Carpet Beetle

Distribution and Habitat

Found commonly throughout Europe and Britain, the adult beetles fly freely feeding on pollen and nectar on flower heads during the summer months. The larvae need a high animal-protein diet and occur naturally in dry birds' nests. They appear in domestic situations infesting carpets, clothes, animal furs and skins (including stuffed specimens) and are often associated with bird nesting activity in eaves and roof spaces.

Biology

The female beetle lays the whitish eggs in or on a suitable larval food. Continuously feeding, the larvae grow by moulting several times (usually up to 5) before pupating inside the last larval skin. Even the newly emerged adult remains inside this skin for a few days, before fully emerging and flying towards a pollen/nectar source. The adults are frequently found on window ledges having failed to escape from the house or other buildings.

There is usually only one generation per year, the adult females returning to the buildings in the autumn for egg laying. In cold conditions, the larvae will hibernate and resume feeding in the spring.

This species and its relatives are of particular significance in domestic properties where they will damage the fibres of carpets, bedding and clothing, animal fur, skins and leather and sometimes the heads of sweeping brushes and mops. In other situations they will frequently eat and damage stuffed animals and insect specimens in collections.

Control

Recommendations are similar to those for fur beetles. If materials are heavily infested they should be removed and destroyed. Infested areas should be cleaned thoroughly using a nozzle vacuum cleaner concentrating on removing debris and larvae from cracks and crevices. An application of a residual insecticide should then be made to the area, concentrating on treating cracks and crevices. Dust formulations, including desiccant dusts, will be effective but may be vacuumed away in subsequent cleaning.