Black Carpet Beetle Australia

The australian carpet beetle is a native beetle that feeds on pollens and is found throughout australia in woodlands forests gardens and urban areas.

Black carpet beetle australia. Carpet beetle larvae will eat all manner of animal material including wool fur silk felt feathers and leather. Small and oval shaped the black carpet beetle is a black colour with brown legs and short antennae. Female black carpet beetles can lay up to 100 eggs and their larvae can stay in the larval stage for up to 3 years. The australian carpet beetle is a native member of a small but significant group of beetles family dermestidae that frequently invade homes and whose larvae feed on carpets and similar fabrics.

The larvae of the beetle are small fluffy grubs 4mm 5mm long brown with banded stripes. The larvae are bigger than the adults. The grubs live for 9 months. As they mature these bugs gradually become dark and black.

Black carpet beetles are found throughout australia. It is the larvae of the beetle that are a common household pest. Carpet beetles are found throughout australia and can handle lower humidity than clothes moths so are also found inland from the coast. The adult will reach 3 5mm in length.

Similar species of moth and beetle are found worldwide. The larvae do all the damage the adults only eat pollen. The larvae which are the true pests of this species are typically longer in body length and are a reddish brown colour. Even though it is the larvae that cause destruction you should get rid of the adults.