Carpet beetles
Carpet Beetles From the Eaves of a Converted House
Sparrows, starlings and pigeons nest in gaps at the eaves and in the roof space. When the birds leave, the old nest stays, full of feathers and debris, and carpet beetle larvae feed on it. The adults then wander, and in a converted Victorian or Edwardian house the nearest rooms are in the top-floor flat. Where carpet beetles hide covers the other places they live.
Eaves shared between flats
The eaves and loft belong to the building, usually the freeholder, but they run above more than one flat, and in a house with flats side by side on the top floor the nest may be over your neighbour's rooms rather than yours. The beetles do not respect the division. If you find them in a top-floor flat, it is worth asking the flat next to you and the freeholder whether birds have been nesting in the roof.
Loft rooms and eaves cupboards
Some top-floor flats have a room in the roof or low eaves cupboards used for storage. Stored blankets, woollens and old rugs in those cupboards sit right next to where the birds nested, and larvae can move straight into them.
Signs in a Top-Floor Flat
- Small round, mottled beetles on the windowsills in spring and early summer
- Bristly brown larvae along carpet edges or in the eaves cupboard
- Shed larval skins in stored textiles
- Irregular holes in woollens, felt or rugs
Why carpet beetles appear on windowsills and what the larvae look like help you confirm it. Moths fluttering from the carpet point to carpet moths instead.
Itchy skin
The larvae's hairs can irritate some people's skin, causing an itchy rash that is sometimes mistaken for bites. If it troubles you, speak to a pharmacist or GP. Carpet beetle larvae and skin has more.
The Nest, the Freeholder and the Law
Dealing with the source means dealing with the old nest in the eaves or loft, and the gap the birds used. Those are part of the building, so the freeholder or managing agent should be told. By law, it is an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of a wild bird while it is in use or being built, so an active nest must be left until the birds have gone. Old, empty nests can be cleared, and a roofer can then close the gap.
Around the Visit
When you book, tell us which rooms have beetles or larvae, whether you are on the top floor, and whether you know of birds nesting in the roof. Vacuum the carpet edges and clear the floor. You may still see adults on the windowsills for a while; how long depends on the flat and the source. If you keep finding larvae, get in touch. Preventing carpet beetles returning has more, and Carpet Beetle Control Barnet covers the rest of the borough.
Keeping Beetles Out of a Top-Floor Flat
Treating the rooms deals with the larvae in your flat; keeping them away depends on the roof above and the habits inside. Because the eaves are shared, the most useful step is often a joint one, agreed between the top-floor flats and whoever looks after the building.
- Ask the freeholder or managing agent to have old nests cleared from the loft once birds have left, and the gaps at the eaves closed by a roofer
- Store blankets, woollens and old rugs from the eaves cupboard in sealed bags or lidded plastic boxes
- Vacuum carpet edges, under beds and inside the eaves cupboard regularly, and empty the vacuum outside
- Check woollens and stored textiles in spring, when adults are most active on the windowsills
- If a neighbouring top-floor flat has beetles too, try to have both treated around the same time
