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FEBRUARY 16 2022 /
Temperatures in Northern Virginia and Maryland have certainly dropped enough to let us know that fall has passed and winter is finally here.
Another reminder that winter has finally settled in, is the appearance of overwintering pests like the carpet beetle. If you're seeing these pests in your home, that means they are finding a way through your defenses.
Like all overwintering creatures, these pests crawl around on the outside of your home until they find an entry point.
If you don't have a treatment on your exterior walls, these bugs will not rest until they break your defenses.
They will slip under doors that don't have a door sweep. They will slip past doors that don't have proper weather stripping. They will pop through window screens and squeeze through broken window frames.
Cracks in basement walls and holes created by an overabundance of wetness, and pests coming to chew on the softened wood, are superhighways into your home.
So, it is important to make sure all of these zones are properly protected.
They can also be carried in on plants that have been sitting outside. If you bring plants in to protect them from the cold, you should be sure to check them for beetles.
These are cold-blooded creatures. That means their blood is as cold as the temperature of the air around them.
When it freezes, they freeze and die. That makes these insects motivated to get away from the cold.
That is why they crawl around under your porch, decks, patio, stairs, balcony, and other exteriors structures. It is also why they climb down your chimney.
Inside a home, adult carpet beetles will primarily feed on cereals, rice, and flour, if they eat at all.
Those adult carpet beetles are more of a warning sign than a danger. When you see them crawling around, it is time to look for their babies. Carpet beetle larvae are the real danger inside your home.
They can feed on a wide variety of things, some of which you would probably rather not have them eating, like clothing, carpets, drapes, bedspreads, and sheets.
Though they are drawn to anything that has natural fibers, they are known to chew on things that come in contact with our bodies and hair. Carpet beetles are like the essential oils we leave behind.
If you live in Northern Virginia or Maryland, this is the time of year to start looking for carpet beetles.
If you have adult carpet beetles, there is a good chance their larvae are somewhere in your home. The experts here at American Pest can assist you with a thorough inspection and help to stop these destructive little creatures.
We can also help you figure out where these and other overwintering pests are getting in--so they can be sealed out. For good! Give American Pest a call today to get rid of carpet beetles.
