Carpet Beetle (likely Varied Carpet Beetle or Black Carpet Beetle)

Natural Habitat

Indoors, commonly found in homes, museums, and warehouses. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas such as under carpets, in closets, behind baseboards, and in air ducts. Outdoors, they can be found in bird nests, animal carcasses, and dried plant matter.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on a wide variety of animal products, including wool, silk, feathers, leather, furs, museum specimens (dried insects, animal skins), pet hair, and dried foods (cereals, grains, pasta). Adults primarily feed on pollen and nectar from outdoor flowers but can sometimes be found indoors.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae are notorious for causing damage to natural fibers and dried goods. Adults are often found near windows as they are attracted to light. Their life cycle involves complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). The larval stage can last for several months to a year depending on conditions. Larvae are slow-moving and tend to curl up when disturbed.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks include significant damage to textiles, clothing, carpets, upholstered furniture, and museum collections. They do not bite humans or transmit diseases, but some people can experience skin irritation from contact with their larval hairs. While they are pests indoors, in natural environments, they play a beneficial role as decomposers, feeding on dead organic matter.

Identified on: 9/10/2025