Where Carpet Beetles Turn Up in Hackney
Older conversions around Dalston and Hoxton
The Victorian terraces converted into flats around Dalston and Hoxton often still have original floorboards under later fitted carpets, and the gaps between them make a good hiding place for carpet beetle larvae. They feed on natural fibres in carpet edges and skirting gaps where a vacuum cleaner rarely reaches, which is often why the damage is well established by the time it's noticed.
Stored textiles in Hackney's larger houses
In the borough's larger terraced houses, carpet beetle larvae often turn up in stored clothing and textiles as much as in carpets themselves — boxes in a loft or the back of a wardrobe left undisturbed for a season are exactly the conditions they do well in.
Signs to Look For
- Irregular holes in natural-fibre carpets, rugs, clothing or soft furnishings
- Small, bristly larvae ("woolly bears") in carpet edges, cupboards or under furniture
- Tiny shed larval skins gathering in corners or fabric folds
- Adult beetles, a few millimetres long, seen on windowsills in spring
Clearing Carpet Beetles From a Hackney Property
Because they can be confused with moth damage, tell us what you've noticed when you call so we know what we're dealing with.
