If you call the "Gateway to the Northwest" home, you likely enjoy everything from farmer's markets, concerts at Holt Arena to trail races and art walks; there seems to be something going on every day of the year. Unfortunately, while you're out and about enjoying everything Pocatello has to offer, your home may be becoming a breeding ground for a harmless yet potentially destructive pest, the carpet beetle. They may not carry diseases like some other local pests, but they are big eaters. They can quickly cause significant damage to any item with natural fibers, such as your carpets, clothing, furniture, and curtains.
Description Of The Carpet Beetle Common To Pocatello
Carpet beetles are capable of a great deal of damage if they show up to create an infestation in your home. If you think you may have an infestation, it's essential first to make sure you are dealing with carpet beetles, as they are commonly confused with bed bugs and ladybugs due to their similar resemblance in shape. Carpet beetles have an oval-shaped body and are typically brown, with speckles varying in color. Another key indicator of a carpet beetle is an insect that moves slowly and rolls over when you touch it. They are fast breeders and are not picky eaters, so they can quickly create significant damage in your Pocatello home.
Why They Invade Your Home
Despite their misleading name, carpet beetles are not naturally born and raised out of carpets. Instead, they are naturally outdoor bugs that make their way into your home through tiny gaps around your doors and open windows. They can also find their way into your home through clothing, pets, or hitching a ride on cut flowers. Another entry route is around electrical conduits, soffit vents, eaves and chimneys, and plumbing entrances.
These pests are attracted to light, so you may see them crawling around doorways and window sashes or flying around light sources. Their larvae, however, favor areas in your home that have little to no light, such as cabinets, pantries, attics, closets, and inside air ducts and vents. The carpet beetle itself can cause a nuisance, but it's the babies that drive the real damage due to their feasting on natural fibers and fabric.
Unfortunately, another way carpet beetles can make their way into your home is on rugs bought from third company parties or larger distributors. These rugs can have larvae and eggs inside of the fibers that are hard to detect. Whether you are purchasing a rug, or even a new home, it is important to be aware of the threat of carpet beetles.
The Problems With Getting Rid Of Carpet Beetles
Due to the adults finding a way inside, carpet beetles lay eggs on rugs, clothing, and furniture. Infestations tend to go unnoticed for long periods. This becomes problematic because they can cause severe damage to carpets, upholstered furniture, clothes, and bedding without you noticing for a while. However, infestations can often be identified by adult carpet beetles, which you will find around lights and windows. The easiest way to identify larvae is the damage that they cause. They chew holes in infested items and will usually leave behind shed skin. They can invade the bedding you've stored in your closets and make their way to curtains and even your clothing. Holes in clothing, bare spots in rugs, and tiny pinholes in books are sure signs that they're around in your home. Female carpet beetles lay anywhere from 25 to 100 eggs, hatch into larvae in two short weeks. They can mature under various temperatures and humidity levels and typically take over a year to develop into adults.
How To Prevent Carpet Beetles
The best way to prevent carpet beetles in your Pocatello home is to securely store items made of natural fiber and seal off any possible entry points. To accomplish this, you should:
Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
Store new bedding and clothing in plastic containers.
Dry clean clothing before storing it for long periods.
Regularly check fibrous material for signs of carpet beetles.
Install screens in exterior doors and windows.
Install weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows.
The Most Effective Carpet Beetle Control Solution Is With Falls Pest Services
If you require assistance in dealing with a carpet beetle infestation around your home or property, contact the professionals here at Falls Pest Services right away. With our residential pest control options, as well as commercial pest solutions, we offer treatments and ongoing pest control plans to ensure your home is protected from damaging carpet beetles and other pests all year long. Don't let carpet beetles cost you money and destroy your home. Give us a call here at Falls Pest Services, and let us take care of the problem for you.