VARIED CARPET BEETLE

Click to enlarge

Got home from work about an hour ago, and Anna pointed out a little beetle to me - one of the Carpet Beetle adults that we occasionally see around the house. (Very rarely I should add)!

The Varied Carpet Beetle is a pest sometimes, I suppose, in its larval form, anyway.

These larvae (known as "Woolly Bears") will eat as much protein as they can get their mouthparts on.

That may come in the form of dead insect material (or arachnid of course), or indeed animal products such as wool, leather, silk or fur.

The 4-5mm long larvae can be extermintated, using powder, so there's no need to be that concerned - and the smaller adults (2-3mm long) feed from pollen and nectar, outside, in the spring and summer.

The female adult will lay about 40 eggs, and the resulting Woolly Bears will often hot-foot it ( as fast as they can ) inside our houses, where food is plentiful.

Carpets and central heating make our houses an ideal habitat for the larvae of the Varied Carpet Beetle (for food) and also as a nice, warm, hibernation spot for the adults.

The adult Varied Carpet Beetle then. About 2mm long.