|
Good housekeeping is essential to prevent beetle infestations. Thorough cleaning should be done on a regular basis. When vacuuming, be sure not to miss typically non-disturbed areas such as under or behind stuffed furniture, air vents, baseboards, moldings, closets and other hard-to-reach places. The vast number and variety of beetles have inevitably had an important impact on the human populations that share environments with these insects. Not all beetle activity is destructive, however. Beetles, along with other insects, also help to pollinate flowers, which then produce fruits and seeds. Beetles crawling over flowers brush up against pollen-bearing organs, and carry the pollen dust to another flowerof the same species. Although the adults of some species may be destructive, usually it is beetle larvae that do the most damage. Suggested Treatment and Control Inspect every nook and corner of the room thoroughly like the area around the baseboard, below the furniture, under area rugs, inside closets, etc. for carpet beetle infestation. It can be identified with the holes that they make on the fabric or other infested materials. An adult will make uniform holes but the holes made by the larvae is irregular in shape and size. Once you have noticed these signs of infestation, you must take some prompt action. If you delay the treatment, their population will grow in no time and may spread to other parts of your home as well. The important aspects of treatment are as follows: Launder or dry clean clothes and other items before storage. Egg-laying clothes moths are attracted to soiled articles. Bright, hot sunlight and wind reduce larvae and potential damage. Clothing or similar items to be stored should be exposed to sun and the weather and brushed if such items are not in need of cleaning prior to storage. Food and perspiration stains on clothing can attract carpet beetles. Laundering in hot water or dry cleaning kills all stages of these pests. Before putting clothing that contains animal fiber in storage for long periods of time, these items should be laundered or dry cleaned, then stored in a pest-free, clean garment bag, chest, box or trunk that can be tightly sealed. Closets that are seldom used can be modified into suitable protective storage areas by sealing cracks around the door or by adding weather stripping to it. When cleaning, don't neglect inspecting and cleaning wild game trophies and skins, wall hangings made from fabric or any other similar items that would harbor clothes moths or carpet beetles. After each vacuuming job, place the disposable vacuum bag in a plastic trash bag, seal it up and place it in an outdoor garbage can. Moth balls, flakes and crystals can protect stored items from carpet beetles, but care should be taken in handling these pesticides because they can contain either paradichlorobenzene (PDB) or naphthalene. These chemicals should not touch bare skin or come in contact with food or cooking utensils. People and pets should not breathe these chemicals' vapors in an enclosed space. Mothballs and similar products can be placed between two pieces of paper or in envelopes that separate them from the layers of stored articles because they can melt plastic bags and damage plastic buttons and hangers. The containers in which mothballs are used must be tightly sealed because as the chemicals vaporize, the vapors must build up to a concentration that is strong enough to kill the carpet beetles. For more ideas on treatment and assistance on control, check our main link here: auckland pest control
Related Articles -
pest control, pest controllers, pest controller, pest control auckland, pest control northshore, pest control west auckland, pest controls auckland,
|
