Pest control of fur beetles
Did you found fur beetles from your home? How to get rid of that textile pest
Fur and carpet beetles in general
Fur and carpet beetles are so called carrion beetles. They all are roundish and narrowish-long and about 1-12 mm by total length. They all have wings, which have blond patterns. They all also have tentacles on their head.
In Finland, three species of fur and carpet beetles exists.
Two-spotted carpet beetle (Attagenus Pellio)
Two-spotted carpet beetle is about 5 mm long, circular and dark or black coloured beetle. It has, like its name indicates, two white spots in its back.
In nature, they are very common in flowers.
Fur beetle (Attagenus Woodroffei)
Fur beetle is also 5 mm long, circular and dark-brown coloured beetle. Fur beetle is however slightly wider and blonder than two-spotted carpet beetle. Both larvae look similar. They are both approximately 10 mm long and hairy. Fur beetle larvae is slightly darker and lacklustre than two-spotted carpet beetle larvae.
It has, like its Finnish name indicates, a pattern that resembles a wave (belt) in its back. Fur beetles likes to live in an environment over 25 C.
Check Suomen lajitietokeskus web pages how to identify fur beetles.
Third species is called Attagenus smirnovi. It is a brown carpet beetle, and a species of beetle from the family Dermestidae. It came to Finland from Africa.
Fur and carpet beetle larvae
Both larvae look similar. Fur beetle larvae is 8-11 mm long.
It is yellowish and having long hair. Fur beetle larvae has also large hair at its “tail”.
Fur and carpet beetles cause a lot of damages. Damages are done by its larvae, not the adult one.
Fur and carpet beetles in clothes?
Fur beetles do damage (holes) especially to woollen clothes. Holes were eaten by its larvae, not the adult one.
Fur and carpet beetles to indoors?
Several ways exists. Most common, they enter thru open windows and doors.
They also come along with textiles and clothes.
Please check carefully, if you bring those to your home from places where they have been seen.
Trust us, the pest control professionals!
Fur and carpet beetles spread around easily e.g., to structure. Please contact then us, pest control professionals.
Pest control against fur beetles is executed by spraying method. Two visits are required because its life cycle is longer than the efficiency time of our insecticide.
We use insecticide only available for professional pest controllers.
It is very common to see dead insects between our visits. You can also see more of them, but they have been exposed and thus dead or near dead.
After 4 weeks, you shall not anymore see fur and carpet beetles in your apartment. After first week, amount will be also significantly less.
Pest control of fur and carpet beetles – What can I do by myself?
Fur and carpet beetles are tough opponents when they have entered to property structure. Please then contact us, pest control professionals.
If you see them at early phase, try to eliminate them first by yourself. Please wash all your suitable clother in a washing machine (program temperature at least 60 C).
Freezing method is also an option. Few days there shall be enough. Use insecticide and spray it to the area, where you have spotted fur and carpet beetles. Check e.g., our web shop.
Please use insecticides always according to their instructions. Antitec customer service also helps you. Antitec web shop also have pheromone traps.
Fur beetle larvae are
Fur beetle larvae eat clothes and textiles. Especially woollen products, furs and leather. Larvae are 8-12 mm. Two-spotted carpet beetle larvae is slightly narrower and blonder than fur beetle larvae.
Keep your textile closets clean.
However, it does not prevent fur and carpet beetles from entering indoors. Cleaning helps to prevent them spreading around.
Clean house also helps our pest control actions. Clean surfaces also help you to locate pests when they are there.
Let freeze kill fur and carpet beetle
Freezing conditions help you. When returning home from holiday trip, put all your textiles and clothes to the freezer for a few days.
After some days there, it is safe to take them to your home. Pests enter your apartment with your luggage.
-1 C is usually enough to kill fur and carpet beetles, but several days are still needed. Because the woollen products protect insects very well.
Try these tips and tricks against fur beetles
- Clean your apartment well
- Use insecticide to the flooring lists and lower parts of your wardrobe every week about 8 weeks period
- freeze all contaminated textiles
- NOTE! Identify pest 100% surely
Antitec is at your service nationwide in Finland
We have several offices in Finland. Contact our customer services for more information.
