Carpet beetle larva

Indoors in carpets, upholstery, closets, bedding, and stored natural-fiber materials; adults often occur near windows and flowers.

Larvae eat keratin-rich and other animal-derived materials, including wool, fur, feathers, silk, hair, and dead insects. Adults primarily feed on pollen and nectar.

Larvae are hairy, slow-moving scavengers that hide in dark, undisturbed areas and molt repeatedly; their shed skins often reveal an infestation. Adults are small, oval beetles that may fly toward light.

Larval hairs can irritate skin and respiratory passages, and feeding may damage textiles, taxidermy, and natural-fiber goods. They recycle dead organic matter, while adults pollinate flowers.