Carpet Beetles by Micropest Pest Control

Pest Control and Termite Control Specialists

The Australian Carpet beetle is a native member of a group of beetles that frequently invade homes. Adults are from two to three millimetres in length, and they are found throughout Australia in urban areas, forests and woodlands.

Adult carpet beetles eat flowers and live outdoors. The larvae feed on natural fibres and carpets, and treating interiors for the beetles is often ineffective because they quickly re-infest buildings.

The larvae are small hairy grubs with hairs that can break off when handled, and can cause allergic reactions in some people. When not eating household goods, the larvae feed on spider webs, dried animal skins and other protein rich material. As such, they can be a bad pest in museums, where they damage animal exhibits.

Larvae mature into adults in one to three years, depending on the environment. They hatch from eggs in Spring and early Summer, often in bird nests, or in fabrics. The larvae feed on natural fibres until going into a dormancy period prior to their pupal stage as they are maturing into adults. Adults emerge from early to late Summer, and feed on the pollen of flowering plants. Mating occurs during this time, and the breeding cycle begins again.

Natural predators of the carpet beetle larvae include a parasitic wasp. Being stung by the wasp will paralyse the beetle in about forty seconds. The wasp will lay its eggs on the beetle, and the beetle larvae becomes a food source for the hatched baby wasps.

Adult beetles commonly lay eggs in closets, air conditioning ducts and under furniture. The larvae hide and feed on organic material, and can damage carpets, blankets, furs, clothing and furniture. Infestations can be prevented by airing clothing outside, placing naphthalene balls in closets, and regular vacuum cleaning. Evidence that your home is infested includes obvious damage to household items, finding moulted skins in dark areas, and the presence of many adult beetles near windows. They can be deterred or killed with commercial insecticides, pheromone and scent traps, freezing, and oxygen deprivation.