Carpet Beetles And Yarn

Varied carpet beetle final instar larval cast skin left and adults center and right.

Carpet beetles and yarn.

They do not eat synthetic materials. All of my yarn and fabric is currently being transitioned over from open air storage to plastic. Carpet beetles don t usually eat cotton linen or other plant based or synthetic fabrics but they may eat fabric blends or fabrics stained with animal products. Carpet beetle larvae will eat all manner of animal material including wool fur silk felt feathers and leather.

Carpet beetles congregate wherever animal fibers can be consumed. Carpet beetle larvae infesting a child s art project made out of yarn noodles and beans. Such materials contain keratin a fibrous animal protein which the larvae are able to digest. Black carpet beetle larva left and adult right.

The larvae do all the damage the adults only eat pollen. These types of materials carpet beetles routinely feast on include wool felt leather silk fur and feathers. Similar to clothes moths the pests also feed on many other items composed of wool fur felt silk feathers skins and leather. Carpet beetles as their name implies sometimes infest carpets.

They love lint hair and small bits of food so keeping as many areas clean of these things is essential to curbing their food source. Carpet beetles are found throughout australia and can handle lower humidity than clothes moths so are also found inland from the coast. Where do carpet beetles live.