Furniture Carpet Beetle

Anthrenus flavipes, commonly known as the furniture carpet beetle, is a species within the family Dermestidae, order Coleoptera. Adults are small, oval beetles, 2-3.5 mm in length, with a pattern of yellow, white, and black scales on their dorsal surface, varying in prominence. Larvae are typically tawny or reddish-brown, densely covered in stiff, bristle-like hairs, and attain a length of 4-5 mm. They are the destructive stage, feeding on natural fibers. Eggs are white and minute. The life cycle, from egg to adult, usually takes 4-12 months, but can extend to almost two years depending on temperature, humidity, and the availability of suitable food sources. They undergo 4-8 larval instars.

Furniture carpet beetle larvae are detritivores, primarily feeding on materials of animal origin, including wool, silk, leather, feathers, hair, and dried animal remains. Adults are active fliers, typically found outdoors where they feed on pollen and nectar. After mating, females seek suitable protein sources for oviposition. Larvae are cryptic, shunning light (negatively phototactic), and often found in undisturbed areas. They leave characteristic cast skins during development. Infestations spread passively through movement of infested articles or actively by adult flight indoors.