Carpet beetle (adult black carpet beetle)

Indoors in carpets, closets, upholstered furniture, and stored natural-fiber materials; adults may occur near windows and lights.

Larvae eat keratin-rich materials such as wool, fur, feathers, silk, and shed skin, plus dead insects. Adults mainly consume pollen and nectar and do not damage fabrics.

Larvae are hairy, secretive scavengers and may remain hidden for months or years; they leave shed skins and irregular holes. Adults are attracted to light and commonly appear indoors in spring or summer.

They are not dangerous to people, though larval hairs can occasionally irritate skin or respiratory passages. They recycle dead organic material but can seriously damage textiles, taxidermy, and stored animal products.