Manchester Pest Control Varied
Carpet Beetles in Trafford, Lancashire, Manchester & Cheshire
The
Varied Carpet
Beetle (Anthrenus
verbasci)
is a fairly new pest to the northern parts of the U.K. having been
largely confined to the southern England but now pest controllers in
Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Manchester are increasingly having
to deal with this insect pest whose larvae are known as 'Wooly Bears'
The Varied Carpet Beetle is a very distinctive, easily
recognised beetle that can be a
serious pest in the house. Its larvae feed on natural fibres and can
damage anything of natural origin, woolen carpets, furniture and
clothing.
The larval form is known as a woolly bear, a name it shares with the
larvae of Pyrrharctia
isabella or the Isabella
Tiger moth.
The varied carpet beetle was the first insect to be demonstrated to
have a circadian and an annual cycle and to this date remains a classic
example of circannual cycles in insects.
The larvae of A.
verbasci are circa 4-5 mm in
length. The body is covered
in a pattern of alternating light- and dark-brown stripes. The body is
usually wider at the back than at the front and has 3 pairs of hair
tufts on its rear abdomen that are used for self-defence and can give
reactions in humans similar to flea bites.
Adult A.
verbasci range from 1.7 to
3.5 mm in length. Their dorsal
surface
has scales of two colours, whitish and yellowish-brown. White scales
are concentrated along the lateral margins of the pronotum. In
addition, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments
Manchester Pest Control
The Wooly Bear
Manchester Pest Control Varied Carpet Beetles
The
varied carpet beetle has a very strange life cycle for an insect,
developing from larvae to adult in 1-3 years, according to the
environment in which it finds itself.
Larvae hatch from eggs in the
spring, very often they are associated with
birds’ nests or around
stored natural fabrics. Larvae devour natural fibres throughout their
development, eventually emerging as an adult.
Adults emerge between
March and early August, and feed on pollen.
These insect pests cause
both physical damage by their larvae eating fabrics and psychological
damage from the enormous numbers of these pests which can emerge into
homes.
When dealing with these pests it is important to check for
the presence of birds’ nests and remove any nests and
feathers etc from
the affected area before treating with an appropriate insecticide.
It
is important to keep in mind that in the U.K. legislation affects the
removal of birds’ nests, including sparrows and starlings
which are the
two common birds which have an association with varied carpet beetles
so
professional advice should be sought to avoid breaking the law.
Manchester
Pest Control & Harrier
Pest Control &
Prevention specialise in Pest Contol and Pest Prevention of:
Rats, Mice, Bed Bugs, Bed Bug Bites, Ants, Wasps, Red Spider Mite,
Squirrels, Beetles, Pigeons, Cluster Fly, Carpet
Beetles, Biting Insects, Bedbugs, Bed Bug Rash, Mattress Bugs, Hotel
Bugs, Wasps
Nests,
Birds, Moles, Flies, Starlings, Fur Beetles, Silverfish, Spider
Beetles, Cat Fleas,
Flea Bites, Cockroaches, Biscuit Beetles, Cluster Flies, Red Ants,
Wasp's Nests,
Spiders, Magpies, Fleas,
Bedbugs, Wasps' Nests, Birds, Insects and Rodents in the following
areas:
