Carpet beetle larva

Found indoors in dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, under baseboards, inside air ducts, and in carpets or upholstered furniture.

Feeds on animal-based fibers including wool, fur, feathers, leather, silk, and sometimes dead insects or pet hair.

The larvae avoid light and prefer to stay hidden while feeding. They shed their skins multiple times as they grow before pupating into adult beetles.

Risks include damaging fabrics, clothing, carpets, and stored collections of natural history specimens. They do not bite humans or pets, though shed larval hairs can sometimes cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.