Carpet beetles
Large Roof Spaces and Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetle larvae feed on keratin: feathers, wool, fur, hair and the debris that builds up in an old bird's nest. The roof of a large converted building has a long perimeter of eaves, gutters, parapets and ventilation gaps, and pigeons, starlings and sparrows can nest along it for years without anyone seeing. When the birds leave, the nest is left to the beetles. The larvae are small and can crawl a long way, through gaps around loft hatches, downlights and service pipes into the rooms beneath.
Why the top floor first
The apartments directly under the roof space are closest to the source, and larvae often show up first in a bedroom under the eaves or along the edge of a fitted carpet by an outside wall. Lower floors can be affected too, especially where service runs connect them, but the pattern usually starts high. Where carpet beetles hide lists the spots to check.
Storage in the roof and in deep cupboards
Some converted buildings give residents storage in parts of the roof or in large cupboards, and boxes of woollen clothes, blankets or old rugs kept there for years are ideal food. A house on the streets around the site can have the same problem in its own loft, on a smaller scale. Check anything kept in those spaces at least once a year, including felt, feather cushions and old soft toys.
Signs in a Top-Floor Apartment
- Small, round, mottled beetles on the windowsills in spring and early summer
- Short, bristly brown larvae, or their empty skins, along carpet edges and inside wardrobes
- Irregular holes in wool jumpers, blankets or stored rugs
- Damage heaviest in the room nearest the roof edge
The adults on the sill are often the first thing people notice, and why carpet beetles appear on windowsills explains what they mean. What the larvae look like helps if you are unsure, and damage with silken cases and webbing is more likely carpet moths.
What to Do Now
- Vacuum carpet edges, under beds and inside wardrobes, and empty the vacuum into an outside bin
- Wash or freeze affected woollens and keep them bagged until treatment
- Tell the managing agent if you think the source is in the roof space, which is normally theirs to inspect
- Keep stored textiles out of the rooms until they have been treated
Some people react to the tiny hairs on the larvae with itchy skin. If a rash does not settle, speak to a pharmacist or GP, and call 999 if there are signs of a severe allergic reaction. The guide on carpet beetle larvae and skin has more.
Booking for Your Apartment
When you book carpet beetle treatment, tell us which floor you are on, which rooms have larvae or damage, and whether you have storage in the roof. Clear the floor edges and empty the wardrobes in those rooms. The technician will explain what was found, and what happens next depends on the rooms and how far the larvae have spread. Get back in touch if new larvae appear after the time we give you.
Dealing With the Source Above
Treating the rooms deals with the larvae in your home, but a nest in the roof space can keep supplying more. Clearing old nests and closing bird entry points along the roof edge is building work, normally arranged by the managing agent, and for a house it is a job for a roofer. If there is movement in the roof as well, see squirrel control in Friern Barnet. How to prevent carpet beetles returning covers the rest, the Barnet advice guide is carpet beetles in Barnet, and the borough page is Carpet Beetle Treatment Barnet.
