Varied carpet beetle (likely larva)

Homes, museums, nests, and other sheltered areas containing dry organic material.

Larvae eat keratin-rich materials such as wool, fur, feathers, dead insects, and shed skin. Adults mainly feed on pollen and nectar.

Larvae hide in dark, undisturbed places and can persist for months; adults often appear near windows and light. The pictured individual may also be a shed larval skin or damaged specimen, so identification is provisional.

Larvae can damage clothing, carpets, taxidermy, and stored natural fibers, and their hairs may irritate skin or airways. Adults pollinate flowers and help decompose animal remains.