Identifying the larva first
You can tell a carpet beetle larva by its short, hairy, tapered body, often likened to a tiny hairy carrot, and by how little it moves compared with a carpet moth larva - the same pattern holds near Chessington, where the borough's southernmost suburb. The mature beetle is compact, rounded and mottled in colour, and windowsills are the usual place to spot one heading for daylight, true near Surbiton too, where handsome Victorian and Edwardian villas.
Under fitted carpets and floorboards
In the older villas and terraces around Kingston and Surbiton, the larvae commonly live in fluff that gathers under fitted carpets and between original floorboards, and are easy to mistake for moth damage until the larva itself is found.
Old nests in the eaves
An inactive bird's nest or old wasp nest under the eaves of a Victorian villa is a common source: carpet beetles feed on the feathers, fur and insect debris left behind, and once that food runs out they move down into the house looking for carpets and stored fabric instead.
Where else to check
It's not just the carpet, stored woollens, feather cushions, and the dusty underside of rarely-moved furniture are worth a look too, much as it does near Surbiton, where handsome Victorian and Edwardian villas. Skirting boards near an exterior wall, close to where an old nest might sit above, are worth checking closely.
What to do before treatment
- Vacuum thoroughly, including carpet edges, skirting boards and under furniture
- Wash or dry-clean any affected woollens and feather-filled items
- Remove old nests you can safely reach and dispose of them
- Keep a note of which rooms and items are affected
Booking carpet beetle treatment in Kingston upon Thames
Carpet beetle treatment in Kingston upon Thames is priced at £180 for the first room and £60 for each additional room, and given that around Tolworth, where postwar and 1930s suburban housing along the A3 corridor, it is worth checking older rooms first before you book carpet beetle treatment and tell us which rooms show damage, with the rest on the Kingston upon Thames carpet beetle treatment page.
