Common Name: Varied Carpet Beetle Scientific name: Anthrenus verbasci Size 1.8-3.2mm
Biology: Females do not always lay their eggs on larval food material. The eggs hatch in 17-18 days. Development time from
egg to adult usually requires 249-354 days at room temperature, but may take as long as 2-3 years depending upon
temperature and food. Adult males live 13-28 days whereas females live 14-144 days. Complete Metamorphosis.
Habits: Varied carpet beetle larva feed on a wide variety of animal and plant products. Animal origin materials include woolens,
carpets, furs, hides, feathers, horns, bones, hair, silk, fishmeal, insect pupae and dead insects. Plant origin materials include
meal, corn, coco and cereals etc. Their favored foods are insects and spiders, which makes them a major pest of museum
collections. On fabrics the larva tends to surface graze and is quite capable of making small or large irregular holes.
Treatment: Before a treatment can be carried out all carpet areas will need to be vacuumed. A full insecticidal spray is carried
out treating all carpeted areas, rugs and soft furnishings in an affected property. It is advised that the treated areas cannot be
cleaned or vacuumed for at least 3 weeks after the treatment has been carried out. If carpet beetles are still being seen after 4
weeks an additional treatment will be needed.eir own. Very occasionally a second litter will be produced.
