ARE CARPET BEETLES DANGEROUS

Written by Viking Pest Control | April 16, 2018

Believe it or not the carpet beetle ranks right up there with ants, spiders, and flies as one of the most common household invading pests. There are many different species of carpet beetles found living in our area and while their appearance may vary slightly, all species have a couple things in common, including the fact that they do not cause any serious health risks to people but their larvae have the potential to be very destructive inside of homes.

Adult carpet beetles mainly feed on plant pollen and nectar, but when they find their way into your home they can contaminate cereal, flour, rice and other pantry items while feeding on them. Carpet beetle larvae can also become quite damaging when living inside a home because of their habit of feeding on natural fabrics; larvae chew holes through clothing, carpets, blankets, and upholstered furniture. Another problem associated with carpet beetles is that their larvae are attracted to the oils that are found in people’s hair and on their bodies. As the larvae travel across a person they have the potential to cause an irritating rash. Besides being itchy, the rash often causes people to wrongly believe that their home has been invaded by bed bugs.

How to Prevent Carpet Beetles

To help prevent carpet beetles from becoming a nuisance inside your home our professionals want to provide you with the following easy to accomplish prevention tips.

Adults feed on plant nectar and pollen, therefore they often enter into homes on plants that are brought inside. Inspect outdoor plants and flowers before bringing them inside.
Keep adults out of your home by making sure that window and door screens are intact and that any gaps found around windows and doors are caulked.
Store clothing, blankets and other items made from natural products inside pest-proof boxes or bags. Cardboard boxes should not be used as a long-term storage solution.
Regularly vacuum and dust your home to remove hair, dust, dead insects and other debris that carpet beetle larvae could feed on from your home.
Have carpets, upholstered furniture, and curtains professionally cleaned on a regular basis.

If you ever notice signs of carpet beetles inside of your home, contact the professionals at Viking Pest Control immediately. Our Convenience Plus and Premier Home Protection Plans can provide the initial services needed to solve the current problems you may be experiencing with carpet beetles. Our professionals then provide follow-up, seasonal service visits in order to prevent problems with carpet beetles and other common household invading pests.

Call Viking at 800-618-2847 to learn more about our carpet beetle control and prevention services, or get a fast, free quote online today!

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