Six signs, and the first one is the only one most people ever notice. The rest are under the furniture.
Small pale moths that scuttle rather than fly, bare or thinning patches in wool carpet, and silk webbing across the pile.
Then the larvae themselves — smooth, cream, up to about 10mm — and their small silken cases. Most of it is under furniture, which is why the moths are noticed first.
| Sign | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Adults | Small pale gold-brown moths, 6–8mm, weak fliers that scuttle along skirtings |
| Bare patches | Pile grazed down to the backing, usually under something |
| Thinning | Carpet that looks worn where nobody walks |
| Webbing | Fine silk tubes or a mesh across the pile |
| Larvae | Smooth cream caterpillars up to ~10mm |
| Cases | Small silken tubes, often coloured like the carpet they fed on |
Carpet in a place nobody walks that looks worn is not worn. Wear happens where people tread; this is the opposite.
See our full carpet moth treatment service, published room prices and what treatment covers.
View Carpet Moth Control Kenton →A pale moth at a window at night attracted to the light is more likely one that flew in from the garden. A small one scuttling along the skirting behind the sofa is worth investigating.
| What you are seeing | Probably |
|---|---|
| Moths at a lit window at night | Garden moths — harmless |
| Small moths flying out of a cupboard of dry goods | Pantry moths — a different job |
| Moths in a wardrobe, damage to clothing only | Clothes moths — closely related, same treatment approach |
| Brown bristly larvae with shed skins | Carpet beetle |
| Beetles on a windowsill in spring | Carpet beetle adults |
| Worn carpet in a doorway or on stair middles | Ordinary wear |
Visible bare patches usually mean months. Larval development is slow.
Not on the fibre, but they can live on pet and human hair and debris in the pile.
No. Carpet moths and their larvae do not bite.
Something larger flying about? A wasp nest is £90 fixed cost in Kenton, guaranteed.
Small pale scuttling moths, bare or thinning patches in wool carpet, silk webbing across the pile, smooth cream larvae, and small silken cases.
Under the sofa and any static furniture, along carpet edges, under rugs, behind a permanently open door, under beds, and at the sides of stair treads.
Carpet moths are small, pale, weak fliers that scuttle along skirtings and avoid light. Moths at a lit window are usually from the garden.
Moth larvae are smooth and cream with silk webbing. Beetle larvae are brown, bristly and leave obvious shed skins.
Moths leave larger irregular eaten areas; carpet beetles leave several small separate holes.
No — but carpet that looks worn where nobody walks is worth investigating, because wear happens where people tread.
Usually months. Larval development is slow.
No. Neither the moths nor their larvae bite.
Photograph a larva if you find one — it settles moth versus beetle in seconds.
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