Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus verbasci
The hairy larvae, known as woolly bears, chew through wool carpets, natural fibre rugs and stored textiles. The adults are harmless: they feed on pollen outdoors and simply fly in through an open window in spring.
Where it lives in Maltese properties
Carpet edges under furniture, beneath skirting, in bird nests and roof voids, wardrobes, upholstery and accumulated fluff and hair in undisturbed corners.
Signs of an infestation
You will usually notice the evidence long before you see the pest itself. Look for:
- Small hairy golden-brown larvae in carpet edges and drawers
- Shed larval skins in undisturbed corners and inside wardrobes
- Sharp-edged holes in wool carpet, often along the edge under furniture
- Small mottled beetles on window sills in spring
Why it matters
The risks associated with carpet beetle in Malta:
- Destroys wool carpets, rugs, upholstery and clothing
- Larval hairs can cause a skin rash in sensitive people
- Damage is often extensive before it is noticed
How to prevent it
Prevention is always cheaper than treatment, and for this species it is genuinely effective:
- Vacuum carpet edges, under furniture and inside wardrobes thoroughly
- Remove old bird nests from eaves and roof voids and mesh the access
- Store natural fibre textiles clean and sealed
How we treat carpet beetle
We apply a residual insecticide and growth regulator to carpet edges, skirting voids, under furniture and inside storage, remove and treat any bird nest reservoir in the roof, and re-inspect after two weeks. Removing the source nest is usually the decisive step.
Moth, Carpet Beetle & Pantry Pest Treatment — from €120 per property
Treatment of wardrobes, carpets, upholstery and dry stores for clothes moths, carpet beetles and pantry moths, including removal of any bird nest reservoir.
- Survey to trace the source and infested material
- Residual treatment plus growth regulator to carpets, edges and storage
- Steam or freezing for delicate and heritage textiles
- Pheromone monitoring traps installed
- Bird nest removal from eaves where it is the source
- Follow-up inspection at 14 days
- 60-day guarantee
Often confused with, or found alongside
Silverfish
Lepisma saccharinaFast, wingless insects that dart for cover when a bathroom light goes on.
Clothes Moth
Tineola bisselliellaThe adults do not feed at all.
Pantry Moth
Plodia interpunctellaAlmost always arrives inside a packet of food already infested.
German Cockroach
Blattella germanicaThe most serious cockroach pest in Malta, and the hardest to get rid of.
Dealing with carpet beetle?
Book a treatment online at a fixed price, or request an inspection if you would rather have it confirmed first. Either way you will know the cost before anyone starts work.