Carpet Beetle Utah: Painful Risks Associated With Eliminating Them

Imagine purchasing pantry goods worth a lot of dollars or having an old furniture item that you treasure so much, but now you have to get rid of it because it has been infested by the carpet beetle Utah.

It is quite painful, don’t you think? Well, we are about to discover more about these pests.

 

Are there Carpet Beetles in Utah?

Yes, there are carpet beetles in Utah, as they are one of the most common pests found in this US state.

Do you know why these Utah pests were named carpet beetles? Well, it is because, at the time, these insects primarily consumed carpets (made of animal products).

The name would have been changed now if it had not already been adopted because these pests now consume a wide variety of food sources, including the following:

• Dead animals
• Stored food
• Feather
• Fur
• Dead insects
• Cotton
• Leather
• Linen, etc.

They literally feed on almost anything. And besides, carpets are mostly synthetic and do not require animal products to be made.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles; Carpet Beetles Infestation

 

What Does the Carpet Beetle Utah Look Like?

Now that we have established the fact that there are carpet beetles in Utah, we will now identify the characteristic features that distinguish them from other insects.

Below are features that describe what the carpet beetle Utah looks like:

• As adults, these insects measure between 0.0625 and 0.125 inches in length.
• Their color varies from solid black or brown to speckles of white, black, brown, grey, and even yellow.
• The larvae of the carpet beetle Utah are long in relation to its body width.
• Their colors vary and can be light brown or red hue as larvae.
• The larvae are hairy.

 

What is the Lifecycle of Carpet Beetles?

It is important to know the lifecycle of the carpet beetle Utah as this can help you use the right pest control methods.

From the description above, you now know that when trying to identify this pest, you will not just be looking for the adults but the larvae as well.

Below is a breakdown of the lifecycle of the carpet beetle in Utah:

• The female carpet beetle lays about 100 eggs on food items.
  • The eggs are about 1 mm in diameter.
• The eggs hatch in 10 to 25 days.
• Out of the eggs emerge hairy little worms called carpet beetle larvae.
• The larvae spend months or even years (depending on the condition in this area) feeding and pupating until they mature into adults and are ready to reproduce.
• The cycle begins again.

 

Read also: Are There Termites In Utah?: Termites Vs The Cedar City

 

What are the Signs of Carpet Beetles in Utah?

Of course, when inspecting for the carpet beetle Utah, there will be signs that you must look out for. These signs include the following:

• Shed insect skin.
• Sighting of adults or hairy larvae.
• Damage to fabric materials.

 

How To Prevent the Black Carpet Beetle Utah

• Frequently vacuum your home, especially areas where dead insects and hair can accumulate, such as:
  • Behind furniture
  • Under couches
  • Baseboards
  • Near windowsills, etc.
• Properly seal and store food items to prevent the carpet beetle Utah from accessing them.
• Place sticky traps purchased from Amazon close to food sources. This way, you get to know when these insects are close by.
• During summer and spring, always keep your doors and windows closed, as they may come searching for shelter.
• Purchase door sweeps and window screens.
• Trash food items or potential food sources that have been infested by the carpet beetle Utah.

 

How To Get Rid of the Carpet Beetle Utah

• Identification:

Inspection is very important as it can help you identify the pest that is infesting your home. This way, you will know the appropriate pest control methods to employ to properly eliminate these pests.

Without inspection and proper identification, you may end up employing the wrong pest control method, which may even agitate the pests.

• Removal of Point Sources:

After identifying this pest, you must have identified their sources—that is, the things that are attracting them to your home as well as the items that have already been infested.

Remove these food sources and discard old items such as furniture, horsehair, leather, etc that may be attracting them to your home.

You can also seal food items that you know they will be attracted to. This way, you will be eliminating not just the carpet beetle Utah but their food source as well.

Since they naturally live outdoors, they may be attracted to light. During the summer and spring, when they are mostly active, we would advise that you always keep all lights off (especially at night) to prevent attracting them to your property.

Pollen is another food source that we kept out previously. Before bringing flowers into your home, do well to shake them to get rid of any carpet beetle that may be hiding in it.

• Keep Your Home Tidy:

Now that you have removed the possible food sources and the carpet beetles as well, you do not want these bugs to come back to your home again.

Prevention is inevitable at this point, and the best way you can prevent them is by keeping your home tidy. You can keep your home tidy and pest-free by following the suggestions below:

• Avoid purchasing old dried food items to avoid transporting pantry pests such as the carpet beetle Utah into your house.
• Hurridely vacuum pantry spillage to avoid attracting the carpet beetle.
• Inspect your purchased pantry goods before bringing them into your pantry to prevent introducing pantry pests into your home.

 

Read also: Carpet Beetle Eggs: Identification & Control

 

Conclusion

Are there carpet beetles in Utah? Yes, there actually are carpet beetles in this part of the United States, and they are in fact one of the most common insects in the region.

It is as if they are even waiting for a single mistake from you so that they can infest your home. Especially if this mistake (spillage, etc) is made in your pantry and left unattended.

It is more important to prevent these pests than get rid of them because the issue is not getting rid of them, but are you ready to get rid of that treasured old furniture or that expensive baking product?

Prevention, they say, is better than cure!

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