My wife found this damage to our lounge carpet when she moved a heavy-based standard lamp to clean underneath. When we looked closely there were a dozen or so tiny white grubs chomping away. There were other areas of damage under the settee and under a pile of books.
If you’ve got carpets containing wool, the chances are you’ve got a clothes moth infestation too. Better check your wardrobes etc too. You might have to throw away your winter woolly underwear, if anyone still wears it in these days of breathable fabrics.
We’ve been told clothes moths have invaded a large part of the West Country and sales of wool and wool-mix carpets have collapsed as a result. We were lucky, we were planning to replace the carpet anyway, but anyone who’s just bought a wool-rich carpet might not be too pleased.
The moths and their larvae are a lot smaller than the pictures suggest, about 5 – 8 mm long.
Andy Hamilton
