Odds are you have seen a silverfish in your home. They are slender, low-profile, and can fit through tiny cracks. Carpet beetles, on the other hand, climb into your home through underground spaces, chimneys, and loose window or door frames and seals. Both of these bugs are common winter invaders as they try to escape the cold while looking for food and shelter.
But how do you know when a few house guests have turned into a full-on infestation? Here are some warning signs to look out for, and what to do next:
Silverfish are Messy Eaters
Keep an eye out for feeding marks. Silverfish leave tiny holes in the packaging of food in your pantry, and they leave behind tiny poop pellets that look similar to pepper. Yellow stains and scales may also be seen on infested materials.
Find Home Base, Make It Less Home-y
The most common areas to find silverfish are in the bathroom or the basement, where food and water supply is plentiful and there are plenty of places to hide. The key to controlling silverfish invaders is to thoroughly inspect preferred habitat areas, and wherever you store food. If you are repeatedly finding silverfish in the same area of your home, first check heavy bags of foods like potatoes and fruit, then check to see if there is a draft in the room, signaling that an opening to the outside is present. Close these openings, throw away the contaminated food, and set bug traps that aren’t toxic to your food stores.
Carpet Beetles Are More Difficult to Eradicate than The Coronavirus
Carpet beetles lay eggs at a prolific rate, and they aren’t picky eaters. We’re not talking about food reserves or plants here, we’re talking about preferred foods like animal skins, furs, feathers, wool, hair, dead insects, and even cotton in clothing. If you have leather furniture especially, carpet beetles are the worst!
Eliminate the Spread
Vacuum regularly. Obvious right? But they lay eggs in any carpet, and the eggs are tiny. Additionally, steam clean your carpets – the eggs won’t survive the higher temps. Launder your bedding materials often as well. If you are losing the battle, make sure to give us a call!
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Got a Pest Problem?
We can help! Contact Northwest Pest Control in your area by phone from this page. More preventative measures for spiders and other pests can be found here.