Behavior

Typically, adult carpet beetles are found outdoors during late spring through midsummer on flowers, feeding on pollen and nectar; adults are relatively short-lived. The destructive carpet beetle larvae – which stay larvae on an average of seven to 11 months, but have been known to stay in that state for up to 20 months – will feed on natural animal by-products – wool, hair, horn, feathers, leather, silk and fur – resulting in irregular holes; they also feed on such plant materials as pressed flowers and plants, rye and wheat flour, and other packaged foodstuffs. 

Latin name: Anthrenus verbasci