Household pest
Carpet beetle
Anthrenus and Attagenus species
Small oval beetles whose larvae feed on natural fibers, shed pet hair, lint, and sometimes pantry goods. Adults are often seen on windowsills in spring. They are frequently mistaken for bed bugs or “tiny black bugs in the carpet.”
Visible identification features
- Adults usually 2–5 mm, oval, mottled (varied carpet beetle) or solid dark (black carpet beetle)
- Larvae elongated, brown, and bristly
- Often found on windowsills, in carpet edges, under furniture, in closets, or in lint traps
- Damage appears as irregular holes in wool, silk, feathers, or taxidermy — not mosquito-like bites on skin as a feeding strategy
Why it may be in your home
Larvae live where hair, lint, and keratin collect: carpet edges, air registers, closets, stuffed furniture, and stored wool. Adults feed on pollen outdoors and may enter on flowers or through windows.
Lookalikes
- Bed bug
Bed bugs are flatter, uniformly reddish-brown as adults, hide in sleeping furniture, and feed on blood. Carpet beetles do not.
Next steps
- Vacuum carpet edges, registers, closets, and under furniture; empty the vacuum outside.
- Wash or freeze infested woolens; store clean items in sealed containers.
- Find the larval food source (dead insects in a window well, pet hair, an old nest) rather than only spraying the adult on the sill.
- Skin irritation from larval hairs happens in some people; that is not the same as a bed bug infestation.
Sources
- Carpet Beetles — Penn State Extension
- Carpet Beetles — University of Minnesota Extension
Updated 2026-08-19. Claims are limited to these sources.