About beetles in London homes
Biscuit beetles, larder beetles and other stored-food beetles get into flour, pasta, cereals, spices and pet food. They breed quietly inside packets and cupboards, so you often notice the adults crawling on shelves and worktops before you find the source. For beetles eating carpets or clothes, see our carpet beetle treatment.
Signs of beetles
- Small brown or black beetles on kitchen shelves, worktops or window sills
- Beetles or larvae inside packets of flour, pasta, cereal, spices or pet food
- Tiny holes in food packaging
- Fine dust or webbing in food cupboards
How we treat beetles
- Inspection to identify the beetle and find the source
- Checklist for clearing out infested food and cleaning cupboards
- Residual spray treatment of cupboards, shelves, voids and affected areas
- Advice on food storage to stop them coming back
Beetle Control prices
Indoor spray treatment of affected areas. No VAT to add. Fixed price confirmed before we start, with no hidden extras.
🎉 £50 off a second pest treatment on the same visit
Need two different pests treated? When both treatments are carried out on the same visit, you save £50 on the second one.
Quote code TWOPESTS when you book.
Beetle Control: 5 frequently asked questions
Do I need to throw away affected food?
Yes. Any food packets with beetles or larvae in them should be thrown away before treatment, and cupboards cleaned out.
How did beetles get into my kitchen?
They usually arrive in food packets from the shop or fly in from outside, then spread to other dry foods in the cupboard.
How long does beetle treatment take to work?
Most homes see a big drop in activity within a couple of weeks, as long as infested food has been removed.
What types of beetle do you treat?
Common kitchen beetles include biscuit beetles, larder beetles and flour beetles. For beetles damaging carpets or clothes, see our carpet beetle treatment.
Is the treatment safe in my kitchen?
Yes. We use approved products and will tell you how long to keep food areas clear before you restock your cupboards.
Dangers of beetles: 5 reasons to get them treated
- Beetles and their larvae contaminate flour, cereals and other dry food.
- Infested food has to be thrown away, which wastes money.
- They spread quickly from one packet to every dry food in the cupboard.
- Some beetles can chew through cardboard and thin packaging.
- The source is often hidden deep in a cupboard, so the problem keeps returning.
5 interesting facts about beetles
- Biscuit beetles are named after ship's biscuits, which they used to infest on long voyages.
- Biscuit beetles are only 2–3mm long.
- They feed on spices, dried herbs and even some medicines.
- A beetle population can live inside a single food packet for generations.
- Museums use their relatives, dermestid beetles, to clean animal skeletons.
Beetle Control near you
We provide beetle control in every London borough. Choose yours for local information:
- Beetles · Barking and Dagenham
- Beetles · Barnet
- Beetles · Bexley
- Beetles · Brent
- Beetles · Bromley
- Beetles · Camden
- Beetles · City of London
- Beetles · Croydon
- Beetles · Ealing
- Beetles · Enfield
- Beetles · Greenwich
- Beetles · Hackney
- Beetles · Hammersmith and Fulham
- Beetles · Haringey
- Beetles · Harrow
- Beetles · Havering
- Beetles · Hillingdon
- Beetles · Hounslow
- Beetles · Islington
- Beetles · Kensington and Chelsea
- Beetles · Kingston upon Thames
- Beetles · Lambeth
- Beetles · Lewisham
- Beetles · Merton
- Beetles · Newham
- Beetles · Redbridge
- Beetles · Richmond upon Thames
- Beetles · Southwark
- Beetles · Sutton
- Beetles · Tower Hamlets
- Beetles · Waltham Forest
- Beetles · Wandsworth
- Beetles · Westminster