Mar 15, 2012 – One Group of Many Kinds
QUESTION:
What is a carpet beetle as opposed to the Varied carpet beetle?
ANSWER:
Carpet beetles are a group of small beetles in the family Dermestidae, and the ones that we call "carpet" beetles are usually in the genus Anthrenus. Within this genus there are a few species that have been given specific common names, and among these are the Varied and the Furniture carpet beetles. So, the Varied Carpet Beetle is just one species in this group, and the Latin name for it is Anthrenus verbasci. It is distinguished from the similar Furniture carpet beetle by taking a very close look at the back end where the wing covers come together. On the Varied the two wings join in a smooth transition whereas on the Furniture there is a small indented area at that junction, which we call a "V-shaped" notch.
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What is a carpet beetle as opposed to the Varied carpet beetle?
ANSWER:
Carpet beetles are a group of small beetles in the family Dermestidae, and the ones that we call "carpet" beetles are usually in the genus Anthrenus. Within this genus there are a few species that have been given specific common names, and among these are the Varied and the Furniture carpet beetles. So, the Varied Carpet Beetle is just one species in this group, and the Latin name for it is Anthrenus verbasci. It is distinguished from the similar Furniture carpet beetle by taking a very close look at the back end where the wing covers come together. On the Varied the two wings join in a smooth transition whereas on the Furniture there is a small indented area at that junction, which we call a "V-shaped" notch.
You can also tell the larvae apart very easily, and the larvae of all of these beetles are similar in appearance with their bodies densely covered with long brown hairs. On the Varied the back end (posterior) is much wider than the front, while on the Furniture the front end is much wider. On the Varied there also are several tufts of lighter colored hairs at the back end, and when the larvae is disturbed or poked it raises those tufts into the air a bit. Whether this is meant to just make it look a little larger or whether it results in the larvae giving off some bad odor I am not sure, but clearly it is a defensive behavior.
It's not all that important to identify the exact species of carpet beetle, since all of the Anthrenus feed on pretty much the same things. However, what they feed on varies considerably, and it may be animal materials or grain-based foods, such as dry pet foods or baked materials. The animal materials may be feathers, hair or hair products (wool, felt), or dead insect accumulations in the window sills. These beetles are part of Mother Nature's recycling crew. By the way, they do not feed only on "carpets", and in fact with wool carpets rare these days it is equally unlikely that a carpet is the source of the problem in a home. Your inspection needs to determine what the source of the beetles is and that source must be eliminated or dealt with before you spray any insecticides.
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