



     The most common household pests are the immature, or larvae,

of two types of insects--carpet beetles and clothes moths. These

insects damage clothing, carpeting, and household furnishings,

especially those made of natural origin, by eating holes in them.

These pests may completely destroy items if allowed to build up 

unchecked.



Carpet beetles



     Carpet beetles are small insects of the same shape as

ladybird beetles. They are dark or mottled dark in color. The

adults fly and may appear in large numbers at windows. The adults

do not feed on fabrics; they feed on flower pollen outside, but

their presence should alert the homeowner to a potential

infestation.



     Carpet beetle larvae damage home furnishings, fabrics, and

clothing containing wool, hair, fur, hides, and feathers. Carpet

beetles are not just a fabric pest; they also infest cereals,

cake mixes, products containing grains, and even some dried foods

like peppers. Natural materials are infested more commonly than

manufactured goods. Carpet beetles may be found in synthetic

fibers like nylon when it is contaminated with spilled food.

Actually, synthetic materials may be more heavily damaged because

the insect will move more frequently seeking enough nutrients to

complete its development.



     In Delaware there are four different species of carpet

beetle. The black carpet beetle is the most abundant and

destructive carpet beetle. Adults have shiny black bodies and

lighter color legs, and clubbed antennae. They are 1/8 to 3/16

inch in length. This destructive larva is hairy, with darker head

capsule, and a characteristic long hair tuft extending from its

tail end.



     The remaining three beetles are in a different genus--

Anthrenus. They are smaller (1/8 inch) but very similar in

appearance. They are more oval-shaped and mottled dark gray to

black in coloration. Usually a brick-red stripe of color is

evident down the middle of the abdomen where the wing covers

join. This is only visible when seen through magnification. The

head is barely evident when viewed from above, legs are shorter

and antennae are clubbed. The larvae are stubby in appearance and

their bodies are covered with bands of stiff, lighter-color

hairs. They feed more commonly on the surface compared to the

black carpet beetles, which prefer to burrow. The tuft of hairs

at the tip of the abdomen are not as pronounced as the hair tuft

on the black carpet beetle.



     Infestations of carpet beetles in foods is much less common

                          Fabric Pests
than flour beetles or the saw-toothed grain beetle. Carpet
beetles develop more slowly on cereal products than on materials
of animal origin.

Clothes moths

     In Delaware the two most common fabric moth pests are the
webbing clothes moth and the casemaking clothes moth. The adult
moths look alike: they are yellowish to buff in color and have a
small wing span, only 1/2 inch. Many other small moths have a
very similar appearance. The larvae are whitish with a dark hair
capsule. They are small, only about 3/8 inch when fully grown.
You can usually see a silken feeding tube or larval case in the
material they feed upon.

     The clothes moth larvae are most destructive to articles
that are left undisturbed for long periods of time. The adult
moths prefer darkness. They readily fly and attempt to hide when
exposed to light. The larvae stay on the fabrics they feed on and
withdraw into silken tunnels/cases when disturbed. They are
colorless except for dark head capsules. Development may be as
rapid as a month under favorable conditions to as much as a year.

How infestations occur

     Clothes moth larvae are usually found on the fiber they feed
upon; carpet beetles are more active fliers. Both are often in
hidden, out-of-the-way places where they may go undetected for a
long time. Clothes moths are nocturnal and prefer to avoid
lighted areas. They run to hide when their infestation site is
suddenly exposed. Carpet beetles may be found at windows, seeking
light to go outside for flower nectar.

     Eggs and larvae of fabric-infesting moths and beetles may be
carried into the home on articles containing wool or animal
fibers. Secondhand clothing, home furnishings, or wool scraps may
be infested when you bring them home. Carpet beetles may fly
inside from a neighbor's home; clothes moths usually do not enter
this way.

     Once inside, both clothes moths and carpet beetles are
capable of moving from one location to another. They may crawl,
walk, or fly from one site to another. If there is an active
infestation in your home or apartment, it may spread to
additional rooms and/or fabrics.

     You can keep an infestation from developing by practicing
good housekeeping and by applying protective treatments to items
in storage. Once an infestation has begun, you must eliminate it.
This almost always involves using an insecticide. 

