carpet beetles, look for fecal pellets and skins shed by the larva. They most often feed in dark secluded places, so do a thorough inspection for them in these areas:
- Undersides of furniture
- In areas around or behind furniture where pet hair may accumulate
- Corners and bottoms of drawers
- Along baseboards where carpet meets molding
- Under area rugs and carpets
- Inside closets – especially in corners
- In basements and attics
- Between walls and insulation
- In and under storage boxes
- On window and door frame moldings
- In gaps alongside and above and below shelving
- Outside your home where there might be dead rodents or birds