Pest Control
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Once you know you have carpet beetles, the question is where they are breeding. The beetles you find on a windowsill and the larvae on the skirting board are the visible end of a population that is usually feeding somewhere quiet. Find that, clean it out and treat it, and the problem stops.
First, confirm it is carpet beetles
Several species of carpet beetle live in the UK. The varied carpet beetle is the most common, followed by the furniture carpet beetle. The adults are small, rounded beetles around 2 to 5mm long, mottled with brown, black, white or yellowish scales. The larvae are the ones you are more likely to find: small, banded, carrot-shaped and covered in brown bristles.
Signs that point to carpet beetles rather than clothes moths are cast larval skins (light brown, bristly and empty), tiny round, gritty droppings, and the absence of silk webbing. Our guide to detecting and preventing carpet beetles covers identification and the life cycle in more detail. If you are seeing silk tubes or webbing, see our guide to clothes moths instead.
Where to look for the source
- The loft. Old bird nests, wasp nests and dead insects are a very common breeding source. Larvae from a nest in the eaves can work their way down into the rooms below.
- Carpet edges. Along skirting boards, under beds, sofas and heavy furniture, and anywhere the vacuum does not reach.
- Between floorboards and under fitted carpets, where fluff and hair build up out of sight.
- Wardrobes, drawers and airing cupboards, especially wool, cashmere and silk that is stored rather than worn.
- Stored textiles. Blankets, rugs, cushions and seasonal decorations made of felt or wool that come out once a year.
- Upholstered furniture, particularly older pieces stuffed with wool, horsehair or feathers.
- Food cupboards. Some carpet beetles also feed on dried foods, pet food and bird seed.
Concentrations of larvae, cast skins and damage together usually mark the spot.
Clearing an infestation
- Remove the source. Clear out old nests and debris from the loft, wearing gloves and a mask, and bag them for disposal. If birds are still nesting, see the note below.
- Vacuum thoroughly. Lift rugs, move furniture and vacuum carpet edges, floorboard gaps, upholstery, shelves and the insides of cupboards. Empty the vacuum into a sealed bag and put it in the outside bin straight away.
- Treat affected items. Wash at 60°C where the label allows, or have items dry cleaned. Things that cannot be washed can be sealed in a bag and frozen for at least a week.
- Throw away what is too far gone. Heavily damaged items with live larvae in them can reinfest everything else.
- Store clean items sealed. Use airtight bags or boxes for woollens, blankets and anything put away for months at a time.
- Check again. Repeat the vacuuming weekly for several weeks and keep checking the original spot. Larvae that were missed, or eggs that hatch later, can restart the problem.
Adult carpet beetles feed on pollen and nectar outdoors and fly in through open windows in spring and early summer. Insect screens on windows you leave open help keep new ones out.
Birds and carpet beetles
If carpet beetles are coming from birds nesting in the eaves or roof, the nest is part of the problem. Wild birds, their active nests and eggs are protected by law, so nests can only be removed and the roof proofed once they are no longer in use, usually outside the nesting season. Our bird control page explains how that is done.
When to call us
Call us if you are still finding larvae after a thorough clean, if damage is spreading across several rooms, or if the infestation is somewhere you cannot reach, such as under fitted carpets or in floor voids. We identify the species, find where they are breeding and apply a targeted treatment to the affected areas, alongside the cleaning that has to go with it. If you are not sure what you have found, send us a photo.