Are Carpet Beetles The New Pest Scare?

Here at Witt Pest Management, we’ve been getting a lot of calls lately about carpet beetles which may make you wonder if these pests are the new pest scare.  The answer is no, not really.  In many cases when we’ve gone out to inspect our pest control technicians have encountered bed bugs rather than carpet beetles.  To be clear, bed bugs are not a new pest scare either but they are a persistent pest problem that shows no signs of slowing down. 

Have you found holes in your curtains or noticed clothing spotted with holes and just can’t figure out how it happened?  If this is the case, you could have carpet beetles in your home.  Want to know more about these pests that may be destroying your stuff?  Read on for some helpful tips on carpet beetles from the Greater Pittsburgh pest control pros at Witt.

• Carpet beetles are pretty tiny; we’re talking just a fraction of an inch!
• Adult carpet beetles aren’t usually the culprits of the holes you find in your belongings, it’s the larvae that eat your silk, wool, and feathers.
• Carpet beetle larvae like the dark. They will avoid the light by hiding in closets, drawers and even inside furniture.
• Carpet beetle larvae may feed on synthetic fibers, but only if there is a blood or sweat stain on them, or when synthetic fibers are mixed with natural fibers.
• Carpet beetles have little hair-like bristles on their bodies that, when they come into contact with skin, can cause an allergic reaction. If you have a carpet beetle allergy, you may have a noticeable rash or red bumps (that may appear to look like bed bug bites). A carpet beetle allergic reaction is normally pretty minor, but if you have more than just a rash, contact your doctor.
• There are quite a few different kinds of carpet beetles you can find in your home; they include the varied carpet beetle, the black carpet beetle and the furniture carpet beetle, among others. They all look a little different, but they all will eat things that can be found in your home.
• Since carpet beetles can leave red marks on your skin if you are allergic to them, some people mistakenly believe a carpet beetle infestation to be a bed bug infestation. Carpet beetles are not found in beds, like bed bugs. Carpet beetles are more likely to be found in carpeting, upholstered furniture, wall voids, attics, crawl spaces and other untouched areas of the home.

Again a majority of the reports of carpet beetles have turned out to be bed bugs so it’s important to seek out professional help for your pest problem. Accurate identification is critical if you want to have a home free of carpet beetles or bed bugs. Bed bugs are a serious pest problem, one that will not go away even if you throw out your mattress and box spring. The only way to get rid of bed bugs is with treatment. For bed bug removal in Pittsburgh, contact Witt Pest Management! Our friendly and experienced technicians will visit your home and help you figure out what pest is a problem for you! Give us a call today and see for yourself why we have been the pest control company of choice in the Great Pittsburgh area since 1908.