The larvae known as woolly bears of these small oval beetles have outstripped the clothes moths as the major british textile pest.
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.
In the uk carpet beetles and clothes moths are the biggest threat to our textiles.
Another insect given the name woolly bear is the larvae of the carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci.
Adult beetles eat pollen and nectar but the larvae can cause damage to woollens.
The variegated carpet beetle is 2 to 4mm long like a small mottled brown grey and cream ladybird.
The related fur beetle is black with one spot on each wing case and there is a rarer black carpet beetle.
Dealing with carpet beetles last week one of our technicians recorded some amazing footage of a carpet beetle larvae often called a woolly bear.
Verbasci was also the first insect to be shown to have an.
To see that footage click here.
These are mostly brown with white or yellow markings and are covered in short bristly hairs hence their well known woolly bear moniker.
Carpet beetles are oval shaped and difficult to spot as they are only 2 to 4mm long.
A photograph of the larvae of the carpet beetle anthrenus verbasci which is commonly known as a woolly bear.