Carpet pests are a problem that many American homeowners are familiar with, but one that none of of us hope to see. Many of these carpet pests are mostly harmless, but if they aren’t controlled the size of their population could skyrocket, leading to unsanitary conditions in your home and damage to your furniture and linens. So what are carpet pests, and how can you control them? Read on to learn more about these troublesome pests.

Most Carpet Pests Are Beetles

Many pests can live within your carpets, but the most commonly identified type of carpet pests are actually beetles. There are several types of beetles that can find their way into your home and take residence in your carpet, here are some of the most common:

• Black Carpet Beetle (Attagenus unicolor) – Black carpet beetles have a shiny black and dark brown shell and range from 1/8th to 3/16th’s of an inch long. The larvae can be slightly larger and significantly lighter in color, and have stiff white hairs covering their body. In areas that are typically dry and warm, black carpet beetles are mostly seen as a warehouse pest, but they can attack carpet in more humid areas.

• Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) – Varied carpet beetles are known to cause damage to all sorts of items within your home, including woolen carpets, stuffed animals, and any items containing animal skin such as leather-covered couches and chairs. In appearance, this pest is about 1/10th of an inch long and are mostly black in color with random splotches of white, brown and yellow on their wings. In their larvae state, the pest is covered in dense hair with light and dark brown stripes.

• Furniture Carpet Beetles (A. flavipes) – Furniture carpet beetles are slightly larger than varied carpet beetles, and their wings appear to be smeared with color due to the presence of black, white, yellow and orange spots. Occasionally the pest will be solid black, and all furniture beetles have a white underside. Like with most beetles, they are larger in their larvae state. The same items within your home are in danger of being attacked by furniture beetles as varied carpet beetles.

If you find a bug that’s been causing damage to furnishings around your home but are unable to identify it, the chances are that it’s a carpet pest. Don’t waste time trying to figure out the exact type of pest that you’ve spotted, or wait until you see that they’ve caused even more damage, before getting in touch with a pest control provider. The sooner you act the less chance there is of carpet pests causing damage to items around your home.

Get Rid Of Carpet Pests Right Away

If carpet pests are present in your home it is essential that you get rid of them right away. The longer you wait, the more time they have to reproduce and cause damage to carpet, furniture and upholstery within your home. The only way to ensure that carpet pests are no longer an issue in your home is to get in touch with a licensed pest control provider.

When selecting a pest control provider, make sure to find one that understands the unique struggles that carpet pests present. If the representative you speak with doesn’t seem to be sure what carpet pests are or is unable to name the ways that their company fights these bugs, you’ll want to keep searching until you find a better provider.