Black Carpet Beetle

Natural Habitat

Commonly found indoors in homes, apartments, warehouses, and museums. Adults are often found near windows as they are attracted to light. Larvae prefer dark, secluded areas like closets, under furniture, along baseboards, and in stored items where food is available.

Diet & Feeding

The larvae feed on a wide variety of natural materials, including wool carpets and clothing, fur, silk, feathers, leather, hair, lint, and stored products like grains, spices, and pet food. Adult beetles primarily feed on flower pollen and nectar outdoors.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are active in spring and early summer and are capable fliers. They enter structures from outdoors seeking places to lay eggs. The larvae are the destructive stage, moving slowly and avoiding light. The life cycle from egg to adult can take from six months to a year, or longer, depending on conditions.

Risks & Benefits

The primary risk is damage to property caused by the larvae feeding on natural fibers and stored products. They can destroy expensive items like wool rugs, clothing, and upholstered furniture. The bristly hairs shed by the larvae can cause an allergic reaction or dermatitis in some sensitive individuals. They do not bite humans or spread disease. They have a minor benefit in nature as scavengers, helping to break down dead insects and animal materials.

Identified on: 11/6/2025