The grubs (known as "woolly bears")
of these small, oval beetles have outstripped
the clothes months as the major British
textile pest. The variegated Carpet Beetle
is 2 to 4mm long, like a small, mottled
brown, grey and cream ladybird. The related
Fur Beetle is black with one spot on each
wing case, and there is a rarer Black Carpet
Beetle. The larvae are small (about 4mm
long), covered in brown hairs, and tend
to roll up when disturbed. As they grow,
they moult - and the old cast-off skins
may be the first signs of infestation. Adults
are often seen in April, May and June, seeking
egg-laying sites; and the grubs are most
active in October before they hibernate.
The adult Carpet Beetle feeds only on pollen
and nectar of garden flowers but lays its
eggs in old birds' nests, felt, fabric or
accumulated fluff in buildings. It is the
larvae from these eggs that do the damage.
They feed on feathers, fur hair, or wool
and tend to wander along the pipes from
roofs into airing cupboards - which house
the clothes and blankets, which constitute
the food. The life cycle takes about a year,
and the grubs can survive starvation in
hard times for several months. Carpet beetle
damage consists of fairly well defined round
holes along the seams of fabric where the
grubs bite through the thread.
