Varied Carpet Beetle

Indoor environments (carpets, closets, baseboards) and outdoors in bird nests or on flowers.

Larvae eat natural fibers, hair, fur, and dead insects; adults primarily eat pollen and nectar.

Adults are attracted to light and often found near windows; larvae are scavengers that prefer dark, undisturbed areas.

They are a household pest that can damage textiles, clothing, and collections; they do not bite humans but larval hairs may cause skin irritation.