How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

To completely eradicate a carpet beetle infestation, you’ll need to remove adult beetles, larvae, and eggs. This can be done through a variety of DIY methods. Take a look at each one below.

Insecticide – Treat areas of infestation with an insecticide that contains deltamethrin, bifenthrin, or cyfluthrin. Follow the treatment’s outlined directions to ensure the safety of family members and pets inside your home. (This is done outside by your Pest Control Operator, such as ABCO Pest Control)

Boric acid-Found as a powder in many supermarkets, boric acid can be sprinkled on an infested carpet and quickly kill embedded carpet beetles. While poisonous to humans only if ingested in large quantities, boric acid may not be a viable treatment optionfor pet owners.

Diatomaceous earth-This natural product is found online and in agricultural stores. It works by dehydrating carpet beetle larvae. It’s dispensed in a similar manner as boric acid but is available in food-grade models for additional safety.

Vinegar-Water and apple cider vinegar can be poured inside of a spray bottle and applied to infested clothing, carpets, and upholstered furniture. If you notice carpet beetles crawling along clothes in your wardrobe, wash these pieces with vinegar and water to kill any remaining eggs and larvae. Vacuuming and steam cleaning-Using a traditional vacuum to suckup carpet beetles and surrounding larva can be an effective solution. If you need a bit more power, using a steam cleaner is an effective option that combines heat and suction to kill carpet beetles.

How to Prevent Carpet Beetles from Returning

Here are a few ways to prevent future carpet beetle infestations:

Vacuum and steam clean your carpets regularly,removing food sources like lint and hair.

Keep cabinets clean and food sealed in airtight containers.

Seal obvious cracks and crevices in your windows and doors.

Another effective preventative measureis scheduling regular treatments with a pest control company.

These professionals will address a variety of pest issues, including carpet beetles, and prevent future infestations.

Termite Control on Long Island

by Arie Fishon, Founder of AAA ABCO Termite & Pest Control, Inc. (Two of Two)

When I first started in the business, | remember using chlordane; that was the go to product for controlling termites. We dug trenches around homes against the wall and then filled it with large amounts of chlordane. If there was concrete, we drilled holes about 16 inches apart and filled those with chlordane. Chlordane killed everything and that was a problem. It was a repellent and contact killer and it lasted almost forever. | remember a company actually contaminated a home on Long Island with chlordane and it had to be torn down. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation banned its use shortly after that.

The science and chemicals have since evolved significantly. Today most of the latest termiticides/insecticides, like BASF Termidor, are non-repellents and don’t kill insects on contact. Companies apply the non-repellent insecticides around the home, and create a ‘treated zone.’ The insecticide doesn’t kill termites on contact. instead the termites don’t ‘ detect tt and pass through the treated area, picking up a dose of the non-repellent, slow acting insecticide. They then transfer it to their nestmates in the feeding mode. Remember, worker termites eat the wood, digest it and feed their nestmates in the colony, and although they are small, they are large in number and worker termites eat wood 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, The non-repellent is a slow acting insecticide and kills the colony through this process. However, today on Long Island that is not the method most commonly used: the termite baiting systems are king on Long Island.

The two most commonly used are BASF Trelona® Advance Termite Baiting System and the Dow-Agro Sciences Sentricon Baiting System. Both systems are installed below ground, around the entire house. The stations are hollow plastic housing with slits on the sides allowing the foraging termites to enter, prebaited compressed termite bait cartridges placed in the cylinder. In the case of BASF there are two large Trelona® compressed termite bait cartridges combined with a slow-acting insecticide which kills termites, allows transmission of the slow-acting insecticide to the nestmates. In fact, termites find Trelona® ATBS faster than they find the leading competitor stations. The stations are placed around the perimeter of the home approximately every 15 feet, and 3 feet out from the foundation. I have seen a tech with the right equipment, complete the installation in under 45 minutes on a small home.

My company prefers a combination approach of a chemical non repellent treatment on the spot where termites are found and the BASF Trelona® ATBS baiting system. Call me on my cell phone and I’ll explain why.

The company guarantees results or your money back, and is rated A+ by the Better . Business Bureau. For more information, you can reach Arnie directly on his cell phone, 917- 417-5305. or the website, www.aaaabco.com.

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