Common Carpet Beetle
General Description
| · Adults of this carpet beetle are small, rounded, and gray to blackish in color with white and orange scales on the back.
· Orange-red band of scales are found on the middle of the back surface.
|
Credit: Natasha Wright,bugwood.org.
|
| · The larva is an elongated, oval shape and is rarely more than 0.6 cm long.
· Larvae are reddish brown and covered with numerous black or brown hairs. · Eggs are white.
|
 Credit: Joseph Berger, bugwood.org. |
Life Cycle and Common Characteristics
- Adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen in flowers.
- Each female deposit 30 to 40 small.
- Eggs hatch in 10 to 20 days.
The larva molts 6 times over a period of 60 to 70 days. - Pupation occurs in the last larval skin.
The pupal stage lasts for 12 to 15 days. - The adult remains in the old larval skin for about 18 days before becoming active.
Damage and Economic & Health Implications
- Larvae of this beetle often cause damage to carpets, textiles, fabrics, furs, feathers, museum specimens and similar materials.
- This beetle may cause dermatitis (skin irritation) when human skin comes in contact with shed larval skins.
- Damages on infested items as irregular holes. In museum damaged specimens are eaten by the larvae which they leave a fine dust around or beneath the specimen.
