Pest Identification: Black Carpet Beetles in Tennessee

The black carpet beetle is the most widespread and destructive carpet beetle in the United States. These insects are numerous particularly during the spring and early summer months. Black carpet beetles feed on a vast range of household fabrics, foods, and other substances—such as cotton, wool, hair, leather, and silk in addition to cereals, cake mixes, red pepper, rye meal, flour, pet food, and dead insects. They crawl from room to room, living behind baseboards and moldings and in air ducts, carpets, clothing, dresser drawers, and furniture. 

Think you might be dealing with black carpet beetles in Tennessee? Discover more from U.S. Pest Protection about how to identify and prevent them. 

How to Identify Black Carpet Beetles

True to its name, the adult black carpet beetle is usually a shiny black color with brownish legs (although can sometimes be red-brown or dark brown). They can fly, vary in body length from 1/10 to 1/5 inch, and are about twice as long as they are wide. Larvae are dark brown to light or golden brown in color and more elongated, measuring about a half-inch long including an extension of bristles at the end of their tails. This oval-shaped beetle can eat just about any kind of material, from feathers to insect carcasses to dried plant goods. 

After black carpet beetles mate, females may return indoors to lay approximately 50 eggs within accumulations of lint or places where larval food supply is present. Beetles in the larval stage cause the most damage to linens and plant materials, often resulting in a number of small unevenly spaced holes. Larvae roam widely and move slowly, normally searching for food in dark areas of a room and shunning sunlight. When disturbed, they curl up and play dead

If you’re still unsure whether what you’re seeing is a black carpet beetle, contact us or send us a photo today! 

How to Prevent Black Carpet Beetles in Tennessee

Black carpet beetles love flowers and pollen, which is why you will most often see them in the spring and summer months. When they aren’t outside enjoying the new blooms, however, they can enter buildings and become quite the nuisance—infiltrating through areas like openings in foundations, holes in screens, utility entrances, and underneath doorways. 

There are measures you can take to prevent black carpet beetles in your Tennessee home or office, including the following:

• Seal cracks, holes, and voids in walls, windows, and under doors.
• Store susceptible items away in plastic containers with tight lids. 
• Vacuum furniture and carpets consistently. 
• Wash your clothes in hot water to kill off any beetles.
• Wash, vacuum, and disinfect any secondhand clothing or furniture before bringing it inside.
• Keep exterior lights off when not in use (newly emerged adults are attracted to light).

Eliminate Black Carpet Beetles with U.S. Pest Protection

Don’t let a carpet beetle infestation get out of hand, ruining your clothes and furniture with ugly holes. Keep these insect pests out of your sight with the help of the professionals at U.S. Pest Protection. Our trained pest technicians have the knowledge and experience to get rid of black carpet beetles in your Tennessee home or business, no matter if you need pest control services monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly throughout the year. 

Along with our effective pest removal methods, we can also prevent the presence of pests with our proactive solutions. From exterior treatments to interior repairs, we work to ensure that black carpet beetles quit pestering you. 

Schedule Your Free Pest Inspection Today

Get black carpet beetles out of your hair (and carpet fibers) with dependable Tennessee pest control services from U.S. Pest Protection. Then, we’ll help keep it that way with ongoing, comprehensive services for your workplace or living space. Schedule a free inspection for black carpet beetles online today.