Wool Carpet Insects

Damage to woolens is actually done by the larvae of two types of insects.

Wool carpet insects. Identifying clothes carpet moths webbing clothes moth case bearing clothes moth. The beetles live outside but will come inside to lay their eggs on juicy looking carpet any time of the year. They tend to live inside fabric furniture or deep inside carpets so look for damage to area rugs around the edges and to carpets along base boards. A carpet moth infestation can be a costly problem as it can cause serious and often irreperable damage to carpets rugs and other soft furnishings in the home.

The black carpet beetle has more refined tastes they tend to feast on dry foods such as cereal oats and dry pet food. These beetles typically produce four generations within a year. When a bug takes shelter inside a carpet it causes an infestation. The eggs are laid on clothing furniture cracks in flooring and of course carpet.

Some female bugs such as bed bugs lay up to five eggs daily. Bugs living in carpets cause skin irritations such as itching and breakouts. They hatch more quickly in warmer weather. Clothes moths and carpet beetles the latter being more prevalent than moths in most areas of the country.

While all carpet beetles will eat anything they do have preferences the varied and furniture carpet beetles tend to focus on devouring natural fibres such as wool and leather. The carpet moth is a common household textile pest. Synthetic carpet is not attacked or damaged by carpet beetle grubs. The most common clothes moths are the webbing clothes moth easily identified with a golden colour and around half an inch in length and the case bearing moth which can be identified about inch long and their forewings are mottled brown with one large and a few.

As is so often the case it is the larva that does all the damage. In general they. Carpet moth larvae feed predominately on keratin found in natural fibres such as wool and so can live on any carpet with some wool content. The larvae of the carpet beetle will eat wool carpet and wool rugs can eat lots of it and will permanently damage the carpet.

Both insects lay eggs in secluded spots with plenty of food wool fur down shed pet dander and other animal based materials. These are mostly brown with white or yellow markings and are covered in short bristly hairs hence their well known woolly bear moniker. Female carpet beetles lay around 100 soft white eggs in concealed places that hatch in eight to fifteen days. Bugs can carry diseases cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks.

Carpet beetles are oval shaped and difficult to spot as they are only 2 to 4mm long. Carpet beetles like to live out of sight and feed on the natural fibers in fabrics even living off carpet fibers that are 90 percent synthetic.