Varied Carpet Beetle

Indoor environments (carpets, closets, pantries) and outdoor environments (flowering gardens).

Larvae eat natural fibers (wool, silk, feathers), dead skin, and stored grains. Adults feed on pollen and nectar.

Larvae are scavengers and typically avoid light, while adults are attracted to light and seek to move outdoors to mate.

Risks: Can cause significant damage to household textiles and food stores. Larval hairs may cause allergic skin reactions (carpet beetle dermatitis) in humans. Benefits: Assists in the decomposition of organic matter outdoors.