Carpet Beetle Larvae Cast Skins

Good housekeeping is critical.

Carpet beetle larvae cast skins.

Often the cast skins are more abundant than the larvae. The adults fly and some are attracted to lights and windows making. Similar to clothes moths the pests also feed on many other items composed of wool fur felt silk feathers skins and leather. These light brown empty skins remain behind and can accumulate in areas where larvae are feeding.

Look for shed skins on the underside of rugs in folds or hidden areas on clothing or wool blankets or under furniture or in corners where lint pet hair and dead insects. The related fur beetle is black with one spot on each wing case and there is a rarer black carpet beetle. The empty skin remains in the shape of the larva is. However carpet beetles tend to eat a single large area of a fabric whereas moths create tiny holes all over garments.

These skins and a lack of webbing are usually good clues that carpet beetles are the culprits. The larvae have to molt several times in order to grow. The variegated carpet beetle is 2 to 4mm long like a small mottled brown grey and cream ladybird. Also carpet beetle larvae leave brown shell like bristly looking cast skins when they molt.

Use a strong suction vacuum cleaner with proper attachments to remove lint hair and dust from floors shelves and drawers. Adult carpet beetles do not damage fabrics. Carpet beetles as their name implies sometimes infest carpets. Adult beetles flying around windows may help in locating the infestation.

Sometimes felts and hammers in pianos become infested and so badly damaged that it affects the tone and action of the instrument. Carpet beetle larvae molt or shed their skins several times as they grow. They feed outdoors on pollen or not at all. Additionally carpet beetle larvae leave cast skins while molting which may cause allergic reactions and dermatitis in some highly sensitive individuals.

Such materials contain keratin a fibrous animal protein which the larvae are able to digest. How do i control them. Two main types of carpet beetles found in nebraska are the varied carpet beetle and black carpet beetle. Black carpet beetle adult and larvae.

One of the best methods of control is thorough cleaning. These skins as well as a lack of webbing are usually good indicators that carpet beetles are the perpetrators rather than clothes moths. The larvae known as woolly bears of these small oval beetles have outstripped the clothes moths as the major british textile pest. Cast skins may be found in great abundance and serve as a sign for a current or past infestation.

The best way to tell carpet beetle damage from clothes moth damage is to look for shed skins left behind by carpet beetle larvae. Their old skins split down the back much like a cicada nymph s shell and the larvae work their way out. Also carpet beetle larvae leave brown shell like bristly looking cast skins when they molt.