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 usually are small but they may
margin of thorax; the under-surface
reach l/4 inch. They are long,
is also covered with white scales.
Some other species of Dermestes
capsule-shaped, a light cream
color, with a dark row of hairs
resemble the hide beetle with similar
across each segment, and reddish-
habits (e.g., the Incinerator beetle and
brown bristles of short hairs on the
the Leather beetle).
the Black Carpet beetle, (Attagenus
segments of the blunt tail end.
unicolor (also called A. megatoma and
A. piceus), is oblong to oval in shape; it
HIDE AND LARDER BEETLES
is 1/8 inch in length, dark brown or
Dermestes
black, and is not shiny.
These beetles (from which the entire family takes
the Common Carpet beetle (Anthrenus
its name) are larger than other Dermestids, but rather
scrophulariae), the Furniture Carpet
than feeding on fabrics or grain, their larvae
beetle (Anthrenus flavipes), and the
commonly eat bird and mammal flesh. They feed in
Varied Carpet beetle (Anthrenus
remote dark places preferring their food dry rather
verbasci) are about l/8 inch long or
than spoiled. These beetles will attack cured meats,
less. They are mottled, and are covered
like ham, and they are often found infesting dead birds
with yellow, white, orange, and black
caught in a chimney or wall void, or mice that were
small flat scales (visible with a good
caught in traps or succumbed to poison. Larvae
hand lens).
consume all the flesh and the heavier hairs, leaving a
Warehouse and Cabinet beetles
perfectly-cleaned skeleton in a small pile of fluffy
(Trogoderma) are small, about l/8 inch
undercoat hair. The Hide beetle, in particular, is used
long or longer, and are dull dark-brown
in museums to clean vertebrate skeletons. Both beetles
or black-mottled with tan markings.
eat leather, but the larder beetle is found more in
Larvae:
homes, cabins and curing sheds.
Dermestid larvae are hairy beetle grubs from less
than l/8 inch long to about l/2 inch long. Larvae can
THE INCINERATOR BEETLE
be separated into the same groups as the adults:
Another species that resembles the hide beetle is
the Larder beetle is long, about l/2
the Incinerator beetle. This beetle infests the wettest,
inch, hairy, dark brown in color with
unburned portions of garbage found in corners of open
two teeth on the sides of the end
incinerators. Adults fly to lights and enter buildings
segment pointing rearward.
from these incinerators.
the Hide beetle has the same
characteristics as the Larder beetle,
THE BLACK CARPET BEETLE
except the end segment teeth are curved
Attagenus
upward.
Black carpet beetle adults are frequently found
the Black Carpet beetle is carrot-
near the larval infestation inside buildings. In the
shaped; its body extends from about l/4
spring, they will, on occasion, fly inside from feeding
to about l/2 inch. The front end is
outside on flowers. Black carpet beetles also infest
widest and tapers to the rear. It is
grain in elevators and mills; in homes and other
covered with dark-brown to golden-red
buildings, they most commonly infest woolen fabrics.
hair. It has a long twisted tuft of hairs
Black carpet beetles build-up in stored woolen clothes
at the narrow tail end which may be
such as suits, uniforms, skirts, blankets, felt and wool
worn down or broken off.
yarn.
the Common Carpet beetle, the
Furniture Carpet beetle, and the
Varied Carpet beetle are dark, short
and less than l/4 inch. They are wider
COMMON, FURNITURE, AND VARIED
in the middle than at front or rear end,
CARPET BEETLES
with dark hair bristles that extend out
Anthrenus
from body. The tail end is darker with
short brushes of bristles.
These very small, somewhat brightly-colored
Warehouse and Cabinet beetles
beetles are responsible for infesting woolens, furs,
Module One, Chapter 5, Pg 2
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