carpet beetles- infestation or normal?

[lampula]

Hi all,

Basically I was wondering about whether or not the numbers of carpet beetles we're seeing in our house (or more specifically in the bedrooms), is normal or not. Ever since we've moved in we've seen the odd adult beetle, maybe one every two months or so on a window sill, but in the past six months it seems to have been getting more frequent, maybe three adults a week in one bedroom, normally on the windowsill or on the bed (which is alongside the window). Never seen any larvae or damage to fabrics etc. As you can probably guess it's freaking me out a little, do you think this is an indication of a bigger problem? Should we try and take some action against them? The main thing that's concerning me is how I'm finding them all in the same place...

[Wild-Woman]

Think you'll find most homes with soft furnishings get a few now and then. The larvae or 'woolly bears' are usually more noticeable because they are quite small hairy critters that stop in one place for a while. I'd just give the room a good hoover out every week. I'm sure they're no harm to us, just to organic materials like wool.

[Paul mabbott]

As WW notes, the adults don't do any harm to anyone. It's a bit early in the year but you do tend to get them flying around in spring, searching for mates and egg-laying places. Just throw them outside!

Worth looking fore bits of carpet hidden away where there might be an infestation or, as I've noted in other threads, is there a chance that you have old birds nests in the eaves or in a ventilation panel? Nests of birds and mammals are the natural home of these species so worth having a look and getting rid of the old nesting material.

Certainly not worth taking any more drastic action unless you find serious colonies with larvae.

Originally Posted by lampula

Hi all,

Basically I was wondering about whether or not the numbers of carpet beetles we're seeing in our house (or more specifically in the bedrooms), is normal or not. Ever since we've moved in we've seen the odd adult beetle, maybe one every two months or so on a window sill, but in the past six months it seems to have been getting more frequent, maybe three adults a week in one bedroom, normally on the windowsill or on the bed (which is alongside the window). Never seen any larvae or damage to fabrics etc. As you can probably guess it's freaking me out a little, do you think this is an indication of a bigger problem? Should we try and take some action against them? The main thing that's concerning me is how I'm finding them all in the same place...