Carpet & Textile Pests - Wool, Fur and feathers contain a protein known as Keratin, which to most animals and insects is indigestible. However, a number of insects have developed which feed on this substance. Most often they are found in the wild feeding of the corpses of dead animals, but will also thrive living in nests of animals that line them in fur and feather. However, when these insects move across the boundaries and into the human world, they look for new foodstuffs on which to thrive. This usually comes in the form of wool or wool mix carpets, woollen and fur clothing, items containing the suchlike, cottons and linens but they can also feed on hair, horn and processed animal

The most frequently encountered carpet pest primarily comprise of the Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) and Case-Bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella) although there are variants of the carpet beetle and other textile moths often can be found to be responsible for damage to fabrics, but the ones most associated with damage to carpets are these two culprits!

There are several signs of a possible infestation. Most frequently encountered is the damage, usually seen in the form of small 'bald patches' or 'tram lines' cut into the carpet and often only seen when furniture is moved for the first time in a while (cabinets, bookshelves, etc) where it is hard to hoover properly.

For carpet beetles, look for 'small hairy maggots' (about 4 to 5mm long) often referred to as 'Woolly Bears'. These are often the discarded larvae cases, although frequently will be the actual larvae, which pupates several times and sheds its 'hairy skin' each time, before finally emerging into the adult beetle. These resemble small 'brown and white Ladybirds' (about 2 to 3mm long) and more often than not will be found on window ledges in the sun, or near flowers, the pollen and nectar upon which the adults feed, it being the larvae who do the damage and feed on Keratin.

The adult Carpet Beetle is capable of flying and in doing so will seek a new nesting site when then appear, usually in the spring time, to lay its eggs on or near to a food source, often an old bird nest in a loft, sometimes wasp nests or an accumulating of hair, fur or wool fabric under floors, skirting boards or crevices.

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