Insect
Black Carpet Beetle
Attagenus unicolorAlso known as Carpet Beetle, Black Dermestid
Black carpet beetles are small, dark oval insects whose larvae feed voraciously on natural animal fibers like wool, hair, and silk. Outdoors, adult beetles gather on spring flowers to consume pollen and nectar before flying into homes to lay eggs. The slow-growing larvae leave behind shed skin casings and fine frass as they graze through carpets, closets, and stored grains.
Household PestScavengerBeetle
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyWool Fibers, Feathers, Dead Insects
Predators
- Spiders
- Pseudoscorpions
- Centipedes
ThreatsPest control measures, vacuuming, and low humidity.
HabitatsHomes, textile warehouses, bird nests, and flowering gardens.
Life span9 to 36 months
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyDermestidae
- GenusAttagenus
- SpeciesAttagenus unicolor
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless to humans, though larvae cause damage to wool and organic textiles.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Larvae: Check undisturbed areas like closet corners, under rugs, and near baseboards.
- Prevention: Vacuum frequently and store natural fiber clothing in airtight containers.
- Differentiating Stages: Look for shiny dark adults near sunny windows and bristly larvae in dark pantries.
Close Relative (c) Emanuele Santarelli, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Emanuele Santarelli · cc-by-sa
Family Member no rights reserved, uploaded by Ellyne Geurts · cc0
Family Member (c) Lucas Benaiche, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.