Pest Control in SE London

[Jurek]

I appear to have an infestation of (I think) carpet moths.
Has anyone had any dealings with pest controllers who attend to this sort of stuff?

[Kim]

Not a clue, but hi to everyone else who clicked on this thread expecting squirrels.   

[rafletcher]

I assumed rats....

[Thor]

Carpet moth larvae look like grains of rice, which are in fact the protective silk cocoons of the little beasties themselves.

We had some success with repeated applications of this^*.  There is little odour or other noxiousness and it doesn't harm the carpets.  You spray it liberally around the edges.

^* I see it cheaper on Amazon but with a blue label - don't know if it's exactly the same.

[Jurek]

Not a clue, but hi to everyone else who clicked on this thread expecting squirrels.   

... And you know where you can go.... 

[Tim Hall]

Years ago, like 30, I had carpet moths in my flat. Trouble is it was so long ago I can't remember how I got ride of them. Aerosol insecticide and repeated vacuuming I think.

[ian]

I thought this would be about neighbours.

I'd suggest the best solution to your problem is bats. They love eating moths and only come out when you're sleeping. Win.

[PaulF]

Yebut, his next problem will be a bat infestation

[ian]

Then get some Indonesians. They'll eat the bats. And they're lovely people.

[Jurek]

Scouring through online reviews of pest control operatives, one thing becomes clear.
The quality of the work they deliver ranges from charlatan, all the way to cowboy.
I think I am going to have to undertake (did you see what I did there?) this myself.

I have today, taken delivery of the stuff which makes THE SMOKE OF MOTH DETH
The problem I have, is that Nancy, who lives in the flat above mine with her husband, is heavily pregnant.
And I don't really want her around while I am fumigating.
I'm tempted to lure them to an all expenses paid weekend break somewhere on the coast.
So long as it isn't the Hawaiian coast.
I think that I could be quids in as opposed to getting the pest control people in.

[ian]

Unless she's the insect queen (in which case you've got bigger problems) she should be safe from most insecticides. Leastways that's what they tell us every time they fumigate the aeroplane.

But you're missing out with bats and Indonesians. That's a party I'd go to. Actually, I've been.

[Jurek]

Permethrin is, I believe, the active ingredient.
13.25% w/w

[ian]

It's as safe as can be. It's what tropical foreigns spray over their mozzie nets and is indeed the stuff they spray in planes.

(Reminds me, as per the pets thread, it is poisonous to cats but not dogs, which is why you shouldn't mix up flea treatments.)

[Jurek]

Cheers.

[ian]

Pass on the bats too, they don't taste nice. Probably difficult to get in SE23. You can't even get paniki manado in SE25.

[Gattopardo]

For some reason, in France, the spray chemicals are easily available in the hypermarket.

Can lend you a numatic george to wash the carpets, some of the cleaning companies can sell you pre spray chemicals.

If you can wait till text week can speak to the pest guy that have used in a few properties.  He will sample the infestation, and discuss how to go further with treatments.