Carpet Beetle Treatment

Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. Saturday and Sunday by arrangement.

Small holes in carpets, rugs, clothes or blankets, or tiny hairy larvae in the airing cupboard? These are often signs of carpet beetles, whose larvae are known as woolly bears. We find the source of the problem and treat it.

About carpet beetles

Carpet beetles have overtaken clothes moths as one of the main textile pests in British homes. The adult beetles are small and harmless, but their larvae feed on natural fibres and animal materials such as wool, fur, feathers, silk and leather. They often go unnoticed for months in quiet places: under furniture, at the edges of carpets, in airing cupboards, drawers and lofts.

MSE Pest Control is a local, RSPH Level 2 qualified pest controller and a member of the BPCA and NPTA. A successful carpet beetle treatment depends on finding where the larvae are breeding, which can be an old bird’s nest in the loft or a forgotten wool rug, as much as on the insecticide treatment itself.

Signs of carpet beetles

Small, hairy, brown and striped larvae (woolly bears) about 4 to 5mm long, which curl up when disturbed
Cast-off larval skins, which look like tiny hairy husks, in drawers, wardrobes, airing cupboards or under furniture
Irregular holes in wool carpets, rugs, clothing, blankets or felt, often along seams, edges and folds
Bare patches at carpet edges, under beds and sofas or behind doors
Tiny round beetles, mottled brown, grey and cream, on window sills in spring and early summer
Damage to stored items such as wool blankets, fur, feathers, taxidermy, piano felts or natural fibre rugs
Itchy skin irritation in some people after contact with the larvae's hairs

How we treat carpet beetles

An inspection to confirm carpet beetles and find the source, including lofts, old birds' nests, airing cupboards, under furniture, carpet edges and stored items
A professional residual insecticide treatment to the affected areas, such as carpet edges, under furniture, inside cupboards and floorboard gaps
Advice on removing or treating the source, such as old birds' nests or heavily damaged items
Advice on cleaning, washing, freezing and storing affected textiles
A follow-up visit where needed, as larvae can hatch from eggs after treatment

Risks and why it matters

Damage to belongings: carpet beetle larvae can do serious damage to wool carpets, rugs, clothing, blankets, upholstery and stored textiles, often unseen until it is extensive.
Valuable items: antique rugs, wool or fur clothing, taxidermy, natural fibre furnishings and collections can be badly damaged.
Skin irritation: the bristly hairs on the larvae can cause itchy skin reactions in some people, sometimes mistaken for bites.
Spread: larvae wander through the house, along pipes and into airing cupboards and wardrobes, so a problem in one room can spread.
Landlords: carpet damage and repeated infestations can lead to disputes at the end of a tenancy.

Identifying carpet beetles

Varied carpet beetle (Anthrenus verbasci): the most common carpet beetle in UK homes. Adults are 2 to 4mm long, round, and mottled brown, grey and cream, like a tiny ladybird. Larvae are the "woolly bears".
Fur beetle (Attagenus pellio): black, about 4 to 6mm long, with a small white spot on each wing case. Its larvae are golden-brown with a tuft of long hairs at the tail.
Black carpet beetle (Attagenus unicolor): rarer, plain black and slightly larger, with longer, carrot-shaped larvae.
Woolly bears: the larvae of all these beetles are the damaging stage. Adults feed on pollen and nectar outdoors and do not eat fabric.

What to expect

Call us and describe what you have found. A photo of the larvae or damage helps.

We inspect the property, confirm carpet beetles and look for the breeding source.

Prepare the rooms as we advise, then we treat the affected areas.

Stay out of treated rooms until the treatment has dried, as we will advise on the day.

Do not hoover the treated areas for at least 2 weeks after treatment, so the treatment stays in place to deal with larvae as they hatch. Check stored textiles, and call us if you still see larvae after the period we advise.

Preparing for your visit

Hoover thoroughly before we arrive, especially carpet edges, under beds and furniture, and inside wardrobes, then empty the hoover outside
Empty affected cupboards, wardrobes and drawers so we can treat inside them
Wash or dry clean affected clothing and textiles, or bag them in sealed plastic bags
Clear floors and move light furniture away from walls where possible
Make the loft hatch accessible in case the source is in the roof space

Prevention tips

Hoover regularly, including carpet edges, under furniture and inside wardrobes, but do not hoover treated areas for at least 2 weeks after a carpet beetle treatment
Store wool, fur and natural fibre items clean, in sealed bags or containers
Wash or dry clean clothes before storing them for the season
Check lofts and eaves for old birds' nests, a common breeding source, and have them removed safely outside the nesting season
Check stored items such as rugs, blankets and taxidermy every few months
Fit fly screens on windows if adult beetles keep coming in during spring
Shake out and air rugs and stored textiles from time to time

Seasonal notes

Adult carpet beetles are most often seen from about April to June, on window sills and near light, looking for places to lay eggs. The larvae feed through the summer and autumn and are often most noticeable from late summer into winter, when they wander to find places to pupate. In heated homes, larvae can be active all year.