Frequently Asked Questions About Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles in Northern Virginia

Carpet beetles don’t just infest and eat carpets; they will also go after other types of fabrics and materials. Learn what items in your home are at risk for carpet beetles, how to prevent them, and more.

What are carpet beetles?

Carpet beetles are similar to clothes moths in that they cause damage to different fabrics. This pest has several identifiable traits:

• About 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long
• Oval-shaped
• Black with white, brown, yellow, and orange mottled pattern

Are carpet beetles dangerous?

We don’t consider carpet beetles dangerous because they don’t pose health concerns to people. But they are still a big inconvenience and can cause damage to clothing, furniture, rugs, and other items when they infest.

Any pest infestation will likely cause you stress, but carpet beetles, even more so because they cause damage. It’s important to know the proper steps to take to get rid of these pests in Fairfax, VA quickly and efficiently.

Why do I have a carpet beetle problem?

We mentioned above that carpet beetles don’t just go for carpets but many other fabrics as well. However, it’s actually carpet beetle larvae that cause the damage. Adults feed on plant nectar and pollen. But females will lay their eggs on a viable food source so larvae can feed as soon as they hatch. Larvae feed on leather, wool, silk, feathers, fur, and other fabrics made of animal protein.

Adult carpet beetles will get into a home through damaged screens, gaps around windows and doors, uncovered vents, and other weaknesses in the exterior. These pests can also infest a house through secondhand goods and items from storage units. So it’s essential to thoroughly inspect anything you are bringing into your home for signs of pests.

Where will I find carpet beetles?

You might also see adult carpet beetles underneath furniture, the edges of rugs and carpets, and near baseboards.

Areas of the home where you’ll usually see signs of carpet beetle include lightly trafficked storage areas such as the basement and attic.

How do I get rid of carpet beetles?

If you believe you have a carpet beetle problem, call SPRK Pest Solutions. When dealing with an infestation, it’s essential to correctly identify what pest is causing issues, which is what we will do to ensure the results you are looking for with our services.

When we work with a customer, we intend to build a relationship so they always have a trusted pest control company to call. We do this through honest and open communication to ensure our customers know what we are doing during each step of the process.

Reach out to SPRK Pest Solutions today and ask what we can do to eliminate carpet beetles in your home.

How can I prevent carpet beetles in the future?

You can help keep carpet beetles from damaging items at your Virginia property by using these prevention tips:

• Vacuum regularly and empty the vacuum’s contents immediately in a bin outside.
• When storing clothing, pillows, towels, rugs, and other items made from animal fibers, use plastic containers with lids that seal instead of cardboard boxes.
• Before putting belongings in storage, wash and check everything over for signs of pests.
• Place mothballs or a cedar block in storage containers.
• Replace damaged screens on windows and doors.
• Fill in gaps around windows and doors.
• Place covers on vents.
• Look for and seal any other entry points in your home’s exterior.

Don’t forget to contact SPRK Pest Solutions for professional home and commercial pest control treatments to take care of your carpet beetle problem.