Insects That Eat Carpet

Why they like carpet.

Insects that eat carpet. Step 3 woman feeding dog. This is especially helpful for carpets rugs and furniture. Today s carpet is made from synthetic materials that carpet beetles won t eat. Typically they like to feed off of animal based products.

Although very different in appearance and habits both are pests which eat animal fibres such as wool carpets and cashmere or mohair clothing. There are two main types of insect which cause serious damage to textiles in the british isles. They will move on as soon as possible so if holes begin appearing in your clothes but you don t see moths flying in your closet the problem is most likely carpet bugs. Synthetic items are resistant to attack but blends of synthetic and natural fibres can be damaged.

Carpet beetles like to gather in dark low traffic places in your home like closets storage areas your attic in air ducts and of course underneath your carpet. You may occasionally find carpet beetles in your pantry feeding on grains. Storage is the place where the worst damage occurs. Carpet beetles don t usually eat cotton linen or other plant based or synthetic fabrics but they may eat fabric blends or fabrics stained with animal products.

The pests can also proliferate on bird nests animal carcasses and dead insects cluster flies lady beetles stink bugs wasps etc which tend. Carpet beetles have a wide variety of things that they eat and interestingly enough sometimes they won t even eat carpet. Carpet bugs will eat through clothing but they won t stay there like moths. Moths and carpet beetles love to eat under a sofa that is never moved to vacuum under it.

Carpet beetles will only eat organic products so choosing synthetic materials will lessen your chances of getting an infestation. In homes with rugs in use this bug damage will be found under large furniture. This makes sense because the bugs like dark undisturbed places to make their meal. Carpet beetle larvae can damage fabrics furnishings and clothing that contain cotton wool silk hair fur or feathers.

Carpet beetles are often found around the edges of rugs and carpets. Carpet beetles can also thrive on lint hair and debris accumulating under baseboards and inside floor vents and ducts. Carpet beetles have a recognisable oval body with a shiny dark brown black colouring though their wings tend to vary with irregular patterns of white brown and dark yellow. Clothes moths and carpet beetles.

They range in size from 0 3 cm to 0 4 cm. Adult carpet beetles don t eat carpet or upholstery as they prefer pollen and nectar.