Manchester & Trafford Pest Control

Posts Tagged ‘carpet bugs’

Carpet Bugs – The Varied Carpet Beetle

Carpet Bugs – The Varied Carpet Beetle – The Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) is a recent newcomer to the north of England . having been largely found mainly in more southern counties but now pest controllers in Cheshire, Manchester and Lancashire are increasingly having to deal with this pest.

It is a very distinctive, easily recognised beetle that can be a serious problem in the household. It feeds 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.

A verbasci was the very first insect to be demonstrated to have a circadian and an annual cycle and to date remains a classic example of circannual cycles in insects.
The larval form of A. verbasci are roughly 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 also bears 3 pairs of hair tufts along its rear abdomen that can be used for self-defence

These can also cause problems for human beings as when they become embedded in human skin they can cause a reaction similar to a flea or bed bug bite so when checking for the possible presence of biting insects pest controllers also need to be on the lookout for larval casts of the carpet beetle.

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 condensed along the lateral margins of the pronotum. In addition, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments
The varied carpet beetle has a very unusual life cycle for an insect, developing from larvae to adult in 1-3 years, depending on the environment in which it finds itself.

The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House

The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House – The Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) is a relatively new pest to the north of the U.K. having been largely confined to the balmy southern climate but now pest controllers in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester are increasingly having to deal with the insect pest.

It is a very distinctive, easily recognised beetle that can be a serious problem in the household. It feeds 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.

A verbasci was the very first insect to be demonstrated to have a circadian and an annual cycle and to date remains a classic example of circannual cycles in insects.
The larval form of A. verbasci are roughly 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 also bears 3 pairs of hair tufts along its rear abdomen that can be used for self-defence

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 condensed along the lateral margins of the pronotum. In addition, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments
The varied carpet beetle has a very unusual life cycle for an insect, developing from larvae to adult in 1-3 years, depending on the environment in which it finds itself.