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 Carpet Beetle

Common Name: Varied Carpet Beetle Scientific name: Anthrenus verbasci Size 1.8-3.2mm

Biology: Females do not always lay their eggs on larval food material. The eggs hatch in 17-18 days. Development time from

egg to adult usually requires 249-354 days at room temperature, but may take as long as 2-3 years depending upon

temperature and food. Adult males live 13-28 days whereas females live 14-144 days. Complete Metamorphosis.

Habits: Varied carpet beetle larva feed on a wide variety of animal and plant products. Animal origin materials include woolens,

carpets, furs, hides, feathers, horns, bones, hair, silk, fishmeal, insect pupae and dead insects. Plant origin materials include

meal, corn, coco and cereals etc. Their favored foods are insects and spiders, which makes them a major pest of museum

collections. On fabrics the larva tends to surface graze and is quite capable of making small or large irregular holes.

Treatment: Before a treatment can be carried out all carpet areas will need to be vacuumed. A full insecticidal spray is carried

out treating all carpeted areas, rugs and soft furnishings in an affected property. It is advised that the treated areas cannot be

cleaned or vacuumed for at least 3 weeks after the treatment has been carried out. If carpet beetles are still being seen after 4

weeks an additional treatment will be needed.

Common Clothes Moth

Common Name: Common Clothes Moth Scientific name: Tineola bisselliella Size 12mm

Biology: On the day of emergence from there pupae, adult females can mate and lay eggs. Each female on average lays 30-40

eggs, either singly or in small groups over a 2-3 week period. The eggs hatch within 4-10 days in the summer but may require

up to 3 weeks in the winter. Development time from egg to an adult varies from a typical 50-90 days to between 35 days to 4

years. Females die after all their eggs are laid, usually in about 116 days, whereas males live on average about 28 days.

Complete Metamorphosis.

Habits: They attack synthetic fibers only when they are interwoven with natural animal fiber material or are soiled. They feed on

materials such as wool, hair, fur, carpets & clothes etc. they have been found infesting beef meat, fish and milk products in

addition to furs and woolens. With a heavy infestation larva maybe visibly seen crawling around exposed. The adults do not

feed.

Treatment: Before a treatment can be carried out it is best to locate the worst affected areas. Any areas of the home that are

to be treated, mainly all carpeted areas, cracks & crevices should be vacuumed or cleaned before any application of insecticide.

The treated areas cannot be cleaned or vacuumed for at least 3 weeks, this is to allow enough time for newly laid eggs to hatch

and the young moths to walk on the insecticide. It is best not to treat clothes with an insecticide as this may cause damage to

garments, all clothes in an affected wardrobe or storage space should be removed and laundered.