A photograph of the larvae of the carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci which is commonly known as a woolly bear.
Woolly bears in carpets.
The larvae woolly bears can attack house hold carpets leaving vast bold patches in areas not usually visible without movement of side boards cabinets etc.
Dealing with carpet beetles last week one of our technicians recorded some amazing footage of a carpet beetle larvae often called a woolly bear.
Adult beetles eat pollen and nectar but the larvae can cause damage to woollens.
The related fur beetle is black with one spot on each wing case and there is a rarer black carpet beetle.
Carpet beetles are oval shaped and difficult to spot as they are only 2 to 4mm long.
The varied carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci is a 3 mm long beetle belonging to the family dermestidae they are a common species often considered a pest of domestic houses and particularly natural history museums where the larvae may damage natural fibers and can damage carpets furniture clothing and insect collections.
As is so often the case it is the larva that does all the damage.
To see that footage click here.
They also infest leather fur and silk.
The variegated carpet beetle is 2 to 4mm long like a small mottled brown grey and cream ladybird.
In the uk carpet beetles and clothes moths are the biggest threat to our textiles.
These are mostly brown with white or yellow markings and are covered in short bristly hairs hence their well known woolly bear moniker.