Carpet-beetle
Guides
Anthrenus castaneae
Anthrenus castaneae is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. First described by Melsheimer in 1844, it is native to North America with records from Canada and the United States. The species was historically placed in the subgenus Florilinus. Larval specimens have been documented in association with spider egg sacs and retreats, representing a distinctive host relationship among carpet beetles.
Anthrenus chiton
carpet beetle
Anthrenus chiton is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae, subgenus Anthrenus. It is a small beetle native to the southwestern United States, where it occurs in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. Like other members of its genus, it likely shares the typical carpet beetle biology of larval feeding on dried animal products and adult pollination behavior, though species-specific details remain poorly documented.
Anthrenus coloratus
Asian carpet beetle
Anthrenus coloratus is a small beetle species in the family Dermestidae, commonly known as the Asian carpet beetle. It has been documented as a pest of entomological collections, where it damages dried insect specimens. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and has been introduced to Ecuador.
Anthrenus flavipes
furniture carpet beetle
Anthrenus flavipes is a small dermestid beetle known as the furniture carpet beetle. Adults are 2–3.5 mm long, black with variable white and yellow mottling, and have rounded or oval body scales that distinguish them from related carpet beetles. The species has a cosmopolitan distribution and is a significant pest of household materials, particularly upholstered furniture, carpets, and textiles. Larvae are responsible for damage, feeding on keratin-containing materials including wool, hair, feathers, and silk.
Anthrenus fuscus
Mill Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus fuscus is a small carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, commonly known as the Mill Carpet Beetle. It occurs in North America and Europe, with populations in southern Britain showing peak abundance near agricultural areas. Adults are found on flowers during summer months, while larvae feed on dead insects in natural habitats such as spiders' webs and under tree bark. The species exhibits sharply defined habitat separation from the closely related A. verbasci.
Anthrenus isabellinus
Anthrenus isabellinus is a carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa. The species has been introduced to the eastern United States. Like other Anthrenus carpet beetles, its larvae feed on dried animal products including keratin-based materials. Historical taxonomic confusion with the related A. pimpinellae has complicated understanding of its true distribution.
Anthrenus museorum
museum beetle
Anthrenus museorum is a small dermestid beetle commonly known as the museum beetle. Adults measure 2–4 mm with round bodies and dark elytra bearing bright colored spots. The larval stage is the primary damaging form, feeding on dry animal materials including skin, hair, feathers, and occasionally dry food products like cheese, flour, or cocoa. The species is native to Europe and has become globally distributed through commercial trade, now occurring across the Palearctic, Near East, Nearctic, and other regions including China and Australia. It is a significant pest in museums, where larvae damage taxidermy specimens and insect collections.
Anthrenus pimpinellae
Anthrenus pimpinellae is a small carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, native to the Palaearctic region but introduced to North America. Adults measure 3–4 mm and have black elytra with white and brown scales. The species exhibits selective flower-feeding behavior, with mating occurring exclusively on preferred floral hosts. Larvae feed on dried animal products including keratin-containing materials.
Anthrenus sophonisba
Anthrenus sophonisba is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Beal in 1998. It belongs to the scrophulariae species group within the genus Anthrenus. The species is known from the western United States, specifically documented in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Like other members of its genus, it likely shares the typical carpet beetle life history involving keratin-feeding larvae and pollen-feeding adults, though species-specific details remain poorly documented.
Anthrenus thoracicus
carpet beetle
Anthrenus thoracicus is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is native to North America and has been recorded in multiple U.S. states including Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. Like other members of the genus, it belongs to the Anthrenus scrophulariae species group. The species was described by Melsheimer in 1844.
Anthrenus verbasci
Varied Carpet Beetle
Anthrenus verbasci is a cosmopolitan pest species in the family Dermestidae, commonly known as the varied carpet beetle. Adults are small (2–4 mm), rounded beetles with distinctive patterned elytra bearing bands or spots of brown, black, and white scales. Larvae are covered in dense setae and feed on dried proteinaceous material, causing damage to household items, museum collections, and stored agricultural products. The species exhibits circannual control of its life cycle, with photoperiod serving as the primary zeitgeber for synchronizing pupation and adult emergence in spring. Adults feed on pollen and nectar, particularly from umbelliferous plants (Apiaceae) and Asteraceae, and use both olfaction and vision in host plant selection.
Apsectus hispidus
Apsectus hispidus is a small carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, distributed across North America. The species belongs to a genus of beetles associated with decomposing organic material. Limited biological data are available for this species specifically.
Attagenus bicolor
carpet beetle
Attagenus bicolor is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, subfamily Attageninae. It is known from the southwestern and western United States, specifically Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with dried organic materials, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Attagenus fasciatus
Banded Black Carpet Beetle, Tobacco Seed Beetle, Wardrobe Beetle
Attagenus fasciatus is a cosmopolitan carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, commonly known as the banded black carpet beetle, tobacco seed beetle, or wardrobe beetle. It occurs in North America, Oceania, Europe, and tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The species is a significant pest of stored products, textiles, and animal materials, with larvae feeding on keratin-containing substrates.
