Varied Carpet Beetle

Natural Habitat

Indoors, they are commonly found in homes, museums, warehouses, and other buildings, particularly in undisturbed areas like closets, under furniture, or in attics. Outdoors, adults can be found in flowering plants.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on a wide variety of animal and plant products, including wool, silk, feathers, leather, furs, museum specimens, taxidermy, dried meat, pet food, and sometimes synthetic fibers if soiled. Adult beetles feed on pollen and nectar.

Behavior Patterns

Carpet beetle larvae are typically found in dark, undisturbed areas. They are known to play dead when disturbed, curling up into a 'C' shape. Adults are attracted to light and can be found near windows. The life cycle involves complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). The larval stage is the most damaging.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Varied carpet beetles are significant household and museum pests, causing damage to textiles, upholstered furniture, carpets, clothing, and stored food products. Allergic reactions to larval hairs can occur in sensitive individuals. Benefits: In natural ecosystems, they play a role in decomposition, but this is overshadowed by their pest status in human environments.

Identified on: 9/2/2025