A good way to combat and prevent carpet beetle infestations in the home is to have a thorough knowledge of their habits and customs. In this way, you can avoid conditions conducive to their appearance or detect their presence quickly.
Usually, the females of this insect deposit their eggs of tiny size and pearly white color on protected surfaces near food sources, such as lint around baseboards. They will deposit 40 to 100 eggs together in the same area.
The incubation process of this species is about 6 to 11 days as long as there is a warm climate that favors their development, and once this time has passed, the eggs will be broken, and the larvae will appear. If the climate is not warm enough, gestation will be longer.
The larval life of carpet beetles usually lasts between 250 and 650 days, and their behavior during this time is focused on searching for protein-rich food in dark areas. By the time they reach maturity, carpet beetles will live a few more weeks or months and stop damaging household items.
When carpet beetles are adults, it is easy to find them, as it is common for them to fly around windows and seek outdoor areas in which to feed on pollen.
What do carpet beetle eggs look like?
Contents
The eggs of the carpet beetle are cream or white and measuring around 1/2 mm in length. And eggs are evident at one end and then are identified by oval shape. Eggs have spine projections. The corridors are like a backbone. You will find them close to timbered furnishings, closets, pipes, and lints. As they mix with their surroundings, infestations of the carpet beetle are hardly detectable when they are in the larval stage.
When do carpet beetles lay eggs?
Adult carpet beetles are most often seen in the late spring and the early summer, and this is when they come out to look for warm, healthy places to lay their eggs. Sadly, “hot, secure places” often refer to your lofts, closets, and the gaps between the walls.
Where do carpet beetles lay eggs?
The carpet beetle is a common pest that the larvae feed primarily on animal materials such as feathers, cotton, wool, hair, and textiles (they may also feed on dead insects). Although adult beetles are happy outdoors, the larvae prefer the warmth of the house. Under carpets, baseboards, drawers, closets, cabinets, and other dark, quiet places are favorite places for beetles. So they like laying their eggs in these places.
How Many Eggs Do Carpet Beetles Lay?
The female carpet beetle lays 90 eggs, often in hidden dust accumulations in dark, enclosed areas or on a food source. The larvae’s life span, from 177 to 370 days depending on the species, is much longer than the adult life span, varying from 13 to 60 days, also depending on the species.
Carpet Beetle Life Cycle
Beetles are insects that undergo a complete metamorphosis, passing through four phases or stages: egg, larva, pupa, and finally, an adult. The time taken to complete the entire cycle may vary depending on the species.
Eggs: the females will choose one or another place to deposit them depending on the subsequent food source that the larvae will have. Thus, they can be found among the leaves, in the substrate, or buried underground. The number of eggs laid by females can vary greatly; some species lay more than a thousand eggs during their lifetime.
Larvae: this is the longest stage of the entire cycle and can last several years. During this stage, it undergoes many changes, and it is also when it ingests the largest amount of food.
Pupae: this is where the fully formed adult beetle will emerge.
Adults: spring is the time when the adult beetles generally appear. From then on, they feed, mate, and the cycle begins again.
Common Damages Caused by Carpet Beetles
As carpet beetle larvae feed in dark and shady areas, it is common for them to eat hidden among the fibers their favorite foods, usually wool, silk, fur, cashmere, or synthetic containing some part of animal fibers.
It will be easy to find these insects damaging household objects such as tablecloths, coats, carpets, curtains, or any item that is endowed with dark areas and the type of substances they consume to feed.
Also Read: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles Naturally
How to Prevent Carpet Beetle Infestation in your House
- Clean wool or natural fiber clothing.
- Vacuum all carpets, rugs, and upholstery. Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately afterward.
- Leave your house for the duration of the treatment and then return after 4 hours. If possible, open windows for 20 minutes upon return. It is also very crucial not to walk barefoot on treated areas for 48 hours.
- When applying a liquid treatment, make the area to be treated accessible (clear wall edges, empty shelves, etc.).
Conclusion
When the infestation is going worsening, carpet beetles will go unrecognized. The carpet beetle pupae and larvae are so tiny that they are difficult to be found. Adults are most likely to be seen circling around, crawling on surfaces or a light source. The key intruders are usually carpet beetle larvae, not the adults, as many people believe. The carpet beetle larvae will make some damages on your textiles, including leather, wool, rugs, stuffed animals, carpets, and other non-synthetic fabrics, and are often mistaken for moths. As a result, you should take steps to prevent the infestation from spreading, the best of which is to schedule a specialist carpet beetle procedure because the experts are well-equipped and knowledgeable. The experts are well-prepared and also have the appropriate products and procedures to eliminate the beetles.
