The little beetle you find by the window is not the one eating your carpet. The hairy larva under the sofa does that, which is why treatment starts with working out the type and where it lives.
First we identify the beetle, because carpet beetles need different treatment from flour beetles or wood beetles. Beetle control then means removing the source and treating carpet edges, under furniture and the cracks where larvae hide. If the beetles are in the kitchen, the priority is throwing out infested food and treating the shelves.
Adult carpet beetles head toward light, so you will often find one on the curtain or the window edge.
A small brown worm covered in hairs, under sofas, along carpet edges and inside wardrobes.
The larva sheds its skin several times, so you find light brown flakes in the same places.
Clipped pile or thin spots, especially in corners and under furniture that never gets moved.
Small insects in flour, pasta or spices. This is a different type from the carpet beetle, and it has a different treatment.
Carpet beetle larvae eat wool, fur, silk, feathers and natural pile, as well as hair and built-up debris. The adult beetle feeds on pollen from plants and comes in through the window, then lays its eggs in carpets and wardrobes. The larva's hairs can also cause skin allergies in some people.
Pantry beetles such as the flour beetle come in with a bag of flour, pasta or spices that has been stored for a while. Spraying the house will not fix this. You need to remove the infested package first, then treat the shelf it was on.
There are also wood beetles, which our woodworm page covers. The big black beetles from the street wander in by accident, and all they usually need is sealing the openings.
Send us a clear photo of the beetle or larva, because it changes the whole treatment. Then we give you the price and the time.
The technician looks for the center of the problem under furniture, in wardrobes and around stored food, and goes well beyond the spot where you saw the beetle.
We ask you to vacuum the carpets, pick things up off the floor and throw out infested food in a sealed bag outside your home.
We use a suitable product on carpet edges, cracks and baseboards. Nothing gets sprayed inside food containers.
The product name and our advice are on the receipt. We follow up with you because the larvae already there die off in stages.
Vacuum the carpets well, especially under furniture, and throw the vacuum bag away outside your home. Wash infested wool clothes and small rugs or take them to the laundry, and store clean clothes in sealed bags.
If the problem is in the kitchen, throw out the infested package, wipe the shelf well and keep flour and grains in sealed containers. Do not spray insecticide on kitchen shelves before emptying them, because it can contaminate the food.
Children and pets stay off the carpet until it dries. The technician tells you how long, and it is written on the receipt with the product name.
Kitchen food and cookware get covered or moved before we treat any cracks nearby. If anyone is allergic to larva hairs or has asthma, tell us when you book.
With beetle control, the worry is promises nobody wrote down. This is the sheet the technician hands you.
An illustration of what gets written down at the visit.
If it is a carpet beetle, it is no danger to you, but larvae may be somewhere close by. Check under the furniture and in the wardrobes.
No, it does not bite, but its hairs can cause itching or an allergy in some people. Do not touch it with your bare hand.
Yes, throw it out and check the other containers next to it. This is not something you treat with insecticide.
Treatment stops further damage, but the pile that was eaten will not come back. If it is an expensive carpet, treat it early and talk to a restoration specialist.
The warranty is 5 years. It is written on the receipt with its terms, according to the beetle type and the area treated.
It depends on the type, the size of the place and where the infestation is, and you get the price by phone. It is written down before we start, and it does not go up after you agree.
One phone call, and we set a time with you.
