Carpet Beetle

Natural Habitat

Indoors: carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, clothing, stored foods, animal products. Outdoors: nests of birds, rodents, insects, and flowering plants.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on a wide variety of organic materials including wool, silk, animal hair, feathers, leather, furs, museum specimens, dried pet food, and sometimes spices and grains. Adult beetles feed on pollen and nectar.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae are the damaging stage, often found in dark, undisturbed areas. They are slow-moving and often roll into a ball when disturbed. Adults are attracted to light and often found near windows. They undergo complete metamorphosis.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Can cause significant damage to household goods, textiles, and museum collections. Some people may develop allergic reactions to larval hairs. Benefits: Some species are used in forensic entomology to estimate post-mortem interval. Scavenger role in nature by breaking down organic matter.

Identified on: 9/26/2025