Carpet Beetle Larvae — The Real Reason Your Clothes and Carpets Are Getting Ruined
- Nov 11
- 3 min read
Most people don’t notice carpet beetles until the damage is already done. The adults are small and harmless-looking, but it’s the larvae that do all the chewing. These tiny, fuzzy worms quietly eat through clothing, blankets, rugs, furniture, and stored items, turning small problems into expensive replacements.
If you’ve seen little shed skins, tiny holes in clothing, or something that looks like a tiny hairy caterpillar crawling near the floor, you’re probably dealing with carpet beetle larvae.
Let’s talk about what they look like, what they feed on, why they show up, and how to get rid of them before they spread.
What Carpet Beetle Larvae Look Like
Carpet beetle larvae are small, slow-moving, and usually:
Brown to tan in color
Covered in short bristles or hair
Shaped like tiny worms
About 1/8 to 1/4 inch long
They’re often mistaken for “little fuzzy caterpillars,” but they stay close to floors, closets, and fabric items—not plants.
If you see these, the infestation has already begun.
Their Life Cycle
Carpet beetles start as eggs laid in dark, hidden areas. Those eggs hatch into larvae, which is the feeding stage.
This stage lasts a long time (several months to over a year), which is why the damage adds up. Once larvae pupate, they become adult beetles. The adults usually fly to windows and lights, then lay more eggs.
So if you’re seeing adult beetles, the larvae are already somewhere inside your home.
What Carpet Beetle Larvae Feed On
Carpet beetle larvae eat natural fibers, including:
Wool clothing and sweaters
Cotton and linen
Feathers, fur, felt, and leather
Upholstery and furniture stuffing
Carpets, rugs, and area mats
Pet hair and lint
This is why the first damage often appears in:
Closets
Stored clothes bins
Bedrooms
Under furniture
They eat quietly and slowly, so most people don’t realize there’s a problem until the holes show up.
Why You Get Carpet Beetle Larvae
Carpet beetles enter from the outside, but the larvae thrive inside.
They show up because the home provides:
Clothing and fabrics to feed on
Dust and pet hair in corners and under furniture
Undisturbed spaces where cleaning rarely reaches
They are especially common in homes with pets, stored blankets, or rarely-used closets.
Where Carpet Beetle Larvae Hide
They like dark, low-traffic areas, such as:
Under beds
Under couches
Inside closets
Around baseboards
Inside vents
In attics or storage spaces
If you start looking in these areas and see larvae or shed skins, the infestation is active.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetle Larvae
To stop them, you need to remove both the larvae and their food sources.
Start with:
Vacuuming baseboards, carpets, and rugs thoroughly
Washing infested clothing and bedding on high heat
Cleaning closets and storage containers
Removing buildup of pet hair, fuzz, and lint
But here’s the problem:
Carpet beetles often hide in walls, attics, crawlspaces, and ducting.
Surface cleaning only solves part of the issue.
To stop the life cycle, you need a targeted pest control treatment that reaches the hidden larvae too.
Professional Carpet Beetle Larvae Control in Rialto & Fontana
This is where TruPest Solutions comes in.
We:
Inspect your home to locate larvae, egg sites, and hiding areas
Treat carpets, closets, cracks, and furniture where larvae feed
Break the life cycle so they don’t come back
Provide prevention steps so your belongings stay protected
If you’ve noticed:
Holes in clothing
Bare patches in rugs
Fuzzy larvae along baseboards
Adult beetles near windows
Then the infestation is active — and spreading.
Call TruPest Solutions at 951-334-5288 or visit TruPestSolutions.com to schedule your carpet beetle treatment.
Protect your home, your clothing, and your peace of mind.
