Black Carpet Beetle

Natural Habitat

Indoors: closets, attics, rugs, carpets, stored food products, museum collections. Outdoors: nests of birds, rodents, and insects, feeding on carrion and dried organic matter. Adults are often found on flowers.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on a wide variety of animal products, including wool, silk, leather, furs, pet hair, feathers, dried pet food, and dead insects. They also consume plant materials like cereals, grains, and spices. Adults feed on pollen and nectar.

Behavior Patterns

Carpet beetle larvae often feed in dark, undisturbed areas. Adults are attracted to light and may be found near windows. They undergo complete metamorphosis with eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult stages. The larval stage is the most damaging.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Significant indoor pests causing damage to textiles, furs, museum specimens, and stored food. Can cause allergic reactions in some sensitive individuals due to larval hairs. Benefits: In natural environments, they play a role in decomposition by feeding on carrion and dried organic matter.

Identified on: 8/28/2025