Carpet Beetles

Inspection – Locate the source of infestation before treatment. Carpet beetle larvae prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed, protected places. Use a flashlight and nail file to check in such places as under baseboards, in and under upholstered furniture, piano felts, air ducts, stuffed animal trophies, stored cereals, bird nests under eaves, rodent nests, wasp nests in attics, dead birds or rodents in wall voids, woollens, clothes closets, furs, etc. Often the cast skins are more abundant than the larvae. Adult beetles flying around windows may help in locating the infestation.

Prevention – Good housekeeping is critical. 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, woollens, blankets, etc. Clean rugs, carpets, draperies, furniture, baseboards, air vents, mouldings and other hard-to-reach places regularly. Destroy untreated worthless animal skins or hides, valueless insect collections, old woollen rags and old clothing. Cedar-lined closets and chests help but are not 100 percent effective.

Insecticides – Woollen carpets, clothing and blankets may be sprayed lightly with a ready-to-use aerosol spray such as resmethrin before placing in storage. Do not over-apply and be sure to dry-clean clothing before wearing after they have been in storage. Upholstered furniture and pillows may require fumigation by a pest control operator where surface sprays would not be effective. After thoroughly cleaning under heavy furniture, rugs, rug pads and carpets, especially around the edges, apply insecticide crack and crevice sprays and spot treatments. Apply coarse spray surface treatments along edges of wall-to-wall carpeting in closets, corners, cracks, baseboards, mouldings and other hiding places. Spraying surfaces where insects crawl or hide is very effective. Some carpets and their dyes may be susceptible to running and discolouration by certain insecticides. (If in doubt, conduct a small test of the product on the target carpet or similar material before treating.) Use of dust in voids will offer long-term treatment.