Varied Carpet Beetle

Order/family: Coleoptera/Dermestidae

Scientific Name: Anthrenus verbasci

Description: Adult varied carpet beetles are about 1/16” to 1/8” long and generally oval in appearance. The wing covers meet at the end of the body in a smoothly rounded fashion with no apparent cleft. The back of the insect is spotted with gray-yellow, brown, and white scales which form two bands across the top. The underside of the body is gray or yellow. The large are 3/16” to 1/4” long and wider at the end of the body than at the head. They are covered with a series of light and dark brown stripes that run across the body. They have three dense tufts of bristles at the end of the body that extend outward when they are disturbed.