Page 167 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

1.Antenna- clubbed 6.Thorax
2.Eyes 7.Petiole- none 1 CARPET BEETLE
3.Head 8.Abdomen- oval 8
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- dark, some with patterns
5.Wings- under elytra 10.Other- larvae do most damage

Life Cycle
Females lay many eggs 40 to 90 in the various species. The eggs
hatch in about 1-2 weeks and can go through anywhere from 5-20
larval instars over the next 6-11 months, when the damage is really
done. Most of their life is spent as larvae. The pupal stage is from 4
1-3 weeks. Adults only live from two weeks to two months. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

CARPET BEETLE Actual size 1/8”

There are several varieties of carpet beetles, the most common being the Black, Varied, Furni-
ture, and Common. The adults of these pests do not actually damage carpet. Adults are pol-
len feeders and good fliers, and enter homes through open widows and doors in the spring. It
is thought that the reason carpet beetles are so abundant is due to the number of wasp nests
around homes, which these beetles infest.

As with all the carpet and furniture beetles, it passes the greatest part of its life cycle as a de-
structive larva, which is usually not evident until damage is seen. They will feed on any natural
fibers, some also eat grain, seeds, cereals, and flour, and are reported to also eat electrical
insulation at times. The adults are small, about 1/8th inch.

1.Antenna- thin, hairlike 6.Thorax WEBBING CLOTHES MOTH
2.Eyes- compound 7.Petiole- none
3.Head 8.Abdomen- slender 1
4.Legs- 3 pair 9.Color- golden to reddish 5
5.Wings- long 10.Other- females rarely fly
Life Cycle
A female will lay 40-50 eggs in a 2-3 week period, attaching them to infected
clothes. The eggs hatch in about a week during the summer, longer in the
winter. The larvae create feeding tubes and mats of webbing, and go through
5-45 molts over a period of 35 days to 2 ½ years. They eventually form a pupal
case; the pupal period is also only about a week in the summer, and longer in 4
the winter. The whole life cycle can be completed in 50-90 days, but can be up
to four years. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

WEBBING CLOTHES MOTH Actual size 3/8”
The Webbing Clothes Moth is the most common of all of the moths that attack clothes. All of
the damage is actually done by the larvae, and they are very destructive. The larvae feed on
clothes, carpets, and rugs, upholstered furniture, animal hair and stored wool, especially soiled
materials where they settle and feed until a hole appears and grows. The adults of the Webbing
Clothes Moth are seldom seen because they avoid light and rarely live over 2 weeks. They are
also very small--about 3/8ths inch, and golden in color. Ones that fly are usually males; the fe-
males walk since they are normally heavy with eggs. The larval period can be quite long, since
it stores up food for the adult stage--the adult does not have a mouth developed enough to eat.

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