Carpet Beetles in Brent Homes
The varied carpet beetle is the species most often found in UK homes. Adults are only a few millimetres long and feed on pollen; the larvae feed on wool, fur, feathers, silk, dead insects and the fluff that collects in the quiet corners of a house.
Where they breed
In gaps between old floorboards, under fitted carpets at the edges, in airing cupboards, in drawers of stored clothes, and in lofts — particularly where birds have nested in the eaves. Older houses with suspended timber floors give them years of accumulated fluff to live in.
Signs of carpet beetles
- Small, oval, mottled beetles on windowsills in spring and early summer
- Brown, bristly larvae a few millimetres long
- Shed larval skins in drawers and along skirting boards
- Irregular holes in woollen clothing, blankets and carpets
Beetle or moth?
Carpet moth larvae are smooth and pale and leave silky webbing. Carpet beetle larvae are hairy and brown and leave shed skins instead. The damage can look similar, and both are priced the same way.
Skin irritation
The bristles on carpet beetle larvae can irritate some people's skin. If you have a rash or symptoms, speak to a pharmacist or GP — we are pest controllers, not medical advisers.
