Beetles about as Dundee homes see boom in carpet bugs

Horrified residents have seen a rise in beetle infestations this spring, according to a Tayside pest control firm.

Andy Law Pest Control has received panicked calls about carpet beetles every day in the past couple of weeks due to the warmer weather.

One infestation was so bad that the company had to fumigate a Dundee home to get rid of hundreds of the creatures.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: The adult beetles feed on plant nectar and fly into homes through open doors and windows.

They then lay their eggs into natural fibres, such as jumpers, blankets or carpets that contain wool, for example.

From those you get hairy brow caterpillars, or woolly bears, which rest until the following spring, when they turn into adults.

So the people noticing these beetles in their homes now have in fact had them for at least a year.

Theyre always horrified when they find out people dont tend to see the larvae as they lurk in hard to reach places.

Weve found them behind a settee, underneath a duvet, or near walls.

Carpet beetles are about three millimetres long, with the most common species being black.

More:
Beetles about as Dundee homes see boom in carpet bugs