Carpet beetles
The damage comes from the hairy, banded larvae, not the small beetles at the window. Find where fluff, wool and dead insects gather, and clear it.
- Size
- Small, a few millimetres
- Colour
- Adults mottled; larvae brown, hairy, banded
- Lives
- Under furniture, wardrobes, skirting, lofts
- Active
- Adults in spring and summer, at windows
How to tell
Hairy, banded larvae
Small, slow, bristly and striped brown, with shed skins nearby.
Round, mottled adults
Tiny beetles patterned in white, brown and yellow, often on window sills.
Not a clothes moth
Moth larvae spin silky tubes and webbing. Carpet beetle larvae leave bristly shed skins.
Signs you have them
- Shed skins light brown and bristly, along skirting and under furniture.
- Bare patches or holes in wool rugs, coats, felt and feathers.
- Small beetles on window sills in spring and summer.
- Larvae in the loft around old nests, dead insects or stored wool.
The plan
- 1
Find the source
Under furniture that never moves, wardrobe floors, the loft.
- 2
Vacuum hard
Crevice tool along skirting and carpet edges. Empty it outside.
- 3
Wash what you can
Hot, as the label allows: throws, cushions, stored wool.
- 4
Store it sealed
Clean wool, silk and feathers in sealed bags or boxes.
Solutions for carpet beetles
Garment storage bags
Sealed bags for wool and cashmere.
Opens Google Maps. Call first to check they have it.
Shoo does not sell these yet. They are standard products sold by other shops; follow the label on the one you buy.
What people worry about
Does this mean my home is dirty?
No. The adults fly in through open windows in spring and summer, and every home has some fluff, hair and wool for the larvae.
Do carpet beetles bite?
They do not bite. The bristly larvae can irritate some people's skin, so vacuum them up rather than handling them.
Do I need fumigation?
Not to start. A careful search, a thorough vacuum and hot washing go a long way. Call a professional if they keep coming back.