Carpet Beetles Eat
Typically they like to feed off of animal based products.
Carpet beetles eat. Clothing furniture wool sisal jute carpets leather blankets pet food pet hair crumbs dead insects. 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 beetles will only eat organic products so choosing synthetic materials will lessen your chances of getting an infestation. Unlike other species like wood beetles that only eat wood carpet beetles will eat almost anything.
You ll be able see damage on bed sheets linens clothing drapes and of course carpet. Carpet beetles have a wide variety of things that they eat and interestingly enough sometimes they won t even eat carpet. Synthetic materials typically used for rugs and carpeting include nylon polyester triexta and olefin. You may occasionally find carpet beetles in your pantry feeding on grains.
Their feeding creates large isolated holes in the fabric. Carpet beetles are the most dangerous type of beetle to most homeowners. The pests can also proliferate on bird nests animal carcasses and dead insects cluster flies lady beetles stink bugs wasps etc which tend to be associated with attics chimneys basements and light fixtures. Unlike moths carpet beetles typically feed on one portion of fabric at a time.
This is especially helpful for carpets rugs and furniture. Obviously carpet beetles will also eat through the fabrics in your home. And almost anything else they might encounter. These beetles may also eat synthetic fabrics if they are soiled with food or oils.