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Carpet Beetle

Assigned By : Madam Asma BatoolPresented By : Muhammad Faizan Baloch BSc(Hons) Agriculture 5th Term,

Entomology“Insects Pests of Household Man & Animals”

CARPET BEETLE

S.Name : a) Attagenus piceus b) Anthrenus scrophlulariae

Family : DermestidaeOrder : ColeopteraStatus : Potential PestDistribution : Fairly distributed in houses

and carpets are used

Order Cleoptera: The Coleoptera is an order of insects and is commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek κολεός, koleos, meaning "sheath"; and πτερόν, pteron, meaning "wing", thus "sheathed wing", because most beetles have two pairs of wings, the front pair, the "elytra", being hardened and thickened into a sheath-like, or shell-like, protection for the rear pair, and for the rear part of the beetle's body.

DESCRIPTION OF STAGES: Carpet Beetles show complete metamorphosis and their life cycle is completed in 4 stages (Egg, Larva, Pupa , Adult) Egg: Egg are whitish, elongated 2-3mm long.Female lay eggs on suitable material such as larval food, crevices, accumulated dust, fibers, furs, clothing and in furniture.

Larva: Larva are carrot shaped, elongated golden to chocolate brown in color with a tuft of long hairs on the body.They avoid light and are 4-5mm long.

Pupa: Pupation occurs in the last larval skin. Largely depending on the relative temperature and moisture, pupation period is 3-20 days.

Adult: Adult Carpet Beetle is dull black to brown in color and is densely covered in different color scales giving its body a variegated pattern. The outline of its body is elliptical. They are 1.5mm to 4mm in length with brown legs and club shaped brown antennae.

Life History: Female lay 50-100 or more eggs on fabrics, larval food and on woolen clothing. Eggs hatch in 10-17 days.Larvae emerge from the eggs and begins to feed. They are squat brown and hairy grubs. They tend to avoid the light and feed on keratin containing materials such as wool, fur, hairs, feathers and sometimes on skin. Larval period varies differently, depending on the temperature and moisture. It can take up 9 months to 3 years. Larva moults 5-10 times or sometimes more.

Pupation finally occurs in the last larval skin. Pupation period may take 3-20 day days depending on the environmental conditions.After pupation period, adult beetle come out of pupa. Adult Carpet Beetles tend to fly away from the houses through windows and doors in order to feed on pollens and nectar of flowers

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In late summer and autumn female carpet beetles tend to re-enter the houses and lay their eggs..

DAMAGE: The larvae of the carpet beetle attack material containing keratin such as wool, fur, hair, feathers and sometimes skin.

The black carpet beetle is the most devastating species which cause damage by making many irregular holes in woolens.

Several groups of dermatologists reported cases involving dermatitis caused by contact with carpet beetles. These patients experienced multiple symptoms that included itching, pruritic, and papulovesicular eruptions. Biopsies and clinical tests confirmed that the hairs of carpet beetle larvae caused these reactions.

Control:1) Vacuum cleaning of carpets is useful in controlling these pests.

2) Drying out the carpets and fabrics in the bright sunlight during summer is also helpful in controlling this pest.

3) Pyrethroids in 0.1% to 0.5% concentration are effective. Even malathion application in very low concentrations is helpful.

Respected Teacher and Dear Fellow

StudentsThank You 4 your Time n Attention

Best Regards, Muhammad Faizan

Baloch “THE

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