Varied Carpet Beetle

Found indoors in carpets, upholstery, and stored fabrics; outdoors on flowering plants.

Adults feed on pollen and nectar; larvae feed on natural fibers like wool, silk, feathers, and dead insects.

Adults are attracted to light and often found near windows; larvae are secretive, photophobic, and can take up to a year to develop.

Larvae can damage household items and textiles; their shed hairs may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some humans.