Varied carpet beetle

Homes, museums, nests, and other sheltered places containing dry organic material. Adults often occur near windows and flowers.

Larvae consume keratin-rich materials such as wool, fur, feathers, hair, and dead insects; adults mainly feed on pollen and nectar.

Larvae are hairy, avoid light, and can persist unnoticed for months or years. Adults emerge, mate, and lay eggs near suitable food sources; the pictured individual appears consistent with an adult carpet beetle.

Larvae can damage clothing, carpets, upholstery, and stored natural-fiber items, and their shed hairs may irritate skin or airways. Adults are harmless and contribute modestly to pollination and decomposition.