Control

     Sanitation is important in carpet beetle control. Search for
and remove food sources you detect an infestation. The best plan
is to avoid infestation int he first place. Some signs to look
for are:

(1)  Woolens, especially if dirty, like woolen scrap, old socks,
stored clothes not properly protected, even wool lining of
slippers.

(2)  Lint accumulations such as in floor cracks, behind
baseboards, in closets, in ventilation ducts, in furniture or
drawers. Some treated materials like carpets may have a lint
accumulation sufficient to support carpet beetles.

(3)  Cereals or high protein foods (dog food, fish meal,
fertilizer) or their debris where they accumulate in kitchen
shelf cracks and crevices.

(4)  Fur or feathers of stuffed items, unused hats or in stored
material.

(5)  Furniture or clothing in storage.

(6)  Felt linings in pianos, lining of draperies, or other lined
items.

(7)  Animal products or items made with them.

(8)  Closets, especially those containing stored clothing.

(9)  Carpets or rugs, especially areas hard to reach with normal
cleaning, beneath furniture, in corners, behind radiators, etc.

     If you have an infestation, the most effective course is to
search for and isolate the source of the insects rather than
treat an entire room or structure. Begin by getting rid of the
items that are infested, and then thoroughly clean the area. Be
sure to clean up accumulated lint if the insects are in rugs,
carpets or furniture. If the offending insects are in stored
materials, you may have to discard infested materials or at least
thoroughly clean them. Protect them from reinfestation before
returning them to storage.

Good housecleaning

     Once a hole is found in the fabric, the damage is done. To
prevent this, use a vacuum regularly. Give close attention to:
     -- rugs and carpets
     -- drapes and upholstered furniture
     -- closets, particularly those storing clothing
     -- radiators, furnace vents, and surfaces behind hard to
clean items 
     -- corners, cracks, baseboards, moldings, and areas where
lint may accumulate

     If you suspect an infestation, vacuum and promptly dispose
of the vacuum cleaner bag in a closed trash bag. Rotate rugs or
furnishings periodically and clean beneath and around them as you
do so.

Protective treatments

     You can pest-proof against fabric pests by treating with a
spray that will kill all insects on items before you store them.
Or you can use a repellent to keep insects away. Under normal
circumstances, such treatments will prevent an infestation. 
Washing and drying or dry cleaning items before storage is
excellent protection. Placing items in a freezer for 2/3 days or
treatment at 130 degrees F for a couple of hours (if the item can
tolerate heat) will also provide protection.

     Moth-proofing items by fumigation provides adequate
protection. Clothing items such as woolen blankets, woolen
sweaters, and furs are best protected by placing them a storage
with moth balls or moth flakes (Paradichlorobenzene (PDB) or
naphthalene). These work best if used in a closed container such
as a plastic bag, cardboard box, closet, or chest, and can be
used only in non-food areas.

     You can purchase insecticides to treat your clothing before
you put it into storage. Rugs and carpets can be treated with
insecticides as well. Putting furs into special cold storage is
excellent preventative treatment. Even household furnishings can
be fumigated.

     Several materials have some repellent activity toward carpet
beetles and clothes moths. Chests or closets made of 70 percent
or more red cedar heartwoods provide pest-proof storage.
Essential oils of citronella and cloves also have some repellent
activity. Using repellents with the moth balls or moth crystals
is a means of ensuring proper storage. Use 1 pound balls/crystals
for each 100 square feet of storage space.

Insecticide spraying

     First eliminate the source of the infestation when you
discover carpet beetles or clothes moths in your home. Clean
thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag afterwards. It
is recommended that you discard materials that are badly
infested.

     Consider getting professional help in treating an
infestation in your home. Pest Control Operators (PCO's) are
trained to look for and eliminate fabric-infesting pests. They
may spot-treat surfaces with a variety of materials such as
Dursban, malathion, diazinon, or one of the pyrethrins. The
insecticide must be delivered to where the lint and debris are
likely to be (and thus the insects). You don't treat clothing or
furniture directly with such materials.

     Spray along the edges of wall-to-wall carpeting, in closets,
corners, cracks, baseboard, moldings, and secluded areas. 
Remember there will be more pests, particularly carpet beetles,
in the lint and debris. Synthetic fibers are not likely to be
infested unless heavily soiled so a thorough cleaning will be
useful.


Dewey Caron, Ph.D.
Extension Entomologist
Entomology and Applied Ecology


HYG-33-6/93
.
