What Does Carpet Beetle Larvae Look Like

Both adult carpet beetles and larvae can infest your home but the larvae do the most damage by eating organic materials like wool leather and silk.

What does carpet beetle larvae look like.

Seeing these around your home is one sign of an infestation. Adult carpet beetles are oval shaped with six legs and two antennae. The larvae of carpet beetles are referred to as woolly bears. Because carpet beetle larvae are bigger than bed bugs you may be more likely to see the beetles themselves.

They have short legs and can move but they avoid light and remain hidden. Carpet beetle larvae feed on the surface of fabrics sometimes just removing the nap. They have bands across their body and long hair like extensions on either one or both ends of their bodies. They may look mottled with black brown and white or be solid black depending on the species.

Depending on the specific species they can be tapered like a carrot or oval in shape. It s the woolly bear hair that can. Carpet beetle larvae are able to mature under a variety of humidity levels and temperatures although they tend to avoid bright areas. In other cases they will clip fibers leaving irregular holes or small open spaces in the weave.

It grows up to 5 mm in length. Carpet beetle larvae can look like fuzzy worms. Eggs have spinelike projections visible at one end and are distinguished by their oval shape. To know where to focus the brunt of your cleaning first look for the primary source of the infestation which will be the area with the most signs of damage and beetles.

They have rounded hard bodies and wings beneath their shells. You will notice shed skins that look like little shells. They have an elongated body which is covered in hair or large setae. Depending on food sources and climate larvae may take over a year to develop into adults.

Their larvae are grublike and covered with hairs. Carpet beetle larvae grow up to 1 4 of an inch in length. If you re not sure which you have you can have an exterminator come look for bedbugs. The black carpet beetle dead skin from the beetles along with shed hairs from the furry larvae known as woolly bears leads to severe human skin irritation.

They can be found near upholstered furniture closets air ducts and lint buildups. In spring female carpet beetles lay 25 to 100 eggs which hatch into larvae within two weeks. Their most unique feature is the bristly hairs that are located on their backs. The hair is organized in a way that it forms a combination of dark and light patches.

Carpet beetle eggs are white or cream in color and measure 1 4 to 1 2 mm in length.