Varied Carpet Beetle Australia

The larvae do all the damage the adults only eat pollen.

Varied carpet beetle australia.

Carpet beetle larvae will eat all manner of animal material including wool fur silk felt feathers and leather. The varied carpet beetle is a 3 mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae. Carpet beetles are found throughout australia and can handle lower humidity than clothes moths so are also found inland from the coast. While adults are pollen grazers larvae feed on natural fibres and can damage carpets furniture clothing and insect collections.

The furniture and varied carpet beetles also bear unique coloured scales specific to the type. This beetle can be a serious household pest and a pest in natural history museums where it can damage biological specimens. Verbasci was also the first insect to be shown to have an annual behavioral rhythm and to date remains a classic example of circannual cycles in animals. Varied carpet beetles are found in homes in attics oriental carpets tapestries and wood based wall to wall carpeting.

Carpet beetles in general are oval in shape and appear dark brown to black in colour. The varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is a 3mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae. Most adult carpet beetles range from 2 mm to 5 mm in length with very short clubbed antennae and chewing mouthparts. As the carpet beetle grows its diet changes it starts consuming pollen and nectar from plants.

They do not eat synthetic materials. There are three types of carpet beetles the varied carpet beetles the black carpet beetles and the furniture carpet beetle.