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Carpet beetles have the potential to be destructive pests. You wouldn't think so to look at one. A carpet beetle isn't much more than a little speck of an insect. But it isn't the carpet beetle that damages your belongings. It is the larvae of carpet beetles that do all the damage. And, if you're not aware, carpet beetle larvae aren't beetles; they're grubs. Today, we're going to look at how carpet beetles, or their grubs, might find their way into your Phoenix home, and also take a look at a few factors that can make you more susceptible to a carpet beetle infestation.
How The Beetles Get In
Carpet beetles have the ability to fly. They can come into your home when you open the door. This is difficult to prevent. You can, however, reduce your chances of having a carpet beetle zip into your home when you open the door by using the following tips:
Replace exterior white bulbs in your entryway with bulbs that cast yellow light. The yellow light spectrum is far less attractive to insects, like carpet beetles. Fewer carpet beetles near your doors will result in fewer carpet beetles trying to get inside your home when you go in or out.
Carpet beetles feed on nectar. If you have potted flowers near your entryways, this could increase your chances of having carpet beetles get inside. The same is true if you have flowers planted in landscaping that is near exterior doors.
If you have kids that leave the doors open, do your best to give them incentives to refrain from doing that. Positive reinforcement can go a long way toward inspiring your kids to be door shutters. Of course, you could always resort to asking them if they live in a barn.
While you can certainly have carpet beetles fly right into your home when you open the door, it is more likely that they'll get in by some other, less obvious, way. Here are a few ways to consider:
Old weatherstripping around doors can have gaps that are more than large enough to let carpet beetles into your home.
Missing door sweeps, damaged door frames, and structural gaps around doors give carpet beetles easy access.
Damaged door and window screens allow carpet beetles into the space between your screens and your glass panes. When you open the door or window, they can come right in while the screen is closed.
How The Grubs Get In
Carpet beetle larvae don't travel much on their own. They hatch from their eggs and feed on available food sources. You don't have to worry about grubs getting into your home by their own effort. What you have to watch out for is accidentally bringing them into your home by your own effort. Here are a few examples:
- When you purchase used furniture, you might purchase a used carpet beetle infestation. Grubs could be in an upholstered couch, chair, or some other item that contains natural fibers.
- When you purchase an animal trophy, you might get carpet beetle grubs along with it.
- When you purchase food products, such as dried meat, powdered milk, or dry pet food, you could get grubs along with those items.
- If you pick up a bird's nest that has fallen to the ground and bring it inside, you could bring grubs in with it.
Surprising Sources
There are a few ways that you can find carpet beetles appearing in your Phoenix home by the dozens, or even hundreds. When you do, it is not likely that all those beetles have found an entry point. It is more likely that they've found an interior breeding site. This could be an item you have in storage. You could have a pantry pest infestation. Or, the source might be unexpected. They might be breeding in a bird's nest in your attic or a rodent nest in a ventilation duct. Wherever they're breeding, you can be sure that there are natural animal products for the larvae to feed on, or food products that are high in protein. If you search for the source and can't find it, we recommend reaching out to a pest management professional. A trained and experienced technician has the best chance of solving the mystery.
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