Varied carpet beetle (adult)

Indoors around fabrics, carpets, upholstery, stored clothing, and dried organic material; adults may occur outdoors on flowers.

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

Adults are small, oval, and mottled, often appearing indoors near windows. Larvae hide in dark areas, shed bristly skins, and can damage fabrics; development may take months to over a year.

Larvae can cause holes and contamination in natural-fiber textiles, but they do not bite or transmit disease. Adults pollinate flowers, and larvae help recycle animal-derived organic matter.