2016 Virginia Tech 3104-1588 (ENTO-189NP)

CarpetBeetlesEricDay,DepartmentofEntomology,VirginiaTech

Distribution:CarpetbeetlesarefoundthroughoutVirginiaandoccurinbothcleanandcluttereddwellings.Description:Thefourmostimportantandmostcommonspeciesaretheblackcarpetbeetle(Attagenusmezatoma)shownhere,thevariedcarpetbeetle(Anthrenusverbasci),thecommoncarpetbeetle(Anthrenusscrophulariae),andthefurniturebeetle(Anthrenusflavipes).Theadultsfeedprimarilyonpollenandnectarandcanbefoundonoutdoorplantsduringthesummer. Theadultstagesofcarpetbeetlesaresmall,ovalinsects,usuallylessthan1/4inchlong.Carpetbeetlelarvaeareusuallyaboutthesizeoftheadultbeetle,1/4inchorlessinlengthbuttheyhavedensetuftsof long setae (bristles) on their bodies. Black carpet beetle larvae have a long tuft of hair at the end of theirbodies. Adultcarpetbeetlesarecommonlyfoundindoorsatwindows.Carpetbeetle larvaeoftenwanderabouttheinfested location-- fromroomtoroominahouse.Thisbehaviorresults inspreadingthe infestationthroughoutthehouse.Coleoptera:Dermestidae.

Left to right: Line drawing of carpet beetle larva (USDA); black carpet beetle larva (Whitney Cranshaw); Adult varied carpet beetle (Eric Day, Virginia Tech). LifeCycle: Allof thesebeetle specieshavea complete life cycle--egg, larva,pupa, andadult.Adults canmateandreproduce without feeding. Females can lay from 30 to 100 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs are laid in lint,behind and under baseboards, in floor cracks, or other dark and protected locations. Eggs hatch in one to threeweeks.Larvaedevelopovera3to36monthperiodandcanmolt(shedtheirskin)from5to12times.Thepupalstagelasts6to24days,buttheadultmaytakeuptothreeweeksbeforeitemerges.Type of Damage: The larval stages cause damage to a variety of material. Their preferred food varies with thespecies, but all carpetbeetle larvae can feedonwool carpets andotherwoolproducts, furs, hides, horns, feathers,hair, and silk. Theywill also feed on linen, cotton, and rayon if these fabrics are soiledwith juice, food, or animalexcreta.Theycanbepestsincereals,storedgrains,nuts,meal,Indiancorn,redpepper,andsimilarproducts.Carpetbeetlelarvaearefrequentlypestsofinsectcollectionsandothermuseumspecimens.Control:Lookforanddiscardinfestedmaterial.Checkalltypesofwool,hides,driedmeat,driedfoods,storedcandy,andunderwoolcarpets.Vacuumregularlywherefoundandusemothcrystalsor flakeswhenstoringwool.Carpetbeetlesmay be coming from an abandoned bird or bee/wasp nest or from a deadmouse or squirrel in awall. Inadditioncarpetbeetlesfeedondeaddriedinsectsthatcollectinwindowframes.InterestingFacts:Theoldskinsareoftenmistakenforlivelarvae,andcangivetheimpressionofalargerinfestationthanreallyexists.