Common Carpet Beetle (lat. Anthrenus scrophulariae)

Life cycle

Adult beetles feed on pollen and nectar, usually selecting white or whitish flowers such as buckwheat, wild aster, daisy, Spiraea and Ceanothus. This diet encourages mating and egg-laying, and the females seek out suitable locations with animal hairs or fibres for ovipositing; these include bird and animal nests, bee hives and the skins of dead animals, as well as indoor sites such as carpets, upholstery, fabrics or preserved animal material. The eggs hatch in two to three weeks, and the larvae chew at whatever animal fibres they find in their environment. After about two months the larvae pupate and the adult insects emerge about a month later and, if indoors, make their way into the open air.

Control

When the eggs are laid on carpets and household fabrics, the larvae feed on the animal fibres and make holes in the materials. Exhibits in museums may be eaten away, leaving a powdering of fine dust round dried insects in collections; herbarium specimens may also be consumed. Human skin that comes into contact with the discarded larval skins may develop dermatitis. Good hygiene and regular vacuuming may prevent infestations from happening. Small items can be placed in airtight containers to keep the beetles out, and both heat and cold treatments are effective against the larvae and eggs. In enclosed spaces, mothballs can be placed as a repellent. Chemical treatments are possible but may not reach all the recesses where the insects lurk, and fumigation may be necessary in extreme cases.

Variation

The species shows notable variation in certain regions of the world, with forms ranging from the common Anthrenus scrophulariae scrophulariae, which has predominantly black scales with orange or red scales near the suture, to the entirely white Anthrenus scrophulariae albidus, regarded as either a subspecies or variation. The albidus form occurs across a range that extends from Southeastern Europe (Croatia to Romania, and more south to Greece) through Turkey and is also reported from the Caucasus region, Syria and Uzbekistan.

See also

Anthrenus scrophulariae species group Similar species:

Anthrenus thoracicus, from United States Anthrenus bilyi, from Central Asia and Armenia Anthrenus miniopictus, from Spain and North Africa Sometimes could also be confused with:

Anthrenus lepidus, from United States Anthrenus picturatus, generally in Russia and Eastern Europe

External links

Media related to Anthrenus scrophulariae at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Anthrenus scrophulariae at Wikispecies