Black Carpet Beetle

Attagenus unicolor, the black carpet beetle, is a significant pest of stored products and natural fibers, belonging to the family Dermestidae, order Coleoptera. Adults are uniformly shiny black or dark brown, oval-shaped, and measure 3-5 mm in length, lacking distinct patterns on their elytra. Larvae are elongated, carrot-shaped, tapering posteriorly, and covered with short, stiff, golden-brown hairs. They possess a characteristic long tuft of caudal hairs (caudal brush) and can reach 8-10 mm in length. Eggs are minute and white. The entire life cycle usually takes 6-12 months, but can extend to three years under adverse conditions, with 5-11 larval instars. The larval stage is the primary damaging stage.

Black carpet beetle larvae are highly destructive detritivores, feeding on a wide range of animal-based products, including wool, silk, leather, fur, feathers, hair, dried meats, museum specimens, and stored grains. Adults are short-lived and non-feeding, often found near windows as they are attracted to light after emergence. Females lay eggs individually on or near larval food sources. Larvae are negatively phototactic, inhabiting dark, undisturbed crevices and feeding cryptically. They undergo molts, leaving behind visible cast skins. Dispersal typically involves movement of infested goods or active adult flight.