Furniture Carpet Beetle Larvae

It s difficult to tell the difference between damage cause by clothes moths and carpet beetles.

Furniture carpet beetle larvae. The larval stage of the furniture carpet beetle is responsible for causing damage. The larvae live for 70 to 94 days before pupating. Specifically the allergy is to larvae bristles or skin that s been shed. Dear nyc this is most certainly a carpet beetle and a carpet beetle larva and it very closely resembles a varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci however the larva is too dark to be that species.

Also carpet beetle larvae leave brown shell like bristly looking cast skins when they molt. The larva is 5 mm long oval and covered with brown hair. It is highly unlikely that you would have the larvae of one species in your closet and the adult of another species so we continued to research. However carpet beetles are more likely to damage a large section on one portion of a garment or carpet whereas moth damage often appears as scattered holes.

Larvae typically are light brown to black and covered in dense sometimes barbed hairs. Three distinct golden hairs are located upon the abdomen at this. Larvae also tend to infest the lower edges of rugs and carpeting. Use needle nose pliers to lift the outer edge of wall to wall carpet from the tack strip along baseboards.

Their bodies are oval shaped. Carpet beetle rash some people can be allergic to carpet beetles although most aren t. Typically the furniture carpet beetle lays 60 eggs which take 9 to 16 days to hatch. They remain as pupae for 14 to 17 days before emerging as adults.

Carpet beetle larvae prefer to feed in dark undisturbed protected places. The varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is a 3 mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae they are a common species often considered a pest of domestic houses and particularly natural history museums where the larvae may damage natural fibers and can damage carpets furniture clothing and insect collections. The larva of the common carpet beetle anthrenus scrophulariae is difficult to distinguish from that of the furniture carpet beetle. The life cycle of the furniture carpet beetle is similar to the varied carpet beetle.

Most species of carpet beetle measure 1 to 4 mm in length as adults. When a carpet beetle infestation is suspected closely examine preserved animals or hides for live larvae or cast skins as carpet beetles frequently infest these objects. Elimination of carpet beetles from large objects such as furniture may require the services of a professional pest control operator. Use a flashlight and nail file to check in such places as under baseboards in and under upholstered furniture piano felts air ducts stuffed animal trophies stored cereals bird nests under eaves rodent nests wasp nests in attics dead birds or rodents in wall.

The adult furniture carpet beetles live 4 to 8 weeks. Black white and yellow patterned coloration some species of carpet beetle may also exhibit orange coloration.