Attagenus rufipennis
Attagenus rufipennis is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It occurs in North America. Like other Attagenus species, it is likely associated with dried organic materials, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Attagenus schaefferi
carpet beetle
Attagenus schaefferi is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, distributed across North America. It belongs to the subfamily Attageninae and is one of nine Attagenus species recognized north of Mexico. The species was originally described as Megatoma schaeferi by Herbst in 1792. Two subspecies have been recognized: A. s. hypar Beal, 1970 and A. s. spurcus LeConte, 1874. Like other carpet beetles, it is commonly associated with dried animal products and household environments.
Cryptorhopalum aspilon
Cryptorhopalum aspilon is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, described by Beal in 1985. It belongs to a genus of small, oval beetles known for their association with organic materials. The species is recorded from North America, though detailed ecological and biological information appears limited.
Cryptorhopalum floridanum
Cryptorhopalum floridanum is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, described by Casey in 1916. It belongs to a genus of small beetles known for their association with dried organic materials. The species is native to North America, with records from the southeastern United States. Very little is known about its specific biology or ecology.
Cryptorhopalum triste
Cryptorhopalum triste is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It occurs in North America, with confirmed records from the United States and Canada. The species is polyphagous, feeding on plants from over 16 families. Larval and pupal stages have been described and reared in laboratory settings.
Dearthrus stebbinsi
carpet beetle
Dearthrus stebbinsi is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Beal in 1954. The species is currently recognized as a synonym of Globicornis stebbinsi by some taxonomic authorities, reflecting ongoing taxonomic revision within this group of beetles. It is known from western North America, with confirmed records from British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of Dermestidae, it belongs to a family characterized by larvae that feed on keratinous materials.
Dermestes caninus
carpet beetle
Dermestes caninus is a carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, found in North America and Oceania. The species has been studied for forensic importance alongside the more well-known Dermestes maculatus, though it has little biological information available and no published case report records. Research indicates intraspecific larval aggregation behavior and diet type significantly affect its life-history traits.
Dermestes carnivorus
carpet beetle
Dermestes carnivorus is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Fabricius in 1775. The species is found in North America and Europe, with additional records from the Galápagos Islands and Belgium. Like other members of the genus Dermestes, it is presumed to be a scavenger of dried animal matter, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Dermestes fasciatus
carpet beetle
Dermestes fasciatus is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is found in North America. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with decomposing animal matter, though specific ecological details for this species are poorly documented.
Dermestes talpinus
hide and tallow dermestid
Dermestes talpinus, commonly known as the hide and tallow dermestid, is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is native to North America and has been documented from dry bones and carrion in advanced stages of decomposition. The species is smaller than many congeners and can be distinguished by its distinctive scale pattern: gold or coppery scales on the pronotum and silvery scales on the elytra.
Megatoma ampla
carpet beetle
Megatoma ampla is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Casey in 1900. It belongs to a genus of beetles known for infesting stored products and natural history collections. The species is documented from North America, with specific records from British Columbia, Canada. As with other dermestid beetles, it likely has a scavenging or detritivorous lifestyle, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Megatoma pubescens
Pubescent Carpet Beetle
Megatoma pubescens is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is found in North America and Europe. The species is commonly known as the Pubescent Carpet Beetle. Like other dermestid beetles, it belongs to a family whose larvae feed on dry organic materials including animal products, plant matter, and natural fibers.
Novelsis picta
Novelsis picta is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Casey in 1900. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented. Like other dermestid beetles, it likely shares general characteristics of the family, including a compact body form and association with organic materials.
Novelsis uteana
Novelsis uteana is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae, first described by Casey in 1900. It is known to occur in North America. The genus Novelsis is part of a diverse group of dermestid beetles commonly referred to as carpet beetles, which are known for their association with keratinous materials.
Orphinus fulvipes
carpet beetle
Orphinus fulvipes is a small carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It has a documented body length of 2.5 mm. The species exhibits a broad intercontinental distribution spanning North America, South Asia, Oceania, and Europe. As a member of Dermestidae, it is likely associated with keratinous or dried organic materials, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Thorictodes heydeni
Thorictodes heydeni is a small beetle in the family Dermestidae, a group commonly known as skin beetles or carpet beetles. The genus Thorictodes is distinguished from related dermestid genera by specific morphological features of the antennae and body form. Records indicate this species has been documented in North America and Oceania, though detailed biological studies remain limited. Like other dermestids, members of this genus are generally associated with dried organic materials.
Trogoderma glabrum
glabrous cabinet beetle, colored cabinet beetle
Trogoderma glabrum is a dermestid beetle known for its unusual developmental plasticity. Under optimal conditions, it completes its life cycle in approximately eight weeks, but when deprived of food, large larvae can extend their lifespan to over two years through a process of 'retrogressive molting'—molting backwards into progressively smaller stages rather than progressing toward pupation. This species is a pest of stored products and has been documented in Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. Females exhibit circadian-regulated sex pheromone release behavior synchronized to photoperiod.