Identification Carpet Beetle Nz

New zealand s beetle life is diverse there are more than 4 500 named native species.
Identification carpet beetle nz. Info landcareresearch co nz 64 3 321 9999 po box 69040 lincoln new zealand. Carpet beetles can be an annoyance in your home. Carpet beetle larvae will eat all manner of animal material including wool fur silk felt feathers and leather. They may eat through your clothes rugs and furniture.
Adult beetles are 2 3 mm varied and 3 5 mm long black and resemble ladybirds in shape. The larvae do all the damage the adults only eat pollen. They can also sometimes cause an allergic reaction. The adult carpet beetle is dark brown to oily black in colour and 3mm to 5mm in length.
The actual number of new zealand beetle species is likely to be between 6 000 and 10 000. Carpet beetles often confused with bed bugs are small pests that can cause a large amount of damage if left untreated attracted to natural fibers carpet beetles can damage carpets furniture and clothing. By way of comparison this is more than all mammal species worldwide or all new zealand plant fish amphibian reptile bird and mammal species combined. You can buy traps from pest control or pesticide supply stores or online.
In new zealand carpet beetles are often found inside homes warehouses museums and other buildings where they may cause serious damage to clothing furs carpets and other stored fabric items. Check the traps 1 2 times a week. Carpet beetles will also feed off the felt under furniture and lamps and inside musical instrument cases. Verbasci was also the first insect to be shown to have an.
Carpet beetles are found throughout new zealand and can handle lower humidity than clothes moths so are also found inland from the coast. You can also use sticky traps without a hormone to catch beetles particularly ones flying through the windows. The black carpet beetle the australian carpet beetle the common carpet beetle the varied carpet beetle shown the furniture carpet beetle and a close cousin the fur beetle have all been introduced to new zealand and are frequently found devouring the woollens and carpets of new zealand homes. Here s what you need to know.