Carpet beetle larvae

Natural Habitat

Indoors in homes, museums, and storage areas. They prefer dark, undisturbed places like closets, attics, under carpets, and inside upholstered furniture. Outdoors, they can be found in bird nests, animal carcasses, and dried plants.

Diet & Feeding

Keratin-rich materials such as wool, silk, fur, feathers, leather, and animal products. They also feed on dried insects, pet hair, and food crumbs. They do not feed on synthetic fibers like nylon or rayon.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae are the damaging stage, often found crawling slowly. They avoid light and prefer undisturbed areas. Adults are winged and often attracted to light, sometimes found near windows. They undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult).

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Can cause significant damage to textiles, clothing, carpets, upholstered furniture, and museum collections. Some individuals may experience skin irritation or allergic reactions from bristles shed by the larvae. Benefits: Decomposers in natural environments, helping break down animal remains and other organic matter. However, their presence indoors is almost exclusively a pest issue.

Identified on: 9/28/2025