Carpet Beetles
Carpet Beetles are small, oval insects, usually less than 1/4 inch long. Carpet beetle larvae are usually about the size of the adult beetle, 1/4 inch or less in length. Adult carpet beetles are commonly found indoors at windows. Carpet beetle larvae often wander about the infested location– from room to room in a house. This behavior results in spreading the infestation throughout the house.
Adults can mate and reproduce without feeding. Females can lay from 30 to 100 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs are laid in lint, behind and under baseboards, in floor cracks, or other dark and protected locations. Eggs hatch in one to three weeks.
The larval stages cause damage to a variety of material. Their preferred food varies with the species, but all carpet beetle larvae can feed on wool carpets and other wool products, furs, hides, horns, feathers, hair, and silk. They will also feed on linen, cotton, and rayon if these fabrics are soiled with juice, food, or animal excreta.
They can be pests in cereals, stored grains, nuts, meal, Indian corn, red pepper, and similar products.
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