Varied Carpet Beetles Anthrenus

This small but colourful beetle can be a serious household pest.

Varied carpet beetles anthrenus.

The furniture carpet beetle anthrenus flavipes leconte is a common pest of upholstered furniture. Varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci adults slightly oval shaped and mottled with white brownish and yellowish scales. They are so small they are often overlooked. In older adults the scales that form this pattern wear off so the beetles appear solid brown or black.

Away from humans the adult beetles often lay eggs in bird nests but they commonly get into houses and lay eggs under carpets or in cupboards. Adult varied carpet beetles are small 3 5 millimeters or about an eighth of an inch rounded beetles with dark colored or patterned wing covers depending on the species. No cleft at tip of wings. Their larvae however can become pests inside homes universities and museums.

They have zig zag bands of yellow white brown and black on their wing coverings. The adult varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is about 1 10 inch long and black with an irregular pattern of white brown and dark yellow scales on its wing covers. They are a common species often considered a pest of domestic houses and particularly natural history museums where the larvae may damage natural fibers and can damage carpets furniture clothing and insect collections. Black centers with white brown and yellow patches in an irregular arrangement.

Varied carpet beetles get their name from the rainbow of color on their back surfaces. The varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is a 3 mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae. Like other species of carpet beetles it is able to digest keratin the principal protein found in animal hair and feathers. Larvae are similarly sized and have a tapered body.

Adult varied carpet beetles can be found outdoors where they feed on pollen from a variety of flowers. Larvae lower left and adult of the furniture carpet beetle anthrenus flavipes leconte.