Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 485

The common carpet beetle is a small beetle that varies in length from 2.5 to 3.8 mm. It has black head and prothorax with white scales, black elytra with patches of white scales, and orange or reddish scales near the midline. The beetle lays eggs in batches of 30 to 60, which have projections to adhere to carpet fibers. The larvae feed on animal fibers and can cause damage to carpets, fabrics, and museum exhibits. Good hygiene, vacuuming, airtight containers, heat and cold treatments, and mothballs can be used for control, and chemical treatments or fumigation may be necessary in extreme cases.