Are carpet beetles that common in the UK?

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Some-Survey7487@reddit

Bizarrely, I found one for the first time ever today, too…

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Gotta be the weather. Have only seen the 4 so far

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Smeeble09@reddit

Yeah had the odd one or two a week in my loft conversion for a few months now, think it's because we're doing some sorting and DIY that they've appeared.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Seen 3 in my kitchen, so far today 😅

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Ah OK, that makes sense. Wonder why I didn't see them last year 🤔

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sparklybeast@reddit

I’ve never heard of the and looking at the picture I don’t think I’ve seen one in my 40-something years. Wonder if they’re more common in other UK regions than here in Yorkshire?

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I'm 38 and never seen them before. I've lived in this flat for 2.5 years too

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I’d be overjoyed with just two of them. About 13 years ago having never had an issue before the house become overrun within a couple of days. Huge amounts of carpet beetle powder was used. Battle lines were drawn (all over the carpet, along every edge and corner, on every stair) and extermination was the only option. Not seen one once since then. Thank goodness. But if they returned, I know I’ve destroyed them before.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Oh God, that's my worst nightmare! I got paranoid so I've ordered some sparky for the carpet and will hoover tomorrow morning

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nickymoo@reddit

https://preview.redd.it/hbbdp0yk17xg1.jpeg?width=1141&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42c97842209ba2c40455d1e9cab2a82228f720a1 I got this stuff from B&Q. Massive hoover EVERYWHERE and behind EVERYTHING and then just did it around everything. They didn’t come back. I think the source was a new rug I got from a charity chop which was stored next to a large box of guinea pig food. It was full of them too, and it had started to get humid. It was all unpleasant. I sorted it out over a couple of evenings. Then left everything on the carpet for a week. Then hoovered up everything, massive hoover behind everything again a week later. Then re-applied. I can’t remember if I did it again a week later. But it was a lot of effort Ona. Night or two repeated. But it worked.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Damm, didn't realise they would be that bad

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nickymoo@reddit

I SAW A CARPET BEETLE THIS MORNING OP. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

I'm sorry 😭 Just found 2 more by the kitchen window. Hoping that's the last of them! Did a sweep of the flat with a powerful torch and looks OK (he says!)

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nickymoo@reddit

They would have come from eggs. Give it a good hoover and monitor the situation. Don’t panic though as it’s easy to get under control.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Thanks man!

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rictay44@reddit

I've seen a couple, but couldn't find any around the floor. I guess they came through an open window.

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edyth_@reddit

I found 4 in my bathroom after the window had been open all day but I've searched the house and I can't find any more so assume they flew in. I've got a big can of permethrin in the cupboard just in case.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I crack mine open for like 20 mins every morning. Little bastards!

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Alundra828@reddit

Yes they're everywhere. They're a sign you should hoover... *lots.* The beetles themselves are harmless, it's the larvae that can really fuck with you. The larvae can release these fibres into the air that cause health problems in humans. Namely, rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, nausea, fever, diarrhoea, proctitis, itchy arse. If you find you're coughing at night for no reason. You're probably breathing in shit from their larvae.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Thanks man, good to know

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Odd-Paramedic-3826@reddit

before i left for university i had an infestation of them in my room, about 20 or 30 of them under my bed, found them while i was clearing out. Wasn't even that cluttered of a room i had no clue how it got so bad before i noticed.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Oh god, that sounds awful! Did you get someone in to get rid?

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Odd-Paramedic-3826@reddit

nope, just vacuumed the suckers up. they're really slow and bumbling

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Got it, thanks!

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Brilliant-Ship2539@reddit

Horrible little bastards that will eat your hopes and dreams. I like most insects but these guys are squash on sight (quickly and painlessly) and then hoover desperately around the vicinity for 20 minutes, hoping it'll be the last time but knowing it won't be

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Oh God 😱

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beeurd@reddit

Be prepared to find even more over the next few weeks. One year I found a couple and then a few weeks later I found about 30 of them. Then within a couple of weeks they'd all died off.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Jesus Christ, pls no 😱

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Master-Trick2850@reddit

I started having quite a lot of them, thought they were moths at first got a carpet beetle insecticide spray from amazon, put it down on all my exposed carpeting and it got 95% of them. Theres a couple strays left over

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Ah yes, ordered that as soon as I saw the 2 as I'm worried there may be more

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mister_meaner7@reddit

I’ve never even heard of them until now, I’ve never seen any.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Yep, thought it was a ladybird at quick glance before I really went close to it

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T_raltixx@reddit

Me neither

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LimesFruit@reddit

yeah I see them from time to time, relatively common

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Surprised I haven't seen them before!

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No_Candle2537@reddit

I actually saw one for the first time yesterday so it's amusing I've found this today - wondered what it was!

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I had to ask reddit to find out

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Super-Craig@reddit

Have a little hunt around your home, check all fabric furniture and clothing drawers. It's between April and June is when carpet bettles are most active and searching for new nesting sites. If left allowed to take root a carpet bettle infestation can get very quickly out of hand and spread to throughout the entire house.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

You got it!

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BigMagic88@reddit

I had some a few months back. Apparently so after a little google. Think we need to hoover a little more. I did a proper blitz and not seen any since but I’m sure they will come back at some point. I currently have a pet spider from having the garden doors open. Can’t relax now 😵

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Damm, guess I need to hoover more 😅

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Easy-Equal@reddit

Yes estimates suggest they are present in up to 90% of homes

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Short-Shopping3197@reddit

Or 100% of OPs homes.

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

😭

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Damn, those are insane figures!

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JourneyThiefer@reddit

What’s that

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Zubi_Q@reddit (OP)

Here ya go! Unique little thing. Apparently it comes from when you open your windows. They can be an issue if there are a few as they can lay eggs and multiply https://preview.redd.it/v11i9ee117xg1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=766ce12bf0085af9c13e9df168af11b11d616737

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Aggravating-Web-3050@reddit

Let it be

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