feeds on fabric and causes damage. How worried should I be about carpet beetles. The life cycle of a carpet beetle ranges from two months to several years in length. The newly hatched larvae scavenge for food (they will eat dander, hair, and other small bits of food high in protein), avoid light, and move so slowly that they appear to be gliding. that a larval infestation is present somewhere within the home. A clump of golden hairs is located at the end of their bodies. They tend to be surface feeders on wool, usually eating the nap from Black carpet beetle larvae frequently burrow through containers to any suitable food material. They are numerous during the spring and early summer months. When these eggs then hatch into larvae, they seek out dark, dry, secluded places, like air ducts, collected lint, dry dog food, wool, and stored grains or spices. The last antennal segment of the male is twice as long as that of the female. However, carpet beetles tend to eat a single, large area of a fabric whereas moths create tiny holes all over garments. Attagenus unicolor is the scientific name for the black carpet beetle. Identification - Pantry Moths or Pantry Beetles ? Additionally, carpet beetle larvae leave cast skins while molting, which may cause allergic reactions and dermatitis in some highly sensitive individuals. A+ BBB Rating. Larva is light brown to dark brown in color and may be ½ inch long. It is not uncommon to find one or two black carpet beetles in a house. It is a pest in kitchen cupboards, as well as in woolen carpets or clothes storage areas. Females lay eggs directly on or near larval food sources, such as carpets, furs, wool, spider webs, animal carcasses, leather, and other protein-containing materials. Why do we need this? Only the larval stage That could be your family, your home, your business, your pets - anything. The black carpet beetle is a common carpet beetle in Pennsylvania. Larvae roam widely and move slowly, normally searching for food in dark areas of a room, shunning sunlight. Air ducts, collected lint, dry dog food, wool, and stored grains or spices often serve as both food sources and shelters while larvae grow indoors. Generally, carpet beetle larvae prefer dark and secluded places. A Better Business Bureau Accredited Business. Enter a zip code below to view local branches. I understand my consent is not required to make a purchase. These tiny black beetle bugs belong to the family Dermestidae and their larvae can be a true household pest.. However, most are elongated with varying degrees of tuft of hairs on the body. Pupation for the beetles lasts around one to two weeks, and then adults live for an average of two months. Larvae may grow to 1/2-inch long over a series of 5 to 11 molts.
These tiny carpet beetles start out their adult life as white beetles.