SP341-I-Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles feed on animal and plant substances such as wool, fur, feathers, hair, hides, horns, silk and bone, as well as cereals, cake mixes, red pepper, rye meal and flour. Other substances include powdered milk, dog and cat food, leather, book bindings, dead insects, cotton, and linen and rayon when stained with spilled food or animal excreta. The larvae cause the damage. They crawl from room to room and live behind baseboards and moldings and in heating system air ducts, dresser drawers, carpets, clothing and furniture. Adult beetles fly readily and may feed outdoors on flower pollen. Four species of carpet beetles are most often encountered: black carpet beetle, Attagenus magatome (Fabr.); varied carpet beetle, Anthrenus verbasci (L.); common carpet beetle, Anthrenus scrophulariae (L.); and furniture carpet beetle, Anthrenus flavipes LeConte.