- Adults
- 2–3 mm, round, mottled brown, white and yellow
- Larvae
- All year
- Adults seen
- Spring and early summer at windows
Larvae eat wool, fur, feathers and natural fibres, as well as dead insects and old bird nests. A loft with old nests or piles of dead flies is a common hidden source.
Signs of carpet beetles
- Tiny round patterned beetles on windowsills in spring and summer
- Small hairy brown larvae under furniture, along carpet edges or in airing cupboards
- Shed larval skins that look like hollow, hairy husks
- Irregular holes in clothes, carpets, felt or upholstery
- Damage along the edges of carpets and under rarely moved furniture
How to be sure
Woolly bear larvae are bristly and banded brown, and roll up when disturbed. Clothes moth larvae are smooth and cream. Bed bugs are flat and reddish, without patterned backs, and are found in beds, not windowsills.
What you can do yourself
- Vacuum thoroughly along carpet edges, under furniture, inside cupboards and in gaps along skirting boards. Empty the vacuum outside.
- Wash affected clothes and textiles hot, or freeze them in sealed bags for at least three days.
- Check the loft for old bird nests, dead insects and dead cluster flies. Remove them, wearing gloves.
- Treat cracks along skirting and under furniture with an insecticide spray for crawling insects, following the label.
- Repeat vacuuming weekly for a couple of months, because eggs and young larvae are easy to miss.
Call a professional if
- Damage keeps appearing after two rounds of cleaning and treatment
- Carpets are damaged across several rooms
- You can't find the source
Safety: The hairs of woolly bear larvae can irritate skin in some people, causing an itchy rash that's sometimes mistaken for bites. Wear gloves when cleaning.
Keeping them out
- Remove old bird nests from lofts and eaves once birds have left
- Clear dead flies from loft windows and sills
- Vacuum under furniture regularly
- Store wool, fur and feather items in sealed bags
Kit that helps
- Vacuum with a crevice tool
- Crawling insect spray for cracks
- Sealed storage bags
- Insect monitoring traps
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Questions people ask
Do carpet beetles bite?
No. But larval hairs can cause an itchy skin reaction, which is often mistaken for bites.
Moths or carpet beetles?
Look for evidence. Webbing and silky tubes point to moths. Hairy shed skins and woolly bear larvae point to carpet beetles.
Why do I see carpet beetles at the window?
Adults are drawn to light and want to get outside to feed on pollen, so windowsills are where you notice them.
Where are carpet beetles coming from?
Often a hidden food source: an old bird nest in the eaves or loft, dead insects, or a forgotten wool rug or felt in storage.