Varied Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus verbasci
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Bostrichoidea
- Family: Dermestidae
- Tribe: Anthrenini
- Genus: Anthrenus
- Species: verbasci
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Anthrenus verbasci: //ænˈθɹiːnəs vɜːrˈbæs.aɪ//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
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Summary
The Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) is a small beetle that is a known pest of household items and biological collections, particularly noted for the damage its larvae can inflict on natural materials.
Physical Characteristics
Adult A. verbasci range in length from 1.7 to 3.5 mm and features a rounded, almost spherical body covered in fine scales of white, brownish, and yellowish patches. Notably, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments.
Identification Tips
Dorsal surface with scales of two colours: white and yellowish brown, eyes not notched in front. Adults can be distinguished from similar species by the distinct prescutellar spot on the pronotum and the specific arrangement of scales on the elytra.
Habitat
Adults are found outdoors on various flowering plants, often in places where they can encounter their food sources. Larvae inhabit bird nests, stored fabrics, and dark, undisturbed areas in homes.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan, adventive in North America (introduced circa 1850), common throughout the US and adjacent Canada, particularly in coastal British Columbia and occasionally in Ontario.
Diet
Adults feed on pollen and nectar of flowering plants; larvae consume keratin and chitin from animal materials and natural fibers, including dead insects and hair.
Life Cycle
The life cycle lasts 1–3 years. Eggs hatch in spring to early summer, and adults emerge between late May and August.
Reproduction
Eggs are laid in close proximity to food sources, often in dark areas. Adults show a negative attraction to light until the oviposition period, after which they are attracted to light.
Predators
Natural predators include parasitoid wasps like Laelius pedatus, known for laying eggs inside paralyzed larvae.
Ecosystem Role
A. verbasci plays a role as a pest in buildings and natural history collections, affecting both organic materials and curated insect specimens.
Economic Impact
Considered one of the world's most important pests of insect collections and domestic settings due to the damage caused to textiles, carpets, and associated materials.
Health Concerns
Shed hairs from larvae can irritate skin, causing itchy welts that might be confused with bedbug bites.
Collecting Methods
- Vacuum cleaning
- Sticky traps
- Manual removal
Preservation Methods
- Freezing
- Drying
- Insecticides
Evolution
A. verbasci was the first insect shown to have an annual behavioral rhythm, though further evolution details are absent from this data.
Misconceptions
Often mistaken for other carpet beetle species; confusion may arise from their similar coloration and roles as pests.
Tags
- pest
- carpet beetle
- Anthrenus verbasci
- museum pest
- natural history